Favorite Place to Shoot Pool in New York City

July 3, 2017

WEARING: FOREVER 21 WHITE SHIRT | VAGABOND HONEY JAKARTA DENIM PANTS | 
POTROL FAUX LEATHER NEON YELLOW HOLSTER PURSE | GUCCI BELT | 
STEVE MADDEN BLACK ANKLE BOOTS

HAIR & MAKEUP BY: BEAUTY DIRECTOR VALERIE STAR OF CARAVAN NYC.

This post is sponsored by ForRent.com but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Well, ya got trouble, my friend, right here,
I say, trouble right here in River City.
Why sure I'm a billiard player,
Certainly mighty proud I say
I'm always mighty proud to say it.
I consider that the hours I spend
With a cue in my hand are golden.

–

Though I have called the East Village, home, for the past ten and a half years, (have been living in New York City for over 11) my new stomping grounds are now Union Square. This section's unmatched diversity brings together poets, professionals, protesters, and everyone in between. Anchored by its central plaza, Union Square extends into surrounding streets filled with a mix of corporate giants and neighborhood staples. Farmer’s markets and street performers add to Union Square’s cultural significance and popular appeal. A place where I can shake off the stress and get away from the day, Amsterdam Billiards is one of my favorite hangouts in New York City, and one of the many new perks of living in Union Square. In today's post, I'll be sharing with you guys reasons why Union Square is a great section in the city to live in along with why this is my favorite pool parlor in the entire city.

Now I'm not exactly, 'the Black Widow', but I've had my fair share in shooting pool. I've been playing since I was a kid, my uncle used to have a pool table in his 'man cave' and I think that's where the interest initially sparked. For whatever reason, I find the game relaxing and enjoyable with friends. And my favorite billiard to shoot pool in in New York City is this place in Union Square, Amsterdam Billiards. It's got 25 billiards tables plus Ping-Pong, darts, foosball, full bar & food but what stands out to me are the memories of this place with the people I love. My husband, my friends - we've had some good laughs and games in this joint. So now that it's the long holiday weekend and I'm staying in town, I thought it'd be nice to go back and play on top of sharing a place I hold dear to my heart. New York has a way of doing that to you.

Another favorite place in my new neighborhood would definitely be The Strand, a landmark bookshop that carries new, used & rare books that literally stretches for 18 miles. I stop in there at least a couple of times of week, whether it's searching in the half-off bins outside or checking out the photography section for inspiration and research, it is a really amazing book store. Union Square also has two great music venues, Webster Hall and Irving Plaza. I also enjoy the Greenmarket for its fresh flowers and herbs. When I have the time, I love to pick out fish or meat to cook and experiment a new recipe with, especially during the summer alongside some squash and corn.

Other stores I don't live without are Adorama for all my camera/photography needs, New York Costumes for props, Sephora for makeup and skincare, and Food Emporium for groceries. When going out to eat around the neighborhood, I love L'Express for French, Barn Joo for Korean, Blue Water Grill for seafood and Maison Kayser for pastries. Recent new pasta discovery in Union Square? Vapiano, where their basil pesto with pine nuts and parmesan is TO. DIE. FOR. The famous Coffeeshop is where I have a lot of my meetings midday. It's a cool people-watching place while dining al fresco. And the staff's not too bad-looking either... ;)

Living somewhere like New York City is competitive let alone expensive, but with its amazing food, entertainment, culture, beautiful sights and so much to do, the highlights sort of outweigh all of the chaos that goes on in a city such as the one I love. It's definitely not the easiest place to live, but if you keep your eye on the ball, you can set out to do a lot more than you think. What are some of your favorite sections in New York City? If you could live in any one of them, which one would you like to live in? If you're considering moving to and living in New York City, check out ForRent.Com, an apartment rental listing service where potential renters can search for professionally managed apartments. Got questions about living here? I'd love to answer! Leave them in the comments down below or you can find me on one of my social media channels! Have a wonderful start to your week and Happy Fourth of July!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Rhapsody in Blue - Happy 1 Year Blogiversary

August 9, 2016

WEARING: FOREVER 21 BLUE DRESS | H&M SCARF | ADIDAS ORIGINALS STAN SMITH

photos by Gilles Decamps / videography by Gilles Decamps & Suzanne Spiegoski / edit by Suzanne Spiegoski

Happy 1 Year Blogiversary to MaQ + Suz! What an incredible year it's been, I had to celebrate! Check out my 'Rhapsody in Blue' video for the occasion! Thank you so much for your constant love & support, I couldn't have done this without you guys! Cheers!

Exactly one year ago today, I created and launched my lifestyle blog, MaQ + Suz! I've come a long way throughout this crazy embarkment of a journey. To learn is to grow and I'm so lucky to be able to do what I love in the process. Never did I imagine I could roll all my passions into one whole and have that actually be plausible. It's kind of like New York in that way. It doesn't make any sense as to how it works, but it does. In every way possible.

There were some highs and lows; challenging at times, yes - but I've always enjoyed biting off more than I can chew. I'm a true believer in the power of intention. If you set your mind to something, you can make anything happen. You just really have to believe in it, more importantly, you must believe in yourself. I've worked very hard to get to where I am today and I couldn't have kept on going without you guys! Your daily words of encouragement remind me why I do what I do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your constant love and support. I'm left completely inspired and incredibly humbled by all the experiences, friendships, and lessons from this year. I've truly made some wonderful, empowering connections - both new and old.

And it's all because I decided to take a leap of faith. I never wanted an ordinary life or even a glamorous one, and I most certainly have never played it safe. I'm living the life I've always imagined, open and free. This year was also highlighted on stepping out of comfort zones. Without MaQ + Suz, I would not be where I am right now, both professionally and personally, and for that, I'm eternally grateful. It's been one wild ride and I can't wait to see what year two will bring!

In light of this occasion, I'll be doing a 1-Year Blogiversary Giveaway on my Instagram! Keep your eyes peeled in the next coming days! I can't wait to share! Lastly, I've got some upcoming stories I'm so excited to share with you! MaQ + Suz will be posting another interview feature with a New York actress and dear friend [photos too (by moi) ;)] and an overdue recipe I'm dying to show you! Coming soon, so stay tuned! Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and watch our Blogiversary - celebration video! :)

LOVE & XX'S,

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When Bloggers Do Dumbo

June 3, 2016

WEARING: MOTO RIPPED MOM SHORTS | BASIC MEDALLION BANDANA | 
ARTIFACT NECKLACE | EXPRESS DENIM VEST | ALDO BUGIANO STUDDED ANKLE BOOTIES | 
RAY-BAN CLUBMASTERS | SEPCOEUR PARIS SUEDE DRAWSTRING BAG

Happy Friday! Last weekend, I met up with two other New York bloggers, Nataliya from Style Tomes & Andrea from Pretty Proper Quaint, to venture a day in Brooklyn. I love to meet like-minded bloggers from the city and do photo shoots. It's a great way to interact and engage with fellow bloggers. And, I'm all about learning and growing, which nevertheless will take place when getting to know others in your field and spending the day with them. Can you believe that I've never visited the Brooklyn Bridge Park since living here for over a decade?! It just goes to show that New York City is filled with endless amounts of adventure and fun.

We stopped at Jane's Carousel for a youthful outing. For $2, you can feel l like a kid again. Besides, you're never too old to go for a spin! And it's a great location for a photo shoot. Whether it's for your kids or a casual photo-op, I find this place to be whimsical and full of laughter and smiles. My kind of energy! We also visited Brooklyn-based artist Deborah Kass's Yo/Oy sculpture, which is a wonderful addition to New York's public art. I love to see anything that has to do with art, especially street art and graffiti. On the way back to the city, I suggest we take the East River Ferry, as this is also something I've never done! What's great about this form of transportation is you hop from Brooklyn, to Queens, to Manhattan, and even Governor's Island when in season. And bonus... you can take your dog with you! Can't wait to do it again with MaQ next time!

Coming up on the blog this week, a fusion recipe of a popular summer cocktail from the tropics (getting excited for me and my hubby's 10-yr dating anniversary trip!!!), a newfound love for a skincare product (with a giveaway so keep an eye out!), and a favorite quiche recipe, perfect for the weekend brunch! Stay tuned! :)

LOVE & XX'S

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The NYBG's Annual Orchid Show - Part 1

March 4, 2016

Front & center: The signature centerpiece through the center of the exhibition; an utter wonderment of whimsical vibrant orchids and tropical plants climbing a towering waterfall.

A rich palette of orchids in myriad shapes drizzling from the cascading waterfall.

Obligatory portrait among the thousands of orchids!

Detail of these tinier white, yellow & magenta orchids.

Psychedelic orchids! Aren't these trippy? Spell-binding if you ask me.

Taking a breather by one of the conservatory pools to say hello to some waterlilies! :)

While exploring the Haupt Conservatory's exhibition, look for a 19th-century orchid propagation display featuring a copy of Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala, a landmark work by Victorian horticulturist James Bateman. — While exploring the Haupt Conservatory's exhibition, look for a 19th-century orchid propagation display featuring a copy of *Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala*, a landmark work by Victorian horticulturist James Bateman.

Green cymbidiums. 💚 — Green cymbidiums. 💚

Close up of these beauties. The details are out of this world!

The Question of my Mother poem by Robin Ekiss, from The Mansion of Happiness. — The *Question of my Mother* poem by Robin Ekiss, from *The Mansion of Happiness*.

Bye, NYBG! Can't wait to come back for a visit soon! 👋❤️✌️

Last Sunday, my husband and I took our first trip up to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Since we both have never been there and I was feeling extra sentimental during the month of February, I was quite adamant on having us trek out there to see one of the finest beauties in nature: Orchids. And then some. The entire show holds three different rooms. When you first enter into the conservatory you are immersed in a tropical rainforest where we both immediately started removing our wintry layers from the heat and humidity. 80 degrees can warm you right up! ;)

The second passageway brings you into the desert, with a variety of cacti and succulents. I always found plant life in the middle of nowhere, such as an environment like the desert, to be fascinating. To thrive and overcome at the bare minimal of maintenance and care is something us humans should be more mindful of. I feel the world of plants, flowers included, can teach you much about life and yourself. They're on the same journey as you, if you think about. We are born, we live, and then we wither and die. But what we do while we're here is what counts. And they live to make the Earth a better place all the while bringing smiles and warm, fuzzy hearts to us.

Then halfway into the show, you'll come across a countless number of different colored orchids in all shapes and sizes climbing a cascading waterfall—an homage to the inspired glasshouse habitats of the Victorian era that replicated the flowers' natural environment. This, of course, was the highlight of the show, among the many, if not thousands, of displaying orchids. It felt like I was walking in a dream. With my mom! She would've really loved to see this show, but deep down in my heart I knew she was with me in spirit and smiling up above at the beauty of the world.

Fun fact about the name of the show: Orchidelirium is the name given to the Victorian era of flower madness when collecting and discovering orchids reached extraordinarily high levels. Wealthy orchid fanatics of the 19th century sent explorers and collectors to almost every part of the world in search of new varieties of orchids. [1] In Detroit at the Belle Isle Conservatory, Anna Scripps Whitcomb, left her grand collection of 600 orchids back in 1953. I would love to see this conservatory's collection. As an original Michigander, it is a place I've never been to either. I also can't wait for the Cherry Blossoms at the BBG later this month either. Perhaps another blog post in the works? 😉

And lastly, coming up this weekend, I will be posting up my look of the week which include designer brands such as Louis Vuitton, Assembly New York, & Nike. Think corporate sporty chic! Plus details of my new favorite jewelry accessories will be included as well. Stay tuned, I'm excited to share the photos with you! Have a lovely weekend and come back again soon!

PS - The NYBG Orchid Show is running until April 17th! Go check it out here now!

Love & xx's,

Source: www.nybg.org

Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist and Angels. François Boucher. (French, Paris 1703–1770) 1765. Oil on canvas.

Metropolitan Museum of Art - Part 1

January 19, 2016

This past Sunday I spent the entire afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of my most favorite places on Earth! A trip to the Met always leaves me inspired and immediately wanting to go back for more, a must-see pit stop if you're in New York City! One of the many endless reasons why I love this museum is it's size and capacity. It is ENORMOUS and even after being there countless of times, I still, of course, haven't even seen half of it! (Or so it seems.) There's so much to look at, I get a little overwhelmed each time. I just want to see everything and soak it all in. I do have a minor in Art History after all. :)

Ranging from Quattrocento to Baroque art, to Impressionism and even Expressionism, (shocker!) here are only some of my many all-time favorite works of art at the Met. Trust me, I could write a book just on my selections from today's post! Scroll down to see art of extraordinary quality, or perhaps to see a painting you haven't seen before, or for a pick-me-up from the long weekend. What are some of your favorite art movements and/or artists? We love hearing from our readers!

Lastly, coming soon this week on the blog, a whole post on the Met's most recent exhibition: Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style, focusing on the internationally renowned style icon Countess Jacqueline de Ribes, whose originality and elegance established her as one of the most celebrated fashion personas of the 20th century. AND FYI: you have to also check out Ancient Egypt Transformed: The Middle Kingdom, an exhibition closing soon through January 24th. It was so spectacular I barely took any photos because I was so immersed in the artifacts. Really terrific, go see it now before it ends! Have a great day! Enjoy the pics below. :)