What I Love Wednesday: Wednesday September 2, 2020

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.

Eat Local With the Franchis:

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.

Apple Watch Band:

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.

Gabby Whiten:

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.

Shopping My Way Around CT: Pennyweights Jewelry

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.

What’s In My Bag: Daytrip Edition

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.

That said, here’s what I bought:

Shopping My Way Around CT: SV Decker and Luv Mimi Collaborate For A Shopping Event

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.

Source: the Luv Mimi Instagram

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.

It’s My Four Year Blogiversary!

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: 

  • Reach 500 Followers on my Blog’s Instagram
  • Blog at least 3 times a week
  • Be okay when it is time to take blogging breaks
  • Reach 100 followers on my Blog’s Facebook Page
  • Continue to connect with other bloggers

That said, I hope to continue to blog and grow as a blogger and writer. Cheers to four years!

What I Love Wednesday: August 26

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.

8 Items I Love From Amazon

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.

Women Who Work: Adrianna Robles

Cupcakes are hands down one of my favorite dessert, so needless to say I am excited for today’s guest — Adrianna Robles, the owner of Good Morning Cupcake. You might have remember my mention of Good Morning Cupcake, as it was featured in my list of great dessert places to check out in New Haven. Now, we get to learn more about Adrianna, her cupcakes, and so much more.

Adrianna Robles, the owner of Good Morning Cupcake. Photo Credit: Good Morning Cupcake Website.

Tell me a bit about yourself. How did you get started baking?

I began decorating cupcakes in high school in an attempt to attract more students to buy things. When I was 18, I had a dream that I walked up to a bake shop that had a logo of a sun holding a cupcake on the door and lots of sprinkles on the building. I knew in that moment this was my destiny. Now, I’m 29 years old and living out my dream. I graduated from Johnson and Wales University with a Bachelor’s Degree in baking and pastry arts (summa cum laude). I’m engaged to my Fiance, Darren, and will be getting married next August in Vermont. I snow board in the winter. I have a rescue mutt named Penny. How long has Good Morning Cupcake been open? I opened my doors on May 30th, 2020.

Why mini?

I truly believe mini is more! We are currently in a foodie era where there is so many options but you can only eat so much. With minis, you can try a bunch of flavors and not feel like you’re in food coma. Minis are the perfect size for children’s hands. Less mess which means a more enjoyable experience. It’s also for people who are too full after dinner for dessert. There is much of an excuse when they are mini ha!In addition to cupcakes, what else do you sell? I also sell mini cookies, doughnuts, pies and other confections. I’m a classically trained pastry chef so I can pretty much make just about anything.


What is your inspiration for the flavor combos?

I find inspiration in so many things! I find it from nostalgia, personal experiences, the seasons and holidays, and what I just happened to find in the food stores.

Do you ship cupcakes?

I don’t ship cupcakes because I’m not sure how I could make the taste and appearance last through the mail, but I do ship cookies.

What was it like being on the Girl Scout Cookie Championship?

It was such an amazing experience. I got to meet some really awesome chefs. It was very stressful but I just tried to stay focused on the task at hand and not look at the clock.

What creations did you create while being on the show?

For the first round, I was tasked with creating a sweet and salty snack that incorporated a Girl Scout cookie and a mystery ingredient. I received potato chips and choose the Trefoil cookie. I created a apple cider doughnut that had a caramel glaze, rolled in trefoil crumbs and topped with a potato chip and cookie streusel topping. I won first place for that round. Second round we had to make a cake that incorporated GS cookies and had to be topped with a 3D American Landmark. I choose the lemon up cookies and the golden gate bridge. I didn’t win in the end but it was all worth it getting enough notoriety to open my own brick and mortar.

Have any of the creations made it to the bakery’s menu?

The cake was on the June menu and the cupcake was on the July menu.

What is your favorite flavor of cupcakes to eat?

I’m really boring so my go to is the vanilla party cupcake (vanilla cake with fudge frosting and sprinkles). My favorite this month is the creamsicle cupcake (citrus cake, orange marmalade and whipped cream).

In the past, you’ve done several themed days such as Harry Potter. Will you be continuing that?

Heck to the YEAH! Harry Potter was so kick butt. My staff and I had such a blast as well as the customers. Our next theme day is September 26th. Follow my social media to see what it will be!

What do you love most about Good Morning Cupcake?

What I love the most about my business is being able to let me creativity flow with no restrictions.

Finally, what is some advice you have for those who want to open their own bakery?

If you want it enough, make it happen! Only the fearless can be great.

Looking to learn more about Good Morning Cupcake? Check her out on Instagram, and Facebook. You can also check out Good Morning Cupcake, located at 252 Melba Street in Milford, anytime between Thursday-Friday 10-4, and Saturday 9-4.

What I Love Wednesday: August 19, 2020

Happy Wednesday everyone! Today is a Friday for me, because I actually took the rest of the week off for a mini vacation. Well, staycation if we’re going to be honest here thanks to COVID-19. That said, I am ready for some much needed time off. That said, here are some of my favorites this week.

Five Minute Journal:

I journal pretty much daily, but the problem that I always ran into was consistency. Enter the Five Minute Journal. I saw it on Kathryn June’s vlogs, and I knew that I had to have it. How it works is that you write in the morning and at night. It helps you focus on the good things that happened in your day, but also helps you focus on practicing gratitude. Both of these things are really important. That said, if you’re going through a trying time, or struggling with the state of the world, I highly recommend one of these.

Miley Cyrus’ New Song:

Miley Cyrus released Midnight Sky and it has been on repeat for me since it’s release last Friday. It’s clearly a song about a breakup, but it is amazing. I highly recommend that you go and listen to it.

Ugg Fluffette Slippers:

This is perhaps my favorite item that I purchased from the Nordstrom sale. These slippers are super comfy. I had some LL Bean Slippers which were starting to get beat up. Therefore, I decided to get a second pair to rotate. And let me tell you, they were the best investment. I always think it’s important to have comfy slippers, because after a long day, it’s something that your feet look forward to. I do, anyways.

S.V. Decker Good Luck Necklace:

I picked up a new favorite piece of jewelry this past weekend – the S.V. Decker good luck necklace. I actually bought it in silver a while ago, but I did regret not getting the gold one. This past weekend, the store had an amazing price on the regular priced jewelry thanks to the sidewalk sale, so I picked the gold one up. And, I am really happy that I did. It’s a necklace that looks great on its own, or layered with one or my layering or snake chains. What I love most about this necklace is the meaning behind it. There are seven symbols of good luck, including the four leaf clover, the number 13, a horseshoe, elephant and so much more. Those are all symbols that I love, and I love that they are all on one piece of jewelry. And, now I can wear it with both my silver pieces and my gold ones.

Twilight Movies:

Since reading Midnight Sun, I became nostalgic. So, I rewatched Twilight. Followed by Breaking Dawn, since I actually haven’t seen it. And, I’m not even sorry about it. Back in the day, I was a true twi-hard. I saw all of the movies when they came out in theaters in high school, so I am happy that I rewatched the movies again and got that nostalgia. I almost want to listen to the soundtrack once again, because I was such a fan of that too.

I Was Body-Shamed In The Worst Way. Here’s Why It’s Not Okay

A few months ago, I went to a store with a few friends. It was a store that I have never been to, and was looking forward to some girl time with my friends since we’d been on lockdown for so long. When we got to the store and began browsing, I noticed that there wasn’t a huge selection of sizes. Needless to say, I wasn’t having much luck.

While shopping, a woman who worked there noticed that I wasn’t really interested in much. And I just said that I am on the larger side of things, and didn’t really see my size. She then said “you’re not my clientele.” My friends tried stuff on, and they found amazing things. And, while they were checking out, she complimented my friend’s body (who is much tinier than me). Then, she turned to me and said “oh, don’t worry, I have something that you can take to lose weight.”

I had never felt so insulted and uncomfortable in my life.

Now, I am going to be real with you. I am a size 10-12 and wear a large/ extra large depending on where I am shopping. According to an article on Vox entitled Why Retailers Overlook Women Who Aren’t Quite Plus or straight size, the average American woman wears a size 16-18. So, I’m technically below that average.

I’d like to think that we are moving past the times where the only size that was deemed beautiful was a size two. I’ve noticed so much media messages in recent years about body positivity. For example, in the movie/book Dumplin’, the whole message was about feeling beautiful and confident in your own skin. Meghan Trainer wrote about body positivity in some of her songs as well.

But, it’s sad to say that this still exists. And, it’s not okay.

While this is the most extreme version of body shaming, it does exist in so many different formats — both internal and external. Body shaming can exist internally when you hate your own body because of where it’s at. And, of course, it can exist externally when you point out to your friend that they have gained weight to their face or insult someone when they eat something that is not so healthy by asking them if they want to eat that.

And, it’s not okay. I can not say that enough.

Calling someone fat is actually horrible — no matter how you do that. I will admit that I had a hard time with getting time to workout since I began working full-time. This caused me to gain weight. My goals since my physical was to try to work out regularly and to eat better. Both of which I am doing and am on my way to being at a healthy weight.

Lindsay Lohan said it best — calling someone fat doesn’t make you any skinnier. And, it’s true. What does someone gain when they say something like that to someone? It doesn’t make them feel good about themselves whatsoever. Chances are, it shows their insecurities, but that is besides the point.

I would like to propose something. I would like to ban body shaming. Wishful thinking, of course, but one could try. The truth is everyone is built differently. Some people are short, others are tall. And, having rolls in our stomach, stretch marks, and sometimes gaining weight is inevitable. I want to normalize it. I want to own that. No one is built like a Cosmo girl!

And that is okay.

At the end of the day, I think it’s important to encourage others to be healthy and happy. After all, I feel as though it’s important to be that than a size zero. Body shaming doesn’t encourage any of that.

And, if you catch yourself body shaming someone just remember the golden rule: if you don’t have anything nice to say to anyone, don’t say it at all.