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Friday Favorites – June 8th, 2017

Happy Friday! After coming back from vacation, this week was a tough one. It took longer than normal to catch up on work emails, laundry and errands but after five days of routine I feel like I’m ending the week on a strong note!  My consistency goals are also helping me feel better.  I had one glass of wine between Sunday and this morning, tracked my food, enjoyed six workouts, and increased my average number of steps. We are kicking off the weekend with a date night in Manhattan before enjoying a relaxed weekend in the neighborhood.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • You guys were right! After discovering Younger on Hulu a few weeks ago, we just made it to season four of Younger.  This witty series follows the story of Liza, a 40-year-old mom who finds herself working in her dream job while posing as a 26-year-old. Our favorite characters include her roommate Maggie and her hilarious friend Lauren.
  • This time last year I was enjoying ice cream from one of our many neighborhood ice cream shops each night during my final trimester of pregnancy. This year, it isn’t quite as easy to leave the house at 8pm for an ice cream walk so instead, I’m enjoying Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt bars. While they are no subsitute for real ice cream, they are convenient and delicious. My favorite flavors are chocolate chip cookie dough and cookies and cream. While they aren’t cheap, they do go on sale frequently at Whole Foods and are available at Costco.
  • The cooler weather in New York has allowed me to continue my love of quarter zip tops. Most mornings when I take Katie to our nanny share, I’m wearing either this colorful, fun Lilly Pulitzer Skipper Popover or my Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt.
  • I can’t imagine taking conference calls or going on walks without my Apple AirPods. In just a few short months I’ve fallen in love with the convenience, sound and quality of these odd looking headphones.  Don’t get me wrong, I still think they look funny when I see other people wearing them but I love how easily I can charge them when not using them, pop them in my purse or running shorts and the microphone for conference calls works perfectly.
  • Making smoothies for breakfast this week reminded me how much I love my Aloha protein powder. I’ve tried numerous powders over the years and this one has the best flavor, consistency and least after taste. My favorite flavor is the vanilla bean but the banana is pretty tasty too! If you’re a member of Thrive Market, you can get it for $3-$4 cheaper, depending the week.
  • My mom and I whipped up this quick & healthy shrimp recipe when I was home last week and everyone, including my dad, loved it! We paired it with brown rice and Asian roasted green beans for an easy, healthy and filling dinner.
  • We have three packs of strawberries in the refrigerator, which have been tempting me to bake something delicious. I have my eye on this Smitten Kitchen recipe for Strawberry Summer Cake which, when paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, seems to scream summer!
  • I spent some time updating a few older posts, including this post on running shorts. It includes 7 great short and skirts for summer running, even if you have muscular legs. After years of dreading running in shorts due to chafing or feeling uncomfortable, these options come highly recommended from me and other running friends!
  • I just started Educated after more than 40 of my Instagram followers recommended it earlier this week when I asked for a book recommendation. A powerful memoir, this New York Times bestseller shares the story of a girl who doesn’t step foot into a classroom until the age of 17 and then goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University.

Your turn – What are you loving this week?

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Weekend Reading – February 17th, 2018

Happy Sunday! After a long week of travel, I’m happy to be back in Brooklyn with Bo and Katie. So far we’ve spent the weekend doing some things around the house, catching up with friends and enjoying lots of cuddles with Katie. She is doing her best to army crawl everywhere possible so life has quickly taken on a faster pace. Today we’re heading into the city for brunch with friends and then tomorrow, Bo and I are enjoying a day date since Katie’s nanny share family doesn’t have the day off for President’s Day. Our plans include going to Aire Ancient Baths, a leisurely lunch and then going to the movie theater for the first time since Katie was born!

This week, instead of Friday Favorites, I’m sharing some weekend reading which includes recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • I’m trying to incorporate more strength training into my weekly workout routine and this 20 minute Metabolism Boosting PopSugar video was the perfect thing to kick-start my motivation! I was dripping sweat by the end of the video, loved the intense but short routine, and I only needed a yoga mat and a set of 10-pound weights.
  • After seeing Little Fires Everywhere on many different lists I finally bought it a few weeks ago. I finished it in just a few days, as the characters hooked me immediately. The author did a wonderful job developing each of the characters and inter-twining the story lines as she shared the tale of the Richardson Family of Shaker Heights, and the people who came into their lives and changed everything they knew.
  • It’s been a month since I upgraded my moisturizer to Beautycounter Adaptive Moisture Lotion. Even during a week of three flights and far too little sleep, this was able to keep my skin hydrated all day long without looking greasy or causing any breakouts.
  • I finally started meditating last month and it was a game changer especially in January when I was dealing with some minor insomnia. While there are many different apps that you can use, I liked that Headspace’s offers a complimentary Basics 10 session pack. You can even change the duration of each session – 3 minutes, 5 minutes or 10 minutes. For the first few days I did 3 minutes before going to bed but by the 10th day, I was meditating for 10 minutes.
  • I heard about this New York Times article from no less than ten friends and family members the day it was published. The tiny Vermont town of Norwich has produced 11 Olympians and it isn’t due to their state-of-the-art training facilities or level of rigor. Instead, most parents stress enjoyment and participation over expertise and have created a  supportive community instead of a competitive atmosphere.
  • After the horribly tragic event that took place in Florida this week, I have to share this article which discusses the changes Australia enacted following a mass shooting in the 1990s. Regardless of political affiliation, everyone I’ve spoken with since the shooting agrees that something has to change. Whether the number is 6 or 18, the startling and scary statistic regarding the number of school shootings that have occurred this year alone is shocking and unnerving.
  • Three months later, these high rise jeans are still my favorite and I recently ordered a second pair in a different wash and am keeping my eye out for a white pair to wear this Spring and Summer.
  • Speaking of Summer, I just ordered a new cover-up and swimsuit after falling head over heels for Lilly Pulitzer’s vibrant prints and flattering designs!  When I went through my closet and dresser last month, I parted ways with most of my beach attire since it was either faded or didn’t fit anymore. While I refuse to buy more than I need, I’m hoping to find two cover-ups and two swimsuits for the Summer! Any recommendations for mom-friendly swimsuits? So far a number of my friends have recommended Athleta.  
  • A few weeks ago, one of my co-workers recommended that I give Apple AirPods a try as they are great for the hours of conference calls I have as well as listening to music, books, or podcasts on-the-go. After a week of using them, I can’t figure out why I waited so long! I love that they synch easily with any device, turn off when I take them out of my ear and have a convenient carrying case that doubles as a charging device. The sound quality is surprisingly good and they are snug enough to use for HIIT workouts. I will most likely not use them for workouts regularly as I fear that my excessive sweat would ruin them. The battery life is around five hours but I haven’t had an issue since anytime I have them in their case they are charging.
  • For years, going to the grocery store each week has been one of my favorite activities. I love discovering new items, exploring the shelves and finding the perfect produce. But, since Katie was born this has become more challenging and that combined with the winter weather, lack of car and work travel, going to the grocery store has become an arduous chore. We joined Instacart Express using one of their new member codes (click link for your own code) and were amazed at how easy it is. We have access to ten different stores (Whole Foods, Fairway, Key Food, Green Grape, Costco, etc) locally and the groceries are delivered within 2-3 hours even on a busy day like Saturday. I’ve been checking and so far it seems like most groceries are the same price they would be in store. Have you tried Instacart? Do you use another delivery service? 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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Friday Favorites – Spring Fashion

15 Pieces to Add to Your Wardrobe this spring

It’s the time of year when every day my inbox receives another notice from a retailer about Spring sales, enticing me to click through even though I’m not in the shopping mood right now. These days I would far rather spend money on travel than fashion. But, that doesn’t mean that a little bit of “window shopping” or online browsing can hurt. I spent some time on two of my favorite sites yesterday, Nordstrom and JCrew Factory, browsing their sale sections and new arrivals.

For today’s Friday Favorites, I bring you the 15 pieces that I’d add to my wardrobe this Spring to give it a fresh update. Many of these are staples which you may already have in your closet while other are more trendy pieces. I love finding trend pieces on sale or at discount retailers so I’m not dismayed at wasting money when they are no longer in-style, just one season later.

The best part about each of the pieces below is that they are currently on sale!

15 Spring Wardrobe Items

1. JCrew Factory Long Sleeve Stripe Shirt – A great transition piece which can go from Spring to Summer depending on what it’s paired with, this nautical shirt is especially fun in the navy & pink combination!

2. JCrew Factory Distressed Boyfriend Jean – These scream weekend to me, especially when paired with the Converse. Or, you can add a bit more edge by pairing with the perforated slides and the black t-shirt.

3. JCrew Factory Trench Coat – A great trench coat is always on the list of essential closet items yet the lust worthy Burberry is beyond an investment piece due to it’s price tag. If you are looking for a great Spring trench this one is far more affordable.

4. Lilly Pulitzer Bentley V-Neck Shift Dress – I love all things turquoise, especially after my skin gets the first hint of tan. This fun dress is perfect for any Spring or Summer weddings as well as a date night.

5. Pleione Faux Wrap Blouse – This top is great piece that can go from work to after hours just by changing accessories or pant options. Gold earrings and heels can make this a date night top while a pencil skirt or black pants make it office appropriate.

6. Converse Chuck Taylor Low Sneaker – I’ve wanted a pair of these fun, throw back sneakers since seeing them all over Europe this Summer. These would be perfect for weekend errands or Saturday brunch when paired with the boyfriend jeans and stripe shirt or slub sweater.

7. Vince Camuto Faux Wrap Blouse – Tops like this are my favorite “going out” tops as they are easy to wear, fun to accessorize  and pair perfectly with any pant option.

8. JCrew Factory Slub Cotton Sweater – This is a perfect, bright Spring sweater for those days when it’s too cool to go out in short sleeves but you’re tired of your Winter sweaters.

9. JCrew Factory Drapey Pant – I dabbled in the drapey pant trend at the end of the Fall season and immediately fell in love. These pants are as comfortable as pajamas, yet are work and weekend appropriate due to their material. Pair with heels for the office or the perforated slip on shoes for the weekend.

10. JCrew Factory Lace Dress – This is the only item on this list I’ve personally ordered. The under $80 price point and extra sale discount makes this a perfect dress for Spring engagement parties, weddings or special occasions. I can’t wait to pair it with classic nude heels or fun strappy tan sandals in the Summer and a pair of statement earrings.

11. JCrew Factory Perforated Slip-On Sneakers – Remember what I said about not spending too much on trendy items? These are less than $35 and I love the fun gold color and perforated detail. If I wore these for travel I’d probably put an insert in the sole to provide more support, but otherwise they are perfect when I don’t want to be out and about in running shoes.

12. JCrew Factory Denim Jacket – Another item which seems to reappear on every Spring fashion list year after year. I wear my denim jacket over maxi dresses in the Summer and over my favorite cotton t-shirt in the Spring.

13.  JCrew Factory Tissue V-Neck – This is my absolute favorite t-shirt and I own a rainbow of colors. It’s slim fitting enough to pair with a blazer and statement necklace but comfortable enough to wear on the weekends. I recommend buying black, white or grey as these are the essential colors I find myself wearing at least once a week.

14.  JCrew Factory Flared Skirt – In the neon colors this is a great way to add some color to your work wardrobe. If it’s too short for your office, pair it with the jean jacket and t-shirt on the weekends.

15.  JCrew Factory Embellished Rope Necklace – Last but not least, a fun necklace that can add fun detail to almost any of the above items.

Your turn – What’s on your Spring wish list?

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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