Life Lately

Life lately has been a real whirlwind! Still coasting on the engagement high, it's been really fun to celebrate with friends and family who are genuinely happy for us. I still am in a little disbelief every morning when I put my ring on….but I'm slowly getting used to this beautiful addition to my everyday jewelry ritual (you know what I mean, the pieces you wear every single day.) 

Current mani color that I'm crushing on right now is Essie's Fiji. It's like the perfect shade to show off when people ask to see the ring.

A few weeks ago D's family took us out to celebrate the engagement and we ended up going to dinner, drinking on the pier and ending our night on a roof top bar. It was the perfect night and I'm so excited to officially call all these people my family :)

 The "cousins" having a photo shoot on top of a life guard chair down at the pier.

Me and one of my besties celebrating over fruity cocktails :)

Since I have some time off of work right now (the perks of working in a public school) I've been able to get away and visit my parents in PA. Our dog tiki LOVES going there because she gets to "help" my dad in the garden. Sometimes I feel bad because she's a city dog cooped up in an apartment, but when I bring her back home she is seriously loving life!! She's such a cutie :)

I cannot resist a good Panera lunch!

As a school counselor I get to order my fall school supplies before school let out -- and look what came in!! Who remembers these awesome markers?? Just thought I would share these sweet bad boys. Watermelon was always my favorite scent.

xo Steph

Love Lately: Summer Edition

The thing I love about summer most (other than my birthday) is that things just move a little slower. Everything is approached with an easy breezy laid back approach. I guess I could say the same thing for me and blogging lately….I must be in summer mode! Anyway, I wanted to share some of my current favorite summer things that help me enjoy this blissful and worry free season.

1. Detox Spa Water. This is my favorite go-to drink for the summer, and I drink it alllll dayyyyy loooong. It's simply water infused with lemons, cucumbers and fresh mint leaves…..but the result is so incredibly refreshing and hydrating, you can't help but guzzling it down by the gallon all day. To make it even easier (for those who hate drinking water) make a huge pitcher for the whole day and leave it on your kitchen counter or somewhere else you pass by frequently. Make sure you keep filling up every time you pass by. For me, using straws always makes me drink more too. So find a fun adult sippy cup and get to hydrating and feeling like you're at the day spa :)

2. Summer brights. I am obsessed with this bright coral/turquoise scarf I picked up on clearance at Old Navy. It looks so cute with my black maxi dress here, or even a crisp white tank or tee, jean shorts and flip flops. I also love when my mani inadvertently matches my outfit. It's the little things people.

3. Nail Polish Rotation. Being newly engaged, I have been loving getting fresh manicures even more. People are always asking to see your ring, so you can't have your nails and cuticles looking like a hot mess. Plus it's fun for me to see which colors look best with my ring (hmmm, pretty much all the colors) but these are my current favorites in rotation. All of which look pretty with a tan. 

Deborah Lippman Break 4 Love // Essie Fiji // Essie Go Ginza // Deborah Lippman Tip Toe Through the Tulips

 4. New Planners and Organizers. I have always been a nerd when it comes to getting new school supplies, and especially getting my new planner every year. I am a planner at heart. D usually tells me I plan to much (ex. already getting excited about fall) and that I need to live more in the moment. He may be right, but old habits die hard. I am very particular about planners (it has to have the perfect layout and function just-so for me) so often times I can't find what I want. I finally splurged on the  Day Designer, which does just that, designs your day. It was created for creative entrepreneurs in mind. I mean look at the black and white stripes? So me! In particular, there is a full page each day for you to map out your day and maximize your productivity. I got the August edition since I'm a school counselor and always function on the academic calendar and I am OBSESSED. Once I start using it I will definitely be doing a full tutorial. Also, got a pretty yet functional pink rubber case for my iPad mini. The OCD person in me even organized all my apps on different pages including personal, blogging, school counselor, and wedding planning. I feel so organized and alive my friends!

 5. Summer Gear. I can't wait to use this adorable crocheted top from F21 for my next beach trip. Paired with little denim shorts and it's just too cute. Along with the outfit includes my bronzer and bronzing shimmer from Victoria's Secret, Frederic Fekkai's summer hair, and Eternity Summer perfume (last years edition). Still haven't gotten around to smelling this years bottle. 

 6. Summer scents. I love doing one big summer scent haul at Bath & Body works to get my apartment smelling like my own personal beach paradise. My newest favorite is this Peach Cilantro Twist scented candle. Not only does this smell fresh and amazing (cilantro fan here!) but the pretty packaging, font and colors will always win me over. 

 7. Summer flip flops. I usually treat myself to a new pair of flip flops every summer, not so much because I want to, but because last years are so beaten up and worn out I have to. My pick this year were these gold Tory Burch studded one and I adore them because they pretty much go with anything. They are neutral yet have some shimmer to keep them interesting. 

8. Mojitos! Did you know last week there was National Mojito Day? Yeah, me neither until I was at happy hour in the city and drank 3 of these bad boys. I'm also a weirdo who doesn't like rum, so I always ask to have my mojitos made with vodka. Don't judge, it's just my thing. I also got a watermelon flavored one…..and I'm pretty sure this is my official summer drink :)

Well that's all I've got for now. I can't believe my birthday is only 2 weeks away and I haven't planned anything yet….I'm totally off my game this year! Maybe we'll just be playing things low key since we're currently trying to save our money for some bigger expenses coming up!

So what are the summery things you're loving lately?

xo Steph

Love Lately

What do I love lately? So many things right now, especially now that spring/summer is making an appearance. Nothing like warmer weather and being outside to awaken the soul ;)

So let's get to the list, shallow we?

1. Summer is almost here!! This past weekend we finally hit 80 degrees and sunny…..so for us Hobokinites, it was off to Pier 13 (an outdoor beer garden on the water) for food trucks, cold beverages, and laying out in the sun. Seriously, this place is my heaven and I'm so happy its officially back open for the season. 

Also what I'm loving - Bellini's in a can. Brilliant.

2. May flowers! April and May showers are finally starting to settle and all the pretty flowers are in full bloom. Love them all. Minus the pollen. 

3. Day drinking. Two weekends ago was Hoboken's Arts and Music fest which happens twice a year and everyone in town looks forward to it. They basically close down the main street for cool art vendors, food stands and live music. It's a tradition for my old roommates and I to meet up at a local bar for day drinking since we used to live above said bar. Ohhhh the memories. 

Either way, it's officially day drinking season!

4. Having the world at my finger tips. Every day I am so thankful for the beautiful place I live filled with great food, diverse culture, and stunning views of the best city on the planet. (Sorry I'm a little biased!) It never gets old and it will be a sad day when I move away from this happy place.

5. Frozen Yogurt. Yup, it's also the start of frozen yogurt season. Fact: I choose frozen yogurt toppings like a 5 year old. Hello, Fruity Pebbles and Cap N' Crunch. I guess I like cereal. We've gotten into a habit this past week where everyday after dinner D and I look at each other, and with unspoken words, we both know…..yup. It's time to go get that frozen goodness. It truly is the sweetest ending to a boring Monday. And the view doesn't hurt either.

6. Quinoa Fried Rice. I've been experimenting a lot with quinoa lately and I've found that I really enjoy it. I found a recipe on my pinterest, and tweaked it adding some chicken, brown rice and barley (along with the quinoa) and zucchini. And let me tell you, this recipe was BOMB! D said it tasted like the rice you get at hibachi restaurants (I'd agree) and he asked that next time I make it to double the recipe. 

Recipe on the blog coming soon :)  

7. Much needed girl time. When your friends turn into mommies and mommies to be, it can be really hard to find the time to get together. Especially when we live in different states. I'm so glad I got to hang out with these ladies for a nice lunch at the OG (Olive Garden haha) and making a pact to get together monthly. Love my girls!

8. On Wednesdays we wear pink.  Apparently last week was the 10 year anniversary of the movie Mean Girls. Oh how I love this movie and wowww, can I say I'm feeling crazy old!! So fitting for me being a counselor in a middle school.  #meangirls #middleschoolproblems #wewearpinkonwednesdays #sofetch #yougoglencoco

Well that's all for my love lately list.

What have you been loving lately?

xo Steph

Love Lately: Random Edition

Since getting the new iphone 5 the other day (momma got an upgrade!) I wanted to clean out some of the photo stragglers and share them on here with all the stuff I'm loving lately. Take a look. And oh yeah.....Happy Friday!!

 

1. My Hunter Flats. Rainy spring days aren't so bad with my rainy day flats. Yes, these do exist and I get oh so many compliments on them! I got them in boring black because I wanted them to match everything, but they come in tons of pretty, bright colors.

2. Key Lime Easter Peep Cupcakes. Just call me (and my mom) Betty Crocker. 

These were delish and just another fun way to play around with those classic Easter treats.

3. Empire State gets a pretty pastel makeover for Easter. This Friday D and I went into the city to see Billy Joel in concert at Madison Square Garden. It was THE perfect quintessential New York night. I love those kind of nights. I'm in a New York State of Mind.....

4. My dad and D wearing matching aviator glasses. Priceless.

5. My little Tiki girl all bundled up like a burrito. She's just too cute not to include ;)

6. Healthy lifestyles are all about portion control. I'm obsessed with these sectioned off Tupperware containers because I can basically make an adult lunchable. Remember lunchables? You can make them yourself and take them to work, and give it a more adult, health conscious version. Here I've included organic deli turkey and provolone cheese, whole wheat triscuts, lightly salted edamame and organic strawberries and blueberries.

7. Saturday morning brunch done right ;)

And yes I use my valentine plates all year round.

8. My bestie's baby shower. She's due in a few weeks and I'm so excited for her and to officially become an aunt :) How cute is she?!

So what are you loving lately?

Happy Friday Friends!

Xo Steph

Love Lately {Cold Weather Edition}

 I've been terrible with posting lately, so my apologies for that. With that being said, I thought it would be a nice to share some pics from my trusty iphone of things I'm loving lately. Take a look : )

1. The last of the Winter Wear. Even though I am SOOO OVER snow days, they give me an excuse to wear cute outfits like this.

Hello J.crew and Hunter boots obsession : )

2. Chunky Scarves. The winter that overstayed it's welcome at least allows me to still wear these extra cozy and chunky infinity scarves. I got this one for Christmas from D's mom and it is seriously like wrapping yourself up in a blanket. Amazing.

3. Cold weather also means D and I get to wear our matching trapper hats out and about like nerds.

4. Little known fact: I have curly hair. I never wear it curly, like ever. I just feel like straight hair is more manageable and looks more natural on me, so I have been straightening it since the invention of the flat iron. Not kidding. I think I had the first "flat iron" in 10th grade that actually had a water chamber and "steamed"your hair straight. Ghetto. And dangerous. I had many steam related burns from that tool. But I digress. I've been feeling a little sassy lately and splurged on some quality hair products and have been playing around with my curls. For any of you curly haired girls out there -- please share with me your tips and favorite styling products!!

 5. The Melting Pot. I recently went to dinner there for a friends birthday and I forgot how much fun fondue can be. I love interactive dinners like hibachi, so The Melting Pot is right up my ally. Weird thing though, our service was soooo slow. It took our waiter like over an hour to bring out our food, which is strange considering we cook our own food at the table. So it's not like I'm waiting for it to be cooked. Hmmmm oh well. The dessert tray made up for it all. Rice Krispie treats dipped in dark chocolate and peanut butter. HEAVEN. 

6. Comfort Foods. Snowy cold days make me crave comfort foods. The last snow day we got, D and I headed to our favorite restaurant down the block. My choice: grilled cheese and french onion soup. Holla!

7. Lazy Sundays. The kind of Sunday where I don't even get out of my sweatpants kinda day. I had that kinda day last weekend and it was glorious. I snuggled with this cute thing under the blankets alllll day.

 8. Love notes. This is what happens when your boyfriend packs your lunch for work. Amazing how the small things can totally make your whole day. 

He's cute.

Happy Tuesday Friends!

xo Steph

Love Lately: Holiday Edition

As we get just a few short days away from Christmas I wanted to share with you somethings that I'm loving lately - holiday edition!

1. Holiday parties. 'Tis the season for holiday parties galore! It seems like every weekend in the month of December we have different parties to attend and people to celebrate with. So much good food, cold drinks, gag gifts and silly festive wear!

 2. Festive drinks. Whether its a glass of wine or a mug of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, enjoying festive beverages while sitting in front of a lit Christmas tree might just be one of my favorite things in the world to do. I seriously can't get enough of my Christmas tree! And this adorable hand painted santa wine glass : )

Can you guess who's mug is who's?

Hint: I may have went a little heavy on the marshmallows : )

 3. All things Christmas scented. I may have gone a little crazy at Bath and Body Works and snagged up these awesome 3-wick candles on sale (usually $20 a pop, but got them for 2 for $22). Because there is nothing better than a warmly scented house this time of year. My absolute favorite scents? Fresh Balsam hands down (it enhances the real tree scent we have) and also Cinnamon Frosting because it smells like I'm at a Cinnabon store haha.

4. Ugly sweater parties. They are always a good time to just be silly and tacky with your friends. And of course, my lack of planning and Target's lack of item I needed to create the ugly sweater "costume" I wanted left me and D high and dry without something to wear. With the party only hours away, I was desperate. So don;t have an ugly sweater for a party? Improvise and stick yourself in an XL gift bag. #ghettofab #lastminute yup, this was our outfit folks!

Well that's my holiday edition of my love lately list. Today is Christmas eve eve so the big day is quickly approaching! Hope everyone is enjoying the season and getting in all their last minute shopping!

xo Steph

love lately.

It's been such a busy, busy week and it's only Wednesday!! I hate when that happens. Can we just fast forward to the weekend please? But until then I'll just share some of the things I'm loving lately, in my new love lately posts where I'll be sharing some of my favorite things. Take a look!

1. Pumpkins. And my mantle. I haven't had much time for anything, let alone decorating, so my mantle has been pretty bare. LAME. I picked up some cute mini pumpkins and lined them up for a simple minimalist look. I love how the results came out!

these would also look nice on a mantle // or these for a different look

2. Fall candles and scents. I may have a slight obsession with these yummy scented candles from Bath and Body Works, so much so that I came home with a large bag of treats the other day! D probably wishes I would spend less money on candles but hey, they make the whole place so warm and cozy. I know deep down he really appreciates it! These are some of my favorites along with Pumpkin Hayride and Pumpkin Apple. Sooooo good! My store actually just sold out of Pumpkin Apple but I found a similar candle here which is just as yummy!

3. My obsession of fall-ness comes to work with me. Did you really think my office wouldn't get a fall makeover too? Yup, I got sweet cinnamon pumpkin hand sanitizer for my desk (which is crucial working in a school with kids), a lipgloss in the same flavor, and a pumpkin pecan waffle plug-in. Everyone loves visiting my office because the smells are so delightful! Who wouldn't like a waffle scented office? So very festive : )

4. This guy. I just love him all the time. Not just lately : )

 5. Seasonal K-cups. These are in constant rotation right now because, Tis the season! I actually just bought some nice pumpkin liquor too and I'm looking forward to experimenting with a pumpkin version of irish coffee! Also thinking the hot apple cider might be pretty tasty with some caramel flavored vodka!

pumpkin spice k-cups // apple cider k-cups

 6. French hens. Well this french hen print to be exact.  I was obsessed with this print ever since I saw this adorable sweater (in it's cashmere version) from J.Crew last year. It was too expensive for my last year, but when the same print hit J.Crew Factory I was all over it! When I like something, I like it a lot!

The blouse, scarf and iphone case are already sold out but they still have these tops if you're loving this print like I am:

sweater // cardigan 

7. Respect and an arm party. As a school counselor, we recognize this week as the week of respect in which we help students understand the importance of respect. We got these snazzy blue rubber bracelets which I've been rocking all week, and I think it's a pretty sweet addition to my arm party!

alex and ani bracelets here // here // here // Old Navy Chambray polka dot top // similar here

Well that's all for now -- What are you loving lately??

Happy Hump dayyyyyyyy everyone!

xo Steph

also linking up with Because Shanna Said So