Manhattan, Rain or shine

   

the {POISON} APPLE

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COLLAB POST FEATURING:

PHOTOGRAPHY OF ME: DELANE ASHLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
JEWELRY/STYLING/SCENERY PHOTOS: ALLISON B. COOLING

Pick your poison: whether rain or shine, city-slicker grunge or boho-soul flow, it's a tale of one city, from two perspectives.

TAKE ONE:

With the ruby red deliciousness of a freshly-picked apple, this Zara frock surely stood out in a sea of NY City scenes. With the usual industrial-inspired palette of ashen grey (in a good way!), charcoal black, smoked tawny and frost blues, a contrasting piece is needed. And that's coming from the person who thinks black is most appropriate for all-season wardrobe. Add Chelsea boots (an homage to the neighborhood) and a classic leather jacket 'cuz it's a no-brainer.

The overcast day in Manhattan created a hauntingly perfect aura - cue random city statue gardens (see pic below) and reflective puddles- creating mirrorlike surfaces abound. Clearly I'm all about that slightly moody aesthetic.

The first thing about NY (and I'm talking just Manhattan here)- it's literally insanely large, it's a monstrosity, it's ginormous (as Elf would say). I'm a proud Chicagoan (go Cubs and Hawks), but the sheer size of New York is astounding. Street after traffic-filled street, you could walk for miles and still be amidst the skyscrapers. The iconic 42nd Street, Times Square, was a city all on its own; lights, camera, action!!!


   If you're looking for cute boutiques and one of a kind finds, I'd suggest these places:

         The Chelsea Market Artists and Fleas: Located on 10th Avenue in the Meatpacking District, I loved the eclectic mix of apparel, jewelry and art prints here. Plus, the rest of the market has great cafes, flower shops and more.

         Williamsburg Artists and Fleas: We hit all the "Artists and Fleas" markets, this one in Brooklyn, and again did not disappoint. Bedford Avenue is also a great street in Brooklyn that boasts a bunch of small boutiques. The Tibetan Mandala store, Catbird NYC and Red Pearl are just some of the places to stop.

Mulberry Street (near Little Italy) has some great little shops as well. If you're in the area, stop by Spring Natural Kitchen for their homemade lemonade and spring rolls (they have a ton of vegan options = yasss)!


Disclaimer:
I'd been looking for Batman this whole time - finally found him in Times Square on the last day of our trip. Yay!

the {POISON} APPLE

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TAKE TWO:

From rain-soaked concrete streets to high atop inner-city parking garages, the marigold glow of afternoon sunlight emerges. It's a stark contrast to earlier dark skies, creating a city drenched in honey hues. Try this second perspective: everything looks rosy from the top. Ant armies scatter and scurry on the pavement, while toy cars beep and buzz past traffic lights. A subtle, surging energy can be felt emanating upwards - things to see, things to do, places to go.

For the more bohemian components of this look, cue the henna art (I absolutely love Jacquard Mehndi Henna Kits from Michaels), silver jewels and statement necklace. Yes, I'm wearing only one earring -- mix and match earring styles (here, pearl dangle with mini silver hoops on the other ear) and break the rules of earring pairs. Nobody likes rules, seriously. We're much too creative to abide by them, am I correct?!

The necklace uses chunky chandelier crystals I got at a flea market over Labor Day weekend. Tangle those up with bunch of chain, more crystals and safety pins to create that undone-yet-done look.  Stay tuned for a feature post on this one.

My last sighs of Manhattan (at least for now) were from the back of a taxi; not ideal, but sort of cinematic in a way {insert vintage film reel effect}. I'm peacin' out - hopefully not for long! ☆:*´¨`*::*´¨`*::*´¨`*:☆

    

COPYRIGHT

Content within this post is copyright Allison Beth Cooling and Delane Ashley Photography for Quiet Lion Creations.
If you'd like permission to use a photo, email me at allison@quietlioncreations.com