Photo: Mackenzie Thompson
Last Friday, I was invited by Koolaburra to join other influencers and editors in a day at the Penning’s Farm in Upstate NY. We had a blast apple picking and trying their variety of ciders while wearing the cutest Koolaburra boots. Fall has officially began!
Photo: Lindsey Thoeng
Photo: Lindsey Thoeng
Photo: Lindsey Thoeng
Photo: Lindsey Thoeng
Who doesn't love amazing shoes for a good price? And what if you can actually customize them and create your own unique design? I honestly, have never been so excited to talk about a shoe brand like I am right now. Shoes of Prey let me design my shoes, which was such a fun experience, and I was so impressed with the quality of my boots when I received them. If you look at their website, you can have an idea of the creation process and all variety of combinations that you can use. I also uploaded a quick video at the end of this post showing a time lapse of when I created mine.
I was decided to design a pair of killer white boots, but then I realized I could make a black and white one which would be more unique, so I went for it! I was so anxious to get my shoes and once they arrived I was so happy! First off all, I am one of those people who loves presentation, and their package was on point. Then the shoes were impeccably beautiful! I wore it right away, and got stopped when I was in Soho by a girl who wanted to know where my boots where from.
I will, for sure, be wearing them a lot this fall, and I can’t wait to design another pair!
similar items:
Photo: Lindsey Thoeng
Don't t get me wrong, I love summer and if I could, I would prolong it as much as possible. But soon Fall will be here and that is unavoidable. So I accepted the invitation from Century 21 to put together a look using some of the store's fall pieces.
One type of accessory that I want to use a lot next season is a neck scarf. At Century 21 they have many styles one more beautiful than the other. This one I'm using is from Vince Camuto but they also have some from Moschino that I really want to go back to the store to get.
And then, I also chose this shirt because I liked the mix of having long sleeves with and the shoulders out. Perfect idea for this period of seasons changing.
Photo: Lindsey Thoeng
I love when I’m having an easy morning and I’m able to meet Lindsey for lunch around her work. Our schedules are so different that we don’t get to spend as much time together as we wish, so whenever we have a chance to squeeze in a little QT for ourselves we do it.
Now during the summer, one of our favorite things to do is to bike around the city. Lindsey just upgraded her bike to a Vanmoof, which is the dopest electrified and smart bike ever created, and on the day we took these photos we were riding it near the UN building in Midtown east.
I was wearing my new favorite high waisted black jeans from Mott & Bow, which are so comfortable that I can even bike wearing them, I got my bodysuit at Zara during a sale and I wear it all the time (I listed a few similar down below), my rockstar sunnies from Yves Saint Laurent, and my new watch that goes with me EVERYWHERE since I got it a few weeks ago. It is part of the Swatch’s new Skin collection in which all the models are super thin. That makes the watches pretty light and flexible, so you can wear it all the time doing any kind of activity. I wear mine when I go to work, meet my friends, go shopping, and biking (duh!).
As I am writing this post I realized how summer it’s going by so fast and soon I won’t be able to enjoy biking anymore [insert crying emoji here]. So I better start enjoying it as much as I can. What about you? What kind of activity is making you happy this summer?
I am so obsessed with Cuba that I can't stop thinking and talking about it, and that's why I ended up writing three posts about this unique country. I believe this post is very important though because there are some information that you need to know before traveling to Cuba.
Visa
The visa is actually a travel card that can be issued by the airline which you bought your tickets to Cuba. The process isn't bureaucratic and the visa card costs U$ 50. You can get it ahead of time (which I advise) or at the airport before departure. You will not be able to board the flight without the visa card.
Do all the research before you go
Search for itineraries, addresses, what to do, and etc, before your trip. When you arrive in Cuba you won't have internet access. And yes, it's nice to have some time to just walk around Havana without a destination and find out things at the moment, but there are also some cool things to do there that you probably will not know if you don't research before.
Download the Cuba app
This app is amazing! It was SO helpful on this trip! It has an offline map that actually works. You won't be able to search for an address and have the app showing you the way, but you can see the blue dot in your location, which at least for me, made it much easier to use a map.
Make reservations at the places you want to eat before you go
Some of the best restaurants in Cuba (I have here in this post) need reservations. We even tried to go to some without making reservations but we were not able to get a table. So I advise you to do a little research, or read my post with my favorite restaurants, and make reservations before you go.
Money in Cuba
In Cuba there are two currencies: CUC and CUP. The CUP is used by locals, and CUC by us, the tourists. Basically everywhere is going to have the prices in CUCs, unless you visit something extremely local that is not touristy at all. 1 CUC is equivalent to 1 US dollar, but because of the complicated relationship between US and Cuba there is a surcharge of 10% to exchange US dollars to CUC. A smart thing to do is to bring Canadian dollars or euros before you go so you get the best deal.
How much will you spend each day?
This question is a little hard to answer because it depends on the person. But I wanted to share an average of how much some things cost there: We had breakfast at the Airbnb we were staying in and we paid 5 CUC per person. For lunch and dinner we spent around 12 - 20 CUC per person per meal. The other costs were transportation, museums, rum and mojitos haha. We spent an average of 80 - 100 CUC per day per person.
Cash only
In Cuba they don't accept any cards from US banks. We should have been able to use my card from Brazil or Lindsey's from Holland to withdraw from an ATM, but we were not able to find any ATM that actually worked. So you have to bring enough money because everywhere you go you can only pay with cash.
Airbnb instead of a hotel
The best way to really get to know Cuba is by staying in a house rather than a hotel. There are several options on Airbnb and the Cuban people are very receptive. Many of them can even offer you services like transportation or food. In my opinion, staying in a hotel takes away some of the magic of being in Cuba.
Do not take a taxis
Very important tip: do not take the yellow cabs. They are from the government and they are much more expensive. You can easily find people offering taxis on a private car (most of the time on the antique cars), and they are much cheaper. Always talk to the driver about the price before accepting the run and don't be shy to ask for a discount.
There are no snacks on the street
Apart from a cart selling churros that we found on the first day, and a little window that sold pizzas, we couldn't find any kind of snacks. There is not a place to grab some chips, granola bar, or fruits on the go. So if you are like me, who eats every 3 hours, bring a few snacks with you or prepare to feel a little hungry between your meals.
Spanish
The more Spanish you can speak the more you can enjoy. In my group, I was the only one who spoke Spanish and I was trying to translate everything. My friends who were with me said that they will try to learn some Spanish so they can understand everything better and communicate with the Cuban people next time.
Travel with an open mind and heart
Cuba will make you wonder and question many things. Forget about trying to understand everything or find answers. Just go with your head and heart open and let yourself fall in love with this magical place. Forget internet, forget uber, forget luxury. Go and live each day intensely.
The trip to Cuba made a big impact on me. I fell in love with the country, the charismatic people - which reminded me a lot of Brazilians, the music, and the art expressions that are present basically everywhere.
Cuban people are strong, and their love and patriotism can be seen and felt everywhere. My main advice for those who are planning to go there is to not try to understand everything, but simply go with an open mind and let that beautiful place make you fall in love.
Some of the best things we did in Cuba were found in the moment, so make some time to just walk around and explore, but here are the 10 favorite things to do in Cuba:
Dinner at Dona Eutimia
We ate there on our first day in Havana. The food was delicious, and the frozen mojito is a must.
For reservations: d.eutimia@yahoo.es
Floridita
The place is famous because it was frequented by Ernest Hemingway, and their frozen daiquiris were named the best ones in Havana. We tried to have a drink there on our first day in Havana but it was packed. We ended up coming back 2 days later and got to sit at the bar and try the famous daiquiri. There was a band of women singing and playing and they were amazing.
Cha Cha Cha
In my opinion, they had the best mojito I drank in this trip. Sweet but also strong in the right amount. We did not eat there, but for sure I want to go back and have dinner next time I'm in Havana.
La Guarida
Unfortunately we couldn't make reservations so we were not able to get a table there. But we got to go to their bar on the rooftop and they have an amazing view of Havana. Not to mention that the restaurant is inside a building that looks like a house, and its architecture is so beautiful. Oh, and If you are a selfie fan don't miss out on the opportunity to take pictures on the stairs that Khloe Kadarshian posted on Insta.
Veradero
Now, this is a serious advice: Make an effort to take at least 1 day to go to the beach and get to see the heavenly Veradero. We went there just for the day and we paid 240 CUCs for a big car that we split in 6 of us. The beach is gorgeous with clear water and fine sand. And the best part is that because of the US embargo in Cuba the beach is basically intact. You won't see many hotels, restaurants, shops or anything man-made.
Roof top
After we had dinner one day, we started to walk around Havana trying to find a place to have a drink. During our walk we met Allan, an architect and artist from California. He was super nice and talented and getting to know him was also another great part of the trip. He took us to this rooftop that reminded me a lot of Brooklyn. It's a fun place to hangout and have drinks. Tip: their shots of Rum are equivalent to about 4 shots. That night was lit.
Auto Biennial Art
We found this little art gallery when we were walking around Havana Vieja. The gallery is inside a two-story house and has several sculptures and posters that reflect everything. From their intense love for their country to creative abstract works.
Museum of the Revolution
For me, the day at the Museum of the Revolution was what helped me to understand the country a little more. As much as we have always heard of the Cuban revolution, in the museum they display very interesting things that I didn't know about those sorrow years for the Cuban nation.
Fine Art Museum
One of the most beautiful museums I have ever been to! I love contemporary art and the Museum has beautiful works that made me speechless. It is kind like the MOMA but smaller. Unfortunately we arrived there a little late and didn't have enough time to see everything, so it is another place that I really want to go back in the future. Don't miss the chance to go there!
Dancing salsa without fear
Cuba is moved by music and you will hear a beat playing basically everywhere. Salsa is their main rhythm and there are several places where people are dancing. I know that there are places that you can take salsa lessons while there, but my advice is to just dance whenever you have a chance to, and don't worry about your skill because nobody will judge you. Just be happy and move those hips.
Ride antique cars but also the "bike taxi" and "coconut car"
Yes, do ride the old cars. They are super cool and Cuba is the only place where you can find them everywhere. However, we had more fun when we rode a "Bike taxi" that fits 2 passengers, and the "coco car" that fits 3 people. They are a little more adventures than the old cars and you get to see the city better that way.
These are the top 10 things I did in Cuba, but the most important thing is to arrive in Cuba with an open mind and heart, put all your problems aside, and try to dive in the culture of the place. You won't have internet so be there living the moment. If you do that, it will definitely be an unforgettable trip
Photography: Lindsey Thoeng
Photography: Lindsey Thoeng
Photography: Lindsey Thoeng
Photography: Lindsey Thoeng
Photography: Lindsey Thoeng
