Happy fall! Even though I don’t get to experience it quite like I used to back on the east coast, Fall is still my favorite season. With the holidays right around the corner, I wanted to do a quick post to share some of my favorite seasonal necessities with you! Check back soon for a a holiday gift guide!

Candles:

Sweater Trends:

Long Knit Cardigan

Chunky Frayed and Fringe Sweaters

Teddy Sweaters

Fall Lip Colors:

Bare Minerals Matte Liquid Lipcolor – Juicy

NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment – London Calling

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

Hi everyone! I know that I’ve been slacking on blog posts lately, however that’s because I’ve been fulfilling a promise that I made to myself at the beginning of the year. That promise was to travel more and I’ve been doing my best to make that happen.

My most recent travels took me on an unforgettable adventure and showed me one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen. I took a short, but well worth it trip to Alaska, which is somewhere that I never knew should be on everyone’s bucket list. From camping on the beach in Homer, to halibut fishing and brewery hopping, this was one I’ll never forget. We saw volcanos, glaciers, sea otters and the Northern lights.

The trip started off with a 12-hour layover in Seattle, which was a blessing in disguise because I was able to reconnect with an old friend and explore a city that I’ve never been to before! We took the train from the airport in Seattle down to the super touristy area of Pike Place Market where we saw the “throwing of the fish” and then sat and had a beer overlooking the water. We had an awesome brunch at Matt’s in the Market filled with great cocktails and the best fish sandwiches I’ve ever had! This place is located above the market and is famous for their Pacific Northwest cuisine and their BOMB bloody Mary’s. After wandering around the city and finding the best view we could, we ended up at Elliot’s Oyster House. The food and drinks were out of this world, but the view was what really got me. Sitting on a pier overlooking the water while slurping down oysters is a great place to be. To sum it all up, There’s nothing better than a day-trip adventure, but I’ll definitely be back to Seattle to do some more exploring.

We made it to Alaska late that night and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hit up an Anchorage dive bar. It was everything you’d imagine a crappy bar in Alaska to be, along with locals buying us rounds of beer. The next morning we took a four hour drive to Homer and set up camp on the beach for the night. One thing I noticed about this state is how friendly and trustworthy everyone seems to be. We bought firewood at some stop along the road and paid for it by dropping money in a box. So many things here seem to be based on the honor system, which is very unusual and refreshing to see.

Sleeping in a tent on the beach and watching the sunset (around 9pm at that point) and sunrise was incredible, but the highlight of my trip was the halibut fishing. We got on a boat at 7 in the morning and fished all day long with a couple of strangers and a local who was our captain for the day. While it was a bit more gruesome than I’d imagined, we had the best time taking in the sites and enjoying the beautiful weather.

If you’re ever in Homer be sure to hit up the Salty Dog Saloon. It’s a tiny bar that even I had to duck through the doorway to get into. The walls are covered in dollar bills that patrons have written on and it’s a great spot to get some local Alaskan brewed beer. I didn’t realize how big beer and breweries were in Alaska until visiting. That night, our captain and a few of his local friends joined us at the campfire where we got to see some faint views of the Northern Lights which were more than enough for me.

Overall, my take away from this trip was how important it is to be open minded when it comes to traveling. Sleeping on a bed full of rocks and watching a 40 pound fish be filleted may not have been my first idea of a vacation, but it was most definitely the best one I’ve ever had.

Happy Friday everyone! I wanted to share a few products with you that have been more recent finds that I’m liking a lot! I love trying out new products and whenever they work really well for me, I definitely want to share them. Here are a few things that I’ve been using quite a bit recently.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout Concealer

I’ve been using this product for the past 4-5 months and I don’t see myself replacing it any time soon. I don’t use this as an under eye concealer, just on breakout spots that need to be covered up. What I really like about this concealer is that it’s much more lightweight than ones I had been using before. It doesn’t feel like you’re putting anything on when applying it, but somehow it blends and covers my spots up flawlessly! The great thing is that this product not only conceals, but also acts as a drying lotion to help heal your breakouts at the same time.

St. Tropez Gradual Tan + Sculpt and Glow Lotion

I’ve been using St. Tropez tanning products for a long time, but had never tried any of their lotions before this one. Usually I’ve found that when using a tanning lotion it takes a while for me to notice a difference and I have to keep reapplying it often. I’ve been using this lotion in conjunction with a new spray tanning product and I have to say that this stuff is awesome. I apply this lotion on nights that I’m not using the tanning spray, just to keep building the tan. This stuff is great because you can do it just as fast as you would putting on normal lotion, just make sure to use a tanning mit or wash your hands after. Whenever I put this stuff on at night, I wake up in the morning noticing a difference. It gives a really nice glow that isn’t orange or streaky whatsoever.

Tone It Up Protein Bites

These things have been my go-to nighttime snack recently. This is a great guilt-free way to have something healthy and still feel like you’re having dessert. There are a few different flavors, but the chocolate brownie are my absolute favorite! The only store you’ll be able to find these at right now is Target. You can also order them online through the Tone It Up website. If you haven’t heard about Tone It Up…it is a fitness community started by two women who share daily workouts, recipes and motivation. I plan on doing another post soon on more about this topic!

Oribe Flash Form Finishing Spray Wax

That’s a long name I know, but it does just that! I was turned on to this product by my hairdresser the last time I got a trim because it’s what she was using to style my hair. I’ve been a big fan of the Oribe texturizing spray for a long time which is a similar product, but I was made aware that they are for slightly different purposes. This stuff is awesome because it gives that perfect “piecey” textured look. Instead of spraying it all over my hair I focus mainly on the ends. Once I’ve sprayed it I will sort of twist and shape the ends of my hair to how I want them. This product might seem like a lot for a hairspray, but it saves me from having to re-curl my hair every day in between washes and it lasts a really long time!

Corkcicle Stemless Wine Glasses

These things are great especially for this time of year! Whether it’s the beach, pool or a picnic it’s nice to have a substitute for glassware other than plastic cups. These cups are cool because you keep them in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to use them. If you have a bottle of wine that isn’t quite cold enough yet these will chill it instantly and keep it cold for a long time!

There’s nothing better than a refreshing cocktail on a warm Summer day. Sure, beer and wine are great, but I wanted to share some ideas to give a try if you’re looking to spruce up a fun backyard barbecue or Summer shindig.

I tried to make all of the recipes that I’ll be sharing as simple as possible so that you won’t feel overwhelmed trying to make it or have to break the bank. What’s great about keeping it simple is that it also keeps things light and on the healthier side! My first recipe for you is the Blackberry Bramble. If vodka isn’t your favorite, feel free to substitute for another liquor!

What You’ll Need:

Blackberries

Vodka

Lemon Juice

Honey

Soda Water

Mint or rosemary for garnish

Instructions:

In a cocktail mixer muddle 4 blackberries. If you don’t have a cocktail shaker that is okay! You can just muddle the ingredients in the bottom of the glass you’ll be serving the drink in. After you’ve got these ingredients in, add 2 ounces of vodka, 3/4 oz. of lemon juice and 1/2 oz. of honey. If the honey you’re using is too thick try mixing it with a little hot water. You can also use simple syrup in substitute for the honey. Once you’ve got those ingredients in, throw some ice in the shaker and shake away! Next, pour the ingredients over ice into your serving glass and top that off with a little soda water. Garnish with a blackberry and mint leaf! The serving size is for one cocktail, so you can either make one at a time or just multiply the serving size of each to make more. If you plan on making a bunch of cocktails this Summer you should definitely invest in a cocktail shaker and jigger. You can find some really budget friendly ones at either TJ Maxx or on Amazon. Leave a comment if you have any questions!