Hello, friends

Well, hello there. It’s been awhile, and I am alive and well.

Things have been a little crazy lately, and by lately, I really mean for the past seven months.

I was so busy that it wasn’t just blogging that fell under the radar.  It was everything related to blogging – cooking, and researching/blogging makeup, although part of that not buying was also due to my no-buy.  The only thing I managed to keep up with...barely…is my fitness and maintaining a relatively healthy diet.

But the good thing is, now my schedule is finally calming down for a few weeks at least (hopefully longer), so I can do some fun things again, like breaking my no-buy and actually cooking again.  I think for the past seven months, everything that I have cooked has been as unoriginal as possible, with me just throwing together the recipes that I knew worked and could take with me on the go.

I’ve tried keeping my Instagram somewhat updated, although I can see a few weeks where I went completely off the radar.  Honestly I just kind of forget to update my life, which annoys me more because I like recording the positive moments, my happiest moments, and I forget to do that sometimes.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m more about enjoying the moment than being constantly attached to my phone and camera, but there have been so many times when I go back through old pictures and fondly remember the smallest details of an event, or a trip, that I had completely forgotten about.  However, now that I have a little more time on my hands, I can hopefully change that around.

So here’s to a new start, even though it’s a few months late.

Well hello there....

Long time, no see!  I hope that all of you in the US had a great Thanksgiving full of food, family, and relaxation!  Despite my best intentions to keep up with all my food and beauty shenaniganing, school and work have taken over.  After Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Cyber Week and all the holiday deals that have been going on, I have been in shopping heaven, but my wallet has been slightly unhappy!  

We're reaching the final stretch and my frenzy of paper writing will be over in just a little over week, and then I can finally focus on what I love writing about best....all things beauty and food.

I've tried for weeks and weeks every month to get up a favorites post because I have been trying out so many new products, but alas, I have written with no success, so just hang in there!

For now, here's a little teaser of what I've been doing as a study break...

Hazelnut shortbread cookies.

Definitely not healthy; definitely not gluten-free; but most definitely made my family happy.  My baking addiction continues, even if I'm not eating it.  But don't worry, I snuck in a couple (unsuccessful) GF versions myself ;)

Some more changes on the blog

Helllloo everyone!  Notice something different here?  I've done some changes on the layout and details of the blog to make everything hopefully much more simple and easy to follow.

Other than the aesthetic changes to the header, I've added some labels in the links at the top of the page so that you can find the type of posts you're looking for.  I know that some people are more interested in beauty than food, or travel over beauty, etc, so this will filter out everything else that you're not so interested in!  There are always links on the side bar so you can exactly what you're looking for (like a certain brand or certain destination), as well!

In addition, don't forget that you can also keep up with everything through:

Bloglovin'

Instagram

Pinterest

Enjoy!

When getting lost is easier said than done...

Hello from Barcelona!

Yep, just over one year later, I'm back in Barcelona. I loved it so much I just couldn't stay away.  The vibrant culture, friendly people, and beautiful city made me completely fall in love with the city.  

Planning this trip didn't exactly go as planned.  I had originally planned to use Barcelona as a base and then travel down the coast of Spain, eventually ending up in Tangier, Morocco before flying out to Germany.  However, due to lack of time and resources (aka trying to make my money go as far as possible), I decided to stay in Barcelona and explore more of the city beyond just the touristy areas.  

So, after finding a (great) host through Airbnb in an area outside of central Barcelona, I set off. After being here for a few days, I'm starting to love the city even more.  There's a relaxed languid way in how people live their lives while still getting everything done that is so different from life in DC or New York where everything is go go go and so serious sometimes.  After living in DC for a few years and growing up near New York my whole life I admit that I have become accustomed to living life like that.  When I walk on the street, I'm practically racing the other people around me to get to where I need to be, the downside being that I forget to look around me and notice the little things - like flowers on the street, the uniqueness of certain buildings, or even what people are wearing (more on that later).  It's a common but oft forgotten idea that one has to look at old things (meaning: my town) through new eyes, and after noticing all the buildings, people, and other little nuances of Barcelona, I'm inspired to take a little more time walking around if I don't need to rush somewhere.

Now on another note, the fashion here is so different than what I'm used to.  It's something I noticed the first time last time I was here, but I really did some more looking around these past few days.  It's just so colorful.  It's the complete opposite of what I usually see in DC - I see a lot of color, drapey, and lively fashion.  I wish I had taken pictures, but I feel a little awkward taking photos of people on the street when there's nothing else around...  It may just be because it's summer time, but I love how fun all the clothes look. 

All the photos below were all taken in central "touristy" Barcelona by Las Ramblas and Barri Gotic.  Although I've been staying in a quieter area, I wanted to take some time wandering around some of the famous sights, specifically in Barri Gotic.  The seemingly endless streets and alley ways beg to explored with little shops hidden all over them.  I took on the day with the intention of wandering around the different streets, letting them take me wherever I ended up...

I was successful to some point, but after an afternoon and evening of walking, I found it suprisingly easy to get back where I started without the use of signs.  That's a great thing, since I never reached the point of needing to look for one, but I realized that getting lost in this area of Barcelona is easier said than done.  Even then, walking down random streets and finding different stores without a set schedule is one of the greatest feelings I have while traveling.  But instead of rambling on in the same way I wandered around, I'll let the photos do the talking...

Academics, achievements, memories, and beyond: the post-graduation reflection post you've all been waiting for

So...you may have all noticed that I've been a little quiet with my posts lately.  Part of that is explained by the most brutal weeks of finals I have ever encountered.  All my final papers, exams, and assignments absolutely killed me this semester.  I don't think I've ever been so sleep deprived, exhausted, or frustrated with school.

Then as soon as finals were over and before I really had a chance to recover, it was graduation...a weekend that flew by with ceremonies, receptions, family, and dinners.  In the midst of these activities, I couldn't help but be, like many others, a little sentimental about my time at college.

Three years ago, I stepped onto campus bright-eyed and excited for my future, convinced it would last forever.  I embraced college life - the dorms, the friends, the classes, the campus, DC, everything.  I became completely absorbed into student life in DC - I had friends, passion for what I was studying.  I loved my classes, my professors, and the intellectual challenges that I encountered.  Freshman year flew by in a flurry of classes, new friends, and new experiences, and before I knew it, I was jetting off into Central and South America on my first study abroad trip. In that summer, many things happened, but among them was a sense of finding out who I was and becoming comfortable with it.  That feeling has only grown stronger over the past two years as I've slowly started to discover what I like, what I don't like, and what I want for myself.  Do I know who I am now?  Will I ever know who I am?  Probably not.  But I take comfort in knowing that I will always be figuring it out in search of finding out what makes me me and becoming more comfortable with the uncertainty of never knowing exactly who I am.

I walked into college knowing I would graduate in three years, but I did not anticipate how quickly those three years would fly.  It seems like yesterday that I was meeting my roommate, and now we're both moving on together onto bigger and better things.  It also seems like yesterday that I landed in Berlin, Germany for my study abroad and felt instantly like I had finally found a place where I belonged, even though I had never been there before.

 Over the past year, I've convinced myself that my upcoming year at the school would be like a senior year; after all, it would be my fourth year at school.  But I'm realizing now that it won't be the same.  I will be a graduate student, taking a different load of courses, interacting with different people in my classes, and away from my friends that graduated with me.  It's time to accept that my undergraduate career is over; that although I will be here another year, the three years that I thought would last for forever have quickly come to an end.  It even seems like yesterday that I started my fall semester, entering my first graduate level class and becoming both a graduate and undergraduate student, completely sure of what I was doing yet totally terrified and underestimating myself.  This year was hard. I was challenged emotionally and mentally in ways that I had never experienced before.  I was stretched to my limits academically and somehow found myself (miraculously, at times) meeting those challenges.

When I look back on my years, I know they have been filled with yes, lots of academics and all-nighters and papers, but they have also been filled with accomplishments, challenges, friendships, and invaluable memories.  I would not be the person I am today without the friendship and support of various classmates, colleagues, and professors.  Without them, I would not have made it through the long nights of homework and stressful exam seasons without completely losing it.  I've completely changed since I entered college, and I consider that a good thing.  Equal parts more sure of myself and even more uncertain of myself,  my college career has ended, and I'm ready to move on to bigger things.

A Little Haul (NYX and Real Techniques) and What Goes On A Face - FOTD

I don't know what spring break means for you - but it certainly doesn't mean sitting in my room writing a paper the entire week.  Alas, my spring break was not full of sun, beaches, warm weather, or too much of a "break," at all, but at the end of the day, I'm actually glad I had time to work on my homework without having to worry about class for a week. (Note that this is the life of an overachieving nerd, and I'm desperately hoping it will all pay off in the end)  

BUT, I did manage to get a few things done. Beauty-related things, too!  I bought makeup for the first time since January...a BIG deal for someone as beauty and makeup obsessed as me.  And I only managed to spend $20..not too bad, right?  

Here's the damage:

To see more details (and swatches), as well as how I incorporated these into a look (plus a haircut), keep reading!

Taking care of some "business"

You know that feeling when you have absolutely nothing to do - no deadlines, appointments, or major stressors?  Yeah.  That's what I'm feeling right now.  Less than a week before my semester starts again, I'm finally beginning my winter break after handing in something for a major deadline.

With some free time on my hands, I've been taking care of some things on my laptop - easily forgotten, shoved in a corner things like clearing up my never-ending bookmarked pages, cleaning up my emails, updating the little things on my blog (helllooo, I have a new about me, and a much cleaner consolidated "follow me" section for my various social media sites). They're things that don't necessarily take long on their own, but put together...I've been on my laptop non-stop all day.

One of the things I've been meaning to update is my Pinterest account.  I confess, it's not my most visited site, but it has its merits...like posting all my recipes in one place. I've updated all my boards with things I actually want (new wishlist), food ideas that I've found and tried in various places (breakfast ideas, desserts, and every other type of recipe), and I'm in the process of uploading my my own recipes.  This will be an easier way of finding everything food related without having to search through my entire blog.

I'm happy to say I'm still not addicted to Pinterest, even after spending the entire day on the site, but it's safe to say that I have a whole new appreciation for it!  I will eventually be adding other things, but for now, food has been a big-enough project.  

Now for the next couple days of break while I have time, I'll be busy working on some new posts, so stay tuned!

Reflections on 2013 and Looking Into 2014

Without a doubt, 2013 has been an incredible year for me. 

It was a transformative year of personal reflection, growth, and discovery.    Just to name a few things, I traveled abroad, explored a new culture, discovered a sense of belonging, set up new fitness goals and stuck with them, took on graduate school, and had an amazing internship experience.  None of these were without their challenges, but it is with these challenges that I have grown as a person and become a step closer to the person I want to be.  

 

While it seems like I disappeared off the earth to probably a lot of people (heck, it seems like I was more anti-social this year than ever before), I took time this year to focus on myself – to accomplish goals I had set for myself, to find and do what made ME happy, and not let other people affect what I believed was the right thing to do.  I could not have asked for a better year in making changes in my own life and being one step closer on a never-ending journey to discovering what makes me me.  

Here's a look at what I'm most proud of this year:

1. Finding a place and time where I was completely happy
2.  Experiencing new cultures and being spontaneous and living life to the fullest
3. Being accepted to my university’s graduate program and doing well in some of the most challenging courses I've ever taken
4. Eating clean 70-80% of the time and improving my cooking
5. Fitnessfitnessfitness.  Remaining completely dedicated; starting heavy-lifting even though I'm still learning, sticking to a good schedule  (and seeing its results!)
6. Getting an internship I’ve always wanted
7. Starting a blog!  A failed resolution from 2012...
8. Improving my time management (note: it takes some extreme organization to manage being a full-time student with graduate and undergraduate courses, having an internship, a part-time job, going to the gym 6 times a week, AND still getting sleep).

And here are my top moments in picture form - scattered in here are some of my happiest and most photo worthy moments with a heavy focus on my travel around Europe!

Now here's what I hope to do for 2014, with lots of room for interpretation:

1. Keep improving my fitness even more (specifically, my deadlifts, pull-ups, planks, and running)
2. Run some type of race – whether it is a 10k or even a 5k! I’m not sure I could manage a half marathon..yet.
3. Continue sticking with my clean eating, but this time with less stress eating - finals week I'm looking at you.
4. Travel to Europe again and travel on my own.
5. Take more risks without a fear of rejection - like applying for a totally out there internship or job without being held back by the fact that I feel under qualified.

I prefer not to call these "resolutions" because that decreases the chance of me actually doing them!  Stick around this year to see my goals accomplished? :)

Happy (late) New Years to everyone!

Hang in There!

Once again, I'm sorry for disappearing for so long!  School and work has the habit of getting in the way.

Please stay tuned for some good stuff!

More specifically, bear with me as I prepare to torture you with what I've acquired from the Sephora VIB Sale, as well as some other products I've picked up (and have been loving) recently.

For the mean time, here are some random things that I have been up to:

Exploring downtown DC on a perfect fall day

The sunset over Georgetown - I love coming down here to collect my thoughts!

Just a few street signs I stumble upon in DC...

Exploring the Dupont Circle farmers market means finding amazing empanadas!

As for music, I have been ABSOLUTELY obsessed with Ellie Goulding.  I mean, I've always liked her, but for some reason I can't stop listening to her recently.

Have you seen the video for the Bassnectar remix of Lights? I can't stop staring.....

 Stay tuned, and thank you for being so patient!

Updates and changes...A whole lot of random!

While I'm on a short break from school,I thought I'd take the time to catch up on some recent beauty, food, and life updates. My life has been a whirlwind of school and work, and while I love it, it's incredibly draining and challenging. Must of the week my schedule is packed from 7am to 8pm, and by the time the weekend arrives, all I can think about doing is sleeping.

I've made a couple small changes to this blog, mostly just some formatting and adding a new header and footer.  They're some small changes, but I like the extra details they add.  Let me know what you think of them!  

If you've been following my Instagram, you would still see any food pictures that I have, but my cooking experiments have also been drastically reduced. Although it's been ages since I've made anything noteworthy, here are still a few updates of what I've been up to recently....


Some baked pumpkin spice oatmeal:

It was ridiculously simple, following this recipe from Skinnytaste.com.  It was a great breakfast/snack/dessert, and I loved pairing it with some peanut butter, as well!  I may try this with quinoa in the future just to mix things up a bit.

Going home for a weekend now seems like much more of a luxury than it did before.  I can relax, use my parent's (large!) kitchen, watch TV, and forget about school for just a little bit.  However, I think I might like the FOOD the best of all! There's nothing like having a fully stocked pantry and refrigerator to play around in.  Trying to figure out what to do with a gigantic head of cauliflower, I decided to try out some cauliflower crust pizza, with homemade tomato sauce (my first ever!) and sausage, mushrooms, spinach, and mozzerella cheese on top.

It was pretty successful, except I don't think I let the crust bake enough, and the sauce could have used another 20 minutes of simmering to become thicker.  However, it tasted JUST like a real pizza, only without all the carbs!  The only downside was that this took my a better part of the afternoon to prepare the sauce and the cauliflower.  It turns out that wringing moisture out from pulverized cauliflower takes a lot longer than I thought...

Read after the jump to see more pictures and other happenings in my life

Catching up FOTD (again) and One Last Smoothie

This past week was a whirlwind of trying to finish my final for my online class and packing to move back to DC.  Just these two have left me with barely enough time to do anything else, but things should be calming down soon.

Now that I'm leaving home, I won't have my VitaMix, so my smoothie making will have to become more simple and basic, but I managed to make one last smoothie:

Keep reading to see my most recent FOTD and what I used for this cleansing smoothie!

Quick FOTD and update!

 Road trip prepping is hard work. I despise eating fast food and will do anything to avoid it when I'm on the road. This led me to prepare snacks and easy car meals (i.e. zucchini pasta) for the better part of the night last night. Chopped peppers, celery, no-bake energy bites (pictures of that coming soon), zucchini pasta, and fruit galore! As a result, I didn't start packing until midnight, after which I was already half asleep and could not bear the thought of typing up my intended post of my favorite travel items. On another note, if you follow my instagram, you'll see that I got my haircut...finally. Instead of my normal you-can-barely-tell-i-got-a-haircut trim, I chopped off about 5 inches and had it thinned out a bit, something I haven't done in awhile. I think this length suits me better, but its not as effortless and requires a bit more thought and styling sometimes. Gone are the days where I can just let it be free and completely natural, but I really only need a styling cream in addition to my leave-in conditioner now, so I shouldn't be complaining. I don't have to style it, but it does look better straightened or curled. I'm kind of excited to curl it again, as I didn't like my longer, thicker hair curled before, but I generally hate styling my hair.. I have NO idea how I used to do it everyday in high school, and I haven't actually used heat on my hair for almost two years now unless its a special occasion. As a result, my hair has been visibly healthier, shinier, stronger, and split-end free, so hopefully I can still keep the heat styling to a minimum.

Now that I've blabbered on, here is my FOTD with a picture of my new length. Its quite similar to my old cut, but there are more layers, angles, and its been thinned out a little.

Since my makeup was already packed, I used completely different products today, and also tried out the Physician's Formula Eye Booster Liquid Eyeliner, since my favorite Maybelline Eye Stiletto is running out.

First Impressions: Is this supposed to be Ultra Black? I had to go over the lines multiple times to make it as black as my Maybelline liner. Maybe I just got a dud, but the color payoff is not impressing me. What is impressing is the fine tipped brush that makes it really easy to draw a thin line.

Products Used-
Face:
Revlon Colorstay Mousse Foundation (discontinued) mixed with a little bit of MAC Face and Body for color
Revlon Photoready Cream Blush in Coral Reef
Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer
Sonia Kashuk Barely There Loose Powder
Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Light Bronzer
Sugar Gingerbread Blush (discontinued)
Benefit SunBeam highlighter
ELF Golden Bronzer


Eyes:
NYX HD Eye Primer
L'oreal HIP Eyeshadow Stick (discontinued, color name rubbed off)
Sonia Kashuk Perfectly Neutral palette: champagne shade and brown on lower lid
Physicians Formula Eye Booster Eyeliner
Max Factor False Lash Effect WP


Lips:
Neutrogena Moisture Shine in Nectar (discontinued)
Vincent Longo Lipgloss in Dolce


Posts on my energy bites (or the new crack, this stuff is amazing), travel makeup, and pictures of my favorite place in the world (or at least the US) coming soon!

Experimenting with green smoothies...

Having a vitamix at home is something I'm definitely going to miss when I go back to college.  They effortlessly make smoothies and juices, turning them into a perfect liquid where other blenders can only purify.

I love making all types of smoothies, especially a post workout peanut butter and chocolate protein smoothie, but today I felt a little more adventurous.  

I made a green smoothie from things I had around my kitchen...possibly a recipe for disaster, but I say my only downfall was that I made far too much for just two people.  Try three or four...

 That moment you have so many ingredients, you need to blend half of them together first to make room for the other half

 Already half gone!  Oops.

mmmmmmh....

Here's what I used for what ended up being 3-4 servings

4 c. spinach
2 medium/large pears
2 medium bananas
1 large apple
3/4 lemon, juiced (told you I took what I had laying around..)
1 c. cold water

It was originally just going to be bananas, pears, and spinach, but then I added too much spinach, which caused me to add another apple, which caused the quantity to go way over the intended two.

I confess, I'm after all the qualities a green smoothies can give - better skin, better energy, with a ton of nutrients added in, but it was absolutely delicious.  Spinach flavor, gone.  Hallelujah!