YSL Rouge Pur Couture in No. 24 (Blond Ingenu) | A Lana Del Rey Inspired Treat (Yo' Self)
By Sangeeta 9:28 PM beauty, blond ingenu, lana del rey, lipstick, makeup, reviews, rouge pur couture, ysl
My journey to Blond Ingenu took almost a year from start to finish and it was one full of ups and downs. It all started when I heard that Lana del Rey had mentioned it as one of her favorite YSL shades. I can't tell you how many times I wandered aimlessly into Sephora and swatched the aforementioned lipstick only to notice the $35 price tag, sigh dramatically as I returned it to its shelf before wandering back out of the store. Even when I had money to spare I couldn't quite justify the splurge. I was a college student and my funds would be better spent on food or put into savings or however it is adults deal with thier money.
But now I'm done with school. I work now. I got my first paycheck this morning and then later in the afternoon I had a successful interview for my dream job. I was on the train back to my house listening to my iPod when a Lana del Rey song came on, signaling certain danger for my bank account. It was "Big Eyes" which is a dangerous sounding song anyways. It makes me feel dangerous and like I need to exact precise and swift revenge on all who have wronged me in a Count of Monte Cristo way. I don't have any enemies. But if I did, this would be my pump up song.
Anyways the point is the train stop I got off at is by a massive mall and while I waited for my ride I wandered into Sephora. Wandered? I was drawn there. I had a million things to celebrate and a bit of money in my bank account that I could spend. The voice in my head was suddenly Aziz Ansari's and it was telling me something I needed to hear:
"Treat Yo' Self."
And I did. And I'm so glad I did.
YSL lipsticks are so far out of my budget for every day makeup but if you're thinking to yourself, "Hey, I feel like I deserve a really nice lipstick with hella glam packaging!" then
a) you probably do and
b) look no further than one of the beautiful shades from the YSL Rouge Pur Couture line
because holy crap they are lovely. I'm wearing it right now just to test it and the formula is so smooth. Most lipsticks dry out my lips but not this one. Plus its such a great option if you're looking for a nude lipstick. I've recently been into nudes (ha) and this is one of my favorites. Its a peachy pink nude with a bit of a shimmery quality to it. The only downside is I'm not sure what the staying power is. I think I'd give it 3-4 hours before you need to reapply but I bet that can be elongated with a lip liner underneath or a lip primer.
Overall I'm really pleased with this purchase. I'm not sure that YSL lipsticks are something I'll ever own a big collection of due to the price but its a perfect treat for any lipstick junkie or Lana del Rey fan.
Have you guys ever treated yourself to a glamarous product such as an high end lipstick just because your favorite celeb offhandedly endorsed it three years ago? Let me know in the comments!
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Exploring (Part of) Jack Kerouacs New York | Columbia and Harlem
By Sangeeta 11:37 PM central park, columbia, jack kerouac, new york, travel
A few weeks ago I had the chance to visit one of my favorite places in the world: New York City. I visit quite often and I was there as recently as September of 2014. Prior to that my experiences in the city were solely in Midtown and its been fun to explore other burroughs and other parts of Manhattan. Last time I stayed in a little apartment in Sunset Park in Brooklyn and I decided it might be fun to stay in different neighborhoods each time I came to the city.
On this particular trip I stayed in East Harlem and I was a bit intimidated because I had never spent any time anywhere near where I was staying. I had no idea what to expect but within an hour of arriving I had fallen in love. The area was so beautiful and alive and, like most of New York City, it was rich with history. I'll admit to you now that I romanticize New York City and I know that I'm doing it and I know I come off as naive. I know its not all Jack Kerouac and Lou Reed.
That said, let's move on to the pictures I took one morning when I dragged my friend Antonia to the Columbia campus and the surrounding area to visit places that were important to Jack Kerouac and his friends when they lived in the Morningside Heights area.
We paused for a moment to do our best Humans of New York impression. What do you think?
We walked alongside Morningside Park on our way to 116th. I got overly excited here and didn't take any pictures. My thought process was a little more "What a beautiful park! With history!" rather than "This would make a great blog post!" which I regret a little bit even though I shouldn't.
"This is where Lucien Carr came with Jack after he (Lucien) killed David Kammerer and Jack stood and watched him dispose of the evidence!" I said, causing some strange looks from passersby. The story of this murder was told in the film Kill Your Darlings and I learned about it prior to that in an English class I took about Kerouac and Beat Culture. The stories Jack and his friends lived are almost as interesting as the ones they wrote.
The first thing we did when we arrived at the Columbia campus was sit down and enjoy the atmosphere. The Creative Writing MA at Columbia is a fever dream for me and while it probably won't ever happen I occasionally think about what it would be like to attend a school with such a legacy. My cousin went to Columbia. Kerouac went to Columbia. Ginsberg went to Columbia. Rider Strong went to Columbia. Amazing.
Next we walked towards some of the dorms. This is Wallach Hall, or Livingston Hall, as it would have been called when Kerouac and his friends were attending the school. Kerouac lived next door to this building in Hartley Hall and wrote about how happy he was when he got to move to Livingston. The buildings are attached and aesthetically similar so I'm not sure what his reasoning was. I think I read that he didn't have to share a room in Livingston so he was happy there. Kerouac and I have a lot in common that way.
Earlier in the week my friend and I had gone to the High Line which is in Chelsea. This is the view from the park which is actually an elevated railway track which hadnt been in use for a while so it was converted into a beautiful park with a great view. Above you can see an example of that view.
The High Line park is near a tavern called the White Horse. Jack Kerouac spent time here and apparently lived in the area. I spend a lot of time sitting alone in the White Horse tavern, sullenly drinking Guiness and writing. I feel like that makes me annoying so I hate to admit it but its true. I think I'm hoping to absorb some genius energy left by all the great writers who passed through there. I know greatness is about originality and forging your own path but I can't help it. It comforts me to be there.
This time I didn't take any pictures at the White Horse because I was there on New Years Eve. That's a story I don't think I'll ever publish but I'll say that its an excellent place to be on New Years Eve and the people who work there are really nice.
We walked through Central Park as the sun set over Manhattan on 2014 and as we walked and walked I felt for the first time in my life that this was the end of a definite chapter in my life. 2014 seems like it was a successful year for everyone and it was spectacular for me. I kicked it off by filming a Youtube video with Courtney Love and then I got to watch some of my good friends also film videos with her for the series of Q & A videos she did with fans. There were ups and downs, victories and losses, love and pain and its all culminted in a walk through Manhattan in the freezing New York winter.
I began 2015 at the White Horse tavern and wove through the streets making my way to East Harlem and eventually ended up in bed eating tacos which is a quality way to begin or end anything. I feel, for the first time, that I am truly satisfied and even though I have a long way to go before I'll be at a point where I feel like I've fulfilled my destiny, I feel satisified that I've made the most of my life this far.
And that's a feeling I'm blessed to have.
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Adventures in Adulting | Jobs and Stuff
By Sangeeta 10:21 PM personal
As I start my post college life I've learned quite a bit about being something vaguely resembling an adult and all of the stressful things it entails. I've filled out tax forms, I've worked in an office on the 8th story of a building that I needed an employee key pass to access and I've navigated my way through a two hour commute through the DC Metro system. I've survived and I think I'd even go so far as to say that I'm thriving.
I have my first Big Interview this Friday. That's the job the two hour commute is for. I've had plenty of other job interviews in my life but this is the first one that's for a job that fits in with my career aspirations and its a job I desperately want. I won't tell you where I'm interviewing exactly but it is a job as a historical interpretor at a hugely significant historical site and I honestly get a bit breathless thinking that I could possibly be working there.
In the meantime I've been working as an office temp which is exactly as glamorous as you'd expect it to be. There's nothing negative I can say about it because so far its been straightforward inventory work in a good environment with good people but it makes me a bit restless. The job I had last week was mostly assembling gift bags for an event and it got repetitive so I started listening to podcasts while I worked. I got hooked on Serial. I then got hooked on a podcast about Serial. I actually ended up regarding the gift bag asssembly as a meditative activity and when that was combined with the podcasts that kept my mind fully engaged the week flew by.
I have lofty career and life goals and I'm at a precarious point where I'm taking several short, rapid, wobbly steps that will hopefully lead to something better. I was an amateur rock climber in my youth and it reminds me of the stress of starting a climb when I would stand back for a bit, attempt a few potential starts and eventually I'd find some steps I was confident with and scramble up the wall. Its finding that foundation that takes time but I'll get past this step soon, I'm sure.
And then I'll be unstoppable!
I have my first Big Interview this Friday. That's the job the two hour commute is for. I've had plenty of other job interviews in my life but this is the first one that's for a job that fits in with my career aspirations and its a job I desperately want. I won't tell you where I'm interviewing exactly but it is a job as a historical interpretor at a hugely significant historical site and I honestly get a bit breathless thinking that I could possibly be working there.
In the meantime I've been working as an office temp which is exactly as glamorous as you'd expect it to be. There's nothing negative I can say about it because so far its been straightforward inventory work in a good environment with good people but it makes me a bit restless. The job I had last week was mostly assembling gift bags for an event and it got repetitive so I started listening to podcasts while I worked. I got hooked on Serial. I then got hooked on a podcast about Serial. I actually ended up regarding the gift bag asssembly as a meditative activity and when that was combined with the podcasts that kept my mind fully engaged the week flew by.
I have lofty career and life goals and I'm at a precarious point where I'm taking several short, rapid, wobbly steps that will hopefully lead to something better. I was an amateur rock climber in my youth and it reminds me of the stress of starting a climb when I would stand back for a bit, attempt a few potential starts and eventually I'd find some steps I was confident with and scramble up the wall. Its finding that foundation that takes time but I'll get past this step soon, I'm sure.
And then I'll be unstoppable!
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December Favorites
By Sangeeta 7:21 PM videos
It's time for another video about stuff I liked during a certain month. You know the drill. Check out my video below!
What did you guys love in December? Let me know in the comments section!
xoxo,
Sangeeta
