The Trip That Went Wrong

For this next post I wanted to try something a little different. I wanted to share a story with you all about the unfortunate experiences I had on my vacation to Paris a few years ago.

As a young girl, I've always been in love with the French culture. I began taking simple French classes in second grade and continued it all through middle school, high school, college. I had never been to France so my mom decided to buy me a trip there as my high school graduation present. (I wanted to add this quick disclaimer before I go on: I am incredibly grateful to have had experienced such a wonderful city and I definitely would like to return.) She booked us a week long trip at the end of August. Since I had just finished high school, my friends and I were all going to be heading to college before I was going to return from France because their schools all began earlier than mine. I was incredibly excited for the trip, but already had a bit of a sour outlook since I was missing all of the college goodbyes and send-offs. I realized that I'd meet everyone again soon and I should go enjoy my trip, but then everything that could've possibly gone wrong, went wrong.

As I arrived at the airport, I learned that my flight was delayed for two hours and it wasn't because of the weather. I'm relatively scared of airplanes as it is, and automatically assumed there was something wrong with the plane, which made my fear even worse. As we finally boarded and landed in France, we headed to the luggage carousel and waited for almost an hour only to find out that my luggage was still in New York! We landed on a Sunday which meant that most of the clothing stores around us were closed except for a large outlet mall. Assuming that outlets would be cheap, we headed over to pick me out a new wardrobe, but once we looked at a map of stores, we realized this was no ordinary outlet mall. The mall contained stores like Gucci, Prada, Armani, Celine, and other extremely high end designers. I searched the mall high and low and eventually stumbled upon Sandro and Maje, two also rather expensive stores, but definitely more affordable. I purchased a few new outfits, stocked up on toiletries, and prayed my luggage would arrive the next day.

Two days later, my luggage arrived and I felt much better about the trip. Unfortunately, matters got a tad worse. As I walked along the Champs-Elysées, the camera strap to my DSLR randomly snapped and my camera fell to the ground and cracked the screen. I was devastated especially because that meant I now had to take pictures with my awful, at the time, iPhone 5s (I'm beyond thankful for the new 7 plus camera!). As that point, I just accepted that it was a rough trip and that I shouldn't let little things like this ruin the vacation of a lifetime. I had saved up a lot of money and went on a shopping spree. One of the items I purchased happened to be a pair of Gucci shoes. As my mom and I exited the Champs-Elysées and hopped on the train to go back to our hotel, a pick-pocketer attempted to steal the Gucci shopping bag right from my mom's arm! We're so lucky my mom has fast reflexes because she successfully fought the not-so-sneaky thief off and ran to the next train. I had been on the phone with my dad and didn't realize that any of this happened. In addition, I had no idea where my mom went. We ended up on two opposite ends of the train but it was quite scary being alone on a public train in the middle of an unfamiliar city whilst carrying a ton of shopping bags way too heavy for me.

Finally my mom and I found each other and sat down for our last dinner in Paris. As we toasted a glass of red wine, a woman with a very large handbag walked by and hit my arm causing my wine glass to spill all over my light pink dress and the white tablecloth. At that point, all I could do was laugh about all of the terrible incidents that happened while in France. My superstitions made me feel like Paris was bad luck and that maybe I should never return, but my love for the French culture and language overrides any terrible mishaps I may have had while in that amazing city. Despite all inconveniences, I had an amazing time in Paris and hope that one day I get the opportunity to return.

Hopefully if any of you ever visit Paris, none of this ever happens to you! Until next time!

Sneakers You NEED

When I was younger, my cousin got me into the game of sneakers. He's definitely the reason for my obsession and I'll forever blame him for my plummeting bank account and maxed out credit cards. Anyways, I decided to call him for some help on this post and together, we created a list of staple sneakers that everyone needs a pair of!

Adidas Stan Smith - $60

These are a classic, affordable pair of Adidas that everyone needs!

Adidas Superstar -  $80 

These are also a classic pair of Adidas that I'm sure many people already have in their closet. But if not, they're a must! 

Vans Old Skool - $60 

These are super trendy right now and are being worn by celebrities and style icons ranging from Kylie Jenner to Wiz Khalifa. The checkered print ones (especially in red) are exceptionally hot right now! 

Nike Air Force 1 - $95 

These Nikes are also such a classic and super versatile. They're unisex despite their rather masculine appearance. 

Adidas EQT - $110 

EQT's are known to be one of the most comfortable pair of Adidas around! They're also cool statement sneakers that add something to every outfit. 

Nike NMD R1 - $130 

NMD's are known for their cool prints, patterns, and colors. They're also super comfortable and really cute. If you're going to splurge on any pair of sneakers, these are your best bet! 

Revenge X Storm - $200

As seen on my favorite fashionista, Chantel Jeffries, these are super rare and always sold out, but they're beyond cool! They are definitely similar to the Old Skool Vans, but more unique looking. 

Nike Air Jordan 1 - $220 

Girls, you can wear these too! Classic Air Jordans are always the way to go and can definitely pull together any laid back outfit. 

Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 - (retail) $200 (resell) $500+ 

Yeezys are difficult to get for less than $500, but they're the most comfortable shoes you'll ever wear. My favorite part is that you don't have to untie and tie them each time you wear them because they're stretchy and slip on. Definitely my all time favorite pair of shoes. 

Gucci Ace Leather Sneaker - $550

These are high end designer leather sneakers, but they're a classic. I know they're very expensive, but they're so cute and add something to every outfit. 

I hope anyone in the market for a new pair of shoes finds this list helpful on the latest sneaker trends! Also, comment and let me know if anyone can think of some other staple sneakers I should add. Until next time! 

My Favorite Trends by Chantel Jeffries

While trying to come up with a post about my favorite trends at the moment, I realized that most of my style inspiration comes from the well-known model and DJ, Chantel Jeffries. Right now, these are my favorite trend pieces that are actually wearable.

Track Suits

I'm obsessed with matching track suits and I'm not going to lie, it's probably because I lived in Juicy Couture track suits when I was in 7th grade! 

Off-the-Shoulder Denim Jackets

This trend is super easy. Just grab a cropped denim jacket and wear it off the shoulder with a strapless top underneath. Cute and simple! 

Fish Net Tops 

Fish net has been trending for a while now but it's mostly been about the tights. I really love fish net tops because they're different and super cute for layering. 

Camo

Camo is something I find that people either love or hate. Personally, I really like it and I think it gives off a cool, laid back vibe. 

High-Leg Bikinis 

I love high-leg bikinis for the pool and beach. They can turn a really simple and plain bikini into a really trendy one. They're also more flattering than normal ones. 

Chantel Jeffries' personal style is cool and comfortable, but also trendy and chic. She is the epitome of my style icon and if you like these looks I definitely recommend checking out her Instagram page @chanteljeffries. Until next time guys! 

Bottomless Brunch for $30 or Less!

Since I’ve been posting about food a lot, I decided to continue by conducting a list of the best bottomless brunch deals in NYC. Here’s a list of the spots that I think have the best brunch deals in the city:

1. Agave, West Village, Southwestern cuisine: For $27.95, you get any entrée and 2 hours of bottomless mimosas, wine, or margaritas.
2. Café Cortadito, East Village, Cuban cuisine: For $27.95, you receive a wide assortment of food along with 90 minutes of unlimited mimosas, sangria, mojitos, margaritas, bloody Marys, or house beer.
3. Calle Ocho, Upper West Side, Latin cuisine: With the purchase of just one entrée, which ranges from $15-18, you get unlimited sangria, which is set up as a bar where you can go refill your cup by yourself as many times as you please.
4. Poco, East Village, Spanish cuisine: For $28, you receive an entrée and 1.5 hours of mimosas, bloody Marys, or sangria.
5. Three of Cups, East Village, Italian cuisine: With the purchase of just one entrée which averages $16, you receive 2 drinks. For a extra $5, you get unlimited bloody Marys and mimosas for two hours.
6. Fonda, Chelsea, Mexican cuisine: It’s $29.95 for one entrée and 1.5 hours of unlimited rosalitas, margaritas, mimosas, bloody Marys, and beer.
7. SideBAR, Gramercy, American cuisine: For only $20, you get one brunch item and unlimited beer and cocktails.
8. La Flaca, Lower East Side, Mexican cuisine: It’s $26 for one entrée and two hours of frozen margaritas, mimosas, sangria, bloody Marys, or amber ale.
9. Lasagna Ristorante, Midtown East, Italian cuisine: For $16.95, you receive one entrée and one mimosa, bellini, screwdriver, or bloody Mary. For just $11 more, you can make the drinks unlimited, making the total only $27.95.
10. Lips Drag Brunch, Midtown East, American cuisine: This one is just a dollar over the limit, but for $30.95, you receive a brunch entrée and unlimited mimosas or bloody Marys whilst enjoying a drag performance.
11. Maple, Midtown West, American cuisine: For $30, you receive one entrée and unlimited mimosas or bloody Marys.
12. Añejo, Tribeca, Mexican cuisine: For $29, you get one entrée and two hours of unlimited margaritas, mimosas, sangria, or bloody Marys.

Hope this helps all my fellow NYC brunchers! Enjoy! 

Let's Talk Food

A while ago, I shared a post titled 20 Trendy Restaurants: Overrated to Underrated, where I shared some of my personal opinions on trendy restaurants in NYC. I labeled Hillstone as the most underrated restaurant in the city. Hillstone has a "sister restaurant" called Houston's located in Hackensack, NJ in Bergen County, right near where I grew up. Hillstone and Houston's have almost identical menus and the food tastes amazing at both places. I've been going to Houston's with my family ever since I was a little girl and it's my favorite restaurant in the entire world. That being said, I decided to reach out to the manager, Jim, and finally get to talk to the man in charge of the NJ location I love so much. I conducted an interview to hear his thoughts on the one restaurant that I rave about to everyone! Here are some of the questions I asked and the responses he shared with me:

Q: Would you consider Houston's to be a "trendy" restaurant, at least in the Bergen County area?
A: I think that what's great about Houston's is that it really is not a place that's hot for a while and then the excitement dies down. It's a classic place that a lot of people, and not just from Bergen County but from everywhere, have been coming for years and they come back because they enjoy the food and the atmosphere, not because it's a trendy establishment.

Q: What would you say is the most popular item on the menu?
A: I'd say a lot of people enjoy our spinach dip.

Q: Are there any secret items that aren't on the menu that regular customers are aware of but new ones may not be?
A: Actually, yes! We prepare a cheesy bread that many people ask for but it's not written on the menu. I wouldn't say it's a secret item though. It's something that our waiters and waitresses often suggest to customers because it's so delicious.

Q: I know my favorite item on the menu is the veggie burger, it's amazing. What's your's?
A: I'd have to say I'm a big fan of the Thai Steak & Noodle Salad, but the Hawaiian Rib-Eye is also classic.

Q: I'm aware that the menu changes by season, but how do you decide what items stay and what items go?
A: We keep all of the originals on the menu, the burgers, steaks, poultry items, the spinach dip. It's really just the vegetables specifically that change depending on what's in season at the time. We also switch it up with new soups of the day sometimes.

Q: Last question. The Hillstone chain in Manhattan serves sushi. Do you think they would ever consider serving it at this location?
A: The restaurant has been open for years and we still haven't started serving it so I don't think we ever will.

Hearing Jim's responses were so fun because I definitely agree with him. The spinach dip is the BEST and the Hawaiian Rib-Eye is everybody's favorite too. I think the best thing that came out of this interview is that I'm now aware of the "secret" cheesy bread and I'm currently on my way to go get some! If you've never been to Houston's or Hillstone, go and enjoy as soon as possible. Until next time guys!