But, in an effort to celebrate life's positives and focus on the goodness, this week's FFs are simple things that make me smile. A food, a scent, a wine, a face scrub and a sweet treat.
This week in natural disaster news, us Manhattanites have experienced an earthquake with a hurricane coming our way. Birds were falling out of the sky a few months ago. Fish randomly dying in rivers. I'm not saying the world ISNT ending. All joking aside, I pretty much just get really bummed out when weather plays a role in ruining plans. On Saturday, we were to be celebrating a full NYC 60th Bday Celebration for my mother in law with all the bells & whistles. *SIGH* Really was looking forward to this. And seeing my CUTER THAN SPRINKLES niece :) Hurricane Irene, go away. But, in an effort to celebrate life's positives and focus on the goodness, this week's FFs are simple things that make me smile. A food, a scent, a wine, a face scrub and a sweet treat. Mexican Taco Feast. This will be our dinner tonight and when the email I get from Lee saying we're having tacos for dinner elicits a response of "mmmmmmm friday tacos!!!!!!!!"...you know it will be a good Friday. And how cheap is a homemade taco meal? The answer: very. Yankee Candle in Clean Cotton. Without fail, I always go back to this scent. It makes our apartment feel like a big house and super comfy home :) Sequoia Grove Sauv Blanc. You know how certain wines completely take you back to the spot you were when you first sipped it? Lee and I lunched under the sequoia trees at this winery during a Napa jaunt in 2009. One of the most amazing afternoons spent on a vacation and this wine totally takes me back. Deli sandwiches, this sauvignon blanc, my happy place. St. Ives Timeless Skin Daily Microderm Abrasion. BEST FACIAL SCRUB EVER. I'm not sure I actually agree that this is as good as real microderm abrasion, but it sure leaves my skin silky smooth. Trader Joe's Salt Water Taffy. It is due to these treats alone that I have considered going on a 30 day sugar fast. See that red and white twisty one in the middle? They are always the first to be eaten. Just like pink Starburts;)
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10 summers ago , my high school ladies and I packed up our bags in Wexford and drove to the Jersey shore for an epic senior week of 18yr old fun (read: awesome/embarassing/debaucherous trip all wrapped into one:) Jax & I rode the tandem bike screaming "WE ARE....PENN STATE" all through the quiet streets of Avalon one night. We wore American Eagle/Abercrombie like it was going out of style. We bought matching hoodies (how great are hoodies?) from Fred's Tavern. But we werent old enough to enjoy Fred's Tavern. We thought we were so cool. HA! So flash forward a decade, 3 of us are able to make the trek back for a reunion wknd. We will miss all the other ladies so much but life...life gets in the way sometimes. A cross country move, a new job and a business school trip to China....all valid excuses, I say. We'll tell old stories and reminisce about growing up. Inevitably, there will be some tears (happy and sad) and great conversation with friends who've known you for almost your whole life. Cheers to that. Now...for this week's FFs....a taste of summer and the beach in honor of this weekend's festivities! Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray. I'm probably the 5000the person to recommend this product. It just even does a great job on my stringy, childlike hair. And it smells like the beach. Adding that perfect amount of salty wavyness to your hair even if you dont go into the ocean. Like me. Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt Salted Caramel. I mean, I can't even talk about how deep my cravings for this flavor go. The cheap VS bikini. A honeymoon staple (x3) last year. It's $19.99 total. I dont care if everyone else has them. SPF + Helioplex. The "+ Helioplex" makes me feel like I'm going the extra mile for my casper-like transparent skin. It takes a while to rub in but know you're doing right by your skin. Frogs Leap Sauvignon Blanc. My absolute favorite California white wine and my ideal hot summer night choice. Organic grapes. Sustainable farm vineyard. Crisp. Light. Pour me a glass now. FINALLY Friday. This week went by sooooo sloooooooowly. Indulging in one of my guilty pleasures on Wednesday night, The Bachelor Pad & a glass of wine, I was eyeing up things up in our teeny apartment during the crazy long commercial breaks. We do as best we can to keep it clutter free but after a wedding and the generousity of friends & relatives....well, we have a mixer sitting beside a wine fridge in one corner, piles of frames behind the chair, etc, etc. With it being wedding season and all (is it just me or is FALL becoming the new wedding season?), I thought I may do a quick FF post on my 5 favorite wedding registry pieces & apartment necessities for a new family of 2 with basically no space....for like anything;) Glass bottle with swing top. I mean, this is literally $3.95. And I bought it for myself but this little guy is a dinner staple. Fill with sparkling water and eliminate the plastic labeled TJ's ones from the tablescape. Even if it's takeout for dinner, doesn't the table look better with glass and flowers? The answer is yes;) A Wedding Bowl. Gift-wise, this is my favorite sentimental present we received from our wedding. Engraved with our names, location and date, we've filled this with our wedding cards and program which sits on top(idea stolen from the perfect homestylist Mrs LPA;) A constant memory of that day that I love wandering my eyes over when at home, and occationally dipping in to re-read a few... Grill Pan. You know what stinks? Not being able to have a gas grill (or a lawn, but I digress). Everything summer food related tastes better on the grill. And while I totally smoke out the apartment when using this, this pan comes as close to the real thing as anything else. It's cast iron and heavy as heck, but when your husband (read: you) craves blue cheeseburgers, this thing does the trick. Charring to perfection. The Coffee Canister. I know its sister the Utensil one is there too which I like but dont love. The CC, I love. I like this set because in our small kitchen this is really all that matters. A few spatulas and coffee. Nothing else necessary. Really. Pizza Stone. If there is one fru-fru, unconventional, kind-of specialty kitchenware that you register or purchase for a bride...GET THIS. Some of the best memories we have in our place are nights that we open some wine, grab authentic Italian ingrediants from Eataly and make some personal pizza pies. And you can entice you're friends over with it :) PS: Check out a new part of the sidebar for other fun, inspirational, witty, health-focused, everyday, girly blogettes that I follow. I couldnt do a top 5. I just couldn't pick!
I'm in an overly nostalgic mood this week coming off the Alaska trip. I am a planner and an organizer in my personal life but I think for the most part I do a good job of living in the now and taking in the big and the small moments that comprise a day's living. But sometimes...well....sometimes (like this morning, very loudly) my mind is reaching back into memories gone by and ones that I'm blessed to have as a part of my history. Fun, sentimental, the works kind of memories. Today's favorites are 5 of those ones :) Abby's Bachelorette Bar Crawl. State College c. 2005. I get perma-grin looking at pics from that night. She was the first to get engaged and married of us 4. Now all of us are wed and little Eme Ward is getting excited to welcome baby Hollenbeck into the crew of wine weekend babies;) Grandma & Grandpa Kertz's 50th wedding anniversary party. I love this memory and picture solely because of Grace's dramatic tearfest. haha. No, in all seriousness, I am so fortunate to have a set of grandparents who have seen a milestone like this in their marriage and family. My tough German grandfather's tears of happiness that night spoke louder than words. Wexford ladies reunions. My high school galpals mean the world to me. This is us from our reunion trip in 2008. We thought we'd really "grown up" that year. I love naivete ;) Dancing with my Dad on my wedding day. I'm such a sap:) I love everything about that moment with my Dad. With the girls and Mr. Pontiere singing "My Girl." It was as special as special can be. Kristin's first visit to NYC. Let it be known there have been 6 visits since + her wedding. Those weekends with her in town go down as some of the most hilarious we've ever spent as friends. I mean, based on this picture, even Lee agrees :) When my friends or family members recommend or gift a product to me, I'm pretty much an immediate fan. I always feel more attached to trying a new look, product, or restaurant when someone I trust "swears" it is her/his favorite thing-of-the-moment. Smiles. Friday. Yes. Enjoy. Ps: We are off to Alaska this afternoon! Back next Sunday for an epic blog update if I am not eaten by a bear. Snapdragons. I'm a pretty standard bodega flower customer but when Trader Joe's started offering these lovlies I was intrigued. I also wasnt sure they'd look appropriate in a normal vase. But...Voila! (Again, thanks, Carbs:) Tkees Flip Flops. Kristin is always in the know about the "it" shoe-makeup-fashion piece. I had zero clue what a perfect sandal this was until she brought me a pair from Florida late this spring. It basically matches my skin tone and is just as comfortable as it is demure. By mid-June in NYC, they were everywhere AND being sold in the Equinox store. Who knew Jacksonville was so fashion-forward??? ;) Birch Box. Ah, my little $10 monthly treat! Birch Box delivers a perfectly packaged compact present of deluxe samples to my door once a month. Hair serums, makeup, tea/coffee, sweet treats, lotions, perfumes, etc...I am always happiliy surprised by the contents and it has turned me on to a variety of products. Each month contains 5-6 treats! Divide that by $10 x the happiness it is to get snail mail=no brainer. Thanks to my sister in law, Neha for giving me inside scoop on this girly find over Christmas JUST after the company launched (aka, sweet upfront new member deals:) Roberta Freymann Tote. Sarah Kr comes through again this year with a smashingly stylish and everyday summer bag. Gifted to me from my best gal for my birthday, I use this for errand running, yoga outings, lunch dating and farmers market tripping :) The Daily Love. Discovered via Trish of The Grateful Life, this has become one of those daily reads that turns my heart and mind on to various life reflections. Amen to all of it and more. It's been just over 8 weeks since getting back into a solid workout routine post-physical therapy on the gimp hip. I'm really starting to feel the progress made and mental clairty return....but I have a confession: I do not rely on myself alone. I am in daily need of postive reinforcement and motivational check-ins to stay the course. Reminders that I am strong enough to push my limits, that I'm mindful of my choices and that I listen with intention to my body. Each week gets easier but no less a struggle. What do I know for sure? That this is a lifelong course for me. I workout first and foremost as a remedy for anxiety/blues with the physical benefits a close second. Today's favorites are just a few blips of motivational inspiration that I stumbled upon this week in the blogosphere and helped me to keep on keeping on :) When hungry, chug an 8oz glass of water. If thirsty, chug more. Challenge yourself and see if you can drink about a gallon/day. Remember, to stave off bloating and water retention, you have to drink more water. As backwards as it sounds, it's true! I just love this. That's all. Today is Friday. It's hard for me to find the desire to workout on Fridays but seeing this makes me lace up the sneaks and just GO. I dont even think about it. By the time the first song has ended on the iPod, I'm already grateful that I got out the door. A wonderful daily reminder. And the truth ;-) Friday! Woohoo! I'm in my total happy place right now. This afternoon is full of party prep as one of my dearest friends Michelle and I are hosting a baby shower for our close friend and mama-to-be, Abby, tomorrow afternoon in Philadelphia. M and I have had more fun planning this shindig than ever and we cannot WAIT to shower A with lots of love and let baby H know he or she has a world of really cool people waiting for their arrival. What a Saturday we have in store(!!!) So...before tmrw's indulgance in all things cocktail and party appetizers and cupcakes galore gets underway, I thought this week's favorites could be of the healthy variety and how I choose to snack during the week in prep for a weekend of sugary immoderation that is 100% going to occur. Zico Coconut Water. Instant hydration with a side of feeling like you're in tropical paradice on the beach with a pina colada (just for a second). OK...now I know this stuff gets mixed (read: nasty) reviews from those who think the taste is funny and odd and slimey but hear me out. This liquid is packed with potassium (prevents cramping during workouts), packed with the 5 essential electrolytes, is 0 fat, 0 cholesterol and 0 added sugar....AND....it rehydrates faster than water. A 1 cup serving is 45 calories and when I say the rehydration I feel is instant(the only natural substance that can---ready for it---be INJECTED into your blood stream intravenously), I am not kidding. Perfect for mid-yoga, perfect for the Sunday morning hangover. Get used to it, it is awesome. Chill for better taste. Almond Butter & Celery Sticks. Such a childhood favorite of mine reinvented with a different nut spread. Packed with Vitamin E much more(40% vs 3%) than it's rival peanut butter, almond butter is also less in saturated fat. My tastebuds for sure favor peanut butter but I dont really like almonds (a "superfood") so I do my part and am getting used to this one. Great midday snack and the healthy fat/oil keeps me satiated til my next meal. Dried Fruit. A perfect alternative when you need something sweet in a pinch. I prefer mango/cranberry/bluberry packs. Dried pineapple is a yummy option too! Granny Smith Apples with Brie. Not the whole wedge, friends. It's delicious though! Slice up some apples with some thin cuts of brie and it is a wonderful and biting + smooth taste for your mouth. The cheese helps curb hunger and an apple a day....(you know the rest). Vanilla Meringues. If you ever were the kid like I was and ate all the marshmellos out of the Lucky Charms cereal instead of eating it with breakfast and the toasted oats like a normal person, than these are for you. Fat free. One 1/4 bite of these cookies and it gives you an instant memory of being 8 years old for 5 calories. Yes. On the upswing! What a week it's been trying to fight off this dang cold. I havent been this sick in years, however being a pharma rep I'm bound to be exposed to the full spectrum of germs all year long....and it finally bit me in the a$$. ANYways...on to my Friday Favorites which will turn the corner and make me feel part of the normal blogosphere again. This week's post is dedicated to my favorite things that will fill this long 4th of July summer weekend. Lee and I are off to Southampton early tmrw morning to take in some R&R, nosh on grilled hotdogs and forget about life in the city for awhile:) Cucumber Lime Vokda Soda. This is hands down my new favorite summer cocktail (replacing my go to for YEARS of Kettle & Soda Splash of Grapefruit Juice which I still love but has been seriously replaced.) My Aunt Lila turned me onto this concoction during my cousin's wedding wknd and she is a genuis. Refreshing, hydrating, tipsifying, perfection. The recipe is... 1-2oz Kettle One Vokda (or V of your choice) Ice Flavored Soda Water (I prefer Lime or Lemon) Juice of half a lime Juice/Squeezed pieces of 2-3 large cucumber slices 3 thin cucumber slices + 2 lime wedges to float in drink Voila! A 100-150 calorie (1.5oz=100ish calories in K1Vodka) drink that leaves the wicked hangover by the wayside and keeps you coming back for more. The Fedora. All the rage in NYC this summer. The street vendors are making out like CRAZY with these babies. $10 a pop, you cant beat it. Lee thinks I'm a total poser in it, but I'll be the judge of that ;) It makes me feel stylish so for that, well spent $10 I say. Pics in said hat posted after wknd! Amazon Kindle. I must say, this thing has increased my reading 10 fold and the no glare element adds SO much desire to bury my nose in a novel for days. The nightly reading before bed routine has increased and even the hubby who fought me tooth and nail over the "it's not the same as reading a real book" argument is now a proud owner of one as well. While I do love a good bookcase collection, ours is totally full and until we own a home with fab built-ins to proudly display our literary finds, the Kindle is just perfect. And the books are normally half the sticker cost of a paperback copy, to boot! On this weekened's reading agenda, The Help, which is the first chosen read of Lindsey D's resurected Book Club. Cant wait to dive in! Fireworks. Nothing makes me happier than a good fireworks display, the cool summer night breeze and the company of good friends. Fireworks and the accompanying orchestral songs of the USA make me feel extrememly patriotic and American in the most basic of ways. I always feel so reflective during these mid-summer displays as it marks the unofficial midpoint of the summer/year and all that is good about our country. This year I'm SO excited that we get to see two fireworks displays, one in the Hamptons and one in NYC on Monday night. Score. Memory making. I love looking back on past holiday weekends and reminiscing about all the fun that happened way back. This is a picture of me & Lee from July 4th a few summers ago at our summer house in Westhampton before the (obviously) white party. Summer glows, relaxed smiles, and simply enjoying the moment. Love! Adele Station on Pandora (Internet Radio). The happiness that the Adele station provides to me on my morning commute is priceless. Soothing lyrics and that raspy almost Mancurian english voice paired with a skinny latte and 45 min commute to Brooklyn somehow passes quickly. Intermixed with Adele's crooning ("Make You Feel My Love" (cover) is my absolutel favorite) is a good mix of Ingrid Michaelson, Alison Krauss, Marc Cohn, and laid back John Mayer (think more "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" not "3x5"). I'm considering registering for the pay-for-use service to aviod hearing the Farmers Insurance Ad one more time, but nothing the mute button cant fix while driving... Shrimp Cocktail. So basic, yet so perfectly crisp for a summers evening appetizer/meal (let's be honest, it's hard to stop at shrimp 5). Pair it with pinot grigio or even a dry, grassier flavored champagne. I think I know what I now want for dinner:) Steven Madden Heaven Flat. So I ruined my feet my first three years of work, killing myself in sky-high heels. And I literally walk around all day! Bad news. Such bad news. I now own these ditties in 3 colors---they have a great shape to the the normal ballet flat (a bit of a side dip) and my feet are thanking me;) Rent the Runway. Do you see this?!? My very first rent the runway garment bag fully loaded with the two dresses I wore to my cousin's wedding last weekend! The service? Renting designer dresses for a fraction of the retail cost! For two dresses + jewelry, I spent $140 to be completely outfitted for a wknd of TONS of pictures and family events. Three things that make me adore this company: 1) They send you two sizes of the dresses you chose. ie-no worrying about fit! 2) They send you pre-stamped padded envelopes to just ship everything back in (I'm talking put in bag dirty/deodorant stained and drop in blue mailbox). 3) NO DRYCLEANING. Do you KNOW how huge of a time & $$ saver that is? Nike Free Run Shoes. What we have here is my new favorite running shoe. Yes I said running! I am finally running again (1x/week) and testing out the success of my post-surgery new and improved hip with these puppies on my feet. Alot of the newer shoe technology (Nike Free, FiveFingers, etc) are getting back to basics and allowing you to strengthen your tiny foot muscles while still proving stability. I would be lying if I said these are shoes I would run more than 10miles in. But they are so lightweight and perfect for my transition back to pavement stomping here and there for a 3ish-mile jog. It's back! Okay maybe it will even stick. (I neeeeed a new name for this reoccuring title. Help!) This Friday is dedicated to favorite things that add pretty to my life....and face/hair;) PEONIES. I can't get enough of these flowering beauties. I think what makes them even more perfect is their very slim window of availability at NYC bodegas which makes them a novel treat to the start of summer in this apt of ours. Fresh flowers are such a simple indulgance of mine and just make me smile! Homemade Flavored Water. Do you ever go to a resort or spa and notice how their water is never bland but always perfectly equalized with lemon, cucumber, orange or grapefruit? It is it such an indulgance and instantly calming. I drink a TON of agua everyday so this retreat from the tasteless Manhattan water is a new daily routine of mine for my morning commute. Cucumber has been my choice of the week, doesnt it look super fancy in that TJ's bottle? It is a sip that's refreshing, hydrading and I feel special drinking it ;) PS: not to get all soap-boxy on here, but drinking a gallon of water a day is the best investment in one's skin. it's true. oki'mdone. Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation SPF 25. That's quite a title for a tinted moisterizer. It's packed with anti-aging properties and based on my extensive research in Lucky Mag, Glamour, Vogue and US Weekly...one should be on a skin saving regime before wrinkles appear. SO...this does the trick. AND...makes me have the "dewey" look which I love. I use a MBadascu SPF lotion underneath and then this gives an extra layer of SPF25 protection. I glow and feel like I'm doing the best for my skin. Moroccan Hair Oil Light Treatement. It is of no surprise to those who know me that I have been highlighting my hair since I was 14yrs old, love using jumbo hot rollers and the occasional flat iron. Over-heating, stripping and dying my hair is (sadly) the norm. I was turned on to this MHOLT by the stylist who did my wedding hair and it has added so much effortless shine to my locks. I use it 1-2x/week (just a dime size dollop neccessary) and run through my hair pre-blow drying. AMAZING. And the scent? It's like a sweet almond or something and I wish they made a perfume, too. Heavenly! M.A.C Lipstick in So Chaud. I know I know...it's bold. Some may say even clown-ish upon first glance. The bright lip/neutral outfit combo is big now in the City and while I am only a 80% trend follower (okay 75%, I cant do the oxford shoe/jumpsuit/round circle sunglasses look), this is something that makes me feel really feminine and pretty. What doesnt hurt in the whole equation with this orangy-red lipstick is that is goes remarkably well with my transparent/alabaster-ish skintone adding color so easily to any look. Try it out! |
AuthorSarah: one part of a family of THREE with my husband Lee and sweet girl Morgan, simply wanting to chronicle the path I'm on and the path that will come to be. For now it's NYC urban mamaville where everyday is a new adventure! (Actually, just getting to the post office is an adventure.) Ask Me Anything!Blogettes I LoveJoey & The Owl
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