Old Endings + Exciting New Beginings

Hi Friends! I have been procrastinating on this post a little bit [ok, a month bit] because it is a tough one to write -- but here goes: I am saying goodbye to a {little} dash of ash. While I love my little space here on the blogosphere, I feel that my current blog no longer truly reflects who I am today. I started this blog when I was single, living in Ohio, and had a whole lot of extra time to browse the web for lovely inspirations. That feels like a lifetime ago. Everything just seems a little bit different these days. But, good different...

Since then, I have met and fallen in love with my soul mate, got engaged, started planning a wedding, and am currently packing up my life in Philadelphia to start my new life in NYC with my fiancé! At age 30, all of my dreams have come true -- dream fiancé, dream city, dream apartment [in the West Village] and dream new job! :)

My focus has shifted from finding wonderful things to share as inspiration on the internet to making wonderful things happen in our new life. It is very important to me to create a lovely life for Alejandro and I together in NYC. I want to spend the summer decorating our new apartment, planning a beautiful wedding, and most importantly discovering our new city together before our jobs kick in and life gets, well, crazy, again.

But at the end of the summer, I have plans [already in motion] to start a new blog documenting our new life together. It's going to be a little bit different than a {little} dash of ash, but I just couldn't walk away from the blogosphere completely. It's become apart of me. I just need a new space to create in. So... if you are interested in keeping up with myself, Alejandro, our wedding plans, our travels and the lovely city of New York -- please subscribe to receive a notification when my new blog goes live! :)

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In the mean time, please keep up with me on {instagram}, {pinterest} & {tumblr}!

A BIG thank you to everyone who has followed me for the past 2 years! Your daily comments, emails and support has always meant so much to me! I hope you will follow me on the next journey of my life. xoxo.

NYC Bridesmaid Flashmob

UPDATE @ 4pm: this will now be happening August 1st!  Their surprise event got pushed out.  So, now you have a little time to get that dress ready!  Maybe I might be able to go now too.... :) xxoo.

Hi Friends! Happy Monday! I wanted to share an exciting event with you that is taking place tomorrow morning in Times Square, NYC! My friends over at {Little Borrowed Dress} are organizing a bridal party flash mob as part of another surprise event that will be happening at the same time!! This is going to be a super exciting day for them... and personally, I think it sounds awesome! I wish so much I could be there for it! However, for anyone who is in NYC...  they are looking for any ladies who want to join their bridal party flash mob tomorrow at 7:30 am! Come decked out in an old bridesmaid dress (or really any dress that could pass as a bridesmaid)! I am positive this is going to be quite a scene! :) Hint, Hint - photographers/bloggers... Have your cameras ready!

image {via}

Email kristin@littleborroweddress.com for details if you want to join the flash mob!
Tuesday, 7/16 at 7:30 am, Times Square. 

Coney Island

Not quite sure what it is about carnivals that make me so happy! And... these photos are no exception! Actually, these photos have convinced me that a little evening trip over to Coney Island is a must while I am visiting NYC every weekend this summer. {Kristin}... or {Christin} - you in?  xxoo.

images via {one sydney road}

NYC Wedding: Taline + Mark

The groom has requested a dedicated blog post to his amazing wedding last weekend (yes, the groom reads my blog)... so here I am with the details!! I'll try to sum up how fantastic the entire night was, but honestly, I'm positive a little blog post will do no justice to just how fabulous the wedding really was! :) First... let me introduce you to Taline and Mark!  I love how Taline wore a non-traditional / non-white dress -- her gown was to die for!!

{Whitney Stanek Photography}

Cocktail hour started at 7pm and offered the most amazing appetizers ever!  Actually, I am pretty sure there was so much food at the cocktail hour that they didn't even need to serve us dinner later on! ;) Not only was there a sushi bar and chef - there was a seafood bar, a cheese bar, and trays of unique appetizers... including classy sliders,  duck, serving spoons of lobster mac and cheese, and more!  Drinks included a fully stocked bar of top shelf liquor, beer, wine, the signature cocktail and champagne! 

I didn't take too many photos during cocktail hour because I was... well, mostly eating and drinking,  as well as meeting the rest of Alejandro's college friends... and then we went up to the rooftop to take a few photos!  Here is my favorite one from the night:

Ashley & Alejandro

The Tribeca Rooftop (the venue) is an amazing space and Mark + Taline sure did a great job with the decor! How lovely are these tables -

The table arrangements were magical...

When we got to the tables... we had a little surprise for us - each table had a bottle of grey goose vodka and every place setting had a shot glass!  You don't see that at every wedding....

Some other surprises included professional dancers (amazing) and a choreographed performance by a sexy violinist! Speaking of music - not only was there a violinist, there was an acoustic performance during cocktail hour, a live band (or two) during dinner and a DJ for the after party which was from 12-2am! Music galore... and good music too (which we all know can make or break a wedding)!

Dinner options included grilled filet mignon or miso glazed sea bass - both of which were absolutely delicious (taking Alejandro's word on the steak ;)! And... the dessert bar was top notch - including, well, just about every desert you can imagine + wedding cake! 

But... my favorite part of the night was spending time with Alejandro and meeting the rest of his fabulous friends!  Oh, and props to the best man for the GREAT speech! :)  

Wonderful wedding Mark and Taline!!! Congratulations, again! xxoo.

PS. Thank you for {voting} on my dress for the wedding! The {sunblaze lace dress} won and I received many compliments!! :)

Instagram: Birthday Edition

Happy Birthday to Me!!! One of my favorite holidays ever! :)  Even if it is the last year of my 20's... I still love it! Sorry that I did not have the instagram link up ready to go at midnight last night - I had just got home from an ahhh-mazing weekend in NYC and my pillow won the battle over my desk chair ;) !  But... I am up now (literally, just got out of bed) and I'm ready to start my day (off from work) - right after I share a few photos from the weekend with you...

When we first arrived in NYC, Alejandro asked me where I wanted to have lunch just as we were passing Burgers and Cupcakes - I said, "I think I'll like this place"!  And... I did!  That night we went out and I finally got to wear my taxi mittens I got for Christmas!  Remember when I was loving them {here} and {here}?!  On Sunday we met up with {Kristin} for brunch and she gave me these cute vintage dishes I was loving  at {Fishs Eddy}.  I saw them at the store when I visited her in November... great memory lady!  And, to top off a great trip, I finally got the {David Yurman} ring I have been lusting over for years... upon years!  A special birthday gift to myself! 

I had the best birthday weekend thanks to my wonderful boyfriend!  Not only did he plan the trip, he was extra amazing when we spent the entire first day shopping in Soho! He also got me tickets to the play Chicago for my birthday (loved) and then took me to my most favorite {restaurant} in the city the world for dinner and drinks!  Thank you! Thank you! I love you.

Can't wait to see your photos from the weekend too!  Did you do anything special this weekend? Any fun Super Bowl parties?  Hope you had a great weekend too!! xxoo.

Instagram: NYC Date Night

Happy Monday!! I hope you all had a great weekend!  I sure did :)  Friday night I went to NYC with my favorite man and had a wonderful date night!  We went to dinner at Alta (my fav place in the city) and ate amazing food and drank yummy sangria!  One of the recommended favorites was fried goat cheese (amazingness)... but our favorite dish was the Avocado Relleno with Crabmeat and Shrimp - sooooo good! We heard rumors that one glass of Sangria was enough for any person... but I decided to order us a second round - let's just say, we would have been fine with just one each!! It was the perfect date and night!  Can't wait to go back again!!!!!

PS. I can't believe it is the 7th week of linking up! Thank you all so much for stopping by... I love looking at your instagrams weekly! xo.

Instagram: NYC

Hi Friends!  Happy Monday and Happy Instagram Day!  I'm back to share a few more photos with you from my iPhone as well as browse the photos you link up below!  I had a great time in NYC visiting Kristin... and my favorite instagrams this week came from Sunday morning when I woke up!  Check out the view of her parent's Manhattan apartment (they don't know this yet, but we are future roomies)!  Then Kristin made her famous {avacado toast} and we enjoyed it on the roof deck looking over the city!  Oh... and I started playing with the tilt shift feature on instagram (used in the second photo below), so my future mobile uploads might become a little fancier! xxoo.