TBT: The Best Day of My Life AKA Meeting Lauren Graham

Hey bloggers! It's only been a week but it feels like it's been forever since my last post. BUT, I am here tonight for a special story time edition: a throwback thursday to basically the greatest day of my life, meeting my favorite actress (or person in general) Lauren Graham. She's pretty much my idol, to say the least. I've been a fan of hers for years now and I'm still quite upset Gilmore Girls ended. No worries though, I still watch my DVDs religiously and keep up with my Gilmore Girls jargon. Oy with the poodles already, ya know what I'm sayin'? But I mean, it's only appropriate that I do this tonight because the Parenthood series finale is only four hours away. In other words, my life ends in four hours. So let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we?

Alrighty, so basically Lauren was set to star as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls on Broadway in 2009. (I cannot believe it's been six years already). I got a flyer in the mail for the show and immediately begged my parents to get tickets because hello, Lorelai Gilmore? In person? Sold. It came as a surprise to me because I didn't know she could sing, but she can. Amazing. Anyone watch last week's Parenthood? That duet scene with Amber... I can't. I cried. Anywho, I didn't think my dad would agree to buying the tickets so quickly, but he knows how much of a fan I am and he loves me. So bam, tickets acquired. It was all I could talk about for 2 months, and finally the day came. March 21st, 2009.

Now, I honestly was not expecting to actually meet her face-to-face that day because I know how hard that could be sometimes. I was just really excited to go to NYC (duh) and see this show after all the talk I heard about how good it was. Truthfully, there was a little part of me praying that a miracle would happen and that I'd actually get to meet her. 

So I went to the show and thought it was fantastic. The performances, songs, costumes, everything was extremely well done. My mom and I had seats on the upper level balcony towards the left, and they turned out to be the perfect seats because down the stairs was an exit where the stars would come out to sign autographs and say hello. I lit up, we were practically the first ones outside to line up at those little gate thingies (are they called barricades?) I don't know, whatev. We were there. 

HERE WE ARE! I look 5 but that doesn't matter when there's a pic like this that exists. 

I had my playbill and a picture I brought of Lauren and her GG co-star Alexis Bledel to sign just in case there was gonna be a signing. Good move, Victoria. Little did she know, one of my cousins photoshopped the picture and put my face where Rory's was to make it look like I was the one next to her. Call me corny, I don't care. All of the stars were coming out one by one, and I got autographs from Oliver Platt and Kate Jennings Grant, who played Nathan Detroit and Sarah Brown. And then Lauren comes out last, people are screaming at the top of their lungs, me being one of them. LOL. 

Here's the signed picture! Sorry for the bad quality, but hey, this is everything.

I suddenly lost all feeling in my body and basically forgot how to talk. Yeah, smooth. What do you EXPECT a person to do when they're about to meet their idol? She was coming around signing playbills and pictures and she's suddenly right in front of me and I'm frozen. My mother is pushing me to say something and I hand Lauren the picture of me and her, she signs it, then does a double take. I swear I remember this as if it were yesterday. She looks at the picture closely because ha, she noticed it wasn't Alexis next to her and looked back at me. Then the magical words come out of her mouth: "Haha, that's a great picture!" I. Almost. Fainted. Lauren Graham noticed my existence. She spoke words to me. I'm done. 

I laughed and thanked her for everything. I never knew what it felt like to be starstruck until that very moment and let me tell you, nothing will ever top that. When we were done and on our merry way, I started to hysterically cry the happiest tears of my life and called my dad to tell him what happened. I probably cried the entire day after that, so unreal. To this day I still can't believe I met someone I've looked up to for so long. That will forever be one of my favorite and most cherished memories. All in all, thanks LG for literally making my life.  

Okay guys, I gotta go get ready to sob my eyes out while eating a whole pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream by myself as I watch the Parenthood series finale at 10. Why does such an amazing show have to come to an end? I warned my roomies that I'd be a miserable mess for the night... How pathetic am I? G'nite. xo

Time To Be A Big Girl

Well, I'm all moved into college. It still kind of feels unreal, it's definitely something to get used to. My roommates have been the sweetest and so welcoming though, so I'm really happy about that. 

Yesterday was full of a million different emotions. I woke up, looked at my puppies and thought "Omg, I can't do this." The nerves were hitting me like a ton of bricks. It was a tear fest leaving them, like I knew it would be. Just the overall thought of leaving everything that I've become so acquainted to is extremely scary. But I got through it, with another little tear fest saying goodbye to my parents, but it turned out to be a great day. 

It felt so good taking that first step into the place that's going to lead me into a brighter future. I've never felt more independent, and just thinking of all the opportunities that await me is exciting. But for now, I'm currently hangin' out in my apartment eating some cup o' noodles, so I officially feel like a college kid. 

My classes start tomorrow and they're all centered around writing because duh. I'll keep you updated as time goes along my little bloggers. But for now, I must go be a college girl and do college things. Catch ya later. xo

Sunday Funday: Late Night Thoughts

Wow, it's 10:37 pm. I'm  laying in bed, one million thoughts are running through my head. I realized I didn't post anything today so I thought I'd just let you guys know what's on my mind. I've had the busiest two days; last minute dorm shopping, a lunch at my cousin's, a dinner at my aunt's, an unbelievable amount of packing. It's finally starting to hit me that I'm leaving for school tomorrow.  I'm stepping out of my comfort zone; a whole new environment awaits me. I've never been more nervous or excited in my life. It's been a very emotional day, I wanted to spend every waking moment with my mom and my doggies. I cried just posting a picture of them on Instagram today. I'm such a softy. Just the thought of leaving them is the hardest thing in the world. Luckily I'm not too going too far, but tomorrow will be a roller coaster ride full of emotions. It'll be a lot to adjust to, but you can't continue on to the next chapter without closing the last one. Am I right? 

I've been thinking of this day for 2 1/2 years and it's finally here. Going away to college is a journey you'll never forget, and I can't wait to start mine. 

Goodnight bloggers, sleep tight. xo

Liebster Award!

It's Friday! TGIF, ya know what I'm sayin'. 

Hey guys! So, I've been nominated for a Liebster Award by one of my favorite bloggers, Literally Liz! Check out her blog if you haven't yet. This is really awesome, and thank you so much again for the nomination! If you guys aren't so sure about what a Liebster Award is, it's an award given to new bloggers by other new bloggers to promote each others' blogs. Here are the set of rules that were given to me by Liz!

• Link the person who nominated you
• Answer the questions given by the nominator
• Nominate 11 other bloggers who have less than 200 followers
• Create 11 questions for the nominees to answer
• Notify all nominees via social media/blogs

My 11 Liebster Award Nominations:

Vivi Lien...

Frosting of Silver

Ebony Jay Beauty My Way

Essentially Stephanie

Sugar & Sprinkles

SophieDoesLife

TheHomelyChic

India Snow

Bootify- Makeup and Beauty Blog

Fawn Chic

Sarah Scribbles

My questions from Liz:

1. What made you start blogging? Well, I'm going to school to become a journalist and I've always had a passion for writing. Blogging's been in the back of my mind for the longest time as something I wanted to start doing. I mean, why not share your passion with others who share the same interests? I had a blog before this about a year ago that didn't go anywhere, so I stopped. I started this blog about two weeks ago and it's been a ton of fun. Liz actually motivated me to start back up again after a nice little twitter convo about how much I loved her blog! So big shout out to Literally Liz! :) 

2. What's a skill you don't have, but you really wish you did? Hmm... In all honesty, I wish I had sewing skills. Lol! One of my aunts knows how to sew and she's made the prettiest blankets, scarves, etc. She's made me the most adorable beanie that's practically glued to my head every winter. I don't know, I just feel like it would be interesting to learn and make your own clothes or something.

3. What's your favorite quality about yourself? (Either look-wise or personality wise) I'm very honest, which is a quality I take pride in. I don't like sugarcoating things, if I'm upset about something I'll tell you straight up. I've dealt with too many people in my life who were insincere and who lied left and right. I can't deal with that. 

4. What is your favorite makeup brand? I love Maybelline. Judging from my "Beauty Favorites" post last night, the majority of my makeup products are Maybelline. I didn't notice that until I wrote about it. Haha! I'm really starting to get into Nyx, too!

5. What song are you embarrassed to have on your playlist? Oh boy... I just looked through my iPod and literally found "Dance Me If You Can" by The Cheetah Girls. Oh my god. Why. Reminder to self: update music. 

6. Have you stuck with your New Years' Resolutions so far? I didn't make any real specific resolutions this year... I guess one would be to keep up-to-date with my blog, which is something I failed to do with my last one. So I think I'm doing a pretty good job so far! :)

7. Do you have any pets? If so, what are they and how long have you had them? Indeed I do! I have the 2 sweetest doggies in the entire world and I'm obsessed with them. One is a Jack Russell Pug named Wrinkles. I've had him for 10 years. My other doggie is a Chihuahua named Oliver! He's a baby, only 1 1/2 years old and I've had him since Sept. 2013. 

8. What is your favorite show to binge-watch on Netflix? Unfortunately, I don't have Netflix! *insert thumbs down emoji here* BUT I binge-watch Parenthood like it's nobody's business. I am DREADING the series finale in two weeks. There will be no tissues left in the world because of the amount of tears I'm going to shed. I wish I was kidding. #TeamBraverman

9. What is one thing people who know you would be surprised to find out about you? This is a toughie. I don't think I have any hidden characteristics my family and friends don't already know about me. 

10. Mac or PC? I just recently became Team Mac. I don't know what took me so long, but I'm loving it. 

11. What is your favorite place you've ever been on vacation? I think the Bahamas when I went on the Disney cruise with my aunt and cousins. Puerto Rico was beautiful as well. Ugh, I want to travel more. There are so many places I want to go. Cough, Cough, Ireland.

My questions for the nominees:

1. What is your favorite thing to blog about?

2. If you could travel to any place in the world, where would it be and why?

3. Facebook, Twitter or Instagram?

4. What's your favorite television show?

5. What is your chosen career path in life?

6. Who is your favorite clothing designer?

7. Sephora or Ulta?

8. What is your makeup obsession?

9. What three characteristics do you look for most in a significant other?

10. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

11. Favorite eye shadow palette? 

That concludes my Liebster Award post! Hope you all enjoyed learning a little more about me and I can't wait to read everyone's answers to my questions. Have a fabulous weekend blogger world. xo

My Makeup/Beauty Favorites

Hello my loves! Happy Thursday! Hope you're all having a productive week so far, wish I could say the same but I've unfortunately been feeling under the weather for the past two days which affected my blogging schedule. BUT I'm feeling a tad better, so I'm back! Now, in my last post I said I was going to do an every day makeup routine but since I'm 20 shades whiter than I usually am because of my cold, I don't look my best right now. So instead I'm gonna show you my favorite makeup products I've been using like crazy lately and maybe something will catch your eye. Let's begin!

My little makeup station... :)

Foundations... 

(While we're ahead, sorry for the poor lighting in the pictures. I probably should've taken them in the day-light but I will be sure to do that in future posts!) 

Alrighty, I have three foundations that I'm kind of obsessed with. The first one is Covergirl's Ready Set Gorgeous fresh complexion foundation in shade 105 (classic ivory). I use this one the most, it has great coverage and its super light weight, it doesn't even feel like you have it on. 

The next one is Rimmel London's Stay Matte foundation in shade 100 (ivory, again. I'm very pale.) I LOVE this foundation, they're not kidding when they say "matte." There's no shine whatsoever, the consistency feels heavy-ish at first, but when you blend it it's perfection. It hides everything. I usually wear this for special occasions or when I wanna go a little more glam. 

The last one is Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB cream. I usually wear this one on my lazier days when I don't feel like putting a full face of makeup on. It has a decent amount of coverage, but not as much as the other ones. Nonetheless, it does the trick for me! I definitely recommend these three products.

Eyes...

Ah, the eyes. This is the one I have the most problems with because of my annoying dark circles/bags. 

I've recently discovered Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser for dark circles and I'm loving it. It brightens up the eye area, which I need or else I'll look tired 24/7. It applies smoothly with its fuzzy little ball applicator at the top (sorry, I don't know the correct term. I tried.) Definitely a thumbs up. 

Next is Love & Beauty by Forever 21's Eye Shadow Primer. I lacked having a primer in my life until about 3 weeks ago and there is definitely a difference in the way my makeup stays on for the day. 

Then we have Maybelline's The Colossal Volume Mascara. Totes my favorite mascara, the length it gives your eyelashes is unbelievable. 

Next is Maybelline's Master Duo liquid eyeliner! I don't like Maybelline or anything... :) haha! Anyway, this is hands down the best eyeliner I've ever used. It's so pretty when applied and super easy to make a little winged-out look for those cat eyes we all know and love! Well, I love it at least. It's a very dark black so it really enhances your eyes. 

The last product is Nyx's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Cashmere. I. Love. This. I usually use this eye pencil as a brightener in the tear ducts or as an under-eye liner. It has the prettiest shimmer and it shows up perfect in pictures. 

Blush/Bronzer...

By FAR the greatest blush and bronzer I've ever used. This baked blush is from Forever 21's Love & Beauty line and the colors in it just make me so happy. It looks AMAZING on, and it's almost like a highlighter for your face as well. I've gotten so many compliments when I have it on, so that's always a good thing! 

The bronzer is also from Love & Beauty and it's a must-have for me. Like I said before, I have porcelain skin so I need something to darken my face up a little bit! Listen, you know it's bad when people don't believe you when you tell them you're Irish AND Puerto Rican. My skin tells otherwise. 

Lipsticks...

I have a serious lipstick obsession, people. I want my collection to grow. Scratch that, I NEED my collection to grow. I'm serious when I say I feel naked if I don't have lipstick on. (From left: Pink Rose by Love & Beauty, Fuchsia by Love & Beauty, Red Revival by Maybelline, unknown name by Revlon (oops), Miss or Madame by Sephora, Bare All by Maybelline, Victoria by Buxom and Plum by Love & Beauty). One word: obsessed.

So that does it for my Makeup/beauty favorites! Hope you guys enjoyed, it was cool doing this kind of post! I'm sure I'll discover more products as time goes on so there will be more like this in the future. I'll be back tomorrow for a really fun post because I was nominated for a Liebster award! Yayay! Now, I shall go cry every tear I have in my body because there's an all new Parenthood on in 15 minutes! I get way too emotionally attached to the tv shows I watch. Ugh, love it. G'night bloggers! xo 

2015 Golden Globes Fashion Favorites

We meet again, bloggers! Hope you're all having a great Monday so far. Mine's consisted of relaxing, eating a bit too much junk food, and a Sex and the City marathon for the past three hours. Can't complain too much about that.

Anyway, let's jump right into today's post, shall we? The Golden Globes were last night and we all got to gush over the hottest celebrities and they're glamorous lives while wishing we were there to witness all the action. Or is that just me? Well, since I couldn't do that, I'm just gonna share my favorite fashion moments of the night! 

Pause for a sec. A commercial for Fashion Police just came on and I'm so excited it's coming back tonight. Although, it most definitely won't be the same without Joan Rivers. RIP. 

Okay! So without further adieu, here are my Golden Globes fashion favorites! 

Kate Hudson in Atelier Versace

Chrissy Teigen in Zuhair Murad

Emma Stone in Lanvin

Jennifer Aniston in Saint Laurent

Amy Adams in Atelier Versace

Kate Beckinsale Elie Saab Couture

It was actually difficult for me to nail my favorites down because I thought everyone looked amazing, but these choices are kind of coming from personal taste as well. I thought these dresses (and jump suit) were so elegant, not too flashy, and just really classy. (Ha, that rhymed. Moving on.) Therefore, they pretty much owned the red carpet. 

I'm thinking about doing "Fashion Favorite" posts for the remainder of the award show season, so look out for more once the SAG's, Grammy's, Emmy's and Oscars roll around! Hope you all enjoyed my first edition and feel free to share your faves or not-so-faves as well! See you all for a little makeup talk tomorrow. xo

Sunday Funday

Yay! My first Sunday Funday post. It's always a fun time reading other bloggers' Sunday Funday posts so why not join in? So let the weekend re-cap begin! 

Just one of the many photos from Friday with my bests.

Friday was an awesome day. I'm currently getting ready to go away to school next week and the nerves are definitely kicking in full gear. I'm totally excited to start this new chapter in my life, but it's starting to hit me that a lot of things are about to change. I mean, I'm not going too far away which is a plus and I'll actually be living closer to the majority of my family so I'm loving that! BUT it's always scary leaving home for the first time. Anyway, my friends threw me a little going away gathering on Friday night as a last hoo-rah before I leave. We just hung out, ordered pizza, they got me a cake (chocolate, because duh) and took loads and loads of pictures, of course. It was the perfect night and I'm so grateful for the friends I have. I'm definitely going to miss them when I leave.

Yesterday I spent time with my family for my little cousin's 15th birthday. I probably shouldn't say "little" cousin anymore but, hey. I'm an extremely family-oriented kinda gal, so I'm always happy to be with my famjam. It's a great time when all of us are together, so much love and lots of laughs. A lot. 

Today's been a pretty chill day, hangin' at home trying to get things in order for my big move. I haven't started packing yet and I still have to finish dorm shopping..... oops? I'm currently ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the Golden Globes E! Red Carpet. Guys, I'm such a sucker for award shows, ESPECIALLY the fashion. Seeing what all the celebrities are wearing is literally my favorite part of the entire thing. I have no doubt that the Globes will be entertaining this year with Tiny Fey and Amy Poehler hosting, such a dynamic duo. Hmm... I'm seeing a little Golden Globes fashion favorites as a future blog post. Looking forward to seeing who wins what tonight. 

I just realized that in my last post I said I'd do a makeup routine post as well, so definitely watch out for that this week. Make sure to follow me at www.bloglovin.com/victoriahone and send me some links! Always looking for new bloggers to share my daily shenanigans with.

So that's it for my Sunday Funday, hope you all had a great weekend and I'll be back tomorrow to talk fashion: Award Show style. :) xo 

Daily Skincare Routine

Evening, bloggers! Alright, so this morning I was thinking of what my next post should be and I thought it'd be a fun idea to share my everyday skincare routine. I just recently got into the groove of taking better care of my skin (yeah, I know, bad) but I think I perfected a routine that works best for my skin type. I tend to have really dry skin during the winter (insert thumbs down emoji here). I have 3 simple products to share with you guys and hopefully if you have the same problem as me, this will help you! 

First...

Product #1: Boscia Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil (Sephora $12) 

I just bought this bottle two weeks ago because my best friend knows me entirely too well and gave me a Sephora gift card for Christmas, so I saw this and definitely thought it was a bargain! Basically this oil is a 2-in-1 kinda deal. It dissolves your makeup when you wash your face while refreshing your skin and purifies your complexion. (AND it smells like Green Tea, total bonus). Make sure to apply it while your face is still dry, then wash it off with warm water. During the short amount of time I've been using this, I already see a difference in my skin. It leaves it incredibly soft and super clean. I definitely recommend it!

Next...

Product #2: Breath of Fresh Air Toner Water 3.3 fl oz. (Lush $9.95)

Ugh, this is one of the best purchases I've ever made. I use my toner after I cleanse my face with the oil, and it just feels amazing. All the ingredients in this are inspired by the sea and it smells like perfection. And it's suitable for all skin types! I have some annoying red spots on my face from previous blemishes and I was dying for a product that would even out my complexion and help reduce the dryness, and this angelic bottle was calling my name. The seawater cleanses your face while seaweed extract softens and provides your skin with vitamins and minerals that leave your face all squeaky clean. Aloe vera is also an ingredient used in this toner to help smooth drier areas of your skin. Guys, I'm obsessed with everything Lush and I totally encourage you to purchase this product! You won't be disappointed. 

Last but not least...

Product #3: Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Eye Serum (Macy's $46)

I know, I know. This product is a bit on the pricey side and I even sqwuirmed typing it. But trust me, it's worth it. It seems like a very tiny bottle but it lasts a LONG time because you only need like, a microscopic portion of it when applied to your under eyes. Unfortunately, I have the most annoying bags and dark circles under my eyes ever since I was a baby and I definitely get self-conscious about them. I've tried product after product to help reduce the puffiness and nothing ever seemed to work. Although this product doesn't magically vanish them away all together, it definitely helps me look more awake and brightens up my eye area. Because really, who wants to look tired all the time? Not me. It's a very light weight serum and once your face is clean, just dab some on with your ring finger and you're good to go. The mushroom blend & grapeseed extract reduces the appearance of puffiness and Yeast Extract helps relieve dark circles. I usually put it on at night and sometimes in the morning before I put on my makeup. 

So that does it for my daily skincare routine! I hope you guys enjoyed it and hopefully it helps those of you who have the same problems as me! If you have any suggestions on products you use that are worth trying, don't hesitate to share! I'm thinking my next post will be my every day makeup routine... So stay tuned for that. Night bloggers. xo  

XO

Two posts in one night because why not, right? I told you guys writing is my escape, which is exactly what I need right now. 

I've been thinking a lot lately about something I'm guilty of feeling sometimes. There are times where we may compare ourselves to others and it totally brings our self-esteem down to a level it shouldn't be at, and bloggers, try to avoid this feeling at all costs.

I've struggled with the thought of not being "good enough" or what I accomplish isn't as important as someone else's accomplishments, but there is no need for it. It's not the way to live. You're going to miss what's standing right in front of you because you're too focused on someone else's life. 

Be proud of who you are, keep your heads held high, and recognize your worth. Everyone has a place on this Earth to show what they've got to bring to the table. Don't let anyone steal your shine. :)

xo 

Posting Update

So this is something I didn't think too much about when I had my last blog, which is probably why it wasn't so successful but I truly want to be consistent with this one. I've been thinking about my posting schedule and I'm determined to post every other day. I'm excited to expand my blog so stay tuned. xo

Here To Stay

Hey bloggers! 

First, let me just say how good it feels to be back on the blog grind. I used to be a blog junkie and stopped for a while now, but as a girl who's going to school to become a writer, what better way to share my thoughts and daily rants than my own little personal space? So, I'm back and here to stay! 

I'm gonna use my first blog post as an introduction. My name is Victoria, I'm from Jersey but my heart belongs in New York City. I'm sure you readers will quickly learn my love for NYC as my blog keeps building. I'm a student at RCNJ hoping to pursue a career in Journalism. 

Notice my title? Let's just say Carrie Bradshaw is my muse, my idol, an iconic figure in my life. This blog is going to be a free space to write about whatever is on my mind, opinions, tips and advice for my fellow bloggers about school, family, friends, clothes, beauty, love, ANYTHING! (seriously, you name it, I'll write about it.)

Feel free to follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter and Instagram! Links are in my bio. xo

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