Even though August has come and gone, I wanted to share a few things that I found myself loving last month. I’m personally still trying to find a more regular posting rhythm as I still love and appreciate the community that has formed through this blog and social media over the past nine years. Every time I ask readers what they want to see more of it includes posts about favorite things, Katie and fashion. So, today you’ll get a little bit of everything in this edition of Favorite Things.

• Live Plants – Bo and I just renewed the lease on our apartment for another two years and therefore have decided to invest in a few small things to continue making our apartment feel more like a home. Now that Katie is 2 years old and understands the word no, we felt it was a safe time to invest in some house plants. Historically, the only plant we’ve had is a small snake plant which never thrived. This time Bo did a lot of research before finding a local company, Greenery Unlimited, which specializes in plants for New York City spaces. Their site allowed us to filter to our exact needs and issues such as low light and small spots. We ended up purchasing five plants, my favorite of which is a large Dracaena Cane for the corner in our bedroom. The plants add a hint of life to the home while also having a wealth of mental and physical health benefits. Did you know that live plants can boost moods, clean the indoor air, reduce stress and sharpen focus?
• Weekend Edition of the New York Times – Since Katie was born, we’ve tried to limited the time we spend on our phones and devices while she is awake. On Sunday, this meant that our habit of reading the New York Times on our iPad was a difficult one, squeezed into her nap time. Since we enjoy reading the newspaper while sipping our coffee and eating breakfast, we recently decided to subscribe to the weekend edition of the New York Times. This allows us to read the paper while Katie eats or plays and, sometimes she joins us! This morning she spent five minutes pointing and “telling” us about the pictures in the style section.
• Sparking Jewelry – Isn’t it crazy that so many of us wear rings on a regular basis but rarely take the time to clean it so it shines to its full potential? After a summer of sweat, sunscreen and salt water had caused my ring sparkle to fade, I searched for an easy at-home cleaning solution that leverages ingredients under my sink. While my first method of soaking my rings overnight in a water & Dawn solution worked well, this DIY jewelry cleaner, which combines a few more ingredients worked EVEN better. As always, please do research before using any cleaners on your jewelry as some stones are more sensitive than others. I’ve only used this on my engagement and wedding ring.
• Keratin Treatment – After reading about Charlie and Grace’s positive experience with keratin, I decided to give it a try. Even though my hair is naturally straight, during the humid summer months, it frizzes at the first sense of humidity. Since I spend at least 50% of every work day on a video conference with my remote team members, I hoped that keratin would make the process of doing my hair easier especially since I wash it often due to morning workouts. While it is definitely an investment, I have found the experience and payout to be very positive. The treatment, which took 3 hours, has reduced my style and prep time by at least 50%. I can choose to blow dry or air dry my hair and the result still looks great. It isn’t stick straight but the frizz is almost zero. If I choose to blow dry my hair, I don’t have to follow with a straightening iron unless I truly want a stick-straight style. Even if I choose to style and straighten, the process now takes 15 minutes instead of 45 minutes. The treatment has also helped me change my habit of washing my hair daily since the treatment lasts longer if you wash less frequently. I’ve found that using dry shampoo before and after a workout and then quickly taking a blow dryer to my roots has helped me wash my hair only 3-4 times a week. While there are a number of different brands and types of keratin treatment, I opted for the brand that my local salon (Soon Beauty Lab) uses which is Cezanne. Cezanne is also one of the formaldehyde free treatments which was a priority for me. Since I need to use a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner now that my hair is treated, I’ve been using Hair Food Smooth shampoo and Pureology Hydrate & Condition.
• Beachbody 21 Day Fix – If you follow me on Instagram, you’re well aware that I just finished Beachbody’s 21 Day Fix workout program. Since having Katie I’ve had a hard time sticking to strength training as traditionally, this was the type workout that I frequently did in a group fitness or studio setting. I knew that I wanted to get back to strength training but without the stress of signing up for classes in advance or dedicating valuable time to traveling to and from a studio. After spending a few days asking for recommendations from friends and followers, I decided to give Beachbody a chance and challenge myself to give a workout plan a chance. I invested in the $99 Beachbody On Demand annual pass, which provides access to THOUSANDS of workouts and dusted off our free weights and did some research to create a plan of attack. Since I do better with a schedule, I chose 21-Day Fix. As the name denotes, the plan is 21 days of workouts that is approachable for all fitness levels due to the modifications. While working out 21 days straight can sound intimidating or like an injury waiting to happen, the program weaves together strength, cardio, Pilates, yoga which therefore builds in active rest. I successfully completed the program on Thursday and am surprised how much I enjoyed it. I found myself looking forward to the morning workouts and was able to make considerable progress in the three weeks, increasing my weights, energy, stamina, and how I feel in my clothes. My plan is to the next step in the 21 Day Fix program, 21 Day Fix Extreme, when we return from Hawaii.

 

Speaking of Hawaii, I am trying to focus on being present during our vacation this week. I’ll most likely check in a few times on Instagram to share updates and pictures, but, for the most part, I’ll share details of our 10 year anniversary trip to Kauai and Maui after the trip via a few blog posts.