It is that time of the year again! Pilots from all over the world joined together in Oshkosh, Wisconsin to celebrate aviation. I have been attending airshows my entire life, but nothing compared to the experience of AirVenture. Thanks to the Experimental Aircraft Association and all lovers of planes, Oshkosh put on the show of a lifetime.

Nope, those are not birds. Those specs in the sky are planes in the traffic pattern. It is every  pilot’s dream to fly his/her plane into AirVenture. Either made themselves and declared as experimental, or made by Cessna and approved air worthy by the FAA, there is a spot for every pilot. The town of Oshkosh and the surrounding areas of Wisconsin were buzzing with aviation spirit. Starbucks allowed all customers to place a pin on their huge mural of the world located in the Oshkosh location. It was so interesting seeing all the different places that people flew from, both near and far. It is part of the experience to pack or ship in camping gear to sleep under the wing of your plane. The town included acres of farm land that were used as parking for the thousands of planes and campers.

Although it was cloudy, the ceiling was still high enough for VFR flight. AirVenture can be described as the Disney World of aircraft. There was something for everyone to do, whether it be to watch an airshow, watch a presentation in the fly-in theatre, go to a workshop, or fly in one of the vintage aircraft that were brought from different parts of the world for people to observe.

Oshkosh was the wrong place to have a habit of texting and walking. Traffic guards were put in place at all sidewalk intersections in order for planes and bystanders to pass safety. Everyone I met had an interesting story and experience to share about their flight career. It did not matter if you just had your first solo, or if you were about to celebrate 50 years of flight, AirVenture was an amazing place to learn from the people around you.

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) allows this entire event to happen. A large amount of the planes that flew into the event have been built by pilots for their own use. One day my family and I hope to have the opportunity to bring a home-built plane to the event. Many gain knowledge and tips from fellow plane builders in order to ensure confident and safe flight for all the flying hours to come.

My favorite part about the event was the ongoing air shows. No matter what you were doing, airplanes were constantly surrounding the runway performing stunts, reenactments, and more. No airshow is complete without a pair of aviators, the official eyewear of flight. These babies were vintage 1970s ray bans I (politely) stole from my dad’s flight bag. There is nothing like sipping a lemonade while watching the busy skies.

Now that this years event is over and most of airshow season is coming to a tragic end, I am more than grateful to be a part of such an amazing community of people. I am more than thankful for flight being such a large part of my life, and cannot wait to pass it down to all the generations to come.

Runways.

My list of jobs is quite extensive for someone who has been on this earth a young 19 years. On that list, I have those that I will always remember, those I am glad are over, but most importantly, those that have helped me shape into the career orientated workaholic I am today. Currently I am employed by Daniel Wellington. We have a pop-up shop located in Soho, New York City. After a little more than a month on the job, it is safe to say that Daniel Wellington is one of my favorite jobs that I have ever had. Although I am a tad bias, I can give you a list of reasons why if you are anywhere south of Houston Street, you should make a quick stop inside.

Daniel Wellington is a Swedish Company that is known for sleek, simply designed watches for men and women. All our products are made with quality materials and craftsmanship. What makes the watches so special is that all the bands are changeable. If one watch is purchased, the costumer has the opportunity to buy more bands to make their watch look completely different. Some people that walk in our store are shocked when they find out their bands can be switched, others have collections of seven or eight.

Our store has a bright, modern, and sleek design that makes it easy to browse and intriguing to walk through. We hand out candy, coffee, and other beverages while customers browse for watches.We offer custom monogramming on all of our bands, and if that has not convinced you, we even have a Photo Booth! With the heart of tourist season upon us, I have conversations with people visiting our city from all over the world. I love hearing different impressions about New York from people who have not grown up here.

Now it is hard to picture my wrist without a Daniel Wellington watch on. It goes with everything that I wear. So come down! Try a few on! We will be here all summer!

Runways.

Growing up around aviation always meant flying on a frequent basis. Childhood included flying the plane to the beach instead of sitting in traffic, growing up meant mapping out an aeronautical chart for a college visit instead of the usual road trip. Turning 18 meant my first skydive, and most important, college summers meant lessons at Princeton Airport’s Flight School.

My family and I always dreamed about an inter-island Hawaiian flight. Most Hawaiian islands do not have extensive ferry systems. Some are only accessible by plane. The dream soon became a reality when my dad, brother, and I hit the sky with a rented Cessna 172 Skyhawk SP. We brought along one of the local pilots to help us navigate our course.

When we arrived at the Maui International Airport I was rather confused with the setup. I have never seen a shared flight line that had commercial jets as well as small planes. I thought the addition of helicopters was enough variety for one airport!

We took off for our four hour flight that included Maui and two stops on the Big Island of Hawaii. We all got a chance to fly a leg of the flight and log the hours in our books.

I was familiar with flying over the busy waters of New York Harbor, but Maui had extensive mountains, cliffs, hidden passageways, and desolate fields. Driving through the beautiful cliffside was an experience, but seeing the coast from 300 feet was a whole new scene.

Our amazing tour guide told us all about his life as a pilot on the beautiful island of Maui. As an instructor, he takes his students on inter-island cross country flights. I could not imagine! Many pilots spend their time doing small side jobs. In this small yet abundant coastal area, many are sent to fly low on the coast to spot schools of fish for the local fishermen from the air.

I thought our flight could not get any more scenic. We have already seen huge cliff drops and flown through valleys. But then we arrived on the Big Island in hopes of seeing an active volcano. We began to see glowing lava from our windows. The go pro was tight and secure to our wing as we ascended to a safe altitude of 8000 feet.

It was finally my turn to be the left seat pilot. I waited patiently while my dad and brother flew over so many amazing attractions. I was worried I got the short end of the stick by getting the straight shoot route home. I was wrong! Eric, our fellow pilot and Maui local, showed me how to fly extreme low flight over water. This altitude of 100 feet was unheard of in New York Harbor. I was advised to set my trim tab for up, causing the nose to “rise”. I manually held the nose down with my controls to create a safe low flight that gave me a closer view than the para-sailors along the beach.

A successful, knowledgeable, and unforgettable flight now in the books. Maybe one day you will find me based out of Maui International Airport as a tour guide and fish spotter. But for now you will find me on the East Coast.

Runways.

My Style Inspiration lies in the heart of the city. As a native New Yorker, it would be a sin not to use my environment to learn about the latest trends and breakthroughs of the fashion industry. But how does an urban chick rocking Adidas Stan Smiths fit in a beach town? A recent trip to Hawaii inspired me to take on the challenge of resort wear. I am far off the bohemian spectrum, but I knew the girl strolling Manhattan in sneakers can somehow find a way to make the new environment work. Fashion with a challenge? Sounds fun to me!

Don’t Be Pressured by Patterns

I have never been attracted to patterns besides a simple stripe here and there. My eyes are immediately drawn to the neutrals of the world. But as soon as I walked into a beach boutique, I thought I was back in the textiles lab at school. Patterns and textures galore filled the store from top to bottom. But I took on swimwear without the busy bright colors. I did it my way.

The timeless black one piece. Gals have been wearing these for generations. Just like us, they are all unique and special. These suits can work well with many different body types. You just have to roll up your sleeves, dig deep, and find the one that works for you. I tried on quite a few suits starting at the release of swimsuit collections back in March. My favorite of them all is this simple low cut V-neck from “And Other Stories”.

As I strolled through the beachfront of Waikiki, I approached an Australian surf girl. I could not help but ask her where she got her beautiful all black, long sleeve, wet suit style one piece. Turns out that baby was custom made, fair to say she won.

Don’t Be Afraid To Let Loose 

Urban chic style has always led me towards more structured clothing. I can’t get enough of vintage bombers, shapely skirts, tight denim, and famous black body suits. I knew the beach would be the perfect time to show the looser side of things.

This semi backless maxi dress was a luau staple. The sun brought out the subtle, thin, gold stripes. It felt open enough to be comfortable, but had enough coverage to handle a gust of wind.

Shop Local 

I will never fit in with the resort fashion crowd. The hotel lobby was filled with high end boutiques with the world’s finest resort wear. I took a break from the sun and decided to stroll into Honolulu instead. I wanted a more local and authentic experience. I found all the gold coated shark teeth, shell jewelry, and leather goods I was looking for. I always try to steer towards locally made products to support those in the area I travel to instead of outsourced companies. One of my favorite finds was a leather clutch made by a local designer.

Now that my trip is over, I cannot wait to get my urban style back.

Runways.