I tried kick boxing and now I'm sore

Have you ever wanted to try something new but always found yourself making excuses why you can't? It'll mess up your routine, you don't have time, you're scared etc. etc... Well, when you're homework assignment is to go out and attend a club meeting or new type of gym class, you suddenly find a way to get it done.

That's exactly what happened to me in my COMM 420 class, Research Methods in Public Relations and Advertising. As we learn about observation and the different ways we participate in and observe phenomenons, we were tasked with creating our own field experience. Join the Clown Nose club, attend a book reading at the local library, the entire point was to immerse ourselves in a new environment and observe how these people interacted.

Well, I have wanted to try kick boxing for a while now. Maybe I watched too much Chuck over winter break, or maybe there's some unresolved frustration as midterms and internship applications pick up, but I really wanted to let it all out on a punching bag (literally).

Unfortunately, despite offering a wide array of gym classes - spinning included! - PSU Fitness does not have a kick boxing class and I had to turn to the gym right off campus, Momentum Fitness.

I attended the first class for free (nice! It's usually $60/month) last night and as I type this I'm having a hard time lifting my arms above my head.

TJ, the owner, taught me and the two other newbies, the four basic punches - jab jab, hook, hook! - and how to kick correctly. This was more than just learning how to hit the bag, it was also learning a modicum of self-defense. How to hit someone before they can hit you.

I didn't realize it, but by the end of the hour, I was sweating and the adrenaline running through me seemed to negate the soreness I'd feel an hour later.

I could go on for pages about the class (and I will in order to complete my assignment), but it was so much fun and I'm so glad I pushed myself to take the assignment seriously instead of just sitting in on a meeting somewhere convenient for me.

Moral of the story: do something new like your class grade depended on it.

'House of Cards' season 2: Mess with the bull, get the horns. No spoilers!

At the beginning of season 2 episode 3 Frank turns to the camera and states: "There are two types of Vice Presidents: door mats and matadors. Which one do you think I intend to be?"

Well, I think we all knew the answer to that question.

Frank Underwood and his corrupted version of Washington D.C. are back for a heart-thumping second season of House of Cards. After all 13 episodes were uploaded at 3AM EST on February 14, it seemed like everyone tweeted their agonizing wait until they could dive into the season later that day. Some had to wait for their significant other, some had to wait till after work, some had pesky Valentine's Day plans they had to see through before they could settle in for a thrilling ride.

I myself was chomping at the bit to get my binging on, but restrained myself until the afternoon to begin. Then I rushed through three episodes before spending a delightful evening with my friend for a Leslie Knope-approved Galentines day.

I know how this show works. I know each episode is like a chocolate in Forrest Gump's box: you never know what you're going to get. Making it that much more important to savor every blasé side-long glance Frank gives the camera.

Throughout the day I've been slowly but surely moving my way through the season. I'm currently on episode 7 out of 13. I'm cognizant now not to overindulge - if I really wanted to, I could be done already. But, when it comes to the long-game, it's imperative to realize this is all we'll have for another year, at least.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Yes, I'll finish by tomorrow evening, but I'm determined to stretch it out for as long as I can convince myself to hold out.

As for the show it self, it's decidedly shot with a stronger sense of self-awareness. The cinematography is gorgeous as always, a more film-noir feel than last season, and every aspect - music, lighting, dialogue - definitely ratchets up the political-thriller vibe of it all. Robin Wright was fantastic last season, but that was child's play compared to this season - she's is taking no prisoners.

And if you haven't watched the first season: what are you waiting for!? You now have 26 delectable chapters of television to indulge yourself in. It is Valentine's weekend, after all.

Watching NYFW From the Front Row

For two weeks every year, hundreds of fashion designers, models, journalists, bloggers, makeup artists, hair stylists, and everyone in between, converge on Lincoln Center to show the hottest new trends everyone will be clamoring to get their hands on in six months.

That vest!

And I sit in front of my computer, eyes glued to the live stream on Mercedes Benz Fashion Week's website. I love NYFW, I think clothes are one of our greatest forms of expression and these ten days allows us to celebrate that. These pieces are carefully crafted, the colors, or hemline or beadwork, are meticulously perfected to make sure everything is just right. It's my opinion that they deserve to reach as large an audience as possible.

Amid recent complains that the rules and standards regarding who gets into shows were becoming too lax, the live-stream allows for the catwalks to be more accessible to more people than ever before.

Sure, we're not immersed in that atmosphere - the bright lights and frenzied crowds, and the feeling that you're surrounded by some truly magnificent expressions of art, but we get to see the models walk stride like elegant gazelles right towards us (the camera), their gazes fixed in a stare. The clothes hang from their bodies in a billowing fashion or cling tight and outline their physiques.

I can't recall exactly how long, but for at least three years now - six seasons - I've made it my duty to watch the DKNY and Donna Karan shows - along with other shows - Tadashi Shoji,  Michael Kors,  J. Mendel - that are sure to feature pieces that bring me to my knees, bowing to the designers and their amazing teams.

I really need that houndstooth skirt.

Today DKNY celebrated their 25th anniversary - an incredible feat for a brand that has culturally defined - and been defined by - New York City. Because they pride themselves on being from one of the most culturally diverse cities around, we saw more than just the typical model walk in the show.

It was fantastic. Different body types, different hair styles and colors and cuts, all stunning to look at - and the clothes were pretty damn amazing, to boot.

What I like most about this DKNY show is that by featuring people who break out from the stereotypical "model" norm, they inadvertently bring me into the show - it allows me to position myself that much closer to the brand. I felt a stronger connection to them than I have in years past and while that may sound silly, only a few brands are able to do that.

Vogue has a great write up about the show's inspiration, including some quotes from Donna Karan herself, and The Cut focuses on the celebrities in attendance.  I've included some of my favorite looks throughout this post.

Wear a cape, rule the world.

Stylish, yet it looks oh-so-comfortable. 

You can probably tell I'm still living in coats.

Seriously just let me live in this until April.

(All photo credit: Umberto Fratini/Indigitalimages.com, Vogue.com & New York Magazine)

The Olympics and New York Fashion Week

I feel so guilty. I haven't updated this blog since January 21. While one of the first rules I set for myself when I made this blog was "don't feel guilty if I don't update for a while," I can't help but break it. I sometimes think I set too high standards for myself.

So, I've got some posts ready to write, but with the Olympics off to a rousing start - I watched ice skating for far too long today - and New York Fashion Week shows streaming live on the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week page - there is nothing to do now but sit back and enjoy the shows.

I think the way these Olympics are being broadcast are pretty funny - Sochi is nine hours ahead of the east coast so by the time we're going to sleep, the days' events are just getting underway. You can turn on the TV to NBC Sports at 3AM and watch women's hockey or some skiing event.

Technology today, right? Never mind the fact that there are more live-streaming events on various NBC sites than ever before. You can bet I'll be tuning in during all hours of the day. No matter the event, I love watching the Olympics.

If that sounds a lot like New York Fashion Week, that's because that's the other half of my days. I follow all the top Twitter accounts - @DKNY, @FugGirls, @EHolmesWSJ, @BagSnob, and of course, a smattering of wonderful bloggers. NYFW is like the Olympics of fashion. I'm sure I'm not the first person to make that comparison, but, c'mon, it was right there.

Enjoy the spectacle, everybody. The Olympics shows us the best of the world's talent (even if you don't agree with the host nations' laws) and NYFW shows us what we'll be wearing in six months.

When it's zero degrees out, but you still have to trek outside

This week the East Coast is hunkering down for another polar vortex. I'd be okay with this, I fared the first polar vortex pretty well, except last time I was cozy at home and didn't have anything to do, anywhere to be. This time: it's going to be pretty bad. There are classes and meetings to attend at all random hours of the day, meaning I could be out walking fifteen minutes - about a mile - and freezing my fingers off.

That is, if I wasn't adequately dressed.

This is a peek into my wardrobe - pieces I will actually be wearing over the next few days until I can hunker down in my apartment next weekend. An accessories post will be coming up tomorrow!

My massive North Face puffer 

I'm only kind of joking when I said I could curl into this jacket an be ok for a few days. This is the most comfortable coat I've ever owned - but it's also my only goose down coat, which makes it lightweight but so warm.

This is perfect for walking against the cutting wind and protecting everything from my head to my knees. But it takes more than a coat to keep me moving. I also need to layer!

You can buy the North Face Metropolis coat here!

Tommy Hilfiger Long Sleeve Cable Crew Neck Sweater

I cannot survive State College, PA winters without my arsenal of cable knits. They provide the perfect amount of warmth to insulate the heat from my body while my North Face wards off any icy breezes coming my way.

The only downside to wearing such heavy sweaters is that I sometimes get to class only to find the building's heat is cranked and I'm suddenly uncomfortably warm. But, it's a small sacrifice.

The sweater is on sale at Tommy Hilfiger, and is also available in a few more colors!

J. Crew Skinny Jeans

Unfortunately, it's not socially acceptable for me to wear sweatpants around campus - and even if it was, I wouldn't because I cannot stand sweatpants beyonds the confines of my apartment. I'm not much a yoga pants girl either.

Thankfully, these J. Crew skinny black jeans are as comfortable as I need them to be getting from point A to point B.

Bonus: these are now in J.Crew's factory store - more than half off, from $80 down to $31!  

Tall Hunter Boots

Is it too much of a generalization to say this is quickly becoming the go-to snow/rain boot for women in the United Kingdom and United States? It seems like a solid 80% (an estimate) of the underclass female population relies on their pair of wellies.

Maybe they're brown, like mine - to match my jacket and my hair - or red to make a bold statement, but we rely on these shoes to keep our feet dry in the snow and gross slush that omnipresent from November to March. 

How to... Work Fast, Think Faster

At this point, it is a truth universally acknowledged that we all wish there were more hours in the day. More time to spend getting ready in the mornings, more time to drink more coffee to be more productive, more time to do just more. But, what we probably don't realize is that a lot of our time is being wasted thinking 'slowly' by not just focusing, but getting hung up on, one problem. 

There is an article on Entrepreneur about how to be, well, a productive entrepreneur. Even if you're not starting your own company, the infographic images can still aptly apply to your lifestyle. I particularly found the below image the most useful. I love to tense up to the point where my shoulders are by my ears during class, and I sometimes don't flip that mental switch as fast as I'd like to. 

You can check out the rest of the images and a brief explanation of them on Entrepreneur. 

  

First day jitters

I know I haven't updated on here in a few days. And I feel terrible about that. It makes me feel guilty, like I'm let down all the followers I don't have. But can't worry about that now - I'll push it off until this weekend when I can get my head back above water. 

Today was the first day of my last spring semester in college. And that feels really weird to me. I'll be done with my education in less that 52 weeks? I'm excited. And terrified. The thing is, I'll be spending all my time and energy to pushing that fear out of my mind to allow for more fun feelings - like thrill and anxiety. 

I've been in school for fifteen years, and I still can't shake the first day jitters. I've merely gotten better at realizing their effects and trying to turn the negative into a positive. 

Everything is moving really fast and I need a pause button to catch up. Instead, I think I'll head over to my inspiration page and hang out there. I need the reinforcement.