Celesta, the TikTok handbag queen, posted a video of her opening this bag in the gorgeous tan color. Ever since then, this bag was on my radar. I ended up finding her on the RealReal for a fraction of the cost. I debated whether to go for it. Ultimately, I did and I’m so glad I did.
The New York midi bag is a similar design to a Birkin without the price. It comes with a strap that I personally love having, but I’ve seen many petite women opt to not use it. I also love how it looks top handle as well, but a girl loves her options.
So far, I think it’s a stellar RealReal find.
This bag is the perfect size. It looks bigger than it actually is, but you can still fit a lot of things in it. Here’s what I carry:
Interlinked Permanent Jewelry has been bringing everyday sparkle to events all across the state of Connecticut. However, they now officially have a new storefront for them to call home in the Walnut Beach area of Milford.
Interlinked officially had its grand opening this past Saturday, June 21. The storefront is every jewelry and fashion lover’s dream with both permanent and charm jewelry, and trendy pieces. The decor and vibes were fun and aesthetic— a perfect background to any Instagram post for a newly curated stack.
Let’s start with the brand’s bread and butter — their permanent jewelry. They offer everything that you love about getting a permanent piece of jewelry at an event — the necklaces, anklets, and bracelets. There is a huge selection of chains from classic to fun for both the gold and the silver girlies out there. With the addition of charms, it’s easy to create a one of a kind piece that is tailored to the person who wears it. This is something that I absolutely love about Interlinked.
Furthermore, the pieces are meant to be worn 24/7 and look good even after years of wear. For a permanent jewelry piece, Interlinked uses sterling silver and gold fill for every chain and charm.
The store will be open by appointment only Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, as well as walk-ins Thursday- Sunday. You can check out their website for their hours here and check out here for appointment information. Pricing will start at $45 for sterling silver, and $55 for gold fill. If you get a speciality chain it’s $10 extra and $20 for an iconic chain. Charms are an extra $10.
Owner Jackie is excited to have her own storefront and she says she’s “so grateful for the support” Interlinked has had so far. I’ve gotten linked by Jackie last September and I’m absolutely in love with the piece and the process. I’ve also gotten linked by her staff over the past weekend and they were wonderful to talk to. I had gotten an anklet and it fell off when I got home. However, they were quick to fix the issue for free.
If this store front is an indicator, Interlinked Permanent Jewelry will continue to grow.
“Super excited to finally have a place of our own!” Jackie says. “We can’t wait to continue to grow in our community.”
It’s been almost two years since I started to wear an Oura ring. At the time, I purchased it to help me predict my unpredictable menstrual cycle. However, over the last few years, I have noticed that it has provided me so much more insight on my health and sleep than I ever could have imagined. Oura rings track activity, stress, sleep, menstrual cycles, and so much more.
Oura rings are priced between $199 to almost $400. They come in silver and black as well as rose and yellow gold for a higher price tag. I currently have the generation 3, which is the older one. At the moment, I have no plans on upgrading, because this one has done me no wrong. I have a size 10, which is one size larger than my index finger. Oura has a sizing kit that you can get, and you can get a $10 Best Buy gift card with the purchase.
I just want to get one thing out of the way about my review. This is not a tech specific or health specific review whatsoever. This is a review that is solely from the point of view of an average user trying to track their health.
There are quite a few things I love about this ring. This ring is made just to track sleep, and I have found so many insights from it. If you’re not getting a good night’s sleep for any reason, you’re able to go back in and program why that occurred, whether it’s travel or other.
The biggest for me is by far the ability to sync with Natural Cycles. I have been using the app Natural Cycles to keep track of my menstrual cycle data, and the Oura ring pairs seamlessly with that because it helps track my body temperature and syncs with Natural Cycles for information such as ovulation, when my period is going to arrive, etc.
The body temperature is also amazing to keep track of whether or not I’m going to get sick or not. I need to get better at noticing when I get sick based on the stats, as Oura notices it long before I show symptoms.
This ring is also an activity and a rest tracker. Yes, most activity trackers focus on making sure that you burn enough calories and take the amount of steps that you need to reach your goal. However, there is a “rest mode” that allows you to take the rest that you need. I love that it offers a holistic approach, not just burn all of the calories you possibly can. That being said, it does track activities, encourages you to move when it notices that you’ve been stagnant for a while.
As I’ve had this ring, more features have developed, such as stress and cardio statistics, something that I feel as though is very beneficial and informative. Through my ring, I am able to find out my V02 max as well as my cardio fitness age, which is something that I feel as though is super important as I get older.
Finally, something else that I love about this ring is the battery life. I forget to charge it a lot of the time, and it’s never run out of battery. Apple can truly never.
However, the biggest thing that I have an issue with thus far is the fact to be able to access all of the features of the ring, you have to pay monthly for complete access. Yes, the features are worth it; however, I do believe that since you’ve already paid for the ring, then you should be able to access everything without additional payment.
The second thing that I do not like this ring is that it scratches so easily. My ring looks like it has been through the wringer. However, I know that for something that has a smooth, shiny surface, that is due to happen. It does bug me, but I do know that it’s just wear and tear.
Overall, I have no complains on this ring though. It’s lightweight and has been something that I have worn everyday over the past two years. Do I think it’s worth it? Yes, I do, as it offers a complete picture of your overall health, and gives me much more insight on my body than I ever could have imagined.
TGIF, folks. It has been a long week and I’m so happy that the weekend is at long last here. I am so excited to begin the weekend with a list of my favorites over the last few weeks.
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune: This book was absolutely amazing and was the perfect book to kick off the summer reading season. It’s about photographer Alice who decides to spend the summer with her grandmother at the same lake that Alice would visit with her grandparents when she was a child. At the age of 17, Alice took a photo of a few teenagers. One of those teenagers was Charlie and his brother, Sam. Yes, that is the same that was the male main character of the novel, Every Summer After. It was amazing and I enjoyed every single moment of this book. I highly recommend that you check this out if you’re looking for an amazing read for the summer.
Dooney and Bourke Hobo Bag: I thrifted this bag and I’m so happy I got this! It’s one of those bags that you don’t have to think about. You just throw it on your shoulder and go. The materials are amazing too — their all weather leather is perfect for any season. 10/10 recommend.
Budha Girl Bangles: I’ve been wearing mine all week this week and I’ve been loving them. I’ve mentioned them on the blog before, and they still ring true. I love that they are silent and comfortable bangles and how they add a touch of fun to my outfit.
Teleties: I have been loving these hairties. I have been using them while working out and I keep a few in my purse. They don’t leave creases and they hold your hair so well.
I took one step into Milford’s Mermaid Books, and I was greeted by the delicious and wonderful scent of books. Milford’s new adorable independent bookstore will be officially opening its doors on Saturday, June 14, 2025, just in time for the summer reading season.
The grand opening will be Saturday, June 14, 2025, and will be the kickoff of a great season of reading. The grand opening will have a special guest — Lynne Constantine, who is one half of the author duo that wrote the book The Last Mrs. Parrish.
This bookstore is a book lover’s dream from its merch to the books themselves. Sure, there were the standard sections, i.e. new, fiction, nonfiction, thriller, and romance, but it expands so much more than that. The #booktok and the Staff Picks section were my favorite parts of the store hands down, because they had several of my bingeable favorites, and books I never thought to pick up.
However, this store isn’t just for older readers — it is a heaven for younger ones as well. The children’s section was stocked with books, games, and stuffed toys. This would be heaven for a bookish child who needs to pick up a summer read before a beach day.
The overall vibe of this bookstore is a perfect fit for the downtown Milford community with a subtle nautical theme that is present throughout. An independent bookstore has been missing in the Milford community, and this now fills that void. That community aspect is something that is present in this store. I had an opportunity to chat with Kristen, the owner of the store, and she was a delight to talk to. We discussed books and the upcoming summer reads.
For me, a bookstore is not only the books that are sold but the bookseller, and I can see that present in Mermaid Books. Welcome to Milford, Mermaid Books. I can’t wait to see the stories that you will tell.
Hair wash day for me is honestly my least favorite day of the week. Taking aside the time it takes to lather and condition my tresses, it is when I’m often trying to fight back tears of distraught in the shower when I have a handful of hair that fell right out into my hand.
I first experienced this hair loss last August, when my doctor switched my antidepressants from Zoloft to Prozac. A few weeks later, I noticed every wash day would lead to hair shedding in the amount of a Tree Hut scrub top and an emotional breakdown.
Once I realized that this was caused by Prozac, I was immediately switched to a different medication, and started to use Nioxin to have my hair grow back.
It soon felt as though nothing happened, that is until my doctor took me off of hormonal birth control pills. That was when what I like to call hair loss part two happened, thanks to my body mimicking postpartum symptoms.
When this happened, I asked my hairdresser to chop it. My hair, up until that point, was long still from my wedding. I couldn’t take the heartbreaking effects of watching my hair fall out. I also couldn’t handle watching it happen again, and looking at the mirror realizing that my hair was not as thick as it was on my wedding day.
She chopped it to my collarbone, and now, I have a bob. Getting it cut short was the best thing that I could have done, as it gave my hair the volume to cover the parts that were growing back thanks to my Nioxin complete treatment. Furthermore, since short hair does require more frequent cuts, it has caused my self esteem to soar in a time that it once plummeted.
Hair loss is something that is more common than I could have ever imagined. According to the Cleveland Clinic, studies show that 50 percent of females experience hair loss at some point in their lives. The causes vary, from hormones (whether it’s postpartum or changes), to stress, to genetics, underlying medical issues, medications — just to name a few.
However, thanks to Hollywood and social media, I feel that hair loss is something that is not as common as it truly is. In fact, I feel that the content that I’m consuming crams down thick, luscious locks down my throat, making me feel less beautiful and plummeting my self esteem.
To me, that’s similar to how skinny culture was in the early 2000s, where Hollywood had caused me to have the expectation that I need to be a size 0 in order to be accepted.
That being said, I’m writing this post to not only share my story, but to normalize the struggles for those who are going through hair loss. I recognize that my hair loss was milder than most, however it is still a horrible thing, no matter what the cause. There is no worst feeling than trying to not cry too loudly in the shower as you hold a clump of your hair in your hand. I can confirm that.
So, instead of pushing down extensions down our throats, let’s take a step back. If you’re going through hair loss for any reason, trust me, you’re not alone. Instead of trying to hide it, I urge you to try different ways to prioritize your hair health and growth— biotin, Nixon, talking to your doctor, serums, and so forth. For me, Nioxin system has been the game changer for getting my hair back to life.
As someone who is going through it, I can say this. That’s a healthier approach than feeling the absolute worst about something that you cannot control.
Summer is almost here. Yes, the New England weather right now is stating otherwise, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that we are almost to the warm weather…well, I hope anyways. I’m hopeful.
But before we dive into summer fun, I want to take a moment to discuss some of the last of my springtime favorites that I’ve loved through the month of May. So, here are my May favorites.
Powerless by Lauren Roberts: I devoured the first two books and the short novella this month and I get the hype. The passion between Kai and Paedyn is truly unmatched, and I love how much angst there is. I’m obsessed and can’t wait to pick up the final installment in June!
The Secret Life of Mormon Wives: I binged this one, guys. I loved season one and season two did not disappoint. I can’t wait until season three because I just need to know what happens next!
Desperate Housewives: My mother in law and I have been watching this series, which is available on Amazon Prime. It’s become our nightly routine to crochet and watch an episode or two. I now get the hype of this show 20 years ago, because it’s packed with drama. We still have 6 more seasons to go so I’m sure we’ll be finishing this in June.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry: Emily Henry is one of my favorite authors, and I loved this book so much. I loved her new direction, and my jaw dropped at the twist at the end.
David Yurman Evil Eye Bracelet: I have had this bracelet for a few years now, but now it seems like it’s been making an appearance in all of my stacks as if it was my comfort bracelet. It does fit loosely (obviously because it’s a men’s bracelet) but I like the way it looks. It has onyx beads, which makes it perfect for protection.
Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone: I got to another one of my autobuy authors, and this book did not disappoint. I love Cara Bastone and her books. This one has a trigger warning of grief, but I loved how real and beautiful this was.
I truly can’t believe how fast time flies, and that I’m sharing some of my favorites for the month of May! That being said, I’m excited to be able to get some summer projects done! Summer crochet is simply gorgeous, and I can’t wait to dive in!
That being said, here’s what I loved in the month of May!
Saybin Beanie: I picked the wrong season to become addicted to the soothing nature of knitting. This pattern is one of those that I can just do mindlessly and works up so quickly. Granted, I’m not wearing a beanie at the moment, but I can always prepare?
Caron Cloud Cakes: I love this yarn! I worked it to make a cardigan and it was so soft and comfy. I loved the phasing and the texture of the yarn. I already have another one planned.
Hexagon Cardigan: I have been addicted to this pattern! It’s so easy to work up and comes out so amazingly well! I’ve been using yarn that is verigated but you can use almost any yarn. I’m hoping to make more of these in the next month! There are so many patterns that are out there for this, but I used Annie’s from Hooks and Heelers.
Wearables: I have been enjoying making wearables this month! I’m hoping that also continues into June, because wouldn’t it be cool to have a mini crochet wardrobe?
Cozy Goblin: This pattern is so adorable and easy to make! I’d like to thank Killian from Viney Maple for this idea — I have yet to make clothes for mine, but I’m already making her a friend.
Today, we’re going to throw it back to the MySpace days — you know, the days when you would sit down at your computer and fill out those surveys. Those were truly so much fun! Sorry mom by the way for being on MySpace when you told me I shouldn’t… oops.
I can’t take all of the credit here. I’d like to thank my girl Killian at Viney Maple for inspiring me to do a blog post on this. It was so much fun!
So if you feel inclined, definitely go for filling out this survey!
How did you learn to crochet?
I honestly taught myself. My grandma tried to teach me when I was little, but wasn’t successful. When my dog, Maggie, passed away, I learned to knit to try to cope with it. My mom crocheted and when she passed away, she left behind a lot of half completed projects, including a half finished blanket for me. So I taught myself how to crochet in the efforts to finish them.
What’s your favorite thing to crochet?
It changes. Sometimes, it’s plushies. Others it’s wearables.
If you could only use one yarn for the rest of your life what would it be?
Hear me out, but acrylic! That way I can make literally anything.
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever made?
I’m not sure if it’s considered to be weird, but Wally the Red Sox Mascot was the most unique.
What is something you’ll never crochet?
I’d say bikinis. Nothing against them, but I feel like too much can go wrong there.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Honestly, YouTube and Instagram. I consume a lot of crochet content, which inspires me to make things and even just to grow as a crochet artist.
Favorite thing you’ve made so far this year?
That’s a hard one! I’d say the crochet plants I’ve made with a pattern book from the Knot Monster. One was a gift and I made a hanging one for myself. I do plan to make another one soon as a house warming gift for a friend. They are so beyond adorable!
Crochet plans you’re excited about for the future?
I’d say making more clothing items! I’m very much looking forward to wearing stuff and going, yeah, I made that.
Worst thing about crochet?
Finishing stuff. I sometimes lose interest in a project when it gets hard, takes too long, repetitive, etc., and just want to make something so I put it aside and do something else. It’s a problem.
Favorite thing about crochet?
I’d say finishing stuff — like actually finishing something! I’ve given so many crochet projects as gifts, and there’s nothing better than the feeling of pure joy of seeing someone enjoy something you made.
I have 13 ear piercings — 9 of them were gotten within the last 2 years. After my wedding, I finally got my thirds done and it all spiraled from there. I now have four lobe piercings. On my right ear, I have a helix and a mid helix. In my left, I have a flat, a helix, and a conch.
I love my piercings. They allow me to be creative and play around with self expression. That said, I have finally found piercing peace now that I can sleep on both sides of my head again.
However, there are so many things that I did that I wish that I had done differently. So here are some tips that I hope that you bring with you to your next piercing appointment:
Splurge: Sometimes, it is worth it to spend a little more money on certain things. I believe piercings are one of those areas. This means going to a highly recommended place that is a little pricier than others. This also means getting the aftercare solution.
This also means that it might a good idea to spend the extra money on earrings as well — especially when you’re going to be wearing them 24/7. I highly recommend that you get higher quality earrings to not only avoid reactions — which then equal better healing times.
Get Inspo: This one is a tip that I have before you even set foot in the piercing studio and even before you make the appointment. Before you commit to the piercing, which could have up to a year of healing time, take the time to make sure that it will work for you and your style. Go on Pinterest. Follow people who have ear stacks, such as the queen of ear stacking herself, Reese Wonge. By doing this, you get ideas of what you want your final product of your piercings to look like.
Get Pierced With an Earring That You’d Wear Even After Its Healed: Once you get pierced, you’re stuck with that earring for at least 8 weeks — at the low end. Many of my piercings didn’t heal enough to switch for a few months after getting pierced. So when you’re selecting an earring to get pierced with, definitely spend the extra money to get something that you absolutely love. That way, you won’t be tempted to take it out the first second that you feel relatively okay.
Listen to Your Piercer: The person that’s piercing you knows their stuff. After all, if they didn’t, they wouldn’t be able to be piercing you in the first place. Listen to them about any and all aftercare, ask them questions, and yes, leave that earring in for the time that they tell you to do so. One thing that I highly suggest is making sure before you leave your appointment is that you make sure you can contact the person who is piercing you in the event you have any questions.
It’s Okay to Be Nervous and For Your Body to Be in Pain: You’re putting a hole in your body. This is something that is foreign to your body, and therefore, it’s normal to be nervous about it. It’s also normal for your body to react to it — from a slight fever to some redness to some tenderness as the piercing heals. It is also normal to feel tired the first week post piercing. Therefore, just give your body some grace as it heals.
Are you getting a piercing for National Piercing Day? How many do you currently have? Let me know in the comments below.
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