Internet Roundup: 9.27.13.

1. Read this interview by GARANCE DORE with Creative Director of Marie Claire and Project Runway Judge NINA GARCIA. Not only am I a big fan of Marie Claire Magazine and Project Runway but her style books that came out are really great as well. In this interview we get a wonderful glimpse into the life of Garcia  and how she came into the fashion world. I was really inspired so I highly suggest you read it. INTERVIEW.

2. New music discovery. Her name is BANKS. 

3. If you haven't heard yet RICK OWENS decided to nix the models and traditional runway show. He dressed step groups from different parts of the United States and had them do routines in groups wearing his clothes. It's absolutely fantastic. I love that he took this risk and made such a great show. See the outfits as well as the whole show HERE.

4. Tis the season, for Pumpkin everything and I am not one to complain. I'm a huge huge fan of Ina Garten aka The Barefoot Contessa and I have yet to make a recipe of hers that I haven't loved. This Pumpkin Roulande is so perfect for this time of season and it comes out very moist and delicious. You will definitely want to try BAKING THIS.


Have a lovely weekend darlings! I'm off to start enjoying birthday celebrations. 

xx

(PH: Thisisglamorous.com)

Currently Lusting: 9.26.13.

Welp, my birthday is on Saturday and I can't believe how another year has flown by. Seriously, where is the stop button because I can't handle it. Thankfully I've been keeping busy and really been enjoying life lately. I know, it sounds corny once I say it, er, write it out...but I've really been blessed with some wonderful opportunities lately and I'm very thankful. Back to birthdays, I've been lusting a couple things lately and I'm hoping my parent's read this post...hiiii mom and dad! I'm mostly wanting some NEW GLASSES because the older I'm getting the worse my eyesight is getting which is actually really sad. I think I spend far too much time in front of a computer screen. ugh. 

 1. Liz Lemon Quote Prints || 2. J.Crew Varsity Jacket || 3. Bonlook Optic Glasses || 4. BKR Water Bottle

ONE: I'm so obsessed with these 30 Rock Quotes, it's unreal. Some of Liz Lemon's best lines and the designs are super cute and modern. 

TWO: This J.Crew Varsity Jacket is really great. I tried it on at the store and didn't want to take it off. It's a little sportier than I normally go for but I think it could translate into a bit preppier with the right styling which is great. Unfortunately they sold out in this deep grey and only had navy left at the store so I'm debating if I want to spend the money on it. 

THREE: These glasses are very chic. I like that they are simple and are not crazy thick in comparison to others I have found. I love the shape and the variety of colors it comes in. I'm hoping to order my pair soon. I'm seriously going blind and I desperately need these!

FOUR: BKR makes the best water bottles. They are glass bottles with a sillicone sleeve that comes in a variety of really sweet colors. I just bought one in the color Chip and it's a great size to carry around with you. They are also super easy to clean and don't leak.  Hooray!

Can't wait for this weekend. Hope everyone is getting through their week ok!

xx

(Sidenote: is it just me or are images with white backgrounds showing up a bit grey on blogger? Or am I just going crazy?) 

Independence Day.

HAPPY JULY FOURTH! To all my American readers and friends, I hope you all had a fantastic day celebrating the independence of our beautiful country. 

I had an amazing day bbqing with family while chasing after my little nephews and niece. I couldn't have asked for a better day spending time with loved ones celebrating.

Happy Birthday America!

C'est la vie.

Bonjour mes amies! 

As you have probably noticed, my blogging has been very random and almost nonexistent lately and I deeply apologize. I had this post prepared since last week but forgot to post it. ugh. Je suis désolé. 

I was in finals a little over two weeks ago which absolutely consumed all of me and my health so when I finished, I spent the next four days recovering in bed from lack of sleep and a terrible cold. It was the worst. I then had graduation and lots of celebrating to do with family, friends, and my fellow classmates. (woo! class of 2013!). I attended grad parties and dinners in the afternoons and nights the next couple of days while still trying to recover from the hell I put my body through during finals during the day. Very nostalgic all of it really, I mean, celebrating the past four years of hard work while at the same time saying goodbye to friends. I have a hard time saying goodbye so I felt like crying almost everyday which again, was just a bittersweet experience. I mean, I know I will probably stay in touch with most people but with others it was sort-of-a 'have a good life' kind of conversations which made me sad. I wish we could just stay another four years together! (I have separation anxiety, can't you tell?). Welp, after all that was said and done, my family and I had a couple days to pack our bags and get ready for my graduation present.

My amazing mom and dad have brought me to Paris in celebration. When they told me, I couldn't believe it. I don't think it really sunk in though until I was packing the night before since life had been so hectic the couple weeks prior but now we are here and I'm just taking it all in. We got here on Sunday and will be here until Saturday, then it's off to the coast of France to Cannes and Monaco for another week. 

So, as you can see, for how much I love all of you, the internet is one of the last places I want to be so I won't be posting anything probably until I return state side. 

Hope everyone is doing well and if you are on summer vacation already, congratulations! May you enjoy it as much as I have. 

I know I'm enjoying and cherishing every minute because as soon as I get back to Colorado it will be  time for job searching, apartment searching (hopefully in New York City...anyone need a roommate? haha but seriously....), intern searching and probably sanity searching at some point but well get to that later. 

If you would like to keep up with my adventures, make sure to follow my INSTAGRAM and TWITTER. 

Much love, 

Mindy Erazo

(I can still be reached by e-mail as I check it daily at mindyerazo@gmail.com if you need me, I'll be there!)

(PH: tumblr)

Weekend Roundup.

My posts have been lacking lately and I apologize! School has been awfully busy. I have finals for the last time as an undergrad. I can't believe how time has flown. In exactly thirteen days I will be graduating. I'm excited, nervous, anxious, and happy all at the same time. I'm thrilled for whats to come but I'm also extremely nervous to be leaving home in August. I've been an emotional wreck and I'm hoping after finals, I start enjoying all these coming changes. 

If you follow me on INSTAGRAM, you've probably seen me posting a lot of pictures of art lately. Well, like I said, it is the end of the semester when all my artsies are turning in their projects and displaying them. I absolutely love this time of year because I get to see what everyone has worked on from all the different departments. The image above (left) was located in the VAC and I wish I had grabbed the students name that made this but unfortunately, I forgot. It was a fantastic piece though. 

I've been making far too many trips to Starbucks lately and my caffeine intake is probably at an unhealthy level but its the only thing keeping me going at this point. I seriously cannot wait to be done! 

Hope you all had a happy weekend and if you're in the middle or about to start finals too, good luckk! I wish you all the best!

(PH: Personal Instagram +

 Follow me here)

Internet Roundup: 4.15.13.

As many bloggers know, it takes a lot of time and energy to create posts. We spend time taking pictures, finding pictures, editing, writing, editing again (and again and again), sourcing, and finally posting. I've been doing better about planning and scheduling when I do posts but other times I just happen to stumble on fantastic websites or articles and just roll with it into a post. I spend a lot of time on the internet thanks to school and procrastination leads me to, well, not school related topics so I wanted to create a post once a week (hopefully) of stuff I have found on the internet that I would like to share with you all. Because it really would be impossible for me to make a post about every individual thing I found and loved on the internet, this will be sort-of a roundup of my favorites. Hope you enjoy it and if you can, I'd appreciate feedback to see if this is something I should continue. Merci.

 We had a really beautiful weekend here in Boulder with so much sunshine I was absolutely thrilled. However, Colorado decided that that was just a tease because this morning I woke up to a huge snow storm. CU Boulder even shut down campus which has happened, now, 3 times since my freshman year. So ridiculous. Well, I'm still dreaming about the sun and summer so I guess I'll just continue looking at photos like these to hold me until then. Summer, where are youuuu!?

ONE: If the absurd amount of INSTAGRAM PICS and TWEETS didn't already tell you, it was the first weekend of COACHELLA this past weekend and well, Four-Pins made sure to give us a guide on how to properly do, Coachella. Read HERE. 

TWO: I've been trying my best to not eat out, mostly because I always pick the worst places to eat (actually all I've been eating is Chipotle so.....). Thankfully, my mom helped me out with some grocery shopping yesterday which prompted me to look up some recipes to see what I could make with what she brought me. I found this recipe for ROASTED VEG TACOS and I caught myself drooling. I can't wait to make these later and they are definitely a better alternative than Chipotle. 

THREE: I get a lot of e-mails and messages on IFB usually asking advice on how I started my blog/what to do to "make it better" and my answer is usually simple. Do and write about what you love, not what other people want to hear. That's the only way that you will be able to put the time and energy into your blog without getting tired or boring yourself. When it comes to resources on 'making it better', the website PUGLY PIXEL really helped me get going and I learned a lot about photoshop, editing, and overall blogging. Check it out, guaranteed you'll find something useful to help you.

FOUR: I found this article a while ago and forgot how good it was. "IF I DO HUMBLEBRAG SO MYSELF", the title says it all. Check it out here and have a chuckle, or reality check....you'll understand once you read it.

(PH: tumblr)

 

Lately.

Hello my darlings!

I'm backkk. I apologize again for taking so long to post. Life has really been hectic and it's going to continue for the next week but I love updating my blog so I will be taking the time to do so. Here's what I've been up to for the past week...

ONE: I went to Orlando with my family for spring break. I was able to see my older brother who is currently attending Harvard Grad. His break unfortunately was the week before so I only saw him for a couple days but it was nice catching up. We stayed at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton at the Grande Lakes. It was really lovely and we enjoyed ourselves. 

TWO: I was absolutely thrilled to go to Harry Potter land at Islands of Adventure. I'm a huuuuge Harry Potter fan and being there riding all the rides and drinking far too much Butter Beer was the highlight of my trip. 

THREE: I have seen this blk. water on tumblr so much when I found a store that sold it, I just had to purchase some to try. Thankfully, it just tasted like very clean water. I might add though, it was a little trippy drinking it every time and expecting a different taste...so i'll stick to clear water.

FOUR: Found these incredible Céline (similar here) shoes at Saks Fifth. They were the perfect white pointed toe with a great geometric heel. Simplistic, edgy, and feminine. I fell in love. Sadly, the price tag was a bit far out of my range so I had to kindly set them back in their beautiful white box. 

Hope you all had a great week and a fantastic spring break if you had one. 

(PH: Personal Instagram)

Personal Note: Je suis désolé.

Hello my darlings,

My sincerest apologies for my lack of posts lately. I've had probably the craziest two weeks of my life. So many midterms and papers and on top of that, a cold decided to take over my body which has made it almost impossible for me to get out of bed these last couple of days. However, I'm starting to feel better now thankfully since I leave for Spring Break tonight. I'm not sure if I'll be able to update on my trip but regular posting should return in a little over a week. 

I have lots of great news to be sharing with all of you in the weeks to come so keep checking back! Also, I do update my TWITTER and INSTAGRAM often so follow me on those for my current happenings and states of thought. Hope you all are doing well and if you're going on spring break too, have fun! Beaucoup des bisous mes amies.  

 

(PH: tumblr)

Weekend Roundup.

Bonjour mes amies! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I had a special weekend spending time with family for my younger (but very much taller) cousin's birthday as well as lots of reading for my Seminar class on Manet. I'm absolutely loving this class right now and I'm really enjoying finding out more about this brilliant artist as well as reading a few tons of essays written on him as well. So curling up in bed with this book Saturday morning was lovely. I've also been getting super excited for Valentine's Day and I'm starting to narrow it down to the fact that I get to wear pink and red in the middle of winter season and stuff my face with chocolate and candy hearts. Yeah, that's about right. 

Well, back to the books it is for me! Here's to a great start to your week, HAPPY MONDAY! 

For more of my updates, pictures, and ramblings make sure to follow my INSTAGRAM and TWITTER pages.

Weekend Roundup.

I can't believe my first week of school is already over and so is the weekend! Unbelievable how time flies. So happy to be back though and returning to a schedule although today's Martin Luther King Holiday is a perfect day for me to get caught up on homework for the next week and hopefully catch up on some zzzzz's that I missed this weekend. 

I definitely put in some time to do things for myself outside of school even though homework is already overtaking my life (thanks Professors)! I first needed to finish my Thank you cards which are a must after the holidays. My mom bought me THESE beautiful 'Thank You' cards. They are simple and elegant which I love. I definitely recommend. After going out and spending a couple nights catching up with my dear friends who are back in town, one of my besties and I decided we needed a mellow night after a crazy weekend so we decided on SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK which is probably the best decision I've ever made. No exaggeration! Ok, maybe a bit, but if you've seen it, you completely understand how perfect it is. Bradley Cooper is phenomenal and looks so handsome as always. My girl crush has gotten even bigger for Jennifer Lawrence and the movie left me feeling so good. Ahh, I must see it again! If you haven't go watch it before it's out of theaters! Finally, I decided for some detox an hour of hot yoga would be a smart idea and I was correct. It felt so amazing to sweat out all the toxins from the weekend and start a fresh week feeling great. I'm sore in the best way possible and I'm thinking that maybe a membership to COREPOWER is probably a good idea for this year. 

Well, I hope you all had a fantastic weekend as well, and if you have the day off today, enjoy it mes amies!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

- Martin Luther King Jr. 

 

(PH: M.E.//Google//CorePower)

The Essentials: Work-out Gear.

Oh the New Year's Resolutions. Promises we make ourselves for the New Year that sometimes can be impossible to keep. Yes, we may start our year off right by hitting the gym six times a week but by mid-March, only thinking about the gym makes us exhausted so we sit back down on the couch and eat the rest of those ice creams bars that also were on our "Do Not Eat" Resolution List. I have been a victim of myself. Setting standards that are far too high and that can easily fall apart. Yet, call me crazy, I still enjoy making these resolutions because, in a small way, I want to challenge myself to actually keep to it. 

This year is no different. I have made many resolution lists but I tried to make them more realistic. Instead of forcing myself to start at the gym 5 days a week, I took it upon myself to start with 3 times and adding little at home work-outs and yoga sessions. So far, its been nice to wake-up and start a routine. I live by routines because I enjoy structure, it keeps me sane. However, what I try the hardest to do is not beat myself up when I can't fully accomplish my routine. Maybe you wake up not feeling so hot so a trip to the gym seriously sounds like a nightmare so you fall back asleep again for another 45 minutes instead. I'm here to tell you that IT'S OK. We are not robots! Don't hate yourself for it, just try again tomorrow. I need to repeatedly tell myself this because life is unexpected. We cannot plan absolutely everything that happens or that is going to happen so make the best of it and move on. That is really all we can do!

  

I really enjoy switching up my work-outs from hiking and power walking to dancing and hot yoga. It helps me to target all my problem areas while keeping me interested. I enjoy pushing myself in different ways so switching up the routine is a definite must. I have to say though that my favorite discovery for working out has to be work out DVDs and Youtube videos. To be able to sweat and breathe heavily without feeling like people are looking at me with grotesque facial expression is probably what I love best. I am in the comfort of my own home and can take my own pace. Rewind, fast-forward, pause, I can do it all which makes working out less of a hassle and something I have come to enjoy. Many work-out studios like Pure Barre have come out with dvds that take pretty much all their work-outs and bring them into your living room, it's beyond ideal.

So here are my Essentials list for Work-out gear because 2013, I will kick your derrière (while trying to shape up mine).

1. Helmut Lang Bra Top 2. Work-Out Top Adidas by Stella McCartney 3. Alexander Wang Yoga Mat 4. Leggings by Stella McCartney 5. Nike Tennis Shoes 6. BKR Water Bottle 

Stella McCartney's collaboration with Adidas is so brilliant. All her looks are very streamlined and sleek with a bit of edginess in pattern and design. Lulu Lemon also makes great work-out clothes. Their leggings are some of my favorites.

So, good luck my friends! I wish you all the best in your new work-out endeavors and I'll make sure to keep you all posted on my progress, as well as new work-outs and tidbits I discover along the way!

(PH: aftdark.com//Collage: M.E.)

A new year, a fresh start. Take some time to ponder on what you loved and hated about 2012. The stuff you hated, let it go. It is completely in the past and unchangeable. The things you loved, cherish them and remember your year by those memories. 2013 is another chance for us to do the things that make us happy. To love harder, to work harder, and to pick ourselves back up when we stumble because life is beautiful and we must cherish every minute that has been given to us and we must not only do it for ourselves, but for those who are not able to.

Best to you all in the coming year! 2013 is ours, don't waste it.

New Year, New Look.

HELLO MY DARLINGS AND WELCOME TO THE NEW MINDYERAZO.COM

I decided it was time for a little make-over! I'm absolutely in love with this Blogmilk design. It reflects my simple/minimalistic aesthetic perfectly. Navigation is a lot simpler now and all my links can be accessed at the top of my page. I cannot wait for this upcoming year and all the exciting things that are to come!

Don't forget to bookmark my new address mindyerazo.com or subscribe by e-mail on the right hand side. 

Merry Christmas my darlings! I hope you all have a blessed day spending it with the ones you love. I'm so excited for this break and I can't wait for the upcoming year not only personally but for my blog. Thank you all for your continued support and I can't wait for all the surprises I have for you all this year. Now, back to eating too many cookies and lots of peppermint flavored everything!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving from the East Coast!

Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving! I spent a beautiful day with my family in our new home in Boston. I helped my mother cook and bake which was so much fun and then we ate and watched movies with pies and coffee in hand. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

I was in New York for the weekend visiting a friend so forgive me for the lack of updates. This is my first time in Boston though and I absolutely LOVE it. It just feels so cozy everywhere I have been and the leaves look so beautiful still with their orange and yellow leaves. So happy I have a place out here now to come and visit more often. 

Well, I feel like another piece of pie is in order (oh, I know I don't need it but calories do not matter whatsoever during the holidays, right?) so again, Happy Thanksgiving my darlings! And don't go too crazy with your Black Friday shopping tomorrow! 

XX

 (PH: tumblr)

Vote.Vote.Vote.

Today is the day! No matter what party you are voting for, please go vote! It is your right as a citizen of the United States to let your voice be heard and united, we are a stronger voice. So go go go!

XX

 (PH: tumblr)

Update.

Busy doesn't even begin to describe my schedule lately. I seem to always either be in class, writing a paper, or studying at the library for an upcoming exam. I am a little overwhelmed by everything I have to do before break in a couple weeks (which I desperately need). I'm so excited to head out to Manhattan for a couple days to visit my best friend and some other of my college darlings that graduated earlier this year. After, I'm heading to Boston to see my older brother and lovely mother who happens to be out there re-decorating a beautiful 1904 home they just bought him. I can't wait to see it in person. I'm hoping to visit some design schools out there too to get an idea of what to do and to start planning my post-grad adventures. As you can see, my plate has been full which is why I send my sincerest apologies to all my lovely readers who continue to visit my site even though I haven't been able to update as often. I promise, I'm trying to fit time into my schedule because I truly do love blogging and have so much to share with you all.

Speaking of the east coast, like I said, my mother and older brother are out there in the Cambridge area and my best friend is near the Financial District in NY (which was evacuated a couple days ago). So, my prayers are going out to them and every single soul that has been affected by this natural phenomenon. I've heard so many sad stories of lives and possessions being lost but I continue to pray for everyone's safety. On the bright side, it's been wonderful to hear from friends who are being so generously helped by those who can give it. May God bless you for that kind friends and strangers! Remember, this too shall pass.

XX

Quick reminder that I update my tumblr on a daily basis even if I can't update this blog, make sure to check it out and follow: Mindy Erazo Tumblr.

(PH: tumblr)

Optimism.

Taking a quick break from writing a paper for musical theater on West Side Story. Fascinating, I know. I was about to throw my computer at the wall when I decided to take a quick look over at Tumblr and found this cute doodle by one of my favorite illustrators, Marc Johns. This is the epitome of optimism.

I would call myself an optimistic person in general but sometimes, life really hits you hard and everything seems to go wrong for what feels like forever and then the little things tend to creep in that just make you sigh and thank God you're still breathing. This picture was my sigh of relief today and really put a smile on my face during the 10 minutes I took to recompose myself. So, from personal experience, take a step back darlings. Enjoy your surroundings and just take a deep breath. It really does do wonders to clear your head and put things back into place. I usually tend to realize that I freak myself out more than I should and pretty much everything is doable, so I shouldn't stress myself out so much. 

Now, I hate to leave you all with such a short post but, this paper isn't going to write itself unfortunately. Back to work!

XX

 (PH: Marc Johns)

 OH, and this image also kind of made my day.

Today, I turned another year older. I'm thrilled to have spent a lot of today with my family and I'll be celebrating all weekend with friends, but the fact of the matter is, I'm absolutely terrified of growing older. 

I have Peter pan syndrome. It affects more of us than we actually know. The fear of getting older. The crazy part is, I don't know necessarily what it is that I am scared of exactly. Maybe facing the real world? Making harder decisions? Choosing my career path? Maybe all of those, maybe none of them. I live in the moment and like to think one day at a time, so maybe it's just the future that scares me in general. I know it's childish and I'm not saying I don't want to be more responsible by all means no. I'm thrilled thinking about what the future holds. Finding a job, getting married, having a family. I love planning all of those individually so I guess the big picture is what gives me anxiety every time I think about it. 

I turned 22 today. The fun and games will be coming to an end soon but today I realized, for how much anxiety it gives me, it's also somewhat of a relief. I need to move on and grow as a person. I guess even though I'm terrified of it, I like change. It helps me appreciate those around me more and what I have been blessed with. 

So I guess, I'm scared out of my mind... but I'm excited. New adventures will be coming my way and I hope and pray that I can keep my mind open enough to accept them as they come and enjoy them. 

So cheers to being old 22 mes amies! I want to thank you all for being so supportive of my blog and my passions. I really have enjoyed the time I've had with you all especially my loyal followers who always seem to put a smile on my face with e-mails and comments. I hope you continue on in my journey with me as I grow, and as my blog grows. My sincerest gratitude to you all. Now, If only there was a way for us all to share a bottle of champagne and toast to new adventures.....

XX

 

Weekend Bliss.

Happy weekend my loves. I have had such a great week. Trying to be productive as much as possible but mostly, spending time with my friends who are back in town. This is my last completely free weekend until school starts on Monday so I'm taking advantage of doing some closet organizing, a little bit of shopping, and of course, happy hour. I'm excited for all that this up and coming semester has to hold but also a little nervous since it's my last year of college and the real world is slowly moving into my little college bubble. I can't freak out just yet so until that time comes, I plan on taking my life day by day. I'm working on not trying to be so controlling of everything around me because it's sometimes better to just sit back and enjoy. We'll see how long that lasts for me though.....

Hope you all had a fantastic week and enjoy your weekend mes amies.

Oh, and a quick welcome to all my new followers. I really appreciate that you liked my blog enough to click that little follow button on bloglovin' or GF. Don't be shy to comment or e-mail me for any reasons, I love hearing from my followers. :) 

XX