Ice, Ice, Baby

Wintry mani inspired by this freakish October snowstorm. Chanel Riva with Deborah Lippmann's Today Was a Faity Tale glittery accent nail. I'm in love with this pale blue polish.

Trim the Tresses

Best way to end a grueling week? With a relaxing color and cut at my favorite neighborhood salon, of course! I was long overdue for a trim and I'm always amazed at how much better I feel afterwards. Crossing my fingers that this forecasted snowstorm completely misses us this weekend. I'm not ready for winter yet!

First Flakes

Yes, those are snow flakes on my fleece and I'm not happy about it. Pre-Halloween snow is way too soon!

Drink Naked

I slurped down some of this coconut water today in an effort to get more potassium and alleviate some leg cramping I've been experiencing (thank you, pilates). Because we all know I'm not getting my potassium from bananas. In other news, it's currently snowing outside. And if that's not bad enough, my sister is laying on a beach in Cabo somewhere sipping a tropical umbrella drink.
How rude.

Pick Me Up

I'm pretty sure I need some fresh flowers to brighten up my apartment this weekend. I can't take this cold, snowy weather anymore. The temperature isn't going to get above 40 for the next 10 days (at least). I thought the arrival of April meant warmer weather and rain showers, not snow flurries! I wish my sister could stuff me in her suitcase when she goes to Cabo next week.

Mother Nature Is Mad

Why else would she send snow on the first official day of spring? I tried to ignore it most of the day, but at one point I was driving on the highway and it was like a whiteout! Luckily it only stuck to the grass, but I really miss those mild temps we got a taste of last week.

Come back, spring!

Frothy Pumpkin Icee

This is such a healthy and refreshing drink and it tastes just like pumpkin pie! It reminded me a little bit of snow ice cream, which my dad used to make for me and my sisters when we were younger. The recipe is so simple. I just combined 3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk, a few tablespoons of pure canned pumpkin, a capful of vanilla extract, some pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon works too) and some honey or agave nectar to sweeten it up in a blender and gave it a spin. It's perfect as a light dessert or even as a mid-afternoon snack. I only wish I had a dollop of whipped cream to top it off!

Unexpected Snow Day Fun

one of the best flicks I've seen in a while!

Covered Bridge

Spotted this today on the cross country trail. Kind of reminded me of something out of a fairy tale!

Bartlett Woods

Snowy Hope Street

Day Twenty-Five: A First, In Great Detail

Last January marked the first time in my entire life that I had ever tried skiing. I've roller skated and ice skated multiple times and had lots of sledding adventures, but never tried skiing. Nothing that I've done before really compares to it. I did all the basic research (layering for the weather, proper equipment, and stopping techniques), but actually doing it was hard to prepare for. I think you have to be willing to fall. A lot. And that was a little daunting for me. After two full days of lessons and countless trips down the kiddie slope, I felt okay. Just okay. I certainly wasn't ready to take on any of the major trails, but I had built up some confidence and could make turns and stop without falling on my face. I also used muscles that I didn't even know I had. That weekend marked the first time in years that I learned to like oatmeal and my very first time being in a New England ski town. So I guess a lot of good came out of learning to ski and taking some falls.


I'm going again this January (which I'm both excited and nervous about), and I hope to remember some of the basic skills that I managed to pick up last year. I think the hardest part is just letting yourself "go" and not try to over think every single move. I found myself being really jerky with my movements and not getting a fluid feeling until towards the end of the second day. I also blame one of my instructors for making me go on the lift just two hours into my first lesson. Ever. It was mildly traumatic. The good news is that if I have a total meltdown on the bunny slope I can always go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing (good workouts, too!).

Do you have any tips for beginning skiers like myself?

Bundle Up

It's still cold and wintry here in New England, but that's okay because I recently discovered the most adorable hats and mittens! I stumbled across the Knitwits collection at a record shop in Providence and I was instantly in love. Knitwits is based in Ontario and they've designed hats and matching mittens that look like different animals. My absolute favorite is the owl, with the penguin coming in at a close second. Their website is not the best, but if you google the company name, you can find other online vendors. The hats and mittens are made for the whole family and they seem to be high-quality products (made from New Zealand wool). I love them. I especially love the creative name of their company. I want them all!

What's your favorite Knitwit design?

Let It Snow

So I've been enjoying my very first snow day this year by catching up on movies and reading but the only thing missing is the snow! We were supposed to get up to sixteen inches here in Providence starting at six this morning but it never came. Everyone was in a panic yesterday afternoon-schools closed and the grocery store was a mad house--but it was all for nothing! The snow actually just started falling about an hour ago and now we're only supposed to get about four inches. No sweat for the insane plow force here in New England. I've been texting with both of my sisters throughout the day (they're down in DC) and they have crazy cabin fever. DC has seen an astounding 30+ inches of snow in the past week! It's more than they even know how to begin to deal with. At least our new puppy, Carter, is enjoying himself!

Hope everyone is staying nice and toasty!
taylor