soul meets body

to feel nothing, and to feel everything at once. to experience art, and never feel like an artist. nothing is ever good enough, and there is always now. 

i only wanna slip into the release. 

to feel a collapse into purpose. 

there's something about the clouds moving so fast overhead, there's something about wishing you were here. to love without boundaries, the days go so slow. 

my heart is the pump that keeps my head clear. in this city that we call home, i am the painter and you write for a living, documenting the experiences we've already materialized. Creating a physical archive for the stories of my heart. 

xx 

photos by drake alexander

million dollar baby

Million dollar baby, champagne and sleeping in. Milk birthday cake and room service. Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt. A day of gratitude and golden blonde hair. Sometimes you just have to pinch yourself, because you can't believe the life you've created.

I always want to have more, be more, do more. I am so driven, and willing to take the actions to make it happen. But, my birthday was a day of simply soaking it in. Life isn't perfect, I was sick with a bad cold for the three days prior. But the day I turned 27, I woke up healthy and filled with so much love - so many phone calls and beautiful texts. 

This year, I feel so much more in control than ever before. I don't feel like a victim of life or the world. I can't control what happens, but I can control how I feel about it. I was so sick the days leading up to this shoot, but I had made peace with it.  I felt gratitude for all the days I had been healthy, all the people who have come into my life just this past year. We get to choose how we feel. You're not a victim of your emotions. Luckily, I was blessed with feeling wonderful and even began the day with pilates (my favorite.) 

Those of you that have been following this blog since I was 18, you're beautiful and I have such gratitude for you. You make this space special.

Abundance is your birthright, and love really is the strongest force in the universe. <3 

xx,

R. 

Ana Luisa Jewelry Review

My collaboration with Ana Luisa was an easy fit. Their brand is all about creativity and sincerity. Something I like to think about my own brand. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I feel like Ana Luisa celebrates that feminine elegance. 

Their delicate pieces are a favorable finish to any outfit. I'm very much one to wear a floral dress, and I like the way the pieces are understated enough to compliment the dress but not overwhelm it. 

Their pieces are all hand-crafted and membership is free! If you sign up, you get free shipping + returns and a surprise gift with every purchase! I've included details below on how to sign up + a discount code!! 

Also if you sign up, you will be registered in a giveaway for a free pair of earrings!

xoxo 

Ana Luisa NY

Handcrafted Designer Jewelry

Free sign-up here: http://bit.ly/AnaLuisa_Rachel

Use code Rachel15 to get $15 OFF

"i want to put my hands to work till the works done"

Reality - the foundation on which we live our lives. Afternoons with you, warm fingers and reciting what we believe from books verbatim. 

Did we make up anything for ourselves? Did we take all our truths from our surroundings. Books, minds and ideas that have come before us. Contemplating consciousness and reality. Learning to not make art for anyone but yourself. We will spend our lives trying to disconnect from what others think. Desperately seeking isolation and validation at the same time. 

My truths are mine alone. Designing a life. Admirable desires and honest intent.  

xx 

must-have lingerie summer 18'

Happy summer baby angels! I've gathered together a list of my must-have lingerie pieces for summer! Not only can you wear these in the bedroom, but a lot of these floral- forward pieces I like mixing up with outfits! Lingerie can make great layering pieces! 

First up is this gorgeous red set from Fleur du Mal. Depending on how bold you're feeling, this gorgeous floral bra can double as a crop top! It's adorable with some light high-waisted denim! 

Next up we have the set I'm swooning over from La Perla. This crystal forms baby blue bra is the stuff of my magical cloud dreams. And here's a link to the matching thong (which makes your booty look so good!) The lace detailing mimics waves on the shore, and it feels so good on your skin! 

The other must-have from La Perla is this the marble blue set! They introduced this set, and I'm absolutely obsessed with the color and detailing for summer! I'm wearing the electric blue thong, and I also got the v-cut marble bra to go with it! 

From my all-time favorite, Agent Provocateur, I'm head over heels for their magical yellow set! It's so sparkly and pretty, I feel like a blonde unicorn! Here's a direct link to the bra, undies, and of course the garter! If you guys get this set, tag me! I'm obsessed with it and would love to see how you rock it! 

Lastly, the most affordable option is this gorgeous new green color set that Fleur du Mal introduced. The color is called "ceramic" and it's this creamy delicous 90s green and I'm obsessed! Here's a link to the top, and the bottom! 

Hopefully, you guys like my little round-up! I'd love to hear your feedback what you like/don't like! Drop me a comment or a dm on instagram! 

xoxo 

"the only way to be an artist is to lose yourself and work day and night"

The only way to be an artist is to lose yourself and work day and night. 

Soren Kierkegaard said, "Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it." 

If you've not made the world around you uneasy or uncomfortable, if you've generated no reaction, you have not moved. 

It is your passion, your working towards something, that will give your life meaning. Do not be concerned with the opinions of others, they will only pull you away from your inner voice. 

Once you know yourself, everything else is easy. With my birthday coming up this week, I'm realizing the older I get, the more comfortable I am with accepting myself. I'm not ashamed of my likes and dislikes, and don't mind cutting someone out of my life if they're bringing me down. I used to want to be liked by everyone, but no one lives a great life or becomes a great artist through needing that.

You have to spend time alone, go deep inside, get to know yourself. I have felt some of my greatest highs through doing this hard inner-work. Some of it may seem impossible, bursting into tears, early morning runs. Body broken, mind broken, spirit broken, but on the other side of pain is something you don't know right now. Challenges will only bring you closer to the best version of yourself.  

When you know who you are, your passion is all over everything you do. Your very life is your art form, it is your essence. 

xx, 

r. 

summer 18'

There is nothing like summer in New York City. No, it's not swimming pools and beaches - but New York offers something better. 

There's an energy in the city when the weather starts to change that inspires artists, creatives, businesses owners and students alike. We're all buzzing outside, manic with the new concept of warm weather. We're energized, inspired, and ready to have late nights drinking wine on city rooftops, and early morning runs along the Hudson. 

I've always been impressed with how much New Yorker's can do in a day. How long they last. I've even changed myself. I can wake up at 6:30 for a pilates class, and attend a party at Rose Bar at midnight. And in between, I'm painting, responding to emails, reading, taking photos, listening to podcasts. There's an energy here that makes you want to rise to your best self - and in the summer, it's amplified. 

I feel driven, passionate with an intense desire to learn and take in as much as I can.

summer 18'. 

angel tee by fiorucci

salt and pepper angel crop denim jacket by fiorucci

amour charm necklace by revolve

rose + amor necklace by Vanessa Mooney

white boxy tee by Re/done

tokyo, japan

Tokyo was sheer magic. To me, it had this LA-ease and gentleness. It was full of creative energy, but kind. I always thought Japan would be overwhelming, like the way I feel in Thailand and China, but that wasn't the case. 

It's hard to put my finger on the calm I felt there, but I had no problem spending my days walking endless miles, wandering into coffee shops and little six-seat bars for ramen and sake. I could spend a month in a little apartment with a balcony painting in Shimokitazawa. 

And that's my first tip - the hip neighborhood of Shimokitazawa is worth spending a day wandering. They have AMAZING vintage shops. My favorite is called Alaska and features American Films in Japanese with an incredible collection of tees and kimonos. 

My favorite coffee shop in Tokyo is called Fuglen and is located in the Shibuya neighborhood. In that same neighborhood is the best coffee/lunch/happy hour spot I came across called Deux Ex Machina. It features two floors of open doors and benches and motorcycles. Sounds silly, but I had the best peanut butter and jelly there. They are known for their sandwiches. 

On our second day, in the area of Ginza, I had the most serious coffee experience. Café de L' Ambré serves up strictly coffee, in a number of variations, and you can smoke inside. If you're a coffee geek like I am - this place is surely worth a walk in. 

I didn't think I'd be back home in New York saying this, but I had the best pizza of my life in Tokyo. On the third night of our trip, Sean took me to Seirnkan - an incredible steam-punk pizza shop. They only serve up two kinds of pizza and a number of pastas, so we ordered both pizzas and two pastas. Together we drank a bottle of wine and soaked in the punk-luxe. 

Our last dinner in Tokyo was skewers at Toriki. The chef was incredible, and I would for sure book ahead of time. We tried five different sakes and ordered the entire menu. I'm vegetarian, so they did special vegetable skewers for me. We had such a good time and must of stayed in the restaurant for five hours - drinking, eating, and talking with the other customers. It was a perfect last dinner. 

Here's a round up of restaurants in Tokyo based on food type: 

• Soba: Kameya, Tamawarai, Itasoba Kaoriya, Kanda Matsuya 

• Tempura: Fukamachi, Motoyoshi, nihombashisonoji, Masaru

• Tonkatsu: Tonta, Marugo, Pontahonke, Nomotoya, Ageduki, Ponchiken, Hasegawa, YOGORO

• Yakitori: Torishiki, Toriki, Badorando, Takesan, Torie

• Pizza: Seirinkan

• Takemura (desert)

If you have any other questions about my trip, or recomendations you'd like - feel free to comment me here or on instagram! 

xoxo 

"my lover is a day"

my lover is a day. eye contact and ice coffee. he makes me wanna paint and scratch at the surface. a 24 hour muse.

xx 

kimono by alice + olivia

luxe triangle bra by fleur de mal

luxe v string by fleur de mal

leopard duster by house of harlow

jean jacket by fiorucci

beijing, china

All to see it with my eyes. Eleven books and four countries. Unintentionally growing thinner with an incessant need to create. A manic obsession with visual imagery. Nothing is ever enough. 

The only way I can stop the high is to enter into a state of gratitude. Otherwise, I drown in an perpetual need to be more. I have a friend who says, "as you are, you are enough."

Maybe I'm just too young to believe that. Naively pursuing the world and all it's pleasures. New tastes, clothing, cameras, viewpoints. Who is this wild beast I've created in my mind. Obsessed with information and progression. 

She's a go-getter. Can't do most things worth a damn but she tries. The only thing that's ever come natural to her is sport. She runs like her life depends on it. Perhaps she took that skill and wove it into everything she did. 

Manic. Fast. The world is on fire. 

xx