Getting Back on Track This Fall

Post Labor Day it feels like everything changes. I'm ready for booties, sweaters, and also a few important lifestyle changes. Even though I'm not going back to school this year, I still wanted to keep up my tradition of new school year resolutions, especially since after Labor Day weekend life seems to finally calm down a little bit giving me a bit of time to think and really commit myself to the changes I want to make.

1) Sunday Night Meal Prep

Now that Game of Thrones is over (insert ugly sobbing here) it's time to get back to making meals for the week on Sunday nights. My goal for the next few months is to make at least 3 out of 4 lunches I need for the week (the 5th lunch is a weekly team lunch). This leaves me one day to schedule lunch with a friend or try out a new spot around the office. I'm turning to my trusty friends at Refinery 29 for some inspiration, including no-cook meals, spiralized meals, and even meals in a jar.

2) Being More Flexible

Anyone who knows me knows my two biggest pet peeves in life are people flaking and being late, those things make me want to scream. While I stand by my belief that being reliable and on-time is an important life skill, there are times when my anxiety about everything running perfectly on time - meeting for dinner, plans to go shopping, and even showing up to work 10 minutes early - can be a bit extreme. I even find myself getting annoyed when my friends are 5 minutes late to a plan, absurd I know. So this fall my goal is to try and become more understanding and lower my anxiety when it comes to timing, because let's be real the world doesn't end when you're running a bit behind.

3) Get Back To a Sleep Schedule

I've always been an early bird, but in these past few months my sleep schedule has been ALL over the place. Part of the problem has been constant travel, but mostly it's just been that I've been ignoring my 'time to get ready for bed' notification to watch more Criminal Minds instead (oops). As of tonight I'm resetting my alarms and planning my week to ensure I'm getting up by 6:30AM and go to sleep by 11:30PM. Ideally I'd like to increase to a full 8 hours of sleep, but for now this is a start!

Do y'all want to make any changes as we move into fall? Let me know and we can all hold each other accountable. 😊

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Levi's Denim Jacket // Urban Outfitters Dress (similar) // Steve Madden Sandals (similar) 

Getting Back on Track This Fall

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

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Five Things to Pack for Labor Day Weekend

Can you believe it's the last day of August?? I can't believe how fast these past few months have flown by. This summer has definitely been one defined by constant weekend trips... From Montauk to Upstate New York (and Nantucket coming in just a couple weeks 😀) I feel like I've barely spent anytime in the city these last few months. 

All these weekend trips have helped me create an easy checklist of what to pack, no matter the summer destination, so that I can go from afternoons by the water to out with friends at night. While I'm not headed anywhere new this labor day weekend, I hope my summer packing list can help you pack for wherever you're headed this weekend. Oh, and a major plus - all the pieces I'm linking to are currently on sale!

The Casual Wrap Dress

When I bought this dress earlier this summer I wasn't sure how much I would actually wear it. Flash forward three months and I've packed this dress for every trip and wear it out almost every weekend (oops). 

Steve Madden Simple Sandals

I'm kind of a broken record when it comes to these Steve Madden sandals. They've traveled with me to as far away as Cuba this year and I consider them my 'throw on with anything and everything' sandals. I've worn them on the blog countless times, including here and here. The best part is you can always find amazing deals on these sandals, some of which I've linked below!

The Sleeveless Sweater

One of my first summer purchases was this sleeveless sweater and since then it's become a wardrobe workhorse. Summer in New England can be pretty unpredictable, and unfortunately sometimes chilly, so this is the perfect layering piece to bring with you for late summer trips.

The Olive Jacket

As mentioned above nights in New England can be chilly, and long freezing bus or train rides can be even worse, so I always make sure to pack a light jacket for weekend trips. Plus, a soft olive colored jacket will bring you straight from summer beach trips to autumn leaf chasing trips.

Clare Vivier Crossbody

If you follow me on Instagram you've seen this bag countless times, and that's because I use it constantly. While it isn't big enough for toting around my camera it's my go-to  for days when I want to carry just my phone and wallet. PS - this is the only item that sadly isn't on sale, but it's definitely worth the splurge! It is one of those bags that just gets better with age. 

Five Things to Pack for Labor Day Weekend

Thursday, August 31, 2017

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The Transitional Pieces You Need For Fall

It feels like this time of year fall is a dirty word, so instead everyone starts talking about 'transitioning' instead. Well, I'm just going to go out and say it - I am SO ready for fall. Not only does the start of September mean my birthday is just around the corner, but it means we can all start having some fun getting dressed again instead of just wearing the least amount of clothing possible while still being work appropriate (is that even possible when it's 90 degrees?). 

Since I know I'm jumping the gun a bit and it won't get truly chilly for at least another month (ugh) in the Northeast and even longer in other parts of the country I wanted to share a few pieces I've worked into my rotation for this weird in between time. These pieces are the perfect buy now wear now, but also wear later pieces that you'll keep finding yourself coming back to.

1) The Sleeveless Sweater - Sweater season is my favorite season, so I hate to wait for the real fall weather to hit to be able to wear cozy sweaters. That's where the sleeveless sweater comes in. For now I'm layering it over dresses and lightweight camis, but it will look amazing over long sleeve blouses as the colder weather arrives. PS the one I'm wearing is under $20!

2) Mules - You've been living under a rock if you haven't seen the fashion world's obsession with mules this year. You know why I love them though? They make the end of sandal season just that much easier since they still don't really feel like real shoes 😂. I've already bought three pairs this (oops) including both simple ones like these and embellished ones like these. 

3) The Silk Cami - Sleeveless blouses/camis are a layering powerhouse that you need in your wardrobe. Wear them on their own now and part of a layered look later. The cami under cardigan look becomes my lazy day (but still gotta look good) go-to come fall, so I like to stock up in plenty of colors. 

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White Sleeveless Sweater // Silk Cami // Ripped Jeans // Tan Mules 

The Transitional Pieces You Need For Fall

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

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Montauk Point Light

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I was in Montauk with my family, these last few weeks of August are flying by. While I was out out east for the weekend I had two things on my must-do list. The first was trying out The Lobster Roll, which I talked about here last week, and the other was heading to Montauk Point Light. If you don't know - I kind of have a thing for lighthouses. One of my lifelong goals is to visit all the lighthouses in New England (there are almost 200) and have a running list on my phone of the ones I've visited. 

So on my last day in Montauk, even with so-so weather I made my fam head out to the state park and trek across the rocks to get some of the best views of the lighthouse. Luckily, I was wearing my trusty espadrilles, perfect for ensuring I wouldn't slip on the rocks while still looking beach ready.

While Cape Cod and Nantucket will probably always be my favorite beach destinations in the Northeast, I would definitely go back to Montauk for another weekend. Besides the lighthouse, highlights included breakfast sandwiches from Montauk Bake Shoppe, cocktails and dinner at Inlet Seafood (definitely family friendly!), and of course spending the day at the beach with a Montauk Watermelon Beer in hand!

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OUTFIT 1: Zara tee (similar) // Forever 21 shorts (similar) // Steve Madden Sandals

OUTFIT 2: Urban Outfitters top (similar) // Gap shorts (similar) // Lauren Ralph Lauren espadrilles

Montauk Point Light

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

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End of Summer Bucket List

I can't believe in just two weeks the summer will be over. Even though it stays warm until the end of September here in New York, there's something about those few last weeks of August that makes me want to spend every possible minute outside exploring the city.

Every summer we begin to take the long afternoons outside in Central Park, the sunset drinks by the water, and even just the ease of gorgeous walks from the subway to work every morning. Too soon we'll all be trudging through snow piles trying to navigate slush puddles. Instead of just concentrating on the looming winter (speaking of which, wasn't Game of Thrones CRAZY last night?!) I decided to try and make the most of these last few weeks and check off as many items from my last minute bucket list as possible. 

1) One Last Beach Day - I've only spent two days at the beach this summer, so I'm trying to rally friends together to get one last beach day on the calendar. If you're stuck in the city heading out to the Rockaways or Long Beach is the perfect day trip.

2) Brooklyn Barge Afternoon - This weekend I headed out to Greenpoint with a friend, spent the night at Brooklyn Barge, and ended up having the best time! It's a huge outdoor bar with games (think corn hole and giant jenga) and a gorgeous view of the NYC skyline. Before it closes for the winter I definitely want to go back for a Saturday afternoon!

3) Lunch in Bryant Park - Bryant Park is the absolute best place for lunch during the work week. Throughout the summer they have events happening at lunch like 'Broadway in Bryant Park' on Thursday (which unfortunately ended earlier this summer), but everything ends with the start of September so I have to take advantage of it now!

4) Happy Hour at Grand Banks - Grand Banks is probably the most instagrammable spot in the city during the summer. It's a gorgeous old ship turned bougie oyster bar and it's the perfect spot for a picturesque happy hour with friends. I've still never been and am dying to go before the end of the summer!

5) Heading out to Governors Island - When you can't leave the city Governors Island is the perfect escape for a day! Last summer I took the 10 minute ferry over to the island multiple times, but haven't been on out once this summer! I'm dying to spend a day riding bikes around the park and having a delicious lunch from the food trucks. 

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End of Summer Bucket List

Monday, August 21, 2017

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My Favorite Lobster Rolls

Being from New England, summer is defined by vacations to the Cape, chilly nights in Maine, and most importantly lobster rolls. Now that I'm living in New York City full-time it's pretty hard to make the trek up to to Massachusetts for my favorite lobster roll spots, so when I headed out to Montauk with my family I knew we needed to try out The Lobster Roll in Amagansett. You may know the spot for it's insta-famous LUNCH sign, but I'm happy to report that the lobster rolls are definitely up to par with my New England favorites. Since we do have a few weeks left of summer Fridays I'll be heading up to Massachusetts and hopefully hitting up another one of my favorites soon 😊

Keep reading for a list of my four favorite Lobster Rolls spots!

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Sandals // Gingham Dress // Long Initial Necklace

FAVORITE LOBSTER ROLL SPOTS

(in no particular order)

Barnacle Billy's

Barnacle Billy's in Oqunquit is the longest running favorite on this list. Nestled at the end of the Marginal Way it's the perfect place to finish off your walk along the coast. 

Woodman's of Essex

Woodman's is what you're picturing when you think classic New England lobster shack - gingham covered picnic tables, buttered buns, and an ice cream store next door to finish off your meal.

Luke's Lobster

Honestly, Luke's makes it on my list of favorites for it's multiple locations in Manhattan. The rolls are great, but the fact that those of us stuck in the city can get a bit of the beach is the real reason I love this spot. I generally head to the location at the Plaza Food Hall and bring my roll out to Central Park for a picnic, but there are multiple locations throughout the city.

The Lobster Roll Amagansett

I've already raved about The Lobster Roll earlier in this post so I'll spare you the long explanation. You might go for the aesthetic, but you'll stay for the extensive menu including both hot and cold lobster rolls, watermelon beer, and amazing desserts.

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Sandals // Gingham Dress // Long Initial Necklace

My Favorite Lobster Rolls

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

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