Well… according to me anyways. I visit Miami quite often, usually once or twice a year. It is an easy and affordable “long weekend” trip for a northeastern like myself who gets sick of the cold. I was really excited to explore the Wynwood Art District and attend the exhibit parties during Art Basel. I would recommend checking it out at some point. Art Basel is a huge art festival celebrated in Miami. Although there are "Art Basel" events on South Beach and the Convention Center, I suggest the Lynwood District. The tickets for the other events aren't worth it. You can bounce around different events and galleries in the Wynwood District for free. I obviously went to "invite only" events through my blog but there is still a ton going on in Miami during Art Basel.  

Gianna and I bopped around to different art galleries at the Wynwood Art District the majority of the days we were in Miami. There is so much to explore. Although with traffic is it a bit far from South Beach, it is so worth it.  It is also very easy to park and walk to where there are tons of art festivities, food trucks, and bars (which happen to be on every block). 

My favorite art exhibit was the CJ Henry private party. The event took place in a private mansion on the water. It was breathtaking. She creates her art pieces in such fine detail that they look like photographs! It was beyond amazing. My favorite drawing was the wrapped riffle. 

For Columbus Day weekend my sister and I embarked on our first trip together that we call the Grand Adventure. Our long weekend was jam packed with fun activities including flying over Grand Canyon, rafting down the Colorado River, exploring Antelope Canyon, visiting the Hoover Dam, and partying in Las Vegas. Renting a car is great for sight seeing in the Southwest. We flew into Flagstaff, Arizona and drove over to Las Vegas. We of course were on the historical Rt. 66 for some of the way. Rt. 66 is also named the Main Street of America because it was one of the original highways. We stopped at a very weird gas station with alien drawings that clearly was the last stop til we were to arrive in Vegas. Driving through the southwestern part of the United States is a sight to see. There is desert for miles and then random businesses. Not sure how they stay open. My GPS said we were close although there was no sight of Vegas anywhere. I pass through a mountain and on the other side Las Vegas was in site. We went to see a Cirque De Soleil show, partied at a few clubs and went sight seeing. P.S. you can drink in the streets! Major tip - the portions of food in Vegas is beyond insane. I ordered an eggs benefict that came in a pizza box and included 4 utensil packages. A PIZZA BOX! The next day we went to Wet Republic, one of Vegas's premeire Sunday pool party featuring DJ Steve Aoki. I advise you to NOT go in the pool unless you are in one of the VIP pools that rarely has anyone in them. This might be common sense to most but there were tons of peopel in that pool. I suggest RSVPing online unless you "know someone". Some of the "free passes" that are given out by random promoters are just a ticket to the "wait for 3 hours" line. We headed back to Arizona where we got ready for our next big adventure, the Grand Canyon. We stopped by to see the Hoover Dam on our way. I went on Expedia to book this trip and found that they not only have flights and hotels but also fun attractions. I searched through to find the one that best suited what we wanted to experience. This was a long 12 hour day but totally worth it. I am completely afraid of heights BUT I thought it would be EPIC to wake up and fly over the Grand Canyon in a semi-private plane. I was able to sit in the front seat with the pilot which was a cool experience. We then explored Antelope Canyon (the canyons with pretty striations). After that we were taken to raft down the Colorado River and stopped at a place where you can see ancient caveman art. It was definately a great experience. I encourage everyone to explore and travel the world!

xXx

Say yes to adventures. My 2015 has been full of adventures, from the west coast to the Roman ruins. I have what is called the "Travel Bug". Once you go overseas and really begin to explore the world, you never want to stop. I hope I inspire everyone to travel the world. I feel it is one of the most important things in life. I have never seen such beauty in my entire life. I want to know the world before I become a part of it.  My eyes are open now.

Miami is always a cheap and easy trip for a New Englander like myself. I went to Miami for New Years with my bestie and travel buddy Erica. We went to the Versace Mansion, which has delicious dinner and impeccable views. We also went to the Shelborne for our NYE night out. Brunch at the Delano is expensive but their pool parties are SO much fun!

Im in Cali!!!!! California is gorgeous and has a mix of everything. We ended up staying in Santa Monica, a beautiful beach town. We adventured to the Hollywood hills to go hiking. Venice beach is next to Santa Monica and quite the sight to see. I loved the mountains in the skyline next to the beach, so stunning. For dinner we went to Yard House in downtown LA. We then ventured off to have drinks at the Library Bar. Another restaurant we had dinner at was The Pent House in Santa Monica. It has impeccable views of the beach and delicious food. I had grilled squid for the first time! I visited LA in April and the weather was perfect!

Rome... my heart stopped when I walked the ancient streets for the first time. It is so incredibly gorgeous here with ancient charm and the most delicious food in the ENTIRE world. We stayed at the Maison Giulia which is walking distance to all the sights and restaurants you could want. It is also next to the Roman Tiber River. The Pantheon is a located in a plaza about 10 minutes walking distance from that hotel. There you can have lunch and admire the ancient building. It was at the time the largest dome in all of Europe. I suggest doing the City Wonders guided tours for the Vatican and Colosseum to avoid waiting in long lines. The capital building of Rome is stunning. If you walk up the stairs to the back part of the building you can see the scene that was shot in the movie Eat Pray Love. It overlooks all of Rome. All the restaurants in Rome are amazing. The restaurants in the plazas are more expensive than the ones scattered off the streets but it is all amazing food. Also there is no tipping in Europe! You only tip if you really want to. Gelato is something you HAVE to try. Food is not that expensive in Europe. I bought an entire pizza to myself for 4 euros (almost $5). 

Cinque Terra are the five lands on the Mediterranean in Northern Italy. It is a beach town with a lot of locals. I enjoyed being on the water and relaxing. We hiked over one of the mountains where they have irrigation and vineyards. It was a stunning place to be. Completely breathtaking and relaxing. 

 Pisa is a cool place to stop by but I wouldn't spend more than a day there. They have an airport which is convenient if you are traveling to Cinque Terra.

Spain was quite the relaxing trip. We stayed with locals and relaxed a lot by their pool. We ventured to the city center, did a boat tour, and walked around the gardens. Madrid has a lot of cool shops. Plaza Mayor is one of the places we went to. They have restaurants lined up around the plaza for people to dine at. I ordered prosciutto, eggs and fries.

Turkey is a stunning place with ancient charm. I enjoyed seeing all the artistic mosaics. I was only in Istanbul for a very short period of time but if you do venture over here, check out the Blue Mosque. It is not too far from the airport and is quite the sight to see. You must cover your head to enter so I wore my scarf. If I were to go back to Turkey I would travel to Cappadocia. It is so gorgeous and their skyline is filled with hot air balloons. I would also visit the shopping bazaars for spices and clothing. 

New York is like a second home for me now because I travel there so often throughout the year. 

Nothing says happy holidays like sparkles. I love walking through NYC in the winter with all the gorgeous holiday decorations. A NYC holiday tradition where crowds gather is seen on 57th Street. In partnership with Swarovski, Bergdorf Goodman designed over ​the top holiday window displays with countless crystals and fun themes. My favorite was the "Treasured" window.

My excitement level kept elevating with every step towards lincoln center. There were fashionistas, celebrities and photographers everywhere. We took some pictures before we showed our passes to enter the tents. I felt like I was in a different world. It was by far the best experience thus far. The central area of the tent had the MBFW pr workers in the middle and booths surrounding the area. While sipping on a few glasses of champagne we walked around. We visited a few booths such as E! Pop of Culture, Caboodles, and the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week area equipped with a really nice car. Soon it was time for the show. We were escorted through the back way and scored some really awesome seats. Celebrity sightings spotted in the front row included Coco Rocha, Carrie Underwood, AnnaSophia Rob, and Anna Kendrick. After the show we snapped a photo with Amiee Song (fashion blogger from Song of Style). 

xXx 
Liz

By  Elizabeth McLaughlin & Erica Hadley

Bond is features a modern twist in a classical building. Bond is an upscale bar and lounge located in the old Federal Reserve Bank in the Langham Hotel. Definitely a sophisticated crowd, dress to impress. I enjoy visiting Bond when I am in Boston because the music is great and it is a classy environment. I am not afraid for my designer clothing to get ruined. I enjoy lounges a lot better than clubs, it's more of my scene. The first time I went to Bond was during Boston Fashion Week (BFW). They also have fashion industry events often on Tuesdays. I went to the nude. Fashion show during fashion week which showcased designer clothing collaborations for the nude. Store now open in the Providence Arcade (downtown providence). Details of the show were featured on an earlier post. Bond also has a restaurant. I haven't eaten there but I will in the future. Definitely check it out!

A selection of their menus:
•Lunch•Dinner•Cocktails

Operating hours
Monday to Sunday:
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Lunch: 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Light Bites: 2:30 p.m to 5:00 p.m.
Dinner: 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday ( Lounge/Dj): 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.

250 Franklin St
(at Oliver St)
Boston, MA 02110
Neighborhood: Financial District
(617) 451-1900
bondboston.com

            I just recently went on the most relaxing vacation at The Mountain Club on Loon Mountain, NH with my fiancé John. The Views were breathtaking. We went Columbus Day weekend and celebrated Oktoberfest at our resort. Our resort also offered activities like rock climbing, rides on the zip line, rides on the gondola, a spa, pool, and much more. It is also very close to local restaurants and shops. There was also a big craft fair going on the weekend we went. I definitely suggest everyone take a little vacation from the city and the suburbs to enjoy the beauty of the mountains in NH. I feel rejuvenated and refreshed to go back to work.

Visit The Mountain Club’s Website: http://www.mtnclub.com

The nude. Fashion show at BFW took place at Bond, a lounge that was once the Federal Reserve building. Nude is a new store opening at the Arcade in Providence. The show presented the six designers featured in the store: Jess Abernethy, Yellow Clover, Jonathan Joseph Peters, Kent Stetson, Amy Stetkiewicz, and Susan Troy. The looks displayed a collaboration of the designers.   After the show booths were set up to purchase clothing straight from the designers. 

My favorite handbag designer was of course there, Kent Stetson. I ended up splurging on the one of a kind red Python & leather tote bag that comes with a matching clutch. I also had to have the bright Biltmore bag that says "More" all over the bag. 

Nude
65 Weybosset St., #110, Providence, Rhode Island 02903
(401) 521-6833 

Video by Fashion Photographer Sergei Pyuro

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Andres Aquino
Inspired by his experience in the fashion field and needing garments to showcase jewelry and accessories by designers participating in the fashion events, Mr. Aquino began to design gowns. The enthusiastic reaction by audiences and press encouraged him to create entire seasonal collections of high fashion evening and cocktail ensembles starting in 2008. His fashion designs have appeared in major magazines, websites and TV broadcasts, and the collections have been presented in Europe, New York and Palm Beach to great reviews.

As founder and producer of COUTURE FASHION WEEK, launched in 2003, as well as other fashion show events, Mr. Aquino oversees all production aspects - from sponsors to designers, from venue selection to model casting, from technical staff operations to public relations.
Couture Fashion Week is a multi-day event showcasing couture and luxury fashion. It also includes exhibits of luxury brands and fine art as well as world-class entertainment and receptions. The event is held in top venues in New York City, Palm Beach, Florida and other selected cities and is attended by upscale consumers, invited VIPs, the press and high-end store buyers. Couture Fashion Week offers unique branding opportunities for luxury products and services.

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Harumi Momota
Peruvian designer Harumi Momota will presented her latest collection at Couture Fashion Week for the first time at 8:00 pm on Saturday September 7, 2013. An award-winning fashion designer, Harumi Momota has been actively involved in textile design, product development and working with craft and industrial workshops in Peru for almost a decade. She has taken a leading role in the creation and development of supply chains of Peruvian raw materials, labor and finished products that meet the strict standards of the world’s high-end markets. She has trained and collaborated with more than 2,500 artisans in many areas of the country including Lima, Puno, Ayacucho, Arequipa and Cusco

Ms. Momota’s distinctive fashion collections have been shown at major events around the world including Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Paris, and the Dominican Republic, as well as at trade events representing Peru in Germany, the USA, London, and Japan. Ms. Momota’s creations are made entirely by hand using ancestral Peruvian techniques that date back over 5,000 years, such as stick weaving, crochet and loom weaves. Her trademark fibers include yarns spun from fine alpaca and vicuna wool, as well as Pima cotton, Drytex and Andean blends.