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. 

5 Things I'm thinking about this week

One of my favourite Sunday reads is “Hi Everyone with Hillary Kerr”. Hillary has been a trusted fashion editor for years, one whose recommendations I’ve grown to love and trust over the years. Her newsletter this past Sunday titled “5 Things You Should Read, Shop, Watch, Try, and Make Right Now” inspired me to write my own version this week.

My take is probably going to be a little more window shopping, and a little less buying and reviewing; I’m very much in a less-consumption, more-decluttering state right now. But sharing inspirations and ideas never hurt anyone, so lets see where this goes!

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1. Lawless Lip Plumping Line-Smoothing Tinted Lip Balm: in a world full of matte lipsticks, I’m a tinted lip balm. The colours on these new Lawless ones look gorgeous, I especially have my eye on Lover. And the lip-plumping benefits are chef’s kiss, who doesn’t love your lips but better? The best part? They’re a Hillary rec, so I might as well “add to cart” right now.

2. Daisy Jones & The Six: the hype on this show seems to be everywhere, so I really hope that it’s good. From fashion, to beauty, to music, it seems everyone has thier eye on this miniseries to shape our tastes and culture this Spring. I do love me a musical tv show, so I think I’m going to have to check this one out this Friday.

3. By Malene Birger Vannah Scarf: I can NOT get this scarf out of my head. I’ve been eyeing since the after-Christmas sales and I just might have to pull the trigger. I love how long and cozy it is, and it’s got a substantial weight to it too. I’m also not convinced that we’re not done with winter here, and I want to upgrade my scarf game, so maybe its time to make her mine?

4. HOKA Clifton 8 Running Shoe: I think I really need a new pair of running shoes. Achy knees after longer walks on the weekend sure aren’t sexy, so I think I might be time to upgrade my shoe game. I’ve heard great things about HOKA’s and these are on sale

5. Jenny Bird Sofia Choker: I have a 20% off coupon to JB that expires at the end of the month, and I really think I might use it on this necklace. I’ve been mixing metals in my outfits a lot more lately, and I love how this choker lets you choose one metal or the other, or both! Stay tuned.

What I'm looking forward to this February

I’m a few days late on here, but I’m holding myself accountable to look towards the positive for our new month. Reflecting back for a moment on January…

Six on Tour was AMAZING. Full of girl power and cast that oozed charisma, it was 80 minutes of fun, and the soundtrack is constantly streaming in my home. My Apple watch challenge for January was 17 outdoor walks and I managed to complete it! The fresh air and sunshine was a godsend for my mental health to kick off the new year. And we really lucked out with some mild weather (which I never thought I’d be grateful for!). I know we won’t get this lucky in February. The one thing I didn’t get to in January was soup! But I’m looking forward to digging into my cookbooks this month, or maybe try one of these.

1. Our Blooming Youth. I’ll always make time for a new Park Hyung-Sik drama, especially if its a romance! This will be the perfect cozy treat during the week.

2. All the rom coms! I’m not as pumped for the Superbowl or the Grammy’s as I have been in years past, but what I am pumped for is all the rom-coms that release this month. I love the frothy escape they provide and I’m especially excited for the Reese/Ashton one.

3. 6pm sunsets. Give me all the daylight! The perks of being on the west side of EST is our late sunsets. Soon I’ll be able to get in more walks after work as the sun sets later, and I can’t wait. soon i’ll get more walk after works.

4. Retreat Fashion. It’s corporate retreat month at my job. These days have a tendency to be a lot for my introverted self, but the one positive they do offer is a chance to play with fashion. Playing with a more relaxed silhouette sounds fund, and I’m excited to see what I come up with.

5. A day off! Speaking of said retreats - I’m treating myself to a day off shortly after one of them. I’m excited to decompress, maybe catch up with a friend, and have a well-deserved ME day.

6. Valentine’s Day Candy - on my unofficial candy rankings, Valentine’s Day candy comes in at a solid #2. Easter, of course, is number one, (mini-eggs, DUH), but the plethora of dark chocolate the Valentine’s Day brings to the table is second to none. Isn’t dark chocolate the kind that’s good for you too?

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.
  
  

Favourite Purchases of 2022

One of the reasons I love shopping so much is the chance to discover something new. A new piece of fashion, a new beauty product, even a trip to a new destination all provide the opportunity to try something and even transform into something new.

Without further ado, here are some of my favourite purchases of 2022.

1. Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray: during the summer heat and after a weeklong trip to Canada where masks were still mandated, my skin started to FREAK. OUT. I had been watching Katie Jane Hughes use this spray in her instagram stories for awhile and pulled the trigger on trying it. This stuff lives up to its name, it calmed the freakouts on my skin, balanced it back to normal, and now has become a staple item in my morning skincare routing. Highly recommend.

2. Coldplay Music of the Spheres Concert tickets: when one of my favourite bands schedules a show for my birthday, its a no-brainer that I’ll purchase tickets no matter where they play. Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres show was a transcendant experience, three hours of the band’s hit songs coupled with a light show the rivals any other. The trek to Atlanta made it all the more special, with a chance to re-explore and fall back in love with a city I hadn’t visited in years.

3. Zara Wool Blend Black Maxi Skirt: yes I inadvertently purchased the maxi that went viral on Instagram, but it’s so easy to see why. A sturdy suited material, a flattering mid-rise waist and belt loops (!) made this maxi skirt one of the most versatile pieces in my wardrobe this fall. It was effortless to style, dressed up comfy everyday basics, and added a dose to posh and confidence to all my WFO looks.

4. Kindersalmon Mia Oversized Bag: I LOVE my hybrid work schedule, but it does require quite a bit of schlepping of stuff back-and-forth during the week. And while I love a structured leather bag for the office, I just couldn’t handle a work bag that literally weighed me down multiple times a week. I came across this oversized hobo while browsing one of my favourite online shops earlier this year and I couldn’t hit purchase fast enough. It’s lightweight, yet classic, and the touch of leather provides the polish to take this into any boardroom I need to travel too.

5. La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 60 Sunscreen Stick: once you own a sunscreen stick, you never, ever have an excuse to leave the house without it again. I picked this stick up at Shopper’s Drug Mart in Canada upon recommendation of one of their beauty advisors, and I’m already researching how to repurchase it without crossing the border because I love it so much much. It makes applying sunscreen so easy, but even better, the sunscreen wears like a dream for workouts. It’s thick but not greasy, and best of all doesn’t run down your face at the first sign a sweat.