A Vintage Affair - A Book Review

A new book review that is not Danielle Steel, are you excited?

A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff 

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I just want to start off by saying I really like sharing the information blurb from Goodreads.com for the books that I share here but may I just say the one for this book is not very good and interestingly they have gotten the main characters name wrong. In the book her name is Phoebe Swift and on the Good Reads information blurb they refer to her as Phoebe Saunders. Strange. I suppose I will share it anyways...

Phoebe Sanders Swift runs her own vintage dress shop. But while she stitches and repairs couture suits and glorious dresses, there is something in Phoebe's own past that she cannot restore, and which is stopping her searching for love.

See. Not fantastic, but none the less leaves your wanting to read on, right?

I'm not going to lie it took me a really long time to read this book which is no reflection of the book itself but I either didn't have time, I didn't feel like reading or I would put my nook on the shelf in the kitchen and then forget about it. You see this is generally why I start a book and finish it the next day so I don't have this problem. Truth be told if I would have started this book at a different time I honestly could have read straight through. 

The book had a lot of interesting characters and although it was based around the 2008 time period there was a really interesting link to the Holocaust which I have read a ton about and am very interested in. The book had a romantic aspect but in a very moderate way and was definitely focused more on the story itself which I actually really enjoyed as it was a nice change from some of the other novels I have read recently. 

The main character Phoebe Swift faces a horrific tragedy in the beginning of the book and decides to completely transform her life hoping to move on and continue to live. She breaks off her engagement, leaves her job and decided to fulfill her dream of starting her very own vintage clothing store. I have to say I wish they had pictures of the clothing in the book as they described them to be so beautiful and desirable I would have loved to have actually seen what they looked like. 

This new store and dream of her puts her in contact with some very interesting people that change Phoebe's life in ways that I don't think she ever could have imagined. She went into the store at the beginning of the book in desperate need or something wonderful in her life and the store quickly became a hit due to her skill, eye for wonderful vintage clothing and a interview with a small local paper that started a friendship she also hadn't expected. 

Phoebe's new relationships especially that of Mrs. Bell puts her life into prospective and gives her something to focus on other than her own woes. This new found friendship gives Phoebe much needed prospective through stories of tragedy and sorrow she could have never imagined. Phoebe finds herself on a mission to give closure to a dying woman and in the end finds her own small amount of peace. 

Phoebe's character is warm and caring regardless of all she has been through, she is looking for peace and friendship all while not being entirely sure how to find and maintain it. Throughout the read you want to be friends with Phoebe, give her someone to talk to because it takes her quite some time to consider her new found friendships worthy of revealing her personal stories. 

I believe this book is entirely worth reading and although I could go on and on about it I don't want to ruin it for those of you who are going to read it, and I highly recommend you do. Isabel Wolff is British so the book is based in a small town in England but has many stories of Paris and Germany. It is definitely my intention to further explore more of her books and share them here with all of you!

If you are interested in reading this book or others by Isabel Wolff here are links to her books. 

The Very Picture of You by Isabel Wolff

Rescuing Rose by Isabel Wolff

Behaving Badly by Isabel Wolff

Making Minty Malone by Isabel Wolff

Trials of Tiffany Trott by Isabel Wolff

Out of the Blue by Isabel Wolff

Forget me Not by Isabel Wolff

A Question of Love by Isabel Wolff

Blog Post Ideas

Good Morning,

A common question most bloggers receive is how do you have enough to say that you manage to write everyday? Truth is I don't write everyday and I don't always have a lot to say, but I love this little place of mine so much and all my readers that I look for things to write about besides our life that will keep y'all interested and wanting to come back and read. Not to mention the fact that part of this blog starting and maintaining it is because I really love to write, a lot.

Its not always easy to feel inspired to write, I have a book I keep dedicated to just blog stuff and when an idea strikes me even if I don't plan on using it at that time I jot it down so I have it for the future. I have found that if I feel inspired to write and have the time to bust out three or four posts at once I do just that and then when I don't feel so much like writing I have something waiting to be published, this has proven to be really successful for me.

As much as I would like to take credit for all the posts that appear here, the content may be mine but the ideas come from an array of places. I appreciate that bloggers share their ideas everyone once in awhile, publishing posts dedicated to giving others inspiration.. its just one of the things I love about this blogsphere.

Naturally one of the best places to look and store ideas is on Pinterest, I have a board strictly dedicated to all things BLOG to which I save bloggers posts with ideas and inspiration, I save font ideas for if I ever do take the plunge and change my blog design, or information for if I choose to change my blog from something that is strictly recreational.

So I have been thinking lately that because I appreciate the sharing  of ideas and just the camaraderie amongst bloggers that I would join in and share some of the ideas I have floating around in my little book of all things blog.

• Whats in my Bag - Share photos of your purse, the contents and why those items are essential to have with you at all times. For Example:

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• Share a recipe. Step by step, take pictures, share the recipe as is and the changes you make to make the recipe your own. Most importantly have a picture of the final product. 
• Give a shout out to bloggers you follow and why. How do you choose the bloggers you follow and what makes you continue to follow them? What are the blogs you are most interested in, beauty, lifestyle, food?
• Where do I write? Share a photo of your home office, your computer and the perfect conditions to inspire greatness. Example: a warm cup of coffee, a great smelling candle. 
• Vacation Destination Wishlist. 
• A cause you are passionate about. 
• Someone who inspires you, in what way and why. 
• Share something you are good at but may not have always been and how you became an expert. 
• Your feelings on social media. 
• Share something you recreated from Pinterest, a DIY. 
• 5 things you cant live without. 
• Things you wont hear me say...
• Confessions
• Share a new years resolution - do you even believe in them?
• Top recommendations for things to do where you live. 
• Letter to your younger self. 
• Share goals for your life, blog, week. 
• Favorite beauty finds. 
• Home decorating ideas
• Share books your are reading/ have read or want to read. What did you think?
• Favorite things to do in the current season. 
• Does your Zodiac sign suit you, how so?

There are a few ideas I have floating around or that you may have seen around here recently. Inspiration can come in the most unexpected places and if you're like me you always have paper and a pen somewhere to make sure you don't forgot. 

Blogging isn't always easy but when something isn't easy you don't give up. Some days I don't post, and that's OK. When I feel inspired like I said I write as much as I can about all the things I can so I have posts waiting. Sometimes I start a post and don't really know where I am going with it so I save it in the drafts and go back to it when I feel clarity on the subject. Writing it a funny thing, embrace it, make it your own, speak your mind!

Also when you are really stuck participate in blog link ups! There are tons of them and not only is it a great way to get your blog name out there and interact with other bloggers but it gives you something to write about! 

I love this place and I love writing, and if there is anything that you would like to see around here please feel free to let me know! I will take all the ideas I can get. 

Hope this is helpful to any bloggers out there looking for inspiration, and for your non-bloggers, my apologies as this is not the most exciting post for you! 

I hope everyone had a great weekend, I will be back later in the week with a post about mine! 

High Five for Friday 9.25.14

Good Morning!!

I'm not going to lie I felt like this week was completely dragging on and I was totally wishing it away because I was so looking forward to Thursday night TV! Sad I know, but I have a feeling I was not the only one doing so as Grey's Anatomy and Scandal were due to make their much awaited return! I debated watching the new show by Shonda Rhimes, How to get away with Murder and in the end decided to. I will give my opinion on all the Thursday night shows later in the week.

Anyways I am once again participating in the blog link up, High Five for Friday so here are the top five things of my week.

1. Sunday morning Jason and I decided to walk around the corner to get a breakfast sandwich and Starbucks. Sadly we forgot there was a 10k going on right outside our building and the finish line was right outside of Starbucks!! We knew we would get breakfast but figured Starbucks would be packed, after grabbing breakfast we decided to change it anyways and somehow there was no one in there? We got to the cashier and before we could order the barrista was asking Jason if he was from Massachusetts as he was in his Patriots jersey. Anyways after some chit chat we moved down to the end of the bar to wait for our drinks.. this is how Jason's came... he said it made his Pumpkin spice latte that much better.

#PATSNATION

Note the thousands of runners in the background. The whole two blocks from our apartment to Starbucks looked like this. 

2. The first day of fall rolled around on Tuesday and so when Lindsey, the girls and I were in Hoboken on Wednesday to order my glasses we naturally had to make a stop at Caffe Bene for a warm fall drink. I decided on the Maple Macchiato with no regrets. I like trying different hot beverages and I think this one may just have to be a new staple. I have to get Jason down there for coffee one morning, I think he would love it too. 

It doesn't hurt either that it was chilly that morning and we spent the rest of the morning in a gorgeous park in the middle of the city overlooking the Hudson river and Manhattan skyline. There are days when I would give anything to just go home but sometimes when I look around it isn't all that bad here. 

3. These two girls. 

I am totally smitten with these little ladies, I look so forward to seeing them everyday! First of all how cute is Ava in her little polka dot jacket? All week I kept telling Lindsey how CUTE this jacket is, I mean so much so I almost want one for myself.. however I don't think I could pull it off like she could. Lily bird right there in the middle is a ball of energy and I cant help but be envious! She has such a zest for life, she is interested in everything and has the sunniest disposition! They are absolutely awesome and I will miss them terribly when they move next month! 

4. As we all know Fall is officially here and as much as I have been resisting it I do love warm comfy clothes, boots, chilly weather that smells so crisp and clean, warms coffees and all the other things that come along with fall, minus pumpkin stuff.. I am not at all a fan of pumpkin things.. shoot me! So this week while touring around Bed Bath & Beyond I came across some decor that not only reminded me of home because I bought the same decor for the house last year but I just plain loved, so I decided for the price ($1.99) why not jazz up this place for fall. 

Apparently blogger is changing some pictures and wont let you turn them around.. I've read it on a few blogs this week and I guess its happening to me. Last year I bought a few of these colorful leaves for the coffee table at home but they didn't have this burnt orange color, so I bought it and thought if we get to be home next year I could use the four I have total now on the dining room table, you see I am good at planning ahead! I have it on the coffee table right now with a candle on it, I like it. 

5. FALL SHOWS!!

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I tried to do a collage of all of these pictures but I'm not technically savvy and I have no patience so I gave in. Anyways I waited all summer for Grey's and Scandal to come back and therefore this week dragged because I was so anxious. As I also mentioned I had debated watching the new show, How to get away with Murder and on Wednesday night I set it to record the series. I will be back later in the week to let you know what I thought about them all. 

I hope you guys had a great week, feel free to share the highlights of your week as I would love to hear what you are all up to! 

This week I am linking up with:

Lauren @ The Lauren Elizabeth

Samantha @ The Samantha Life

Tanya @ Prairie Girl in the Big, Scary World

Summer Wardrobe Staples

Summer is officially over, sadly. As of Tuesday morning we were officially into fall and let me tell you the weather here is reflecting that. This week we have had super chilly mornings and some windy days that haven't turned quite that warm. Although I absolutely love fall I hate to see summer end and my favorite summer staples hide in the closet until the nice weather returns.

This years summer favorites were actually surprising to me, I am pretty insecure when it comes to my body therefore dressing for summer is really hard for me, and this year was only made worse by the fact that I am quite a bit heavier this year than I ever am. I usually live in summer dresses and capris but this year I added a few other things.

Care to take a look?

Forever 21 is not somewhere I generally shop because its rare that I have one near me to be able to stop in, but when I visit a different mall where one is I always like to pop in and check out what they have. Not to mention a lot of other bloggers are always raving about the wonderful things they find there so I always have high hopes. I tend to stock up on plain white tank tops when I am there because sadly I spill and they are only $1.90!!! Yes you read that right, so why not stock up. I like the fit and then I always have one on hand and don't feel too bad if I accidentally ruin one. Those weren't a staple though, more like a suggestion! This year I was loving their basic v-neck tee's! I generally don't care for t shirts, I know you probably think that's strange but I just never feel comfortable in them, except for these one. They are super comfortable, I love the fit and they are $3.80!! They have a wide array of colors they wash well but I will warn they do shrink a little in the dryer.

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You can honestly wear these with anything, they aren't see through like most things you seem to find now a days, I highly recommend adding a few of these to your closet!

This year I was also loving Old Navy's women's twill shorts, I bought a few of these last year and they fit really good and I felt good in them. They had solids as well as different patterns which I liked but mostly I felt good in them. This summer was really warm here and shorts were the way to go, I had a few from last year but got a few more while I was home over the 4th of July as they do not have an Old Navy here (total crap). 

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I believe I have them in white, black, tan, a turquoise and white pattern and a blue and white pattern, see what happens when I find something I like. You can purchase them in 3 1/2" length as well as 5" depending on your comfort level or perhaps where you might where them, maybe work. I wore these out this summer honestly and I will definitely be looking for more next year. 

One of the great things about summer is definitely summer dresses, I've always been a little disappointed that I can sport maxi skirts as I am just not the right shape for them and they tend to make things look bigger than they already are. Tanya and I were wandering around Target one day and I came across THIS maxi skirt and liked the pattern so much I decided to try it on, what was the worse thing that could happen right? I was shocked to find I actually really like it, the material is great, the fit is flattering, I really really liked it. So being that it is the only maxi skirt that has ever looked half decent on me and it was under $20.00 I bought it. 

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This isn't the exact skirt I bought but you can view that one above, this is the general idea of what it looks like. They have them in solids and patterns, they are all $17.99. The nice thing about a maxi is you can carry it over into the first bit of fall as well and I definitely plan on doing that. 

As I mentioned summer is a time for summer dresses, I swear I look so forward to wearing them. I generally prefer a strapless dress as I am not a huge fan of tan lines so while wandering around in Peru one day I came across this beauty and had to have it. 

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Sorry guys for the quality of some of these photos, I am having a hard time finding them on the actual website for the most part. 

Anyways I love this dress, the bottom portion is actually satin making it cool and airy for those hot summer days. The smallest part of my core is just under my chest and therefore this dress hit me at the perfect spot for my body type making me look smaller than I am which is always a plus. I cant find this exact dress on the Roxy website but they have options HERE in an array of colors! I honestly wish I would have looked more in the States because I probably would have purchased another one in a different color, but at the time I kind of thought Peru was behind in the times and they were most likely last years stuff or something, my bad I guess. 

I have a lot of Roxy summer dresses and have over the years, all different shapes and lengths and I truly love them all. Roxy is reasonably priced and things from there last forever. I am sure they will soon be doing their end of the season sales so keep an eye on it. 

The Gap is also one of my favorite stores for all seasons, again they sadly don't have one here close to us but while we were still at home I decided I needed some jean capris. I really like the Gap jeans and so I knew the quality and fit of the capris would be great and I was right! I purchased THESE from their 1969 line and I couldn't love them anymore! 

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Mine were a little different in color/ wash but none the less very similar. I purchased a different style and color from there as well and wore them pretty much all summer. A good pair of capris should be a staple in everyone's summer wardrobe and if these babies go on sale at the end of the summer I definitely plan to purchase a few more! 

Last but not least another summer staple for me was loose fitting tanks! Again I really wasn't happy with my size this year and therefore I was in the market for loose fitting tanks to wear with shorts or whatever else. You could literally find them everywhere this year which was fantastic, Target, Forever 21, H&M, Gap.. etc. They are so reasonably priced and for the most part good quality so I have no complaints at all. 

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These jersey tanks from H&M are great and you can totally carry them through to fall and winter and use them for layering which is exactly what I plan to do. 

So these are a few of my summer staples this year, my wardrobe didn't really require anything fancy as I mostly toured around the city and traveled to and from home. I am hoping fall is going to hold a new job and a reason to buy all new fall clothes, and my birthday is coming and I generally only ask for clothes or gift cards to buy clothes! I cant help it I like new stuff, especially when it comes to clothes!

So tell me what you're loving and wearing right now, I am always interested in finding new fabulous things to wear, especially at a great price!!

Strawberry Feta Salad

Good Morning,

I do feel like this would have been a more appropriate post for the summer as we tend to eat more salads in the summer and I will say that this has been on my list of things to post about weekly and sadly I just never did it. I planned to take pictures of this salad as I was constructing it, but you know what I am not a food blogger and have never managed to do that. But I cant not share this with you guys any longer so here it is!

I am incredibly fussy and if you would have asked me 3 months ago I would have told you I don't like feta cheese, even though I had never tried it. I'm known for deciding I don't like things before I try it but I am trying to be better about it. I would have also told you that I dislike fruit in salad (can we not discuss the whole tomato is technically a fruit) unless its a fruit salad. I'm incredibly fussy.

Anyways when we arrived in New Jersey and everyone else did we started having Friday night barbecues together because we all live in the same place, convenient right? Well we decided that we would all bring our own meat and then bring a salad to share with everyone. This is always a little tricky for Jason and I because sadly we are both fussy, Jason more so than me when it comes to salads, or anything healthy.. he's kind of a meat and potatoes guy. But the nice thing is that I always plan ahead for Jason but I feel a little more obligated to try new things when someone else made it and a lot of times I end up liking it.

One night while having dinner Mel made a strawberry feta salad and let me tell you I was really skeptical, two things I didn't like right off the bat but I felt it was necessary to try it and at least be polite. Mel had said if I didn't like it she wouldn't be offended, thankfully and that made me all the more inclined to give it a whirl. Turns out I thought it was FANTASTIC and a really nice change from the usual salads!

So when I love something and have actually made it a staple in our weekly meals I couldn't wait to share it with you guys, except I could be I haven't until now.. but none the less you get what I'm saying.

I start off with a package of organic baby romaine lettuce. You don't have to use organic or baby romaine if you prefer a different kind of lettuce, this is just our preference.

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I generally just prepare the salad before we are going to eat but if you are planning to take it somewhere and would like to make it ahead of time I think you could make it before and it would be just fine. 

I put the lettuce in a large bowl (generally one container as pictured above is good for both Jason and I for dinner), then grab a container for strawberries. 

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The amount of strawberries is really to your preference, I generally wash the whole container, cut the tops off of half and then half them down the middle before adding them. If you would prefer them smaller feel free to make it to your liking. 

After adding the strawberries into the lettuce I add a hand full of almond slivers. Again its to your preference, you can toast them first if you wanted in a skillet to enhance the flavor. I like the thin sliced ones as they appear in the picture below, almonds are really good for you and truly a great addition to this salad. 

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At this point I would give the salad a little toss to equally distribute all the ingredients around. You could really use whatever kind of vinaigrette dressing you would like, I am sure a strawberry vinaigrette would be great but when I tried the salad for the first time when Mel made it I really felt the dressing she used was key. She made the dressing herself and was gracious enough to share the recipe with me and I now always have some made in my fridge and if you would like to try it I am going to share it with you. 

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

Combine ingredients and mix thoroughly. 

Easy right? You can also substitute balsamic vinegar for apple cider to get a different flavor. Play around with it, if you like it a little more tart don't use as much honey or if you would prefer it a little sweeter just increase the amount of honey you use. 

If you are not planning on serving the salad immediately after making it I would leave the dressing until the end so the salad doesn't get soggy. If you are feel free to continue right away with these next two steps. 

Once I have the salad put together I will add some feta cheese.

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Once you have all the ingredients in the bowl feel free to add the dressing, or leave it on the side for people to put on to their own taste. I generally don't mix the dressing in and let everyone do it themselves but if you are making it for your family at night and know what they like go ahead and mix it in. 

You can leave it at that and let me tell you the salad is FANTASTIC! If you are looking to make it less or a side and more of your entire meal Jason likes to add roasted chicken to make it a little more substantial and that too is wonderful. 

The great thing about salad is you really can make it whatever you want, sometimes instead of strawberries I will substitute the strawberries for tomatoes and cucumber, mushrooms.. whatever I have in the house. The vinaigrette is really versatile and tastes great on everything. Sometimes Jason isn't feeling the almond slivers and will instead top his salad with crispy onion strings (a less healthy option, he can be such a rebel). Make it your own! We love salad bars at our house, I cut up veggies or fruits and put them in small serving bowls, bring out all the topping options and dressing and make your own! Eating healthy doesn't mean it cant be good!

I hope you guys enjoy this salad, let me know what you think! My advice is if you are going to have this dressing as a staple in your house invest in condiment bottle as pictured below. I grabbed one at Target super cheap and its a lot easier to grab and shake before using rather than having to dig out a whisk (I'm not lazy I just hate dishes). 

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I really love posting recipes, I wish I did it more! Let me know if this is something you would like to see more of on the blog and I can make it happen. I do plan to blog about new foods I have tried this summer and was surprised how much I like it. Stay tuned!!

As always thanks for popping by, have a great day!!

Products I Didn't Care For.

Happy First day of Fall!!!

I'm sad to see summer go, especially because fall weather came yesterday and I froze my tush off on the way to and from the eye doctor! But today I will be prepared!

Anyways I am off to order new glasses so I will leave you today with a few products I have tried recently and don't really care for.

Of all the products you try there are bound to be ones that don't really live up to all the hype, don't particularly work for you or just plain aren't what you thought. I like to think that more often then not I actually like the new products I buy but that isn't always the case and lately I have noticed a few that aren't for me and I thought they were just as important to mention. As much as I love sharing things I love so you may buy them and love them just as much when I find something I don't like I think its just as important to potentially save you a few bucks if they aren't worth it!

Lets get started shall we?

1. Ulta - Tropical Citrus Rejuvenating Bath & Shower Gel





I'm sorry I can't find a picture of this so I decided to just not include one. I got this on sale at Ulta a couple months ago and from what I can tell they don't even have this scent left but it really wasn't the scent I didn't like. I bought 2 bottles because they were regular $9.50 on sale for $1.99, I should have thought something then as that's quite a price difference but I love a good deal so I bought it. What I don't care for in this product is the consistency of it, I am pretty fussy about the shower gel that I use and this is too jelly like for me. Its thick and the consistency is really strange, I can't say when I am finished in the shower I feel really clean from it. I've been trying to use it mostly as bubble bath to just get rid of it because that's how much I don't like it. Not that I would have ever paid $9.50 for it but I'm certainly glad I only paid $1.99 for it. Lesson learned.

2. EOS Pomegranate Raspberry Shave Cream

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I purchased this one a whim at Target, I don't usually use shaving cream to be honest because conditioner works just as good and you always use more shampoo then conditioner so why not, right? I occasionally will splurge though and I liked the bottle so I figured why not! I think what I don't like about this is that its a cream, literally. Its very thick and when you put it on your legs I don't feel like it actually soaks in and then comes off with the razor. With that said it also gets stuck in the razor which is a pain and doesn't come off with a simple dip in the water. It really seems that it would be more suited as something you put on your legs after you shave them rather than before. Its took thick, it gets stuck in the razor and ends up all over the bottom of the tub and therefore has to be rinsed off or it makes an even bigger mess. I can't say this product is for me or that I will buy it again. I generally love EOS products but sadly this just wasn't one of the good ones, for me at least.

3. Maybelline Volume Express Pumped Up Colossal Mascara

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Honestly I am disappointed to even be talking about this product on account that as I have previously said I have found the best mascara ever and decided then and there I would never bother trying another one ever. But everyone has been raving about this and I am a sucker and naively believed that this could potentially be better, its not. I think what everyone was selling was not only the mascara itself but the applicator brush which is precisely what I do not like. The mascara itself is fine, I like the way it applies, its long lasting and doesn't seem to flake. The brush however isn't overly conducive to applying the mascara, at least for me. The brush is a little big and awkward and I tend to get just as much on my skin around my eyes as I do on my actual lashes. That's the thing about mascara, the brush can make or break it and this one breaks it for me. If you are a professional make up artist or a wizard with mascara and never get it on your face than this might just be the product for you, but I am not and therefore I don't think I would purchase it again.

4. Women's Mossimo Kacie Peep Toe Bootie

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Oh let me tell you... I bought these shoes because I don't have any like them, I like the look a lot and they were on sale at Target for $15.00. I saw them when they came out and they were $35.00 I believe and considered it, then I forgot. When I remembered again I was at home and they were so cheap I figured why not! Well let me tell you my reflection is not that of shoes at Target but these shoes in general. I wore them out to dinner last Friday night for the first time, Jason and I were walking to a place near by so I figured it was a good time to try them out in case they gave me blisters and the weather was fitting. What a mistake, what an awful terrible mistake it was to wear these! I know you generally have to break in shoes and I am no stranger to blisters because it tends to happen at least once with most shoes but good lord I have never had a pair of shoes wreck my feet like these. I came home barely walking and my feet were bleeding! EVERY. SINGLE. TOE on both of my feet had TERRIBLE blisters!! That night in bed I could barely move my feet because the blisters stung soooooo bad! The next morning I woke up and 4 of my toes were horrifically bruised and the rest of my toes still had terrible blisters. Taking a shower.. I couldn't have cried. Seriously I can't tell you the pain these shoes have caused me, I want to burn them. I actually want to break them in because I like them but I am terrified and not sure it will be worth it. I don't know what the deal is, but I honestly don't think its me.

5. e.l.f Essential All Over Color Stick

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First let me say I feel ridiculous even complaining about this because I paid $1.00 for it!! I really love e.l.f products, some of their makeup brushes are my favorite and because they are so cheap to buy I tend to try a lot of their products! This product is not something I would generally wear but I thought I would give it a try as an alternative to my regular blush. I don't love it, I don't hate it but I definitely don't love it either. Its thick on my face and when I brush my face with my hand it comes off, its not something I would generally wear anyways so this was a trial for me in general and I really don't think it would make a difference if it was high end or not. I highly recommend e.l.f products but this one just wasn't for me.

So there you have it folks, five products I don't really care for isn't bad at all, for as many products as I try I feel pretty good being able to say these are the only ones that I don't care for.

Is there products you have recently tried and didn't like, want to save us all a buck or two and tell us all about them? I for one would love to hear! 

Hope you all have a great day!!!



All About Downtown Street Fair, Jersey City

Good Morning,

Did everyone have a fantastic weekend?? I hope so!

Saturday Jason had to work sadly and I honestly didn't really have any plans, but I thought at the very least Lindsey, the girls and I would get together for coffee and a walk. Saturday morning I got up and met them outside to head to Starbucks and then Target, perfect morning right? Starbucks was a great addition to our semi chilly walk to Target and turns out Saturday morning means Target is nice and quiet, win win!

On the way back Lindsey mentioned Jersey City was having some kind of street festival or something so we decided to drop off our Target goods and walk over! We weren't sure what it was called but Lindsey said there was activities for the girls as well as tons of food trucks and vendors, sounded like something worth checking out!

Turns out it was the 4th annual 'All about downtown street fair' celebrating all things downtown Jersey City! There was about 125 street vendors, local live music and food trucks. We tend to miss the food truck festival at home every year so I was really excited to see what was there.

It really wasn't all that busy which was great, especially because Lindsey has a double stroller to navigate through the crowds. We decided to walk from top to bottom and survey what was there and then on the way back get snacks. Lindsey and the girls stopped at Helen's pizza which Jason and I have been talking about trying forever so I thought I would skip that one and just wait until we actually ordered, it looked fantastic though!

After that Lindsey and I decided we had to stop and have one of the amazing looking empanadas from Stella's Empanadas & Argentine Grill! The options were endless and we stood there quite some time deciding just which ones to try! We settled gladly on the potato and cheddar and let me tell you they did not disappoint! I am a fan of empanadas but I have never had one like this, it was almost like a perogie, too good!!!

I wish I would have got some to go!

On our way to find somewhere to sit and enjoy something to eat we crossed a little place selling Shipyard Pumpkin Head on tap and so we couldn't resist! Not only is that beer simply amazing but they way they presented it completely made it! They took the glass and dipped the rim in simple syrup then a mixture of what I believe was cinnamon, brown sugar and white sugar! There may have been some kind of spice but let me tell you it tasted like a pumpkin cookie or something on the rim of your glass, it was incredible. I could have drank.. well, that's not really important.. it was awesome!



Oh the goodness! I honestly don't know why we didn't get more.

With our hands full of empanadas and beer we decided it might be a good time to find a place to sit because obviously pushing the stroller with two hands full in a crowd wasn't the easiest task! We got lucky and came across a perfect spot for the girls to stretch their legs while we enjoyed lunch!

 The had what appeared to be black paper taped to the ground in places for the girls to use sidewalk chalk, it was a great idea and the girls loved it!

Lily also got to make an apple tree, it was a really great idea that allowed her to paint and glue, crafts all round and she absolutely loved it! She used an apple to paint her little apple for her tree red, they painted bubble wrap then she rolled her little toilet paper roll on it to paint it with texture. All the things that they had going were fantastic for kids!!

Honestly it was a great place, on the way out we decided to try one more place and because the BBQ didn't look nearly as good as I am use to we decided on a different empanada place called Nuchas. This was a food truck as their actual store is in New York, and let me tell you they were completely different from the first ones but EXCELLENT in their own way. Lindsey had the shitake curry and I have the spicy chicken and neither of us were disappointed! I really love empanadas but because Jason isn't a lover of Mexican food we don't go out often for it and therefore I don't often have them. I am definitely happy I had them today, sadly I didn't get a picture of this one!

Here are some pictures from the festival...

I was so glad we decided to head down and check this out, the food was great, the weather was perfect and I think the girls enjoyed it just as much as we did. Stuff like this is the perfect transition event from summer to fall, people love the comfort food, autumn beers there is nothing bad about any of that! Its also a great way for local businesses to get recognition they might not otherwise get!

We headed back to the apartment and made a stop at the playground before heading in. They were calling for quite warm weather today but there was a cool breeze which made it perfect shorts and sweatshirt weather! Not having Jason home today I was glad to be out and about enjoying this perfect day and Lindsey and the girls are fantastic! So I ended my day hanging out watching a Scandal marathon (its coming back this week.. YAY!!) with fall scented candles and peach green tea! All in all I think it was fantastic!

I hope you all had a great weekend too, tell me what you did!

I will leave you with some pictures of my partner in crime, because she's too cute not too!



 



High Five for Friday

Good Afternoon!

Honestly I don't often participate in blog link ups although I do often enjoy reading them. I should do it more because it is a great way to socialize with other bloggers so because of that and I thought yesterday was Friday and didn't plan anything for today I figured why not link up with a bunch of my favorites for High Five for Friday because we are definitely excited for the weekend and share five great things from my crappy week! Ha!!

1.

Tanya and I purchased these Blank Canvas Cosmetics highlight & contour palettes recently and I am in love! Aubrey Kinch recently posted a tutorial using this palette and I was really interested, so I did some research and found that it was actually super cheap! Tanya and I both got one and split the shipping from Ireland (we weren't aware of this fact at first) and it came incredibly quickly! I have used this palette quite a few times and really love it, their website and products are great, you should check it out!

2. 

The sunsets this week have been gorgeous, it seems every single night the sky lights up in the most magical way making me anxious to get out after dinner and go for a walk. You can't tell in this picture but I had asked Jason who is pictured to the right to stay back for a minute while I took a picture to which he did the opposite. This is one of maybe 6 pictures I took as he purposely kept jumping in front when I would go to take the picture, we were both killing ourselves laughing and everyone in the parking lot thought we were nuts! It was hilarious!

3. 

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Like most everyone I am in the market for some new boots and I have looked high and low and honestly haven't been able to find one thing that I like until I came across these! I found them at home in Raleigh and they were on sale but Jason talked me out of it, now I have no choice but to pay full price! Boot weather is creeping in and I for one want to be prepared, plus have I ever mentioned how much I like new stuff?

4.

Wednesday Tanya and I took a walk to an area of Jersey City I have never been, while we were walking I came across this beautiful leaf laying on the ground and it kind of hit me; summer is really over! I love fall, it is my absolute favorite time of the year but I absolutely hate winter and I know fall will fly by as quickly as summer and cold weather and snow will be upon us. There is nothing I can do about that so I am simply going to embrace the fall weather and enjoy every second of it! Bring on the apple cider and pumpkin picking!!

5. 

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These are the new glasses I am getting. I won't lie the process of getting them has been the biggest pain in the ass but in the end I am getting new glasses and I am really excited about it. I have an eye exam on Monday and then I will be able to order them and they should be here within 7-10 days of that! I was really hoping to get something a little more colorful but truthfully I have a really hard time finding glasses and something that fits my face well. These did not make the top 3 the first 5 times I went looking for glasses but as soon as I put them on my face I knew these were it! I am super excited to get them!

This week I am linking up with:

Tanya @ Prairie Girl in the Big, Scary World

Lauren Elizabeth @ The Lauren Elizabeth 

Samantha @ The Samantha Life