Happy Wednesday, everyone! I still can not believe that we are in September. Now that Labor Day has come and gone, I am in full fledged fall mode. That said, I can not wait to share my favorites this week with you all!
Disney Fairy Tale Weddings:
I have been obsessed with watching this show. I love how sweet this show is, and hearing the stories of the couples. And, the weddings are beautiful. I never cry during a show, but this show has had me bawling. If you’re looking for something happy, then you should definitely check it out.
I have had the rose gold set of these for a while but have never used them. I recently wore a rose gold necklace, and decided to wear them. And I absolutely loved them so much that I had to snag both the silver and the gold ones as well. They are so lightweight and comfortable, and I can wear them in both my first hole and my second hole. I really recommend them if you love smaller earrings then these are the one for you.
Madewell Jeans:
I found the most comfortable pair of jeans ever at Nordstrom Rack this past weekend and I’ve been obsessed ever since. They are Madewell button jeans. What I mean by that is that where there is a normally a button, there is a zipper. At first, I was skeptical, but the price was really good so I decided to try them on. And they were so comfy so naturally I bought them. I wore them yesterday and they honestly made me feel confident the entire day because they both looked and felt good.
And, let’s talk about the price. Normally, Madewell jeans are about $130. I paid $25. So naturally, I was excited about scoring an awesome deal as well as a great pair of jeans. I couldn’t find them on Nordstrom rack, so here’s a similar pair.
Bath and Body Works Calm Lotion:
I am obsessed with this lotion. I recently began using this one when I finished my other one, and I’ve been obsessed. It smells very citrusy and whenever I use it, I am happy. I have not noticed much of a change in terms of it calming me, but I really love using this. Sadly, after checking the website, it is discontinued, so I’ll have to try a different one when this runs out.
I am born and raised in Hamden. One thing that I love about my hometown is the food. There are certain places that have become my go-tos over the years. This happens when you live in the same place for over 26 years. That said, here are my favorite places to eat in Hamden:
Diners:
The diners are the best part of Hamden in my humble opinion. And, we have a lot of them. We have Three Brothers Diner, which delivers. We have Acropolis Diner, home of my favorite dish ever – the chicken souvlaki. And, we also have Townhouse Restaurant and Brownstone. All of these places have amazing wraps, burgers, and breakfast places. And, we can’t forget their fries as well. Oh, how I love diner fries.
Glenwood Drive-In/Kelly’s Cone Connection:
This is a Hamden classics. Glenwood has burgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, and a few other things such as chicken sandwiches, and chicken fingers. Honestly, their burgers are absolutely delicious. Furthermore, one thing that is awesome is that they offer frings. Yes, frings. Frings are a combination of onion rings and French fries. I love this because if you can’t decide which one to get, you can have both.
One of the coolest things about this restaurant is the fact that an ice cream place is actually attached to it – Kelly’s Cone Connection. I mean burgers and ice cream? Nothing says summer like that. That said, Kelly’s has a huge selection of ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and recently, dairy free ice cream. They also have cookies and brownies as well.
If you do choose to get Glenwood, you definitely should treat yourself with a trip to Kelly’s as well.
This is hands down my favorite Thai place, and my go-to whenever I am in the mood for Thai food. They have the best pad thai. I also have had a few other things on the menu, such as spring rolls that I enjoy. However, every time, I get pad Thai.
While their food is delicious, their service is excellent. I do use their app, which is great for ordering ahead. Furthermore, your food is ready on time, which is also great. If you’re looking for a great place to get takeout, look no further. This is the place to go.
This is one of my favorite local places for me to get cookies. These cookies literally melt in your mouth when you bite into them. They have the standard classic flavors of cookies – you know chocolate chip, and very vanilla. However, they have a lot of great unique flavors: ugly salted caramel, s’mores, and orange creamsicle.
In addition to having cookies with sugar, they also offer gluten free cookies as well.
But, they offer so much more than cookies. They offer cookies immersed with brownies and cupcakes. And, those are delicious as well.
Overall, I definitely think that if you’re looking for a good place to get cookies and don’t want to deal with the parking at Insomia, definitely check these guys out.
If you’re looking for a new local lunch spot, look no further. These sandwiches, wraps and salads are amazing. They have the typical sandwiches, wraps, and salads – cold-cuts, chicken ceaser, and turkey. However, they have so much more. They have specials such as the cali-chick (grilled chicken with roasted red peppers, avocado, mozzarella, with pesto mayo on ciabatta), and the California chicken club (chicken cutlet, bacon, lettuce, tomato, Colby jack cheese, avocado and mayo), which is my go-to without the cheese. This is my favorite place to get sandwiches hands down. And, if you do go there, you will pretty much not go home hungry.
Since Hamden is just one town away from New Haven, I couldn’t resist sharing a place that sells killer pizza. Sabori is a little takeout place located on Circular Avenue. They have a lot of options for pizza – including veggie pizza, and Sicilian. You can get your pizza by the slice, or order an entire pizza.
In addition to selling pizza, you also can have subs, desserts, dinner specials, and even purchase their own sauce. All of it is delicious.
Yes, there is another Italian place that is worth noting. This one is Eli’s on Whitney. They have the same type of menu as Sapori – pizza, subs, and Italian specialties. Additionally, they have amazing appetizers – including my favorite Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls. This is a great place for lunch, and dinner. In addition, there is also ready made meals, which is great for nights that you don’t want to cook.
My favorite place to get coffee – other than Starbucks – is Whitney Doughnut. They have a great selection of coffee, bagels, muffins, and true to their name, doughnuts. In addition, they also have sandwiches and salads for lunch as well. They also have a great selection of baked goods – especially their cupcakes.
I have a long list of favorites. I love their cupcakes, their apple cider doughnuts, their flavored coffee selection, and of course, their bagels. However, I am going to be honest here — there is nothing that you can get from Whitney Doughnut that is not delicious.
Blogger Tiffany Thomas, who writes over at Saving Talents. Photocredit: Tiffany Thomas
One of the awesome things about the blogging community is that people look to support each other. Today, I chatted with Tiffany Thomas from Saving Talents. Tiffany Thomas is a chocoholic former math teacher and homeschooling mom with Crohn’s Disease. She and her husband Phillip (who is an engineer) work together on the blog Saving Talents. They enjoy spending time with their family, geeking out over sci-fi together, and saving money.
Be sure to check out our conversation with Tiffany about blogging, parenthood and so much more!
How did you get started blogging?
It’s a funny story, actually. I used to coupon a lot, and after my second child was born I spent a lot of time at home sitting on my bed holding him (he only slept if held). I could only binge-watch Netflix for so long, so I began to come up with really elaborate coupon shopping trips. I wanted to share them with other friends who couponed, and a blog was the easiest setup. To my surprise, it actually became quite popular and turned into a full-time thing.
However, after a couple of years I found myself wanting to write more than coupon deals (which were becoming a bit monotonous). So I sold my coupon blog and started Saving Talents.
How long have you been doing it?
I began my coupon blog four four years ago and sold it about 18 months ago. Saving Talents is about two years old.
What is your inspiration for your posts?
My everyday life! I choose the recipes from homemade cookbooks passed down in my family. When I look for an idea for a holiday, like a Christmas craft for my kids to do, I’ll put my findings up on the blog. Or if something inspires me from my scripture study, I will turn it into a blog post so that it can be shared with others.
What are some of the challenges you face blogging?
Kids! Haha, my kids are 7, 4, and 3 months. So the last few months I have had to cut back a lot of what I used to do. We also homeschool and just started 2ndgrade for my oldest, which has a lot more work than 1st grade did. Finding a balance is a challenge on a daily basis.
You talk a lot about frugal living. What is the biggest tip you have for 20 somethings like myself?
Learn to tell the difference between wants and needs. Many of us who are reading blogs live in first-world countries. I constantly see comparisons between current events and difficulties of the past. In all honesty, many of the rising generations have no idea what true needs really are.
I’ve been in a missionary in some very impoverished places in the world, and I wish that every first-world citizen could spend 6 months as a teenager in one of those places to learn the real difference between wants and needs. I think we’d be much more frugal in how we spend our money. We’d realize we could live with a whole lot less than we think we can, and we’d hesitate before spending what we currently do on “needs.”
How do you balance being a mom and blogging?
Who says I do?! Haha, I’m only partly joking. Some days I spend a lot less time blogging than I planned, and other days I’m afraid I lose track of how much TV the kids have watched (all educational, at least) because I get caught up in writing.
I find, however, that when I put my kids and their needs first, the rest fills itself in. I plan out my day with the kids’ stuff as the priority. Then I fill in the empty time slots with projects related to blogging.
What advice do you have for bloggers that just are starting out?
Don’t be discouraged. Blogging is really hard work and it takes a lot of time. Results are slow; sometimes it’s almost impossible to feel like you’re making any growth. Do research into what works. There are a lot of free tutorials out there that have a lot of valuable information – take advantage of those resources.
Can you believe that it is already September? September means that it’s time to bring on all of the fall things, from the pumpkin cold brew, to the pumpkin bread that I can’t wait to make. Who is ready to snuggle up in comfy sweaters and something warm? I know I am.
That said, let’s talk about my favorites for the week.
Pumpkin Cold Brew:
We are going to dive right in and talk about the fall beverages. I have actually never had a cold brew before. That changed last week. I decided that it was time to try the infamous pumpkin cold brew. And, wow. It was amazing. I typically have the pumpkin spiced latte, but I can tell that this is going to be one of my favorite drinks throughout the fall.
I have found this blog last week, and I’ve been obsessively reading it since. Eat Local With the Franchis is a Connecticut Couple that reviews local food places. I have been loving their blogs because it talks about so many great places that I love, and it made me want to try a new place that I ended up enjoying. If you live in Connecticut, I highly recommend checking out their reviews, because it gives a local perspective and shares their favorites as well.
JoJo’s Good to Know Deluxe Version:
Yes. I got the vinyl for this. I have no regrets. Last Friday, JoJo released the deluxe version of her new album. And, it is amazing. It has some new tracks, as well as collaborations with both Demi Lovato and Tinashe. And, can we talk about Demi’s vocals on Lonely Hearts? I have always wanted Demi Lovato and JoJo to collaborate, and I am so happy that this happened because they are both my favorite artists. That said, if you haven’t checked this album out, I highly suggest you do.
Kathryn June made me do it. A few weeks ago, she showed this Apple Watch band in a favorites video. I loved it, and since it was $13, I got it. When it arrived, I put it right on and it became my new favorite band. The quality is just as good as the one that Apple sells, if not better. I then ordered a cream colored one, as well as a black one. Both bands have yet to arrive yet, but I love this band because it fits my wrists well, and is great for stacking with bracelets.
I found a new YouTuber that I love. Her name is Gabby Whiten. Gabby is a NYU student who is studying for her PhD and also has a blog as well. I love her content because she shows so many aspects of New York, and what it’s like to be a PhD student as well. I definitely recommend her content if you’re looking for someone new to watch.
We all know that I love jewelry. This is no secret. I am a huge fan of affordable quality jewelry, which is something that is hard to come by.
Enter Pennywieghts.
I discovered this place through someone’s Instagram, and purchased a few items through their Etsy shop. Some of their earrings go for as little as $5. Yes you heard me. $5. Many of their earrings don’t reach the ten dollar mark. I purchased a few pairs of studs, and other than having one get caught on my mask, I loved them.
Since they are less than an hour from me, I did decide to check them out and did some damage. Many of the pieces were less than $25.
They have a wide selection in every budget — costume jewelry, vermeil, sterling silver, and of course fine jewelry. Since I purely wear Sterling Silver and gold vermeil, I was purchasing that. Many of their stud earrings were less than $15, and they have a variety from pearls, balls, and cute little ones such as moons and stars. These are great for those who have more than one hole in their ear like I do.
In addition to that, they have a huge selection of rings. Gemstones, bands, and vermeil. I recently purchased a rolling ring, and it was less than $25. I wore it the next day, and it was so comfortable on my finger as well.
They also have a lot of chains, and pendants. They have a whole little charm section in their store, which helps you create a necklace that is unique and personal to you. Very cool. They also have the very trendy paper clip necklace, which I snagged and am so excited to layer.
Last but not least, let’s talk about the staff. The person who had helped me was amazing. She gave me a lot of great tips and suggestions for items that would work for me. She also deferred me from buying some items just because she thought that it wouldn’t work for my lifestyle. Personally, I love that because it feels like I am shopping with one of my friends.
Overall, if you are looking to treat yourself, I highly recommend checking Pennyweights. And if you’re not near CT or can’t make the trip, I recommend you check out their Etsy shop as well.
A few weeks ago, I took a day trip since thanks to the pandemic, there wasn’t anywhere else go to. I went to Washington, Connecticut, the town that inspired Stars Hollow. That said, I wanted to share some of the items that I took with me for the day.
For the day, I bought my Dooney and Bourke Zip Zip Satchel in Black. I liked this purse because it was a shoulder bag, but also managed to fit everything that I need, including a water bottle.
Clothing and jewelry go together hand in hand — and when two great brands come together it is the perfect combination.
That is what Milford based brands SV Decker and Luv Mimi are doing. For those of you who don’t know, SV Decker is a jewelry store located in Downtown Milford Connecticut and Luv Mimi is an online boutique.
The two brands have teamed up to host the ultimate shopping event on Saturday, August 29th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at SV Decker’s store location on 22 Broad Street in Milford. According to an Instagram post on both accounts, the event will have some snacks, “sips”, raffles and “exclusive deals.”
I talked to Mikala Coppolella the owner of Luv Mimi. This is Coppolella’s second sidewalk sale, but it’s her first collaboration with SV Decker. Coppolella said the event got started when she reached out to Stef Decker, the owner of SV Decker, after following her brand for a while.
“I reached out to Stef from S.V. Decker because I loved her space and brand and just asked if she would want to do an event together for the end of summer/fall season,” Coppolella said. “She’s super sweet and said yes!”
Coppolella added that she is super excited to collaborate with Decker.
“I’m happy I got to meet with her and explore each other’s brands,” said Coppolella.
Luv Mimi is a newer fashion brand on the scene that has a great selection of basic tees, graphic tees, biker shorts and so much more. Coppolella said that Luv Mimi was created in her apartment during quarantine as a side hustle. In addition to running Luv Mimi, Coppolella is actually a graduate student at Fairfield University.
“I have always loved shopping and fashion and wanted to put my energy into something positive,” said Coppolella. “It’s been a lot of fun!”
While Luv Mimi is a newer brand, SV Decker has been a part of the downtown Milford community for a few years now. According to shop owner, Steffi Decker, the brand began during her college days at Fairfield University.
“I was just kind of playing around with a love for art and a love for jewelry and fashion,” Decker said. “The next thing you know it turned into a very, very small business on campus and after I graduated I decided to pursue it a bit more.”
Decker has now been at her current location, 22 Broad Street for almost four years now, and the brand is growing. Now, Decker is getting ready to launch her fall collection, which will include a fine line of jewelry.
“We’ve already launched a few pieces as a little test run this summer and they did absolutely great so we are very excited to open up some more pieces,” Decker said.
However, one trend that Decker recommends customers check out is the chain link necklace.
“It’s a huge staple fashion piece for this fall and it’s very versatile,” Decker said.
The chain link necklace, like many of Decker’s pieces will be available at the event. And, like Coppolella, Decker is excited for the collaboration as well.
“It’s awesome to come together and see each of us thrive so hopefully it’s a success,” Decker said.
You can also find both SV Decker and Luv Mimi on Instagram, so be sure to check them out.
Note: Due to the current pandemic, masks are required for this event.
Today marks four full years blogging. Yes, that’s right. Four years today, I logged into WordPress and wrote a post on this blog, hit publish, and bam this blog was born.
I actually just took a look at the post that I wrote that day. It was a time of transition. I was entering in my last semester of college (I graduated mid-year), my boyfriend at the time had just broken up with me, and I was trying to figure out what was next.
To be honest, it’s pretty crazy to look back at it and see where I was at that time. In the time since, so many aspects of my life have changed. My mom died. I met my current boyfriend of over three years. I found a job that I loved.
Me back in 2016.
And, also my blog evolved.
When I started this blog, it was solely a place where I can write opinion-based columns to talk about things that were bothering me or relevant to the time. In fact, one of my highest performing posts of 2016 were posts about the 2016 Presidential Election. And, to some aspects, it is still that.
But, my blog really did grow in the last four years. Well really just the last year. Since leaving the website CT Boom, my blog became a more Connecticut-based site with more content about local shops, restaurants and things to do in the Nutmeg state.
However, my blog isn’t the only thing that has grown over the past few years. I’ve grown tremendously as a human being over that time period. I have begun to grow as an adult and as a person since starting this blog. I started a job, and realized that it wasn’t the end of the world when I discovered that it wasn’t for me. I lost both my mom and my best pal, my dog Maggie and dealt with grief. I met my now boyfriend, and have been in a pretty much stable relationship for over three years. I’m learning how to manage my money better. I’m looking back at the past, and I still can’t believe that I have come as far as I have.
Now that I’m entering my fifth year blogging, I do have some goals for this blog and for me to reach with this blog. And they are:
Happy Wednesday everyone! I can not believe that this is the last week of August. I am going to be honest — I feel like this year has flown by. That said, I am looking forward to fall. Give me the cozy vibes and all pumpkin everything. I am there for that.
That said, I wanted to dive right into my favorites of this week. There are a variety of things, so let’s just get started:
SV Decker Year Necklace: I have been really into the year necklace trend. SV Decker recently began to sell them, and at a pretty decent price. I have been looking at them for a while, but couldn’t afford the price of other places. Not only this one was much more affordable, it also was really well made. I picked it up this past Friday, and I have been loving this ever since. It is great to wear on its own, and it’s great for layering. I highly recommend this necklace especially as gift season comes closer.
Pennyweights Sterling Silver Hammered Rolling Ring: Another jewelry find bought to you by my trip to Pennyweights. I picked up this ring and I’ve been loving this so far. Not only is it affordable, but it is also a ring that you don’t have to worry about. I wore this to the beach, and it held up really well. You can tell that this ring was well made, and I am really happy that I picked this ring up.
Tory Burch Top Handle Leather Hobo Bag: I picked up this little guy at the Nordstrom sale, and I am so happy that I did. I love the hobo bag trend, and have been using a Coach hobo bag that I picked up from my local consignment store. I liked this one because it is able to hold more, so I can fit things like my iPad or Nook as well. I also love the color of this bag, because it goes with everything, which is something that I love. If you’re looking for a great tote bag, I highly recommend this one.
Caution by the Killers: I heard this song on the radio, and I have been obsessed with it ever since. I haven’t really been into the Killers since my middle school days, but I have really been loving this song.
Philosophy Amazing Grace Perfume: a few years ago, my mom bought the Philosophy Amazing Grace set of two. I ended up getting one and have used the scent occasionally, since I loved my Pink body sprays. However, lately I have been using this perfume daily. It’s a simple and clean scent and I absolutely love it. I am nearing the end of my first bottle, but I’m so happy that I kept my mom’s as well so I can use that. Definitely worth checking out. Note: my perfume was a special edition, but here is something similar.
What are you loving this week? Let me know in the comments below.
Amazon has become my go-to for so many things. I buy so many things for my dog, Lucy, as well as tech finds. However, I often find that finding great items on the site is extremely overwhelming. Therefore, I live for content that has a list of great items already created for me.
So, here are some of my favorites that I’ve purchased off of Amazon and love:
Kindle: I have the Kindle Paperwhite and I absolutely love it. I love the Kindle because it has a wider selection of books than my Nook does, even though I love my Nook. What is great about this Kindle is that you can read pretty much everywhere. I even take it in the book with me. The battery life on this Kindle lasts for weeks, which is an added bonus as well. There are so many different ones, but I personally like the Paperwhite because you get the perks of the Oasis, without the price.
Merrick Fresh Kisses Medium Oral Dental Dog Treats: I love this product because it is basically like a toothbrush for your dog. When your dog’s teeth get cleaned, they often have to be put under anesthesia. However, I heard about these treats and decided to give them a try. And, they worked. Lucy’s teeth are in great condition — and she loves it because she thinks that they are a treat.
Country Brook Design — Nylon Pet Collar: Last November, Lucy rolled around in poop and I needed a collar asap. Enter in this collar. It came in less than 2 days, and it’s been on ever since. Almost a year later, this collar held up pretty well. What I love about this collar is the price. Pet collars are expensive. Lucy’s first one was double the price. And, because she rolled around in stuff, I didn’t want to spend a lot, so I got this. If you’re looking for a dog collar, then this is the one you need to get.
Diffuser: Diffusers are expensive. However, this one was about $20. I love this because it fills the room up with the essential oil of your choice. It has timers as well, so you don’t need to worry about taking it off. This is hands down my favorite diffuser that I’ve had so far, and I highly recommend it.
iPad Case: Amazon has the best tech cases hands down. I am currently browsing for a new laptop case at the time of writing this post. This case is very similar to the Apple one. Except it’s not that pricy. I have the rose gold one, and have had it for over a year. And, it’s held up pretty well for something that I’ve used almost daily. What is also really good is that you can use it to prop up to watch videos, which I really love.
Bathroom Rug: When I first got Lucy, she used to pee a lot in the house. Needless to say, I didn’t want to spend too much money on a bathroom rug for that purpose. Enter in this rug. I’ve had it since last October and it’s held up pretty well. If it does get dirty for any reason, it is actually very simple. All you do is wash it and you’re good to go. Easy.
Ceramic Dish: I love this dish. It’s meant for jewelry, but I use it for keys. And, it really works. It gives it a clean look, which I really like, and my keys aren’t hanging around in my house.
Smart Scale: This is a good purchase for anyone. This scale is really good because you can get a breakdown of your weight — water weight, body fat, muscle mass, etc. I love this because it helps you monitor changes, and keep track of it.
thenutmegmillennial.com 