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Friday Favorites – October 12th, 2018

Happy Friday!  It has been quite the week over here. It has been an exhausting but fulfilling week.  Work kept me challenged in the best way this week but things on the home front left me exhausted.  Katie has a pretty bad cold that has kept both of us up for at least two hours each night. We saw her pediatrician yesterday for her 15 month check-up and he confirmed that it is a bad cold. Unfortunately, at this age there aren’t many things you can give infants to help with the cough and post nasal drip so all we can do is comfort and continue to push fluids and give Ibuprofen or Tylenol in addition to the natural chest rub and cough syrup we are using.  Luckily, we don’t have any plans this weekend other than a casual date night in Brooklyn tonight. Since cooler weather has finally arrived, I think we’ll get into the fall spirit by buying some pumpkins, baking and spending a lot of time outside. Hopefully the fresh air will help Katie feel better!

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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.

  • I picked up the ingredients for this healthy white chicken chili at the grocery store yesterday. Filled with mushrooms, beans and ground chicken, this healthy white chicken chili recipe has a ton of flavor and is always a favorite in our household.
  • Did you know that baking is one of my favorite ways to relax? I’m hoping to find time to bake pumpkin bread and these soft pumpkin cookies. I mean how can you go wrong when a recipe promises chewy pumpkin cookies with salted maple frosting?
  • Since I left my favorite Fresh lip balm on the airplane last week, I took that as a sign to order two new tints for the season – spice and petal.
  • I’m focused on improving my mental game in advance of next week’s half marathon. Therefore, I’m spending my spare time reading Deena Kastor’s memoir, Let Your Mind Run and reading multiple race recaps from inspirational running friends like Charlie and Janae.
  • Just when I needed something to make me smile earlier this week, my friend Leslie shared this homecoming video on Facebook. Holy heck this dance team is incredible! I love the theme and the fact that everyone was cheering and clearly in awe.
  • Last week during my brother’s wedding weekend, I received multiple compliments on not only the dress but also my eyelashes aka mascara. As many of you know, I have very short, stubby lashes and have rarely found a mascara that will both lengthen and provide ooomph without making me look like a crazy lady. This L’Oreal mascara goes on easily, without clumps, and miraculously comes off when I wash my face. I’ve tried many mascaras that are double and triple the cost but this one is my favorite since it adds length and volume with a perfect consistency.

I’m hoping to hop back on here later this weekend to share a few of my favorite wardrobe items for fall as well as tips for traveling with a 15-month old. But now, it’s time to shutdown my computer and say hello to the weekend! Have a wonderful weekend friends!

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Friday Favorites – March 4, 2016

Friday snowy vibes

I don’t know about you, but I needed the positive vibes this morning, hence why I reached for this coffee cup versus my typical mug of choice. The past few days have been pretty stressful between work and some personal stuff. But, luckily it’s nothing that can’t be cured with some yoga, a long run and some relaxation this weekend. We started the weekend vibes last night with a double date which included delicious Italian food and much-needed catch-up time with friends. We’ve all been so busy with work and travel that it’d been far too long since we caught up. This weekend I have a 10-mile long run tomorrow morning in Central Park to run part of the NYC Half course, and then I’m going to hang out at Fhitting Room tomorrow afternoon for their Survival of the Fhittest competition which they are hosting as part of their three-year anniversary party. In between that sweaty fun we are going to have some family time as my father-in-law is in town. Tomorrow night will be a nice relaxing night in with family, catching up on all things wedding and cooking in the kitchen together. I can’t believe Meg (my sister-in-law in case you’re new to the blog) and Russell’s wedding is in less than 2.5 months! What do you guys have planned this weekend?

As promised, in regular Friday fashion, here is this week’s version of Friday Favorites. So, as you count down the hours until the weekend begins, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

Have you heard about the new Under Armour shoes which feature technology that track and record your runs?! I loved reading Jess’ review of the shoes earlier this week. I wonder how quickly other running brands will follow?

If I could eat any sandwich, regardless of it’s caloric content, it would be a chicken salad sandwich. It’s the ultimate comfort food, especially when served on fresh bread and enjoyed outside in the Savannah sunshine.  This recipe includes all the delicious flavors without all the fat. I added this recipe to my Pinterest board so I can whip it up next week.

Like most runners, I don’t spend enough time stretching or rolling out my sore muscles. Luckily, just in time for tomorrow’s long run, I found these seven foam roller exercises which are just the inspiration I need to dig out my foam roller and spend some quality time rolling on it this afternoon.

My friends at Brooks sent me the new Brooks Launch 3 to test out during my runs this week and I was blown away. They are light enough for my speed workouts at Mile High but supportive enough for long runs. I’ll do a more in-depth review after I’ve worn them for a few more runs but right now I’m in love with not only the fun, neon color but also the perfect mix of extra cushion and support.

I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t love Instagram for it’s bright pictures and easy to follow content. Regardless of whether you’re a blogger or not, it’s a great way to share snippets of your life or highlight your creative side. Evann shared a great post yesterday which highlights the ways she leverages five FREE apps to edit her photos.  Of the apps she recommended, I use SnapSeed the most but have downloaded the others so I can start testing them.

After growing my hair out for the past five years, I was desperately ready for a change. My hair wasn’t feeling healthy even afte regular trims and treatments. After testing it for a week, I can officially say that I’m in love with my new, shorter hairstyle. It’s far easier and feels like a healthy, fresh change for Spring. If you’re looking for a hair stylist, I can’t recommend Rebecca at Sara June enough. She’s a joy to work with and truly listens to her clients requests! (Yes mom, I will smile more in my pictures, I promise.)

short hair pic

 

After trying a few different mascara samples over the past few months, I finally returned to my favorite this week. For my short lashes, there is no better mascara than Benefit’s They’re Real. The brush lifts, lengthens and curls my lashes while the formula keeps them plump and full without clumping or drying. Unlike other mascaras I’ve tried, this mascara can easily be removed with eye makeup remover while still having the staying power to last through a hot yoga class.

A few weeks ago I mentioned that my girlfriend and I are heading to Jamaica in April for a much needed girls weekend away. A tropical, beach vacation means that I need a few new swimsuits. I tried on my swimsuits this week and fortunately for my body but unfortunately for my wallet, they are all too big. Since I am an A cup upstairs, I’ve been checking out a number of styles that flatter smaller chests. I have my eyes on this, this and this,  each of which are all on sale at Macys.  What’s your favorite swimsuit? Any suggestions? 

As I mentioned, this week was busier and more hectic than normal. Since my father-in-law is staying with us this weekend, I took advantage of Handy and booked a maid for this afternoon. Have you used Handy yet? A great website and app, Handy allows you to book professional cleaners, painters, plumbers and even Ikea furntiure assemblers with just a few clicks. Available in most major cities, you can save $35 off your first booking using this link.

handy

 

After a few months away, I returned to Y7 yoga studio last night with a few fellow ClassPass (<–Save $25 off your first month) ambassadors.  The lovely Kristen Nichols led us through a 60-minute fast-paced vinyasa flow. The studio is heated to around 85 degrees, dimly lit with candles and energized with music ranging from rap to house. The class was more challenging than I remembered but also the perfect way to release some stress and sweat with friends. If you’re worried about giving it a try because you’re new to yoga or out of practice, don’t worry! My friend Diana joined last night and LOVED it even though it was her first yoga practice in three years! They do a wonderful job creating a supportive space for people of all abilities, shapes and sizes.

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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It Must Be the Weather

It seems like everyone is feeling under the weather this week. I’m not sure if it’s the change in weather or just burning the candles at both ends but it seems like my co-workers and friends are either sneezing, aching, or coming down with fevers.

Yesterday, I thanked my body for not letting me come down with the same bug that Theodora and Anne dealt with yesterday. Just to be safe, I made sure to focus on getting back on track with healthy eating and working out yesterday. I drank plenty of water, sipped green tea, took all my vitamins, and worked out. I even had a better than normal Monday morning run yesterday, keeping a 6.3 pace on the treadmill for 5 straight miles.

Even though tit was a Monday and our refrigerator was almost bare, I came to the office prepared with a healthy lunch and snacks.

019 020 021 023Unfortunately, all this precaution did nothing because this evening I left work early feeling horrible. My body aches, my eyes are watery, and I’m burning up.

I’m going to make a simple dinner, sip on some Canada Dry, and cuddle into bed to watch last week and last night’s Gossip Girl episodes.

But, as promised, beginning today Tuesday posts will have a new addition posts called Tuesday Tips. Each week I’ll feature a few tips with y’all. The tips will not be limited to one topic but instead range the gamet from running, travel, beauty, etc. In case you didn’t know, growing up I wanted to be many things but one of those things was a research librarian. I guess this is my little way of living that dream. If you have questions, feel free to email them or leave a comment!

Tuesday Tips:

1) Do you live in New York City? Interested in hearing from famous figures such as Sandra Day O’Connor, Padma Lakshmi, Tommy Hilfiger, Jodi Picoult, Katie Couric, and others live in person? The 92nd Street Y Lecture and Readings Series allows you to do just that each week with an array of different speakers across a range of topics. Tickets range, depending on age and whether you’re a student but many are no more than $34!

2) Over the past few years I’ve tried numerous different mascaras and even invested over $90 every six weeks on fake lashes. My lashes are thin, short, and don’t hold a curl. On a whim, Tina and I bought Benefit’s They’re Real mascara at the Sephora in Mohegan Sun on Saturday, after the Wine Fest. Though it was a bit of a tipsy purchase at the moment and seemed quite expensive ($22) the next morning, I’ve been thrilled with the results. Yesterday and today multiple co-workers asked me what mascara I was using!

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3) Do you have a hard time keeping up with your hotel, airline, and rental car points? Check out Mile Blaster for a FREE tracker that will not only keep them all in one spot but also send you emails when your points are about to expire!

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