Rendezvous with Cupcakes and Cashmere

This weekend I met Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere, and had more fun than I have in a while. I arrived in Chicago eager to meet the lady who inspired me to add simple beauty into my mundane tasks, reevaluate my wardrobe, and indulge a little. Book-in-hand, wearing my new J.Crew pave chain link bracelet, I walked down Michigan Avenue with my mom, and renewed my love for the city. It bustles with as much excitement as NYC, but with far less inconvenience and annoyance, and that particular day the lake provided the infamous windy chill in the air that complemented the sunshine to create the PERFECT temperature and backdrop... i was literally pointing my chin to the sky and smiling (if only i hat a hat to throw while i jumped in the air and clinked my heals). The architecture is mesmerizing, and is filled with a mix of old and new buildings that offer everything from midwestern comfort food to high-end shopping...I mean, its just amazing, and a la Carrie Bradshaw, I am having a love affair with a city, albeit mine is somewhat long-distance.

Anyways, the Estee Lauder counter was bustling from the moment we arrived, (Estee Lauder is being savvy and capitalizing on this book tour, so they are trying to get you involved in their products anyway they can) and the line to meet Emily began around 11:35, and was wrapped around the first floor by five-til-noon. While we waited, conversation varied from the weather to readers' favorite posts to what she might wear, while Bloomingdales employees passed around mini cupcakes, tarts, chocolates and wine glasses filled with water and lemon slice, in true Cupcakes and Cashmere fashion. Each reader was more fashionable than the last, I was throughly impressed. And then she arrived. She sauntered in glowing in a beige trench coat. Her outfit was, as expected, impeccable; I recognize the lace top from blog posts, and her smoky eye and tousled waves looked even more radiant in person. She is incredibly sweet, the few moments I had with her were spent explaining what an inspiration she has been and mentioning my little blog. I expressed my relief in her imperfections in her beginning posts, and she mused how embarrassing those posts are to her now. She told me not to be perfect, do to it for me and to be genuine, advice I had heard before, but advice I truly appreciate. I think that after some notoriety, bloggers get caught up in their "BL(alter) EGO". The persona they have created online is now a representation of who they wish to be everyday, but in reality, they have bad hair days and breakouts and wear yoga pants to Target. I never expect to ever have notoriety, but I do enjoy this blog tremendously, and thus want to be true to myself. So, you should know, I have three pimples right now that are really bothersome, I am in yoga pants and a sweatshirt, and have three different shades of chipped nail polish on my nails because I was deciding on colors and never had time to follow through with my decision.

New Girl returns tonight and I COULD NOT be more excited...Im singing this sentence right now.
xx,
Alex