Things I Don't Want To Live Without, Part 2

Thanks for your sweet words regarding TAA's 2nd birthday!

For today's What About Me Wednesday, I'm back with a regularly scheduled post, bringing you another batch of things that I simply don't want to live without. Enjoy!

My ghd flat iron

It makes my hair look near perfect everytime. It's an investment for sure (though my mom gifted this to me for my birthday a couple of years back), but I would happily recommend it to anyone! After all, can you really put a price on good hair? ;)

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New York City

It's the place I've wanted to be my entire life. Even when I hate you, I still love you, New York. The dirty, peed on streets, wandering lunatics, unique smells and the most disgusting subway system on the planet just doesn't deter my undying love for the culture, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, food, parks, hustle & bustle, music, street food & vendors, performances, shows...the list goes on and on.

Cold drinking water

This goes without saying, but is there anything better than a tall glass of water, filled with ice? It's thirst quenching, hydrating and just about the best thing ever.

Pizza

I adore a solid slice of New York pizza, or an oversized boardwalk slice that's half the size of my head. Cheesy and saucy, I love diving in and burning my tongue every time. Ah.

Great books

I'm a huge reader (I've been slacking lately, but get ready for a comeback!), and to me, there is really not much in life that is better than getting lost in a great book; one that you simply cannot put down, sneak peaks at during your work day, or stay up late into the night reading while your husband is fast asleep next to you. It's a wonderful thing!

Pillars of the Earth, one of my all time favorite books!

So there you have it. Another 5 things I just don't want to live without!

If you missed Part 1, check out this post!

Question of the Day:

What things do you not want to live without?

12 Things I Love About Summer

Happy Monday morn! I'm ready to make this week a good one..how about you?

How was your weekend? I spent having dinner at Agave, attending a barbecue, visiting my parents and starting the declutterization of my apartment. All in all, I can't complain :) It's officially summer, after all. And what could be better? Today I'm rounding up my 12 loves of summertime. I hope you'll chime in with why you love (or hate) this hot season! Meanwhile, if you want to discuss last night's True Blood, head over to the TAA Facebook page and I'll get the discussion started!

The Jersey Shore. It's my number one favorite thing about summertime. If you have the means, I highly recommend checking it out. I adore the Jersey Shore for a number of reasons (and none of them include Snooki - though I do love that Jersey Shore too). I love the breezy beach, the cool crashing waves, the ease of getting there. Not to mention beach bars, frozen custard, funnel cakes, zeppoles, giant slices of pizza and my personal favorite, skee ball.

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Barbecuing. This really speaks for itself. Doesn't everything taste better on a grill? I could eat cheeseburgers every day in the summertime. For me, they never get old. Not to mention grilled vegetables, chicken...the possibilities are endless.

 

The Return of the Urban Herb Garden. It's not easy having a garden in an urban environment, but that doesn't mean we won't try. Shaun is really the green thumb around here (I manage to kill all plants). We recently planted lots of basil, mint, chives and sage and I'm already using them in my dishes. Nothing like a delicious hit of fresh herbs to really turn it up a notch.

Farmer's Market. In Jersey City, this starts in June and goes until Thanksgiving. There is something comforting to me about stepping off the train in Journal Square, breathing in the humidity and heat, and perusing fresh fruit and vegetables on my way home. I adore it.

Television. It's different in summertime, and I like it. New shows start over the summer while Shaun and I use the time to watch a new show via Netflix/DVD. This summer, it's Breaking Bad, True Blood and Big Love.

 

Ice Cream. Whether from a store-bought gallon, the Mr. Softee truck or homemade, like the Black Eyed Peas, I just can't get enough. Cool, creamy, delicious. I love the burst of cold, followed by the melt in your mouth. Though I do love me a cone, I also adore the way that a scoop of ice cream melts around the outside and I can scoop up the still-frozen bits dipped in the melty bits. Swoon.

 

Skirts. I love my pencil skirts! I started the summer with 3 and added 4 more. Now I have a full collection. They make me feel professional. And I love that they are slimming to boot. I'm sure I'll be sick of wearing them by August. But for now, I like.

 

The Smell of Salty Air. I adore this. It feels like home.

Fruit. Strawberries and grapes and cherries and pineapple! I could eat these all day every day and just be a happy person. It's the perfect summery snack. Yum.

Busy-ness. Though it's exhausting at times, I love that there is seemingly an endless supply of fun during the summer. During the colder months, it feels like work to find things to do. In the summer, someone is always having a barbecue, my parents pool is always open, the beach is always calling. And then the summer goes by way too fast for my liking.

Light Out Longer (LOL). Is there anything better than arriving home from work at 7pm and it's still light out? To me, it's one of the best feelings ever. It's like I didn't even miss out on the day by sitting behind a desk.

 

Eating Outside. We have our little terrace and it makes me happy to come home from work, set up outside and have a delicious dinner while breathing in some fresh air and sitting back in the cool breeze. What could be better?

So there you have it. My most favorite things about the season. What do you love about summertime?

What I'm Digging This Week

Happy Friday friends! Though it's a rainy miserable one today, I can't help but be skipping along since it's almost the weekend. Last night I went to the eye doctor to get my eyes dilated. Has anyone gotten this done before? I have to say (I know I'm kind of a baby about these kinds of things), but it was pretty miserable. Everything was super blurry and all the lights looked like fireworks. Good thing I didn't drive there or I wouldn't have made it home. So I ended up laying around without cooking or blogging last night. So instead of yummy recipes or restaurant roundups, today I'm bringing you a few things that I'm digging this week!

My favorite on-the-go breakfast. I started drinking smoothies a couple of months ago and absolutely love them in the morning. In my usual mix is almond milk, a piece of fruit (usually a pear or banana), a few scoops of canned pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract and if I work out in the morning, some vanilla protein powder. Oh and just last week I turned my smoothie into a green monster by adding a handful of baby spinach! Yum!

Parenthood. I finally caught up on like 5 episodes this week and I somehow forgot that this was my favorite show in the Fall. Shaun doesn't watch it so it can be tough to keep up with it, but I'm vowing never to let it spiral out of control again. I must make time each week for this wonderful show!! Anyone else watching?

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon. I have my nails painted with this gorgeous color this week and am loving it. Though this brand can be pricey, the quality and color are tops.

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AMC's Best Picture Showcase. Shaun and I are going tomorrow to catch up on our Oscar films! I've wanted to do this every year and never went for it, but this year we are going all out. The day starts at 11:00 with Winter's Bone, followed by Black Swan, Inception, The Social Network and The King's Speech (the latter of which we already saw, so we will probably skip out on that one). On Sunday I'll be watching the Oscars with my mom and am already devising some fun eats for us...any suggestions?

The Hunger Games series. I was very hesitant to try these books out. When my sister Christine told me about the description, I looked at her and said...why would you think I would like that? But as she is usually spot on with all things pop culture, this series has not disappointed! I have loved every moment of it, though if I might, Mockingjay has been leaving a lot to be desired. I'm about 2/3 of the way through it and am hoping for some serious pick up soon!

 

Aruba. It never gets old. I always reach a point in the winter when I approach the end of my tolerance for cold, dreary weather. I'm almost there and dreaming of my favorite family vacation spot, and home of my 2008 wedding.

 

Oh and while we're on the Aruba matter, I could really go for one of these for breakfast today...

 

Followed immediately by a slice of this.

I guess I'll have to settle for rain and the impending weekend instead, with hopes of a cupcake at some point :)

So what do you think? What are you digging this week?