The Sratty Archaeologist

What did I do before podcasts? Seriously. Sometimes I'm not in the mood to listen to music but I need to have something playing in the background while I drive to work or school. Nothing gets me through commuter hour or a long haul drive like a good podcast. Podcasts aren't just for my car. I love listening to them while I'm doing my homework or even going out for a run. Today I'm so excited to share these with you and if you all have any recommendations let me know in the comments!

Travel is a huge part of my life between road trips and transatlantic flights I've learned how to pack smarter. So my makeup bag has also matured with me. I've condensed all my travel makeup and brushes into one small bag that can easily fit into my carry on or an overnight bag.

The bag itself is from Barry M and I purchased it in Edinburgh. I was attracted to the color, size, and cheeky saying on the bag. The bright pink stands out in the depths of my carry on or suitcase making it easy to find and access when I need it. The bag is also compact enough to fit what I need but limit myself to what I actually bring. The plasticky material that the bag is made of also makes it very easy to clean. I'm not sure if you can find this exact bag but here are some similar styles on the Barry M website.

For my base, I really don't like to cake up the foundation. I prefer a BB cream or CC cream which gets the job done. I've been using the It Cosmetics CC Cream. It's not super heavy and keeps my skin moisturized but provides excellent coverage. It is also buildable so if I need more coverage I could layer it up. The CC cream also has SPF 50 which is another awesome benefit. For concealer, I bring two along. One is the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment concealer. This really covers up my dark circles and lasts throughout the day without caking. If I'm having a breakout or need to do some major covering up, I also bring my Makeup For Ever Full Cover Concealer. It's waterproof and lasts throughout the day, especially if I set it with a little powder.

On the rest of my face, I bring my Elf Translucent Mattifying Powder to set my under eyes and any places that I've spot concealed. This is also super helpful because it's in a compact and has a handy mirror which I can throw in my purse if I'm on the go. For bronzer, I bring along my Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer. I find that it's a cool enough tone to contour with if needed but also generally gives my face a nice natural warmth. For blush, I have my Sephora Beauty Insider Birthday gift. It's a small version of one of Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush in the shade Paaarty. It's very soft neutral pink which is great to wear day to day. For highlighter, I've been enjoying the Vintage by Jessica Illuminating Face Highlighter set. It comes with 2 highlighters, one a pinky tone another a light chocolaty color. The chocolatey one is nice and subtle, which is great for day to day use.

Perks of being a museum professions student? Field trips to new museums I've never been to. I'm very lucky to say that I live in a close proximity to New York City and have had the opportunity to visit a lot of museums. Even outside NYC, I love finding new places with a historical flare.
I was thrilled to find out I'd be visiting the Museum of the City of New York, a place I'd never gotten a chance to visit before. Founded in 1923, the museum's mission is to connect the public with the past, present, and future of New York City.
First off, the day we visited was absolutely beautiful. It was a solid 70 degrees and sunny in Manhatten. I went in a little early got myself lunch on the Upper East Side and channeled my inner Blair Waldorf as I made my way up to the Museum along 5th Avenue.
The museum is located right along the park on the Museum Mile. Although it seems like the building was at one time a luxurious townhouse of a gilded age socialite, the building was actually constructed to be a museum. It fits the aesthetic of the Upper East Side perfectly. I was particularly attracted to the white marble and brick combination. A few of us waited on the patio of the museum for our professor enjoying the sunshine.
The inside of the museum is all about contrast, which I love. The gorgeous historical interiors in all of its white marble glory contrasted with the modern art installment called Starlight. The three exhibition spaces off the main lobby were all very dark spaces as well.
My favorite exhibit was called New York at its Core. In this exhibition, the 400-year history of the city is documented through artifacts and the stories of the city's "big personalities" who helped shape the Big Apple. The use of technology was awesome in this exhibit. One particularly cool feature was a large touchscreen wall. As the silhouettes of these characters walked across the wall, visitors could touch the screen and learn more about the stories of these people and how they impacted New York City. Notable figures included Jay-Z, Dutch Schultz, and Gloria Steinem.
While the New York at its Core exhibition was very sleek and modern, my other favorite exhibition was a throwback to the how the original museum looked. The Gilded Age was exhibited as a period room, showing the luxurious life of the upper class during the early 1900s. Included in this small but sumptuous gallery were portraits, Tiffany glass, jewelry, opera glasses, and costumes. The room was wallpapered in purple damask and chandeliers hung in the small area. This was such a contrast to everything else in the museum, it made the exhibition really stand out.
Another perk of being a museum studies student? Behind the scenes tours. Since I was with my Archives Management class, we got a chance to speak with an archivist and take a tour of their archives as well as see what kinds of things they collect. Getting a chance to talk to current museum professionals is such a valuable experience.
The museum is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm. Check out their website. If you're in New York City, I'd highly recommend this museum.