What I'm looking forward to this March

Looking back on February, it seemed a lot more eventful than I anticipated. At one point I found myself asking “is mercury in retrograde?” (it wasn’t), as February threw a bunch more curveballs my way than I expected. “Good” curveballs included some events at work and a surprisingly mild month (outdoor walks saved my anxiety), while some of the “bad” curveballs also included some work events and some unanticipated repairs needed to my home. I don’t know about you, but when my work life and home life are unstable at the same time, it throws me off my equilibrium. 

I’m looking ahead and putting this month behind me - and looking forward to all of these things for March.

1. The Killers Concert: I’m so freaking excited for this show this month. The Killers are one of my favourite bands and I can’t wait to dance and sing my face off at their concert later this month.

2. Daylight Savings: the daylight after I come home from work does wonders for my psyche, decompressing after I get home with a walk outside helps me reset my equilibrium. I’m so excited for this to be permanent in a week.

3. School Spring Breaks: everything slows down in our office during Spring Break season, and I’m excited to get some “heads down” time to tackle some of the big ideas I’m been brainstorming and plow through my to-do list. 

4. Ted Lasso Season 3: FINALLY my favourite tv show is back! I already have it on my calendar. 

5. Daffodils: my favourite flower starts blooming this month and Trader Joe’s has them for CHEAP. I love the pop of yellow they bring to my home, a true sign of spring. 

What I'm looking forward to this January

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Intentions. Resolutions. Goals. Whatever.

In year’s past I’ve waltzed into the New Year with grandiose plans to try new things. Sometimes these things have worked, other times they’ve been derailed by me, by external forces, and even a global pandemic.

This year I’m taking a new approach. Instead of tackling a year full of (unattainable) goals, instead I’m going to attempt something much more positive. Writing down a handful of things I’m looking forward to monthly. From upcoming events, to new tv shows, to even rest and relaxation, creating the habit of a monthly check-in sounds a lot more feasible to me, and a lot less stressful.

Here’s what I’m looking forward to this January:

• SIX! I wavered this year on getting Broadway in Columbus season tickets again, but this is the show that ultimately triggered my renewal. I can’t wait to finally see it.

• A Haircut. I was lucky enough to snag a hair appointment with my stylist for early January during my Boxing Week Break and I couldn’t be more exited. There’s nothing like starting the new year with a fresh trim.

• Winter Outdoor Walks. I love cold weather walks. The crisp air and frigid temps put a huge spring in my step, and the faster pace puts a huge smile on my face. As good as these walks are for my physical health, these winter ones are even better for my mental health.

• Fresh planners and calendars. I love the smell of fresh school supplies - new notebooks and planners were one of my favourite things about going back to school each fall. The New Year is now my return to school, and I’m looking forward to the blank slate new planners and calendars provide.

• Sunsets Getting Later. I’ve never been an early riser, I’ve tried and failed miserably 700 bazillion times to be one. But the one thing I do look forward to every January is the sun setting later. The race to get home before its dark isn’t as rushed, and often gives me the opportunity to spend a little bit more time outside.

• Soup Season! I love soup. It’s cozy, filling and warm and the perfect meal when its cold. I’m excited dig out my dutch over and cook some of my old faves (this one, this one) and try out a few new recipes as well.

• No-pressure evenings. After the craziness of the holiday season, I’m looking forward to cozy evenings on the couch this month. A cup of tea, a warm blanket, and a good book or tv show sound like the perfect low-key evening for this month.
  
  

The A List: March

So I guess this series is officially a monthly favourties now? I'll take it!

Here's a look a what I've been loving this past month in fashion, food, beauty, home and entertainment.

Fashion

This month was all about accessories for me, getting together my shoe and sunglasses games together for traveling and spring. And because I couldn’t resist, I also picked up a great top that can go from office to night out in a cinch. I’ve been looking to pick up a pair of mules since the holidays, but because the style is so trendy, I knew I didn’t want to spend too much money on a pair. (And the $600 Gucci’s are out of my price range). The shape of these from ASOS are fantastic, they cover lots of the foot, don’t have too many embellishments, and don’t look like a cheap knockoff of something much higher end. And the ASOS premium leather is SO comfy - I'll be wearing these all spring. Another find I’ll be wearing all spring are these QUAY sunglasses, the rose gold and mirrored lenses are super trendy, yet they’re so darn fun I can’t take them off. Speaking of fun, add this Topshop blouse to the top of my spring rotation, it’s the perfect to style for the office (black pencil skirt and heels) or a night on the town (black jeans and sandals). But be forewarned, tacos and bell sleeves aren’t a pretty pair - I might have learned the hard way. =)

Food

I’m sad to admit that outside of my trip to D.C. I didn’t branch out too far this month for my foodie fix. It’s easy to blame the weather (so I will), but I did manage to visit two of my local faves, both who are great for a quick grab and go. My first stop was Si Senor’s new Grandview location, an opening I was so excited for that I went the second day it was open. This is the Latin American sandwich shop’s second Columbus location, a location I'm thrilled is within walking distance of my house. Their sandwiches are second to none in the city, but it's their pasta salad with cilantro cream that might be their best item on the menu. So so good. My next, more frequent, stop was the Hill’s Market Downtown, one of my favorite places to pick up a quick lunch during the work week. Their prepared salads are fantastic, their sandwich and hot bar delicious, but it’s perusing the aisles for their local treats that I love the most. And with an excellent wine selection, you can grab a bottle on your way to post-work get-togethers. I’m so spoiled it's so close to the office. Speaking of after-work libations, my last foodie favorite is one that’s perfect for the warming temps. Every time I head north to Toronto, Dillion’s Distillery has become a must-stop on the way to the city. Located almost halfway between Buffalo and Toronto, the distillery not only produces some pretty original spirits, it's also an Instagrammers dream. My current fave? Their rose gin, perfect on ice with a splash of tonic for the warmer temps.  (Hills Market image via)

Beauty

What I love about my beauty faves this month is that all three of my picks I randomly stumbled upon while searching for something else. Example number 1: After wandering into a Walgreen’s to pick up some cold medicine (stupid March temps) I did a fly by of the beauty aisle because I couldn’t resist. This Rimmel bronzer randomly stood out on a featured display, with just a great no-nonsense bronzer without any shimmer. It’s perfect for adding a little warmth to my features, and way less severe than my other bronzer which I use as a contour. Example number 2: One of my all-time favorite stores is & Other Stories, and when I get the opportunity to visit one in person, I cherish it. On my last trip to DC, I happened upon their newish store in Georgetown, complete with a HUGE beauty section. After I was done drooling over Stories’ amazing shoe and bag department, I stumbled by the beauty aisles and snagged this duo blusher, the most perfect “pop of color” coral you could ask for. Example number 3: there’s not a week that goes by that I’m not browsing ASOS’ site - I love their fashion basics that just have that “it” factor. And since ASOS is like any other online retailer with their shipping policies, I’m often looking for small, inexpensive items to qualify my order for expedited shipping. My go-to department for these items is the beauty department, because they carry hard-to-find European and Korean brands, often at a super affordable price. My latest order “qualifier” is this Nip & Fab bee-sting fix lifting mask, which not only visibly plumps up my skin after I remove it, but leaves it amazingly soft. So soft, it's almost creepy how much I want to touch it, which of course means I love it. 

Entertainment

Is it me or is network tv just kind of “meh” right now? (Sorry, I don’t have HBO). Lately when it comes to my entertainment options, I’ve been looking for options outside of the big four networks, unless it is my beloved Saturday Night Live. In an era of tired tv jokes and even scarier tv news, SNL has become appointment tv for me, with Weekend Update a much-needed highlight after the events of the week. Speaking of funny people, my other comedian crush (after Colin Jost) Trevor Noah’s Netflix special was freaking FANTASTIC. His international background provides so much perspective personally to me, and his jokes are so smart compared to some of his peers. Plus who can resist jokes about drinking in Scotland? Not even the Scots. And lastly, in keeping with the British theme, I can’t stop listening to Ed Sheerhan’s latest record over and over. Castle in the Wind still remains a favorite of mine (and was featured on a previous playlist), and I’m obsessed with Save Myself. I can’t wait for his live show here in Columbus in October. 

Home

To throw out an overused word, this month has been all about the hygge for me. Between traveling, nursing a cold, and the overall March blah’s, I haven’t been doing much on the home front around my place and was more interested in being cozy and comfy than anything else. There’s no better way to cuddle up than under a great throw, and I’ve been eyeing these from Province of Canada for quite some time. One of my favorite Canadiana brands, I love how sleek these throws look, in a simple dark gray streamlined pattern. Adding to the gray/streamlined theme, while in DC I spotted these concrete candle holders from CB2, they’re the perfect traditional and modern hybrid, perfect for my bookshelf or table. I just wish I would’ve bought them then, turns out they’re only available in-store (#wompwomp). To round out the hygge-ness that was my month, this Cedar Stack candle from Boy Smells added the perfect smell of cozy after I tired of the balsam smells left over from winter. And the black glass holder looked great glowing on my tv console.