On the second last day of 2019, I wrote a blog post called '2019 : the most challenging year yet'. And one year on, all I can say is 2020 showed me! After so many personal struggles in 2019, and the resulting personal growth, I was very optimistic and hopeful for 2020. But as the history books of the future will show, 2020 turned into a shit show pretty quickly and didn't let up. However, as very evident in my 2019 post, I had resolved to be happy in 2020 and 367 days later I'm still holding onto that goal. So to end this crazy year, I decided to list all the things that made me happy. And I'm taking all that happiness into 2021 as we all hope for better. I took my first solo trip
yes, it was only interstate but hey, 6 out of 12 months we couldn't even leave the house so this was a win on two fronts - I completed my Bachelor of Aviation (Management) / Business (International) a bigger challenge than I initially anticipated - I was part of two awesome career campaigns for women in aviation and STEM! - I learnt who my true friends are and grew so much closer to them despite seeing them less than ever before! - I was incredibly lucky to have an awesome 21st birthday and felt so loved by all my family and friends who helped me celebrate - I put my Christmas tree up after resisting the temptation to do so throughout lockdown, I was simply thrilled come December! - I was offered my first job in the Aviation industry with less than two weeks left in the year, this came as a big shock - I bought my first car - I enjoyed long lunches and dinners with great friends such a simple thing but the most valuable - I was constantly reminded of how loved and supported I am I couldn't have survived this year without my friends and family, and I'm entering the new year with a full heart -
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It's a crazy time and some days can be a little shitty but in an effort to cheer myself up, I went through all my study tour things again, having put them into a memory box when I got back home last year. (For more on the study tour, check out my photo diary and Instagram highlight!) So now, channelling all my stress and anxiety into something creative, I put two photo/memory frames together. To me, they aren't only a reminder of what was an incredible trip, but that I've experienced so many awesome things and that I WILL get the chance to do awesome things again - one day! So I thought I'd share this little project that made me smile. A x AirbusAirbus Industrie in Toulouse France was the first place we visited on the study tour, and I think one of the most exciting! It was a fantastic day and we saw a number of the Airbus facilities including the Customer Showroom and A330 Final Assembly Line (FAL). I'll try not to bore you too much with the nerdy aviation stuff but it was a great day so I put together this collection of little mementos in an IKEA box frame. Going around anti clockwise, the first is an image of me in the A350 mock-cockpit from when we explored the full scale aircraft models in the showroom. It was incredible seeing all the models in the Airbus rage, especially in real life scale! Next, the black key-ring at the bottom was included in the gift bag Airbus gave us which was such a nice surprise. I choose to display the side with their brand and logo but on the reverse in their 50th year branding. The picture of the Air France concord is a ticket from the Aeroscopia Museum which we visited at the end of the day. All the tickets had different aircraft but I love this one especially with the iconic aircraft and fun pop of blue. Just above it is a little card that also came in the gift bag. Its nothing special, but I wanted to include it to showcase the 50 years branding which is hidden on the key-ring, plus I enjoy the pop of colour. Lastly in the top corner is a silver A380 pin which I purchased from the museum gift shop. I choose this particular aircraft pin because the A380 is iconic to me and I'll always think of it as being something that triggered my interest of aviation. It may seem random to some but together these items really symbolise my memories of that day and I got so much joy out of putting it all together. Virgin AtlanticVirgin Atlantic hosted us for two days in London and they were an incredible host - probably the best on the trip! I've visited airline's in the past and learnt about their operations before but Virgin went above and beyond, showing us everything, plus the two days were filled with so much fun.
I had so many photos from the second day particularly and I wanted to showcase what a unique experience it was visiting their Gatwick hangar and exploring a Boeing 747 Jumbo. Because of this I choose a nine square layout, with an equal amount of photos of me and the aircraft. The only two squares not from the hangar are the centre and top middle. The very centre is my visitor pass from the two days and above it is a photo of the B747 model in the foyer of their head offices. I'm so thankful for the experience Virgin Atlantic offered and I will always associate the queen of the skies with this airline, and this frame is the perfect reminder of it all. 2019 was one of the most challenging years for me, following 2018 which was one of the greatest! 2019 brought challenges I hadn't expected and lows I wasn't prepared to manage. I often felt overwhelmed and unequipped to deal with it all, coupled with an almost anger that the year wasn't shaping up to be like the previous. It was a shock to the system, to go from such a high to such a low and in a sense, I was unprepared. But I survived! And yes, there were an incredible amount of shitty bits, but I got through it all. It wasn't the year I had expected or hoped for but that's okay. And despite it all, looking back, I actually lucked out and got to do a number of incredible things. I'm not ignoring the lows, so many of which I've already grown and learnt from, but I want to really celebrate the highs! Maybe I'm looking back with rose coloured glasses but, I mean, I ended the year on an around the world trip which is pretty incredible! So here we are again, the end of a year. And I'm tempted to lay grand plans and goals for the new year but I also just want to see what 2020 brings! I can't wait to tackle new challenges, work hard and accomplish new things! Next year will to be big; 2020 will be the year I graduate university and I can't wait to see where I go next! I want to travel and travel more independently! I want to learn and grow!
And even if the year isn't what I hope, I want to be able to focus on the little things more. 2019 was a challenge, and no doubt 2020 will bring it's own struggles but I want to enjoy it all. I feel like I let 2019 get away from me; I let the bad get me down and I was so focused on the end of the year that I didn't enjoy the good bits throughout. I let it all pass me by unfortunately. So even though there are many things I want to accomplish in 2020, most of all I want to be happy! No one can be happy all the time, but I want to focus on the good and find my own happiness, whatever it might be. I used to be an avid reader when I was younger, devouring books in a week, sometimes even a day! But the past few years have seen me read less and less as university, work and other commitments have taken over. I didn't read many books this past year - I didn't keep count but it couldn't be more than a dozen - however there's a few I really enjoyed, so here my five favourites and why they were so memorable, with NO spoilers! Note : Library books all the way! It's pretty much a free and unlimited subscription! Flight RiskThis was actually the first book I read in 2019 and I could not put it down! I love all things aviation and this mystery involving disappearing planes had me intrigued - even if I was slightly offended when a Qantas A380 was described as fat and lazy looking! Some parts of the book were a little slow and felt random to the story, especially at the start when Ted - a former pilot, now secret investigator - travels to outback Australia. But it quickly picked up pace and I was hooked all the way through, loving every twist and turn. Some reviews critic the stories plausibility but given political tensions in recent years, and the disappearance of MH370, it was easy to see how a mystery like this could play out. It's hard to say much more without giving away the ending but I loved this book and would definitely consider rereading it - I would even love to see it become a movie! Plus I'm giving this book all the credit for getting me hooked on the thriller genre, although it set the bar very high. The Flight AttendantI'm not sure why I picked this book; I don't do well with blood and murder. But on a high from Flight Risk, it seemed like a good book. And I loved it, unable to put it down from the moment Cassie woke up next to a dead man! Throughout I found some bits a bit random, although I feel as though these moments were successfully brought together in the final chapters. I also questioned the plausibility of a few other things but I've never been involved in an international spy ring or murder investigation so what would I know! And I surprisingly enjoyed the different POV's it offered at random intervals - they weren't clearly marked but it added to the sense of anticipation and helped understand the range of motives at play. The only thing I really didn't like about this book was the epilogue - without spoiling it, I was disappointed and it sort of felt like a lazy way to tie it all up because the ending had been really exciting up until then. Nonetheless, I look forward to the movie adaption, although I'm definitely squeamish at the thought of the blood! The Other Mrs. Miller"Two women watching each other, only one knows why." That statement on the back cover intrigued me although I struggled to get into this book at the start and didn't really understand the two different POVs. That was until all the drama went down suddenly and there was a shocking twist, taking the story in a direction I did not see coming! And then it became a puzzle I needed to understand; who was lying and who was telling the truth?! All the way up until the epilogue which I had to read twice just to come to grips with the truth it revealed! A really great read, and despite my initial hesitation, the difference between part one and part two made it all the more exciting. The RumourAt this point I was really stuck into the thriller genre and this relatively new release seemed like a good idea. Given the title, it wasn't a surprise the book had a very gossipy feel, especially at the start when things kick off, but with many twists and turns, I finished this book pretty quickly, trying to piece the clues together. It felt like there were plenty of unnecessary characters and plot points - particularly with Alfie's father - but I couldn't work out if this was annoying and confusing or if it added to the suspense at who the killer was. Still I enjoyed the ending, the killer revealed as the only person I hadn't thought to suspect! And that last page - I was shell shocked! And the very last line in this book has stuck with me ever since I read it months ago! It may not be the best thriller but still a good read with a satisfying ending. The Quality Street GirlsI'm pretty sure I read this in September but it would make a great holiday read as the story leads to a magical white Christmas. Bored of the thrillers but not in the mood for a romance I thought this old fashioned book about friendship and chocolate would be a good idea. It was an easy read with an enjoyable story and enough excitement to keep it interesting. Reenie was my favourite girl by far although the book follows four girls as they face different challenges, including women's rights in the 1930s. The only thing that slightly bothered me was Diana's secret as it seemed pretty obvious to me from early on yet wasn't revealed until very late. But overall, it was a heartwarming read and well written and researched. I believe this is the first book in a series so I'm interested to see what will follow as it felt like this story was wrapped up very nicely.
I have a collection of perfumes which sit on a gorgeous vintage silver mirror tray - an eighteenth birthday gift - on top of my dresser. And after sharing a picture on my Instagram stories last week, I've been thinking more and more about my little collection and love of perfume. I've loved perfume since I was a little girl when I proudly put on my Mum’s YSL ‘Par-ee’ and Dior ‘Poison’! I’ve been borrowing *stealing* her perfume ever since. I have also began to develop my own collection of perfumes which I just adore for a number of different reasons. It certainly isn't the biggest collection - I prefer quality over quantity - but I’m not a signature, one-scent-only kind of person either. So I thought I would share my collection. I was going to do this in order of my favourites but I honestly love each perfume for different reasons and tend to use them for different occasions. Then at the end, I share a couple of perfume's I'm thinking of adding to my collection. the COLLECTIONCHLOÉ SignatureI'm pretty certain this was my first real perfume and I love the light, floral notes! This perfume has notes of peony, rose and magnolia but it's such a gentle floral, absolutely perfect for spring and summer as it's just so light and fresh but still sweet and flowery. And you can't deny that the bottle is stunning; it reminds me of antique, art deco style glass. CHANEL Coco MademoiselleMaybe this is a predictable choice, but I was desperate for a Chanel perfume and couldn't look pass the classic Coco Mademoiselle. I love the floral scent and find that it's a little bit warmer which is due to the vanilla. There are also notes of orange, grapefruit and jasmine. And not only is it a beautiful perfume to wear but it lasts very well which is fantastic! I also love the bottle. In my search for a Chanel perfume, I actually really liked the Chance range as well, but couldn't ignore the iconic design of this one. DIOR J'adoreIf you've seen my New York Shopping blog you'll know that I picked this perfumes as well as the next two up in New York! This is another light, floral and fruity fragrance and it's the freshest perfume I have. Whilst most of the others are sweet and perfect on a golden summers day, this one is great when it so hot you don't anything too sweet and warm. It's both simple and complex in the best ways with notes of mandarin, jasmine and pear. My only concern is I'm not sure if it's as long lasting as I would like! DIOR Poison GirlAs I said, I've had a thing for Dior Poison ever since I was little and wanted to wear it just like my mum! I love this particular variety in the range however because it's still warm and rich but a little sweeter than other varieties, making it suitable for a younger audience. I love the notes of bitter orange, rose & vanilla although I only seem to wear this one in the cooler months and at night. I also love the bottle and it's shape - it looks like the iconic Dior Poison but the pinky-red makes me think of snow white and the poison apple! EMPORIO ARMANI Because It's YouThis scent blows my mind and I think I can say that out of all my perfumes, this one lasts the longest on me! This was an impromptu purchase in New York so the scent will always remind me of the trip, making me love it even more, but with notes of raspberry, rose, vanilla and musk I think this one was always going to be a favourite of mine. Despite it's similarities in notes to so many others though, this one is just a dreamy combination and works well all year. LANCÔME Tresor Midnight RoseI'm pretty certain this was my second real perfume and I felt so special and grown up because the darker bottle just made it feel more adult to my teenage self! I can't say I love this scent as much anymore as I've found others I simply prefer, but I still wear it occasionally. It first smells rich and floral but then loses some of it’s sweetness and becomes a bit more exotic and musky which stops it from being sickly. Whilst I was always going to enjoy it's notes of raspberry, rose, vanilla and musk, I just prefer some others in my collection to this and it probably gets used the least. YVES SAINT LAURENT Mon ParisAs a young girl I remember my mum having YSL's Paris perfume. And then they bought out the Parisienne variety which was just heavenly! Mum still has half a bottle but I have no chance of getting anywhere near it as it's so much harder to find these days. It's a subtle and light scent which I think of being very delicate and flowery. And it's simply delicious with notes of cranberry, blackberry, rose, violet and peony. But I feel like Mon Paris replaced it in the YSL range as this one is so much more accessible and has since revealed a number of varieties. I only have a small bottle of Mon Paris, and I still enjoy it but will always prefer Parisienne . The original Mon Paris is also very floral but I don't think it's as sweet or warm. However, with notes of raspberry, pear, peony and orange Blossom it's still stunning and easy to see why is such a popular scent. my WISHLISTGUERLAIN Mon GuerlainI wasn't even aware of this historic perfume house until recently but I've become obsessed! Not only is the bottle of this particular fragrance stunning (it's both classic and unique), but it's scent is the perfect combination for me! It's not too overpowering but strong enough to enjoy, and I love the notes of vanilla, lavender and bergamot. It's definitely one I've got my eye on now! EMPORIO ARMANI In Love With YouThis new version of Because It's You went straight onto my wishlist as soon as I heard about it! And then when I finally got my hands on a tester I was seriously in LOVE! It's a very fruity and flowery scent - which is clearly a fragrance type I adore! And I can only hope it's as long lasting as it's predecessor. However, I'd have to try both this and Because It's You at the same time because I'm honestly not sure which I would prefer, and I don't think it would be necessary to have both.
Today is my birthday so I thought I would share a different kind of blog post today. I'm not particularly sentimental about my birthday, but to me it's a reminder to reflect and celebrate the past year and my achievements, whilst looking forward to the future. One of the things I've most enjoyed this past year is this blog, which has taught me so much already and given me a creative outlet to express myself. For this reason, I wanted to use this occasion to share some facts about me (nineteen facts to be specific because I'm celebrating my nineteenth birthday!) so that you can get to know me a little better. I hope you enjoy. A x oneI've lived in the one house my entire life. My parents bought this house in April, I was born in June and we've never moved. (In comparison, by my age, my mother had lived in 21 houses and four countries!) twoIf you didn't already gather this from my Instagram name, @barber_twin_01, I'm a twin! I have a twin sister (who is younger) and growing up we were best friends. We are not identical, in fact we are just about total opposites in both looks and personality. Even though we both do our own things these days, she's still my twin sister and we can have a good laugh together. threeI'm a full time student and I'm currently studying a Bachelor of Aviation Management and a Bachelor of Business at university. I've always loved airports, to me they are so poetic; airports and airplanes allow you to go just about anywhere in the world and they also bring you home to your loved ones. It's exciting and one day I hope to be part of all of that. fourAlthough I've technically visited 15 countries, I only really count four because I traveled to the other 11 when I was a young child and don't really remember the experiences. The four countries I count as having visited are Cambodia, Poland, the US and Canada, all of which I have visited in the past four years. fiveMy lucky numbers are 2, 5 and 7. Two because I'm a twin and it's just the two of us. Five because I was born on the fifth of the month. And seven because I've always just liked it. sixI had braces in high school. I got them when I was 16 and wore them for over two years. I'm thrilled with how straight and beautiful my teeth are now, in fact I sometimes struggle to remember what my smile was like before. sevenI love to read. I could devour novels as a child and would even get told off for reading a book under the covers with a torch late at night! Unfortunately I don't have much time these days and most of what I read are the required texts for university. But I still have a couple of novels sitting on my bookshelf, waiting for when I have some time. eightI love to cook, especially bake. The kitchen is my happy place and to me, baking is like meditating. I'm known for my chocolate brownies and lemon tart. One day, I really want to try making macrons and choux pastry. nineMy guilty pleasure is watching designer handbag videos on YouTube. When I finished all of my high school exams, I spent a whole day watching designer handbag collection videos and Hermes Paris stories. Although I find a lot of these bags beautiful (Dior!), I don't really have any intention of owning one. tenI can't stand scary or horror movies. I am definitely more of a 'Rom Com' kind of girl and recently I've been watching quite a few Hollywood classics - Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina makes my heart so happy! elevenI cannot play any musical instruments, even after giving piano lessons a red hot go for two years in high school. I also can't sing or dance, or act for that matter. Some people are a triple threat; I'm an anti-triple threat! twelveI've had a VOGUE subscription since the start of 2015 and I keep every issue - I have a massive magazine stack in the corner of my room. I love receiving it each month in the mail and even if I don't always have the time to read it properly, I enjoy flicking through. I also love going back through previous issues, picking up on different things and being inspired by things I may not have noticed before. thirteenI cut my own hair once! (It had to come out at some point!) I was about 10 years old and decided I wanted a side fringe but ended up giving myself a bob, and a choppy, lopsided one at that. My mum noticed pretty quickly and took me to the hairdresser to get it sorted out where I was made to promise never to cut my own hair again. And I have never dared! fourteenI don't drink coffee. I just never have. And although I don't really mind the taste, it's just not something I do. I don't mind a cheeky hot chocolate in the morning, especially in winter though. fifteenMy nickname as a child was Lanie, sometimes even Lana Banana, which is ironic because I absolutely hate bananas and can not stand them! sixteenFor those of you who don't know me, my favourite trend was stripes, and I sort of never let it go. When I go shopping, I challenge myself to find things other than stripes but somehow, they are still taking over my wardrobe! seventeenIf I had to choose a favourite colour, it would be blue. My wardrobe tends to be very neutral but I definitely have quite a bit of blue. I also like it in an interior, to me it's calming. eighteenI absolutely love candles and perfume! (I think I get it from my mum.) Dior perfumes are probably my favorite and I like strong candles that I can still smell hours after I've stopped burning them. nineteenI still don't have my drivers licence. And I'm not even close to getting it! I just really don't like driving and being a full time student, I actually use the train to get to and from uni which is easier than driving. It is something I have to get onto though. I'll chalk it up as my goal for this upcoming year.
I’ve been using Frank Body products for the better part of two years and usually stockpile when I make an order (although with free shipping over $25 it isn't really necessary)! So when my latest order arrived a couple of days ago, I thought I would share the unboxing and give you a little insight into the products I use. I hope you enjoy. A x scrubs : original + cacao + peppermintI first tried the original scrub which was a fitting introduction to Frank Body but to me, the Cacao Coffee Scrub is like the original, just ten times better. You can’t go wrong with chocolate and I just couldn’t help myself pick this scrub up. That being said, I still like to buy the Original Coffee Scrub due to it's magic ability to make scars and stretch marks disappear! I didn't realize this until after I started trying the other scrubs so despite my love of chocolate and all other flavours, the OG is still pretty awesome! I also got the Peppermint Coffee Scrub which let me tell you, it is out of this world. It smells like a giant dinner mint and I love using it in the morning because it is so refreshing. Don't get me wrong, all of the scrubs are incredible, but these two flavours are my absolute favourites, and the Original is just a classic! I also just wanted to mention the new packaging as my last order was just before they introduced the new look. The plastic pouch makes scrubbing easier as it is waterproof (much better than a soggy brown paper bag in the shower) and the colours are super fun and also practical, as you can easily distinguish the different scrubs. Definitely loving it. Scrubs range from $16.95 to $19.95 each babe island kitI’ve been eyeing this kit for awhile now; it just sounds so fun. So I finally tried it. The Babe Island Kit includes a Coconut Coffee Scrub and Coconut Body Balm. If this doesn't say holiday, I don't know what does! The box even smelt like coconut when I opened it so I was thrilled. The scrub is stunning but I was most excited about the Coconut Body Balm. I hadn't had the best experience with the Original Body Balm which just kept separating on me. And I understand that they use all natural ingredients so that can happen sometimes but it was still frustrating. This on the other hand it the perfect consistency and texture and I just LOVE it! However, I will only use it after using the Coconut scrub because I find mixing flavours weird, but maybe that's just me. And maybe next time I'll give the original balm another try. The Babe Island Kit is $39.95 sweet cheeks kitI’ve been using Frank’s face range for the past six months and it honestly does wonders to my skin! Highly recommended if you have sensitive and/or combination skin like me. The Kit comes with three items: a Creamy Face Cleanser, a Creamy Face Scrub, and the Everyday Face Moisturizer. I only use the scrub twice a week but I use the cleanser every night. I try to use the moisturizer at least once a day but there are just other brands I prefer, although the moisturizer is amazing after having just used the scrub. The scrub absolutely makes a positive difference to my skin (so smooth!!) and the cleanser is a great cleaner yet still gentle. Unfortunately I'm not loving the new packaging of the Creamy Face Cleanser. Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic product but I much preferred the older pump pack style rather than the new tube. The pump pack dispensed the perfect amount whereas I feel the tube makes it harder to control how much you are using, because a little really does go a long way. But the new packaging also means you get less product (down from 180mL to 100mL!) which is a shame because I use the cleanser more frequently than the other two products and am definitely going to run out of first. The Sweet Cheeks Kits is $49.95 lip duoAgain, this Lip Duo is something I’ve been wanting to try for a while now and I was super excited to get it. The duo comes with a lip scrub and a lip balm (which I think you can also buy separately). I absolutely love the scrub which is incredibly delicious! I find the coffee and sugar makes it more substantial and effective compared to only a sugar scrub. I suppose it would depend how sensitive your lips are. The balm is also pretty good and again a little bit goes a long way; I can see this little tube lasting a long time.
The Lip Duo is $19.95 Three months on and I'm still dreaming about New York. After such a whirlwind adventure, it was straight back to reality with University and work but I've enjoyed taking some time out of the daily grind to go through and edit my photos and remember what a fantastic time it was. I also bought several things whilst in New York that will always remind me of my wonderful trip, and thought it would be nice to share exactly what I bought and where. I hope you enjoy. A x Now, as much as New York is iconic for it’s museums and attractions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Brooklyn Bridge, it is also known for it’s shopping! And whilst I may not travel to shop, I definitely do still enjoy it! So I took advantage of the variety of shops in New York, which offered much better prices than those here in Australia. As I was travelling though, suitcase space (and more so weight) did limit me a fair bit - which I think my purse was grateful for! But I’m really happy with everything I bought. assouline publishersBeing a big lover of ‘coffee table’ books, I visited a few bookstores including Assouline Publishers at the Plaza Hotel and Rizzoli Books on Broadway. Unfortunately, as beautiful as all the books were, they were also very heavy! For this reason, I gave myself a limit before I even stepped onto the crowded sidewalks of New York - I was limited to two books I have been searching for for the better part of two years. These were the Chanel and Dior 3 book slipcases from Assouline. I have only ever been able to find them in Australia once and they were just over twice the price! So these were coming home with me no matter what! Even if together they weighed about 2.5 kilos!! The boutique at the Plaza Hotel had the Chanel set in stock and were luckily able to call in one of the last Dior sets from head office before we left. Unfortunately the Dior set is a little damaged on one corner, mostly just the slipcase and not the books thankfully. bergdorf goodmanAfter enjoying lunch at BG Restaurant in Bergdorf Goodman, I found the book Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf Goodman. Too me, this tribute to an iconic New York store, is the perfect 'reading book' meets 'coffee table book' with fabulous and humorous anecdotes on the stores history and customers. It is a delightful little book which includes contributions from designers (including Christian Louboutin and Micheal Kors), comedians and personalities (Joan Rivers), and of course, veteran staff of the store. And in Bergdorf's classic purple it was the perfect memento. I haven't had a chance to fully read through the book yet but I love it already. fossilI have been searching for a classic watch for quite a while and I found a Fossil watch here in Australia at MYER last year. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the same array of colours and metals on offer as the international stores so I hoped to find what I was looking for in New York. And I did, in the store in Times Square! The sales assistant was helpful and lovely, even offering me complimentary engraving. I love this watch because it's simple and classic, and I'm thrilled to finally have found the leather and metal I was after. kate spade new yorkI wasn't sure if I should buy this Daisy Place Ring Dish and after going into the Kate Spade store in Rockefeller Plaza to find they had none in stock, I figured it wasn't meant to be. But with quite a few US dollars left before leaving, when I spotted another store in Soho, I thought I would give it another chance. And luckily I did because they had a couple left in stock. The sales assistant was super lovely, packaging it up very nicely to ensure it's safety on the flights home and the box perfectly fit into the last corner of space in my suitcase! Although I prefer silver over gold, I love the small detail on the ring dish and it sits perfectly on my dresser with a couple other gold details. macy'sI love perfume! And having heard that some brands were significantly cheaper in New York compared to the Australian department stores, I was thrilled. I purchased two Dior perfumes, both of which I have loved for some time now. The first was J’adore and the second was Poison Girl. Both are very different scents but just as beautiful. I also picked up a new scent, Emporio Armani's Because It's You, which I hadn't ever heard of before but tried at Melbourne airport as we flew out. I could still smell it when we landed in New York so when I came across it in Macy's I was thrilled and I absolutely love it. At Macy's, I also bought a MAC lipstick and lip pencil as a set together. I picked up the duo in a classic red; Ruby Woo. I have never tried MAC before but have heard so many good things about their lipsticks and I love a classic red lip. I also picked up a lip scrub. I was after the raspberry but they didn't have any left so I got the vanilla instead, which is still just as delicious. swarovskiOn each of my previous two trips, I bought a simple ring as a memento for myself. Not only are they a simple reminder of my adventure but they are great talking pieces - especially the amber ring from Poland. But I was conflicted this time because I wanted something from Tiffany's yet none of their rings really appealed to me. Then one evening, Mum and I ducked in Swarovski where she found a couple of bracelets and earrings for herself and I stumbled across this simple ring. This Frisson Ring in Rhodium Plating is delicate, feminine and easy-to-wear with a simple band and five perfectly set crystals. I love it, by it self or with my other two rings. tiffany & co.What would a trip to New York be without a visit to the Tiffany & Co.’s Fifth avenue store?! Every since I first watched ‘Breakfast at Tiffany's’ at the age of ten, I have dreamed of standing in front of Tiffany’s but even better was stepping through that revolving door! It really was magical and I easily spent a hour or two here. But I had done my research and was after a few things in particular. First I picked up my first Tiffany diamond, purchasing the Diamonds By The Yard pendant! I chose the smallest diamond because I liked how simple and subtle it was, especially sitting on my collarbone - I did need to get it shortened to this length which they did complimentary on the sixth floor. Next, we went down to the newly decorate home wares floor. Again, I knew what I was looking for, but I still took time to browse the new collection. But after a lap or two of the third floor, I hadn't found what I was after, so I asked the staff who told me they had sold out! I told myself it okay, I had come with multiple options - after all it's Tiffany's, I absolutely love just about everything! But then the kindest sales assistant said, actually, one got returned yesterday. So luckily I was able to purchase a pair of Tiffany Bone China Paper Cups. I love the iconic blue and simple design and since returning home, I like to use them as a little vase and keep some flowers in them as a pop of colour on my dresser.
Never having been to New York before, I had quite a long list of what I wanted to see and do. Afterall, New York is iconic for so many things including its museums, attractions and of course shopping. Out of sheer excitement and organization, I planned the basics before we left just to make our trip easier and more enjoyable. One way I did this was by purchasing the New York CityPASS, which gave us access to six attractions for one great price (about 40% off what we would have paid for each thing individually!). Honestly, the pass was fantastic as because we already had all of our tickets and more often than not didn't have to wait or que at all. (The New York CityPASS costed $160 Australian dollars - about $125 US dollars.) Below, I’ve provided a bit more of an insight into what we saw and what we did, including a few photos! empire state buildingI have wanted to visit the Empire State Building since before I can remember and this was one of the very first things I added to the itinerary. We ended up going as close as possible to opening (8am) on a Sunday morning, mainly because I figured the earlier we went, the less crowded it would be. Our CityPASS gave us general admission to the 80th and 86th floor observatories as well as the opportunity to come back that same night between 8pm and close. I'm glad we got the opportunity to visit the observation deck twice, but if we only had the one ticket, I would have chosen the morning over night time viewing. Overall, the Empire State Observatory was my favorite observatory by far. It's an icon and I loved reading about how it was built and it's history on the 80th floor. We didn't have to wait at all on either visit. We spent about 1-2 hours here each visit. metropolitan museum of artOur CityPASS gave us ‘skip-the-line’ admission, access to all exhibitions at The Met, and same day admission to The Met Breuer and The Met Cloister. I don't have many regrets at all about New York, it was an absolutely amazing trip, however I am disappointed that we didn't visit The Met Breuer and The Met Cloister as well but I still absolutely loved The Met Museum. It's such a large museum with a great range of exhibitions and we tried to see as much as we could. In particular, I enjoyed the American Wing which featured a collection of stained glass pieces by Louis C. Tiffany. We didn't have to wait with our CityPASS. We spent about 4-5 hours here. american museum of natural historyWe visited the Museum of Natural History on a public holiday so it was mayhem! On top of the chaos, this museum just wasn't what I expected. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed this Museum, but I thought it would be better than the Met as most people said they had spent more time here. Personally though, I could have spent a whole day at the Met, and I wasn't too keen on exploring more of the Natural History Museum after being there for about three hours. I enjoyed the exhibitions on the Mammals of Africa and North America though and the Rose Center for Earth and Space blew my mind. I enjoyed how it showed the scale of the universe. Our CityPASS gave us general admission to the Museum as well as the Rose Center for Earth and Space, plus a Space Show. We waited for about 10 minutes. We spent about 3-4 hours here. top of the rockThis attraction was a choice between Top of the Rock Observation Deck or the Guggenheim Museum. The best thing about The Top of the Rock, and the one thing the Empire State Building is missing, is that from here, you actually have the perfect view of the Empire State Building! Aside from the view though, I felt as if there was nothing else here. We watched a short film before riding up to the observation levels, but other than that, I felt as if there wasn't any information on the history the building. We did have access to the interior and exterior observation decks on the top three floors though so got a great opportunity to view the city. We waited for about 20 minutes. We spent about 1-2 hours here. 9/11 memorialThe 9/11 Museum was an option between the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum or the 9/11 Museum. However, the memorial pools are an open space and require no ticket at all. It truly was humbling to be able to learn about such a devastating event in history, and the impact it has had on not only New York but the world. I'm glad I took the time to walk around each memorial pool, looking over the names of the people that lost their lives. I think it's a nice gesture of the memorial to place a rose in the names of people who would have been celebrating a birthday that day. I also found the room in the Museum with the photos of each victim on the wall to be truly touching. Overall, both the memorial and museum are well worth a visit. museum of modern art (MoMA)As well as the New York CityPASS, I also purchased tickets to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). I am a museum girl and the MoMA is a New York Icon. I went at opening on a Sunday morning and it was surprisingly busy. I loved the MoMA and I didn't at the same time but everyone has different tastes in art - I'm more of a traditionalist. I worked my way down from the top floor where a fashion exhibition was on. This was one of my favourites! I then explored the collection galleries where I found some famous pieces including works from Van Gogh, Monet, and my favourite, Pollock. I also enjoyed an exhibition on the photographer Stephen Shore, who I had never heard of before but to see the development of his work over five decades was incredible. I waited for about 10 minutes. I spent about 2-3 hours here. On top of all of these paid attractions, we also did some of the classic New York ones that are totally free! This included visiting Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge as well as wandering around little pockets of Manhattan such as Soho. My only one true regret about everything we saw and did during our time in New York was the carriage ride through Central Park. I really think it was a waste of time and money, especially seeing as we had the chance to walk through the park at another point in the week. But even if you're only in New York for a couple of days, and only have a hour to see the park, I would suggest walking through the southern end of the park. At least that way you can enjoy a stroll along some of the classic pathways and you can stop and take as many photos as you want. Hopefully I have my photo diary up soon but in the mean time, to see some more of my photos from my time in New York, take a look at my Instagram @barber_twin_01. I hope you enjoyed this post. A x
Please Note : This post is NOT sponsored in any way. This trip has been a dream of mine for more than four years and a reality for just over one! And the countdown had finally reached single digit numbers! YAY! Next Thursday, on the 11th, I'll be travelling with QANTAS from Melbourne to New York, via Los Angeles. I will be spending a whole twelve days in the city that never sleeps, before going on to Canada for a week. On my return, I will complete a full blog post of everything I see and do in New York but before I leave, I've put together a small sample of some of the things I will be taking with me. So, without further delay, the highlights of my packing list. cameraAfter taking two overseas trips in the past two years and only using an iPhone, I decided a proper camera was needed. I purchased the Olympus Pen E-PL8 for this trip and am super excited about it. I have been testing it out the past couple of months so that I’m fully comfortable and ready to go. The camera is a great size, easy to use and looks cute as well. My favourite feature is the built in wi-fi which makes uploading my photos to my phone super easy - and means I can post everything I'm seeing and doing on social media! travel walletI am also taking my Kikki.K leather travel wallet which was a gift from my parents for my last trip overseas when I went to Poland. It is a fantastic travel organizer and I wouldn't think of getting on the plane to New York without it! Although I find it slightly chunky for a normal wallet, it’s perfect for travelling as it literally has space for everything! Seriously, everything from your passport and boarding pass to your departure and customs forms - I even keep a pen tucked in there! It also comes with a removable wristlet which makes it super easy as I'm not worried about losing it or having to keep pulling it in and out of my luggage as I make my way from check in to my gate (via duty free of course!). blanket scarfI’ll be taking my ‘Blanket Scarf’ which is my best friend no matter the occasion, but especially when traveling. This scarf is super soft cotton, really comfortable, and, like the name suggests, it’s also practically a blanket! If needed, it folds out to be quite large which is perfect for keeping warm on the plane. Then, seeing as it will be winter in New York, I'll be using this scarf throughout my trip also. knitsBeing January, it's obviously going to be very cold in New York - especially for me as I fly out of summer here in Australia! So I'm packing plenty of knits as well as a few items from UNIQLO's HEATTECH range. Most of my knits are new as I've never needed thick wool jumpers but I picked them up in the spring sales which was great. I chose grey's and cream's because when travelling, I like to stick to more neutral colours; I'm not big on colour as it is, but neutrals give more mix-and-match outfit options which is essential when travelling. So there you have it, a little preview of my trip to New York! I am really looking forward to this adventure and plan on taking plenty of photos to share when I return. In the meantime, keep an eye on my Instagram, @barber_twin_01.
A x |