The Best of Summer 2012

It was officially the Last day of summer on Friday :(. Summer is always special for me, my birthday, breaks from school, the great outdoors and just fun in general. Although my summer got off to a late start I really did have fun and I'm so thankful for all the amazing people I spent it with. Whether next season is a new school year for you, or just the same ol' day to day work, I hope you can view it as a possible new beginning. Write down some goals, have a positive outlook and look forward to all the great things ahead!

Here are some of my favorite moments from this Summer

Fresh summer strawberries.

 

Cute summer hairstyles (I think i should do a full post on this)

Colorful wedges

Having Simi over. p.s. isn't it amazing when someone says they'll do something and they actually do? Thank you Simi for keeping to your word and coming to visit I appreciate you.

Short shorts

Getting surprised by Javier in H&M a day before I was supposed to see him <3

Spending time outside, talking and listening to live music. I am so feeling my hair. :D

Attempting to color my hair reddish auburn. Fail but fun all the same

Scary roadtrip into the mountains when we were supposed to be going to the beach

Pre-birthday dinner

Pasta for the first time in aaaaaages! My favorite from BJ's

My birthday wedges, birthday gift from Simi :*

Delicious lettuce wraps for my birthday dinner (small meal, splurge on dessert)

Blowing out my birthday candle! Yaaay 23! check out my colossal slice of chocolate cake! 

Dancing!

My Birthday Flowers from my beloved Maribel!! I love Flowers, I Love you!

My Friends hanging out and being Gorgeous <3 <3 this photo

Grabbing brunch before work all Maxi-d out

My college family reunited

Laughing and savoring precious moments.

 To catch up on other things I got up to this summer check out these posts :)
Summer crafting
Dress up party
Simi X Sab!
Simi X Sab starring mimosas of life
Through a different lens
Tea, Kale chips and Chalk art

Cheers to the next season!
Love,
Sabirah

Through a Different Lens

As part of my birthday festivities I wanted to re-do that beach hike I did with Seyi back in May, remember? I've never really considered myself an outdoorsy type of girl but I'm finding out that I really do love being out in nature, especially by water. It was really great to go back and enjoy a day out. Everytime you visit a place again, it will be different, we're all constantly changing which makes each experience feel new. I love that. We got lost while driving and ended up on a very windy road in the mountains; scary and exciting. It was cold but the long walk warmed us up, and by the time we got to the beach we were happy and ready to dig into our picnic! Great day surrounded by wind, water and love. Enjoy the photos :)

Love always!
Hope everyone is doing great!!

Summer crafting!

My summer has finally started! I'm doing stuff, seeing friends and spending lots of time outside, the next week will prob see an influx of picture posts of what I've been up to. I've been hanging out with my friend Maribel quite a bit, she is my friend from college and has such a beautiful heart and spirit it's kind of hard not to be happy and inspired when I'm around her.

I love crafting, and being in Maribel's place is always such a dream, Her Major in college was actually design so she has supplies for days and is bursting with creativity!

 She designed these letters to hang over her bed, so pretty and ornate

'Belle!

Crafting snack

Pretty creations!

I made a card

Maribel made the cutest necklace for her Professor

A card too which she designed and printed

Finished product

I look forward to more crafting projects ahead.

p.s. I will share my finished product once the owner receives it.

What have you been up to?

Book Review : The Reluctant Fundamentalist

I just spent the evening devouring this book. I read fast, but I constantly found myself pausing to slow down and savor the writing. As such I will do something uncharacteristic, well a couple of things- all related, 1)Attempt to review this book upon reading this book only once 2) Review it within minutes of finishing it. 3) Review it without doing some writing in my journal and reflection.

I bought this book over a year ago, I had asked someone I respected a lot to offer some suggestions for books as I was about to make my yearly "Big Amazon Purchase" I added it to my cart without reading the reviews and bought it soon after. But between moving across continents and having my belongings scattered between seas (I am quite dramatic), I didn't get to it till today.

Alright let me get right into it; This book reads like poetry, I mean the writing is impeccable, it is easily the best work of art I have read this year. The store is set in Lahore, Pakistan where
a monologue between the main character "Changez" and an undisclosed American unfolds. Have I mentioned how beautifully the writing flows? The writer beautifully switches from the present setting, to recounting the past with the mysterious American. I love how very little is revealed about the American man yet we are given various clues as to his unease throughout the monologue.

The story is very fast paced and very much a coming of age story with a backdrop of political and social events. More often than not I'm finding that I really enjoy these sort of novels. It really asks the question; "For how long can one ignore the social and political themes that go on around us"

I absolutely enjoyed how much this book explored "unrest" in the mental state of Changez and his troubled girlfriend "Erica" at different stages. As much as this is not a love story at all there are little glimmers of an unattainable love for both characters. The sub story of Erica's mental health was another thing I greatly enjoyed. I wasn't necessary to understand Changez's story yet it added a certain depth and perspective.

The author Mohsin Hamid and the main character "Changez" share many similarities in that they both grew up in Laore and went to Princeton and I can't help but wonder how much of the story is actually Hamid's. The relationship between fiction and non-fiction are co-dependent anyways...

Alright if I say anymore I'll tell all. I would really recommend this book, to everyone, even if you don't enjoy the story (This would be hard) the writing is impeccable. I will be reading it again in about a month I'm guessing.

Have you read it, what did you think? If not are you interested?

Hope everyone's week got off to a good start!

Love always,
Sabirah