Happy Feature Friday!

Today we’re excited to feature our first blogger duo, Sydney and Kimberlin of We Perceive. We love that We Perceive is a bi-coastal blog and that they work together from opposite sides of the country! While Kimberlin is in Portland, Sydney is in NYC and their site gives readers a glimpse of life in these two amazing cities! Plus they make “adulting” look as fun as it should be. For more from these BFFs make sure to check out their Instagram, Facebook, and keep reading!

: We love that you’re a co-curated blog, just like us! Could you each tell us a little about yourselves?

 – KBG: From 9-5, Monday through Friday (and sometimes weekends), I work the ins and outs of social media at an amazing creative agency in the heart of the Industrial Pearl District. If I’m not in front of the computer screen, I’m out grabbing happy hour having a glass of wine and some delish food, romping around the city, or out exploring the natural beauty Oregon has to offer. I also love to get creative, whether it is painting, drawing, making DIY goods, or taking photos.

SPV: We are each living this crazy, wonderful adult life that looks way different from the other’s and way different from the life we lived growing up in the same state. On the day to day, I work my butt off in media and drink wine at awesome bars with the amazing friends I have made in NYC.

: What can readers expect to see on We Perceive?

 – SPV: A very real but curated life of two best friends adulting on separate costs.

KBG: Including brands we love, food/drinks, photos of our cities, etc. Everything we perceive our lives to be.

: You ladies live in Portland, OR and New York, NY. What do you love about each of your cities?

 – KBG: I originally got to know Portland when I moved here for university. I was (and definitely still am!) a California girl at heart, and Portland was a complete 180 from what I knew. I’ve now fallen in love with how creative and resourceful the city is. You get the best of both worlds here: urban and rural, plus, a great sense of community, locally sourced goods, awesome events, and suuuuch amazing food. I also have been hearing that more Californians are moving up! It’s a great place for young people to live, learn, thrive, and really discover who they are.

SPV: So I stayed in CA for school, but actually plotted my move across the country for over two years. I initially fell in love with NYC because of the show Gossip Girl (funny, right?). It seemed like the most glamorous city, with endless possibilities. The glasses are no longer rose colored after living real life here, but I still walk beneath the high-rises as in awe of this place as I have ever been. You can be anyone in New York City.

: Do you have any recommendations for places to see and things to do in your cities?

 – KBG: Oh goodness… my list is massive. I just sent one of my hometown friends my ever evolving list I have been working on since a freshmen year in college! If you want it, holler at us on WE/P. Off the top of my head, I recommend Luc Lac if you’re into Vietnamese, Heart Roasters for coffee, and Palace for vintage / local goods and clothing!

SPV: Absolute must-dos: wander aimlessly in West Village a la Carrie Bradshaw, eat at American Cut, and listen to jazz while sipping champagne at The Carlyle. Following our Instagram is also a telltale way to find out what we consider the latest and greatest!

: What we love about blogging with someone else is that each of us likes to write about different things. What are both of your favorite things to write about?

 – KBG: I actually admitted in our latest post that I am intimidated by writing. I love it, but hitting the publish button always gives me butterflies. I think what I like blogging about most, though, is real life situations that a 20-something goes through, just being genuine and honest. We are all trying to figure out who we are, what we love, and how to make each day worthwhile. I also like writing about forward-thinking and inspiring brands that are seriously kicking booty in their industry. Glossier has been the latest. Others I’ve been thinking of reviewing are Everlane and Reformation, so stay tuned!

SPV: I get most excited about posts that encourage people to go after what they want. Like Kimber said, WE are intent on making WE Perceive a name that is synonymous with real—despite using our blog as a way to curate our lives, we are never lying. I also love our section WE Travel. Discovering new cities, hotels, and restaurants are some of my favorite things, so the posts always flow so naturally; it is what I would tell all of my friends upon returning home from a trip!

: What inspired the creation of We Perceive?

 – SPV: So, funny story. Kimberlin and I were texting shortly after I moved to New York, talking about how it would be fun to be a blogger (I was telling her how I was walking through Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Lincoln Center being photographed by a random street photographer). Then we both received a text that said something along the lines of WHAT IF WE DID IT TOGETHER?! WE Perceive was born — our perceptions from the West to the East.

KBG: What she said, ha! 😉 On top of our epiphany we had last year, me and Syd have always worked together so well, especially creatively. Growing up with each other naturally made us like sisters. We acquired mutual interests from spending endless time together and experienced becoming child to adult. We are both so similar yet different, and are madly passionate about living a full, colorful life filled with style, adventures, creativity, food, and amazing memories. It was a no brainer for us to come together to showcase our lives from opposite coasts!

: Sometimes it is hard to get inspired to write. What do you do to get your writing flow back?

 – SPV: If neither of us has a burning thought dying to be turned into a blog post (or more commonly, we are having trouble attaching words to what we are thinking/feeling), we will try to get clever with post ideas. Whether that be an all-image post, a recap of a month, or one of us interviewing the other. Adult life gets hectic and busy and uninspiring (at cubicles) at times. WE/P sort of forces us to be inspired even if we are not really “feeling” it, which is good, because we have lives that COULD be endlessly inspiring if we’re looking for it.

KBG: Exactly. Also, whenever I hit a bump in the road, I immediately text Syd and we have a brainstorm sesh. We throw ideas back and forth at each other, which totally helps! Sometimes staring at a screen for so long conceals those hidden gems that can be discovered by fresh eyes or a quick chat about the original idea. Or just take a break from the screen. Draw. Read. Breathe. And get back to it. And if it still doesn’t work, let it go! Don’t skip out, just start fresh. The right thing will come.

: Where do you see WE Perceive in the future?

 – KBG: Ohh, the ambiguous, beautiful future that lies ahead. We really just want to amplify what we are now. More adventures, food, fashion, and a whole lot of fun. That’s what it’s all about.

SPV: Laden with more selfies haha, we’re working on that. What it is today, but on another new level. A lot more of two best friends having fun, together and apart.

: And, a random fun one! If you went to a super glam party and received an awesome goody bag what would you want to be inside it?

 SPV: Gift cards for Soul Cycle rides, blow outs, PaintBox manicures and latest and greatest new restaurant (ain’t nobody in New York got room for something bigger than a credit card)

KBG: A Polaroid from the evening, Butter nail polish, Marc Jacobs Lash Lifter Gel Volume Mascara, Mac lipstick, a free workout sesh at Corepower Yoga, and a giftcard to Kure Juice in PDX (hay, glam, hayyyy).

: Any advice for aspiring bloggers or in general?

 – KBG: Find what you love. When you find what you love, showcasing it comes naturally! Remembering less is more, and to always fill your blog with lots of good, clean content. Research on other blogs and websites that you are aesthetically attracted to for inspo. Maybe even take some online intro courses on coding because, you know, you may need to change / update your blog (doing that rn!). And lastly, be original and keep it real! Don’t copy someone else’s idea. Create your own path.

SPV: Be honest, be simple, and be personable. And never use white-a-gram!!