lifestyle

On My Radar

Fashion week is kicking off and I’m actually kind of excited for it this year. I’m skipping all the shows (except Kate Spade– follow “collegeprepster” on Snapchat for a behind the scenes look), but so many people are in town that it’s more like a friend reunion. Garrett and I came into the city for dinner with our friends Julia and Thomas– we went to Alaska together last year but I think the trip we have planned this year may or may not be even better. The four of us are going to see a Broadway show tonight and I’m really looking forward to it!
Random fun things from this week:

– I made multiple trips to Papyrus and spent far too much money on the cutest Valentine’s for my friends. But they were so cute and I couldn’t resist.

My book club met and we’re still trying to pick out our next book. Any recommendations?

The Kayla Itsines workouts are killing me but I also love it.

– If you’re in NYC, you have to try 10 Below Ice Cream… it’s amazing.

– Our apartment building built a little dog run. It’s rocking our world currently. Teddy’s in heaven.

Now here’s what’s been on my radar this week

ONE // IV Pole Scooters


I read this article and teared up, but also couldn’t stop smiling. A high school student with cancer invented a genius little board that attaches to IV poles for kids to scoot around easily. When he died before he could accomplish his goal of making one for every kid in the hospital (by hand!), his classmates stepped in to continue his legacy. Check it out, the story is bittersweet and the boards are such a brilliant, ingenious idea.

TWO // OK Go’s New Music Video

This music video is unbelievable. I love that they start it with a disclaimer saying it’s actually real! It truly doesn’t look possible… They filmed the whole thing in zero gravity. (My favorite part is when they burst the piñatas!) I feel like OK Go is constantly raising their own bar for music videos and this one doesn’t disappoint.

THREE // Sophina DeJesus’ Floor Routine

This has to be the coolest, strongest floor routine I’ve ever seen. I love watching gymnastics, but this is absolutely crazy!!! So amazing. She’s like the Beyonce of gymnastics.

FOUR // Striped Scalloped Ballet Flats

I’m obsessed with these striped scalloped ballet flats… I think we’re a little far away from ballet flat weather (supposed to be frigid this weekend!), but I think I might have to tuck these away for later!!

FIVE // Centriphone Skiing Video

I think Garrett is going to have to up his ski filming game. This is a crazy video filmed by a guy swinging his iPhone around in a circle above his head. Sounds insane, but watch… it’s so cool. (I just want to know how the thing didn’t go flying off the mountain!!)



Any fun Valentine’s Day plans this weekend?

xoxo
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8 Comments

Monica P

I look forward to these posts every week!

For your book club, check out The Danish Girl. My husband bought it for me for Christmas, and while it wasn't something I would have bought myself, I couldn't put it down. I was even crying by the end. So good!

Monica | Where The Graywind Blows

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emily rose

I have two pairs of the Boden flats you note and they are sooo comfy to walk around the city (when it's warmer, of course)! I definitely recommend picking up at least the stripes!

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Eva @ All Books Considered

For your book club, I would recommend:

The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows
Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher
The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra
Where All Light Tends to Go by David Joy
First Impressions: Or, A Cautionary Tale of Pride and Prejudice by Charlie Lovett

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lifestyle

On My Radar

After coming off of the excitement high from attending the Tony Awards Gala, this week was pretty low-key. Honestly, they’re the weeks I crave. I tried to keep my meetings and external obligations to a minimum (five meetings, two phone calls, and only one event is as good as it gets!) so I can do some good heads down working. 
Outside of work, I did manage to tackle the task of cleaning out my closet. I completely switched over to my summer wardrobe, sent a bunch of dresses home to my parents house to “archive,” and gathered four huge bags to donate! It’s a project I always put off and always feel amazing about after it’s all over.
To organize, I literally take everything out. Teddy loves it because he gets to snuggle and bury himself in the massive pile. Complete process here… 
Now, here’s what is on my radar:
Warning, do not watch this in public. I ugly cried. Basically bawled really. It’s the sweetest and saddest video from a wedding where the brother of a bride put together a special surprise for his sister after their father passed away before the wedding.
OITNB was released early on Netflix. Garrett and I love the series and can’t wait to zip right through this season. Hello weekend plans!
THREE // Ann Taylor Sale
Ann Taylor is having a massive 40% off sale. While I’ve been struggling to find dresses at my favorite stores (looking at you J. Crew), I have had the BEST luck with Ann Taylor. I recently bought a shirtdress during another one of their sales a couple of weeks ago and just bought this dress yesterday. Don’t forget, my favorite blouse and handbag of choice right now are also 40% off too!

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FOUR // Instagram Tastemakers

Check out my friend Howie’s feature on Lonny. He has such a great eye and a fun backdrop, right in his backyard. His Instagram accounts is one of my favorites!

FIVE // Hip Hop Goes Broadway

I do love a good Broadway song… this is brilliant and hilarious at the same time. Hip hop songs sung like Broadway songs. Those guys nail it.

What’s been on your radar?

xoxo
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14 Comments

Kellyinthecity

Ah! Oh my goodness, Carly. You looked so beautiful at the Tonys! I hope you had the BEST time, and I hope you're loving summer in the city with your pup! You should come visit Chicago one of these days!

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theschantzfam

Ahh I've been reading forever and was so excited to see you post that video! It was my cousin's wedding and seeing the dance in person was almost too much for everyone to handle. Such a touching moment. It makes me so happy to see it still circling around! 🙂

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Ellen Borza

I'm so excited for OITNB, but I honestly don't have the time to watch it this weekend, unfortunately. I'm really hoping I don't hear any spoilers. Have a great weekend, Carly!

Ellen | A Pop of Pink

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lifestyle

On My Radar

This has been a very big work week and mental health week. How I managed to do both at the same time is beyond me, but somehow it happened. I slept in a bit more than usual every day, got started on a new book, met up with new and old friends, watched movies, and tried a few new recipes. (I’m really enjoying this whole new world of cooking… it’s my new favorite way to unwind at night.) All the while trying to crank through some outstanding work that tends to pile up at the end of the year.
I feel… for lack of a fancier word… happy.
Three highlights from the week:
My friend Alison had her baby boy this week and I absolutely can’t stand how cute he is. This was a MAJOR highlight of my week… I’ve been waiting forever to get a peek at the baby! I’m so so so happy for her. She always has the best advice and is a great listener, I know she’s going to be a fabulous mom.
Kate Spade invited me to go to the Into the Woods premier. Ummmm… almost the entire cast was there and it was just TOO COOL seeing all the famous people. Not to mention, I am obsessed with the movie. It’s a little long, but I thought it was so well done. The singing is incredible; it’s unreal how talented the actors are. Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, and Lilla Crawford (who played Annie on Broadway) were my favorites. I will definitely be seeing it again when it comes out in theaters later this month.

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… and my friend Julia was in town!!! She was hosting an event so I went to go visit her (and take photos in the photobooth) and then she came to the apartment and we just ate and chatted and caught up. I can’t tell you how much I value my friendship with her. As stunning as Julia is, she is that much more beautiful of a person! A good heart with that one.

What’s on my radar for the week:


ONE // A bar that doesn’t serve alcohol

I actually love this idea. Sometimes it irritates me that so much emphasis is placed on alcohol for social events. I’m not opposed to drinking as a rule, for the record, but I do think it can come with some problems for some people. I love the idea that everyone can participate in this new social atmosphere without the pressure of alcohol. Plus, that pomegranate soda looks pretty delicious!





TWO // UPS Driver for a Day

This has to be THE video of the year. I have never seen anything so sweet in my entire life. That kid’s energy and soul just radiates throughout the whole thing. When he throws his hands up to his face in shock, I just about lost it. Brilliant campaign! (Also, I love that his truck had working headlights… perfect detail.)




THREE // Taylor Swift 1989 Mashup

Hold the phone. This. Is. Amazing. It seems like not a week can go by without including something about Taylor Swift on my blog. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. (Are there secret messages brainwashing us on the record?!) This mashup is perfection.

FOUR // Pygmy Goat

Need a quick smile? Look no further than this video of a pygmy goat. I honestly considered whether or not my landlord would allow goats in the apartment. The way he hops around is hilarious.

FIVE // Mayhem for J. Crew

I saved the best for last. J. Crew Crewcuts just recruited four year old Mayhem as a new designer. Legitimately… a four year old. I mean, she’s basically a prodigy, but sheesh! I’m feeling quite inadequate with my life right now ;-). I just love that she looks like she’s having a blast. That’s what life is all about after all!

Anything good on your radar this week?


xoxo
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18 Comments

KXB

I agree. I get that RStyle helps bloggers make money but this link is a clear ploy to get more money. I clear out my cookies out everyday to remove the ability for bloggers to make money off of me. If I clicked a link and bought something from a store because of a blogger, I give credit where credit it due. But RStyle has gotten shady and bloggers are doing shady things to get clicks, esp this blog. Carly, I miss posts where Rstyle didn't feel like your objective. (I know you might not be doing this on purpose but perception is reality.)

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carly

I don't hide the fact that I make money on my blog or that my blog has become my (dream) job. I don't hide rewardStyle links behind shorteners (except for social channels which is for my own analytics, not for shadiness). rewardStyle is a referral service, literally rewarding people for referring traffic that converts to sales.

If I send someone to J. Crew or to J. Crew's blog and it converts to a sale, why shouldn't I be rewarded for that? "Commission" and reward programs have existed long before the internet. My sister's job is based on commission, my dad's first job was based on commission, store associates earn commission and bonuses based on sales, it's not just bloggers.

I also negotiate contracts based on traffic numbers and also generate income from banner ads (as many websites do: Facebook, Google, NY Times, etc.). Providing contact that generates more traffic is my job; I've been doing this for a while and know what that means for my audience, even if it might not be what brings YOU to my blog, it brings others. Posts about sales are just as popular as posts about my trials and tribulations of living my life. I try to provide a good mix of content based on what I would want to read myself. This has been a motivation of mine since the beginning: sharing things that I would want to read myself. (You can go back to the absolute beginning of my blog and I've been sharing tidbits about my life, advice, and my favorite products and brands since the very beginning.)

The only thing that's changed is the opportunities that the internet and this specific blogging industry has brought.

It's easy to point at me (or any blogger for the matter) and raise your arms in protest that money is being made because there's a definitive face and personality behind it, but the fact of the matter is, it's not anything new or unique to blogging.

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marrar

A+ for effort, but I personally “raise [my] arms in protest” not because you’re a definitive face or personality but because your logic is totally off base. A store employee assisting a customer with purchasing an item in a store (getting sizes, offering feedback, etc.) is totally different than you rstyling the link to the J.Crew blog and getting compensated from a totally unrelated J.Crew purchase one might make a week later. Not to mention the differences between what you do here and "real" jobs based on commission – I don't know what your sister does or what your father did, but I'd venture to say that it involves/involved actual in-depth knowledge of a product or service, lots of preparation and hard work and the ability to convert those things into a return by SELLING those products or services to an outside party. That’s slightly different than your typing in a link to an online product in a blog post. You have found a way to make money with minimal effort and for that, you go girl – live your dreams – but you need to get real if you think what you do here is something you should be rewarded for.

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Maia

^Marrar: First I would like to say that I agree with you–the work that Carly does is totally different to that of a store associate or like you mentioned, to those with “real jobs” working for commission. She is so much more than that: she is the author, brains, and creative mind behind this blog. She is her own brand. To even try to compare her work to those mentioned is a disservice to her. Further, to imply that she knows little of the products would be discrediting the amount of work she does to artfully convey the details of each product. A Kate Spade messenger bag transforms itself into a morning coffee staple, a fun accessory for a night out, or the perfect gift for the holidays.

Second: I would like to counter your remark questioning whether or not she should be compensated. To state the obvious, she does not think she should be rewarded because she already is. It is absolutely amazing that she has transformed what she loves doing into a career. Few of us get that opportunity. I am sure that it takes much more than pasting a hyperlink in the upkeep of this blog. She posts relative and enjoyable content almost daily. That’s a combination of writing, editing, and modeling, not to mention the amount of work that needs to be done behind the scenes. Maybe you didn’t think about it this way, maybe it’s the keyboard courage, but whatever it is, I think that we should support our bloggers just like we support any other professional in their respective trades and/or arts: with respect and compensation.

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CT Cupcake

I appreciate that you replied to my comment. That said, I personally prefer when you write about the trials and tribulations of everyday life in a genuine fashion, as opposed to the long lists of links. Other readers may prefer that. We can all agree to disagree. As another poster above mentioned, I find rstyle and its' cookie cache to be a bit shady. You may refer a reader to the J. Crew blog but until they clear their cookies, the potential is there for you or any other blogger who links to the same product/article to earn money from the referral. Rstyle links, to me, seem disingenuous for that reason. If I go buy a car, I know the salesperson is getting commission, if I click on a link to a product or in this case, a store's blog, a reader may not know they are earning you money, long after they read the post. Blogging as industry didn't begin as a way for people to earn commissions as so many blogs now do, but as you said, it has evolved.

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Tali Lekorenos

Um I loved this weeks post for on your radar – the fact that #fashionbymayhem is designing for JCrew makes me wish I was still small enough for Crew Cuts! I also love the UPS commercial, absolutely the cutest thing – I agree the lights totally make it! These are my favorite posts of yours, love seeing your take-away from each week 🙂

x Tali
http://www.typicallytali.com

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lifestyle

On My Radar

What a whirlwind of a week. It was off to a rocky start, but quickly– thankfully– recovered swiftly by Tuesday with a couple of great meetings on the books. I’m beginning to really understand the thoughts behind “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough” because ahhhh I am scared.
On my radar…

The new arrivals at Tuckernuck are on point right now. Perfectly rustic and classic at the same time. I’ve been scrolling through the lookbook for inspiration for my fall outfits. (We had our first fall temperature day this week here in NYC. Mixed feelings for that one!) Shop some of my favorites below. I’m having the hardest time figuring out what should top my list!

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TWO // Anna Wintour 73 Questions

I loved the SJP video, but…. I mean, it’s Anna Wintour. This one just cannot be beat! Why is she just so cool?! Some questions are better, or rather more revealing than others, but the whole thing is pretty darn great overall. (Her accent alone is enough to watch the video on repeat…)

THREE // 48 Unexpected Views of Famous Events

What’s great about this series of photos is that most of the events are very familiar. The photos just come from different perspectives. I did recognize a few of them, but I generally hadn’t seen most. The New York City scenes are probably my favorites of the bunch and the photo of the filming of The Birds absolutely terrifies me. Pretty cool!

FOUR // Why Flunking Exams Is Actually a Good Thing

I definitely opened this NY Times article up thinking it was going to take a totally different angle. If you’ve been a long-time reader you know I failed an exam my freshman year in college and I actually think it was the best thing that could have happened. (I.e. immediately eliminating the pressure for a perfect GPA and making me realize that the world won’t stop just from one bad grade.) While I do believe that still, this article has great research into how to study best for classes. It talks about teaching principles and how some professors believe in giving difficult exams at the beginning of the semester so students know how to study throughout the course. I wish I had practiced this myself when I was in school, maybe I wouldn’t have failed that exam in the first place!



FIVE // Daddy/Daughter Dance to Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”

Ending on the cutest note today! This video made me smile in the biggest of ways. I mean, first of all, Taylor’s latest song is seriously catchy. (I can’t help but dance a little bit every time when I hear it!) How cute is this dad and daughter duo?!?!?!

What’s been on your radar this week?


xoxo
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17 Comments

Jen

OK, the music video is SO cute and makes me excited for when my baby will be old enough to do fun stuff like that. And then those photos – hahaha – crazy, my favorite is the American Gothic one. You just don't actually imagine those people really existed.

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