inked




I've been thinking about a tattoo for years now, but the fact that it's so permanent always scared me a little. Not that I'm slightly older, I realized that the fact that it's permanent is what makes tattoos so beautiful. You can carry something with you that will be there forever: a memory, support, a wish or  something/someone you love. It's no secret that I'm a big admirer of Walt Disney, especially because of his sense of business and his spirit. He had big dreams and never gave up, which resulted in one of the biggest enterprises in the world, even now that he's gone. The fact that he could combine stone hard business with so much fantasy and imagination has always been fascinating and most of all inspiring to me. I love a lot of his quotes, but there was this one particular quote that I've always been drawn to: "without inspiration we would perish". To me, this means: never get to comfortable, don't fall into habits. Always keep looking for new things, places and people that inspire you, continue to surprise and be surprised. This sentence will always remind me of the fact that I have to keep going to achieve my goals and make my dreams come true and most of all: to never let my life be lived, but to live it to the fullest. The fact that this tattoo was a gift from my parents for my 20th birthday, makes it even more special to me. 


sunrise, sunset




Ph. by Nick Zijlstra

I can't think of anything better than feeling the sun on your skin, listening to John Mayer, meeting up with old friends and spending time with the person you love the most, which pretty much sums up my weekend. 

chicago














Ph. by me and Nick Zijlstra

I have to admit: I left a tiny little piece of my heart in this city.


photo log/may

 

Pictures made with Instagram

I spend last week shopping, sight seeing and overall relaxing in Chicago. I didn't quite know what to expect from this city, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The architecture was very impressive, the atmosphere mellow and the shops amazing. If I had to compare uptown vs. downtown though I would definitely recommend a visit downtown, especially the northern area near the Cubs stadium. Kind of reminded me of the meatpacking district in NYC. Loved the cute little boutiques and cool restaurants there. 
I will post more photos soon, and you can always follow me on Instagram (NikitaAshley) to see what I'm up to.