love & stuff

i had a different post planned for today, but when i saw this quote on pinterest this morning, i couldn't help but change  my plans. there is something that i love about today's sticky-sweet 'holiday,' i think it has to do with unabashedly telling all the people you care about that you love them (and probably all the adorable cards and flowers and candy and pink things that are around). but, more importantly over the last couple years i've realized that to give love truly, you have to love yourself first and this kerouac quote pretty much sums that up for me...gushy, i know. so whether you're single, or in a relationship, or you just don't really care, take this day as time to fall in love with yourself, your life, and your happiness.

happy thanksgiving!

this year, i have so much to be thankful for: good family, good friends, good health, and a bright future. Although i am missing some key players this year, i am so excited to spend the time catching up with the loved ones who are here and of course stuffing my face with turkey, mashed potatoes, and my aunt's famous pumpkin cheesecake. 

i hope you all have a wonderful day, no matter what you have planned. now, go enjoy it!

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let them eat {cup}cake{s}

yesterday i turned another year older, and it was totally sweet {literally... dessert is the only food group a girl can eat on her birthday}! i love birthdays and any excuse for a celebration/frosting covered anything, so i pretty much had a smile on my face all day long. i'm not going to lie, i'm pretty stoked on being in my twenties right now, i'm finally feeling like i know who i am as a person, but  i still have so many adventures and so much to learn coming up. 

cheers to another year! 

...now everyone go eat a piece of cake!

i'm back!

fall running is my favorite: everything is so crisp!

well, i'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but it's been twelve days since my last post, and i can't say i have a very good reason for that other than the usual 'i've been busy at work' and 'there just aren't enough hours in the day!' so, i'm sorry about that. 

hopefully this marks a new start of more consistent posting... now that peak foliage is over {it was awesome this year, i think more so because i was in california last fall and missed it}, the days are getting shorter {noooooooooo}, and cold-ish weather is officially upon us, no more excuses for lack of blogging! 

to apologize, here are a few iphone snaps of what's been taking up my time while not blogging... mostly a lot of dogs and some mountains. 

beautiful foliage, as seen from a hike earlier in the month.

taking my parent's dog on a walk on a very rainy afternoon.

boyfriend and i are proud parents of this little pup, who happens to have a small obsession with apples.

quoted

one of my favorite quotes-- for inspiration after a rainy weekend.

image via my pinterest.

perfect pout

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for the past few months (well, years really, but who's counting?), i've been trying to come up with a skin care/makeup routine that suits my problematic skin and doesn't take hours to get through. i've come to the point where i'm fairly satisfied with basics of my regime (save for a little bit of tweaking that needs to happen) and am trying to switch gears to the fun side of makeup. i've been experimenting more and more with lipsticks because i don't like the long process of putting on eye shadow, and frankly i think lipstick colors are just more playful and it's easier to make a statement with them. i found my favorite shades (all by NARS), but worry that sometimes lipstick looks too done up or heavy. Any suggestions for a girl new to the lipstick world? and how exactly do i get them to stay on my lips for more then an hour?!

i love how Roman Holiday and Red Lizard pop with my coloring, and Honolulu Honey and Belle de Jour are great for casual everyday wear, i've even been pairing them with NARS lip glosses for added depth.

home again, home again

this is how peaceful i feel when i'm oceanside. it doesn't get better than salty water, sunshine, sand, and ocean air. (image via here)

well, i'm back! my little visit to the cape was a great, relaxing way to end a pretty awesome new england summer. below are some of my favorite moments that the iphone was able to capture ( i'd say it's about time to invest in a real camera, what do you think?!)

view on our walk to the beach//posing before dinner//a beautiful sunset//beach essentials: a good book, sunscreen, and a hat//view of sailboats in the harbor//sunning myself//quality time with my yiayia//sister looking bronzed//beautiful lighting right before sunset

today was a day

image via here

i have to admit, i'm just having one of those days. it was neither good nor bad, just full of small annoyances (my alarm didn't go off this morning and i got pulled over driving to work (just a warning though!)) at this point, i kind of want to just curl up with a good book and a cozy sweater and be by myself.

chunky knit// supersoft scarf// cozy leggings// a book i'll never get sick of// beautiful suede booties

sometimes, a little bit of alone time is all i need to recharge... and guess what? the weekend is just around the corner!

middle ground

hi all. sorry about the late posting today, i just got home from visiting the boyfriend in the adirondacks for the past couple days. you see, vin and i participate in what is somewhat-fondly referred to as a "medium distance relationship," which basically means that we live close enough that we can drive to see each other, but far enough away that our differing schedules means sometimes we go weeks without spending time together. 


now, don't get me wrong, we did the long distance thing for a while when i was living in california and the MDR is waaaaaay easier than the LDR. but, that doesn't mean it's any less crushing to leave him after getting to spend only a couple days together. and it doesn't mean that i don't go into a sort of panic sometimes wondering when we will be able to make the time to make the drive to reunite next. 

image source unknown

despite all this whining and complaining, it was wonderful to see him, and we did have tons of fun hiking and swimming and playing with our pup. it's just that we are experiencing those 20-somethings growing pains, and it's going to take some time until we have our feet under us and can be together-together again. i'm lucky to have such a good teammate as him and that this medium distance relationship is merely an interlude in our lives together.