Call Me, Always - They're Engaged!

"Jose proposed!" were the first words out of my cousin Laura's mouth when I picked up her phone call on Saturday night.

Then came, "And you're the first person I called (after my parents) because I'm scared of you!"

We both laughed. I knew where her fear came from.

Earlier this year I told her that if she gets engaged, I better not find out about it via social media. I mean, the last thing I could imagine is scrolling through an Instagram feed while chomping on a chocolate dipped pretzel at a holiday party and notice a collage of my cousin and her boyfriend and some caption that says, "Officially #engaged! Omg!"

That's not how we roll.

Lolo as I used to call her was my sidekick during the years when we couldn't even pronounce each other's names. She was there during the obsession of Barbie dolls, Full House and Nsync concerts. We were the kids who sang Mariah Carey's Dreamlover in my basement, on repeat, on a CD. We drove our parents crazy tying up the landlines, and the moment we got our own personal email addresses, communication was endless. We've been through more piano and dance recitals than anyone had talent for; Hocus Pocus and Pretty Woman movie nights; crop tops in Disney Land; and dreaming up the day when we'd meet boys cooler than Freddie Prinze Jr.

And she did. Her fiancé Jose has the biggest heart, brightest personality and fits in with our family like he's been there the whole time.

Laura once read that the offspring of identical twins (our fathers are identical twins) are actually considered siblings, because half their genes are the same. While this scientific study is cool, I never really needed that information.

We've always been sisters.

Congrats guys! x

Boston Part II - Not A Model Travel Diary

For the second-half of my Boston travel diary - we visited Harvard, the historic Fenway Park to watch a Red Sox game and had the best cannoli's at Mike's Pastry in Little Italy. (A must-try, even if you're not a huge fan of pastries, as I am not).

I especially loved visiting Harvard.  If I could go to a new university/college every year of my life, I would. There is something in the air on those campuses. Maybe it's the bubbling knowledge that rests on the shoulders of the students or the gnawing uncertainty of the next four years. Perhaps it may be the concentrated amount of young people fumbling around to figure out lessons outside of the classroom. Either way, there was no feeling like it.

Below are some photos from the trip, with a few credits going to Jenny again. Enjoy.

The First Week - A New Place - NYC Diaries

While New York isn't the most exotic places I could have chosen to spend my summer, it's still a pretty big change. I think it was around the sixth day that I realized, "Alright, this is no longer a vacation." I mean, who goes grocery shopping or does the dishes or makes their bed on vacation? 

There is a hustle here that's busier than almost any other city I've been to. I still look both ways before I cross the street and follow traffic lights like a tourist. I also find people really chatty. Random people will strike up conversations - on the subways, on the streets, on my way to the convenience store. I try my best not to look so taken aback even though my face is probably saying, Why are you speaking to me? In Toronto, I find people to be friendly but distant. Rarely do people start chatting you up about your key chain or outfit in broad, sober daylight. It's definitely been taking some getting used to.

So far it's been a lot of trial and error exploring, Brooklyn bar hopping, solo shopping, cafe crawling, rooftop hanging and subway memorizing.

The only way I can describe my current state is light. I had no idea the effect my old environment was having on my spirit, as hokey as that sounds.  Lately, I just feel bubbly and try my best to bring positivity into my new household. While moving to a new place has its challenges - it can be daunting to build a new routine and get used to a new environment, this is what I signed up for.

I've already made a list of things I want to do this summer and stuck it up on my fridge to start crossing items off. Below are some photos from my first week. Enjoy! xx 

Friends in Blog Places - When Tory Meets Ralph

I'll admit that I have some pretty talented friends. From photographers to writers to event planners, I love to give a shout-out to people doing creative things.

One of my closest friends and co-workers, Jennifer Choy (or Jennybear) as I like to call her recently launched her very own styling blog. If there is one closet I'd love to raid it's hers. When I first met Jenny I told her that if Tory Burch and Ralph Lauren adopted a Chinese baby - it would be her.

Before I took off for the summer, I used to help her photograph her personal shoots and she recently featured me in a goodbye post. I already miss our weekly sushi dinners and iced coffee breaks but I know she's just a text message away when I need advice on what to match with cobalt blue suede flats or how to skillfully decipher a cryptic message from the opposite sex.

To check out some more great outfit posts and to get in touch with Jen check out: jenniferchoy.ca

 

Summer in the Big City

I remember spending lazy July days lying in the grass and reading about teen girls who got to have summer adventures.

The premise was always the same. Maybe their mother shipped them off to live in a sleepy beach town with their father and stepmother (despite their protest) only for the main protagonist to fall in love with the shaggy haired surfer who loves to have bonfires and get into loads of trouble.

I never had summers like that. My Italian family all lived (and still does) within a 10 minute radius of one another, so the most adventurous place I was shipped off to was my grandfather's house down the street. My parents were happily married and worked during the days and I spent my summer riding my bike or meeting my friends at giant amusement parks in the suburbs.

I loved those summers, especially the ones that I got to spend with my grandfather, sitting in his backyard picking white cherries and drinking orange soda. While I've also had my fair share of summer vacations, I've yet to live anywhere else for a full two months.

That being said, (and an explanation as to my lack of blogging) I have officially moved out of my Toronto apartment and will be living with my favourite girls from across the bridge this summer...the Brooklyn one that is.

Who knows? Maybe I'll write my own teen summer adventure novel, but first I must try and live it. (Minus the teen part and change shaggy haired surfer to hipster). Just kidding!

For all PR mailing change inquiries or questions - please email me at write.notamodel[at]gmail.com

xx