Weekly Graffiti Art

September 24, 2015

We're catching up on our weekly discoveries of graffiti art in New York City! And boy, do we have some goodies!

You ain't nothin' but a HOUND dog, cryin' all the time! ♪ ♫

I can't find the above artist, but I do enjoy HOUND's blatant big letters. maQ especially did. ;)

Buff Monster's obsession with the color pink, eyeballs and seemingly melted ice cream are all the rage. I never get tired seeing his work! Look at maQ owning this pyramid! His murals are always with so much confidence and radiate with happiness! Even my dog can't help but smile. :)

Next is Jack Aguirre in collaboration with The 100 Gates Project at Sticky Rice on 85 Orchard St. This man has talent! What an incredible illustration. If you don't know about The 100 Gates Project, please go check them out. It's 100 security gates all around the city painted up with beautiful graffiti art each by a different artist. I think this is really great! We are definitely keeping an eye out for more when we we're on our daily walks as of late.

Jerkface! Need I say more? I love Marvin the Martian, and this guy's work. He's always doing animated characters, like other Looney Tunes' characters, The Simpsons, Ren & Stimpy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and so many others! He almost always does his walls with a collage of the same character and this affect is clearly shown through different expressions and movements. Such dope work.

Billy The Artist is all contemporary and we love him! I do get a Keith Haring vibe in some of his work. Just gorgeous color and design. I particularly love this shot of my boy. maQ was looking a little bashful, given a small crowd quickly grew to watch this spectacle. Ha ha! Bystanders are always impressed with us and will even sometimes comment about it. It normally entails of how much control I have of maQ or how calm and mellow he is during a shot. He is a lady killer, the girls gush over him all the time! When he was a puppy, it literally took me an hour to walk around the block because people stopped me every step I took, squeaking and gawking over how cute he was! <3

Do you know of a graffiti art piece we haven't been to that you think we should check out? Comment below! We love hearing from our readers!

Happy Thursday!

Love & xx's,

maQ and suz

OOTD with Joey Ramone

September 22, 2015

WEARING: SPARKLE & FADE OLIVE GREEN SHIRT | THE SAVVY HEART 
THE EZRA NECKLACE IN WHITE ONYX | VINTAGE SUEDE & LEATHER
MINI FRINGE CROSS BODY BAG | RAY-BAN CLUBMASTER | STEVE MADDEN 
NOBLE STONE PEEP TOE SHOE BOOT |

Yesterday I blogged about a necklace giveaway contest I'm doing this week. See the necklace with my outfit of the day? This necklace made by The Savvy Heart, is run by a lovely and talented duo based out in Seattle, and not only does incredible jewelry, but also makes apothecary sprays, stationary and pottery! The Ezra Necklace is still up for grabs until Friday! All you have to do is get on Instagram and go to my account and follow the details! My user name is @suzannespiegoski :) Good luck to everyone!

Here is a close up shot showing you the spike details with the brass and onyx stone. The winner will get their choice of this necklace in black or white! And don't forget the extra goodies: a polishing cloth and a 15% promo code toward an online purchase!

And to all my dog lovers, Happy Tongue Out Tuesday! This is from one of our many outtakes - I'd normally pick a more smiley picture of my handsome fella, but this is too good. What a face! Looks like someone is getting ready for their closeup. ;)

I'm really digging this lipstick I've been wearing from NARS. The color is called Greta and it's the perfect pop of pink for the Fall! The rich pigmentation and luxurious texture looks and feels great! And it's long lasting which is always a good thing for a gal who's running around. I love me some soft lips! Ha ha!

A few of weeks ago, a Joey Ramone mural was created on Bowery St. across the street from the famous CBGB rock club, here in New York City. Of course, maQ and I had to check it out! We decided it would be fun to incorporate an OOTD with this spectacular mural.

The story behind the boxing gloves is its symbolism to The Ramone's relentless struggle before really making it big and ultimately becoming who they became to be. Solus and John (Crash) Matos, the artists behind this inspiring piece, left me in awe of their art and their message, to never stop believing in yourself and to keep going. Never give up what you want!

Thanks for stopping by to see us and Joey! We'll be back with some more graffiti soon! And remember, always kick ass! Because you're amazing! Peace.

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Graffiti Wednesday

September 16, 2015

Today, I'm sharing with you some of our most recent graffiti art discoveries from our daily strolls around the city. We go everywhere, and when feeling extra blue, I tend to walk it off until I feel better. With my loyal companion in tow, New York City, my city, has a way of turning shitty times into a temporary escape. Whether it's forgetting about the horrible day you just had or even though you've been living in this city for nearly ten years, you can still fall into its energy and get lost in that kind of aura. This place is my home and never fails to keep me moving, both in my heart and in my feet. New York, even though you are one bad, bitch, I still love the fuck out of you. Thanks for always keeping it real.

Looks like maQ's newest #wcw is Jenna Morello's Lioness in Little Italy! Roar! ;) In all seriousness though, I believe the artist did these #forCecil, a male Southwest African lion who was killed in North Zimbabwe by a Minnesota dentist. He was 13 years old. A painting of Cecil can be found to the left of the lioness. We missed out on this shot since there were a lot of people working around it during the Little Italy festival.

This new piece at the Bowery Wall on Houston Street is by the incredibly dope artist, Futura Dos Mil. This mural is titled, "Nuance", and at first glance, is a flurry of subdued emotions. The lines and symmetry are all over the place, yet at the same time, everything is perfectly in place. How could that be?

nu·ance // n(y)o͞oˌäns// noun

a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound.

It is really beautiful to see. This installation is extremely large in scale and with the play of light and shadows, it's actually quite breathtaking.

Adam Dare's 'Love is Love' is the polar opposite of Futura's piece, but just as awesome. That's what I love about art. No matter what it is, or in what style or technique, if you feel something from it, anything really, then it matters. It's important. Kind of like love, in it that if you really love someone, then this too, in fact, matters and is important. Regardless of who you are, and even more importantly, who they are. We can't help but feel what we feel.

“And in the end,
The love you take,
Is equal to the love,
You make.””

— The Beatles

Lastly, I leave you with Hektad's hearts of hearts. His work never fails to remind me that it's all about love, but just like anything else in this world, no matter how you try and do it, it won't be perfect. When it comes to matters of the heart, you have to constantly keep working on yourself and with others. It's about that joint effort to make it work. Remember the give-and-take rule, kiddies. If one person is trying and the other isn't, it'll never be enough.

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

On maQ's Head

September 15, 2015

I do all sorts of activities with my German Shepherd, maQ. As you know, he is a major part of my life and of course, obviously plays a big part in our blog, maQ + suz. We are both active, love the outdoors and have a soft spot for late morning snoozing and indulging in snack attacks together. We love to play. His plush toys are his ultimate favorite besides balls. Before I introduce him to any new toy, dog, or person, he is asked to do something in return for the interaction. For example, if we're meeting someone new, he is always told to sit first before the interaction begins. With his plush toys, I will not only have him sit, but will work on impulse control and have him balance it on his head. Check it out! Say Pineapple!

Look at that smile! I swear he'd do anything I'd ask him to! Ha! What a derp! He's not always all smiles though, you can see for yourself! Ha ha ha! I'd like to think it's because he's in full concentration mode but I know it's because sometimes he's just not feeling it.

Like this weird, green, frog/octopus hybrid toy, even in his most, 'REALLY, mom? Again?!' expressive face, he's so cute! I always reward him with tons of treats during any kind of photo shoot. I break down his favorites into tiny pieces so that way he doesn't eat entire boxes of treats everyday! That way, we make any experience a positive one and in the process a fun one as well!

There's that smile again! Doesn't this last picture give you all the hippy vibes? ;) And I have to admit, that's a pretty good tongue for a Tongue Out Tuesday! We hope he puts a smile on your face, like most people he comes across with, unless they think they're lunch meat, in which case, they flee rather quickly...

For more of maQ and I, you can find us on Instagram and Twitter!

We hope you enjoy the rest of your day!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

LET'S CONNECT!

Type and Listen.

September 10, 2015

The only kind of music I can actually concentrate to while writing is and has always been classical music. I'm a lover of all things instrumental, but was quickly drawn into the classical music realm when I was a young teenager. Truthfully, I'm kind of a geek about it. I still, as a hobby, collect CD's but only in this genre. I could care less about the digital crap when it comes to looking for treasure. There's something rare in its form when you by happenstance come across gems all over the city. I use to go crazy at the Virgin Megastore while it was still around in Union Square. My husband and I would go every weekend, and go our separate ways; him with his movies and me with my music.

I've got a stack of reasons not only to enjoy classical music, but to appreciate it. Classical music has been shown to lower stress, make people smarter (!), and can even be a lovely sleeping aid. A 2001 study out of Southern Methodist University supports that listening to classical music heightened the emotions in the study subjects. They were more expressive and effusive with their comments, and they were more openly available as well.

Want to learn more about the transformative power of classic music? If you have the time (the video is about 20 minutes long), check out this TED video of Benjamin Zander. It's probably, in my opinion, one the best discussions I've ever listened to regarding classical music. It is truly significant. And it is special.

I have an endless amount of favorite composers but I'd thought I should name at least a few. (In no particular order)

Chopin
Rachmaninoff
Jules Massenet
Brahms
Erik Satie
Johann Strauss I
Liszt
Schubert

I didn't want to list the obvious! Of course I worship Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and others but like I said, the amount is endless. If you're anything like the pianist loving freak that I am, you'll love Mitsuko Uchida (I've seen her play live at Carnegie Hall and it was completely amazing) and Dong Hyek Lim.

The pages upon pages of sonatas, concertos, you name it, that I've kept with me through the years, is what I go back to when I'm looking for a certain tone to work with into my writing. When it comes to writing, I always use a computer for manuscripts but I do enjoy using my Olympia typewriter for poetry and short stories.

It even comes with its own case, so it's portable but it's too bulky for me to carry around. Hence, the digital computers. I use Macs and also have a Microsoft Surface Pro 3. I've always wanted to use the typewriter to complete a screenplay. Though when I do type, I make far too many errors, it could get technically frustrating. But regardless of what I just said, isn't she an aesthetic beauty? With a name like Olympia, how can she not be female? ;)

Lastly, today is World Suicide Prevention Day, and I wanted to leave you a quote in relation to this ever-growing dilemma. Let's all take some time today to become more aware of what we can do to help the ones we love who are going through this. Sometimes all it takes is a person to listen. Your story isn't over yet. You're worth another chapter.