March 23, 2015

The Art Shop One Kings Lane


As we prepare for our move to CT this Friday, all I can think about lately is decor. And right up there with a new coffee table and TV stand is new artwork. Enter ONE KINGS LANE. If you haven't perused through their ART SHOP you're seriously missing out. Their collection of prints ranges from bold and abstract to original and vintage photography. There is certainly a piece to satisfy all tastes.

From top left: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

March 18, 2015

My Favorite Candles


We love lighting candles in our apartment. In fact, I think my boyfriend likes them more than I do. My favorites are all below that give a nice welcoming scent when you walk through the door. They even smell great when they aren't lit!

March 13, 2015

Weekly Roundup: March 13, 2015


Things I learned this week: life is too flipping short. Too short to waste your time worrying about filling a stupid apartment. Or how much money you'll potentially be losing on an empty space you aren't living in. Or how that shade of Pantone 116 will look projected on a screen. It isn't worth stewing over. And sure, that's easier said than done, but you know what's easier? Breathing. Stepping back and taking a breath. Letting it go. Because in the end, if you've got your health, your friends and family, and your happiness, you're living the goddamn dream. Everything else is just noise.

Life was simple in the 90s and these images are PERFECTION.

I discovered EDOUGHBLE this week. Mind. Blown.

The psychology of COLOR in branding.

How do you think you'd do on a NYC CABBIE TEST?

Remember the show Dinosaurs? This VIDEO is amazing.

March 12, 2015

We're Moving!


This past month, my boyfriend and I decided to cut our lease short and make the move back to CT. What was bound to eventually happen come January 2016 has been moved up and opened up a new can of worms. That being, trying to get out of an NYC apartment lease early. And that's a story for another day, perhaps one where I'm sitting beachside with a margarita in hand. Until then, I'm trying not to think about it.

But alas, yes we are leaving NYC and we feel great about it. It's time for a new chapter and we're ready to be in CT. Yes, a commute is back in the cards, but I will gladly trade that to be closer to family, have SO MUCH MORE SPACE, and to just get back to a less frenzied pace. And to be honest, as much as I've loved living in NYC and am happy I did it, I never really wanted to be here to begin with. I like being in the suburbs. I like leaving the chaos of work behind in another state and going home. So on that note, I thought it would be fun to detail some of the things I'll miss and some of the things I can't wait to leave behind...

 What I'll miss...

  • Seamless. Sure, they probably have this in CT, but can you get freshly baked cookies delivered to your door? No. 
  • Sleeping-in. Moving, brings commuting back into the picture. So that means losing the luxury of rolling out of bed at 8:15am and still making it to work on time.
  • NYC at night. I love NYC at night. I love looking up and seeing the deep navy of the sky through the tall buildings and feeling a sense of calm in the city that never sleeps.
  • Central Park. Coming home and getting to run this loop is friggen awesome.
  • Endless options of bars and restaurants. Perhaps my waistline will whittle down.
  • Being minutes from some of the most amazing places this city has to offer. Central Park. The Brooklyn Bridge. The Empire State Building. Little Italy. The MET. The Museum of Natural History. Bloomingdales. Rockefeller Center. Bryant Park. Chelsea. Meatpacking. The Highline. The list goes on and on.

What I sure as shit can't wait to say goodbye to...
  • Pigeons. They are Satan's birds. They sit on my window ledge and coo ALL. DAY. LONG. And they shit everywhere. Seriously. All over the windows and all over the sidewalks.
  • The neighbors upstairs. I won't miss you rearranging furniture at 2 am. Or running to the door at 7am in your heels. Or hearing your alarm clock go off through the ceiling. Get your act together people.
  • Overlooking an alley. There is no view and you get zero natural light. No wonder I have trouble getting up in the morning.
  • Paying an astronomical amount in rent. There is nothing else to say about this.
  • Living in fear of a mouse appearing. Ew.
  • Grocery shopping. I've hinted at this before, but aside from the pigeons outside my window, food shopping in NYC is the bane of my existence. Food Emporium, listen up: You can have more than one cashier working; eggs don't go in the same bag as your gallon of milk; and your aisles are too narrow.
  • Duane Reade. They never have what you're looking for. In fact, if you work in their marketing/PR department, you might want to consider changing the tagline to "You need it, we don't have it."
  • Packed subway rides. Nothing worse than being packed like a sardine on a hot summer day.
  • Or empty subway cars. You know there's a smelly cat on that car. Take this as your warning, don't get in it. Ever.

Well that felt therapeutic. 

Laughter & Carbs. All rights reserved. © Maira Gall.