came right back

you chase after distractions with all this vigor. you take in books half-heartedly, always one foot out the door, willingly ready to attend to pleasure. you lack discipline and conviction, but you’ve got enough of it to move forward. you chase lovers when you should be chasing yourself. you’re wild and everyone can see it, there’s no hiding here.

you are compelled forward by your interests, they will move you to new heights that now remain inconceivable. emotions track our progress towards goals, when you’re not feeling strong it is because you are lacking, not because you are a victim. do not fight a battle that is not there. remain free of problems that do not exist. when you double down on discomfort, it starts to look a lot like confidence.

plan a life you’d like to have, i’ve been making mine for a while now.

xx

acid tapes

disco breakfast and acid tapes. fried eggs and lingerie. champagne-infused afternoons and cowboy boots. cigarettes after sex and your boyfriend’s cowboy hat.

everything is slow moving magic on the lower east side and nothing hurts. you shift with the music, you go with the night. pizza and frizzy blonde hair the rain.

i love living in new york, i want to ride the balance of chaos and order forever.

xx

photos by Jen Senn

my favorite exfoliator - joanna vargas

A month ago, I came across a friend who had recently posted about Joanna Vargas and her facials in New York City. I took a chance, and reached out to the brand via instagram. They replied immediately, and were kind enough to invite me in for a facial. I received the oxygen facial to help hydrate my dry skin, and it left me feeling incredible. (you can read about the facials they offer here.)

During the facial, I mentioned how I had been running outside, training for the marathon, and I suddenly was getting a lot of blackheads and acne. The esthetician believed it was a combination of pollution an sweat, (i usually run down the west side highway!) So they sent me home with the exfoliating mask. (pictured above!)

I have never had a product that changed so much for me in so little time, I’m wayward with skin products and can never stick to one thing. But I started using the mask, both as a scrub and a leave on treatment, and saw my blackheads clear up overnight.

I have dry skin, so it’s gentle enough that it wasn’t dehydrating me the way a lot of products do. I’m constantly looking for something new, because everything drains my skin of moisture. Joanna’s exfoliating mask is golden and soft to the touch.

If you follow me, you know I don’t usually promote skin care products, but this was something that I really wanted to share. I love the results and I’m happy with my soft and clear skin!

xx

get your mask here!

REVOLVE AROUND THE WORLD NEW YORK

Had the best week with the Revolve fam! I loved sporting all the new looks for fall all over my city. Below are the links to shop all the pieces I selected for the week!

Sending you guys so much love.

xo,

r.

the hanna blazer by l’academie

blue mini fur jacket by revolve

white turtleneck sweater by tularose

the jean skort by l’academie

pink leopard faux fur coat by house of harlow

valencia sweater by LPA

cream aries dress by house of harlow

diana duster by revolve x chrissy tegan

the artist's way

i have met people who say they are artists, but they are unconvincing.

they’ve made no great sacrifice in their life, they have suffered little for what they say they love deeply.

me, i have torn my life apart. i have shredded everything to start new, i have sacrificed greatly because i love grandly. i am passion, fever does not settle in me. it rises, stirs, and surfaces from my fingertips. i am moved by night, the sounds the streets make when they think no one is watching.

i have my own world, and it’s quite uninterested in the opinion of others. it moves in its own shapes, bound not by time and space.

here we have an artist, who lived and died, fervently by her passions. they took her in the night, and she went willingly with their tide.

xx

mrs robinson black lingerie set by honey birdette

red lingerie set by honey birdette

silk bralette by angie bauer

serving fall looks

bright blue faux fur jacket from shopbop

baby blue gossip girl dress by house of harlow

dream theory

the birthplace of thought is the dream. a fantasy about what might be. sun-soaked and holiday bound. summer slips into a place of reveries, and the cold air sticks to your fingers without your consent.

you close your eyes to get stronger in the places you are afraid. there’s real promise in standing in the settings you fear most, you become indestructible in those places. you conquer it in your mind before you every bring it into the physical.

and when it finally gets here, you are stronger in the broken places.

x

lovers part

lovers part. you close your eyes to see what it’s done.

you wait for the remedy- the meaning of everything to come crashing into your consciousness, but no answers make themselves apparent, and you are left colder than before.

you live like this, veiled in a delicate world, and you believe you are living. then one person comes along, and saves you from your idea of life.

you are a fool, but you are awake now. you hear music differently, you see nature in an entirely new way, you read more great books - nothing is the same. the beauty that they bring, illumination.

you’re not the one to talk things through, and life breaks you both. life is suffering after all, that is indisputable. you feel used, but you know more now.

you see that responsibility and love give life meaning. you act as if being is good. you are broken, but you still see the goodness.

it has been said, that making happiness the focal point of your life trivializes your experiences. because in order to regard anything as truly important you must regard its loss as truly meaningful. to open yourself up to experiences of deep meaning also means you have to open yourself up to the possibility of deep hurt and sorrow.

you are not the master of your own house, and all suffering will only serve expansion.

xx

photos by gareth lewis

the girl you love

i’ve always wanted to be one of those girls in the movies, like high fidelity or the unbearable lightness of being, one of those girls that lives in those ridiculously cool artist lofts with tons of paintings everywhere. many lovers and a closet overflowing with vintage robes and heels. you have no idea how she pays for anything, she’s a mythical and magical creature, something of a henry miller novel. she defies the laws of existence, she doesn’t play by anybody’s rules but her own. she’s wild, she’s free, and that’s why you love her.

she eats

KOPITIAM

Last Friday night, I had the pleasure of a feast at Kopitiam in the LES. It’s a traditional Malaysian coffee house. They do everything from breakfast to dinner. My favorite dishes were the chilled spicy noodles & of course the layer cake. The tapioca rice balls were pretty to die for too. All in all, I’d come back for the beverages and deserts - aside from the noodles. I’m not big on fish or meat and most of the dishes contained them! Restaurant info here.

MARTA

I over-did it at Marta, but who wouldn’t. Marta is located in the Redbury New York Hotel, and really an ideal date spot. You can order a bottle of wine and share a pizza or two. I started with the Ricotta, which is served with warm peaches and balsamic. It was iconic and decadent. The star of the show though is clearly the pizza. We ordered the Straccaiatella and Casino. For me the Straccaiatella was so good because it was simple and warm with a lot of cheese and a really light sauce. The pizza doesn’t taste too heavy but is still flavorful. I had four slices - which I think is a record for me. Restaurant info here.

KISH-KASH

Kish-Kash is a brand new north african couscous kitchen in the West Village. My boo and I went there one day after one of my photoshoots and I just fell in love. It’s a super casual setting, so we dinned at the high seats in the window during the last hours of daylight. We ordered a divine bottle of wine, and so many things off the menu. We started with the hummus and cauliflower, which made me a very happy lady. If you don’t know me - these are two of my favorite things in the world. We finished with a chicken tagine couscous. It was really something special, the couscous was some of the best we’ve both ever had. The menu is fairly small and it’s good to order 3-4 dishes to share. Restaurant info here.

MEADOWSWEET

Over the bridge, we have Meadowsweet in Williamsburg. Sean and I actually ended up here after a walk over the Williamsburg bridge taking photos and running into one of my friends. This place might be my favorite in the entire post. I had an absolutely incredible whiskey sour, before we ordered a bottle of red. If you’re ordering appetizers, you have to try the tiger fig and ricotta toast. We also got the crispy baby artichokes, which are just beyond. For the main, we got this stuffed dumpling pasta that blew my mind. It was so delicious and decant, we took forever to savor it. Anyways, I highly recommend this spot, it’s a big restaurant with a cool bar and lots of open space. Restaurant info here.