Amanda Joy Photography

When I step into a house that is shabby chic or has some sort of vintage style to it… I am intrigued.  I wonder who the designer was and how I can be more like them.  I go over in my mind what my room looks like and if I like the style enough to redesign my room for the 3rd time this year.  Most of the time I sit there wondering if Homegoods will do the trick?

It’s my thing… what can I say?  Photography and Decor.  That’s me in a nutshell.  A big ball of crazy-lady-antique-shopaholic-can’t-wait-to-own-my-own-house-so-I-can-make-it-pretty nutshell.

During my stay at the Conrad Hilton in Chicago I was consumed with all the little details that the hotel incorporated.  Enjoy!

Have you ever been on a flight to a new city and watched for the last 30 minutes after the captain gave the “we are now making our initial decent” staring out the window hoping that the the city view is on your window side?  I do this every time I travel… and this weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Chicago for the first time!

The last words I heard were, “flight attendants, please be seated for landing” and before I knew it, there it was… the Chicago skyline… for the first time.  I’m a nerd and get all giddy about things like this.  The fact that I’m sitting in a huge metal tube and able to fly above the clouds to catch one of the best views of Chicago that I’ve ever seen.  Well, ok… the only view of Chicago that I’ve ever seen… but still, it was a great view.  All I could think was, “Now where are Bill and Julianna?”.  Just kidding… kind of.

Some of my favorites from the weekend…

If you’re sitting here wondering if it’s as comfortable as it looks… it was.

Hello friends.

My love that I hardly ever attempt to step inside of because of the masses of people that I encounter every time… keep rockin’ Apple.

Brooks Brothers… this store just makes me want to be married.  I dream of having a wallet big enough to buy my husband whatever he wants from here!

I remember when I was just thirteen years old and Long Beach Island, NJ became my first love.  Literally, I would cry when we left the island.  Driving over that bridge was like leaving a part of me behind… and I knew it was a part of me I wouldn’t get back for another year.  Since then the beach has become one of my favorite places on earth.  I could sit on the sand at anytime of day listening to my iPod play K-Ci & JoJo’s “All My Life and I am right back where I was ten years ago… young, fearless, and alive.  That song just takes me back… and I know full well I am a nerd because of that.  No worries.

This past weekend my job took me to Mexico for a site visit at one of the hotels in Cancun… the Live Aqua Hotel.  The experience was one for the books, that’s for sure.  We got the royal treatment and I swear I had to stop and remind myself at least once a day… “This isn’t real life Amanda… but we can pretend”. Every time I get the chance to spend some time at the beach, I try to stop and take it in for a moment each morning.  This beach however, was one I will never forget.  It was breathtaking.

Song of the week?  Rihanna’s, Rude Boy

Enjoy!