Follow Me Around Boston: Allston Area

This video was actually supposed to be for my college's fashion magazine, but I ended up not getting any sweet finds at the thrift store so I ended up not editing it till now. LOL.

Anyways, the video just shows me walking around Allston, eating good food and walking around in beautiful weather.  Anyone in Boston should give Allston a try for good Asian food and desserts.  Also I really apologize for my awkwardness.  This is why I prefer blogging.

-Rachel

What I have been up to: Week of July 7-12

Honestly, I'm not doing anything outside of work.  I have been catching up with a lot of my high school friends over coffee and good food, and I have been taking a lot of alone time.  I haven't been able to go shopping (which is good, because I'm not splurging on things I really don't need), and I have 3 weeks to go until I am able to leave for a mini-vacation.

Bscly, this was my week in pictures minus all my coffee shop visits with friends.  Srsly, I was in my bed watching Netflix and Youtube beauty guru videos.  Is this really my first summer of college?

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I ordered a sweatshirt online a couple of weeks ago, and it finally came! I have been OBSESSED with Donald Glover since sophomore year of high school, and I finally got to see him live in Boston back in March.  Let me tell you, it was one of the best concert I have been to, and I am considering going to see him again in September.  Gambino's whole theme with his latest EP was surrounded on the Internet and its development.  He hosted several hackathons and even developed an app for the concert which was interactive and super badass.

I have wanted this "Learn to Code" sweatshirt for a while, ever since he started selling them on tour.  Since I was working at a computer science center, and my love for Gambino is infallible, I justified the hefty $55 price tag by convincing myself that I would wear it every day with purpose and finally purchased it.  All I'm gonna say is that it's the most comfortable pullover I own, and even though I get so many weird stares in public,  I have no regrets.

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This is where I am currently interning. 

I thought the windows and the light shining in had this really calm effect 

It has been raining a lot in the South, and sunny days are pretty limited.  So when I saw the sunlight shine through the glass, at work, I had to take a picture.  Work gets pretty monotonous sometimes especially when the system is down for server updates.  However, I really appreciate the calm aspect of my internship compared to the internships of my friends in Manhattan who are constantly running around.  I really like the vibe here.  It's more laid-back and not as cut-throat as Boston was.

Ignoring my chipped off nail polish, I really like this printed pants and Jesus sandal combo I wear to work.

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I also stopped by the bookstore this week to pick up some books.  I haven't read in so long because of my laziness and my lack of wanting to read after reading pages after pages of my textbooks during the school year, and it finally got to me.  It makes me really sad that bookstores are slowly closing down due to Amazon.  While ordering books on Amazon is convenient, that sheer excitement and anticipation we get from discovering new books while scouring through shelves is irreplaceable.  

My taste for books as well as tv shows and movies has evolved over the year.  I no longer am interested in the romcoms, romance novels, or even comedy.  I am really fascinated in books and movies where people are vulnerable, alone, blind, and sort of twisted.  I have been liking books that are filled with literary references and are difficult to understand at the first read.  I really don't know why I'm like this, but now I am unwilling to watch or read anything that is not Kafka-esque. (hence the blog name) I know this needs to change (forreal doe).

  

        So naturally, I was attracted to the Nabokov section at the bookstore and picked up two of his novels.  Ada is so messed up, I love it, and I am so so so excited to read Invitation to a Beheading, because it is described as being inspired by Kafka. 

I also picked up David Morrell's Murder as a Fine Art, and I literally think it's one of the most gory and raw books I have read in my mind.  I have only completed the first 2 chapters, but those two chapters left me in so much shock and horror that I had to reread them.  I think that all the hype I read online about the novel is worthy, as I am obsessed.  

He compared the murderer to Titian.  Literally how perfect is that. The inner art history nerd in me is fangirling very hard. 

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Other than that, I have been watching The Killing religiously on Netflix because the 4th season is premiering on Netflix.  I really like the show because it really shows how a painful a death in a family is and how it can break down a family, and how intertwined politics and crime is.  It's a great show, and I recommend it to those who have a thing for criminal shows. 

Hope everyone has a great week and a new video will be up either tonight or tomorrow, I promise! 

-Rachel

                                                                                                                                       

Tuesday Tunes

Cool Vibes mix #1 from rkwon on 8tracks Radio.


Some of the music I have been currently obsessed with.  I would describe the mix to be calm and instrumentally beautiful.
A lot of the artists feature on my playlist are British/UK singers.  This playlist is the perfect mix to wind down to.

-Rachel

What's in my bag: Internship Edition

So, yup. This is my first post on my blog.  I am really excited to start this summer project, and I hope you enjoy following my journey as I start posting.  Anyways, I'm Rachel. I am a 19 year old college student attending school in Boston.  Most of you probably know where I go to school because I make no attempts to conceal that fact.  I really enjoy college, but there are a lot of life lessons and discoveries I made my first year that I thought would help at least one person out in the world.  So here I am making this post!!!!  

Like any other competitive college student, I picked up an internship last minute.  I carpool to work, and I work from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM.  It's a full day and by the time I reach home, I am exhausted and unwilling to cook and clean. I never realized how much responsibility working adults have.  Major props.

I thought it would be helpful if I showed you the contents of my bag that I take to work daily.  There's a lot of tips I have learned just 6 weeks into my internship, and here I am, sharing with all of you, my secrets. 

Bag: Longchamp Le Pliage Large - YES, everyone and their mother has one, but there is a reason why. It holds my whole life in it, and it's super light and durable.  Because it isn't leather, I am not too worried when I am walking to work, and suddenly it starts raining.  It also matches will almost all my work outfits, and it's more practical to carry a Longchamp compared to an all-leather Louis Vuitton tote.    

Water bottle: College bookstore - one BIG lesson I learned during my internship is to bring a reusable water bottle wherever you go.  At work, they charge a lot of money for water bottles, so bringing you own water will save you a lot of money overtime.  Another big thing for me was that bringing my own water prevented me from buying soft drinks because for some reason Coke is cheaper than water.  It lessens the temptations and keeps you hydrated. 

Planner: Lily Pulitzer - At $18, this thing has kept my life in track.  I write out my whole life starting from my grocery list to dinner plans with my friends.  It's sometimes nice to have your notes written down when your phone suddenly goes missing or dies (which it does, often).  I also write down all my meetings I have at work as well as future deadlines. 

Notebook: Cornell Method - Possibly, one of the most important things in my intern bag.  This notebook stores all my notes I make while in the office and keeps track of all the programs I run.  I also really think that the Cornell Method for taking notes is really helpful.  I usually use the margins to scribble questions I have or definitions I need to look up later.  I like it so much that I am going to be using this layout for the next school year.  I also find it essential to have post-it's in your bag at all times.  There is always a moment when you need to jot something down.                               

Pencil Pouch - My pencil pouch holds all my Staedtler color pens I use while taking notes, permanent markers, and pencils.  In addition, it holds my first aid kit, chapstick, meds, and gum.  I like to keep my essentials all in one poach so it is very accessible and easy to find. 

Wallet: J. Crew - More so a coin purse, but this thing has officially replaced my bulky wallet.  I got it at J. Crew for like $9.80,  and it's probably one of my favorite purchases.  I hold my cash, cards, license, and even my school ID in it, and it still has some room in it left.  It's super compact and really easy to carry around, especially if you commute to work.  

iPhone 5S- Thankfully, I recently upgraded my phone from my super janky 4S, and I am in love.  I literally survive on my phone, and I probably can't live without it.  It has my life on it, and I am sad to admit that.  Especially when commuting, I always pull up Spotify to pull up my favorite songs-one of them being Pools by Glass Animals (I'll do a post on my fave songs ofm soon).  I also live on my Instagram and Snapchat, and I also type in all my schedules that are integrated to my google account.  I also edit documents on my phone via google drive which is super helpful when you are interning and on the go.  

Leisure Book: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami - If you know me in person, you would know that I am a Murakami fangirl and that I own at least 8 of his novels.  However, I have yet to read his most famous work.  I always carry a book around with me when I leave the door in the morning so I have something to do other than staring at my phone when I commute to work or whenever I have some free time.  

Let's Freshen' Up : Burberry Brit, Hair ties, Comb, Lipgloss, CC cream compact- After work, I always hit the gym.  However, after work, I sometimes have plans with my friends in the evening.  To make sure I'm not super gross and smelly, I spray on some perfume, brush my hair, and apply a little color to my lips.  

Eyewear: Glasses-Vogue.  Sunglasses-Rayban - I think it's pretty much common sense, but make sure you protect your eyes and wear your glasses when it's sunny outside.  

With all these stuffed in my bag and with my coffee and badge in hand, I'm out the door and able to function for the whole day.  I'm really glad that I'm  able to get paid for learning over the summer and network with a lot of really intelligent people.  I want to know if you are working over the summer and what you are doing. 

Happy Tuesday!

-Rachel