Following Rabbits Blog — at home

Allie and I had dinner at Caffe Falai on Saturday night (post coming soon) and were admiring their decor: white walls, at least a dozen white-framed mirrors in all shapes and sizes, lucite chairs, white table cloths, crystal chandeliers and lots of candlelight. We talked about decorating a bedroom that way, and the mirrors made me feel like it would be a very Alice-in-Wonderland kind of place. (At the moment, my bedroom in my new apartment is storage for boxes that still need to be unpacked. I've been unpacking very slowly, thinking much more than I normally would about where everything is going to go and making sure everything is just right.) I love Allie's idea of translating Falai's decor into a bedroom theme so I browsed IKEA today to see if I could copy-cat the look on a budget. Here's what I found:

Leirvik bedframe - $100; ludde sheepskin rug - $40; kristaller chandelier - $40; various mirrors - $10-$30. 

I'm really starting to love the idea! Add a white vanity with another mirror, some white vases with daisies that will add a pop of color, white pillar candles in different sizes... would definitely be quite a retreat at the end of a long day. I think I could even position some of the mirrors so that I can see the Manhattan skyline out my window from my bed on the opposite wall! I better start saving up for the impending IKEA shopping spree.

I took today off to get settled in my new digs. I gotta say, I'm pretty overwhelmed. I'm the worst at adjusting to change, no matter how good of a change it is. Until I get settled and make this place homey, I'm going to be a little uncomfortable. However, waking up to this sight out my window was fantastic. I think I'll end up keeping my bed pushed against the window... a little nyc inspiration to rouse me out of bed in the morning. I definitely need to explore my new hood too. If anyone has any tips for places I should check out in astoria, lemme know!

We moved my stuff all day today... 3 trips in 2 cars. So thankful my dad, brother and cousin came down to help-- Ray and I never would have been able to do it alone. The reward was this view out my window, which was the obvious draw to this apartment in the first place. Made it all worth it! I cried saying goodbye to my lil apartment in Brooklyn... definitely going to be attached to that place forever. But I know once I'm settled into my new place I'm going to absolutely love it here!

After procrastinating all week, I spent my entire day packing. I have no internet or cable at my apartment, and it's driving me bananas! I came up to Union Square to do a quick post and to ride the Q Train over the Manhattan Bridge one more time. I will definitely miss that... such gorgeous views of the Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattan. (Ray took a great photo of the sunset from the Q Train recently, you can see it on flickr.) It's kind of bittersweet, wrapping up my last night in Brooklyn. My new apartment in Astoria is amazing, so I am really excited to be moving. But Brooklyn is where I struggled and made it the past couple years, so it's always going to be extra special to me. And my apartment! 5G... my first apartment on my own. I was so proud to move in there... coming to NYC with $300 cash, no job, no friends in the city. It was really tough, but I've since gotten used to jumping into the deep end and learning how to swim. Aw, I'm getting all nostalgic. In the meantime, they keep coming over the loudspeaker at Barnes & Noble to countdown til closing. I better go get a good night's sleep... despite having 4 guys to help me tomorrow, I live on the 5th floor and the elevator's broken. Yikes! I'll be happy and very grateful once I'm all moved in tomorrow. Wish me luck!