Friday, September 30, 2016

Friday Morning

Heya, how's it going?! I am so glad it's the weekend even though I'll be working. I plan on staying in my office and not coming out until I get through my two carts of books and other projects are done. What have you been up?! What are your plans for the weekend? Can you believe that we're already going into October!




Wednesday, September 28, 2016

What I Eat Every Morning

I'm always thinking about what I eat. I have a serious and complicated relationship with food, it's always good (because I literally love everything, I can count on one hand how many things I don't like to eat) but sometimes it's bad. As an undergraduate and grad student, stress, late night writing assignments and food always went together, which of course is not the greatest combination. I've gained weight and lost weight a few times, it seems to be a viscous cycle. As a millennial woman, my diet and what I should look is something I think about daily, even hourly and it's so annoying. I just want to enjoy good food and still be healthy. When I first started reading Cooking Light magazine, I loved everything about their recipes and the way they structure their meals and diet plans. And even though they call it a diet, it's not. It teaches you to eat well balance meals and how to cook what's in season. So instead of doing what I usually do, lose weight as fast as I can (I once lost thirty-five pounds in four months), I'm choosing to spend my time learning how to meal prep well balance meals (instead of leaving work and finding something quick and note healthy) and go to food markets and shop for what's in season. I've been eating a ton of broccoli, apples, figs and radishes lately. I recently found this Mediterranean Egg dish, it is so good and filling. My favorite, I substitute the basil for spinach and add a sprinkle of basil, it makes a big difference. I've been eating it every morning  for a month now!!!

Ingridents and Recipe
Whisk together 1 large egg, 2 egg whites, 3 quartered cherry tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon fresh basil and dash salt. Scramble in skillet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese.


Monday, September 26, 2016

Weekend Wrap Up...

 the cutest ice cream shop in palm springs...
 and a new salad I can't get enough of.
 this house and more rainy days please!
 in a detective mood...
palm springs is better!

(images via instagram)

Friday, September 23, 2016

Friday Morning

How are you readers?! Although pretty busy, this week seemed to drag on a little. Each day this past week, I had several big (and new) events. The anticipation of teaching adult classes and preparing for new programs and bringing back regular family events had me a little frazzled this week. What are your plans for the weekend, anything fun like apple picking or getting pumpkins? I'm really excited to be hosting a pumpkin carving event at the library for my tweens in just a couple weeks. Gooey hands, happy and frightening pumpkin faces, I seriously cannot wait! I will be visiting a new friend I met last week at my training and plan on spending the day in Woodcrest over the weekend. I'll be taking a few of their programming, decoration and display ideas and making them apart of our family programming, in my own way of course. Still hunting for fall decorations to put out around the house, have any cute diy ideas? Please share!




Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Lately

Since I've been posting a little less frequently (hopefully that will be changing soon), I figured you'd appreciate a monthly update on shows I've started and loved (or didn't like so much), things I've stumbled upon, suggestions and recommendations on places to try out, new and fun things to see and do from coworkers/ family and to share other things I come across on the daily internet hunt. What's up with you?! What have you been finding, watching or doing lately?

1. Although it's still a little too hot, I love searching for the perfect plaid shirt this time of year.

2. I've been wearing Neutrogena for years, so when they made this new cleanser I had to try it out. Go get it because it's selling out everywhere. 

3. I don't even know how I came across Freeletics but this weekend I watched this girls twenty week transformation and I can't stop watching it. My first day is today, let's see how I do over the next twenty weeks!

4.  Roald Dahl would have been 100 on September 13 this year. In celebration of one of the greatest children's authors, I'm reading all his children's novels and short stories and poems along with discussing The BFG at the end of the year with my book clubbers. 

5. I've been seeing this ice cream shop in Palm Springs pop up on Instagram weekly. Since Palm Springs seems to be a blogger haven, I had to take the twenty minute drive and see what all the buzz is about. It's the cutest little spot and it was worth the twenty minute drive.

6. Decades Ago, Downtown Palm Springs had all the major designer shops. Many of those stores were gone by the time my family moved here almost twenty years ago. It's undergoing a massive transformation but a few shops have opened and it's starting to look super nice again. Make sure to book a trip this fall. 

7. When I moved into my current apartment over a year ago, I started cooking a lot, my favorite are Greek recipes. A Mediterranean plate is my go to dish most of the time and I put feta on everything I can. This new Greek restaurant in Palm Desert is my favorite place, even I'm going just for appetizers. 

8. I finally subscribed to the Cooking Light magazine and I just started their three day cleanse over a week ago. I've been eating this spinach, tomato and egg dish (with a light sprinkle of basil) every single day. 

9. This Press for Champagne wall decor is everything. I bought it over two months and it's shipping out this week. Thank god I ordered it before it completely sold out. 

10. And lastly, this precious and priceless Ludwig Bemelmans picture book is everything. My endless searching and emailing publishers/independent sellers to get this book put my collecting children's classics to whole other level. Just call me Helene Hanff. 


Monday, September 19, 2016

Weekend Wrap Up...


date night locks...
 goodies in my bag.
 really into amber glass vases lately...
 this tomato, spinach and egg dish with a hint 
of basil, hmm so good.
so ready for fall plaid and flannel shirts,

(images via instagram)

Friday, September 16, 2016

Friday Morning

Hey readers, how are you? I'm out of town for a work training and I'll be spending the weekend doing other work related projects and research. Oh and sleeping in because I've been staying up way to late plowing through some really good books, by the way have you read The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington? I can't stop talking about it! So many book clubs and not enough time. Plus a few of my favorite books have been adapted for the big screen and are coming out this fall, so I need to reread them before I see them in theaters. What are your plans for the weekend?!

New Yorker Parody

Would you stay in a hotel room without walls?

Librarian Secrets

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

5 Tips for Small Spaces

 I have lived in exactly three apartments since college and they were all pretty small.  If you don't have a lot of room to work with don't worry, there are so many helpful decorating tips out there - you can still have a cute and "spacious" looking home even if it's a studio. These are five rules I live by and have learned along the way.

1. If yon want to paint the walls or decorate your floors with rugs, go for lighter colors. The softer hues will make the room feel less cramped and more cozy. 

2. Place a mirror opposite a wall with a window. The light will bounce off the mirror and light up a room. Although I typically avoid mirrors, they really make a difference in smaller places. 

3. Floating shelves are everything. As a book lover, floating shelves eliminate the no space issue. Only have a few furniture pieces that are bulky.You want to be able to see more floor and less stuff!!!

4. I am all about corner nooks. I love the idea of creating a quiet corner with a big comfy chair next to a nightstand or slim bookshelf. There is nothing better than falling a sleep with a good book. It's both inviting and cozy looking. 

5. Sneaky Storage. I love pieces of furniture that have extra storage. My mom's coffee table has a bottom shelf where she hides extra coffee table books and stacks of magazines.

Monday, September 12, 2016

Weekend Wrap Up...

 Transitional fall pieces, also you won't believe where 
I found this pretty wreath...CVS!
 Now officially apart of the Book of the Month Club.
 Indiana Jones Marathon and snacks.
 Need to make this Cajun dish again!!!
nude flats and pleated skirt kind of day...

(images via instagram)

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Cymbal

Are you on Cymbal? It's a new social music app that was introduced to me over the weekend. It's like Instagram for music lovers. Pin your favorite songs, find new artists and like minded music lovers and create endless lists of your favorite tunes. Link your Spotify and Soudcloud accounts to the application and listen to music on the go. I haven't spent a ton of time on the app but I really like the concept behind it. Any new artists you can't get enough lately? DVSN is my jam!!!

Friday, September 9, 2016

Friday Morning

Hey readers!!! How are you, what have you been up? I'm driving to work with my windows rolled down and I'm finally over my coughing fits so I'm in and extra good mood. The heat is not as torturous which means sweater weather is coming soon and I'm getting out and exercising as much as I can without further injuring myself. I've already done a little bit of fall shopping and I'm so looking forward to putting out all the good stuff this weekend. Pumpkins, do-it-yourself wreaths and leafy garland are just a few things I picked up earlier this week. So what if it's not officially Autumn, I can't wait any longer! What's on your agenda for the weekend? 




Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Leading Ladies

Five Things You Must Know About Juya Wang

1. At 15, Wang went off to study at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where she spent the next five years working with renown pianist, Gary Graffman. 

2. Her skin tight and short dresses definitely set her apart from most pianists. 

3.  She comes from a musical background, her mother is a dancer and her father a percussionist. 

4. Besides the fame and being considered one of the best modern pianists, she really just wants a pair of Louboutins.

5. By 26, she had played every grand music hall in the world.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Weekend Wrap Up...

 a small obsession for new yorker puzzles.
 at home spa day...
 date night.
 getting ready for fall...
a day at the pool. 

(images via instagram)

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Home + Bar









Now for some serious apartment envy.This quaint but cozy kitchen and bar is everything I want in my home. I don't know about you but my bar is practically nonexistent and that's something I'd like to change this fall. What fall home projects are on your list? What are some of your essentials when designing and decorating your home?!

Friday, September 2, 2016

Friday Morning

Heya readers! I'm excited that it is finally September but I am also really nervous for next week since all my programming starts back up. I've enjoyed it being slow and somewhat quiet, the break has been nice and I'm wishing it would last just a few weeks longer. It's taken a solid month for me to deal with and try to heal from this annoying respiratory infection and I'm nervous that it may linger all the way until December with the amount of programming I have for the rest of the year. My plans are close to nil for the weekend, sleep, rest, medication, repeat. What do you have going on for the three day weekend?


What were your first seven jobs?  I started babysitting in middle school ($8 quickly became $10 - Thanks Mr. Wheeler), Church Secretary, Dorm Receptionist, College Gym Card Swiper, Coffee Shop Barista, Accounting Firm Receptionist, Library Page.

Leading Ladies

Five Things to Know About Bernadette Marie: 1. Trained and completed two degrees, an AAS in Communication Design and BFA in Textile S...