New York at Christmas

It's almost Christmas!

Can you believe how fast time has gone by? Obviously, I have no sense of time right now, because I have not posted in weeks! Life has gotten in the way, as usual. Luckily, the fall semester is over and I am on a two week break from my internship so I have a little time to get my life together. To start my Christmas break, I took a little trip... to New York City! And let me tell you, it was unbelievable. The lights were brighter, the air crisper, and the crowds more abundant. After multiple NYC trips in the last few months, I wanted to share here a little guide to the city, in case you're planning a trip anytime soon! Now it would be impossible to list every great restaurant or store here, so please check out all of the tourist attractions that you want- Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, etc- but these are the hidden treasures of the city that you need to see, too. 

Happy travels! 

STELLA DALLAS

218 Thompson Street 

Greenwich Village

If you're on a hunt for an authentic vintage store, with furs and all, this is your haven. The store is small, but the walls are covered in 60's bell bottoms, 80's cheetah print pants, and fringe. Lots of fringe. I have to say, I was in love. 

(I was wayyyy to busy shopping for the pictures, sorry guys)

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Central Park West & 79th Street 

Upper West Side

An oldie, but a goodie. Let it be known, you will not be able to see every exhibit. You just cannot. The place is massive. But, what we were able to see before our legs quit working was beautiful. This is a pretty full afternoon activity, so don't make dinner reservations afterward. You will be late, and you will be exhausted. Totally worth it. 

DUET BRASSERIE

37 Barrow Street

West Village 

This was not my first choice. I came down to the West Village on an early Sunday morning, looking for a good breakfast, and absolutely nothing was open. It was ghost town material. I saw a movie being filmed outside of Duet, and so I walked in simply to be able to watch through the windows and be nosy. I knew from the first cup of coffee I was in love, because the cups they serve are big enough for a pint of coffee. Since many things on the menu were in French, I pointed to what looked to be an omelet, and it was incredible. I even ordered a danish after, just so I could hang out in the beautiful place and watch the photographers outside. Of course, the danish was delicious too. 

GREENFLEA

100 West 77th Street 

Upper West Side

Oh, the Greenflea. You did not do NYC without the Greenflea. Called "Manhattan's best flea market" (by themselves) it does not disappoint. The market is on Sundays, starting at 10 a.m. but the vendors typically get there early. My last visit to the Greenflea ended with 2 Persian rugs, 2 rings, 1 Beatles and 1 Springsteen record, and a homemade donut. I mean, what else does one need?

ISABELLA'S

359 Columbus Avenue

Upper West Side

After the Greenflea, you will be hungry and you will want to call everyone you know to tell them about the bartering you just did. The cafe across the street, Isabella's, is perfect for that and more. Their brunch is the best I've ever had in the city, and you get the first mimosa free. Same goes for coffee, tea, and orange juice. You're welcome.

Happy Hallows Eve!

Happy Halloween to all my ghouls and goblin readers!

This Halloween, I am taking a step back and handing out candy in a local neighborhood. It's easy to forget that while it would be easy to go out downtown and socialize with my friends, there are kids that would die to have a little extra candy and see a "grown-up" that's dressed up too. I've had my Halloween fun while I was studying at Auburn and again here in Birmingham, and it's time to remember who this holiday is about- the kids! Everyone have a safe, happy, and slightly scary Halloween! PLEASE share some pictures of your costumes, I will be too! 

See you in November! 

Food For Thought: Islam

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had an awesome weekend! I spent mine in Atlanta doing a little fall shopping, and then connecting with my family on a lazy Sunday. Every morning at my internship, we discuss the news of the day (considering I am an intern at NBC, this shouldn't be surprising). At dinner, my boyfriend and I talk about what we think about the world's problems. Current events in the world are something that I spend 75% of my day talking or thinking about, and I think that's a good thing. It allows you to articulate your ideas and be open-minded to other's. I wanted to start a weekly column here, called Food For Thought, to share current events and invite you to share your opinion. This week's video clip is from the October 3rd episode of "Real Time With Bill Maher," and is about radical Islam. Ben Affleck, the guest of the night (and my future hubby), becomes irate when Maher insults the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, and reacts.
Click on the link below to watch, and leave me your thoughts! 

Bill Maher VS. Ben Affleck: Radical Islam

Desserts for lunch

It's Tuesday. You deserve that cupcake. 

Fall Fashion

It's every woman's favorite time of the year- time to stock up on sweaters, boots, and knee-high socks. I treat the fall as my personal fashion show, because I absolutely love every style that comes with the time when the leaves start falling. I wanted to share here some of my favorite looks from fashion week and some street style looks I'm dying to copy. 

These Chinese Laundry booties will go with everything in your closet and give you enough of a heel to do the job without making you uncomfortable. I have an obsession with booties- Sam Edelman, Report, and Coconuts also make great ones!

These Michael Van Der Ham pants were seen from the runway at London Fashion Week. These are perfect for pairing with a plain white top for work, and then slipping on some sky high pumps for after. What else do you need? 

Steve Madden leopard flats will dress up a pair of jeans in an instant. I have a pair by Sam Edelman that are styled more like loafers with a rounded toe, and I love them. 

This plaid sweater is long enough to wear over leggings, and also has pockets when you don't feel like carrying your purse around. I have spotted some great look-a-likes at my local T.J. Maxx.

  Speaking of plaid, it has been all over the runway this week at New York Fashion Week. Scarves are some of my necessities, and this plaid scarf is both cute and thick enough to keep you warm during those cold nights. Urban Outfitters and Free People have great scarves year-round! 

Start your fall fashion hunting ASAP before all the goodies are gone, and make sure you tell me what you walk away with! 

Technical Difficulties

The end of the summer finds me at my happiest, because it means that fall is just around the corner! Fall is my favorite time of the year, partly because I can curl up in my bed with a cup of coffee on a Friday night and not feel guilty about it. I have had about three great posts to publish, but I have had some issues with my Photoshop- meaning I cannot post half of the photos I need. I am sorry to have such an outdated page, but the second that I fix my laptop is the second that a new post will be up. I hope everyone is having an amazing September! Go enjoy these last warm days while you can. 

And while I am out of commission here, I do have a new article on This is Quarterlife that I would love for you to check out. Here is the link!

http://thisisquarterlife.com/10-songs-to-motivate-your-workout/

This Is Quarterlife

Hi everyone!
I'm sorry that I have been MIA for a while-- the start of the fall semester has me a little crazy. I hope ya'll are having a fabulous end of your summer, and that you are as excited about the fall as I am. I love everything about fall-- football games, cooler weather, and pumpkin flavored everything. The last post I wrote was about how to get motivated to stay fit, and I think it went pretty well because it landed me a spot on thisisquarterlife.com writing about fitness and different ways to workout and stay healthy. I couldn't be more excited! Make sure you stop by their site and check out all of the amazing articles they have to offer. I wanted to share the article with you here, but you can also find it (in a slightly different format) at http://thisisquarterlife.com/5-ways-to-work-out-while-watching-tv/
Stay tuned for more of my articles on their page.

 Happy fall, and happy fitness!

We all have those days (or weeks) where you just want to come home and watch the Kardashian family verbally abuse each other to make you feel better about your life. There is nothing wrong with this. The problem only begins when you haven’t moved in six hours, and you feel yourself being sucked into your couch. Going to the gym sounds like such a good idea, but that requires pants and having to move. Neither of those things are going to happen. For those times, here are 5 easy workouts that anyone can do, from the safety of your living room.

1) Lunge

Even if the extent of your workout routine is running up the stairs to your apartment, you can do a lunge. Lunges are the perfect commercial break exercise, because you might have to unglue your eyes from the screen to balance yourself (of course, if you can balance while watching your show, I applaud you). Start on one side of the room. Place your hands on your hips and take a giant step forward with your left leg, bending your left leg and stopping just before your right knee touches the ground. Bring your right leg to meet your left, stand up, and repeat. Continue alternating your legs until you reach the other side of the room, and save going back across until the next commercial break.

2) Plank

Hipster kids plank on things like tables or mailboxes to take “artsy” pictures, but like the sophisticated 20-something you are, you use planking to work your core and your biceps. Stretch out and lay face down on the floor. Lift your body up off the floor, using your forearms to support yourself. Your weight should be distributed between your toes and your forearms, and your back should be flat. Planking causes your ab muscles to contract, therefore streamlining your waist! Start of with 15 second intervals, and gradually work your way up to 45 second intervals.

3) Triangle Pushup

Here’s another exercise for those Cameron Diaz arms you know you want! The key here is keeping your back straight. Start off on your knees and fall forward into a pushup position. Instead of placing your hands apart on the floor, bring them together so that your index fingers touch and so do your thumbs, making a triangle. Make sure that your triangle is directly below your face. From here, start your pushups. Instead of doing a traditional push up, in this exercise you should keep your knees on the floor. Feel free to cross your ankles to provide a little more balance. Start off with three sets of 10.

4) Hip Bridge

The hip bridge exercise is a favorite among trainers to work both your butt and your core. Start off in a sit-up position and then lay down. Place your arms out beside you and make sure your feet and legs are a little wider than shoulder width apart. Now, lift your pelvis off the floor and hold yourself up for three to five seconds. To get the maximum results, squeeze the muscles in your legs and butt. When bringing your pelvis down, don’t let it hit the floor. Bring it right back up! It seems easy at first, but after 20 you willfeel the burn. I promise.

5) Squat

You knew this was coming! Here is a new twist on an old favorite (ha): Keep your back straight and squat down to your lowest working position, with your feet wide and hands folded. Now jump out of your squat, as high off the floor as you can. This is a hard one, so start off doing a set of 10. Rumor has it that the Minnesota Vikings NFL cheerleaders use this move as part of their workout, so that’s good enough for me.

Let's get fit!

It's almost August! 

Can you believe it? Summer is coming to an end! But, just because bikini season is almost over doesn't mean that you need to stop your workout routine. Over the past few years, I have come to enjoy working out and I try to exercise multiple times a week. My new favorite workout? Pure Barre! It is fun and intensive, but not demanding by any means. Also, it just seems to take me away from the daily grind and all of the errands that need to be done. It is an hour all to myself, all about my body! I know that everyone is motivated to get in shape by different things, and I thought I would share a few of mine. Enjoy, and cook something delicious and healthy after your workout today!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50GQjUZ4P3M

-This is my new cardio song! I Will Never Let You Down, by Rita Ora. (P.S. She is Mia in the upcoming 50 Shades movie, look out for her!)

-My newest workout, addicted already!

-I love thigh high boots: They're my fashion inspiration for the fall! Now, just gotta work on those legs to rock them!

http://www.onelovelylife.com/mexican-stuffed-peppers-with-quinoa-black-beans/

-This post was something I found on Pinterest, kudos to onelovelylife.com for sharing this delicious looking dinner! These stuffed peppers are easy and cut out carbs, so you don't ruin the hour you just spent at the gym.

Summer Lipsticks

Hi everyone!

I hope you're having an absolutely fabulous summer! It's pretty hot down south, but that means I can spend all the time that I want laying out by the pool (as long as I slather on my SPF). I thought I would share with all the girls the lipsticks that I have been obsessed with this season! These are three great summer colors that will compliment any outfit. I'm not a big makeup person when it comes to summer nights, but one of these lipsticks and a hint of mascara will be all you'll need! Try them all and make sure to tell me how cute they look on you! Have fun!


Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick- Berry Couture, #835
The purple that isn't too purple, but still stands out. 

Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Lip Color- Valencia Orange, #9

A great orange that isn't too red. Use a lip scrub before applying though, it's very matte! (I use LUSH sugar scrub, www.lushusa.com)

Rimmel London Lasting Finish By Kate Moss- Rossetto, #8

The perfect nude for day or night!

Strawberry Pound Cake

Hey ya’ll!

 It’s FINALLY Friday and time to celebrate, so I figured, what better way to celebrate the weekend than baking a mouthwatering, summery strawberry pound cake? This recipe comes from my grandmother Ma, and it is one of the family favorites. Ma would always serve this cake with homemade vanilla ice cream- but I know that the thought of churning milk and rock salt is not everyone’s ideal Saturday, so the cake will have to do. I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do! Happy baking!

(P.S.-Please pay no attention to the orange tubberware; my cake was headed to the boyfriend’s office and presentation is not as appreciated as taste is there.)

INGREDIENTS

-1 box of plain white cake mix

-1 small box of strawberry jello

-4 eggs

-1 cup of vegetable oil

-1 package frozen strawberries (you can use fresh, but they need to be thinly sliced)

-2 cups of powdered sugar

-3 tablespoons flour

-1/2 cup of water

-1/2 stick of butter

Pour dry cake mix into a large bowl. Add the jello and flour and stir until it is all well blended together.

Add the vegetable oil to the bowl, and mix well.

Time for the eggs! They can be added two at a time, if you beat them well.

Add ½ of the strawberries and the ½ cup of water, mix (it doesn’t have to be an exact measurement-the rest is for the frosting).

Your cake is ready for the oven! Make sure to grease your pan- any shape pan works fine. Bake for about 40 minutes (depending on your oven) at 350 degrees.

While your cake is in the oven, you can make the frosting! Start by adding the rest of the strawberries to a bowl, and then add in the butter. If you don’t have an electric mixer, I would recommend melting your butter before adding it to the bowl. Luckily my Kitchenaid can handle it!

Slowly add in the powdered sugar (so it doesn’t go everywhere) and keep mixing until the frosting is consistent.

Check the cake after 30-40 minutes, but yours may not be ready! I know mine needed a little more browning on the top... 

Back to stirring the frosting! I added a little more powered sugar to make mine a little thicker and sweeter, but that is totally up to you. 

Your frosting is ready! (It is more of a glaze really, so don’t worry if it isn’t very thick. It isn’t supposed to be!) Now the real challenge is to see if you can keep from eating it all until the cake is ready…

And the cake is ready! Mine took about 55 minutes, but continuously check your cake to make sure it doesn't burn. My oven is just a little older and weaker. 

Here is that tubberware I warned you about... 

Time to frost! 

And you're finished! Voila! Homemade, easy strawberry pound cake.  I bought some edible "pearl" sprinkles to add on top because my cake was going to a birthday girl. They were vanilla flavored and looked adorable! Feel free to add these or any whipped topping to make your cake have a little extra something. Enjoy this wonderful cake on this hot weekend, and tell me how much everyone loves it!