Highlighting & Contouring

One of my all time favorite beauty tricks has to be the art of highlighting and contouring. In a nutshell, highlighting brings light to areas of the face and makes them more pronounced, while contouring makes other areas "sink in" and appear slimmer!

Banana Pancakes

I will never forget how my grandmother would always slice up bananas and put them in my Corn Flakes for breakfast when I was little. I never complained, but it was my least favorite breakfast in the world. Between the taste and the texture, I just never liked bananas.

Despite that childhood memory, I've been changing my mind about bananas. I really like banana bread and muffins. And these pancakes. So maybe, just maybe, we have turned a corner.

Tips for Solo Travel (NYT Travel Show)

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After many years of wanting to attend (and missing it,) I was finally able to attend the New York Times Travel Show this past Saturday. The event itself was overwhelming (in a good way,) with beautiful displays and exhibits filled with tons of travel information of locations domestic and abroad. In addition to the exhibits, there were a great deal of seminars to attend on everything from train travel to cruising.

Looking to Spring: The Trench Coat

I just glanced at the weather for this week and definitely sort of frowned. A high of 33? Hello winter, you are truly in full force now. While it may be a ways away, I can't wait to start shopping for spring, and what says spring better than a fabulous trench? 

Weekend-ing

A busy and productive week calls for a chill weekend. What are you plans?

Obsessing...

Have you seen the Prabal Gurung for Target collection yet? I can't wait till February 10!

Flourless Nutella Brownies

As much as I love brownies, I very rarely make them as I am the only "chocolate as a baked good" lover at home. I say that in quotes because cakes, cookies, and ice cream in chocolate form are not  popular, but bring in some chocolates from Lindt and watch them disappear before your eyes.


But Nutella brownies? That are flourless? There was no way I was passing up making these. Even if it meant I was the only one to eat them.

Workout Wear and January Playlist.

Before I even decide what I am wearing for the day, I decide what I am working out in. My workout style has definitely changed since this post and with good reason. For starters, the big tees got too big, and I found myself literally trapped in all the fabric. While function is always first and foremost in what I work out in, I found myself enjoying my workouts more when I was "dressed up," if you will. As they say, "when you look good you feel good," and that definitely holds true to active wear. 

Since I dedicate just as much time (and money) to my workout wardrobe as I do my regular wardrobe, here are some of my tried and true favorites, many on sale this week with the new year!

"If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try."

Leading up to the new year, I think I did the most reflecting I've ever done in my entire life. In doing so I realized finally acknowledged and admitted something I have known my whole life: I can be my biggest road block in life. I sometimes put off things for more convenient times that never come, or don't try things for fear of failure or being out of my comfort zone. Enough is enough. The time is now to bring an end to the "shoulda, woulda, coulda's."