The fall menu — which yes includes the pumpkin spice latte– became available on August 18, 2021 at Dunkin’. This is despite the fact that the official start of fall is September 22. With the official start date of fall being over a month away, I can’t help but wonder if it’s just way too early for the arrival of a good pumpkin spiced latte?
I think so.
Now, hear me out. I love pumpkin spice. I am certain that I will be going to Starbucks a little more than usual now that it’s officially on the menu. However, it is still summer. This is similar to when Christmas decorations are appearing in stores, and it’s only mid-September.
I get the hype of fall flavors. The fall season is definitely one of the most romanticized seasons, next to Christmas. Therefore, I get the excitement. And, pumpkin spice lattes, muffins, and donuts are just plain ol’ delicious. They are a favorite for a reason. And, that is because they are delicious.
That said, I personally think that the fall menus shouldn’t hit until September. That’s around when kids go back to school. That is also when it’s truly fall. Summer needs to have its’ last hurrah before we kick it out while sipping on a PSL.
Lyman Orchards (you can read my post about when I visited there last year) for me is my go-to for all things apple cider donut related, I’m not going to lie. This year, I have been craving the opportunity to go to a sunflower maze. I have been drawn to a sunflower/farm maze for a while, so I dragged my boyfriend to go and check it out.
Lyman’s Sunflower Maze runs from July 31, 2021 to August 29. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for children, and free for children under 3. $1 of the proceeds go to Connecticut Children’s. You can learn about the maze by going to their website here.
My boyfriend and I took a trip during the week on Tuesday, and had such a great time. This year’s maze honored Arthur, which is celebrating its’ 25 year anniversary. In fact, the maze is even shaped like Arthur, which is so cool to me since Arthur is one of my favorite shows from my childhood.
It honestly took us about a half of an hour to get through the maze, and yes, we did get lost during it. However, one thing that I thought was cool was that you get to pick some trivia questions to answer. My boyfriend and I picked TV, music, and movies. These questions are meant to help with directing you in and out of the maze, which I thought was really creative and helped make it more fun for us.
That said, I really enjoyed the chance to take a day trip. The area was beautiful, and it really filled me with so much joy to be surrounded with so many flowers. It was also a really unique date than what we have normally done, which I really like because it shakes things up.
Have you ever been to a sunflower maze? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy Friday everyone! I can not believe that it is Friday already. I’ve been on vacation pretty much all week, and even though it is a staycation, it is something that was well-needed. I am bummed that it’s coming to a close, but I am excited to have the freedom to just relax and work on some upcoming blog posts.
That said, here are this week’s favorites:
The Morning Toast: I have been obsessed with this podcast. It basically is a celebrity news podcast, which I have been enjoying the listen when I’m working, or doing other things. It’s entertaining, but it’s also been helpful for how I’ve been finding out new shows to watch or music to listen to. I have always loved celebrity gossip, so this is something that I’ve been enjoying.
Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams: This is actually my first bookclub book, and I have been enjoying the book thus far. It is about our main character Lena, who is on a journey to find out what happened to her deceased sister. I just started it yesterday, and I am already obsessed with it.
Apple Watch Band: I bought this Apple Watch band on a Lightning Deal on Amazon on a whim. I have been wearing it almost every day since. It is a leather band, and has leopard print pattern on it. It is super comfortable to wear, and goes with everything in my wardrobe.
Okay, can you believe that it is August already? August is definitely the saddest month in my opinion, because it means that summer is drawing to a close. I am a summer person through and through.
That said, this month I have been doing a lot of Amazon shopping. Some of it was because a shelf in my bathroom had fallen, and I needed to get a replacement. At that point, I decided to get a few new items to change around the decorations of it as well. I also purchased a new iPad Pro, and have purchased a new case and screen protector as well.
So, let’s talk all about my Amazon favorites:
Leopard Print Apple Watch Band: This was a lightning deal, and I impulse purchased this band without any hesitation. It came in on Sunday and I fell in love with it. It is a leather band (which is something that I really love), and goes with pretty much everything. The quality of the band is so great, and I am excited to wear it with many more outfits.
Leather Watch Band: I bought these last year at recommendation of Youtuber Catherine June, and I just started wearing these again. They are so affordable for leather watch bands, and they have really held up well. I have a few different colors, which is great to wear with different outfits.
Yoga Shorts: Yes, another Catherine June recommendation! I try not to purchase too many clothing items from Amazon, but these are an exception. They are $20, and are such good quality. I have the black pair and have been obsessed. They are great for working out in, or just to lounge around in. I have a feeling that I will be ordering a new pair of them soon.
Paper Screen Protectors: When I got my new iPad, I wanted to get a screen protector to protect the glass as I was using it to write with. I got these, and so far, I have been loving them. I use the iPad to write lists, and jot down notes, as well as coloring on Procreate. I have been enjoying these, and I highly recommend them if you’re using the Apple Pencil.
Mason Jars for Q-Tips: As I mentioned, I needed to revamp a section of my bathroom, and I decided to also grab these jars to organize my Q-Tips and my cotton balls. I love them already, and I have found it really helpful in staying organized in an aesthetically pleasing way.
Claw Clips: Amazon by far has the best deals on claw clips. I got these for 4 for $5. I have been using them for a few weeks now, and have been really loving them. I highly recommend checking out Amazon for all of your claw clip needs, because they are by far the most affordable, and they do hold up fairly well.
In the last few months, I have been really getting into drinking protein shakes, and teas. For me, they have become a great addition to my diet to help make sure that I stay hydrated during my intense workouts.
On Monday, I was in Milford getting my car serviced and decided to make a stop into Touchdown Nutrition. It is located on the Boston Post Road, and is just a few minutes away from the Downtown Milford area and the Milford connector.
Their menu is very typical of a shake and tea cafe, offering protein shakes and teas. However, what sets them apart is their variety. They have a larger variety of shakes than I’ve ever seen before, from fruity to chocolate. I had the birthday cake one, and I absolutely loved it.
But, what I really love about this place is their options for tea. They give you the choice of how much caffeine you want in it, which is something that I really enjoyed. I have a lower caffeine tolerance than I used to, so this allows me to stick to having as little as possible.
That said, what I really enjoy about their tea menu is their options for pre- and post workout teas. I often get very dehydrated from working out, and these teas have helped me boost my electrolytes and get rehydrated very quickly. I highly recommend trying those out if you work out a lot, or even on warmer days when it’s harder than usual to stay hydrated.
What I also like about them is their pricing. It is $8 for a 16 ounce protein shakes, and teas are about $5. If you do a shake and tea combo, they do take a dollar off as well.
Furthermore, what I really like about this place is their transparency. They were very up front about the ingredients, and the woman who made my drinks asked me what I needed the teas for. I really thought that this was a nice touch, because it showed that they wanted to make sure that their customers were happy with the product, and that what they were drinking was good for their needs.
Top Left to Right: Chocolate Cake Shake, Birthday Cake Shake Bottom Left to Right: Peanut Butter Oreo, Strawberry Lemonade Tea
Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at Touchdown Nutrition, and I definitely will be making a visit again soon. If you’re interested in checking them out, please visit their Instagram page to stay posted on all of their weekly specials.
TGIF everyone! Today is the last day before my vacation and I am really excited for it. I have a few fun things planned, but for the most part, I have plans to relax, and get some housework and deep cleaning done. I hope to also get a head start on my fitness game as well.
Anyways, here are my favorites for this week:
Girls Gotta Eat: This is a podcast that I have been wanting to listen to for a while. It stars Ashley Hesseltine and Rayna Greenberg, and discusses dating in your twenties. I listened to two episodes, and I really enjoyed them so I want to definitely continue listening to them.
Love is Blind – After the Alter: I binged Love is Blind for the majority of quarantine, and I am so happy that there were more episodes about the cast. The three episodes discusses what life is like for the couples now, and of course, has a lot of drama going on. If you watched the original series, then you’ll love this.
Paramount Plus: I downloaded Paramount Plus last week, and I have been watching all of the reality shows/cartoons from my childhood/teen years that I was once obsessed with. I no longer have cable, so I subscribed to have some additional options for TV to watch.
Movies That Made Us: I discovered this show while listening to Girls Gotta Eat, and I watched the Dirty Dancing one. Basically, it’s a documentary series that goes behind the scenes of your favorite movies. Other than Dirty Dancing, they have Home Alone, Forrest Gump, and Pretty Woman – just to name a few. I highly recommend checking this out if you’re looking for something new to watch.
SV Decker Cancer Necklace: The zodiac trend has been real with me. I picked this necklace up on Sunday when I went to her store for the earrings listed below, and I have been obsessed ever since. It is silver and has the cancer charm on a disc. I love this necklace because it’s cute to wear on its own or stacked.
SV Decker Cancer Earrings: I bought these earrings this past week, and I have been obsessed with them ever since as well. They are small enough to wear on my second holes as well as my first. I got the silver ones, and I can tell that they are going to become a staple in my jewelry wardrobe. Both these and the necklace are no longer available on her site, so shoot Steffi a message on her Instagram page.
Back in college, Moon Rocks Gourmet Cookies was my ultimate place of comfort. I discovered their sweet cookies at their original location on Dixwell Avenue and have been hooked on it ever since.
Six years later, they are now at their new location on 2518 Whitney Avenue and still making the cookies that are truly “out of this world.”
Moon Rocks Gourmet Cookies was origininally started by Cynthia Rae, aka Mama Moon Rocks back in 2015. The Moon Rocks website goes into complete detail on her full story on how she create a “cookie that tasted the way she wanted to.” You can read the full story here.
The menu has a huge variety of treats. Their cookie menu has some of the classic flavors, such as chocolate chip, and sugar. However, they have some unique flavors, such as Ugly Salted Carmel, S’mores, Tuxedo, and Key Lime. In addition, to their cookies, you can also get a cookie/cupcake combo and a cookie/brownie combination. Yes, you heard me. You can get a cookie on top of a cupcake – the ultimate treat for those with a sweet tooth. Furthermore, they also offer gluten free and vegan options as well.
And, their cookies are truly delicious, and stand by their slogan of being out of this world. One bite and the cookie literally melt in your mouth. The ingredients are so fresh, and you can tell as you devour the cookie. My personal favorite combination is the vanilla cupcake with an Ugly Salted Carmel Cookie on top. In addition to cookies, their new location offers a variety of coffee and tea as well.
Now, let’s talk about the location itself. I have finally made my way over there a few days ago, and I was blown away. Anyone was has been following the bakery knows that they have gotten their start at their Dixwell Avenue location, and opened a second location on York Street in New Haven. Those locations have since been closed, and they now have moved into Whitney Avenue one. This location is extremely spacious and offers a better parking arrangement than their previous. Cookies are reasonably priced, and service was pretty quick.
In addition to serving cookies on site, Moon Rocks Gourmet Cookies is also available on delivery sites such as GrubHub, and has a food truck that serves some of the store’s favorites. What is also unique is that Moon Rocks also offers “cookie baskets” to send to people all across the country. This is such a great idea for those who are looking for “thinking of you” gifts, or college care packages.
Therefore, I can honestly say that their slogan is true – Moon Rocks Gourmet Cookies offer cookies that are truly out of this world.
I am going to be completely honest here. I don’t read as many memoirs as I should, although I do anticipate on reading a few on audiobook before the end of the year.
Recently, I picked up Chasing Time by Marissa D’Angelo. D’Angelo is a friend of mine, and has self-published a few books on Amazon, including last year’s fantasy, Presence. Chasing Time is her first memoir and is definitely way more personal and raw than her previous efforts.
Chasing Time is the story of D’Angelo’s life. It tells the story of her going to therapy, and being given a journal in which she writes about her experiences in her childhood and early twenties. At the beginning of the novel, it features warm and light hearted memories of her with her grandparents and her father. Towards the end of the book, the story changes. It begins to dive into her traumas with grief, abuse, and bullying.
While the topics remain heavy, D’Angelo’s voice shines through the 152 pages. Since I know her personally, I can definitely tell that is her telling the story. That is something that I really enjoy when reading memoirs, as it feels like they are using an open dialogue to tell their own story.
That said, I also really enjoyed how hard hitting and personal these stories were because it brings some discussion of certain topics to the table that previously were hard to talk about. I think that many of these stories are things that people can relate to, and by reading this book, it definitely is a way of showing them that they are not alone. For example, there is a story about Marissa in high school going through alienation and bullying with someone who she thought was her friend. That is something that many of us can relate to. Furthermore, it does bring to light many of other topics that are not as frequently discussed. Therefore, I think it’s also important to mention that while this was a quick read, this was an important one as well.
In addition, I also really enjoyed the ending and how D’Angelo ended it in a way that tied up these stories with a positive outlook to her future. I don’t want to give too much away, but I wanted to note that this was a really nice touch.
However, I would like to bring to light one thing about the story that I wished I saw more. There were a lot of time lapses and things that she briefly touched upon, but never went into further detail about, such as her college relationship, and how her current one is now. She had written about a few experiences with her current boyfriend, but I would have liked to see what is going on in present day. While they really weren’t crucial, as a reader I was left wondering about it.
Furthermore, I also would have liked to know more about D’Angelo’s current status with therapy. At the end of the book, especially since it was a crucial part of the story, I was actually left wondering is she still attended sessions, especially since she discussed the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall, I highly recommend checking out Chasing Time. It is available on Amazon and Kindle, and is such a quick and incredible resource to both teenagers and young adults. On Goodreads, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars and that is the rating that I will also give here due to its interesting stories, and the authentic way the author discussed her traumas and experiences. That said, I hope to see more stories in this format from her as this premise was such a great format that isn’t done that much – well at least in my reading experience.
Please note, if you are interested in reading Chasing Time, please note that there are several trigger warnings, including: lose of a parent, rape, abuse, drug abuse, cutting, and bullying.
I have had a blog that for over ten years. While the content that I write has evolved and changed over the years, I still have one problem – writer’s block. Writer’s block happens from time to time. I think almost every blogger or writer can agree that it’s a problem that is far too common. That said, I sometimes have trouble with coming up with ideas for a blog post. So, I decided to take a moment (ironically while I have writer’s block), to talk about all the ways that I come with ideas for blog posts when I just can’t think of anything.
Reviews: Reviews are super easy. Whether it’s a TV show, a purse or even a book, reviews are a great way to not only get great content, but also promote a great product. What is also great about reviews is that you can even use the name of the product in your keywords, which promotes some traffic. Definitely a win-win.
Pinterest: I love Pinterest! Pinterest is a great resource for bloggers, and is one that I do not use enough. Pinterest is a great place to promote a blog post, but also is a great place to get some ideas. There are so many different lists that have different blog post ideas for the season, type of blog that you have, etc. This is a great resource to use especially during Blogtober and Blogmas, where you write a post nearly every day of the week.
Social Media: My blog talks a lot about different places to eat, shop and events. Therefore, social media is something that is super helpful because I can learn about different places through the people that I follow.
Keep a List: I have the Goodnotes app, and I use it a lot to write a list of blog post ideas. I keep an idea bank if I run into the situation where I can’t think of any posts to write, I can reference it. This is especially helpful when you work towards maintaining consistency when writing posts. Bloggers, what do you do when you are r
TGIF everyone! This Friday is a personal day for me, and I have my cousin’s wedding tomorrow night. That said, I also have purchased a new tech item, which I will definitely be sharing in the coming weeks.
This week’s favorites are all over the place. Some of them are repeats, while others are newer. I am working on “shopping my closet” more versus buying items all of the time, which has helped me rediscover newer favorites. That said, here are this week’s favorites:
Louis Vuitton Agenda: Okay, this is super boujee of me, so hear me out. I found this as a steal on Fashionphile, and decided to take the plunge and grab this. I am so glad that I did. I got the smallest size, which I love because I can fit it in all of my smaller purses. I wanted an agenda because I wanted a place to put reminders for appointments and other various things in. I am currently working on a digital planner, but I love this one because it’s more portable. I got the inserts for this from an Etsy shop called Paper Calling, and so far I am really loving it.
Apple Watch Bands: I bought these on Amazon a while ago, and used them for a while, but then forgot all about it. I have three colors in this band, and have been wearing them to work when I am not working out. I love it that it’s super comfortable on the wrist, and that it goes with everything. Oh yeah, and it’s pretty affordable as well. If you have an Apple Watch, this is a great band option.
Procreate: I downloaded Procreate a while ago, only to use it for a while and haven’t used it again until recently. I finally learned how to draw digital pictures, so I’ve been doing that while watching TV at night. I have found it super relaxing as well.
Thriller Novels: I am on my third thriller of the week. The two that I finished were The Stranger In the Mirror by Liv Constantine and The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins. As many of you know, I love thrillers, but often go through phases where I read many at once. I could not put down either of those, as well as my current read, The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda. All of these were amazing to read, and I am sure I am going to pick up a few that I’ve been dying to get to on my TBR.
Cheating: When Love Lies Podcast: I love this podcast so much because it’s downright entertaining. Basically, it’s an interview-style podcast that has the point of view from those who cheated or those who have been cheated on. Yes, it’s a weird topic. However, I have found it so interesting because I like to hear the point of view of those who have been cheated on, as well as it’s just entertaining.
thenutmegmillennial.com 