Hi, friends! Hope everyone is doing well—in the Mid-Atlantic, we’re in the wonderful part of fall, where it’s still warm enough most days you don’t need a coat, but cool enough you can wear a sweater. The leaves have just started to change, but al fresco dining is still very much a reality. Since my life kind of feels like groundhog day right now, I really welcomed the change of seasons this year more than I have in the recent past. I’m also really starting to look forward to the holiday season—even though it’ll look different than most, I’m excited for cheesy Hallmark movies, Christmas music, twinkle lights, and all the other things we’ll still be able to enjoy, socially distanced style.
I’m lucky enough to have a three-day weekend, so I am enjoying a lazy Monday off work. I slept in, got my nails done, and now am finishing up Emily in Paris on Netflix. It’s really cute if you’re looking for a mindless show that has a gorgeous setting and stunning fashion. Work has been really busy and stressful lately, and I’ve found that can be extra tough in the work from home environment where there’s less separation between the office and home. I miss having a commute to decompress, and having an office to leave my work at when I’ve reached a good stopping point for the day. This time of year is always busy for us, but I am hopeful that after next week when a few of my projects wrap-up, things will feel a little bit more balanced. (That all being said, I am so, so grateful to have a job during this time!)
It’s been a while since I wrote a life lately post, so I thought I’d drop in and share a few things going on it my world lately—I hope you all are staying safe and sane! x
MY NEW APARTMENT /
I’ve been in my new apartment for a little over two weeks now, and it really feels like home! I love the location, and have really enjoyed exploring new routes and neighborhoods on my daily walks I’ve still been taking after I wrap up work each day. On the weekends, my sister and I have been enjoying exploring a bunch of the trails here in Arlington—we love taking a long route from the Bluemont Junction to the W&OD to the Custis trail. There can be sections of those trails that are scarcely populated, so I avoid going on them on my own, but if you have a walking buddy, I’d definitely recommend checking them out.
It is also so great to have more space, and I especially love having a large balcony. I’ve got my eye on some patio chairs from Target, but they are sold out and have been for a month or so. I’d rather wait and find something I really love, so I might hold off getting patio furniture until everything is restocked in the spring. For now, I’ve just been taking one of my counter stools out onto the patio when I want to enjoy that space. Since moving is expensive, and I just bought a beautiful vintage piece of furniture to use as a credenza under my television, I need to put the rest of my decorating dreams on hold to give my credit cards a much needed break. I’ve also learned over the years it’s better to take my time and find things I really love for my home versus trying to be “done” with decorating right away.
The physical process of moving is the worst—it’s not fun to pack or to do all the administrative tasks like changing your mailing address in 2893526894724 places, but it’s worth it in the end. I also think I put way more pressure on this move than I had on past moves since we spend so much more time at home now. None of my fears about moving—namely that I would regret my decision to move or not feel at home in my apartment—came true and it all worked out. I’m excited to share more about my new place and my decorating journey here on the blog in the coming months!
MY NEW STRAIGHTENER /
In late August, my beloved ghd straightener—pictured above!—broke. We had a good run, it was about five years old and I used it almost everyday. It also logged a lot of miles with me on the road over the years. I needed a new straightener and since I loved the last one I had, I decided I wanted to replace it with one from the same company. After researching, I decided the ghd gold was the one I wanted—and I was lucky enough to find it for $112 on Walmart HERE (it typically retails for $199).
After using my new one for a little over a month month, I fully stand behind it and can confirm it is the real deal—it comes with a serial number so you can register it with ghd and everything. (I was somewhat worried it would be a knockoff because of the price, but it wasn’t).
Just wanted to share in case you’re also in the market since it was such a good deal!
GIRLS GOTTA EAT PODCAST /
I am definitely the last one to the party, but I have been loving the Girls Gotta Eat podcast. I’ve known about their podcast from many of you for a while, but finally added a few of their episodes to my podcast queue after hearing Ashley and Rayna, the GGE hosts, on an episode of U Up, which you guys know is one of my favorite podcasts.
Since then, I’ve been listening to a bunch of older episodes of GGE and can’t recommend it enough—they’ve got great perspectives on modern dating, staying true to yourself (#liveyourtruth), and some really funny stories. I’m a big fan, and it’ll be in my podcast rotation moving forward for sure.
You can see a full list of my favorite podcasts here—I last updated it in January of this year, so GGE isn’t included, but I’m adding it to my to-do list to update.
VIRGINIA IS FOR VOTERS /
Lastly, I wanted to end with a reminder to VOTE! Election Day is November 3.
There is too much at stake, and too many people have fought for our right to a fair and free election, for us to throw away this right. The Monday after I moved to Arlington, I registered to vote in Virginia (via mail—in Virginia, you can only register to vote online if you have a state ID or Drivers License number, which I don’t yet). This past week, I received my voter identification card in the mail, and I plan to vote in person early this week after work. Because of the pandemic, in Virginia, you do not need a reason to vote early.
If you still need information about how to vote in your state, I recommend heading to vote.org and making your voting plan today.
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That’s a look at my life lately! I hope you all have a great week! x
