The beginning of a new year brings with it the chance for a fresh start. After a difficult past year, the prospect of starting over in a hopefully *new and improved* fashion is music to my ears.

Conventional wisdom says that since a sofa can be among one of your most expensive furniture purchases, it’s best to go with something safe. You really can’t go wrong with a simple, neutral colored piece that’s easy to clean, after all. And while the more practical side of me tends to agree, I can’t help but smile when I come across a vibrant, unabashedly pink sofa. I’ve been seeing them a lot lately and I love them all! Seems like the key to making a trend like this work is by picking a sofa with clean lines so there isn’t too much going on.

Images via Where My Heart Is, CasaSugar, Matchbook Magazine, Design*Sponge, and Phoebe Howard.

Despite a break in the high temperatures this weekend, it was still persistently sticky and humid in Philly which usually spells disaster for my naturally frizzy hair. I contemplated hanging up my blow dryer and flat iron for the week but I have an important meeting today that I think calls for a straight ‘do. When I do wear my hair in its naturally kinky-curly state, here are some of my favorite products.

Denman Paddle Brush D3 to stretch out my curls while they’re still wet, Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding to prevent shrinking and define my curls, Wen Cleansing Conditioner in Fig, a multitasking product that serves as a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner (and I use it as a shave cream too!) which is especially good for traveling (I get it in a big pump bottle from QVC on auto-delivery), Neutrogena Shampoo Anti-Residue Formula to remove product build up, chlorine, the elements in general, Ouidad 12 Minute Deep Treatment to bring curl back to my ends after non-stop flat-ironing (a little pricey but definitely deep conditions as promised, Sephora carries a cheaper sample version if you want to try it out before committing to the pricier full-size bottle), Organic Coconut Oil – I slather this on on the weekends when I’m home (I keep it in overnight too) and run a little bit through my ends most nights right before bed to prevent dryness (I pick this up at the supermarket).

What are some of your favorite summer hair care products?

When I saw the Fusion Pillow at Anthropologie, I instantly wanted to design a room around it. I love the brushstrokes, the colors and how it evokes the sunset on a warm summer’s night. The possibilities for decor options are endless but I decided to go with a bedroom concept using rustic touches for added warmth, brass for shine and visual interest, and some black and white elements for contrast.

1. Simple white curtains with black trim would go well here and if you’re into DIY, this tutorial seems simple enough to tackle.
2. Serena & Lily Fillmore Headboard with Nailheads, neutral so it doesn’t compete with the other elements yet it’s still interesting on its own, I would finish the bed off with some crisp white bedding with black embroidery like this.
3. Anthropologie Fusion Pillow – the inspiration – described as a fiery sunset sinks into the sea as warm waves lap against the shore. More than a decorative pillow, this piece feels like art.
4. Benjamin Moore Paint in Eraser Pink, 2174-50, a medium pink with gray undertones to mimic the sunlight at dusk.
5. For the more color shy, Benjamin Moore Paint in Touch of Pink, 2008-70, subtle but this paint color would still add a rosy glow.
6. West Elm Porcelain Candleholders, for bedside candlelight, they create a dramatic pattern of light when lit.
7. West Elm Rustic Storage Side Table, conceals clutter but the steel legs keep it looking airy.
8. Balloons by Youngna Park, a 20×200 print that speaks perfectly to the sunset concept.
9. Rugs USA Tuscan Moroccan Shag Ivory Rug, a complimentary pattern with rich texture for underfoot.
10. Vintage brass lamps add shine and glamour.

What do you think? Would you design a whole room around the colors of the sunset?

The last two weeks have been a blur. I went to New York twice – one of those times to see a taping of The View (fun!) – and I just got back to Philadelphia from visiting my best friend from high school in Washington last night. When I’m out of town my usual almost-vegan way of eating usually takes a backseat to baked goods, burgers and beverages like soda and mixed drinks. Now that I’ve decided to start blogging, I have taken up that weird habit of photographing everything I eat. The upside to this is when I look back on the pictures, it brings back memories of good times and the great people I shared them with.

If you want to follow along my food eating adventures, follow me @sandjascruz on Instagram.

Image via my Instagram

I’m heading to NY this weekend to spend some time with friends and family and to go to a couple of places in the city I’ve been meaning to visit for a while. I’m hoping this weekend will be the recharge I need to be more productive moving forward since I’ve been feeling lethargic and little bit out of the last couple of weeks.

I’m not much a lip gloss girl and sometimes lipstick can feel so fussy so I’m excited by the new lip balm/lipstick hybrids that have recently hit the market. My favorite – which I have been using almost everyday – are the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters. My favorite shade is a sheer bright pink called “Sweet Tart” (which can be seen on the right in the picture above). It makes my lips feel soft while washing them with a medium pink color that looks good with my olive skin tone.

Since I basically live in one room, I’m always trying to figure out ways to maximize storage. My apartment came with two wooden bookshelves which I appreciate for their utilitarian purpose, but I wish they were slightly less, well, ugly.

I tried to take the shelves down but they’re bolted to the wall. Since I needed the storage anyway, I decided to just cover (at least one of the shelves) with a curtain track and drapes from Ikea.

Lesson learned – when in doubt (and when you just can’t get rid of something), hide it.

…that school can only teach you so much.

…that you can be nice at work and still be successful.

…that great style doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

…that it should cost more to buy fast food than real food.

…that you are responsible for creating the life you want.

Image via WeHeartIt

I started my weekend off by going to the grand opening of a new boutique in Philadelphia’s Antique Row called Things I Like on Friday night. The next day, I treated myself to small indulgences on an impromptu run to Whole Foods. I rounded the weekend off by taking a stroll through the park (where I found a colorful surprise) and by giving myself an at-home mani-pedi in bright summer colors.