2014 Is Going To Be Better......

 

Can't believe is going to be 2014 already. I remembered last year at this same time thinking i only had one semester to go. 2013 has been year full of challenges, surprises, goal achiever and much more. I am not going to be here and say that i didn't have my moments where I have found myself in frustrated moments and thought why me? But this 2013 brought joy to my family. The end of a mile stone and finally reaching one of mine and my moms goal. Graduating from college with honors.

 All of that was possible through the hard work and effort i put through out the whole journey( 4 yrs in a half) and  my mom being my number ONE mentor. Education has always been number one in my home. It has always been a priority of my Mom and Dad to get a college degree and it happen in 2013. Now the challenges of being an adult and start job hunting or attending grad school. That has been something that has kept me up some nights. Job hunting has not been the best. I haven't had that chance yet to demonstrate what I am capable of career wise.

 I studied Broadcast Journalism my goal is to be a reporter. That opportunity has not come yet. One of my goals for the upcoming year is to make that happen. And possibly attend grad school in the summer of 2014. 

My other goal is to be more positive. sometimes i am just way to negative. I think that i am not going to make it or achieve something but as my mom says ( La Paciencia es Amarga pero sus frutos son dulces). Basically it means patience is hard but if you wait you will see the positive outcome. I have to be more positive and not so harsh on myself. I admit sometimes i can be my worst critic. 

I also want to keep blogging. I want to give a new face to the blog. I have reached a graphic designer and we started talking on how i want my blog to look. I want to meet more readers and share with you my passions, knowledge for things, such as Beauty or Fashion. But also bits of my personal life.

And last keep eating healthy and working out. Over this past year in half i have lost over 40 pounds. I was not happy with myself, my body and not healthy. I decided to change that, I am not going to say i have reached my goal, but i will say that I am a new Andrea. That has learned to eat healthy. Enjoys to workout and feel proud of myself. I learned what are my strenght and weakness. I want to keep up working on my health. And again with patience and hard work anything is possible. As my mom says.

I hope you spend a New Years Eve with your  Family and Friends and if you don't,  remember that you are never alone. God is by your side. Enjoy and see you next year.

XOXO Andrea

Outfit Ideas For New Years

 dress / shirt /mini skirt / sandals /  flat /  Clutch / necklace / lipstick / black mascara /  eye liner

 

Every year for New Years Eve I tend to wear black or Red. This year I decided to do an outfit inspiration on one of my favorite color Nude or Champagne, ivory, creme, blush how ever you want to call it. Here I have two outfit inspirations for New Years. They are both nude have  sequin and i think both are statement outfits for a home or city party.

Outfit One is all about glam. Is a dress with sequin touches in the color nude. This dress fits perfect with a pair of strappy heel sandals and a red clutch. It is sexy but very classy. This dress is all about showing legs and arms. I have added the same clutch for both outfits. The girl on outfit number One is ready to party like Mr. Gatsby. Is ready spent the whole night dancing at a New Years Eve party at a lounge or a roof top. 

Outfit number Two is more of a casual home dinner party. To tell you the truth i am more of outfit number two than one. Most of the time I spent New Years Eve in my home with my family. If my family decide to make a party is in one of my aunts house. which is full of my little cousins and family members. This outfit is a bit more conservative but makes the outfit super fun with the sequin skirt and the spike strappy flats. Which. I. love. I added to the outfit a bib necklace that has gold touches. As i said before i have left the same clutch for both outfit. Red is the perfect  pop of color for such a light colored outfit such as these.

As for the makeup i have decided to keep it super clean. Remember less is more. With all the sequin and the pop of color on the bag you don't want to over do it. It's all about being a true lady and looking elegant. keep it minimal with a simple cat eye liner, a couple of mascara coats and a red lipstick. you will look beautiful. 

I hope you spent a great night and don't forget to look gorgeous even if it's just to stay at your home and have dinner with your family. Remember Is all about welcoming the New Year.

Get Your Glam On !

XOXO Andrea

Super Easy Arugula Salad

I wanted to share wish you a healthy salad that I made for Christmas and that My family loved and enjoyed very much. I make it all the time for myself and its super delicious and fills me up quickly.

is my go to Apple Arugula Salad. This salad contains feta cheese, walnuts and a green apple. it's super quick and yummy. Hope you enjoy

Servings for 4

2 to 3 cups of washed arugula

1 large green apple - cut up in small pieces

1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Vinaigrette
juice of 1 squeezed lemon
1 to 2 Tbsp o Olive Oil

toss everything together and you will have a delightful, quick, healthy and yummy salad.

Enjoy

XOXO Andrea

My Christmas Outfit !

Hi Friends I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that you got what you desired. On Christmas eve as I said before that i was attending my cousins Christmas Dinner party. It was so much fun. Literally I danced so much that on my way back home I was walking in pain. Literally my feet were killing me you know how we girls are with heels.

And to tell you the truth i was very full i had two servings full of Dominican Food. I decided to wear a dress and not pants this year. This dress my mom got me two months ago in Bloomingdale's. She knows i was looking for dress that had leather touches. the arms were covered in leather and around the neck also. Sorry for the bad picture my little cousin who is 3 years old wanted to take a picture of me and this is the best shot he got. I was also wearing a pair of black pumps by Calvin Klein and a forever 21 necklace. I have been loving the red lipstick look lately i guess is because of the holiday spirit. My family said they liked it.....

I hope everyone had a great Christmas day. May God bless you all !

XOXO Andrea

Christmas Entertainment !

Round plate / Drinkware / Red charger / Kitchen gadgets tool / place mat / cheese spreader /  serving bowl

This year my mom and i are not hosting our Christmas dinner party. We will be over at my cousins house. She moved into a new home and decided to host her first Christmas party in the new home. 

She called me a couple days ago for suggestions decor wise. We went together to a couple of stores. such as Target, Crate and Barrel and C Wonder. We were delighted with what we got that i decided to share with you some of the pieces. 

We went with the gold and white theme. Every year most people go with the color red or green. But I think Gold is a great color for Christmas party or even for Christmas decor.

Are you ready for your Christmas Party. Remember buy things that you can use all over again and that you can mix it up through out the next years. 

Have fun planning your party. And remember as long as their is good food, music and a great vibe people will forget about everything else.

XOXO Andrea

Winter Coat Pairings

Excuse My absence lately on the blog. Literally it's crunch time. By the time i get home from work i am drained. Also the weather has not been a great help lately. It has been snowing on and off. This week so far has been of so many emotions. 

It was my birthday yesterday on the 17th, got a mini surprise dinner from my family after i got home from work. But the routine still goes on. Can't wait until Friday where i am officially on vacation. And since it looks like it's going to get colder each day I decided to do a winter coat pairing inspiration. In my opinion i think these are the best shoes that match each coat. Of course i also match my puffer with bean boots but it's all about playing with different pieces.

 I hope you like it and again if i am not connected everyday on the blog you can follow me on my instagram and see what i am up to.  

XOXO Andrea

Gift Guide For Him

Everyone that knows me knows that I am not the best at giving guys Christmas gifts. I tend to  give a gift card due to my bad experience with giving guys gifts. One time i gave a guy  that i was i dating a mug. Their you know i am not the best at giving boys gift.

This year i have decided to make an effort and step out of the box. I don't have many gift to gives to  guys in my family but i will try to gift them something that they will enjoy and will last them for a long time. On this gift guide you have from slippers, headphones to a casual watch and much more.  When you are gift shopping for your Boyfriend or the guys in your life. Buy something you know they will use and something they every time they see it it reminds me of you.

Leave a comment of the worse gift you have ever given to guy.

XOXO Andrea

Snowy Days in NYC

Snow has finally arrived !! I am so happy. I truly am one of those people that enjoys the snow I guess is because I am a winter baby. I called my friend yesterday and said lets go out for some Hot coco I also took my camera with me. I went to the nearest park in my neighborhood to take a couple of pictures. Since is really cold i decided to take out my puffer coat. 

I got the puffer coat about two years ago. It was one of my birthday gifts from my mom. Is by Michael Kors it now fits me way too loose. Over the past year I have lost over 40 pounds so that's why in these pictures you will see that you cannot see my shape under. I just added so many layers under to keep myself warm. I also wore a pair of leggings, new Christmas theme thermal socks from Old Navy and of course my new bean boots. Which if you follow me on Instagram you see that I am in love with them.

My Super oversize puffer coat ! still love it.

My Christmas Wish List

Happy Monday Ladies ! Christmas music is on, Poinsettias around the house and Christmas Tree coming together . I said to myself perfect timing to post my Christmas Wish list. This year is less about clothing, makeup and more about accessories and pieces that i will truly use and not only have it wandering around in my room and never use it or wear it.

 I have also included a cookbook of one my favorite Food Network stars Ina Garten. I love watching her and i love all the food she makes. I enjoy baking but one of my goals for this upcoming year is to perfect my cooking skills. So why not with new recipes. 

The most expensive piece in my Christmas wish list is the Fendi bag. I love it and it's basically the ultimate bag that every girls need to compliment every outfit. I have also included a pair of simple pointy toe heels. I have been looking for a pair of heels with a touch of glam and these are perfect with the gold touch on the heel and around the shoe. They are simply perfect plus at a great prize. If you notice most of the gift that are on my wish list are pretty affordable from target to Asos.  

What is one thing that you wish for this year.

 I have left on the bottom all the products.You know just in case you want to add them to your wish list.

XOXO Andrea 

Shoes Make The World Go Round

Happy Friday ladies !! While cleaning my closet this week i came to a conclusion that my biggest problem or obsession are definitely the shoes. I do love to buy clothing but when i buy shoes i just get this happy feeling in my heart and stomach. you can call it a shoegasm as my friend refers it to.

 I know I am not the only one that is obsessed with beautiful shoes. I mean it is not our fault that we love shoes. We have to thank the designers and shoe makers for our obsession. Their has been movies, documentaries made about shoes and it's history.  

Their has been  many research where it says that Americans are most people that shop for shoes. I mean we are simply fascinated so why not keep glorifying them. These are some of my favorite pictures of beautiful women wearing amazing shoes.

Leopard print high heels

My Face and Body Winter Beauty Routine

Are you the kind of gal that changes your skin products according to different seasons? I do. In the summer i tend to want to have a healthy glowing looking skin and makeup and in the fall and winter I want my skin to be as healthy and hydrated as it can be. 

Through out the summer I was battling with oily skin. I always had combination skin but this summer due to humidity and some products i was using my face was producing excess oil. My dermatologist said that I  have super sensitive skin and that I needed to buy products that were fragrance free for my face. 

So that's what i did. Now that winter is finally here, I decided to change a bit my beauty regimen and try products that will help my skin stay moisturize during the winter. So here they are.

I am so happy with these products that I had to share with you ladies my face and skin regimen.

I have 3 steps in the morning. I wash my face with the Cetaphil gentle face cleanser which i have to say is for all skin types and is just amazing. It keeps my face hydrated and not oily at all. 

Second I pour a bit of the Clinique toner on a cotton swab around my t- zone. At first i was confused then i asked the sales lady at Sephora, why it says lotion and it has a number 3? She then explained it was a toner and the 3 meant that  Clinique has diferent step regimen. 

After I let my toner dry I apply my face moisturizer. At the moment i am loving this Clinique moisturizing gel. I have been using it for a month now and I can't get enough, it leaves my skin soft and refreshing. Just what i want.

Holiday Gift Guide Under 50 For Her !

purse /  necklace /  phone case / glove /  shawl / Makeup Brush /  eyeshadow / Nail polish sets kit / Mug / Jewelry holder /  Gift Card 

Contemplating that Christmas is in a couple of weeks i started making my gift list already. Although i don't want to go over budget at least not this year. I made a list of my closest family members and friends and the hunt to find the perfect gift has begun.

 If you are also on a budget or simply don't want to over do it. These are the perfect gifts for your favorite girls. These gifts are fun and also very versatile. These are pieces that you can use all over again. 

These are gifts that your favorite girl will remember and if you are undecided of what to get your friends. You can always opt for a gift card.

That's what i do. That way i don't end up over thinking and wasting too much time.

remember is not about the gifts is about the memorable moments.

XOXO Andrea 

A Weekend Casual Outfit

 sweatshirt / J Crew clothing /  pants /  footwear / glove /  hat

Do you like to wear your workout clothing on a regular basis? I am one of those people that not only loves to wear her workout clothing to exercises but also as an everyday outfit. 

Sometimes  I am too lazy on the weekends to get all glamed up. So I wear my workout attire. It is easier for me to run errands and be comfortable at the same time.

These past days it seems that all that I have been wearing has been workout clothing. Don't get me wrong i love to dress up but i also can make a girly and cute outfit with my workout attire.  You just have to add a cute pair of sneakers, buy pieces with color  and a puffer coat and your ready for a casual winter outfit.

Here is a picture of myself an afternoon waiting for the bus. I had on my knee length workout leggings and favorite Free Run Sneakers. 

Have a nice weekend ! 

XOXO Andrea

Giving Thanks......

Happy Thanksgiving y'all I hope you are spending a day full of excitement. I hope you enjoy a great dinner with your friends and family. Thanksgiving is really special for me is not only about the meal but of the people i am surrounded with.

Many times we forget to give thanks everyday of what we have or achieved or even for just having a place to sleep. Today is the perfect day to reflect  and be with family and if your not,  give thanks you are alive and healthy. Those are the most important for me. 

I pray that the less fortunate have a meal this day and that they get to spend time at a cozy facility where dinner is served. I hope everyone enjoy their meal and leave a comment on the bottom on one thing you give thanks today. 

Happy Thanksgiving !

Gobble Gobble said the Turkey......

XOXO

Andrea

Chic Outfit For A Night In The City

 turtleneck /  vest /  leather pants / shoes / earrings /  glove

The city is getting full of Christmas trees and lights. It is just breath taking. I got inspired and decided to create a Chic outfit for the night. In reality I wish i would have this outfit right now but it is raining and cold in NYC that literally I prefer to be how i am now, wrapped in so many layers. 

Although, I am not saying you can't rock this outfit in the winter I will just switch shoes from pumps to knee high boots. This outfit is perfect for dinner, or just if you want to look for chic and elegant. The fur vest is a must in the winter and with those leather gloves your outfit will look exquisite. I feel that every girl should own a pair of leather gloves. It is an investment of course if you live in a city like mine where you get snow and it gets as cold as below zero degrees. Their is just something about putting on a pair of leather gloves it makes me feel elegant and classy. 

The focal point of this outfit are the earrings, these chandelier looking earrings are a must it gives you that extra touch of glam that every girl needs in her life. I couldn't forget the bag. As you gals know i have been drooling over a Celine bag for over a year but with my budget it's just not happening although i pray to God that Santa Claus notice i was a good girl this year and gift it to me.

 I added the smaller version Celine because is a night outfit and i don't want it to be the number one focal point . I wanted to light up a bit the outfit since is mainly black with a touch of burgundy and with this bag the cream color is making the outfit brighter and pop out.

Hope you get inspired with this outfit and don't forget to stay warm.

XOXO Andrea

Baby Is Cold Outside

So this weekend was extremely cold. I mean it seemed like it was winter. I felt like a stuffed bear with all the layers I had on. I decided to take a snap shot of my weather app on my phone to show you how cold it was. literally I walked with my friend to the  nearest diner and we couldn't wait until to arrive. My hands were numb and I couldn't touch my face. I guess is time to say bye bye to fall and hello to winter.

Living Room Decor Inspiration

 table lamp / Modern lighting /   pillow / Ikat pillows /  basket / candle /  leather sofa / table

Today I bring a design inspiration. I had a long time without writing one of these post. Lately my mom and I have been thinking of re decorating our living room. I live in New York City and space is something that you have to compromise sometimes. Thankfully we live in an apartment where we  have space to move around furniture and add a couple of decor accessories. 

My mom knows that I am an interior design addict. I mean i have stacks of Elle decor, and other interior design magazines at home. It is one of my favorite hobbies. Her knowing that, she has decided to leave the living room project on my hands that means that I have the opportunity to play around with things but not with cash. We have a budget which I will try my best to not go past it. 

How am i going to do that? by buying a good long lasting leather sofa and combine it with other accents from Marshalls, Target, Home Goods and shops around my neighborhood.  My mom loves the traditional style and i do to . If it would of been for me i would have everything pink and white but i don't think that would work. 

I am sticking with neutral and adding color touches with a rug and pillows. I am also on a hunt for the perfect sunburst mirror for the living room with gold accents like this one and long window sheer panels and a fresh coat of paint. That will turn my living room into a new one. 

 SO what do you gals think Yay or Nay ! leave a comment of what do you think of this Living Room interior design inspiration.

XOXO Andrea

Forever 21 Haul

Last week I went with my mom to the new Forever21 store around my neighborhood. I wasn't really planning on getting anything but of course i ended up buying a couple of accessories. 

 

A bit of jewelry from Forever21 Because who doesn't like affordable cute jewelry. I love the different options of earrings that you can get in one packet. Also this bib necklace is simply gorgeous and I can use it with many outfits.

Friday Favorites !

Hi Ladies !! Happy Friday ! this week has not been the best I have been sick for 3 days in a row. Fever, ear and throat are killing me and have been eating for the past days, soup, yogurt, and tea... oh and pure orange juice to gain some vitamin C. I always feel better when i come to the blog and write about something that I really enjoy. Today I bring my Friday Favorites. Things that  I have been loving this week and that I want to share with you. 

Love Kate Beckinsale with this pink coat. I love her style but this outfit is just.... so easy and Wonderful !

The Perfect Way To Use White During The Fall

 sweater /  coat / skinny jeans /  handbag

Last week I posted an outfit of the day on my Instagram. I had a pair of white straight denims, a camel peacoat and a pair of leopard flats. Some people don't use white after labor day you know the fashion rule. But why not use white when it is a universal color and it's chic. I love how a pair of white jeans look on me so I decided to break the "rule" and rock my pair of white pants.

 Here i have a very similar outfit to the one i wore last week. I do love fashion but I don't think you have to follow all the trends that are going on . You can make your own trend by being unique. I think this is the perfect way to wear white in the fall. With the perfect camel coat and leopard flats it will give you that fall touch that you wont get during summer or spring. Don't be scared of using white in the fall if you like to wear white go a head give it a try i know it will be one of your favorite outfits.

XOXO Andrea

Favorite Asos Curve Party Dresses

In A Very Plaid World !

Shop This Outfit : dress / tight / leather booties /  bag, / watch /  necklace / lipstick

I have always dreamed of being that typical classy lady from the upper east side. I guess with my obsession of Gossip Girl. I loved Blair and I loved her outfits. Every time I walk around the upper east side it reminds me of the show and of course of how charming the neighborhood is. In honor of that charming neighborhood and Gossip Girl I have this outfit in my mind. I think this outfit is beautiful and classy. 

 I mean for Gods sake the name of my Blog is Diary of a classy lady. I guess I am a bit obsessed with lady like classy outfits and lifestyles. This outfit is for the typical lady that loves to wear a fashionable outfit and also that loves plaid. This Ralph Lauren dress is perfect for this season. It is the perfect length and color. The makeup can be pretty easy just slap on a dark matte lipstick and you will look FABULOUS !

I wish i could have  it hanging on my closet but since i know that won't happen ill just leave it as a dream. So this is my "I wish i could wear that" outfit post. Happy Friday !! My question for you ladies is what is the synonym of classy to you?

XOXO Andrea