4 F’s?! FOUR?! I am on FIRE today baby. Wait, there’s a fifth F! Alliteration celebration!
It is flipping cold in Connecticut right now. I said a big fuck-it to the weather yesterday and wore a Lauren Conrad skirt (Black Friday buy) and Nononsense tights despite the fact that when I woke up it was 11 degrees, because a positive mindset is half the battle.
The work bathroom shot, an instant classic.
Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for the two newest Element fitness DVDs from Anchor Bay Entertainment! Entries close this Saturday 9/8 at 11:59PM EST. And did you catch yesterday’s recipe for easy Gorton’s Seafood Grilled Fish Tacos?!
Happy Fashion Friday Friday guys! And it’s a happy Friday INDEED because Heather is coming to stay for the weekend! We have so much fun planned – Pinot Grigio + Whole Foods salads + The Hills re-runs tonight, Daybreak Coffee and other Glastonbury activities tomorrow during the day, dinner at Fire & Spice with our dear friend Jenny, and my Farm to Shaker Cocktail Competition judging on Sunday at the Coventry Farmers’ Market! TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!
I am so enjoying doing these Fashion Friday posts most weeks, and I hope you’re still enjoying seeing them! I feel like I’ve been shopping a TON lately…but I continue to be a cheapo and refuse to buy the majority of what I like because it’s “too expensive” or “not worth it”. So you can imagine, with the new things I’ve been buying, how many things in stores I like but say no to! I love clothes, but I love saving a fair amount of each paycheck more!
Tee: PacSun
Skirt: H&M (Lauren has the dress with this print!)
Watch: Michael Kors
Shoes: Steve Madden
Top: LOFT
Pants, Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Ring, Bracelet: Forever 21
Watch: gift from grandpa
A better look at the shoes!
Necklace: Forever 21
Top: VS Pink
Skirt: Old Navy (had it since 7th grade!)
Sorry for blur!
Top: H&M
Pants: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: PacSun Outlet
A fun one – wore to work after completing Color Me Rad!
Headband: Sweaty Bands
Top: Color Me Rad 5K
Jeans: American Eagle
Sneakers: Converse (purchased at Delia’s)
It’s interesting that I can cut myself so much slack when it comes to shopping. I buy lots of things I don’t need, but tell myself it’s OK because I enjoy wearing new clothes and putting together new outfits, and I never spend much money at all on one piece.
However if I try to cut myself slack on things I enjoy just as much as fashion, like food and exercise, there seems to always be a reason in my head that I “shouldn’t” be cutting myself slack! I’m working on figuring out why this is. Perhaps it’s because there has never been a time in my life in which I never shopped, never purchased clothes/shoes I didn’t need, whereas there WAS a time in my life when I was overexercising and restricting my food intake at dangerous levels. So sometimes, since I know I am capable of taking it to food/exercise “extremes” (due to the fact that I’ve “been there”), a voice in my mind tells me I “should” be doing what I’m capable of.
But I know in fact that I am CAPABLE of living a happy, healthy life that consists of a balance of food and exercise, just like I balance my shopping out by buying cheaper things!
Do you ever find yourself being more hard on yourself in some areas of life than others? Why do you think people experience this?
Which outfit is your favorite? All except the last are pretty dressy, so I won’t be surprised if it’s not the last one!
Tell me something you’re doing this weekend that makes you too blessed to be stressed!
My January Birchbox was my best yet! Usually I only find myself really excited to use about half of its contents, but this time I was excited about almost every single item!
The only item I can’t really see myself using is another one of those little perfume sample vials, though this one was a brand I’m sure many of you recognize – Juicy Couture’s Viva La Juicy. It smells great, but I just don’t use the vials because I like something I can spray. I usually give them to my mom for her to hang onto.
I’m SO excited to try the chocolate chip cookie dough Larabar! I’ve heard great things about this flavor, and I love getting samples of bars, since I never buy them (I’m not a fan of bars). I’ll let you guys know what I think!
The Birchbox logo on the lower left is actually a magnet, which I’ll take into work to add to my ever-expanding cubicle decor collection. I’m so psyched about the remaining three products (at the top of the photo). I don’t wear much makeup, but eyeliner is one thing I do wear most days of the week, and I’ve heard good things about stila, so I’m hoping the stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner will live up to my usual Victoria’s Secret eyeliners that I always use.
One of my go-to makeup tools (one of…about three).
I also really like Origins and am psyched that their Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash was included in this month’s box. Can’t wait to use it – after I finish the Pangea Organics Scrub I got in my October box! I’m definitely in need of lotion, since the winter is wrecking havoc on my skin, so I’m curious as to whether the VMV Hypoallergenics Re-Everything Face-Hand-Body Lotion will do a better job than the lotion I currently use.
What a great Birchbox, definitely way better than last month. Which product would you most want to try?
Thanks to daylight savings, my 9pm bedtime last night (aided by me being a grandma, and the glass of wine I had with dinner) combined with the time change had me awake at 5:30am on this lovely Sunday morning. As in, the gym was not even opening until 7am. I looked at my phone and saw 28 degrees – a run was out of the question. So I did the P90X Yoga video I have on my laptop for these very occasions. I hadn’t done this since I was without power/gym access during Hurricane Irene, and though it was tough to get through the 90 minutes (I’m more of a short and sweet workout person), it was really a good thing for me to stop myself from fast forwarding through stretches and through corpse pose at the end. The workout also had a lot of heat in terms of lower body. I really like this video – it’s all-encompassing!
The video also includes one of my favorite poses: standing shoulder pose. I actually used to do this all the time when I was little without even knowing it was a yoga pose, so I guess it’s always been my favorite!
I still have more to share with you guys about my trip to Tennessee – food and shopping, I’ve got it all!
On Sunday I woke up thinking I’d be headed back to CT that day, and ended up having a full Tennessee experience after we found out that due to the snowstorm, we wouldn’t be headed back home for another day. But before that change was made, I put on my sparkly orange hat and went to Starbucks with my sister and my Nana Connie, one of our traditions.
Looking hairless?
I had the usual, a nonfat bold misto. Hannah had the same and sprinkled cinnamon dolce powder on top of hers, looked so cozy!
The coffee came to us so hot that it was time for brunch before we were done, so I kept it classy and poured the rest of my coffee into one of the hotel restaurant’s cute mugs.
I have the spindliest fingers of all time.
I ordered a salad of baby field greens, cocktail shrimp, mango, sundried tomatoes, celery, and balsamic on the side. It was AWESOME. I love being impressed by restaurant salads, it’s always a pleasant surprise. Hannah had a Greek salad with grilled chicken salad and let me finish hers off.
Funny story: The first time I ate cocktail shrimp, I ate the hard tail part too – I didn’t know you had to remove it!
My mom had a veggie egg white omelette with home fries and an English muffin. She gave me the rest of her home fries and they were AMAZING, especially dipped in ketchup.
My dad had a sausage, green pepper, and mushroom omelette with home fries and wheat toast. The toast looked crisp and hearty.
Hannah and I took a walk to her dorm after brunch, where we decided to stay the extra day. I worked on blog stuff in her room while she showered so I brought my backpack along. Don’t I look legit?
We went shopping later and couldn’t help but buy some tasty-smelling candles at Bath & Body Works – they were having a sale AND handing out coupons!
I got these four candles – oatmeal raisin cookie, gingerbread, s’mores, and eggnog – for $20! And it’s a good thing since I headed home to a power-less house the next day.
We stopped at Wal-Mart, and I know they have some questionable corporate practices, but I am impressed by some of their grocery areas. It was clean in there, well-organized, and there was a huge variety. I have to admit that for someone on a budget, Wal-Mart is an affordable grocery option, and even has a fair amount of healthy choices at affordable prices, which I think is something our country is seriously lacking.
I love displays of Halloween treats at grocery stores too. These treats looked so good!
I loved the selection of University of Tennessee by Pink gear at Victoria’s Secret. I really wanted some of that underwear, but couldn’t let myself pay $26 for just three pairs.
I came out of this shopping trip very well stocked. A little too well stocked, I’d say. I’m putting myself on shopping sabbatical until Black Friday.
In addition to the sparkly hat…TN cap, football jersey, and boxers!
Workout gear: Old navy running capris/top, and PINK yoga pants.
Who knew Old Navy sold cute Colts gear? Buy 1, get 1 free!
We went to dinner at one of my favorite chains, Bonefish Grill. Unfortunately they aren’t chain-like enough to extend any farther north than Poughkeepsie, New York (I’ve checked…many times). Whenever we vacation anywhere south of that city, we’ve got to hit up a Bonefish. Our extra night in Tennessee gave us a chance to do just that!
Their bread is beyond amazing. It comes with olive oil, pesto, and herbs for dipping, like Bertucci’s and Carrabba’s, two more wonderful chains. I’m beginning to see a trend here.
I got the swordfish special, with broccoli and steamed veggies on the side instead of potatoes. It was so great. I had every last bite, plus my mom’s leftover fish and Hannah’s leftover broc.
So ends my last full, but not my last delicious, day in Tennessee!
Have you ever heard of Bonefish Grille? What do you think of Wal-Mart and their grocery sections? What was your last shopping purchase?
I’m a 28 year old full-time working girl living in Boston (previously lived in Connecticut). I’m passionate about food/drink, restaurants, self-love, fitness, and the ever-present search for balance. I write about that journey on this blog – I hope you enjoy!
