Monday: Coffee & Treats

August 31, 2015

WEARING: EXPRESS STRIPED ONE ELEVEN LONG SLEEVE RIBBED TEE | 

AE ARTIST CROP DENIM JEANS| RAY-BAN CLUBMASTER | VAGABOND OXFORD SHOES

Hey ya'll!

Today's going to be a hot one here in New York City! But first, coffee! I decided to take an early morning stroll for my caffeine pick-me-up and treats with the pooch. maQ loves to go anywhere with me, and since I was craving for biscotti, off to Little Italy we went!

I love heading down there because there's always so much graffiti art to check out. Right now, there's the #100gatesproject going on. Check it out, it's everywhere- especially in the Lower East Side section. Today we ran into Indie184's work in 'full force' and Harif Guzman's Haculla faces. Of course, we stopped for photos. :)

I can't even remember the last time I had a cappuccino! I'm mostly drink coffee at home with some sugar and creamer, but today I was really wanted something different. And since I don't have an espresso machine to make one, it was even more reason to get out and get some goodies!

We stopped at Cafe Roma, on the corner of Mott and Broome St, and sat outside and people-watched. Of course there are always the tourists near that area, taking photos non-stop and always looking up. And then there's those who are off to work, to hustle and grind. So many bicyclists. maQ loves to watch but mostly loves the attention he receives while chillin' on the sidewalk. Not everyone adores him though. Some are afraid, even petrified enough to cross the street, just to avoid my 'big bad wolf.' Even when encouraging some he is more than friendly, they still don't want to take that risk. Understandable. And I'm always respectful of this. He is a definite breed ambassador, and has changed the minds of some people he's met. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and maQ's can definitely make you think twice about dogs. I mean, really, he's just a big ole pussycat! He's the best with children, super gentle and extremely affectionate. <3

I really enjoyed their chocolate biscotti. Sometimes biscotti can be bland or also be too almondy, but this was so delish! Might I add, the little dash of cinnamon on my cappuccino was like the icing on the cake! Everything was so good. Up until I could literally feel the air thickening- the humidity was setting in, so it was time to head back home!

Lastly, I leave you with my Monday Suzism.

“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories. ”

— Jonathan Gottschall

Keep it cool, kiddies. Back to the writing. We hope you have a wonderful week!

Love & xx's,

maq + suz

SHOP THE LOOK

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Monday: Hot Child in the City

August 17, 2015

WEARING: EXPRESS DENIM VEST | BDG ALOHA STRAW PANAMA HAT | H&M BLACK ROMPER | ALDO BLACK STUDDED ANKLE BOOTS

It's Monday! Hope you all had a nice weekend. I just got a new denim vest from Express that's definitely chasing away those Monday blues. Isn't it lovely? You can pretty much put it with any outfit, I love its versatility! Even though it's going to be a scorcher here today (we're reaching what will feel like 105°F), I've never been a big fan of wearing sandals while running around the mean streets of New York City. When it gets this hot out, the grit and grime of this town is just gross. The idea of who knows what getting on my feet is not a pleasantry in my mind. These pair from Aldo's are my go-to boots for all seasons. I love the gold plates on the heels and the studded design. The best part? They're actually comfortable! I do a lot of walking in this town so I've never been the type to wear 5-inch heels while doing so. Why take a cab when you can watch the world go by at your pace? I really do enjoy taking time out of my day for a good, long walk with the pooch. It helps clear my head and it's time with my favorite buddy. We always have such a good time, no matter what it is we're doing. :)

Today's Monday Suzism is brought to you by Kurt Vonnegut. A little motivation to help you start off to a great week!

It's going to be hot, I can already feel it! Ick! Try to keep cool, stay hydrated and get those hats and sunscreen out! Have a good one!

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Thursday: A.M. Walk w/ Essentials

August 13, 2015

WEARING: UNIQLO FEDORA HAT | CLIC GALLERY TOTE BAG | 
RAY-BAN CLUBMASTERS

Good morning, everyone! Happy Friday Eve! Today's blog is on our morning walk around the city toting our daily essentials. The heat is creeping its way back in, which is nothing out of the ordinary this time of year. New York in August is not cool. At all. But, I'd like to think, just like last summer, we've been pretty lucky with the temperature. Recently I've been wearing a lot of hats to protect myself from the sun when running around. (Sadly I'm not getting any younger!) My new go-to is my Fedora hat from Uniqlo. I've had it for years and I've always loved the quality of their products. My tote bag, made by one of my favorite galleries in New York, Clic Gallery, accompanies my current reads—Time Out and Charles Bukowski's, On Writing. In Bukowski's collection of letters to publishers, editors, friends, and fellow writers—the writer shares his insights on the art of creation. I'm pretty excited to dive right in. And I am totally digging Time Out's free handouts, as I'm sure many readers like myself were pleasantly surprised to see them circulating around their mailboxes again.

To carry some of my favorite but smaller beauty products from Body Shop and Fresh, I have a vintage pouch wallet once gifted to me many years ago by my lovely friend, Tyler while she was visiting Paris. I love it so much because of its uniqueness as well as it's size. I can fit cash and credit cards along with my keys and some lip balm. You can tell I sort of wore it out! I love any of the SPF lip balm from Fresh. Not only are my lips smooth with just a touch of color- they're healthy! And the Body Shop's tea tree oil face wipes are a total life saver on those especially hotter, more humid days. They are so refreshing in this heat and really balance out my skin tone. Plus, they actually smell great—like your face stepped out from the spa!

So with my bag and hat in tow, we ventured off to roam the streets. Today we stumbled upon two different artists, Hanksy, and Kelsey Montague, on the corner of Kenmare & Mott Street. Their murals, polar opposites of each other, both have excellent bodies of work. Kelsey's detailed, black-and-white angel wings make anyone look surreal, even innocent, for only a moment in time. A wonderful humanity piece and such a great spot to snap a memorable photo! She did a similar mural last year at the same location. I really admire her work! Hanksy's depiction of Homer Simpson's 'Avocad 'oh!' is cheeky and downright cute. What can I say, you put avocado on it and I'll be sure to like it! ;)

MaQ really enjoys posing for me in front of anything and it's a great exercise on impulse control. He's gotten to be really great at it and will not release his place until told so. I'm pretty proud of myself as well as with him because we are constantly working together- learning and growing as a team—a partnership one could only dream about. We've built a lasting bond and a trust worth dying for. It's no wonder German Shepherds are the most chosen breed for police and military working dogs. I have always had such a deep connection to GSDs, I sometimes swear I was one in a past life! Anyone else feel this way? I know we all think our dogs are the greatest dogs and you know why? Because they truly are.

I'd throw in a cute throwback puppy photo (because that's what #tbt's are for), but I'll save it for Instagram. Follow both of us @suzannespiegoski + @maq_life for our daily adventures.

We hope you enjoyed joining us on our morning stroll. Have a kick-ass Thursday! Catch you tomorrow!