Park Avenue Princess

WANDERLUST

Manhattan, NY

Slipping into some fluffy white slippers she pulled off her white robe revealing a skimpy white silk slip. Yawning and stretching her arms she looked outside her small window, it was 6am in the morning but the streets of New York were already as busy as a Saturday afternoon. There was no traffic to anticipate so early in the day so yellow cabs whizzed in and out of Manhattan at almost lightening speed. 

In New York, nobody ever takes anything for granted. 

A dispersed crowd of people dressed in mostly black went about their daily business, some entering giant law firms in nicely pressed suits, others stood out in the cold to set up their hot dog stands. Ambulances, fire brigades and NYPD surrounded West 46th. Another day, another commotion. Standing up she walked over to her small kitchenette, grabbed a tall glass and filled it with ice, lime slices, mint leaves and cold water. 

Downing her morning mojito she showered and dressed in a black turtle neck and blazer, flared work pants and a dainty silver necklace. Reminding herself she needed to make it to Saks on Fifth Avenue before 8AM she left her apartment. She had a friend there who slipped her some sample beauty products early Monday mornings. She was working as an intern in a top accounting firm and that pay really didn't cut it. Since she'd blown her college tuition on a year's rent in New York City, what choice did she have but to work her way up from the bottom? 

An 8am-8pm day job but night would soon fall and the real mojitos would soon come out to play. Her friends would soon arrive at her 4 by 4 apartment - one from brooklyn, another from Long Island, the Hamptons and Upper West. They'd indulge in pizza, and head to a rooftop bar, eventually ending the night in a reserved for the rich and well dressed nightclub discussing small victories and how they would one day own the world. 

Four friends, four different stories to tell. Yet the day in New York had only just begun.

Dreams of | Dubai

Manmade water. Sand dunes that stretch across The land of Pure Opulence. An aquatic view of exotic fish and water mammals create a vibrant source of energy. The sun is shining bright, illuminating the glassy skyscraper buildings. 

Jaguars, Lamborghini(s), Ferraris and Aston Martins cruise through clean cut roads. The most luxurious shopping malls accommodate expensive taste in jewellery, bags and shoes. Brunch on late afternoons at Japanese restaurants like Nobu, followed by late night French cuisine at the Park Hyatt. Embracing the sun setting as a waiting game for darkness to loom.

A vibrant night life in various rooftop bars. Helicopter rides through crowded cities of artificial lights in all shades of silver, champagne and gold.

Infused into a culture of people endowed with religion, respect and inner peace. 

Dreams of | Italy

(Img source: Tumblr) 

Italians. They have good taste in everything. Wine, cheese, pasta, gelato, style, art, music and books. With their dark features and seductive culture, they simply stun the world into oblivion.  If I was to be born again, I would wish to come back as an Italian. Preferably with curly black hair and an alluring sexy accent.  Perhaps as a gallery owner somewhere in Florence capturing the hearts of the new generation of romantics. Maybe as a business guru in Milan. I'd own  a fruit and vegetable market, working from early morning until dusk. Exchanging life stories with neighbouring markets and retiring to a cosy home with just the right bottle of Pinot Grigio. How about Venice? I think I'd spend my days imitating Nancy Drew on the quest to finding out what really happened to that worshipped  painter from the late 50s. Boat rides and a compass Google Maps (because new generation) would be  a part of my aesthetic.   Then there is Rome, I'd return as a common tourist to  relive the lives of those who lived before me. The memories that lie in the cracks of the colosseum and the stories that could only be told by ancient locals. To hear Italian - not to understand it - but to feel a part of it for a second or two, pretending that everything that is said could only be made up of the most charming dialogue.  

Dreams of | Manhattan

Polluted wafts of air . Tattered walls and buildings we call art. An intoxicating atmosphere that pulls you into the midst of something you've never experienced before. This isn't real life. This is Manhattan: the island of grimy dreams. 

Drunk on the views, the lifestyle, the people. The waiters will flirt with you and  so will men in Armani. They'll ask for your hand in marriage but you'll politely decline because psychopaths wear suits too. You'll work 17 hours a day, exercise for one hour, lunch for 2 and sleep for 4. Rockefeller is your goal. 

You'll make friends easily and keep them around because everybody has something to offer in New York. You'll never be overdressed and when you are, they'll treat you like Kate Moss. You'll spend money you don't have with time you don't have. 

Your old life will never again feel like your old life. You'll learn and you'll flourish in a city full of grime that glitters. This is new. This is the truth. 

My Tumblr Accounts
1. Diamants au chocolat
2. Kilimanjaro Stars

Dreams of | Switzerland

Swiss Chalets. Does anything sound more luxurious? An exterior elegantly decorated with clouds of snow. An interior boasting a large fireplace and inviting lounge sofas. The burning sensation of heat or passion to ski. Feeling the chill of the air, like stilled water: unmoving but thrilling. Swerving and sliding in a mesh of snow, dedicated and fearless. Training with natives who come looking for laughter and peace of mind. Slightly arrogant, immensely cheerful. Friendly competition on ice.

With Genève only an hour and 30 minutes away, there are always last minute gifts to be bought. A stop to Louis Vuitton to seek out the latest Twist shoulder bag in cassis. Pursuing unique art decor to symbolise another memory home for the taking. 

A pre Christmas dinner arranged for late evening in the attractively furnished dining room of the chalet. Pacing around languorously as a feast is prepared. 

Wine glasses clinking and snow falling graciously. 

Dreams of | Thailand

I want to know what it feels like to be surrounded by tranquility. A peace so sure of itself that even the most alluring distractions are surreptitiously silenced.  A place that holds a fervent source of energy. A place like Thailand. Hiking through rainforests, amongst the company of singing birds. Hidden waterfalls that will take your breath away. Swimming in deep aquamarine oceans. Fresh mangos, pineapples, watermelons in abundance. Vegan thai food because to feed your body is to feed your mind and soul. A feeling of cleanliness. Wet hair, tanned skin and a vitamin D glow like no other. Short shorts, white tank tops, exotic sarongs. Even when night dawns, serenity remains. To live like nothing in the world matters more than nature and nurture. To discover a new part of yourself that you weren't quite sure existed before. Cherishing colourful feelings and memories that will never fade. 

Dreams of | Paris

Img Source: Tumblr

...Always a good idea?

L'Arc de Triomphe from the Champs-Elysées, le palais de versailles, musée d'Orsay. Spare me nothing. 

Meeting writers, poets, artists, and painters in the steamy heat of hot nightclubs. None of them have made it yet but who cares? They are the future. Bodies clammed, music loud, hearts racing under the manipulation of hard liquor. 

Nursing headaches with croissants and macarons from Ladurée. Smoking Marlboros and sipping on sauvignon blanc. Because what is death in the face of fantasy? Luxuriating under large umbrellas and the chicest pair of dark sunnies. Dolce & Gabanna or Chanel next? Maybe, both. Reckless because Paris is a daydream and everything desired, including charming Mr. Handsome must be indulged. 

DIAMANTS au chocolat @ NYFW

Setting the Scene

Fashion week is the silent catfight nobody ever tells you about. Everybody's fighting for attention. Everyone's hungry for success. Everyone is stuck in their own world of aesthetic beauty, impeccable style and social eloquence. If you think you are going to be the best dressed princess at the ball, think again...because there will always be someone who has worked harder on their outfits than you, spent more time curating outstanding ideas, and developed a better interpretation of the following year's trends. 

As strangers take their seats next to other strangers, there is a feeling of importance in the air.   Businessmen and women, buyers, designers and digital influencers surround the area. A-List celebrities flood the city. iPhones are at the ready, legs are crossed elegantly, and as the sound of chatter turns into the sound of music, expressions go from engaging smiles to poker faces. Yes, fashion shows are serious business. 

New York: The City That Fuels My Soul

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So I'm sitting in a cafe (Starbucks but cafe just sounds better you know?) in Time Square, New York - at a shared table; sort of like what you see in libraries. There are strangers all around me - grad students studying, businessmen reading broadsheet newspapers or typing away on MacBooks and retired grown ups simply listening to music. Jazz is playing. A general mix of people and that's exactly what I like. 

How can something so simple feel so surreal? My heart is in my throat, this time beating twice as fast. My eyes hurt and I can only keep them half open but I don't care. I want to see everything, every minute of the day. Sleep is a foreign word to me, I don't know it. I don't want to know it. The unkept streets intrigue me, the skyscraper buildings confuse my mind. How can building be so tall? Is this real life? New York is a different world of its own - unique in its culture, presence and atmosphere. I don't want to leave...but I have to. It's the right thing to do.

On my trip here, I've learned how much more I still need to grow in order to be the person I crave to be. There's this feeling inside of me that screams 'I want to take over the world.' And I'm sure the 10 million people who live here all feel the same way. This city is drenched in ambition. The 24 hour hustle. 

If you're sleeping for more than 6 hours a day in New York, you're doing something wrong. I like that. I crave that. So far It's been 72 hours of all work and no sleep for me. 10 hours since I've last eaten a solid meal. Instead, my passion feeds me. It fuels my soul. If New Yorkers are fighting day and night to survive, to achieve something, to build something for themselves, then what the hell am I doing? I need to increase my level of commitment and strive for greatness.

In my eyes, from those who drag out the bins to those who own multi million dollar companies, everybody is a winner in New York. Because when they fall or take a wrong turn, they adjust and keep going no matter what. There's nothing more valuable than knowing how to survive in a world that is ready to tear you down.

I've always been an introvert at heart, meaning I work best when I am on my own. Not shy or awkward at social events but simply the preference of growing with no outside influences. I can think for myself clearly, my focus is static and my appetite for success is larger. On my own, I do what I need to do to turn my visions into something real.

And the craziest thing about being here? I came on my own... but I don't feel alone.

Travel | The Little Corners of France & Monaco

When you go on holidays with your best friend, a certain bond is formed. A bond that ameliorates from friendship to sisterhood (or brotherhood). You chat, you laugh, you quarrel, ignore each other and then laugh again; all in quite a random order. Exploring the little corners of Nice with Kamile was no different. We were able to locate the best gelato places where we combined (Kamile, mostly) the most ridiculous flavours. I stayed in the safe ranges of mango, coconut and passion fruit. We visited fruit markets, one in particular called aux des jardins where we bought nectarines and cherries on a regular basis. Except for the one time we decided to buy a huge watermelon that we couldn't possibly finish, stabbed at it hungrily at the beginning only to dump the heavy remnants in the bin of our hotel room. 

The late nights were busy and intense as we shot a lot of my lookbooks during this time. Of course drawing attention from countless tourists and peculiar French men. We went to sleep often tired and cranky but satisfied from the content we had produced as the days went by. 

Getting lost in France was almost a daily occurrence yet it ended up being some of the most enjoyable parts of the trip. 

When we weren't filming (or on our phones) we danced around our room, reminiscing to old music  that we used to be so fond of. Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Jay Sean. The era of 2007-2010. We gossiped about girls on Instagram and joked over Kamile's new obsession with the cacti in the exotic gardens of Monaco. Having gelato and chips at le neptune across from the beach in Monaco after filming in the water was minimalistic but blissful.  We shopped around Nice Étoile until we were officially out of cash and found a great little Chinese buffet that was too delicious to pass on. We were both living our dream life by being in some of the most beautiful places in the most rewarding weather. Feeling like such a part of the French lifestyle from almost always being mistaken as French was endearing to say the very least. 

Travel | A Summer in Monte Carlo

The city that launched a thousand ships.

Ferraris. Porsches. Bugatti's. Fast cars in a fast paced life. There is no stopping or holding back. Navy, black, plaid. A sharp look. €3000 suits that look like they have been melted onto the body that owns them. The trend of collecting yachts, villas and sparkly items. A city that embraces a life of opulence, a sense of style and beautiful scenery. Only the best of the best of course, the expectation of anything less seems excruciating.

Most intriguing of all is the culture that is so obviously present. Policemen dressed in crisp white shirts and navy pants, a cap to go with. The statue like guards who survey the area. The airy fairy feeling of knowing you are amongst royalty, blue blood or not. It would be a lie to deny the obvious splendour of Monte Carlo.

The views however are really what you would starve for, kill for, die for. Standing atop of a high building after climbing at least 500 stops was the perfect image of solidarity. I watched the clouds lift to reveal the blue sky that reflected into the water down below. In awe of the gentle wind whispering at my skin only to whip my coat off in the process. The yachts aligned in the water like soldiers. The buildings standing strong like anchors. It is a view that you would pay a thousand euros for, and not regret it.

Travel | I AM STERDAM

The views will invade your thoughts and the little small windows will always keep you curious about the secrets of a delusional city. 
It is just like the movies. Even the words I use to describe this alluring location isn't enough. My heart races from the simple memories I recall. Not in any lifetime would you imagine to be surrounded by the most beautiful people and the most striking architecture. Not in this lifetime would you expect to drift asleep on a boat ride through the majestic canals of the city that liberates all. Not in this century would you expect to feel like nothing else matters but the feeling of absolute content.
As the rain fell down to rejoin the sea, as I listened to the swish of the water and the calming sounds emerging from our boat, I finally understood the concept of peace. Everything works in harmony and whether it is day or night, the atmosphere is always awake and alert, even if you are not. That is the beauty of Amsterdam.

I recommend you stay in Hotel Van Gogh for the most engaging experience.

**An excerpt from my travels to Amsterdam, Summer 2014.