In a good way

It’s perfect timing too because I’m heading out to the Hamptons for the long holiday weekend. I’m looking forward to unplugging, spending time with friends, and getting fresh revelation from God.

Will be back to regular blogging some time next week. Enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend, friends!

Starting the morning off on the right foot is the key to me having a productive day. But even more than that, it’s important that I get my mind and heart in the right place before embarking on whatever crazy, stressful, or exciting things lie ahead. That’s why I’ve made it a point to spend at least the first 30-60 minutes of my day aiming to have “the perfect morning.” And that looks a little bit like…

1) journaling
2) listening to music
3) drinking coffee

…simple enough, right?

Coffee has been a part of my mornings for as long as I can remember. It’s not even so much about the caffeine for me, but the comfort and memories that coffee bring me. The smell of coffee actually reminds me of my mom. I remember waking up every morning as a child to the smell of coffee, and it gave me comfort knowing that my mom was already awake. As I got older, I began enjoying the coffee too.

Over the past year or so, music has become another important addition to my morning routine. In the past I would be quick to turn on the television, but that wasn’t exactly the perfect way to ease into the day with a clear mind. Music, though, is perfect for getting me to wake up a little bit faster while also leaving me feeling inspired and excited for the day ahead. Now I have tons of music lined up on my iPad to listen to every morning while I journal. It’s just not a good morning without the addition of my favorite songs!

Listening to the right songs in the morning can really change my entire day. When life throws you a curveball it’s nice to be able to turn your mind to inspiring lyrics, or even a song that just gives you a sense of joy. I’ve said before how important valuing creativity is, and sometimes there’s no better way to do that than through music! That’s why I love how Folgers is supporting musical creativity in the lives of young people. Check out the annual Folgers Jingle Contest, which supports aspiring musicians.

Vote for the best Top 10 Finalist in Folgers’ Jingle Contest! Meet the Top 10! Take a look at Folgers® Jingle Contest Finalists, and listen to the tracks that earned them a spot in The Top 10. Cast your vote once every day through June 19th. You could win exciting prizes, like free Folgers Coffee, iTunes® gift cards, signed CDs from Gavin DeGraw, and even a $10,000 Grand Prize just for voting! Before you vote, follow the Road to the Jingle on Facebook to see how they traveled the U.S. to track down the Top 10 contestants! Remember, you can vote once a day through June 19th! Click here for official rules.

What’s your recipe for the perfect morning?

{all images found via Pinterest and Tumblr}

What about summer are you most looking forward to?

Mandatory selfie.

All set up.

Off she goes!

Who smiles anymore?

The beautiful newlyweds.

Sunday brunch, first course.

…second course.

Brunch buddies.

“We can only give what we have received.”

Tell me the best part of your weekend!

On Wednesday I had a (long overdue) day date with the lovely Monica. She just moved around the corner from me, and I couldn’t be more excited about it!

She showed me her new place and then we had a very girly date of walking to the park and eating a like, really healthy Whole Foods lunch.

Later that evening one of my roommates had organized a little Mary Kay demonstration, so I sat in on that for a bit. Being pampered in my living room? Don’t mind if I do.

Then there were plans for a fun night out. I don’t go out on the weeknights as much as I used to – and even then you’d usually find me in a beanie and t-shirt – so I took the opportunity to get all girlied up for a change.

And then there was last night, which was probably the girliest of them all – Janelle’s bachelorette party!

She had just flown in from London and is getting married on Saturday (tomorrow!), so it was the perfect girls’ night before her big day. We had an amazing dinner at Vinatta Project, along with the typical bachelorette shenanigans.

What was the highlight of your week so far?
What’s the girliest things you’ve done lately?

Around this time of year in the spring and summer seasons, I like to always reevaluate my daily makeup routine and go-to products. Things like the weather and sun exposure can make a huge difference when it comes to not only the condition of my skin, but also the type of makeup look I go for. In the fall and winter there’s more freedom to be experimental with bold colors and more dramatic makeup, but in the spring and summer I like to tone it down and have a more natural look.

To me, keeping makeup natural is all about having the right products. It’s about using makeup that enhances your face – skin, eyes, lips, etc. – rather than just covering it up. One of my favorite brands for natural-looking makeup products has always been Almay, so I was excited when I was asked to do a review of their Almay smart shade™ mousse makeup and Almay intense i-color bold nudes™ kit.

First up – the Almay smart shade™ mousse makeup. I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m really picky when it comes to any sort of face makeup. I can’t stand it when my face feels like it’s being weighed down with cakey makeup. I also have trouble finding face makeup that matches the shade of my skin, which is why I was really impressed with the Almay smart shade mousse.

It instantly transformed into the ideal shade for my fair skin. It also applies great – it’s incredibly smooth and provides just enough coverage for a smooth, even look.

Next is the Almay intense i-color bold nudes™ kit. I’ve never been incredibly experimental with eye shadows because I’m never sure if they’ll look good and be the most flattering to my eye color. That’s why I love how Almay has made it so simple with their intense i-color bold nudes™ kit.

It’s so easy to choose because the eye shadow sets come formulated for your eye color. Not only that, but there’s an eye shaped palette right on the kit that tells you where to put each shade. It doesn’t get much easier than that! I also really like how the eye shadow shades have nude tones but still have a great flash of color to give a great natural yet intensified look to my eyes.

What’s your go-to date night look?

Answer this question below, and each comment will automatically be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card!

Rules:
No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/16/13-6/16/13.

Be sure to visit the Almay brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

Do you love your hair?

No, really. Do you love your hair?

My guess is that most of you don’t mind your hair. You may even like it. But if you’re anything like me, there’s probably a thing or two (or three) about your hair that you don’t necessarily love or would like to change. And, let’s be real, that’s not okay! There’s nothing like having a great hair day that leaves women feeling confident and beautiful. That’s why I love what ULTA Beauty is doing with their Love Your Hair event.

The 21-day event goes from May 12 through June 1st. ULTA Beauty is offering daily Beauty Steals™, free gifts, salon events, free consultations, and the chance to win free blowouts for a year (see below)!

ULTA Beauty was kind enough to send me some of the Beauty Steals to try out for myself, and they’re all amazing products that left my hair looking and feeling the best it ever has. Here are some of my favorites: I’ve mentioned how I’m a fan of Big Sexy Hair products before. I haven’t tried these ones before, and they’re just as great as the others I’ve tried. I started by using the Blow Dry Volumizing Gel.

Combined with using the Root Pump, the result was the perfect lift my hair needs, whether I’m wearing it down or want a bit of a “poof” with my ponytail.

Although I have naturally straight hair, you’ve probably noticed that I often like to go with a wavy look. I achieve this by using a curling iron, but that’s not always the best thing for the condition of my hair.

That’s why I loved and was really impressed by these CHI products, both of which help protect and repair hair from the harmful heat of curling irons and straighteners. The CHI Infra Treatment really helps moisturize and reconstruct hair. The CHI 44 Iron Guard is sprayed on right before using thermal tools to help add a protective barrier to your hair.

Last but not least, I absolutely loved this Orofluido Beauty Elixir. It is one of the best products I’ve used on my hair…I might even say it’s a miracle worker! It left my hair feeling silkier than ever and look healthy and shiny.

I also really love what ULTA Beauty is doing with their Hair Pledge. They’re encouraging women to pledge to love the hair they have for the chance to win free blowouts for the rest of the year. Joining is simple – tweet your hair pledge with the hashtag #ULTAHairPledge and you’re entered. You can go here to see sample pledges, more info, and other ways to enter. Last but not least, BlogHer has been kind enough to offer my lucky readers the chance to win a $100 ULTA Beauty Gift Card! To enter, simply leave a comment saying what you love the most about your hair!

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. 

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/15/13-6/1/13.

Be sure to visit the ULTA Beauty page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

…but as always, the honeymoon ends. Don’t get me wrong – I still love living in New York and will continue doing so until God leads me elsewhere. This city still surprises me, romances me, and excites me. But in the city that never sleeps, it’s inevitable that you eventually have to take the good with the bad.

So to end things on a good note, let’s start with the cons, shall we?

5 worst things about living in new york.

1. It’s expensive.
No surprise there. It’s nothing a good plan and budget can’t deal with while you’re here, but you’re typically still stretching your wallet at all times.

2. It’s lonely.
It may be one of the most populated cities in the world, but living in New York and being one person in a sea of millions can actually make you feel more alone than ever.

3. It’s exhausting.
With public transportation, places being open until 4am, and everyone here suffering from at least some level of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), relaxation is not an easy thing to come by here.

4. It’s intimidating.
For the most part, people move to New York for a specific reason…and that reason is typically career-related. That leaves you with a city full of extremely determined (and sometimes cutthroat) people. Sometimes the intimidation can be a great motivator, but it does get a little old after a while.

5. Not having a car.
This actually used to be one of my favorite things about living in New York, but now it’s sort of annoying. Gone are the days of simply walking out the door and hopping into a shiny pearl white Ford Escape. It’s still a relief to grab a cab after a late night, but having to walk to and from the subway when the weather isn’t cooperating is pretty dreadful.

And now…the good stuff.

5 best things about living in new york.

1. It’s convenient.
Pretty much anything you can possibly need can be found within walking distance or – even better – delivered right to your doorstep.

2. It really does feel like a movie.
I still regularly have “New York City moments”…those moments where I look around and still can’t believe I live here. It can be the simplest of things: looking at the skyline, riding my bike through the Village, making eye contact with a stranger, or just walking down the street with friends. Those moments make the rough parts entirely worth it.

3. Ample opportunity.
Pretty much whatever industry you’re in, there’s an opportunity for you here in New York. And the saying really is true – if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere!

4. It’s fun!
Restaurants, shows, clubs, festivals, shopping, outdoor activities, sports, Christmas time, close to the beach…the list goes on, and on, and on. Bottom line – It’s nearly impossible to get bored in New York.

5. It builds character.
For me, this is probably the #1 thing about New York. I can honestly say that living here has forced me to grow into the woman I’m supposed to be. The hardships here are actually blessings because they’ve taught me so much about myself, other people, more of what I hope my future will look like, and most importantly my relationship with God.

{image sources: 1, 2, 3}

So for that, I’m beyond grateful for this roller coaster of a ride called New York City.

This is one of those times. Sound good?

Thursday night was an impromptu dinner at Alta, which turned out to be one of the most amazing meals I’ve had in a while. None of my photos turned out, but let’s just say this is thee place to go for some of the city’s best small plates.

Saturday was an adventure from start to finish. First up was brunch at Freeman’s.

Followed by an afternoon The Standard Biergarten…

…an incredible sushi dinner at Momoya…

…and a late night of dancing and silliness at Café Wha.

Sunday was pretty low key: brunch, church, and Gatsby.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have at least a little case of the Monday blues! So as usual, here’s a little dose of Monday inspiration.

What was the highlight of your weekend?
Did you see The Great Gatsby? Thoughts??

The reason I didn’t share it here is because I hadn’t told my parents yet (hi, mom and dad!). They’re old and set in their ways so I didn’t want to unnecessarily upset them

Joy unspeakable is from one of my favorite Bible verses, 1 Peter 1:8:

“Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

Being a person who has joy and brings joy to others is something that I’ve always felt has been placed on my life. And trust me – it’s not something that comes entirely easy to me. I live out of my heart (sometimes too much) so the littlest things can steal my joy. I’m working on that.

But the thing about having joy is that it’s a choice.
A state of being.
Not something based on circumstances.

The other thing about joy is that it doesn’t come from within ourselves or from other people. Joy comes from a source…from God. You might think that that I’m crazy for saying that or that we’re responsible for our own joy/happiness. And maybe you’re right. But for me, it’s actually a lot more freeing to know that my joy comes from God and God alone. I’m too weak and easily swayed to try to search for joy on a daily basis. That’s why I’m so thankful that it’s freely given to us, and we can choose whether or not to claim it as our own.

Do you have any tattoos? What do they mean to you?