Cronut Craze

In the midst of finals week, Stephanie and I decided it was a good idea to pull an all-nighter and get cronuts at the Dominique Ansel Bakery. When the clock struck seven in the morning, we embarked on a snowy fifteen minute walk downtown. Even on this cold wintery day, cronut crazed fans had lined up hours before the store had even opened. After an hour of waiting, we finally found ourselves in front of the cashier, placing our order for four cronuts (two for ourselves and two for ours friends Tiff and Amy). December's cronut flavor is Valrhona chocolate champagne with fresh orange zest sugar and if the weather permits, I suggest you head on over to the bakery before the month is up! They are to die for!

Eat pray love,
Karen and Stephanie

The Nutcracker by ABT

On December 14th, I got a free ticket to see the Nutcracker at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Theater! New York was covered in snow so I was definitely feeling the holiday spirit. Watching ballerinas dance makes me remember how much I love ballet and I'm so excited to be seeing another show in January!

Stay graceful,
Stephanie

The Black Balloon

Following the Refinery29 Event, Stephanie and I decided to have an impromptu photoshoot with the black balloon I had snagged from the dining hall. 

Karen: 

Leather Leggings: Forever 21

Black Chiffon Top: Urban Outfitters

Peacoat: J. Crew

Heels: Target 

Stephanie: 

Leather Leggings: Forever 21

Velvet Crop Top: Urban Outfitters

Blazer: Helmut Lang

Necklace: Jezie Jewelry

Heels: Ann Taylor

Refinery29 Tinseltown Launch and Creatures of Comfort Party

  

 

On December 12th, Stephanie and I attended the Refinery29 Tinseltown Launch Party. We made full use of the photobooth, even sending a virtual holiday card to some of our favorite gals. We also bought two cute miniature potted plants, which we make sure to water on a regular basis. A highlight of the night was sneaking our way into a picture on Black Book Magazine (we're on the bottom left buying our potted plants!). After walking out of the party, we wandered into the Creatures of Comfort event just a few stores down. Here, we sipped on a refreshing blend of seltzer water and pineapple juice as I continued the search for a black bag! 

Happy party hopping, 

Karen and Stephanie 

Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics

On December 10th, I went to see the Brooklyn Nets versus Boston Celtics game at the Barclays Center. This was my first time going to a basketball game and seeing the Barclays Center so it was definitely an eventful experience. I even wore the Brooklyn top Karen got me from Urban Outfitters! I'm excited to go to more games in the future and hopefully drag Karen along.

Stay adventurous,
Stephanie

Max Brenner and NYU Stern Holiday Party

Thanks to a  generous class council budget, Stephanie and I were able to eat at Max Brenner's with some of our classmates on December 5th. We each paid a co-pay of $8, and received a $26 budget in return. $26 may not seem like a lot, but when you pool your money with three of your friends, you're left with a grand total of $104 for whatever your chocolate-loving heart desires. Naturally, Stephanie, Meg, Tiff, and I came together to get the most bang for our buck. Following Max Brenner's was the NYU Stern holiday party, complete with a makeshift photobooth!

On the Menu:

CREAMY SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE FONDUE: warm chili-dusted tortilla chips for scooping

MEDITERRANEAN TRIO & CRISPY SPICE DUSTED PITA CHIPS: creamy hummus, Spanish eggplant dip, classic babaganoush 

REALLY-CHEESY REALLY-CRUNCHY MAC & CHEESE: special 5-cheese blend, tomatoes

MARGHERITA PANINI: oven-roasted tomatoes, basil leaves, fresh mozzarella, tomato-basil aioli 

80's MILKSHAKE: milk chocolate ganache, vanilla ice cream and a crunchy chocolate shell 

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO MILKSHAKE: vanilla ice cream, milk chocolate ganache, espresso

CRYSTAL SUGAR CHURROS FONDUE: muddled raspberries, toffee sauce, dark chocolate

HOT CHOCOLATE: max's classic whipped hot chocolate 

THE MELTING CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE HEART CAKE & SHAKE: milk & white chocolate heart cake served with vanilla ice cream, red berries, and a milk chocolate shot 

Food comas forever,  

Karen and Stephanie

Kate Spade x ELLE Magazine Holiday Event

On December 3rd, we attended the Kate Spade x ELLE Magazine Holiday Event with our friends Lori and Matt! The Kate Spade store is located in a great section of SoHo, just within walking distance of our dorms! It was nice spending the night out with our friends, sipping on pink champagne and seltzer, and perusing the purses and shoes. Stephanie already has a Kate Spade bag, and I'm on the lookout!

Have a happy and classy holiday,
Karen and Stephanie

Black Friday

My cousin Monica and I are notorious shopaholics in the family. So, naturally we leave the thanksgiving party early to begin our Black Friday shopping. I find it quite interesting how our day of thanks was cut short thanks to excessive consumerism and spending (but that's another thought for another day for another blog). Every year, Monica and I look forward to the 50% off sale at Urban Outfitters. The doors to UO opened early this year, and we were some of the lucky few to enter first. It's always pretty hectic those first few minutes, entire racks are ripped clean. I managed to grab a handful of clothes (all black of course) to add to my wardrobe. Monica's selection, on the other hand, is much more colorful. Here is the dichotomy:

Karen: 

$13 Velvet Leggings: Forever 21 

$20 Black Chiffon Top: Urban Outfitters 

Black Boot Heels: Target 

Monica: 

$5 Oversized Blazer with Leather Sleeves: Urban outfitters

$5 Velvet Top: Urban Outfitters

$8 Leather Leggings: Forever 21 

$20 Heels (not depicted): Forever 21 

Happy Shopping,
Karen

Ariana Grande at Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting

On November 26, Stephanie and I went to see the pre-taping of the Ariana Grande concert at Rockefeller Center. The concert was aired with the Christmas tree lighting special, so it was really cool being a part of something so widely watched. She performed seasonal songs for the crowd, enduring the brisk New York air in her cute, yet impractical holiday outfit. Despite the below freezing temperatures, it was great being in an intimate crowd setting with fellow fans!

'Tis the season,
Karen

Lissie

On November 25th, I had the opportunity to photograph my second concert: Lissie, Kopecky Family Band and Chase Cohl at Webster Hall! After my first experience with Metric, I knew a lot more about what it takes to get the right shot. Definitely excited to shoot more concerts in the future.

To see my pictures and view the formal write up, go here.

Happy adventuring,
Stephanie

Mass Transit Acapella Show

On November 23, Stephanie and I went to see Mass Transit, an NYU Acapella Group. The show was great, with a strong set of today's pop hits (and more importantly, "clarity," a Karen/Stephanie all-time favorite). It's a shame that the after-party fell through, but we managed to salvage our night with artichoke pizza and a mini Carrie Diaries viewing!

Karen: 

Cashmere Turtleneck: Thrifted

Leather Jacket: Forever 21

Black Jeans: PacSun

Heels: Target

Stephanie:
Fuzzy Sweater: Gifted from Aunt
Leather Jacket: Urban Outfitters
Black Jeans: PacSun
Necklace: Jezie Jewelry
Heels: Ann Taylor
Clutch: Urban Outfitters

Ventures in Brooklyn

In mid-November, I was asked to help my friend Megan with one of her photography projects. We spent a day in Brooklyn together, shooting in a variety of locations. I'm decked out in Jezie Jewelry, and some other favorites from Stephanie's closet. The sweater was handknit by one of her relatives in China and the leather leggings go with practically anything! I paired the sweater with one of my favorite velvet bralettes, a small touch from my wardrobe!

Brooklyn is a place with lots of character, so hopefully I get to check it out in greater depth later on!

Happy ventures,
Karen

Athleta Biathlon Afterparty

On November 23rd, Karen and I revisited Athleta for its biathlon after party! We ate healthy snacks from Mulberry and Vine, drank juice from Turmeric Alive, enjoyed massages from Zeel and had our makeup touched up by W3LL PEOPLE. We were even photographed by Larkin Clark for Well+Good with our glitter weights!

Stay healthy,

Stephanie