Hava Media

📦✨ THE TOTAL PACKAGE… Let’s talk Black Friday. ⬇️

I could say something cheesy like, “You don’t need to buy anything to be complete,” and that’s true. It’s also true that clothes/accessories can really help to show what’s inside that package. (After all, when something is packed up nicely at the store, or you can see a picture of what’s inside the box, it helps you understand the item, right?)

Plus, LET’S BE HONEST… I also love shopping!! So tell me, what is in a package you ordered on a Black Friday deal!? 💬👇

🍁 Feeling so much gratitude this Thanksgiving. [more explained below]

I’m grateful for my tight-knit family. I’m grateful for my boyfriend. Grateful for my relatives. Grateful for a supportive community of friends. Grateful for my ability to fly to Houston to spend time with my family. (This is my first Thanksgiving with my family since 2020.)

I’m also grateful for my role model.

As you can see from this set of photos (taken this morning), my beautiful mama— my rock, my best friend— is a warrior gracefully battling cancer.

Even though my mama doesn’t have hair to style right now, she has found other ways to express herself visually— makeup, jewelry, hats!

As someone super passionate about self-expression, watching her enjoy these other ways of accessorizing has lit me up. I mean, look at how much confidence— and personality— she brings to the camera!

I’ve gone back and forth on sharing this news on social media for quite a while because I keep a certain amount of my personal life private. I hope that sharing this snippet of my personal life inspires you to find ways to express yourself and your gratitude, especially through life’s challenges. ♥️

🍁 Autumn in New York 🍂

Trying to decide whether this is a costume or a fun way to rep the NYC lifestyle. 🤔😉 HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 🌆🎃💛

Bringing personality to the camera— slide to see what comes out after I’m tired of smiling 😋

DISCOVERING NYC: Broadway Musicals! ✨🎫👇

For discount tickets (and a fun way to let fate determine what shows you see), digital lottos are the way to go! 🎟️

For starters, these tickets are heavily discounted. Most digital lottery tickets cost $35-$65, and the Hamilton lottery charges just $10 per ticket. (Seeing MJ— the show pictured here— cost me $49.)

But why do the DIGITAL lottery rather than approaching a box office? Because you don’t have to risk time going somewhere, only to be turned away. (Disclaimer: I haven’t attempted this method of getting inexpensive Broadway tickets; I don’t want to take the risk of my time!)

So what’s the catch?

You may not win. So, don’t make other plans incumbent upon winning discount tickets.

The lotteries are only open for a certain period of time, usually the day/week before, and if you win, you only have 30-60 minutes (depending on the show) to purchase your ticket(s) before it is offered to someone else who entered the lottery.

When you enter the drawings, you have the choice to enter to win one ticket or two tickets. (If you want to attend with more than one person, you could consider that another “catch”.)

But here’s the thing— if you put your name in for two tickets and win, in order to see the show, you must purchase two tickets; it’s an all-or-nothing situation. (In other words, you cannot enter your name for two tickets, and then only buy one.)

The last “catch” that comes to my mind is the fact that you don’t get to choose your seat; you receive an email approximately an hour ahead of showtime with your ticket (which indicates your seat position in the theatre.)

HOWEVER, although these “catch”es can be inconvenient, I’m grateful that the opportunity exists to see these shows at a lower price. I’ve done this successfully a handful of times now! 🎭

The biggest surprise? Sometimes landing top-tier orchestra seats! (Although my best view so far— from a digital lottery ticket— has been to the show , swipe to see the view from my seat at MJ.)

If you COMMENT the word “LOTTO!” or a ticket 🎟️/🎫 emoji, I’ll DM you the website where you can find digital lottery info to every show that does it!

🍺 something about a rainy Oktoberfest felt perfect… cheers! 🍻🥨🌧️

🍁 Styling for Autumn in New York 🍁 brown manicure • mixed metal ring stack • “grateful” bracelet • vibrant sweater

So happy to be back 💐🪞🌃

✨ September Discovery Dump 👇

1. Working in a Studio - LOVED this experience. Admittedly, I only had a little bit of help, and working solo is far from easy. But I loved being on set, doing wardrobe changes, and having multiple cameras and lights in front of me. This is something I aspire to do again in the future.

2. Amazon Slippers - If you follow my journey intently, you may know that I live in New York City, and I am currently in an LDR. When I visit my boyfriend, I like to spend solid time with him, but I don't like to shove my slippers in a suitcase. So, I found a cute pair of soft slippers on Amazon that I can keep at his place! I usually opt for neutrals, but I am enjoying a lil pop of color with these slippers. I also LOVE platform shoes, so the fact that the soles of these slippers are at least an inch high makes little me quiiiite happy!

3. White Sands National Park - A vast area with hills of pure white sand (gypsum) that continues on for miles and miles.

4. Eggs in a Nest… IN THE TOASTER OVEN! - All you gotta do is coat tin foil with butter, eat a circle out of the center of a piece of bread, crack an egg into it, and let it sit in a 400ºF (204ºC) toaster oven for about 8 minutes. No need to stand over a stove!

5. Other Industry Professionals - Attending a 2-day expo/conference hosted by B&H at the Javits Center was an exciting opportunity for me. Learning from insightful speakers and walking away with a bigger network felt empowering.

6. AllSaints Dress - What can I say? It fits perfectly! I've been getting a lot more into fashion and personal style lately, so you can expect to see a lot more content around this coming up!

7. Pakistani Food - As as mostly plant-based eater, I was thrilled by the plethora of vegetarian dishes, and everything was so flavorful! It's similar to Indian food, but if you haven't tried Pakistani food, add it to your list of cuisines to try!

That's our roundup! Stay tuned for the October Discovery Dump. ✨

DO I HAVE MAGIC POWERS?? ✨⬇️

No. Well, maybe?

Here’s the thing— I’m in pedal-to-the-metal mode, doing what I need to do, and the grind can be incredibly draining. It doesn’t feel magical at all.

But recently I have experienced some unbelievable coincidences. For me, they serve as small little hints from the universe that I am on the right track— which encourages me to continue hustling.

I’m not sure where these “coincidences” might take me, but if they’re anywhere profound, we’ll all know in time.

So, even if your path feels far from magical— because that’s probably how it feels, right?— FIND the magic in the situation. Look for examples of perfect timing, hearing exactly what you need to, etc.

And if nothing else, STAY GRATEFUL. When you approach your world with gratitude, you train your brain to find the magic, and I’m starting to think that’s how it manifests too.

COMMENT: What is something ✨magical✨ that happened in your life recently?

Highlights from an amazing weekend! ⬇️

🇨🇳 PIC 2: Filming in Chinatown

⚾️ PIC 3: Yankees-Red Sox Game

🥞 PIC 4: Filming a Food Tour in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

🎭 PIC 5: Six The Musical

🍸 PIC 6: Bar Overlooking Times Square

🐱 PICS 7 & 8: Filming in Ridgewood, Queens

🩵 PIC 9: Hangin’ with Longtime Friends in Midtown

Meeting people and making friends locally here in New York is currently one of my priorities— and so far, so good! But this one is still my favorite friend. We can spend hours together and wish we had even more time together! (Not to mention the fact that we've been best friends for several years and have the special experiences that come with being a couple too. 😉) I love my Sam. 🥰

Looking for an Instagrammable cafe spot? Save this post!

📍Eat Pretty in the Upper East Side, NYC

REAL MOMENT: I felt floating stress this morning. Getting dressed and feeling put-together gave me a little psychological relief. What a reminder that the outside can affect the inside. 😊

[Link in Bio] Head to YouTube to see this CREATIVE NYC ACTIVITY:

The FAMOUS Blossoming Hot Chocolate from
+ The Brooklyn Bridge

It looks like fall, but my WINTER clothes are OUT! ❄️ It’s gotten cold here in the city, and I’m embracing it with the help of some of my favorite brands. (NOT SPONSORED— I’m just a girl having fun with clothes as the weather changes!)

NEW SERIES* debuted TODAY on YOUTUBE! (LINK IN BIO)

These days I’m sharing LOADS of New York City content (in case you haven’t noticed 😉😋). However, my underlying mission is not actually to attract more people to NYC (though, that could be a great byproduct).

My mission is to influence people to follow their dreams, and that starts with walking my talk. Living in NYC and producing content about the city has been one of my biggest dreams for many years. (Since I was a child I had an unusual draw to the idea of New York.)

So I mustered up the courage to hop on a plane with a suitcase and move to NYC all by myself. After one tumultuous year (I made a whole YouTube series recapping the experiences I overcame), I have found my way in New York City.

Glamorous as it sounds— she moved to NYC by herself and “made it”!— that’s not entirely accurate.

No one reaches success alone. No. body.

Of course certain people in my life played the biggest role in helping me achieve this dream. Think: being there for me when I needed to cry, talking through challenges with me, showing me unconditional love, etc.

But there are some hidden supporters that help me achieve my dreams--

The PRODUCTS that serve as tools and enhancements to my experiences!

Does a pack of gel pens gel help me muster the courage to hop on a plane and dive into the unknown? No. But it does help me plan what’s coming up in a fun and inspiring way— inching me closer to my DREAM LIFESTYLE of a creative, colorful life!

Also, with a degree in marketing, I especially love good branding, and wasting money never feels good, no matter how much of it you have.

So I present to you…

“WORTH THE MONEY” — a show where I give you honest recommendations for products and services based on my own experiences that may be useful on the path to your dream life(style) too!

LINK IN BIO to see the first episode!

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*This series is in beta. I have produced a handful of episodes. After seeing how it performs and if there is interest in future episodes, I will evaluate whether to continue production. (In other words… if you like it, you better speak up!! 😉)

SLIDE to see a real life 😜! This is what happens when…

I do whatever it takes to make the content happen!

I have gotten DIRTY (literally… dirt on me), SWEATY, WET, TIRED, and SANDY (in the case of these photos). 🥵💦🥱

I’ve also “EMBARRASSED” myself. 🙊(Quotation marks because I usually don’t *feel* embarrassed— it’s embarrassment by other people’s standards.)

In fact, when I was filming my clips for the dollar pizza video (on YouTube) 🍕, a girl my age turned to me and said that she admired how unapologetic I was about taking my photos/videos (because there were plenty of people in my surroundings who could have judged me).

The thing is, when I’m capturing the moments, I recognize that they are one-of-a-kind. (Even if I can return later, it won’t be the same, and, realistically, I don’t have time to redo everything I’m doing.)

So I want to seize the opportunity to the fullest. Whether that means immersing myself fully (which can be quite challenging while I’m also filming— I tend to turn off the camera to give myself these moments) or getting dirty/sweaty/etc., I DO IT.

I answer my internal objections like this:

Getting dirty? You’re washable. 🧼

Getting sweaty? Again, you’re washable. 🧼

Getting wet? You’ll dry. 🌵

Getting tired? Your energy is renewable. ♻️

Getting sandy? …how many times do I have to say, “You’re washable”? 🧼

Feeling embarrassed? You won’t see these people again. 🙈 OR If/when you were/are “successful”, would you worry about what others think? (Obvious answer— no.)

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do! 💥

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How I Edit My YouTube Videos to Make Them Engaging:

1. BE SELECTIVE 🤔

Sometimes it can be really hard to let go of a clip or section of a video I really like, but if it doesn’t enhance the overall project, or if it is repetitive in some way, it hits the chopping block nine times out of ten.

2. LIMIT LENGTH 🎞

On that same note, I follow the advice to “make the video as long as it needs o be but as short as possible”. Meaning, don’t sacrifice something that does enhance the video, but avoid fluff.

(I actually aim to make my videos around 10 minutes, give or take.)

3. QUICK CLIPS ✂️

Following the first two concepts, I also trim every single clip to be as short as possible. If it feels appropriate, I speed up the clip (2x, 4x, 8x, even 20x sometimes!). 🏃‍♀️ I cut out pauses and even breaths.

(As an example, notice that at the beginning of my videos the word immediately starts— you never hear the breath I took before saying the first word. If you start paying close attention when I’m speaking, you might even realize that you also don’t hear many breaths between words.)

4. VARY STIMULI 🎶

Vary the stimuli to recapture a viewer periodically. This could be popping up a title/b-roll (footage that visually demonstrates what’s being said), a sound effect, a sudden pause in the background music, switching “scenes”, etc.

This prevents it from becoming just one long, unbroken monologue, or a situation where the viewer feels like they have seen everything.

QUESTION: Do you like behind-the-scenes content?

COMMENT to let me know!

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Instagram model shots VS scrapbooky pictures that don’t usually land online. (But, ironically, here they are in this carousel. 😉)

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. 💫 Rejection is hard... double tap if you think that was huge understatement. 😪

Rejection is the very reason people often don’t put themselves out there. 🫣 Yet, giving up is the very definition of failure. Shifting goals and approaches are part of life; giving up doesn’t need to be.

Whatever is going on in your life these days, I want you to know that I’m here cheering you on! 📣 Keep going, and believe in yourself! 💪

There is so much NOISE from the outside about what we “should” do or “need” to do in order to be successful. BUT—

The problem is that there are very very few people giving anyone advice who can see the entirety of the advice-receiver’s situation. 🫣

Therefore, it truly is up to each of us to filter out the noise. 🤔

NOTE: It can be very difficult to filter because there is an important-yet-subtle distinction between…

GOOD ADVICE

and

GOOD ADVICE FOR YOURSELF.

⬆️ They are not always one in the same!

What’s some GOOD ADVICE and/or GOOD ADVICE FOR YOURSELF that you’ve received recently??👇

Do you ever feel like your life isn’t good enough when you see other people’s experiences on social media? 🫤

This is perfectly normal, but the comparison game should come with a warning label: THIS GAME CAN GO ON FOREVER. 😵‍💫 (It’s worse than Monopoly!)

The comparison game is a common phrase for that mental cycle we find ourselves in as we look at what we have (be it physical attributes, personality, money, lifestyle, etc.) and evaluate how it measures up to what someone else has. ⚖️

For example, one might look at the road trip she took to go camping and feel jealous of the social media personality who posted about her trip to Bali. 🏝 Before comparing her charming jaunt to that international adventure, she was focused on the blast she had camping. 🏕 Unfortunately, she allowed seeing someone else’s experience to take that joy away. 🙁

I’m not saying you shouldn’t scroll on social media (that would be the only way to truly guarantee that you don’t see something cool in someone else’s life). By simply recognizing this experience, you can become aware of those moments and start counteracting them with:

GRATITUDE— be thankful for the awesomeness in your world. 🙏✨

INSPIRATION— acknowledging that if you see someone else enjoying what you want, that means it exists in the world and is possible for you too (yes, this takes an element of faith and willingness to do what it takes to achieve it). 💫💪

This is how I avoid the comparison game pretty much altogether.

I want to have conversations here in the comments section. What else would you like to talk about!?👇

Just to make sure we’re all clear— I’m HUMAN. 💁‍♀️🍪

For the past couple weeks I’ve shared on my stories that I have had some major technological problems, which has interfered with my ability to get certain work done. 💻😰

As of this writing, I have spent NINE HOURS (542 minutes, or, 9 hours and 2 min, to be exact) on the phone with Apple advisors about this issue in the last 10 days, and have another call on the books for tonight. 😵‍💫 (I added up the call times in the record on my phone.) 📱📞

The stress of trying to stay afloat (between not being able to get some of my projects done AND pouring so many hours into apple calls, falling behind in my work became inevitable)— it has been a lot to shoulder. There’s no one to share the responsibilities— I’m currently in the soloprenuer stages of my business. (Not to mention the fact that I’m also actively prospecting in my tutoring business right now, which is a more intense part of the job— a time-consuming communication and first impressions.)

So about me “being human” 😅… and the choice of photo for this post 🍪… just because I am still exercising, showing up to my jobs, and putting on a happy face doesn’t mean I don’t feel the burdens. And it also doesn’t mean I don’t comfort myself. I do.

This, here, is a treat from . 🍪🌙 One afternoon, after I broke down crying uncontrollably on the phone with my boyfriend, I put in my earbuds, turned on theme songs from my favorite shows, and walked myself to a dessert shop. 🎧 (And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find myself at Insomnia Cookies one other time.)

I’ve also skipped a period. (And no— I’m definitely not pregnant. I take pregnancy tests monthly as a requirement of accutane, and my boyfriend and I are long-distance anyway.) It’s been quite a while since my stress levels have caused me to skip a period… the stress is real.

I went through so much last year (certainly harder challenges that this), that I know eventually this will pass, and on the other side I’ll feel better and be relieved that it’s behind me.

For now… all stress management tips are welcomed!! 😉👇

🐂 My zodiac sign is the TA**US. My Chinese New Year animal is the OX. I can’t help but scratch my head about the fact that mine symbols are the same animal, when one is based on birth days and the other is based on birth years. What could the similarity mean?⁣ 🤔
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I’d never done much investigation on this, but I got inspired to do some surface-level research. 💻 Before looking into it, I simply thought these animals signified strength and shrugged, figuring that I’m a pretty strong person. 💪 I was insecure about it though because I also assumed they might be associated with being headstrong and overbearing, which are not qualities that describe me.⁣ 🤷‍♀️
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Not surprisingly, stubbornness and uncompromisingness are weaknesses that came up for Ta**uses in my research. In my research of the Ta**us, I think that I match the Ta**us in some ways and not in others. For example, strengths of a Ta**us include both resilience and patience. While I am resilient to be sure, and patient as well, patience wasn’t an innate strength for me; it has taken a commitment to practice over the years to be a more patient person, and I still work on it in certain areas of life. ⁣🕐
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Activities that the Ta**us zodiac favors include cooking and gardening. 🍳 Cooking is something I have worked hard to learn to like, and gardening is something I have only recently started exploring. 🪴 So I say, mixed review. ⁣
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They say Ta**us’s are “adept at making their vision become reality,” and that really aligns really! ✨
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As far as the Chinese zodiac goes, I discovered another mixed personal accuracy. While the ox is considered hardworking✔️, intelligent✔️, and reliable✔️, it is emphasized as never looking to be the center of attention.⁣ 🫣
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Good or bad, I do love attention— my background in performance and creativity on social media is hard evidence of it! 🙃 Oxen are also described as low-key, and although I CAN be low-key, I wouldn’t describe my personality that way… I’m often a bundle of energy!⁣ 🥳
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What’s YOUR zodiac sign and/or Chinese New Year animal?⁣👇
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**us

What is TRUE wellness?? 🌿⁣
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Recently my stories I have been sharing my healthy morning rituals, such as exercising first thing, cooking breakfast, and drinking herbal tea. 🏋️‍♀️🍳☕️⁣
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I do plenty more as well (don’t get me started on the morning oral hygiene routine— I read a book about how important oral health 🦷🪥 is to the rest of the body, and I’ve been hooked ever since), but is that really all it is?⁣
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Of course not. ⁣
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TRUE wellness means to be physically AND mentally in a state of peace and harmony. ✨ It doesn’t mean the you are always perfect (I’m certainly not), but as a general rule of thumb you maintain physical health, foster emotional stability, and handle challenges appropriately as they arise. (Hence my extra gratitude practice this morning to offset the persistent technological challenges I’m dealing with. 🧘‍♀️🖥)⁣
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Overall, I would consider myself quite well.⁣
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HOW? I take intentional actions every day and lean into my strengths. Sure, there’s a lot more to it, but how long do we really want this caption to be? 😉⁣
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Let me know if you want to dive in deeper on this topic! 💬⬇️⁣
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🌟 A LESSON ON PRODUCTIVITY:⁣
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Stephen Covey conceptualized “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, as well as a table with 4 quadrants to guide time management. It is helpful for staying productive! ✏️⁣
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Picture a table with four boxes.⁣
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QUADRANT 1 (Top Left)⁣
This area represents tasks that are IMPORTANT and URGENT. Managing tasks under this pressure can be stressful, so it’s best to prevent tasks from getting to this point. 🤯⁣
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Procrastinating can cause this— if you wait too long to do something that is necessary, eventually it becomes urgent, and then you find yourself in a tense situation. 🚨⁣
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Q1 Examples: Deadlines, Crises, Medical Emergencies⁣
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QUADRANT 2 (Top Right)⁣
This is the sweet spot! 👌 This zone houses activities that are IMPORTANT and NOT URGENT. Most of your time should be spent here because you’ll accomplish what is meaningful without feeling overwhelmed. 😌⁣
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Planning is the Nº1 strategy to stay in quadrant 2. By mapping out deadlines, using a calendar, and making to-do lists, you ensure that nothing significant falls off your radar and that things get done with time to spare. 🗓⁣
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Q2 Examples: Projects in Queue, Relationship-building, Exercise, True Recreation/Relaxation⁣
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QUADRANT 3 (Bottom Left)⁣
Whatever falls into this category is NOT IMPORTANT and URGENT. It’s best to delegate these tasks as much as possible so that they get done without eating into your quadrant 2 time. 👥⁣
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Q3 Examples: Interruptions, Some Emails, Distractions⁣
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QUADRANT 4 (Bottom Right)⁣
Some things are NOT IMPORTANT and NOT URGENT. They tend to be time-wasters. Limit or eliminate these tasks altogether. You don’t need to do them, nor do you need to delegate it, which could waste someone else’s time. 🗑⁣
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Q4 Examples: Busywork, Junk Mail, Mindless Scrolling⁣
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To stay in quadrant 2, I utilize my planner and stay ahead on my tasks. Quadrant 1 is just too stressful, and the lower quadrants aren’t worth my precious time. 🕒⁣
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Give me a 1️⃣, 2️⃣, 3️⃣, or 4️⃣ to tell me which quadrant you’re currently operating in! 💬👇🏼⁣
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There was SO much graffiti on the Williamsburg Bridge walkway that I found myself looking at graffiti the way I look at seashells while beach-combing along a shoreline. 🔎👀 ⁣
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👉 SWIPE to see a few of my findings. 👉⁣
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Crossing the Williamsburg Bridge by foot was a special experience for me because I used to live in Williamsburg (on the south side), so I took the subway a million times over the Williamsburg Bridge. 🚇 Yesterday was my first time WALKING it! 🏃🏼‍♀️⁣
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🌎 FLAVOR: Planet Earth (Matcha Spirulina Swirl) ⬇️ ⁣
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is one of my favorites because it’s such a CREATIVE ice cream maker. 🎨 Sure, you can get common flavors if you want, but when dynamic options are available (such as— chocolate oat milk cookie dough chunk with honeycomb— yes, that’s a real flavor) I can’t resist!⁣ 🤩💭
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I’ve had plenty of Van Leeuwen ice cream before— both from the scoop shops and from grocery store pints— and this is by far the coolest flavor I’ve ever had! 10/10 and highly recommend. ⁣🌟
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Side Note: I don’t think this is one of their vegan flavors, but they’ve got a ton of vegan options too. ⁣
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— I am just obsessed with this brand and needed to share it with you! 😍🍦⁣
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You’re not looking at the New York skyline in this photo— you’re looking at New Jersey! 🏙 ⁣
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P.S. Is this photo the real life version of the daytime city emoji? 🧐⁣
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Today recommended this pizza place when someone in the audience— we saw the live taping of episode 1296– asked for his favorite pizza place! 🍕😁⁣
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has locations all over the city, so I knew I’d try it at some point… I just didn’t know that point was going to be today! ⁣
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Delicious slices. Thanks for the rec, Seth! 🍕🤤⁣
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