Happy Holidays + Favorite Friday Finds 37.0
Happy Holidays, my dear readers!
Merry Christmas + Christmas Eve this weekend to those of you who celebrate, Happy start of Chanukah tomorrow to my Jewish friends, and simply wishing everyone a festive and loving time with whatever holidays they celebrate and rejoice in!
Firstly, THANK YOU to you all for your continued love and support this year. From always following along and reading, commenting, messaging, sharing-- every single bit of it means the world to me, and enables me to be able to keep sharing and inspiring all of this in this space with you. Not a single bit of it ever goes unnoticed or unappreciated!
It feels surreal that Christmas is this weekend already and that the holiday season is drawing to a close. It's been a whirlwind December over here, and I am very much looking forward to spending some time with my Mom, pregnant sister, and her husband this weekend in a low-key Christmas celebration. Lots of good food, cozy movies, silly video-gaming, catching up, and just quality time with my loved ones. It will be the first Christmas without my Dad, which gives things a sense of hollowness in my heart, but I am so grateful and lucky that I have enough love surrounding me to be able to fill that space during these new days.
I'll be taking a much-needed break here for a week, to rejuvenate and fill my proverbial cup so that I can come back more inspired and ready-to-go for the New Year! I will be back next Friday for a 2016 recap post, sharing some of my favorite photos I haven't published on the blog yet, and some deeper reflections on this crazy year. So, stay tuned!
BUT. Before I go, I have an abbreviated version of Favorite Friday Finds to give you guys some awesome reads while you're sipping on hot cocoa in jammies, along with holiday recommendations!
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- If anyone is really pushing it with last-minute gifts, here's an index of my gift guides!
- I will most definitely be binge-watching many movies from Camille's list from of classic Christmas movie, while I make some of my favorite holiday recipes for my family.
- Speaking of recipes, I'm dying to make Sara's Matcha + Coco Rose Raw Bark and Marisa's Nut Butter Brownie Truffle Bites. Can you tell I'm craving chocolate?? 😇
- Now that I just talked about chocolate and my plans of not avoiding any of it, here are my 3 stress-free tricks to staying healthy while at home for the holidays.
- I loved Ashley's candid post about creative ruts and self-doubt as an entrepreneur. Working for oneself is a whole other kind of animal, and I love seeing this kind of honesty in the blogging community. Anyone struggling with blogging burnout (SO real in Q4) should read!
- These very oddly telling results of top Google searches in 2016....
- The holidays aren't necessarily all about cheer for me. It's about deeper reflection, appreciation, and gratitude. And I think in order to truly feel those things, it's important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture-- aka the world outside of our own little lives. Reading stories about these Syrian refugees giving birth on the journey to resettlement (all of the women who are younger than I), give perspective. Here's a start list of how to help with the crisis in Aleppo. 'Tis the season for giving, after all, and the world could use the acting upon the spirit of generosity more than ever!
Okay, now I leave you with this wonderfully hilarious panda and snowman video if you have yet to see this glorious-ness. Feels like 1:20 is all of us in 2016😂
Happy weekend, everyone!
This edition of Favorite Friday Finds is coming to you a day late, because this past week has been quite topsy turvy in terms of changed schedules and last-minute appointments- sorry guys! But I've got a great roundup for you that I've been amped to share, because there have been a lot of great reads I've stumbled on in the past two weeks. This will also be an abbreviated version like this one for time's sake (on my end), so you can have some fun weekend reading while sipping that morning coffee 😊
You know that feeling...
Before we get to a few personal updates and my Favorite Friday Finds, I cannot not mention the biggest thing happening today.
Today is... an interesting day in our nation and world's history. Without jumping in, I will say that more than ever, I firmly believe that we all rise together. I believe in individual accountability for a greater good. It is ALL of our responsibilities to love harder, empathize more fiercely, speak up louder, and fight like hell for what is just. Today, in a day that many are inclined to feel trepidation, disappointment, fear, I encourage you to actively love on one another because we are stronger and more capable together ❤️️
+ personal updates, and a super edition of Favorite Friday Finds...
Happy Holidays, my dear readers!
Merry Christmas + Christmas Eve this weekend to those of you who celebrate, Happy start of Chanukah tomorrow to my Jewish friends, and simply wishing everyone a festive and loving time with whatever holidays they celebrate and rejoice in!
Firstly, THANK YOU to you all for your continued love and support this year. From always...
Happy Friday, everyone! We are heading at full speed 'til Christmas it seems!
Been busy gearing up for a lot of fun content coming your way for the rest of this month, and I'm thrilled to finally be getting my first weekend at home in over a month to catch up on some stuff. I'm also SO excited to get my new computer next week. That is the understatement of the century haha!
Here are the 7 things that inspired me, that I learned from, and that made me laugh/smile this week:
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
Hello and Happy Friday! Boy, do I have the best finds for you this week- not only fun and interesting stuff, but some straight-up darn useful stuff for the upcoming holidays!
How unbelievable is it that Thanksgiving is less than a week away now? It's hard to believe that we are already in full-on holiday season mode now, but I actually am already feeling the holiday spirit. I love seeing the holiday Starbucks cups all around, the lights and decor going up, gift guides, and other festive cheer. I think we could all really use the giving spirit of the season in many ways this year after a rocky November for a lot of people in light of recent worldly happenings...
Happy first Friday of November!
The leaves are FINALLY turning goldens and reds in Washington Square Park (see on my Insta Stories), and it makes me so happy. The little things will affect you as much or as little as you let them, so let the good little things fill you up and let the bad little things flow away!
Things are looking crazy until straight through the end of the year, and I'm going on half a dozen flights and hitting nearly ten cities by the end of November- whew! As I talked about in my post earlier this week on some autumn reflections, I've been focusing on counting my blessings and also immersing myself in the present.
I've been slipping back into looking at my social media too much and absentmindedly scrolling through feeds, so I've been making an effort to read more real content, less clickbait, and put my phone away altogether to be 100% present when spending time with friends and company. So there are some links below that relate to both of these themes...
Happy Friday, everyone! How's your fall going so far?
It was my birthday on Wednesday, and it's been a time of reflection and evaluation. I've been thinking about all the things I want to experience and accomplish in this next year, and more importantly...
Okay, so the autumnal equinox is not until the 22nd, but I am already in full-fledged fall mode!
I truly am a fall baby, and not just because I was born during it- there is something that makes me feel more alive and in my element during fall that doesn't happen the same way in any other season.
This weekend...
Happy September!
I am kind of in shock that it is somehow already September. How has this year flown by so fast?
Although, I do have to say that I am very happy this month is here. I am such a sucker for all things autumn- foliage, upcoming holidays, my favorite weather, and a general sense of renewal in the air as people head back to school and work after a relaxing summer.
Yesterday I had a meeting with...
Happy Friday my dears!
Is anyone else looking forward to the start of Autumn and the end of this humid heat?
I cannot WAIT for the fall breeze, foliage, and cozying up in sweaters. It's unequivocally my favorite season, and I'm really looking forward to the change of weather and...
Happy Friday, everyone!
Things have been overwhelming and lots of heavy stuff happening around here, but a bright light is here that we've all been so excited for: my sister is getting MARRIED tomorrow! We are headed up there to the...
Happy Friday and happy July 4th weekend!
Man, I canNOT believe that it is somehow already July and we are officially past the halfway mark for the year of 2016. Anyone else feel like they don't know where this year went? Things have been...
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
Wishing everyone some extra love this week, and...
Happy Friday, everyone! Hard to believe it's already end of May and that summer is just around the corner. All the New Yorkers are coming out of hibernation to soak up the intermittent days of sunshine we've been getting here, and people-watching season has begun.
I'm jetting off for some West Coast...
Hello Friday! It has been quite the week over here.
There are many a questionable thing going on in this world, along with several disappointments and unfortunate news. NYC has been an utterly gloomy, yucky fog too, which isn't adding to the bleaker feeling in the air. This all, plus Mercury being in retrograde has me wanting to pull out my hair several times this week, but I am reminding myself that the "downs" and waves crashing is all an important part of life and things will be okay...
Happy Earth Day Friday, everyone! Perfect timing for the #FloralFriday theme I have going on over on my Insta. We should all really be nicer to this awesome world we live in on a daily basis, but it's always good to have a reminder to take it one step further.
This weekend I get to...
We have an entire 7 days ahead of us of goooorgeous sunny weather in the 60's and 70's, and it's back to feeling like Spring. I am so very ready to whip out my sundresses and lighter clothing, anyone else with me? It's been a...
Hello lovelies! Happy last Friday of March? Wait, what? Time is flying by indeed. It's been a bit of a rough week over here, but for me spring represents a time of positive change and renewal.
So, I'm doing my best to keep my chin up and embrace the unknown and the inevitable evolution of things in life.
ICYMI- in celebration of Spring and to add a dash of color/beauty to your day,
I'm starting #floralfriday on my Instagram. The hashtag is already pretty popular, but join in and...
Happy Friday my dears! You are loved, indeed.
Anyone else in disbelief it's somehow March already?? Looking ahead to the next few months, it's full steam ahead-- lots of next steps with work, travel plans, and maid of honor duties galore.
I have a feeling a lot of newness will...
It's already 1 week into the New Year, and things are off to a running start! You guys will have noticed that I haven't yet posted this week, and there are a few reasons for this. Firstly...
Tis the season! It's been almost alarmingly warm here in NYC, with temperatures in the high 50's and even up in the 60's, but my holiday spirit is turned up full blast. Holiday spirit is currently very much needed everywhere in the world right now. The amount of...
With the holidays drawing near and the damp, chilly weather, all I want to do is cozy up. This nesting feeling is calling for a lot of reflection on what's going on in my life and how I'm feeling. So, what is going on?
Happy Halloween weekend!
The leaves have almost fully turned, yet it's hard to believe that the end of October is already here. The holiday season is about to come at us with full force, and I feel nowhere prepared. I've got 3 trips between now and Thanksgiving, so it really seems like time is flying by. Speaking of...
Happy Friday, everyone! Summer is flying by and I can't believe June is nearing its end already. When I went to the farmer's market earlier this week, I was overwhelmed by all the gorgeous summer produce like summer squashes, heirloom tomatoes, and berries and cherries all over the place.
Things have been quite busy over here, as I'm...
Happy Friday, everyone-- hard to believe it's St. Patty's day, and there is a lot of snow still getting cleaned up here in NYC.
I've highlighted 4 amazing women so far on my Women Who Inspire Interview Series, and while we will certainly be returning with quite a few more awesome women to come, I've been stockpiling some amazing finds that I wanted to share before some of them become irrelevant. So, Favorite Friday Finds is back for this week!
9 awesome reads are coming your way + 1 RIDICULOUSLY cute surprise at the end. So either save it for reading over coffee tomorrow morning, or tear through some of the stuff that will make you feel all the feels, and inspire some thought!