According to my screen-time record on my iPhone I spend 8 hours a day on Instagram (It’s my job, don’t @ me, mom). so its no shock I’ve run into so many of those Daily Harvest adds. During one of the adds, I decided to swipe up and take a look. Surprisingly, it’s pretty affordable for normal people! I got 9 cups, weekly, for an intro cost of $45 ($65 after your first order). These are marketed for breakfast or lunch, but I’m mostly using them for dinner. I got a couple breakfast options, but prefer a savory breakfast and smoothies/ oatmeal just ain’t gonna cut it. Here’s what I ordered in my first box:
The best stuff:
Coconut Lemon bites: Not a huge fan of coconut that isn’t sweetened but wow yes to this. Great when you just need a quick little something sweet
Sweet Potato + Wild Rice hash: So good. We’re in a committed relationship now
Cauliflower Rice + Pesto: I’m not a pesto person, but this is amazing.
Mulberry + Dragon Fruit: This was an oat bowl and I’ve never had either of these fruits (cause who’s confident enough to pick up one of those dragon fruit things at the store?). Still not 100% sure what Dragon fruit tastes like, but love mulberry.
Everything I ordered was surprisingly pretty tasty good. For someone who literally only makes food for one person, these are fantastic. The serving sizes are great and everything you need to make it is already in the cup, just add water. Another great thing is it’s all plant based meals, which can be hard to make without buying a million different ingredients that go bad in 7 seconds. Truthfully, I will probably do this about 2X a month so that I have a variety of meals and I’m not overstocking my tiny fridge. Trader Joe’s freezer section has some competition.
I know people do these constantly, but its one of the few posts I’ll scroll through no matter whose it is. I’m always looking for new stuff to try, especially in the freezer section. There’s a combined Target and Trader Joe’s a few stop away from me, so basically that’s where 90% of my income is going these days. Let begin with the things I buy every time I go:
Cauliflower gnocchi: When will I have the dramatic glow-up that cauliflower has had? Pretty much all Trader Joe’s lists worth their salt have this on it. It’s as good as everyone says it is, but pro-tip put it in the oven with olive oil when cooking (trust me).
Organic Brown Rice Pasta: Does eating this make me feel healthy? Big Yes. Is it? Medium Yes. I’m not gluten free or afraid of bread anymore, thank god, but there was a time when I was. This is the pasta I would go with and now that I’m tight with bread again, it’s still my go-to. Mostly just because it’s actually good. Pasta that claims to be good for you is usually trash and basically dissolves in your mouth, no thanks. This one tastes like actual pasta, as it should.
Cauliflower Stir-Fry: Hitting you again with the cauliflower and I’m not done yet. This stuff has the luxury of cauliflower stir fry, without a million individual bags of frozen vegetables to buy. With corn, peppers, peas, ginger and sesame oil in one bag, all you need is soy sauce. Lots and lots of soy sauce,
Orange “Chicken”: I’ve become sort of a vegetarian in recent years. Not necessarily on purpose, but I’m just not a big meat eater anymore. This stuff is vegan and comes with a little sauce packet and it is divine! Put this with Cauli Stir-fry and you’ve got yourself a meal.
Kung Pao Cauliflower: How many cauliflower things can I buy? Many, many cauliflower things. I cook these for about 30 minutes in the oven and pour the sauce packet over them. Longer cook time, but worth the wait.
Dried Apricots, individual packets: I bought these once on a whim and I love them. I need everything to come in tiny serving sizes because I have no self control!! Tastes like candy, but with no added sugar.
Stuff that’s tried, tested, tasty, but not in the regular rotation:
Potato gnocchi stuffed with mozzarella and marinara sauce: These are basically grown-up pizza rolls and I’m not sorry about it. Put some cheese on top and you’ve got yourself an easy meal.
Vegan Pesto: I’m more of a red sauce gall myself, but wanted to try this out anyway. Tastes like normal, almost suspiciously good? If you’re cutting out dairy, this is a god one. If you aren’t, add goat cheese and put it on Cauliflower gnocchi to really lean into #health.
Candy Corn Popcorn: Candy corn, good. Popcorn, good. Candy corn popcorn, so delic. If you don’t like candy corn, let me live! And, alternatively, if you buy the autumn mix candy corn, don’t talk to me either.
Raise your hand if you’ve resolved to be healthier in 2019?
I’d consider myself a pretty decently healthy person—who’s addicted to sugar and will not apologize for it. I’ve recently, in the last 6 months, gotten used to eating a serving of vegetables a day. May not sounds like a lot, but you gotta start somewhere, right?
I’ve never been a huge fan of vegetables, because ew. I usually struggle with them unless they’re drowning in some sort of sauce (ranch?). I somehow found a way of making them taste amazing and, almost more importantly, ready very quickly. I’ve never been the kind of person who can sit and wait for food to cook for an hour. I thought I’d share my go-to in case anyone was looking for a quick recipe! I’m by no means a recipe expert and you can totally tell because my pictures are very basic, but you get the idea.
Note: You can use ANY vegetables, I’ve just been really into asparagus and sweet potato lately.
That’s literally it. I know turmeric seems weird, but its so good mixed with all of the other things.
How I do it:
Grab a skillet and oil it with a decent amount of whatever oil you chose
Put your veggie of choice in there and cook it on medium heat
Flip them after about 5 minutes and add spices( I like mine very brown, so maybe flip them earlier if you don’t)
Turn heat on low and add juice from the half lime
EAT
I added chicken because it goes really well with all the other spices, but you can use whatever you like! I’ve noticed if you don’t have a gas stove, they may take longer to cook, just an fyi. I eat this all the time (ask my roommate) and I love it!
I wanted to do this wrap up of the stuff I really loved this year that I didn’t talk about and/or barely talked about. Sort of like a giant Sunday Summary, A.K.A that thing I don’t do anymore (but can still be viewed if you’re into that).
Best Hair Product of 2018:
The Tragic Before
Technically, this isn’t a product. HOWEVER, I discovered this dry shampoo blow drier trick and it is a game changer. Had bun hair all day and then someone wanted to hangout (and i did not want to have bun hair) so I tried this trick. Here’s the post I did and how it ended up going for me, but spoiler alert, it works.
Best Book in 2018:
If you need to know anything about me, it’s that I love to read. I’ve been slacking slightly with how much, but I’ve been picking up major speed with it lately. I’ve read roughly 20-ish books this year, which is kind of a lot. Trying to narrow it down to the best was hard, but some of the books I read just sort of ran together. Really thinking about doing a monthly post about the books I read the month before (mostly just to push myself to read more). OKAY on to my actual pick: You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero. I know what you’re thinking “Self-help book? That’s for sad weirdos.” Here’s the thing: You’re right! BUT, I’d argue that everyone is kind of a sad weirdo sometimes! I read this when I really needed something to give me things to do after I quit my job and when I needed a distraction from going down the “what if I have to move home because I can’t find a job” hole. I would honestly read it again, that’s how much I liked it. If you’re stuck in place in your life where you have no idea what you’re doing, read this. If you wanna make a crazy change, read this. It’s 2019, the year of making goals and gettin’ bread—as the memes say, so read it!
Best Makeup Product of 2018:
Okay I almost put something else for this that was expensive and to be fair, very good. I feel that I should instead pay homage to a brand who had my back when I was too broke to go to Sephora and get new stuff. That’s right I’m talking about ELF. You wouldn’t think with $1 brow pencils and $3 concealer would be worth putting on your face. I’m here to tell you, your assumptions are wrong. My brows are perfectly filled and my pores CONCEALED! Was actually not a fan of the bronzer cause it was too glittery for my tastes but that doesn’t mean it’s not quality! Okay done with my spiel.
Best Skincare Product of 2018:
Spoiler alert it’s like 2 dollars. Spoiler alert again, it’s lemon juice. I started using it and it felt like a miracle. Then I stopped for a few weeks recently, because I’m skeptical person and sometimes I don’t feel like buying lemons ya know. Started using them again and wow I forgot how good they are. My skin just has so much less redness and blackheads! It’s so great and so cheap.
Best Movie of 2018:
I know you all want me to say A Star is Born, but I’m sorry I can’t. The music is amazing, yes. Bradley Cooper is hot, yes. I absolutely knew what was gonna happen at the end and so I didn’t like it as much. Maybe if there was a world with no spoilers and people wouldn’t have talked about how amazing it was and subsequently ruining it. I also really don’t watch movies in theaters that much. I’ve seen maybe 3 movies this entire year, so I fell like I can’t say what the best movie this year is. I can say what the best movie I saw this year. It’s not new, it’s just new to me. Okay, it’s Steel Magnolias. This is a weird pick for me, since every time anyone would bring this up I’d immediately think “How can that be good? It sounds so corny.” It was on Netflix a few months back and it was a rainy Saturday, so I thought I’d give it a try. It’s set in a small town in Louisiana—hence the name. The thing about movies centered around the South is they’re always over exaggerated. Every other word is “crawfish” or “gumbo” or “pea-can pie!” I get it, its a movie, but that why I never really like them. This one doesn’t do that. Overall, its pretty reflective of life in smaller southern town and I loved it. I cried, I laughed and now I know why it wont so many awards. It’s not on Netflix anymore, but find it somewhere because it’s so good.
Best Show of 2018:
Okay this is so hard because I’ve seen so many good shows this year, but there’s only one that filled me with the most joy every time I turned it on: The Great British Baking Show. Am I late to this game? I really don’t know but this show is so good. I really loved watching to the point of watching two seasons in a about a week. I did it in a weird way where I watched seasons 5 & 6 first and in my humble opinion, those are the best seasons. After that, they change the hosts and Prue isn’t one of the judges and I need her color coordination in my life. I love the accents, the stuff they come up with and Paul Hollywood is a cutie, I’m just gonna throw it out there. Really into shows that make me laugh and aren’t super dramatic lately and this one definitely fill that for me. I even watched it twice, so if you haven’t yet, here’s your notification.
Best Clothing Purchase of 2018:
This was the year I bought so many clothes, it’s obnoxious. Trying to “re-vamp” my wardrobe and also buying things for a 9-5 job was tough. I think the best purchase and the thing I got the most use out of were my Lululemon leggings. As you know, I’m more of a quantity over quality gal. Trends come and go a lot for me to be buying something that I may not wear in a few years that costs an arm and a leg. Also let’s keep it real, I’m still washing my clothes in a laundry mat for god’s sake. I’m in no place to be buying anything over 50 bucks. I completely believe in a good splurge for things that may be expensive, but you’ve been lusting after for a while. Hence, my purchase of these leggings. I really wanted to see if they are so different from the $20 Forever 21 leggings and I’m here to say yes they are. They fit like a glove, the length is always perfect (aka no bunching at the bottom) and they stay in place when I’m running. I still only have one pair so far, but 2019 I’ll be getting some more and really coming into my basic white girl form.
Best Workout of 2018:
So, I’m splitting this up by home workout and workout class, okay great:
Best home workout is always Tabata with Raneir Pollard hands down. He’s so fun and at the same time, the workout is always intense. It’s always my Monday go to for a good strong beginning to my week. Also, they just uploaded a new one!
Best workout class I’ve been to in the city is Yoga sculpt at Corepower yoga. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, If I were a richer woman, I’d be doing yoga twice a week at minimum. This particular class is not only yoga, but a little bit of cardio to satisfy my needs. They have them all over, so check them out if they’re near you!
Cheers to 2019! Can’t wait to make many more posts and let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see more of on the blog 🙂
I did something I have never done in my life. I didn’t eat for three whole days. As a person who never drinks smoothies, much less juice, this was weird. I never thought I would be one of those juice cleanse people, but here I am. Never say never, ladies.
What made me want to do this:
I was, what the marketing world calls, influenced. I saw a person in the health industry that I respected and followed, do it, so I did it. Honestly, it’s on my list of “never-s.” Oh I would never cut out bread and cheese, I love it! I did that. Oh I’d never go vegan that’s so weird. I did that. The list continues, people. I will say I’ve always been a little curious. What’s the hype? So, just like I did when I moved to New York, I decided in 2.5 seconds and did zero planning and research! Kidding, kinda. I did look at a few different places and watched a couple Youtube videos of people who did them. Minimal research, in other words. I decided to do the same one as my girl Blogilates. As you guys know, I’ve watched her workout videos for about 2 years now and I respect her opinion, okay!
Here’s the one I did:
I picked Cleanse 2 instead of the first one, simply because I felt I wouldn’t need a heavy drink in the morning. Cleanse 1 has a smoothie-like drink in the morning and night, while Cleanse 2 only has it at night. I also preferred to keep it as fruit and veggie based as I could—since that’s pretty much the point. I realize this is super expensive, but all in the name of research and pure curiosity? *bank account gives me the super side-eye*
Things I’m going to keep in mind going in:
How I feel overall
How I sleep
How bad are the cravings during and after
How my energy levels are (gonna try to keep doing the same things workout-wise)
Day 1:
I did a really intense HIIT workout this morning since I figured today would be the day I had the most energy. First two juices were really good, the third one not so much. Ginger in a drink is really weird, but I also drink apple cider vinegar—which is basically salad dressing water. Around 3pm I was pretty tired, probably could taken a nap. I didn’t drink any coffee today and my head is HAMMERING. The worst part of today was probably from 3-6 and then I was less like “I could eat so many chips right now its insane.” I will say after day one, I’m a little peeved at myself for thinking I was too good for Cleanse 1 for two reasons. Cleanse 1 had NO BEET JUICE—I had to choke this one down it was awful. It also had one more of the smoothie-like drinks and honestly, that last juice is the only thing I was looking forward to all day. So yeah, not my best idea. Good intentions paved the road of my personal hell (okay I’m being dramatic but you get it). I’m really hoping I wake up refreshed and can actually go for a run tomorrow, let’s see how that goes.
Please enjoy me drinking beet juice:
Day 2:
Last night was rough! It felt like one of those nights you eat until you make yourself sick and you have to force yourself to concentrate on something other than food. As I was going to sleep—early I might add, I resolved to quit this whole thing after one day. I did not feel great about it, being a competitive person and definitely wanting to prove to myself I could do it. This morning, however, I felt a lot better. I wasn’t super tired and my body didn’t seem to hate me too much for not feeding it. I decided to keep going, cause why not? I went for a walk instead of a run mostly because my head is still hurting. I definitely had my coffee too and I have no regrets people! I need my bean juice okay!! Now that my head feels normal, I can focus on how I actually feel. Today was about 100000% better than yesterday. I have way more energy, I’m not craving stuff as intensely as I was and I even had enough energy for a run. Yes you read that right, at 8 pm I went for a run. I never run at night. I just don’t have the energy for it and I don’t want to. Went to sleep at little full still, but so much better than yesterday.
Day 3:
I’m ready for today! No cravings really and I worked out like normal this morning. I took it a little easier and tried not to overextend myself, but pretty much could do everything I normally do. My energy during this is wild. I was so worried I was going to be dead the whole time and that’s so not the case for me. I felt pretty great all morning. By 2 pm, I lost my energy. This seems to be the point in my day where I normally get hungry and don’t have a lot of energy. Kinda of weird, but I guess makes sense. At night, I was definitely feeling hungry again. Not as bad as Day 1, but I could definitely go for a sandwich. Luckily, it was the last day so yay!
Conclusion:
This went from 100-0 real quick. I really thought after Day 1, I was going to report that I quit and was not gonna do it again. However, I actually kind of enjoyed it in a weird way? I thrive on a structured diet, no thinking means no room for “oh man what am I gonna eat ugh I’ll just have chips for dinner.” If I was a richer lady, I would just order those meal kits every week and never have to think about meals again. I also loved not having to cook. Cooking has never been my thing, I need meals to be 10 minutes prep-time and thats it. It was a good way to sort of force myself to get back on track as far as my healthy habits go.
How Did I sleep?- Actually very well, but I wouldn’t say a huge difference than normal. I’m a good sleeper, overall. The thing that I did notice, however, was I woke up feeling super rested and not groggy in the slightest. No matter how much sleep I get, I usually want to go back to sleep after my alarm, but this was different. My alarm went off and it’s like my body was ready for it and I was wide awake.
How bad are the cravings?-So very bad the first day, then lessen as the 2nd and 3rd day go on. I could always eat, but I wasn’t ravenous the whole time
Energy Levels?-Surprisingly normal. After the first day, that is. I would say the 2nd day was the best as far as energy and cravings.
How I feel overall?- Honestly, actually really good. I forget sometimes, how good I feel when I’m eating really healthy. I’ve been letting myself snack A LOT and instead of listening to my body, which was really hurting my moods. I’ll also say my mood was really great after the first day, almost giddy?
Will I do this again?
Actually, yes. Maybe after the holidays when your schedule is messed up and you just want to nap for 10 years. It was a great way to get me back on track as far as making sure I’m putting the ~goods~ in my body. It’s not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it.
I haven’t done one of these in MONTHS, so I feel as if I need to update you guys on the things I really like lately. Pay attention (please), this is a good one.
Elf Concealer
I have this weird thing where I have two concealers. One is my expensive concealer for when I wanna look like a pore-less model and one for when I’m just living my everyday life as a regular human—or for when I wanna look good, but not that good. Just me? I happened to be in Target the other day and remembered I was running out of my regular human concealer, as well as my fancy one. A dilemma! On a whim, (and because I didn’t wanna go to the mad house that is Sephora), I bought this. Actually rivals my expensive concealer AND only $3?! I have turned a new leaf.
Graphic Tee Trend?
I never, In my wildest dreams, thought I would actually like this trend. I love pairing a tee with fancy pants (as seen below), especially patterned pants. Not by any means ready for Fall, (because Winter is next), but I do miss my pants. I’m still hesitant to buy any band t-shirt that I have never listened to, or a shirt that says something horrible like “beast mode.”
RX V.S. Lära Bars
It’s hard to pick which one I like better. RX bars are my personal OG. They have basic ingredients, big, taste amazing and have no added sugar. HOWEVER, Lära bars are making a serious contender. Some of them do have added sugar (usually only about 3g), but follow the same “basic ingredients” principal. They also have some amazing flavors like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Coconut Creme Pie and (my personal fave) Lemon Bar. They aren’t as big as RX bars, so I would say that’s their downfall. I know I’m late to the party on these, but maybe someone else is too, okay!!
Running on a Treadmill?
As you guys may know, I’ve been implementing running back into my daily workouts. I used to run solely outside (in the devil’s heat), but lately, I’ve been using the treadmill. At first, it was a ride on the struggle bus. You have nothing really to pay attention to except maybe a TV you can’t hear. You also aren’t really going anywhere, so it’s just you and your thoughts for however long you can stand it. Since switching to a focus on endurance, instead of focusing on speed, I’m actually enjoying it. I either listen to a podcast, or some of my favorite jams of the moment. Definitely not going fast, but I can usually last longer and run better on the treadmill. As with anything, the more you do it, the better you get.
Book of the Summer: You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
Late to this party as well, mostly because I figured this book was corny. I decided to switch it up and read a book or two about bettering my life—maybe give the murder mysteries a break. This was surprisingly good and only slightly corny. I would say, keep an open mind when reading. It gave me things to do while on the job hunt and inspired me to change some things in my life. Highly recommend if you feel like you’re struggling with anything or just need some inspiration*~.
I wanted to talk about something I’ve struggled with since puberty: SKIN. Specifically, the skin on my face. This is gonna be a long one since I’ve been struggling for 10+ years (craziness), so strap in! Get some snacks.
First, let’s break down my journey a little bit.
Right before the miracle of braces circa right before 8th grade
I’ve had what I would call “problem” skin since I was about 13. Specifically, I would breakout on my chin. Usually it was one or two, but I always was embarrassed about it and started wearing makeup very early in order to cover it. My aunt, being a Pharmacist, was the first to prescribe something for my skin. After months, my skin stayed the same, despite dosage increases.
Once I was starting 8th grade, I went to a Dermatologist for the first time. He prescribed me a BUNCH of different stuff, but again, nothing really changed.
Right before freshman year of high school
For a couple years, I just used the stuff you could get at Target like Neutrogena, Clean & Clear etc.
I look at these so I never get bangs again. Sophomore year
Around my Sophomore year of high school, I started using Proactive. It worked moderately well and I would say my skin was bearable. After not seeing the dramatic results they show on their TV adds, I decided to try something else. In the rise of Pinterest and blogging, my mother and I read about using oil as a cleanser. I don’t really remember my exact results with this (I was but a wee junior in high school), but I wasn’t satisfied with how my skin was reacting to it.
Summer of my junior year. Probably the best my skin looked for two years
I was recommended acne products by a Sephora worker and switched all skin care to a particular brand (doesn’t exist anymore). This made my skin better, but I still had breakouts regularly. I ended up just going back to regular ‘ole Clean & Clear and my skin was pretty okay the entirety of my junior year. I would still breakout, but it was bearable. Of course, I obsessed over every pimple, but looking back it was really tame. Calm before the storm, as they say.
A blonde me? Senior yearDecided not to wear makeup this day and after seeing these, regretted that decision
Going into my senior year of high school, I got the worst breakouts of my life. It went from being manageable or a few here and there, to full on cystic acne all over my cheeks and chin. I went back to Proactive in hopes that would help and after another failed attempt, went to a Dermatologist. He sent me back with a few things to try, while my skin stayed basically the same. I was going into College, trying to meet new people and make friends so this was not ideal.
First day of college, the worst my skin ever looked
Around the same time, my cousin was also struggling with her skin. Like me, she had trouble skin later in life and was struggling to find anything that worked. She began taking the drug Accutane and was surprised by it’s dramatic results.
While taking Accutane my freshman yearSummer, after 7 months on Accutane. (please ignore the face I’m making, sheesh)
Accutane is controversial for a few reasons and so most people use this as a last resort. It has very strong side effects including: back pain, dry lips, dry skin and even depression. You take this everyday for at least six months. As a female, you have to jump through A LOT of hoops to get the medication. Blood work and pregnancy tests are a monthly thing as well as making sure you have two forms of birth control. Despite all of this, I was determined to find some way to get it. Luckily for me, a doctor at my school’s health center prescribed it to me. Yes, my skin got drier and thankfully, my hair did too. Other than that, I was lucky enough to have no serious side effects.
After about the 3rd or 4th month, I started to see a real difference in my skin. Going through my first year of college and finally having manageable skin was the best feeling. Accutane was really the only thing that ever worked for me, personally. After being on it for 7 months, I was finally down to about two breakouts a month.
Sophomore year of college (I miss my short haiirrrrr)Junior year. (you can sort of see the scars on the side of my face) Let me live, i know this picture is odd
Unfortunately, since getting rid of breakouts, I was left with scars. I’ve struggled so much with just breaking out, that I just basically thought “Okay this I can deal with,” and mostly left my skin alone for the past 4 years. Still trying to hide from anyone seeing me sans makeup, of course. You can’t really see the difference between my skin after Accutane and now since I wasn’t really documenting it. My skin looks similar, but I promise, some of these pictures (sophomore and junior year) I have good makeup and strategic lighting.
Skin as of now
What my skin looks like as of now
I do want to share the, few, subtle things that I have been doing lately that have helped me dramatically. My skin right now is about the best it has ever been, (except my baby skin) and I wanted to share what I’ve been using/doing to help get a more even tone!
Lemon juice
I’ve touched on this before, but just to reiterate, this is the best thing for a brighter tone to your skin! I literally just cut this baby in half and squeeze the juice on my skin every night before I go to sleep. Seriously, do it.
Honey
This stuff has been my saving grace lately and I’m so sorry I neglected (hated on) it for years! I use this for very simple masks, here’s a couple:
Tumeric and honey=spot treatment
Pink Himalayan salt and honey= exfoliation mask
I’ve also been using it in my coffee as a sweetener!
Cut. That. SUGAR
I’m sure ya’ll are thinking, “is this girl about to tell me to stop eating sugar again?” and I AM!!! I just stopped using sugar n my coffee and it has changed my skin so much, and its only been a month. So much of your skin is a reflection of what you put in your body and sugar is the worst thing you can do to your skin. I cut sugar in my normal diet and really only eat sugar (I’m talking like cookies, cake etc. or what I call “obvious sugar”), maybe twice a week. Sometimes, I’m just really craving it, so i definitely let me myself have it. I never wanna go back to that long month of no sugar and making myself miserable (do not recommend).
Wearing less makeup
This is hard to do if you have a full-time job, obviously, but try as much as you can. I definitely recommend not using foundation if you do feel like you need to wear makeup. I only ever use tinted moisturizer and then cover-up for my scaring and dark circles. I recommend this or this, they are very similar in my opinion and I like both!
Don’t use a cleaning brush every night
This discovery stemmed from me just being too lazy to buy a new brush head for my Clairsonic and then not using it because the brush was too gross. I was basically over-exfoliating my skin and it was not thanking me. I would say if you have one of these, use it once a week.
Wash your face TWICE
So since I’m not using the brush to get all of my makeup off, I now have to wash my face twice. Once to remove my makeup and second, to cleanse. Never been a fan of makeup wipes, I feel they can be super harsh. I prefer just washing it twice.
Cold water only
Recently, I followed another blogger with UNBELIEVABLE skin. Like baby smooth and dewy. She used a bunch of different things. I’ll admit, once people suggest products to use, I usually tune out. Having tried so much stuff, I really don’t take advice about skin products that claim to work. HOWEVER, she did say she only washes her face with cool or cold water. It takes some getting used to, but I’ve been doing it ever since. Putting boiling hot water on your skin in general probably isn’t great, but definitely if your face is sensitive. I would recommend at the very least warm/cool water.
For years, I had people tell me what I should be doing for my skin. I hated anyone who would comment on it, as I preferred to pretend it wasn’t an issue. Most of the skin advice I got, was unsolicited. Random people would tell me what I should be doing and honestly, that was probably the worst part. I tried not to think about my skin, as I knew I had more things about myself to offer. No matter what, you are not your skin. We get so wrapped up in how we look, that when we don’t look our best, it can be hard to live normally. If you’re struggling with your skin, you’re not alone. One of the reasons my skin is better could be simply age! Don’t dwell on it, everyone has something they’re embarrassed about. If you know someone struggling with their skin, for the love of god, just leave them alone about it. Whatever you’re about to say, they’ve probably tried it. At the end of the day, you still have to go out and live your life. My skin’s not perfect. I still get embarrassed walking around without makeup, sometimes. Everyone has something about them that they don’t like, but find your way of dealing with it and do what you can.
*Not a professional or expert, only sharing what has worked for me in my own, personal life.
If you haven’t been keeping up with my ‘gram, I just got back from a super fun little va-cay in Nashville this week. I had the MOST fun (shoutout to my cousins Kristen and Andrew!). I honestly came back a little bummed? So weird, I kind of get like that when I visit the south. I love NYC, but there’s nothing like decompressing in the south for a few days. When I moved here, I never thought in a billion years I would be saying I actually miss the South. Somewhere the universe is laughing at me and my naiveté. Anyway, I’ve been to Nashville a couple times and I wanted to share some stuff that I did that I recommend!
Fourth of July Fireworks Downtown
This is highly specific to the 4th, but wow they were great. Second only to NYC, of course. They start at 9:30 and last until 10. I was lucky enough to see them from this GORGEOUS downtown apartment. She had full view of them and I was in heaven. She also had the cutest little Persian cats, so, obviously #goals. Just trying to be the NYC equivalent, ya know?
Murals
There’s actually a bunch of murals I wanted to check out, but we only got to this one. There’s also angel wings one and “Nashville looks good on you.” Found this one via thefashionablybroketeacher on Instagram! She’s based in Philly, but goes to Nashville all the time (jealous), so I looked at her pictures for some ideas! This mural went perfectly with all of our fourth of July garb.
Frothy Monkey
Horrible name, amazing salad.
Hiking Trails
No pictures of this because we were so ~one~ with nature, or I forgot, you decide. They have so many just outside the city and they’re so cute. If I lived here and simultaneously had all of my shit together, I would run at least one day. Great for when you wanna workout, but not super hard.
Nama Sushi
Been to this place twice now, and it’s amazing. We happened to go when they had half-priced rolls which made it taste that much better. You should definitely try the seaweed salad, sounds horrifying but very good. Trust me.
Losers Bar
Will I come here every time I go to Nashville? Yes. Is it because I saw Garrett Hedlund the first time I went and must see him again? No….maybe a little. They play my favorite country band of all time, Brooks & Dunn, so it is a must-go.
Meowsic City Cafe
Cutest little place and I get to pet cats? I’m there. All of the cats are adoptable and even Kristen liked it (and she thinks cats are weird and they say the same about her, probably). All I wanna know is, when are we getting one in NYC?
The Candle Bar
The day was very gross and rainy, so perfect weather to chill and make some candles! So many fragrances, I could barely choose. I felt like a 60 year old grandma chemist with my beaker and scale! Loved the concept and again, where’s the one in NYC?
Hattie B’s Chicken
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Three words: BETTER. THAN. CANES. Still need the sauce, but the chicken was unbelievable and definitely satisfied a very hungover and hangry me. There’s always a line, but you have to go. With three locations in Nashville, its gotta be good.
There you have it, pals! Nashville is one of my favorite places and is home to one of my favorite people, so I absolutely love going. My only qualm is that we went to a party and all the men wore flip-flops. Guys, get it together! Just kidding (kinda).
I wanted to write this post because I feel like I love trying all the things people rave about (or post really pretty Instagram pictures of) and I wanted to give some honest opinions. Ya girl isn’t sponsored, so I’m allowed to say when things are actually worth the money and the ‘gram pic, or if they’re just “the ‘gram pic and leave” sort of thing. Here are a few worth those coins:
Murray’s Cheese Bar:
“You’ve talked about this like 8 times we know you love it.” I don’t wanna hear the haters right now!!!!! I love this place and I will talk about it as many times as I want this is my blog!!! Okay I’m done
Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding:
I’ve had a better cupcake in my day, (don’t burn me for that), but this stuff is unreal. It should honestly have its own name because banana pudding makes me think of Jello pudding and that’s just gross. This stuff is light, airy and not at all the gloppy goop that is Jello.
Freeman’s
Their door is all over the ‘gram, but their food is worth a stop as well. Pretty sure me and my friend indulge in 3 full courses and no regrets. Also Paul Giamatti sat next to us so it’s gotta be good!
Agavé
Will all of these be about food??? The answer is maybe, stay tuned. I loved this place. Super hard to get into if you don’t have a reservation, but worth the wait. Atmosphere is slamming and the drinks are continuous, which can be hard to find in a bottomless brunch. “Sorry we’re going to ignore you now that you’ve had 3 drinks and also half of this is water.” None of that please. I’d go back just for the drinks and our super cool waitress (even though I forgot her name and I’m upset about it).
A Yankee’s Game
No, I don’t suddenly care about baseball, although a beautiful baseball player in my life should sway me. Sometimes, I like baseball rather than football. There’s annoying fans in both, but baseball is less drunk angry yelling. Also might be because the only football games i’ve been to have no alcohol and I’m surrounded by my dangerously drunk peers. At any rate, it makes me feel super NYC without having to get all dressed up.
Central Park
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This place can be a little terrifying because it is HUGE, but worth a look. One day, I hope to just walk the entire thing in order to see all it has to offer. Restaurants, statues and iconic scenes are all up in here. If you go in deep enough, you can forget you live in a city that always smells.
IPic Theaters
While I could’ve done without the waiter saying “you guys okay?” while there were guns a blazin’ or when he gave us the check while a very serious scene was on, I still recommend this. Nothin’ like relaxing in a giant chair, a blanket, eating some truffle fries and watching a movie on a big screen. Not a cheap thing to do all the time, but definitely when its gross outside and you still want to leave your bed.
Finally, here are the things you can just skip because they are the equivalent of the shrugging emoji:
Rainbow Bagel:
All the rage in BK right now because you can get them at The Bagel Store in Williamsburg. Very cute and make a great pic, but eating it? Kinda ew. I am the queen of sugar and this was too much for me. I ended up just wanting a regular bagel and this was just sweet bread and a choking amount of icing.
The “club” scene:
I love nothing more than getting down with some gal pals, but this is just not my vibe. I will say, I have had a fun time once, but I’m over it. It takes a village (a promoter) to even get you in and even in a expedited line, there probably 30 other girls waiting for the same promoter. You feel out of place if you aren’t in a bodycon dress and there’s no where you can even think about talking to anyone. So many better places for dancing without feeling old (EDM hurts my ears).
Please Don’t Tell:
I’m shocked I wasn’t accosted for even taking a picture in this place. Over hyped and so unnecessarily boujee, this place was just not for me. Speakeasies are all the rage and I’ve been wanting to try this one since I was just a wee intern two years ago. Unfortunately, I like to talk to people outside my party in a bar and drink things that I recognize. Not only did I pay $17 but I didn’t even like the drink and got yelled at for getting up and talking to someone (a cute boy). You will never see me in this place again.
Sunday in Brooklyn:
I’ve been lusting after these pancakes since I first moved here (pathetic??). I finally decided to try them randomly this weekend. So thick, I didn’t finish them and just a strange flavor overall. I actually did like the vibe of the place, however, just not the pancakes. Not taking a dump on the whole restaurant, but the cakes you can “keep it.”
Tree Lighting in Rockefeller Center:
Granted, I missed it because I didn’t get in line at 3pm like a psycho, I’m still not a fan. This is one of those things where you’re thinking you really wanna do it and so is about 4,000 people, not including tourists. Ended up waiting in a line for an hour and having a cop laugh at us because there was no way we were gonna see anything of interest. Very Shocked and Upset.
Should I call this Part I? I can definitely see myself doing more of these because I love sharing what I love almost as much as I love sharing what I hate! (just kidding…..kinda)
I wanna preface this by saying: I am no health expert. I have no formal training and really just google stuff a lot.
However, I have been doing this whole “health” thing for a hot minute (and by that I mean for years). I wouldn’t say I’ve got it all figured out, but I do have a few tips since I’ve basically tried and tested everything from “I only eat eggs for breakfast every morning” to “I eat protein shakes for dinner and also and entire box of cereal.”
One of the worst, and simultaneously best, things about the internet is having access to MASS amounts of information all time. This is awesome because you can pretend you’re a little sponge and just soak up all the information you can! This is also bad because some of that information is probably not even real, some might say fake news. First tip:
Research and read peoples stuff even if its just opinions
You may be thinking, why would I wanna hear some persons opinions? First of all, you are right now, fool. Secondly, it could help you figure out a problem way quicker and feel more connected in your health journey. For instance, if someone was like yo, when I eat green beans, my ankles swell (I literally made that up don’t @ me) and then when that happens to you, you’re like oh my god me too! You feel like less of a weirdo and also less isolated. Sometimes, being conscience of what you put in your body all of the time can be exhausting, having a connection can help. Which leads me to my next tip:
2. Find Instagrams, blogs and just people who are also trying to be a health human so you can get ideas.
I recently followed this Instagram where the guy just posts healthy versions of desserts. I made some brownies with just banana, almond butter and cacao powder. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. You can get recipes, ideas for new health stuff you’ve never heard of in your life (like Maca that I recently discovered) and feel like there’s another person in the world who also is tired of people asking why they eat kale. Also important is figuring out what works for you. How do you do that?
3. Try it, all of it
I change my diet pretty frequently. Mostly because I stick to the same stuff every week and then I’m like “if I have to look at another asparagus, I’m gonna lose it.” This stems from a childhood obsession with eating stuff repeatedly, that I love, until I hate it. I won’t touch Cliff bars anymore since I used to eat them all the time my freshman year of college (and honestly they’re basically trash anyway). If you wanna change up your diet then do it. If you try something and it’s awful, stop. You might like things you never thought you would, like kale, or you might be like “yeah green beans are still trash, thanks 5 year old me.” Also a common misconception:
4. Your meals don’t have to be Michelin level
No joke, almost everything I eat is 3 ingredients, max. I can’t stand preparing a meal that takes 30 minutes of my life and 10 ingredients (which is why meal kits aren’t really my jam). Meal prep if you wanna be fancy, but reheated food kinda sucks so I always prefer to do minimal cooking. Best advice to get veggies, quick: olive oil, salt, pepper and bake for 25 minutes. Done and done. Last, but most importantly:
5. Every body is different~~~***~~~*** (see what I did)
I don’t eat lunch. I do interval fasting and then I’ll eat breakfast super late and then have a snack and dinner and that’s my day. Some people think that’s super weird, but I like saving my calories for the end of the day. I’ve tried to spread it out more, but then I just eat more, so its counterproductive. If you like eating a whole bunch as soon as you wake up and then nothing by the end of the day, then do that! There’s really no right answer. Not all health people eat the same thing because not everyone can do that. You can only listen to peoples advice for so long before you gotta just do what feels good to you. Honestly, it might take you a while to figure out what that even is and that’s cool too. Everyday they come out with something saying “this food is bad!!! Never eat it!!!” and two years later they say “chocolate fixes cancer.”
In the end, there’s no magic trick. The internet can say “drink apple cider vinegar and all your problems will disappear,” but thats just not real. It’s consistency and being happy with what your doing above all the random B.S. you get thrown.
I Don't Even Have a "Pla" 