Cheese Popcorn is Delish

MY VALENTINE

2012-02-14T09:04:00.003-05:00

i woke up this morning after a long week and weekend of fashion week to a giant bouquet of roses.

i'm a lucky girl to have such a great valentine. i'm also lucky that i get to wake up to my favorite person in the world every single day

happy valentines day!

SO MANY PHOTO SHOOTS

2012-02-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

we average 10-15 original photo shoots a week at R29

ben shooting our colorblocking feature

jan 2012

THE WEEKEND IS CALLING

2012-02-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

pick up the friggin phone

love, TEQUILA

DIY NAIL ART > VALENTINES DAY EDITION

2012-02-09T10:23:00.003-05:00

over the past month i've helped conceptualize and produce refinery29's first nail art kit! in addition to helping create the actual kit, i also came up with four valentines day inspired nail art designs (including ikat!) you can do with it.

check it ouuuuut

I FINALLY GAVE LIZ AND DAMIAN THEIR WEDDING PRESENT

2012-02-08T08:00:00.002-05:00

liz and damian got married in tortola in june of 2009, and like a proper procrastinating friend i just got around to sending their wedding present this january

in all fairness it did take quite a while to make the afghan extra tall to fit those crazy long leg's Liz has. but i'm super happy with the way it turned out. i'm pretty sure they are too.

RIKKI AND CHUCK

2012-02-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

THE WORST DAY OF THE YEAR

2012-02-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

i always hate when it's time to take the christmas tree out of the apartment and leave it on the curb. although watching chris do it with my floral gardening gloves makes it a little better

january 2012

WE BUY GUNS

2012-01-31T08:00:00.001-05:00

kingston, new york
january 2012

BIG ROCKS THAT DON'T ROLL

2012-01-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

joshua tree national park

january 2012

DIY PRADA CLUTCH

2012-01-28T11:12:00.003-05:00

yep. still making things and showing you how.

check out my DIY version of the jeweled Prada clutch on R29 today

COYOTE CORNER

2012-01-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

western entrance

joshua tree, california

WIND POWER

2012-01-26T08:00:00.003-05:00

california's windy

january 2012

VIDEO SHOOTIN'

2012-01-25T10:41:00.003-05:00

i shot my first video a couple weeks ago and it's finally being posted today on R29. Yeah, the lighting went nuts and changed half way through the video and the cuts are little strange

but not soooooooo bad for the first go!

watch it here

PICTURES THAT LOOK LIKE PAINTINGS

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

MAA-WAGE IS WOT BWINGS US TOGEDER

2012-01-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

los angeles

january 2012

MR. AND MRS. RAMIREZ

2012-01-21T10:23:00.003-05:00

i've known jamie since first grade. maybe earlier.

we skipped sunday school together, became obsessed with nirvana and the beatles in high school, dreamed about leaving the midwest for years and both now live in new york.

jamie married her amazing guy moses earlier this month at a beautiful house in the hills of LA. needless to say, it was a bit of a tear jerker seeing someone you've known your whole life tie the knot. more pictures to come

IN THE LAND OF LA

2012-01-20T08:00:00.002-05:00

los angeles

january 2012

AMR'CA

2012-01-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

gratuitous airplane shot

i can't help myself

WEST MEETS MIDWEST

2012-01-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

state pride runs deep

me and maia

B A N A N A G R A M S

2012-01-17T08:00:00.002-05:00

obsessed.

why buy the game when you can use scrabble letters?

january 2011

RINGIN' IT IN

2012-01-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

starting a new year in the woods, soaking in a hot tub for hours at a time, building fires and cooking tons of food is pretty amazing. 2012 is gonna be a hard one to beat

IKAT NAILS

2012-01-15T15:22:00.003-05:00

spending sunday afternoon trying out an ikat patterned mani

keep an eye out for my how-to on R29

PARTY IN THE TUB

2012-01-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

RIP 2011

20-12 sounds better anyways

GATEWAY TO A NEW YEAR

2012-01-12T08:00:00.002-05:00

fun with the arch

st. louis, missouri

december 2011

THIS IS ONE WAY TO UNPACK

2012-01-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

i just got back this morning from a weekend in LA. sometimes i procrastinate unpacking. this is one way to ensure that doesn't happen

it's good to be home

HE'S WATCHING YOU

2012-01-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

my stepdad, larry got this guy with a bow and arrow back in the day

pretty impressive

2011 XMAS IN MISSOURI

2012-01-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

it was a very merry christmas

jefferson city, missouri

december 2011

MAMMA I'M COMIN' HOME

2012-01-06T08:00:00.002-05:00

chris in front of my mom's house

christmas eve

jefferson city, missouri

M-I-S-S-O-U-R-I

2012-01-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

crossing the missouri river

jefferson city, mo

SING YOUR SONG

2012-01-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

late night coworker karaoke

december 2011

TIME TO GET OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE BLANKETS

2012-01-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

i guess it's time to go back to work

side note: thanks to chris's mom and dad for the super snuggs faux-fur blanket they sent us for x-mas. it's been put to good use.

LETS HAVE BIZARRE CELEBRATIONS

2012-01-02T12:01:00.003-05:00

may 2012 be full of mega bass lines and epic dance parties

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-12-30T14:00:00.001-05:00

me and chris are currently in our car headed upstate to a cabin in the woods.

we'll be spending new years cooking food, hiking, and soaking in a hot tub.

happy new year friends.

here's to 2012 being even better than the rest

MY GIRLS WANT TO PARTY ALL THE TIME

2011-12-30T08:00:00.003-05:00

refinery29 holiday party

december 2011

THE OUT OF TOWNERS

2011-12-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

seamus and his sister megan came to visit NYC.

sure it took him 6.5 years to get here, but glad he made it none the less

HIGH STAKES DREIDEL

2011-12-28T11:42:00.004-05:00

before all of the holiday madness, my buddy josh had a hanukkah party where he schooled all us non-jews on the ways of hanukkah and more importantly taught us how to play high stakes dreidel. i still have the dreidel song in my head.

TAKE FLIGHT

2011-12-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

chris and i are headed to missouri today to spend six days with my family
i'm sooooo excited to go home and hang with everyone. and even more excited chris can be there with me.

happy holidays friends.

THE TREE'S BEEN TRIMMED

2011-12-21T20:51:00.003-05:00

nina's annual pajama tree trimming party (09, 10)
december 2011

YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH A SINGING CHICKEN

2011-12-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

neha's birthday singing chicken telegram at the office
there was a michael jackson medley involved.

TURNIN' BLANKETS INTO BAGS

2011-12-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

yesterday me and some lady friends had our annual white elephant-gift swap-taco party-brunchmas. the cap was $15 so i found a blanket at a local thrift store and made this little tote.

awesome part is i can make two or three out of each blanket

one for you, one for me...

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER POM POM DIY

2011-12-17T09:53:00.005-05:00

our editor in chief stopped by my desk one day with this tear sheet in hand and mentioned this would be a cool DIY. done and done.

check out my step by step instructions on how to make this tory burch necklace on Refinery29 today.

TIS THE SEASON

2011-12-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

to paint everything glittery and gold
december 2011

SPECTATOR SPORTING

2011-12-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

nyc marathon watchers
brooklyn, ny

LOVE LETTERS FROM KITTIES

2011-12-10T12:19:00.002-05:00

pretty sure chris helped her make the sign

BRING IT ON COLD

2011-12-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

bring it on cold.

i got you.

winter 2011

THESE NAILS BE FESTIVE

2011-12-08T08:00:00.002-05:00

by now you should know there's no way i could get through the christmas season without creating some festive holiday nail art how-to's. check out my step by step directions for these three designs on Refinery29

CHRISTMAS CHEESEBALL

2011-12-07T08:00:00.002-05:00

cheeseburger's favorite spot to hang out is under the christmas tree

the cute factor is off the charts

MUNCHIE MIX

2011-12-06T08:00:00.004-05:00

chex mix for everyone
always double the seasoning.

ITS BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

2011-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

our second christmas tree, just as pretty as the first

williamsburg, brooklyn

ORNAMENTAL

2011-12-03T12:49:00.003-05:00

ornaments are way more fun when they're personalized

i made this lil guy for moose and jane's tree decorating party tonight

and yes, the snowman is holding a taco.

I'M IN NEED OF SOME ISLAND TIME

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

this island isn't quite cutting it.
new york, new york

TOE PICK

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

if you need a little something to boost your holiday spirit i highly recommend checking out the rink at bryant park. although, if you're anything like me you won't be able to get scenes from the "The Cutting Edge" out of your head

man i loved that movie.

toe pick.

toooooooooe piiiiiiiiiiiiiiick

L AND R

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

my grandpa's love for marking things with sharpie shows no bounds

logansport, indiana

november 2011

THANKSGIVING 2011

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

another successful thanksgiving spent with family

thanks. gave.

logansport, indiana

TIMES SQUARED

2011-11-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

somehow when i look up in times square i can still feel that initial rush i got the first time i visited NYC.

i mean, after working in/around it for four years it kind of makes me want to vomit and just thinking about it makes me agro - but those giant billboards and mesmerized tourists still makes it pretty special. can't deny that.

THE TRINENS

2011-11-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

tomorrow morning i take off for my annual trip to visit my grandma and grandpa trinen in indiana. and their 12 cats. armed with two packs of sudafed and some needlepoint supplies, this should be a pretty great week (especially if i convince someone to go see the muppet movie with me)

if you're bored you can always relive the holiday magic of 2010, 2009, and 2008

happy thanksgiving friends.

BACK IN THE GROOVE

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

not sure if you've noticed, but i've been a little MIA lately.

with some health issues, and the holidays, and working, and taking on an extra title at R29 (I'm the Photo Editor AND the new DIY Expert for Refinery29!) things have been a little hectic to say the least.

hopefully i can get back to posting on a more regular basis, because it's good for myself. and i like things that are good for me.

MCGRATH GOT OLDER

2011-11-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

surprise welcome crew at JFK

october 2011

THANKSGIVING NAIL ART

2011-11-10T13:29:00.004-05:00

have you been lying awake at night trying to figure out HOW you're gonna paint your nails for thanksgiving day? well don't fret, friend. I came up with three designs and show you how to do them on R29 today

photos by the lovely julia lola wang

ZOMBUNYAN

2011-11-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

pre-zombie'd paul bunyan
otherwise known as chris with suspenders
halloween 2011

ANOTHER YEAR ANOTHER PUMPKIN PARTY

2011-11-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

chris and i had our third annual pumpkin carving party a few weekends ago and it was an awesome time as always. who doesn't love friends and spiked hot apple cider and endless bowls of frito chili pie all day.

and piles and piles of pumpkin guts

relive the magic of year one and year two

october 2011

NO MORE CANDY

2011-11-06T09:47:00.000-05:00

sugar buzz kill

halloween

williamsburg, brooklyn

WISH? DID SOMEBODY SAY WISH?

2011-11-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

piera as jambi

mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho

SICKERS

2011-11-02T08:00:00.002-04:00

being sick isn't so bad when you have furry friends to keep you company

ZOMBIE PARADE

2011-10-31T08:00:00.002-04:00

our plan was to head up to new paltz early saturday afternoon to throw a motel party and rock out to a nirvana cover band like we did a couple years ago. that was until snowtober happened - the out of no where snowstorm that dropped 10 inches on new paltz.

tonight we'll be getting rowdy at the black angels show at music hall. if you don't have plans you should come - they rule.

happy halloween friends

WIGGIN' OUT

2011-10-27T11:34:00.001-04:00

prepping for halloween

thanks for sending the wig in our care package mom!

MO'S 30TH BIRTHDAY GREAT ADVENTURE

2011-10-26T17:25:00.004-04:00

six flags great adventure

new jersey

october 2011

HOLY GHOST

2011-10-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

holy ghost playing the prada store

soho, new york city

SHARING IS CARING

2011-10-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

kiana and brittany

september 2011

THIS IS HOW FALL MAKES ME FEEL

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

and it feels so good

(pic by nina westervelt)

THE RASTA NANER STRIKES AGAIN

2011-10-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

alison

september 2011

GIVE A HOOT

2011-10-16T11:16:00.003-04:00

i woke up last weekend and decided i should figure out how to needlepoint. i googled a few things and realized directions weren't really for me. i'm much better at the 'make it up as you go" method.

here's the owl i made for Mo's birthday

sure, i could probably benefit from a few pointers from someone who knows what they're doing - but i'm pretty happy with the way it turned out!

JERK SAUCE

2011-10-14T11:25:00.002-04:00

jay and his adopted grandpa eddie

the jamaican jerk sauce king and queen

DIY CUT25 NECKLACE

2011-10-14T08:00:00.003-04:00

another DIY project from me to you featured on R29

photos by amelia alpaugh

130 JELLO SHOTS

2011-10-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

shots! shots! shots! shots! shots! shots!

everybooooooody

NAIL ART

2011-10-12T23:02:00.005-04:00

want to do something a little more exciting with your nails but not sure how to tackle nail art? i broke it down into real easy steps on R29. take a look at me and lisa's nail art guides here and here.

halloween edition coming soon. (pics by tracy wang)

BROTHERLY LOVE

2011-10-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

chris and brian

september 2011

THOBEY'S 30TH

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

sag harbor

october 2011

HE WAS A SKATER BOY

2011-10-07T11:38:00.004-04:00

nike stadium

new york city

PHOTOSHOOT'N

2011-10-06T08:00:00.001-04:00

miss sunny shokrae photoshoot'n for R29

september 2011

nyc

DIY MISSONI SHOES

2011-10-04T11:36:00.003-04:00

taking my DIY's to the next level. check out the first (of hopefully many) on Refinery29 today!

photos by amelia alpaugh

MANI/PEDI

2011-10-04T09:03:00.000-04:00

julia

williamsburg, brooklyn

RANDOM CLEAN FREE STUFF

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

clean AND free!?

jackpot.

RACE YOU TO THE WEEKEND

2011-09-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

thobey and ben

new york city

WINE AND JAZZ FEST IN NJ

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

me, chris, jay and mo met up with brian and TJT at a wine and jazz fest in NJ earlier this month to celebrate TJT's birthday. sure the wine was pretty gross and we had to plot to get more than 1 oz of wine at a time, but it was still an awesome afternoon. blueberry champagne forevs.

ADVENTURE!

FULL SERVICE

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

such a helpful giant pink gorilla man

september 2011

NOTES FROM FAMILY

2011-09-27T08:49:00.002-04:00

from grandpa trinen

september 2011

SAM IN THE CITY

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

sam testing out my cape.

it worked. he felt cooooool

september 2011

DON'T TALK TO ANYONE

2011-09-22T11:36:00.003-04:00

wait. so what's new?

i thought these were already the rules of the street in nyc?

ANIMAL FARM

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

if you ever need to push the reset button on every day life i highly recommend visiting a petting zoo. chris and i went this past sunday and it was exactly what i needed.

if feeding a giraffe or a group hug from a pile of baby goats doesn't cheer you up i don't know what to tell you.

this is my new happy place.

CHUCKS

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

converse store

soho, nyc

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

2011-09-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

kickball in mccarren park

williamsburg, brooklyn

JAY AND CHRIS LOVE AMERICA

2011-09-15T12:00:00.003-04:00

and this is a surprise to no one.

new jersey, september 2011

DADS NAMED ROGER

2011-09-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

did i ever mention both chris and myself have dad's named Roger?

kinda strange.

HAPPY FEET

2011-09-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

i've got those happy feet

give them a low-down beat

and they begin daaaaancing.

RIVER MONSTERS

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

weekend getaways

august 2011

LE CHEESE

2011-09-09T13:00:00.000-04:00

soda and cheeseburger at home

they're good ones

FNOh-No

2011-09-08T13:48:00.002-04:00

so many parties. how do i choose?

maybe i'll just go to bed early.

WAIT, SO HOW DO YOU SAY THIS?

2011-09-07T08:56:00.001-04:00

not totally clear on the pronunciation on this one

warsaw, missouri

HUNX AND HIS PUNX

2011-09-06T01:00:00.000-04:00

i caught Hunx and His Punx friday night at merc and the new album has been on repeat ever since. thanks to rory and lauren for the introduction.