BIRTHDAY WEEK IN ROCHESTER NY (DAYS 4 AND 5)

 Hello!

After my birthday, we had a couple days left in Rochester to take it easy and explore new locations. 

The first stop on our 4th day in New York was Artisanworks, an event space and art gallery inside of a warehouse in Rochester. We got coffee first, at a big cold empty shop in the same building that only had hot espresso drinks (in the 90 degree heat). 

Walking into Artisanworks, I immediately fell in love with the maximalist eclectic vintage feel of the space. With high ceilings, bright walls and colored lights, the space was absolutely packed with beautiful art and vintage items. 

THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME "CASTLE CARRA"

Me at Hearst Castle, 2019

Hello!

When I started this blog in 2019, I was in my senior year of high school. I had been accepted to attend Temple University in the fall, and was planning a cross-country road trip for the upcoming summer. I had the arrogance and ambition that only an overly-romantic 18 year old coming off of a mental breakdown could possess. 

REFINISHING: A KLIMT INSPIRED SECRETARY DESK

Hello!

I spent this past summer gradually collecting pieces of furniture for my first apartment in Philadelphia. After living in a dorm for a year, I was eager to move into a space that was uniquely my own. (It's a rite of passage for people around my age) Part of my room planning process was figuring out how to style the things I already had alongside the pieces that I picked up from thrift stores or inherited from relatives. To take part in the quarantine tradition of starting new hobbies, I decided to refinish the pieces that I found within my budget to create personalized items that I could love. Refinishing is always a great way to give new life to old things instead of creating more waste. What better place to start than the place I'd spend the most time during my college career?