Blogging is NOT coming easy this month for some reason - sorry, folks. Which is why I'm even happier to have been tagged by Marianna from Marianna's Beauty Room over in the land of YouTube to do the Autumn Tag, which will hopefully bring some of the mojo back. If you're looking for an honest, sweet and relatable beauty YouTuber to watch for a change from all the popular gurus, who are all currently whipped into frenzy over various Fashion Weeks (yawn), do check out Marianna's channel - she's great :)
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1. OK, we're talking coffee's - what's your favorite seasonal drink from Starbucks or another coffee shop?
The only reason I now go to Starbucks is when I'm stuck in the airport; I don't rate their coffee at all and don't patronize any other big chain coffee shop, although I admit Pumpkin Spice Lattes have their own spicy sugary charm that's far removed from the taste of actual coffee. I make simple lattes in our Breville Espresso machine at home, using the Stumptown Coffee Roasters Holler Mountain whole beans, and I very much enjoy Stumptown's lattes in their NYC locations in the Ace Hotel and West Village. Other coffee shops that have recently impressed me: Toby's Estate Coffee in Brooklyn, where you can watch the roasting process, and Thinking Cup in Boston's Back Bay area - they have delicious almond croissants too.
2. Accessories - what do you opt for: scarf, boots, or gloves?
Scarves are my biggest love, and I have quite a collection - I just find them to be the easiest way to dress up a simple outfit of skinny jeans and a T-shirt. Here's a little unsolicited tip, in case you have limited closet space like me and you're looking for an idea to display your scarves: I attached a big 3M damage-free hook on the inside of our closet door and put a scarf hanger on it (like this one from The Container Store), looping my favorite pieces through for easier access, and to save some space on the closet rod. I have way more scarves than the ones you can see in the photo, so I store the rest of my collection folded on a shelf, and rotate the scarves seasonally.
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3. Music - what's your favourite music to listen to during Autumn?
Strange question; do people really alter their music choices seasonally? I don't, but for the sake of answering the question, here's what I've been listening to recently: Sylvan Esso (I especially like 'Hey Mami'), Fleet Foxes (mostly their eponymous first album), Haim and St. Vincent.
4. Perfume - what's your favorite scent for this time of year?
The heavier fall/winter perfumes are actually my preference year round, and this season I'll mostly be wearing TokyoMilk by Margot Elena Dead Sexy No. 6, which is a 'romantic and ethereal' scent with notes of vanilla, exotic wood, white orchid and ebony. I don't find it ethereal in the least; to me, it's lingering, heady, sweet woods with a sexy cologne feel. I'm also working on finishing my bottle of Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly fragrance mist (better than expected), and when those two become too boring, I reach for a cute mini of Kenzo Amour, which is definitely worthy of a full-sized bottle purchase.
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5. Candles - what scents will you be burning this season?
I haven't been massively into candles recently; I've started to find the usual Bath & Body Works offerings a bit too artificial-smelling, although I enjoyed burning Leaves and Marshmallow Fireside in the past. I still have a few candles left from last year so I'll try to satisfy myself with what I have - I'd love to explore other candle lines but I'm not looking forward to spending my money on home fragrance. In the meantime, I also like to burn essential oils in our wax warmer; my favorites for colder weather are orange & cardamom and vetiver.
6. What do you love most about Autumn?
Lots of things to love about fall: the colors, the air, the scents, the cozy-up-under-a-warm-blanket-with-a-good-book-and-a-cuppa weather. But if I had to choose just one thing, it'd be the quality of sunlight in early fall - the warm orange glow and slightly more diffused rays that make autumn walks the best in the whole year.
7. Favorite makeup look?
Nothing new here: vampy berries for the lips and tips, nudes and plums for the cheeks, and cool taupes and greys on the eyes. I'm actually planning a separate post with my fall make-up palette, so this general answer will have to suffice for now. Recently, I've also rediscovered neutral mauve shades for my lips; Buxom Lip Polish in Dolly has been a firm favorite.
8. What are you looking forward to most in Autumn?
We'll be entertaining a lot of house guests in the next month and a half, and I'm looking forward to enjoying the rest of September with my brother (especially our upcoming trip to Chicago!) and October with my best friend, Mariya. I'm also looking forward to leisurely walks in Central Park and watching the trees change colors from green to gold to copper. What more could you want?
Tell me - what are your favorite things about fall? Or maybe you hate the cold, the grey and the drizzle?
The only reason I now go to Starbucks is when I'm stuck in the airport; I don't rate their coffee at all and don't patronize any other big chain coffee shop, although I admit Pumpkin Spice Lattes have their own spicy sugary charm that's far removed from the taste of actual coffee. I make simple lattes in our Breville Espresso machine at home, using the Stumptown Coffee Roasters Holler Mountain whole beans, and I very much enjoy Stumptown's lattes in their NYC locations in the Ace Hotel and West Village. Other coffee shops that have recently impressed me: Toby's Estate Coffee in Brooklyn, where you can watch the roasting process, and Thinking Cup in Boston's Back Bay area - they have delicious almond croissants too.
2. Accessories - what do you opt for: scarf, boots, or gloves?
Scarves are my biggest love, and I have quite a collection - I just find them to be the easiest way to dress up a simple outfit of skinny jeans and a T-shirt. Here's a little unsolicited tip, in case you have limited closet space like me and you're looking for an idea to display your scarves: I attached a big 3M damage-free hook on the inside of our closet door and put a scarf hanger on it (like this one from The Container Store), looping my favorite pieces through for easier access, and to save some space on the closet rod. I have way more scarves than the ones you can see in the photo, so I store the rest of my collection folded on a shelf, and rotate the scarves seasonally.
Strange question; do people really alter their music choices seasonally? I don't, but for the sake of answering the question, here's what I've been listening to recently: Sylvan Esso (I especially like 'Hey Mami'), Fleet Foxes (mostly their eponymous first album), Haim and St. Vincent.
4. Perfume - what's your favorite scent for this time of year?
The heavier fall/winter perfumes are actually my preference year round, and this season I'll mostly be wearing TokyoMilk by Margot Elena Dead Sexy No. 6, which is a 'romantic and ethereal' scent with notes of vanilla, exotic wood, white orchid and ebony. I don't find it ethereal in the least; to me, it's lingering, heady, sweet woods with a sexy cologne feel. I'm also working on finishing my bottle of Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly fragrance mist (better than expected), and when those two become too boring, I reach for a cute mini of Kenzo Amour, which is definitely worthy of a full-sized bottle purchase.
I haven't been massively into candles recently; I've started to find the usual Bath & Body Works offerings a bit too artificial-smelling, although I enjoyed burning Leaves and Marshmallow Fireside in the past. I still have a few candles left from last year so I'll try to satisfy myself with what I have - I'd love to explore other candle lines but I'm not looking forward to spending my money on home fragrance. In the meantime, I also like to burn essential oils in our wax warmer; my favorites for colder weather are orange & cardamom and vetiver.
6. What do you love most about Autumn?
Lots of things to love about fall: the colors, the air, the scents, the cozy-up-under-a-warm-blanket-with-a-good-book-and-a-cuppa weather. But if I had to choose just one thing, it'd be the quality of sunlight in early fall - the warm orange glow and slightly more diffused rays that make autumn walks the best in the whole year.
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| Wearing some greys and the light blue from Shiseido's Static eyeshadow trio on the eyes, NARS Sin on the cheeks and Buxom Dolly on the lips. |
Nothing new here: vampy berries for the lips and tips, nudes and plums for the cheeks, and cool taupes and greys on the eyes. I'm actually planning a separate post with my fall make-up palette, so this general answer will have to suffice for now. Recently, I've also rediscovered neutral mauve shades for my lips; Buxom Lip Polish in Dolly has been a firm favorite.
8. What are you looking forward to most in Autumn?
We'll be entertaining a lot of house guests in the next month and a half, and I'm looking forward to enjoying the rest of September with my brother (especially our upcoming trip to Chicago!) and October with my best friend, Mariya. I'm also looking forward to leisurely walks in Central Park and watching the trees change colors from green to gold to copper. What more could you want?
Tell me - what are your favorite things about fall? Or maybe you hate the cold, the grey and the drizzle?