Hygge: the Scandinavian philosophy of living comfortably or with warmth and coziness. Hello!! I feel like this word completely defines me and my life. I aspire to live my day-to-day life being comfy, warm, and cozy and assuring that those around me feel the same way.

I spent this weekend with my mom on Cape Cod for a (soon to be annual tradition.. mom???) Girls Weekend. Without knowing it, we really embodied this philosophy with all that we did. We spent our afternoons meandering little shops and markets, in the small New England towns off of 6A, trying to find the most delicate trinkets to go home with. Some of these shops were filled with Christmas decorations and if you know me, you know that I'm not mad about that. We wondered through bakeries and specialty stores in search of the best cappuccino and almond croissant while purchasing loaves of artisanal bread that would soon be smeared with humboldt fog and Irish butter. Before bundling up for the tour of the organic cranberry bog, my mom and I baked these holiday-appropriate ginger molasses cookies (pictured above). Finally, we would end our days with the sun. All of the moments we weren't sleeping were spent watching Hallmark Christmas movies on repeat and sipping mulled cider as the fire burned through every last piece of firewood we had.

It was an incredible weekend full of warmth and coziness. I'm pretty sure I spent a full 24 hours (maybe even more!!!!) of the weekend in my flannel PJs!

I hope all you lovelies had cozy and relaxing weekends as well!!

xoxo, B

It's no secret that fall is my favorite season. Fall is the embodiment of warmth, love, and coziness. With the brisk air comes scarves, boots, and warm beverages. With the low sun and burnt skies come pumpkins, apples, and color-turned leaves. With the counted days come Thanksgiving and the Christmas season. I am absolutely in love with what fall brings but this post is to highlight the revered pumpkin.

Anthony was in town this weekend and last night, we made a hearty dinner together. He was in charge of the steak and cauliflower/mashed potatoes. I was in charge of the caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and blue cheese sauce. Together we had a fabulous cold-weather meal accompanied by some red wine.

This morning, Anthony had to head out earlier than usual so, I got up early and headed into the kitchen. I have been craving fall and everything that comes with it, even though it's currently 80 degrees outside of my apartment. Driven by that craving, I made this pumpkin oatmeal bake.

I got my inspiration from a recipe I stumbled upon on Pinterest (as per usual). If you know me, you know that I typically don't like to follow recipes because I like to put my own twist into it. So, I swapped out and added a few things to that recipe to make my own pumpkin oatmeal bake!

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can of pumpkin purée 
• 1/4 coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of real maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk 
• 2 cups of dry old-fashioned oats

Hi loves!!!

I know it has been a while but I've been so busy! I just finished my first year at my first job and am now on "summer break". I am very excited to share some news with you! So, I have about two and a half weeks off this summer and I knew I wanted to take advantage of it. So this Sunday, June 25th, I will be traveling to California and road-tripping the California coast with my amazing boyfriend, Anthony! We are so excited and cannot wait to enjoy our first long vacation together! We first had the idea last summer and have been planning the trip for months and months and cannot believe it is finally here. I'll share the details of the trip below so you can follow along as we go!!

Trip:
Day 1, June 25th: Fly into San Francisco
Day 2, June 26th: San Francisco
Day 3, June 27th: San Francisco
Day 4, June 28th: Leave San Francisco and head to Los Altos (my birthplace) and then to Monterey/Carmel by the Sea
Day 5, June 29th: Leave Monterey and head to Santa Barbara
Day 6, June 30th: Leave Santa Barbara and head to Venice beach then Encinitas
Day 7, July 1st: Laguna/Encinitas/San Diego
Day 8, July 2nd: Encinitas/San Diego
Day 9, July 3rd: Encinitas
Day 10, July 4th: Fly back to the east coast


We're so excited and cannot wait to share the adventure with y'all through pictures!

xoxo,
B

Every day life can be pretty challenging, that is why self-care is so important. We need to stop and remind ourselves that our every day life does not, and will not happen unless we take care of ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sometimes you need to take a day, or a weekend, and treat yourself.

Below is a list of some things you can do to treat yo(ur)self:

• Go to your favorite restaurant 
• Go on a hike
• Take yourself to brunch
• Give yourself a mani/pedi
• Take a bubble bath
• Buy some silk pajamas and wear them all day
• Go to a coffee shop, get a cappuccino and croissant
• Make your own face mask
• Buy yourself a new pair of shoes
• Sit and meditate
• Make your own candle
• Prepare yourself a nice dinner (steak, shrimp, salmon) 
• Wash your makeup brushes 
• Have a movie night with some friends
• Buy yourself a buffalo chicken stromboli 
• Window shop
• Make your own body scrub
• Go to a park, sit, and people watch
• Order in your favorite Chinese food
• Eat a bar of chocolate
• Online shop for next seasons apparel
• Enjoy a cup of tea with some honey
• Plan your next get-together with friends
• Take a nap
• Invest in a nice pair of slippers
• Plan your next adventure 
• Go to the movies
• Buy some succulents and put them on your window sill
• Craft 
• Buy yourself a nice bottle of wine
• Netflix and chill with yourself

Lush is a store that has made a huge impression in the lives of the skin-loving. Lush has always been a store that I've popped in, bought a bath bomb, and deuced. I always felt really overwhelmed walking in there because there are just so many products. I didn't even know where to begin. Finally, a couple weeks ago, I dragged my boyfriend Anthony in there with me. After meticulous sampling, I couldn't choose just one, so I settled on two products: Dark Angels and Mask of Magnaminty.

Dark Angels: smells absolutely phenomenal- it reminds me of black licorice. I like to put it on and let it dry on my face for 5-10 mins- make sure you take your makeup off first! While I'm washing it off with warm water, I like to rub it on my face. It is black so be careful with what you're wearing because it may stain. When it is all rinsed, pat your face dry and feel the magic.

Mask of Magnaminty: this mask is so lus(h)cious. The smell is minty so it is refreshing and clean. I wash my face to get all of my makeup off then put it on- typically after I shower. I brush out my hair and get my clothes ready for the next day while I wait for it to dry. I love this mask because of the whole ingredients. After I wash it off, it leaves my face feeling soft and ready for sleep.

I've been using these at home for the past couple weeks and every time I use them, I feel like I am being transported to a spa. They give me instant relaxation and some nights that is absolutely necessary.

Yesterday morning, my mother, sister, and I hopped into our car and drove down to my Aunt's house in Arlington, VA. As soon as we got there, we grabbed our lunches and hopped in the car again. This time, we were headed to the Arlington National Cemetery. We were dropped there and started walking. Our destination? The Women's March. 

The Women's March was one of the most empowering and inspiring movements I have ever been a part of. The best part about it? How inclusive it was. We were all there supporting each other and each other's motives. There were people there protesting for: Women's Rights (obvi), Black Lives Matter, Trans Rights, NoDAPL, Pro-Choice, Anti-Trump, Pro-Hillary, LGBTQ Equality, Climate Change, Reproductive Rights, Pro-Peace, Mother Earth, Muslim Equality, Native Rights, and so much more.

It was a beyond amazing moment that I will keep with me forever. I was so happy to stand there with my mother, sister, and aunt. I was there to represent my future daughters, nieces, and granddaughters; also, as a representer of the silenced and the people who could not be there.

It was peaceful, it was impactful, and it was momentous. When women and allied men come together to support one another, and support a cause, it is an amazing thing. After all, we do make up over 50% of the population. Over 600 cities worldwide came together to support such an amazing cause. I couldn't be more proud to be a woman.

My favorite chant:
An echo chant between men and women:
            Women: My body, my choice
            Men: Her body, her choice.

My favorite sign/poster:
            "Thou shalt not touch my reproductive rights" - Fallopians 4:10

My favorite moment:
             Everything.

If you're close to me, then you know how challenging my back and forth personal struggle with acne has been over the last four years or so. I have a few month period of breakthrough where my acne clears up and my face is back to normal again and then it's back (dun dun dun). But actually. I've tried every on-the-spot treatment both over the counter and prescribed. I've been on acne clearing antibiotics and they would work for a few weeks or so then it's right back to the struggle.

When the New Year rolled around, I decided to try something I had tried before, two years ago, to help combat the nuisance that controlled my face and sometimes my happiness. Sad to admit, but very true. I decided to give up drinking coffee.
I'm one week in and I'm not going to lie, it has been a struggle. I find that it is harder to sleep at night, the bags under my eyes aren't great, my kids at school ask me why I look so tired, my appetite has grown and I find myself reaching for any sugary product around but the one (and probably the most important) thing I've noticed is a change in my skin. The pimples on my face aren't cystic, the breakouts are showing up less and less, and the redness on my face is disappearing. Mind you, it has only been a week.

The tea that I am absolutely in love with is Yogi tea. Yogi tea can be purchased at pretty much any grocery store around the nation! I swear by this tea for the taste and also for the little uplifting quotes and sayings they put on their tea tags. My Yogi tea of choice is Yogi Blueberry Slim Life Green Tea.

If you're interested in following the progress of my journey to a clear skin life, I will be posting an update post in about a month! I'm very excited about the results!