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JennifHsieh is a space for my rambling thoughts and snaps of my everyday style. I'm based in Astoria, Queens and I share a home with my two derpy cats and my equally derpy fiancé.
Getting Ready to Brave the Hurricane

October 28, 2012

Getting Ready to Brave the Hurricane


Yesterday morning I ventured out bright and early to take self-portraits on Ward's Island once again. I looked to my normal spot right by the edge of the water and it had disappeared. The water level had risen and completely engulfed the rocks. Looks like the risk of flooding this week really might be serious business. I decided to make my temporary home underneath the Ward's Island bridge itself which led to a few awkward encounters with people giving me weird looks. There was one man who walked underneath the bridge, stood facing the wall for a good five minutes (as if waiting for me to leave), and then left. Then again, I'm sure I look just as strange as him prancing around in front of my tripod. Alone.


 c/o Lulu*s Good Day Sunshine Orange Dress
DKNY Trench Coat
ASOS Socks
c/o Jellypop First Boots

I'm loving my new boots courtesy of Jellypop. They're perfect for those autumn days where it's beautiful enough to leave my tights at home, but not warm enough to wear sandals. I also remember seeing one of my classmates wear similar boots a year ago (with the brown at the top) and I craved them. Check out Jellypop's adorable video look book - I wish I had that girl's entire closet!

I'm not sure what to expect with Hurricane Sandy over the next two days. The neighborhood right below mine got evacuated and all the subways and buses in New York City shut down just a few hours ago. Since my one roommate was trapped in Washington D.C. and my other roommate escaped to her friend's house in upstate New York, I decided to take the train back down to New Jersey to be with my family. I didn't feel like being alone in my apartment during the hurricane. Plus, I was definitely getting a bit homesick to be honest.

To all my east coast readers, stay safe and be smart! Don't get in the way of danger. :)

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October 26, 2012

Snippets of My Classical Morning


Urban Outfitters Tank Top
Vintage Patterned Skirt
c/o Pink & Pepper Ruffle Loafers

This weekend is going to be full of classical music - I feel like one of those ladies who just spends her days waltzing around the city and going to symphonic concerts and chamber music. I'll just be that lady on the weekends. Tonight I'm heading to Carnegie Hall for the American Symphony Orchestra's 50th Anniversary. They had super cheap tickets starting at $1 so we decided to splurge and get $3 tickets for a better view. Such a splurge. Then Saturday night I'm traveling to Brooklyn to see Bargemusic with Jeremy's mom. I can't wait to check it out because it's a floating concert hall just under the Brooklyn Bridge. There's a String Quartet playing pieces by Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert.

I already know that all this classical music is going to make me want to pick up my violin again. I've been playing since I was four years old and I actually got to perform at Carnegie Hall with my high school's symphony orchestra my senior year. I still remember the first note that I played in the venue - it might have been the most incredible sound I've ever heard in my entire life. That single note just completely enveloped us and it seemed like it kept traveling for miles even after we already finished a few more bars of the piece. It's a completely different experience being a part of the music in comparison to listening to the music.

After I started college, I stopped playing the violin. I'd pick it up 2-3 times during the year but it stayed underneath my bed for the most part. It's also made me realize that you can't expect to maintain the same skill level if you take a year off. It's going to take a lot of painful practice to get back to where I was. But ultimately, if I have the time, I'd love to audition for a community orchestra in the city. I'm currently nerding out at work right now with Kreisler's Preludium and Allegro on repeat, performed by Itzhak Perlman. How badass am I? 

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October 25, 2012

Little Bit of Humble, Little Bit of Cautious


c/o Lulu*s Cardigan (similar)
H&M Crop Top
Urban Outfitters Skirt (similar)
c/o Free Endearment Wallet
Gabriella Rocha Abarne Booties

The other day my roommate Rob (who's actually turning 24 today) came across a block that was closed off and incorporated into the nearby park. We ventured out to the area to take some outfit pictures despite the crazy winds - if only you could see all the deleted photos where my hair legitimately looks like it's standing on end.  I got to rock my new booties (thank you, debit card rewards program) which I'm still having a hard time styling up these days. For some reason, they look a little bit awkward with everything I pair them with. It turns out, the color of my booties makes it hard to pair with other color combinations - I should have gotten black or tan. But no matter, challenge accepted.

And has anyone been hearing about the hurricane/snowstorm that's supposed to hit the east coast around Halloween? This is definitely becoming a trend since there was a surprise snowstorm last Halloween as well. Maybe I'll be a snowman for Halloween...

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Lulu*s $50 Giveaway

October 24, 2012

Lulu*s $50 Giveaway


Lulu*s is giving you a chance to win a $50 gift card to their online boutique! Find out how to enter below:

Mandatory Entry: 
Comment with your favorite item from Lulu*s! 

Additional Entries:
(must all be separate comments)
Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect

Last day to enter: Monday, October 29th

Also, Congratulations to Jessie from Inspired & Experimental for winning the Anastasia Lip Gloss Set Giveaway! Email me to claim your prize. :)
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Snippets of My Monday Morning


Forever 21 Sweater (similar), Shorts
Gabriella Rocha Abarne Booties

I've been stubborn when it comes to weather changes lately. It's been drizzling and the air is chillier than usual. So instead of whipping out my scarves, tights, and coats this past Monday, I whipped out my shorts. Mother nature can't stop me (until I get sick). At least I'm wearing a cozy sweater! Pulling on this sweater always reminds me of the holidays which is my favorite part of the transition from fall to winter. There's Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and most of my friends have their birthdays during this time of year (including me)! Now my biggest mission is saving money during this usually expensive time period.

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October 23, 2012

My Bedroom Decor: Decorating on a Budget


The side table is probably my favorite part of my bedroom. I stacked a bunch of books on top since they didn't fit in the space underneath the drawer. They include Audrey Hepburn's biography, written by her son, that I scored for $3 years ago. It's such a beautiful book and I admire how she lived her life from start to finish. There's an issue of Vogue (thank you to the people who previously occupied our apartment and forgot to change their address) as well as free art school admission catalogs that contain my forgotten hopes and dreams.

The alarm clock is from Ikea (and it's currently telling me that even clocks need dusting) and the little, green pumpkin is one of the bad boys I picked up this past weekend when I went pumpkin picking. I added some chevron stripes because you can never have too many chevron stripes. And my makeshift vase is just a cleaned out spaghetti sauce jar (life on my own means lots of spaghetti). I wrapped a piece of gorgeous lace around it and plopped in some beautiful, fresh flowers. Super easy decorating? I think so. The poster was an illustration I had printed out back in college and the little painting of a tree at dusk was given to me by Jeremy. He picked it up while he was at Bonnaroo.


When it came to my bed, I wanted to make sure I woke up to the people and things that I loved. Right next to my window I have pictures of my favorite people in the world as well as the tomato that reminds me of my year as Governor of the NJ District of Circle K International. Above my bed I cut up pieces of felt to create bunting which hangs underneath a hat I thrifted for only $5 in Brooklyn. My sheer curtains are also from Ikea.


My favorite part of my desk area is my handmade chalk board cabinet. This was my desk when I was a little girl and I decided to drag it out of the basement and bring it to NYC with me. It's a nice reminder of the past. I decided to give it a makeover and bought some chalkboard paint and chalk, turning the cabinet into a chalkboard where I could write inspirational notes to myself. If you noticed, I also turned the drawer of my side table into a chalkboard. I bought a bunch of cheap, mismatching frames to showcase some of my favorite pictures that I've taken as well as a white board. And hey, look at that, it's another spaghetti jar and a jam jar turned into vases! No need to buy any. ;)


The other corner of my room contains all my miscellaneous things, including my beloved camera gear. It reminds me to get out and work on my photography more and practice with different lenses. My film camera has been using the same roll of film for the past two years because I haven't been using it as much as I would like. Hopefully I'll be able to finish up the roll within the next few days so I can rent out a photo lab and develop it myself. My one "splurge" was an antique-looking map that I bought online for $8. Man, what a splurge. ;) The yarn and mesh garland was another DIY that I whipped together for super cheap.


Finally, this mirror has been by my side since I was probably eight. It's done me well. I surrounded the frame with various pictures of moments and people I want to remember forever. And of course, I had to stash my shoes somewhere. My mom likes to remind me that I still have the other half of my shoe collection sitting at home.

Would you guys like to see some step-by-step instructions for some of the DIY projects I decorated my room with? Let me know! :)

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October 22, 2012

The Time I Picked a Pumpkin for the First Time


This past weekend I made the journey down to Robbinsville, New Jersey to go pumpkin picking with my friend Stephen. He drove us to Windsor Farm & Market and I could barely contain my excitement since this would be my first time pumpkin picking and my first hayride. Having lived in New Jersey for so many fall seasons, that is pretty sad. The hayride was ridiculously adorable though - we were surrounded by little kids and their parents and the little kids kept waving at all the cardboard cartoon characters that decorated the trail. There was another portion of the trail set up for the haunted hayride (at night) that was pretty spooky even in the day time.

Urban Outfitters Cardigan, Top
H&M Corduroy Skirt
Wayfair Wedges

Once we arrived at the pumpkin patch, I started to realize how silly I looked in my wedges, trying to make my way through all the vines and shrubs. There were some cocklebur plants that are super prickly and they kept getting stuck in my cardigan and on Stephens legs. It was a ton of fun searching for those perfect pumpkins and gourds. I got a classic, orange pumpkin for my roommate and then I picked up a few smaller gourds to decorate my room with. I can't wait to show you guys pictures this week (yes, that's right, you'll finally get to see my room).

After leaving the farm with all our pumpkin swag, we stopped by Terhune Orchards in Princeton where I bumped into one of my old, high school friends and her girlfriend. It really is a small world and it turns out there were so many more people I knew that stopped by the farm the day after. The main reason we stopped by Terhune is because I wanted to get my hands on my first ever apple cider donut. I bought a bag of six and almost devoured them all before deciding to save some for my roommates.

Being back in New Jersey for the day and seeing all the beautiful fall foliage just reminds that I'll alway be a Jersey girl at heart. I love living in New York City but I don't think I'll ever consider myself a true New Yorker. My heart doesn't drop in New York like it does in Jersey. 


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