Getting back into “old school” blogging + sharing a recap of my month!
How is it already (almost) August?! Where did summer go?!
When I was thinking about what sort of blog posts I’d like to write this month, I realized how much I missed “old school” blogging where I could spill my thoughts out without worrying about SEO, LTK, all of that. I’ve been breaking out of my comfort zone and getting out of my own way (my memorial’s title) over on Stories and sharing more about my everyday. So here’s what I’ve been up to this last month:
Favorite Thing I Wore
Hands’ down, it has to be this blue and white stripe linen jumpsuit I found on Amazon for under $30. And I’m so glad you guys loved the jumpsuit as much as I do!! It runs TTS, I’m normally a size 8 and the M fits perfectly for me. It has linen shorts-level lining underneath so you don’t have to worry about any see-through issues!! I love how you can dress it up with espadrille wedges and statement earrings (like this pair I just bought on Amazon!) for a summer date night look. Or dress it down with Jacks or white sneakers for an easygoing weekend day vibe. It’s so incredibly comfy!
Plus, it comes in several different colors and even comes in a romper style. I picked up the romper version of this in a Nantucket red color, it’s more of a swishy, polyester fabric than this jumpsuit. But I loved it and kept both!
What I Read
This year, I promised myself I’d double the number of books I read last year – so 20 is the number to strive for. I’m glad to report that Goodreads tells me I’m on track! This month I read:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: I LOVED this book!! This book follows a young journalist who famous Golden Age of Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo(think Elizabeth Taylor-esque) handpicks to give her first interview in decades to – and share her complete biography. Seven Husbands chronicles Evelyn sharing her life story through her many marriages, which are revealed to have been a ruse to hide her innermost secret (and love). The characters are so real, I kept finding myself trying to Wikipedia them. I couldn’t tear myself away! And that’s coming from someone who doesn’t care about celebrity gossip.
Verity: I picked up this book after hearing rave reviews from Bad On Paper podcast. I think the last thriller I read was Gone Girl back in 2012? It’s not that I don’t appreciate thrillers but they stress me out reading and waiting for the other shoe to drop. Historical fiction is my jam. But if you are going to read one thriller this year (or, you know, in 7 years), it HAS to be Verity. Verity follows an unemployed author who is selected to finish a famous book series after the author, Verity, is left severely impacted by a car accident. She heads to the family home to read over Verity’s work and learns that nothing is ever as it seems. You will be on the edge of your seat from suspense! I stayed up waaayyy past my bedtime to get to the bottom of this book – but still have questions after the last page.
Favorite Thing I Ate
This month, I had my tastebuds rocked by Tillamook cheese. I hadn’t heard of Tillamook before (aside from a few commercials on Hulu in between Golden Girls) but was excited when Tillamook invited me to an event to celebrate their collaboration with Little Red Fox in DC. Their jalapeño mac ‘n cheese and eggplant parmesan were TO DIE FOR!! Little Red Fox is way up in NW DC but I’m already planning a trip to get my hands on that eggplant parm. If you’re in NW DC, I cannot encourage you enough to check it out and to come hungry!
Also, you can find Tillamook cheddar cheese at Trader Joe’s! I spied it the other day 😍
My Happy Place This Month
Earlier this year, I mentioned how I’ve had to go to a chiropractor for issues with my neck. Turns out my problem has a name and it’s “Tech Neck.” Basically my neck is strained from hunching over a computer all day long. A lot of workouts have been really challenging for me with this problem + I had to give up barre temporarily after coming to the sad conclusion that I needed to get better before I could continue taking classes there.
Enter Corepower Yoga. I gave it a whirl after my friend Carrie gifted me several free classes and I am now hooked. With the hot temps, my neck doesn’t bother me and I can get in a solid workout and use free weights without feeling any strain. I also love getting a good sweat session in – I feel so accomplished and strong! Corepower’s new H Street location has been a gamechanger for me since it’s so close to my office and home. Their YogaSculpt classes are my favorite and I always feel amazing (and incredibly sore) afterwards. Expect to see more Stories about my Corepower classes.
Look Ahead to August
My mom comes to visit me today so we’ll be spending the weekend together! I’m planning to use my August to take a breather and take more yoga classes and catch up with friends. The last week of August, I’m heading to Buffalo to see one of my high school best friends GET MARRIED!!! And right after, I’m flying from Buffalo to meet my family for a week in Disneyland!!
What are you looking forward to next month?
Photo by Kimberly Graydon
