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Friday Faves: April 8, 2022

TGIF! I have been dealing with the cold that has been going around, so I have been not only sick, but going through a major blogging slump. I hope to get back to blogging as soon as possible. In the mean time, here are my favorites for the week:

Wordle: I have become obsessed with this game and have played it every morning. I am not that great at the game itself, but I am enjoying playing it nonetheless. If you don’t already know what Wordle is, it’s a game where you have to guess a five letter word in five tries. It’s really addicting, and there is a new one every day. You can play it by going here.

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez: This has been on my TBR for years. I have been starting to use my E-reader, so I’ve been reading this book. And, I can’t wait to pick up the other two books in the series. It is about our main characters Josh and Kristen. Josh is healing from a breakup, while Kristen is dealing with severe period pain. The two meet, and learn that they are the maid of honor and the best man in the same wedding. They swear to be friends. . . But really, they are destined to be more. Seriously, I loved this book and could not put it down. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something good to read.

Stoney Clover Lane x Target Items: Okay I fell down the Stoney Clover x Target rabbit hole, but in all fairness, it’s because it’s sooo much cheaper than the real thing. I managed to get my hands on two smalls, two minis, two flats, a tote, a fanny and a duffle bag. In addition,I picked up some shoes, and a pair of sweats. I am still awaiting some items in the mail as I am writing this, but the quality is so close to the real thing. So far, my favorite is the tie dye flat, because I can use it as a pouch and a wristlet.

T Jazelle Bracelets: I have been loving my T Jazelle bracelets a lot lately. Every day, I am creating a stack based on what I need and what I am wearing. My personal favorite is the champagne agate hamsa hand.

Friday Faves: April 1, 2022

It’s no April Fool’s Day Joke. Friday Faves is back and I am so excited to share my favorites with you all. From these favorites, you can tell that I have been on a huge Coach kick lately, and I am not mad about it.

Coach Town Bucket Bag: When I first saw this bag on TikTok, I honestly was not a fan. It’s a dupe for the NeoNeo from Louis Vuitton. However, it grew on me. And, last week, I finally pulled the trigger and grabbed it. I have been using it for a few days now, and I can tell already that it’s going to be a fave. It fits all of my essentials and has enough room for my Kindle. A definite win. I hope the black leather comes back in stock soon, because I really want to grab it to interchange.

Coach Nolita 19 Bag: I love this bag, because it slips in my bucket bag perfectly, but it’s great to use as a grab and go bag. It fits my wallet and my keys perfectly. I have the black, and I absolutely love it. I use it as both a mini bag and a wristlet. Sadly, the one I have is not available online, so I grabbed the closest thing I could find.

T Jazelle New Beginnings Bracelet in Earth Impression Jasper: I am entering a new chapter of my life, and I knew I needed this bracelet. I got it from my Tickled Pink girls, and I am obsessed with the bracelet. It is a great addition for my stack and it’s such a great symbol.

The Foods That Built America: I have been watching a lot of this show, which gives a backstory of food chains such as Subway. I have been finding it really interesting to watch, and I definitely will be watching over the weekend.

How My Perspective On Fitness Has Changed In the Last Few Months

My fitness journey began in June 2020. I went to my physical, and surprisingly gained the “COVID 19.” With a family history of high blood pressure and heart issues, my doctor had asked me to lose weight.

I tried everything. Last year, I joined a few different trainer programs, and my frustrations grew. I wasn’t losing weight. I was gaining muscle, but not much. And those programs became toxic for me and affected my mental health in a downward spiral. I won’t go into specifics, but I felt that if I couldn’t make something, then I wasn’t good enough or serious about my goal to be healthy. Or, I was constantly beaten down whenever I didn’t reach a goal. I became anxious, almost as if I wasn’t good enough. During check-ins, I sometimes felt as if I was a child that was being punished for doing something wrong at school or I wasn’t committed enough by pushing myself to extreme limits. I also wasn’t having any fun, which as someone who loves Peloton Spin classes, was a big deal.

My breaking point was in early February. I needed to make a change. So, I left the groups, and found a new trainer that works amazing for me, which is Sydney Cummings’ The Sydney Squad.

In the last month and a half, my mindset is now shifting. I am almost at the point where I want to throw away my scale. Now, I am not looking at being a certain number or size. I am looking to be strong, be able to do harder workouts, run marathons, and walk a lot. I am looking to be able to do things and improve. Instead of pants size, the only number I am working to reduce is my blood pressure. Don’t get me wrong, I am working to lose weight, but I am no longer making that my sole focus.

I have also accepted that my body is going to change and so will my style. It is not a bad thing whatsoever. For me, that was the hardest thing to do because I wanted to get back to my smaller jeans. Maybe I will one day. But, I rather celebrate and love my body the way that it is and continue to grow in my journey. I also want to make sure I treat my body in a way that shows love, not punishment. That means fueling it with a balanced diet, drinking water, getting my steps in, and working out towards improvement. I also want to be able to savor meals, and let my body rest and heal whenever I need to. Working out has become something that I want to do, not just something I need to check off on my to-do list

Now. Will the scale go down?

Maybe.

I am not going to focus on that as much.

Fitness, at the end of the day, is something that is a lifelong commitment, not something that ends once you lose the weight. It has to be something you do for you, and should bring happiness. Am I still going to push myself towards my goals? Yes. I am not going to lie. However, I am not going to push myself to be skinny. I am just going to push myself to be a better, healthier version of myself. And, this version of myself is much happier than the one in January.

Bag Talk: Talking About TikTok’s Most Viral Bags — Are They Worth It?

I have become obsessed with TikTok lately, especially when it comes to hauls and bags. And, I am not going to lie, because of TikTok, I may have purchased some of them. No regrets. So, I gathered some of the most viral bags I can think of, and I am going to tell you if they are worth it. Just a head’s up, I will not include luxury bags in this post.

Coach Towne Bucket Bag: Okay so this bag comes in three different sizes — the mini, small and regular. I have had mixed feelings about this bag, but became obsessed with the regular one. At first, I didn’t like it because of the snap closure. However, I ended up grabbing the regular size because it is so roomy. It is also a crossbody which we all know I love a good crossbody bag! I did look at the other sizes in store and they are good sizes too depending on what you’re carrying. To me this is worth it because the bag is a great alternative to Louis Vuitton’s Neo bags and Coach is great quality too. However, for me, I am not a fan of the smaller sizes because I think it would be too small for my daily needs.

Kate Spade/Coach Heart Bag: These are cute, but for me, it’s a no. I think they are a great little crossbody and they hold a lot. However, unless you really like hearts, this bag is seasonal.

Lululemon Belt Bag: 100 percent yes! I own it in three colors and I have my eye on the blue one. These are the perfect bag for walks, beach trips, and so much more. I have even used them for errands. They fit quite a bit of items and the price point is so good. What I really like about this bag is that it fits me perfectly. I have a larger chest so this helps a lot.

Coach Nolita: The Coach Nolita comes in two sizes — the 15 and the 19. I have the 19 and I love it because it’s the perfect little grab and go bag. I throw my wallet and my keys and I’m good to go. I have the Louis Vuitton mini pochette and I love the 19 more because it fits my recto verso. I think the 15 is a great dupe for the mini pochette because I got mine for a lot cheaper than they are now. My answer is yes — especially if you want the mini pochette.

Marc Jacobs “The Tote Bag”: I absolutely love this bag. It is a great bag that carries everything, and it’s great for work, travel and so much more. I have the mini and I absolutely love it. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, but I love this bag oh so much.

Coach Wallet on a Chain: The mini bag trend has not caught on for me, but this just looks way too small to fit your essentials. Therefore, I really don’t think this bag is worth it.

Kate Spade Novelty Bags: These bags are cute. However, it’s a no for me because I don’t think that they are practical. Like at all. And there are quite a few — including a taxi cab and so much more.

Coach Mini Wallet: I have my Recto Verso from Louis Vuitton, but I really love this one. I think it’s a great little wallet that you can get at a great quality for a great price, and it will fit in any kind of purse you may have.

Friday Faves: March 18, 2022

TGIF everyone! I am so happy that it’s finally Friday. It has been a week, and I honestly need to take some time for my mental health. I have been doing a little bit of “stress shopping,” which shows in this week’s favorites. #oops

So, without further adue, here are this week’s favorites:

Silver Little Words Project Bracelets: I love this collection from Little Words Project. I have “Breathe” and “Strength.” I have my eye on “Faith.” What I love about them is how polished they look. They definitely add something a little extra to a stack. Fun fact: I am now a brand ambassador for Little Words Project, and you can use my affiliate link (it is no charge for you to use, but I get a small percentage should you purchase something) as well as my code K4471U for an additional 15 percent off.

Hamsa Pandora Bracelet: I have been drawn to Hamsa symbols lately. I was talking about the T Jazelle Hamsa bracelet in last week’s Friday Faves. That said, I found this on Poshmark and I have been loving this piece! It’s great with any bracelet that I wear — from my Tiffany beaded ball bracelets to my Little Words Project ones. I love this one so much that I grabbed a few other ones from Rue La La’s drops. And, I am so excited for them and to wear them all of the time.

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle: I will not go into too much detail about this, as I wrote my thoughts in this review. This book was really good and I really enjoyed reading it. That’s all I’m going to say here.

Book Review: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

Rebecca Serle has become a must-buy author every time that she releases a new book. I’ve read almost all of her books by now, and there has not been a book by her that I have not been obsessed with. So, when One Italian Summer was an option for my Book of the Month add-on, I grabbed it.

The synopsis (taken from Simon and Schuster):

When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: to Positano, the magical town where Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.

But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.

And then Carol appears—in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how—all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.

Review:

This book truly hit home for me. I lost my mom over three years ago, and that’s a loss that I have yet to fully recover from. There were times where tissues were required when reading this book. If someone is recovering from loss, I highly recommend reading this.

That said, I gave this book five stars. As I mentioned earlier, I am such a huge fan of Rebecca Serle. I’ve read (and devoured) the Famous in Love duology, In Five Years, and The Dinner List. This book absolutely met my expectations of a Rebecca Serle novel — a little bit of love, difficult to put down, and an overall great book to read.

What I love about this book is watching Katy’s character growth. At the beginning of the novel, she was lost. The book starts off during her mom’s funeral. Katy was at a standstill at the beginning with her marriage and with her career life. Throughout the book, she begins to find herself again. She rediscovers her passion for photography. She begins to figure out who she is, versus being her mother’s daughter.

Furthermore, I loved how Katy had some kind of closure with her mom. As mentioned in the summary, she meets her mom when her mom is 30 years old. Before this, she knows her mom as being completely put together and stylish. This version of her mom is imperfect. And, I liked reading that because oftentimes, we associate our parents as being perfect, when sometimes they are not.

Other things that I loved from reading this book include: the twist in the end, and the ending (which I will not spoil).

That said, the only issue that I had with this book is that the ending had more closure than I thought was normal. Katy just lost her mom a week or two ago, and it’s already seeming like she’s gone through a few stages of grief in one go. Which, if you know anything about grief, is unrealistic. I also thought the ending was a little quick and rushed as well.

Minus that one issue that I had with the book, I really loved this book, and I still highly recommend you checking it out.

Are Yoga Pants Making a Comeback?

I am going to completely age myself here when I say that the most popular thing back when I was in high school was the yoga pants. And, for some reason, they could never work for me. They would fit okay in some areas, and be too big in others.

However, 12 years later, flare leggings have entered the scene. Atheleisure shops such as Lululemon and Aerie have them available, and they are one of their best selling pairs too.

So, I decided to give Aerie’s Offline OG High Waisted Pair a try. These pair have gone viral. For the most part, I loved them. I am a huge fan of the line, and have several pairs of the highwaisted leggings. What I like about these pairs is that the leggings were exactly like my normal ones. The only difference was that they had a small flare at the bottom versus being more fitted.

And, I loved them! I loved that they give me a different look than traditional leggings, but they are so comfortable.

That said, I did have one complaint with them, which was that the leggings were really long. I am short, and I found myself tripping on them throughout the day. The next pair I order will be the ones in short.

So, how did I wear them?

I kept it really casual. I wore a crewneck sweatshirt from Old Navy, and a pair of Koolaburra by Ugg boots. This was the perfect outfit for a day of running errangs. I also had my Madewell Transport Tote Camera bag as well.

Overall, after wearing them, I finally do get the hype of these leggings and am brought back to my high school days with this look. Next time though, I will opt for the short length, because I don’t want to be tripping around.

Friday Faves: March 11, 2022

TGIF everyone! I have a rather short list of favorites this week, and I am perfectly content with that. But, these are all still amazing favorites, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

T Jazelle Hamsa Bracelet in Champagne Agate: I love T Jazelle and I have been enjoying my latest addition, which is the Hamsa bracelet. I got mine in Champagne Agate, which is a stone that brings positive energy and happiness. I love this bracelet because it goes with all of my stacks and I really love wearing it with my other bracelets. I have worn this four days in a row, and I really love it.

Mukbang Videos: Mukbang videos are videos in which the person orders a ton of food and they eat and chat with you. I really like it, because it gives me a chance to discover new food to try. I have been watching Steph Pappas a ton.

All This Time by Mikki Daughtry and Rachel Lippincott: I finally picked up this amazing read by the authors of Five Feet Apart and I can not put it down. It tells the story of Kyle who gets into a car accident with his ex girlfriend. He meets Marley, who he learns how to love with after loss. I am really enjoying this book, and at the time of writing, I am about fifty percent done and I can’t wait to finish the remainder of the book this weekend.

7 Woman Owned Brands/Businesses to Support During International Women’s Day

Happy International Women’s Day! To celebrate, I wanted to take the time to shoutout some woman owned brands, businesses, and women who are working in the world to make a difference and deserve a shoutout. Many of which are CT/New England based. Gotta love a local shoutout!

T Jazelle: Founded by a young entrepreneur named Tiffany, T Jazelle is one of my favorite gem stone bracelets. The bracelet, which has become my obsession for the last year, is a genuine gemstone with a sterling silver/18k plated charm on it. Every charm has a special meaning to the wearer. They make great gifts, and they are just great to wear. T Jazelle is located in the Cape in Massachusetts.

Tickled Pink: I love this store. I actually wrote a post alll about them last year. It is an instant surge of happiness the second you walk into the door. They are the best place in the state to go for if you need a gift and they have the cutest items. Every piece in their store is hand picked by the Pink Girls, mother and daughter duo, Jess and Hillary, along with Kim. They are so knowledgable about the brands that they carry, and are amazing to just talk to. They are located in Seymour, Connecticut.

Gals on the Go Podcast: This podcast is by far one of my favorite that I’ve been listening to, and one of the longest podcasts that I follow. It is hosted by influencers Brooke Miccio and Danielle Carolan. I love this podcast because it is entertaining and information. You can listen to them on Spotify and Apple Music.

Marissa D’Angelo: Marissa is a Connecticut-based author, and her book Presence is based on Milford’s Charles Island. She is also the other of Chasing Time, which was also an amazing read. She is currently working to release her next novel soon. She is located in Maryland, but originally from Connecticut.

SV Decker Jewelry: I have been such a huge fan of SV Decker jewelry, and have mentioned her several times over the last few years. It is owned by Steffi Decker and while the store is located in Milford, Stef is slaying on her Instagram, if I do say so myself.

Sydney Cummings-Houdyshell: I am a proud member of the Sydney Squad, which is Fitness Youtuber Sydney Cummings’ training group. I am such a huge fan of Sydney. You do not need to pay the subscription price to access her workouts, as she strives to make workouts accessible for everyone. Her workouts are intense, but she pushes you in a way that motivates not discourages you. As a Sydney Squad member, you are paying for a ton of content to help get further information about health and fitness. I find it incredible how she is so passionate about her workouts and her community.

Little Words Project: Last, but certainly not least, Little Words Project was started by Adriana Carrig as a way to use words as a positive impact versus negative. The brand is definitely one of the most inspiring brands, and has expanded so much over the last year or so. That said, Little Words Project’s message is all about making a positive impact in the world, which is so important.

US Chowder Pot Offers an Authentic and Delicious Nautical Experience

Summertime is just around the corner (we can dream right), and I am already craving inhaling the salty sea air and the delicious delicacy that come with summer, such as fried fish, burgers and more.

One of the best places in Connecticut to visit during the summer (or really anytime of year if I am being honest), is the US Chowder Pot. They have two locations in Branford and Hartford, and offer indoor/outdoor dining and takeout. While I have yet to visit the Hartford location, the Branford one has nautical decor all throughout the restaurant.

Now, let’s discuss the food. They have a dinner and lunch menu with a huge variety of items to choose from. They offer standard seafood delacies such as fried fishes, lobsters, and of course, New England Clam Chowder. An interesting menu that caught my eye (but I can’t have it because I am highly allergic to dairy) was the lobster Mac and Cheese. And, if someone in your party doesn’t like seafood, they have burger, steak and chicken options as well. And, all of their menu items come with their delicious honey bread. Trust me, you’re going to devour that while you are waiting for your meal.

I’ve been there a few times over the years, but just went to the Chowder Pot this past weekend with my fiancé for lunch. Now, their lunch menu is really affordable and you get a lot with it. I had a grilled chicken, which came with two sides. He had the Chicken Parmesan, which also came with pasta and a side. The portions were extremely generous and we were extremely full after the meal.

While the food is delicious, the Chowder Pot also offers entertainment as well. You can check out more details about their schedule here. Just looking at the schedule, there is live music at least once a week.

Between the ambiance and the food, the Chowder Pot is definitely something to check out.