I had the sweetest possible birthday this year for the big 35. 

Amusing aside: My 25th birthday was spent DJing in the basement of an Eastern European dive bar in a zebra print dress… and I blogged about it right here at Hey Mishka. This blog is now over a decade old, so I actually have those wild memories all in one place. Kind of bananas, right?

Anyway, this celebration could not have been more different—which is to be expected a decade later.

See, I’ve been feeling sentimental lately for the girl I used to be, long before I got caught up in the second-guessing and adulting business of the ~real world~. What better time to reconnect with that version of myself than on this milestone birthday?

I decided to get back in touch with my semi-wholesome middle school-aged cheerleader self (haha, yes, that’s right) by throwing a proper Hudson Valley birthday in the yard of my parent’s house.

Mom loved the idea, and I was seriously eager to reconnect with a time where I drank copious amounts of tea, filled alarming amounts of sketchbooks/notebooks with endless ideas, and spent a lot more time outdoors.

My childhood and young teenage birthdays were always celebrated with adorably autumnal parties involving games (bobbing for apples and cinnamon donut-on-a-string, anyone?), costumes (close enough to Halloween, so why not?), and outdoor frivolity.

Basically, all the things I wish I had more of in my life right now.

The first hint of autumn in the air always revved me up for homecoming season, my birthday, and all of the festive things fall brings with it. It’s still my absolute favorite season, so this little waltz down nostalgia lane felt like a good vibe way to ring in my personal new year.

Before we left Brooklyn for the Hudson Valley, Eduardo and I raided a Mexican bakery and found an epic assortment of pastries, pan de fiesta, and my favorite peanut marzipan treats. I pulled together a colorful tablescape with a tiered bamboo tray, bright woven table runner, some faux-eucalyptus (I’ll be decorating with this thing all year—such a good find), and assorted fall-tastic finishing touches, like sparkly pumpkins and sweet little gourds.

We spent the day grilling—E made carne enchilada tacos, veggie kabobs, nopales, and a few other scrumptious things—and sipping celebratory champagne. Actually, my birthday was my first time drinking alcohol in over 45 days after doing a little self-imposed challenge to detox, and let me tell you… that was a delicious first sip of champagne.

(Sidebar: I highly recommend taking a cold-turkey break from alcohol, even for casual/occasional drinkers. I visibly lost weight from my face and experienced a host of other pleasing benefits pretty much immediately. Definitely making this a regular thing!)

We mixed champagne with pure organic apple juice and cranberry juice for a little fall-flavored rendition of bubbly. Grandma gave this concoction five stars. 😉 Simple, but highly recommended.

We had goodie bags (another homage to my childhood festivities), two fabulous cakes (one made by Eduardo, which came out beautiful!—another Halloween-themed brought by Maya, which was the sweetest!).

Needless to say, Libra vibes were alive and well.

Oh, and I also forced everyone to take festive selfies with me, because #birthdaygirlrules.

When the sun went down we lit up the fire pit to relax, play music, and talk late into the night. Finally, we crashed It was basically the perfect day.

You can watch it all unfold in this mini-vlog—or, as I’ve decided to call it, a video scrapbook. This includes my actual birthday, which was the Thursday before we trekked upstate. Some very special things went down! Think lounging with doggos, my favorite Twitch streamer singing to me, and really pretty flowers…

All in all, a dreamy week/weekend and a great way to close out an almost unbelievably cinematic, transformative decade.

Some people say a decade can fly by, but I have to say… I felt every minute of it. I guess I’m lucky that I was able to live life to the fullest in a lot of ways. Moving forward, I have plans to balance, simplify, amplify creativity, and just get to know the version of myself I’ve evolved into.

I definitely have a more robust list of goals that I’m focusing on for the next 365, but I think I’ll save that for another post. I need some time to sit down with a cup of tea and let them sink in before I share.

Don’t worry, though! I’m prepping some fun fall and holiday DIY, vlogs, and other stuff to share with you guys in the meantime. Because one of my biggest goals for the immediate future is to start documenting life again. It makes me very, very happy.

Thanks to everyone who made this birthday so special. Here’s to another 10 years!

P.S. I can’t wrap this up without sharing a snapshot of those middle school cheerleading days I was talking about… If I can channel some of this energy for 2020, I’ll be golden!

Hiiii, it’s your friendly neighborhood Libra, creeping around Brooklyn with my coffee cup clenched close, eyes scanning for dried leaves to collect…! My favorite season is here and it’s helping me unscramble some of the madness that summer put in my head.

I vlogged about it, so if you’d like to know what’s on my mind, you can find it in this video—along with some soothing fall atmosphere captured in New York. It’s probably the most honest and candid I’ve ever been on video, actually.

I also touch on the concept of documenting your life, and why that matters, even for those of us who aren’t losing memories to sleep deprivation.

I hope you’re considering doing your own vlog or scrapbook or whatever lights you up. But we’ll talk more about that soon.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel and get alerts for new videos—and if you’re looking for something more lighthearted, you can also check out my video from June where I visit the biggest yard sale in New York. 😉

How has fall been treating you, friend?

Last Sunday was National Second-Hand Wardrobe Day, and I love that this day exists.

Aside from the fact that I’ve been rocking second-hand finds since middle school, there couldn’t be a better time to recognize the value of wearing previously-loved items.

As of 2017, 1 in 5 North Americans are reportedly shopping resale clothing regularly. That number is skyrocketing year over year, and it’s nothing compared to the rest of the world, where about 80% of the global population regularly utilizes secondhand goods. (source)

Secondhand clothing is predicted to grow even larger than fast-fashion in 10 years, and in my opinion? That’s incredible for consumers and the planet.

Wasteful habits may be on the rise in modern society, but upcycling, resale, and second-hand clothing shopping is growing at an exponential rate. Just check out this incredible 2019 resale report by Thredup.

Inspiring stuff, right?

I was thinking about the second-hand shopping phenomenon a lot while vacationing with family this month. While my little blog is just one corner of the internet, I’ve been feeling increasingly passionate about using it to promote the second-hand movement to my fellow fashion lovers…

As I write this I’m sitting next to my window and a row of dew-speckled potted plants, sipping hot coffee that reminds me of how morning smells at mom and dad’s house. It’s the first cool and crisp morning of late-summer, and my Libra sensibilities are taking over.

I’ve loved this summer more than the last few, but I’m ready to embrace sweater season, leaf-hunting, and all of those cozy cliches you’ll find on IG around this time.

Life is shifting and changing quickly, and for once I can say I’ve graduated from that feeling of barely keeping one hand above the surface. I’m quitting my multi-project addiction cold turkey and focusing wholeheartedly on one big dream.

And let me tell you… that’s a first in my life!

It’s as if all of the mantras and inspirational quotes and goal lists have started to take hold—at least, some of them. 😉

Since I’ve been working on establishing a flexible, but inspired morning routine (I crawled out of bed at 6am this morning), I thought finally updating this blog would be a nice way to kick off my day. Here’s a glimpse of what I’ve been up to (and how I’m doing on my 50 non-crucial goals).

Did you know there’s a yard sale in Dutchess County that is the literal size of an airport runway?

That’s because this incredible twice-yearly event actually uses an airport runway as its home. For one day only in June and September, the Stormville Airport’s Ultimate Family Yard Sale packs full of vendors and second-hand shoppers eager to keep the cycle of material possessions going.

The reason this event is so magical, in my opinion, is that it isn’t a flea market (they do have a flea market version of this, too, if that’s your thing).

Instead, it’s a bunch of families driving Uhaul trucks full of their stuff to one location and hanging out all day.

The result is an incredible range of wares, from rare vintage musical instruments to ornate antique furniture, kitschy records, decadent scarves, cheap (and amazing) jewelry, home decor, toys, holiday fanfare and so much more.

I have kept my attendance a secret for some time because, let’s face it—I’m a middle child and a recovering hoarder of pretty things. But now I’m ready to share.

Browsing this yard sale has led me to find some of the most incredible gems, from a $5 peacock chair (that’s not a typo), to my favorite beaded curtains, gorgeous gold-framed mirrors, vintage tiki bar signs, stunningly beautiful lamps, and so much more.

This year, I shopped a little bit lighter, and I’ll explain why in the video.

Check it out below—and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel for thrifting, DIY, and more.

Where is your favorite place to thrift and second-hand shop in New York?

Sooo… I vlogged a week in my life!

You get to see it all, from bad hair days and botched schedules to commutes, mini-adventures, and daily routines. Morning to night, 7 whole thrilling days.

From exciting things like parties and photoshoots—to less exciting things like freelance work and existential crises, this video is a pretty accurate snapshot of my life this spring.

It made me realize how much I love the in-between moments. The evenings cooking at home, watching a rainstorm, organizing and rearranging, strolling through a farmer’s market…

It’s not exactly glamorous or fascinating, but I had a ton of fun making it. I hope you have fun watching it!

If you like the video, subscribe to my channel! I post somewhat randomly but it’s always a good time.

Oh, and if you want a bizarre behind-the-scenes snapshot of just how much went into making this bad boy, here’s a final screengrab of my editing software right before exporting.

Wooow, right? Enough to put me off vlogging for a few more months.

P.S. Yes, that’s a burn on my arm! Right before filming this vlog began, I reached over the kettle while it was boiling and the steam got me. I was very eager to make a cup of tea. Thankfully, it’s pretty much healed up by now. 🙂

The Hey Mishka Vintage summer ’19 shoot happened Saturday! Thanks to the incredible team—and my new favorite vintage-sourcing gems—it was a success. I’m sooo stoked to share these photos with you guys.

Many more to come. Special thanks to my amazing team:

• Model: Emily
• Makeup: Krystal Raydo
• Assistant styling: Natalia Brexodo

Stay tuned for the official announcement when the collection hits the shop! Meanwhile… bookmark Hey Mishka Vintage, follow the shop on IG at @heymishkavintage, and jump on the Hey Mishka Vintage mailing list for updates on sales & more!

Allow me to introduce you to my newest vintage find: a roomy Forenza jacket with a classic 90s silhouette, drawstring waist, and an oversized hood.

Joy, SPARKED.

Some of the boldest pieces I own, whether for color or silhouette, are vintage. This particular jacket also sparked a new kind of passion in me, beyond acquiring gems for my own closet.

I want to convince you to shop vintage, too.

Adding vintage and second-hand clothing to your wardrobe is beneficial in so many ways. It’s both an eco-friendly alternative to fast fashion and a more creative, satisfying way to create your personal style.

Rather than just post photos of myself in my new favorite jacket (which I’m also doing, because… joy sparked!), I’ll break down some of my top reasons for adding vintage to my year-round wardrobe.

If any of them resonate with you, comment below!

Here are 5 undeniably good reasons to buy vintage clothes.

Of all the vintage stuff I adore, coffee mugs are among my favorite things. Is it because I drink a lot of coffee (I mean, my blog’s newsletter called the Coffee Break)? Because I love sassy ’90s phrases and pop colors?

Because the morning ritual of coffee is made sweeter knowing you’ve rescued your mug from second-hand kitchenware doom?

Who knows!

But, as the official household name of decluttering Marie Kondo would say, they spark major joy.

When I wander into a thrift store here in the city, one of the first things I do is checkout shelves of kitchenware for cute mugs.

If your kitchen cabinet doesn’t have a collection of quirky vintage mugs, don’t despair. Etsy and eBay are quite literally bursting with them—and once you dive down this rabbit hole, you’re almost guaranteed to emerge with some new (old) goodies.

Here are 25 of my favorites!

What better way to say “I love you” than with a warm-and-fuzzy cocktail you made yourself? 🍸❤️

Erin—a.k.a. the bartender of my heart—stopped by the other day with a tote bag of booze and fancy drink utensils to whip some up. She created three delicious libations to serve to friends and lovers on the most commercially romantic day of the year. 😉

The afternoon was an ode to the cocktail we mixed up for a v-day blog post many years ago! If you remember that, you’re a true Hey Mishka OG.

The cocktails range from mild to strong in intensity, but all are pretty simple to whip up with ingredients you won’t have trouble finding.  Oh, and they’re really pretty.

After drinking copious cocktails in order to film this video (I know, I know, occupational hazards), things got pretty warm-and-fuzzy. Mentally, anyway!

Whether you’re having a party with the girls or planning a special night with your s.o., these DIY valentine’s day cocktail recipes will add a whole new level of deliciousness to the mix.

Don’t forget to ask for a tip. 💋

After you watch the video, grab the full recipes below. Bottoms up!