Seacoast Apartments

I've been in the market for a new apartment. Originally I was looking to move to down town Portsmouth. Why? It's down town, everything is down town. Portsmouth is a beautiful city with a rich history and full of wonderful architecture. It's a very car friendly city with a fair amount of parking at no cost if you know where to look. Now some of you may be rolling your eyes as you think back to your first apartment and how frustrating it was finding it and going through the process of securing it and signing mountains of paperwork. Some of you may be thinking back and saying to yourself gee that was the best, my first apartment. Well my first apartment was an experience I would like to forget. I was overpaying for a small one bedroom in someones house. My landlord wasn't the best although she was very kind and there was this dog that constantly barked all day and night.

Finding an apartment on the seacoast is much easier harder than most places. The major draw back is that the seacoast is prime real estate everything is very expensive. For instance a one bedroom apartment in down town Portsmouth could cost anywhere from $900-1700 without utilities give or take some. You see my frustration? I'm not saying I can't afford a nice place but right now I'm not looking to spend that much. I think the idea of living with someone else that you can have fun with is great. Not to mention how nice it is to split the rent.

That said a few weeks ago I was visiting a good high school of mine at UNH and we got to talking. Long and short of it she asked me to move in with her. She was part of a group of 5 people whom I almost all know and love. I was so excited for the opportunity to move in with a bunch of friends that I went on a shopping spree...small shopping spree.

Now almost 4 weeks later I just put down a security deposit on this gorgeous 3 story house in down town Dover. This house is just darling. It's older like classic New England old but I love that. The kitchen is all updated with new appliances. There are 2 bathrooms both with showers and 1 with a claw foot tub! Can anyone say the best winter tubs!? All the rooms are fairly good sized at least suitable for me which can be a pretty tall order to fill. There is a big back yard with a fire pit and a driveway for 3 cars. This house even has a bar with a built in kegerator with beer tap. This house is so perfect and I'm just ecstatic!

P.S.
There will be pictures coming soon!

Sperry's

As I gear up for School and moving out I thought I would treat myself to a little shopping. I'm a huge procrastinator so the fact that I reward myself for even the smallest feats definitely contributes to my shopping addiction. The other day I went to the Kittery outlets with a few friends. I ended up leaving with a pair of Sperry's that I'm so in love with I just had to share.

These Sperry's are just perfect for warm Spring days and of course Summer. The color is more of a Winter white but they are definitely a style for Spring/Summer. The gold and the mesh on the sides without the padding on the inside is what sold me on these. The price? An even better reason to get them. I got these at a shoe outlet store for $54, they retail for $110 so this was a steal! I love getting deals on things I buy! If you are ever in the Kittery Maine area you need to stop by the outlets. They have tons of stores that range from Ralph Lauren to J. Crew. I could spend hours there if I had the money to do so.

Mother's Day

It's almost that time of year again where our mothers get praised for all the wonderful things they do for us and where we get to shower them with gifts. Mother's day falls on May 11th this year so if you haven't already mark your calendar! If your mother is as amazing as mine you've already started thinking about how to spoil her this year. Or if you're like me your a super procrastinator and have yet to find the right gift. Luckily I have come up with the perfect gift guide of inexpensive (and some expensive) gifts that your mother might love!

1). Elizabeth and James Kirby Sunglasses

2). The Laundress NY for J. Crew- Fabric Spray

3). Philosophy- Micro delivery facial peel

4). Chloe- Chloe

5). Diptyque candles- Mimosa

6). Ladyfingers Letterpress- Youda Bomb Mom Card

7). Mason Pearson- Nylon & Boar Bristle Brush
8). Nars- Contour Blush
9). Lilly Pulitzer- Horoscope Scarf
10). Tenoverten for J. Crew- Nail Polish
11). Cathy's Concepts- Personalized Red Wine Glasses

You scream I scream we all scream for ice cream

Here on the seacoast we always seem to have a large number of ice cream stores. Some of them are open year round like Annabelle's in downtown Portsmouth but most are seasonal. Every year around this time I get really happy because all the ice cream stores start to open up.

A few weeks ago this ice cream store called Lagos opened for the season. All the ice cream they have there is homemade and it tastes amazing! I was so excited when I drove by and saw the parking lot packed with cars that I had to stop in and get something. I left with a large cookie dough and a feeling that I was going to regret it later.

Today just so happened to be the season opening of The Ice House and I'm so excited! This has been my favorite place to get ice cream since as long as I can remember. When I was younger I would bike there from my house and meet up with one of my best friends that lives right down the street. Spicy fries, chicken fingers and a peppermint stick frappe was my usual order. They make their spicy fries with waffle fries and are always fresh and crunchy. To this day I still haven't found somewhere that serves better spicy fries. When I went the line was super long but the food and ice cream was just as good as it's always been. Just being there brings back memories of fun times and good food.

Do you have a favorite ice cream flavor?

Getting healthy

I have been making a conscious effort lately to eat healthier. Over the past few months I have let myself go. I was in pretty bad shape. I decided it was high time I took more control and ate healthier and exercised more. Although I haven't been exercising that much more I have been eating more healthy and I am working on an exercise routine that I can use every day.

I started my new healthy diet with the cutting out of all the cold cuts I was eating. Seriously I was eating cold cut sandwiches for like every other meal, it was getting bad. I also started to get more conscious about my water intake. When I was in college I would fill a Nalgene and leave it next to my bed every night, I would make sure that by the time I woke up the entire bottle was empty. At this point I wasn't even drinking 2 glasses of water a day. I also made sure my daily intake of fruit was increased. I started eating loads of Greek yogurt to help with that. At this point my new yogurt addiction has really taken over although it's not necessarily a bad thing I am keeping a watch on it.

As a kid I would take vitamins every day but as I got older I started to take them less and less until I wasn't taking them at all. I decided adding a vitamin regiment to my morning would benefit me immensely. My now current vitamin routine includes taking 1 b-complex 100, 1 fish oil, 2 nutrient 950 and 1 calcium magnesium citrate. I also make sure to drink a glass of juice usually orange juice and put some echinacea in it.

In college I went to the gym all the time. I would go after most meals, I would bring my ipad and sit on Netflix or even better get some of my homework readings done. After I left SU I almost never went to the gym. I would have rather sat on the couch and watch TV then spend 30 minutes on the stationary bike or treadmill. My new work out routine will help me with my flat ass and skinny thighs as well as help me maintain a much healthier weight. 

It's officially been 2 weeks since I decided to "go healthy" and I can say I feel great! I have lost just over 4 lbs and I couldn't feel better. I'm going to continue with my healthy diet and exercise routine which hopefully will become more of a "routine" if you will than something I need to keep a watch on.

What do you do to stay healthy?

Favorite movies

I love watching movies. I'm a pretty big fan of re-watching movies that I like as well. I've been known to watch a movie more than once in a row on many occasions. I like all kinds of genres but probably find dramas to be my favorite. It doesn't take much for me to dislike a movie because i'm really picky but that said the list of movies I really like is pretty long. I'm pretty ADD so you'd think that a movie would capture my attention very well but if I'm not interested you'll know real quick!

I just love knowing what people's favorite movies are. You can really get a feel for someone's personality based on their movie selections. Anytime I'm meeting someone new one of the first questions to get things going I ask is about movies.

I made a good attempt to gather a list of my favorite movies. My list got to be pretty big and I excluded horror flicks because that's an entire list in it'self. Here's my shortened list. It was a struggle to decide which to use and which not to use because I just love so many movies.

The Breakfast club/ I know this is a cliche movie but I love it! This is a movie that really spoke to me because the first time I saw this movie I was going through some identity issues. The fact that all these people came from different walks of life made me feel not so alone.

The Cider House Rules/ I first saw this one freshman year of college in film class. I fell in love, this movie is a timeless love story about an orphan and his journey through life and his struggle to accept the fact that he has a "place" in life. Because this film follows his life from birth to adulthood showing his life struggle I feel more emotionally connected. I'm a sucker for movies made about life struggles. Also any time a movie is set in New England (especially NH, ME and VT) I get really excited.

October Sky/ What an empowering movie! Three high school boys from a coal town get together and follow their dreams. Overcoming every obstacle in their way. I feel an attachment to this one because when I was a kid I had a big fascination with rockets. I used to build and launch model rockets out my back yard.

Good Will Hunting/ Matt Damon, that's all there is to say. This movie is another good one. It chronicles the life struggles of a South Boston labor worker as he expands his mind through mandated therapy and math all while re evaluating his friendships with himself and those around him. I watched this because Matt Damon was in it and ended up liking it for the plot and acting.

Breakfast at Tiffany's/ I was very very late to the band wagon on this one. I don't think I officially saw it until high school. I love Audrey Hepburn so this was a must for me. 

The Talented Mr. Ripley/ Another movie with Matt Damon, how wonderful! I have loved this movie since as long as I could understand it. This movie is a wonderful tragic love story full of backstabbing and mind bending twists. I love movies with a twist especially dramas like this. And the setting? Italy, Perfect!

Philadelphia/ Falling into the LGBTQIA spectrum myself I couldn't help but hold this movie close to my heart especially because it's a true story. Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington's acting in this movie was amazing! I just love LGBT films.

Ghost Busters/ Who doesn't love Ghost Busters? It's a classic timeless movie with some killer actors and a great plot. If I never mentioned it before let me tell you now that I love Bill Murray. He's funny and a great actor.

The Parent Trap/ What girl doesn't love this movie? It's funny, captivating and stars Lindsay Lohan (before she went off the deep end). I'm a sucker for kids movies so when picking my list this tied with It Takes Two.

Winter's Bone/ A gripping drama that kept me on the edge of my seat right till the credits. The award for best picture this movie won was totally deserved. The plot for this film really frames the setting well and the acting is perfect. I love movies with "southern accents" for some reason so this was a shoe in.

What are your favorite movies?

Rainy day blues

The past week the weather hasn't been that great.It's been a lot of rain and even some snow! Yesterday I was so cold I had to dip into my winter wardrobe. I do live in New England and I should expect this to happen but this year I was hoping for an early Spring. The weather has been mostly days of 30-50 degrees which is pretty crummy weather for Spring if you ask me. Just a few weeks ago we were enjoying weather in the 70's. One day my car even read 80 degrees! 80 degrees! I was so excited but now snow? I woke up the other day and my car was covered in a thin layer of snow and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I had to do a double take. Later that day I even think it rained a little.

I love the rain I really do especially Spring rain. I love to go puddle jumping and run around outside. But when the weather gets like this all I want to do is curl up in bed and watch Netflix or read a good magazine or newspaper. I just don't have the motivation to get out of bed or even want to go to work which is a fun job.

My breaking point came this morning. I looked out my window to see some sun peering through the clouds and I thought to myself that it was going to be a warm day. when I left the house I didn't even grab a jacket I thought it was so nice. Boy was I wrong, not only was it freezing but very windy. The next few days don't look so promising either.

So what can I do? The only thing to do, put my wellies, and rain coat by the door with my umbrella and hope tomorrow's 58 and rainy forecast still has a rainbow.

P.S.:

The upside to my day was that I started my new job at Breaking New Grounds and I absolutely love it! I know it was only a 4 hour shift but still I know It's going to be the perfect interm job while I'm going to school.

What's in my bag

With all the nice weather around lately I've been switching my bags out to Spring colors. With all of this I thought it was time I did my first "What's in my bag".

First off this Dooney & Bourke little backpack has been a favorite of mine. The color is really rich and it holds a ton! I got it earlier this season and I'm so glad I did.

Keys: These are the one thing I am always loosing. I have a lot of keys for everything! I even have the key to our old house (can't take it off just yet). I have an Alex & Ani star of Venus key chain that I added last summer. I also added a bottle opener as well which doesn't come in handy as much as you'd think with me being more of a wine drinker.

Phone: I'm a social media nut I can't be away from technology for long. My Samsung Galaxy 3 has been one of the best phones I have ever had. The screen size is perfect for watching things and the touch screen's sensitivity is perfect.

Lighter: You know when you need a good lighter. Although I do not smoke cigarettes it's always handy to have one on hand. I prefer the Djeep lighters because their quite big and come in a variety of super bright colors.

Headband: I got this one from a local store that sells these hand made ones. Headbands are something that I always seem to need. As my hair grows out it goes through these awkward stages where the only solution seems to be headbands.

Wallet: This one is a given. Mine is an old Etienne Aigner but I still love it. There are a lot of notable things inside but the most used are my debit/credit cards and my bull moose card.

Sun and prescription glasses: I always have multiple pairs of glasses with me. I always have a pair of prescription sunnies as well as a regular pair. I also carry a pair of regular prescription glasses. Pictured here are a pair of Ralph Lauren prescription sunnies and Ray-Ban club masters as well as Ray-Ban prescription glasses.

Chloe: One thing about me that you'll find out is that I can't smell well so I've had to rely on others for a sense of smell. This perfume though is one I can smell and it smells amazing! I get a lot of compliments on it all the time.

Lip gloss: This particular one is by Smash Box but I have a bunch of shades I use depending on my mood.

Clinique concealer: I always have this with me! This product has saved me countless times from all sorts of public embarrassment. I have used this to hide everything from hickeys to little acne breakouts.

Eye drops: I always have eye drops with me. I tend to get dry eyes a lot so having this is a must. I like the Clear Eyes or Rohto brands of eye drops.

Lipstick: This shade of lipstick by Face of Stockholm is my favorite for Spring and Summer. It's more of a red orange and it goes well with my tan skin.

Lip balm: I always use this lip balm by Smith's rosebud perfume company. It comes in a metal tim in 3 colors and lasts a long time. It smells great and works really well.

Headphones: Boring I know but their always with me. You never know when you might want to listen to a good playlist or Pandora station.

What do you keep in your bag?

Shep shirts

So last week I was looking at Vineyard Vines shep shirts and there were 2 I just had to have! I love shep shirts, I really do. They come in a variety of colors and patterns and have become a staple in my wardrobe. A lot of people say they don't fit right because their too short but with my build they fit perfectly. In total I ended up with the rose print and the multi gingham shep shirts as well as this blue oxford shirt. They came in the mail today which was relatively quick and I'm so excited to wear everything!

I know their a bit pricey and I should have waited for them to go on sale but I'm very impatient and I couldn't risk them being out of my size if I did. They also came with these 2 whale stickers in the cutest colors. I already put one on the back of my ipad.

Varsity jacket

Varsity jackets are very in this Spring. Varsity jackets are simple and classic. Their good for just about every season aside from summer and you can pair them with a lot of outfits. This Spring I have made it a point to put some on my list. I have one that I wear all the time and I love it so much I need more. These varsity jackets are a few of my favorites that I currently have on my list

The jacket below is the one I wear a lot. It's quilted on the inside so it's pretty warm and the canvas helps break the wind. It's perfect for someone like me that lives in on the seacoast. This particular jacket is from Boogie's Diner in Aspen. The back patch reads "Eat heavy, Dress cool, Aspen."

1). Asos- White chocolate Varsity jacket. I love the colors of this one. The red and white really contrasts well. The blue lettering is the perfect third color.

2). J. Crew- Golden Bear Sportswear for J. Crew linen varsity jacket (also featured in my Spring top ten post here). I love how this one is linen and that it's thin. The grey makes it the perfect color for Spring and with how light it is it's the perfect day jacket.

3). Ralph Lauren- Denim & Supply snap front varsity jacket. The polo black color makes this the perfect night jacket.

4). Coach- Leather varsity jacket. This one I just love! The contrasting black and pink leather is just perfect and being leather it's definitely unique.

Quitting a job

Recently I gave my two weeks at my current job working in a very upscale fish restaurant. I am going to be taking on two awesome jobs instead. One at a local bakery working the counter and the other at a local coffee shop! With the decision to quit my restaurant job I thought I should talk about quitting jobs. Everyone always talks about getting a job but never quitting one.

Now I have had a few jobs, only about 5 but that's not to say I haven't had my fair share of the good, the bad and the ugly (pun intended) quitting jobs. When I was 14 I got my first job working at a grocery store. The job stunk so bad but I stuck it out, three years in fact! Quitting that job was one of the most anxiety prone experiences I have ever had. Both because it was my first job and because it was a corporation and not a local business.

Here are a few of my tips for quitting a job:

Always give 2 weeks. Never just give a few days or leave without any notice. It's proper to give two weeks as a courtesy to your boss to give them enough time to compensate.

 Old bosses are some of the best references you'll ever have. If you leave a job on good terms you have a very good chance your boss will give you a great review to hiring managers and future bosses. This is why after giving your 2 weeks you should always push to finish strong. Nothing says you don't care like not trying. Your boss could still give you a bad review if you slack off after giving your notice. Even if you were a model employee before.

Always have something lined up before  you give your 2 weeks. you might think that 2 weeks is enough time to find a job but I know from experience that it's not always that easy. It always feels good when giving your 2 weeks knowing you having another source of income ie the job your going to.

When leaving a job make sure that you don't forget to go back for your final paycheck. I know this sounds weird but sometimes because of the weird pay periods of some jobs you might have 2 paychecks after you quit.

First Spring day

So it's gorgeous outside! It's really warm (for New Hampshire) which today is pretty warm. It's really sunny and bright. Due to this nice weather I have finally decided I can break out my entire Spring wardrobe for an outfit for today. I decided to keep it very simple. I have yet to decided on sunglasses and shoes...i'm so indecisive.

Shirt: J. Crew, Shorts: J. Crew 5" chino, Bag: Dooney & Bourke, Bracelet: Tiffany's heart tag charm bracelet, Necklace: made by a local silversmith

Dreams

I'm a big daydreamer and it's no different when I sleep. I'm a big believer in meanings behind dreams. I know, I know it sounds preposterous but I've always tried to find meanings in my dreams. When I was in high school I decided to start a dream journal. It got pretty full after a few months, it was cool to have because I could look back at some of the dreams of my past. I had a hard drive crash senior year and lost it all but I started a new one of sorts logging the most important ones. I believe that dreaming is a great escape for your mind. I know we can't induce a dream on our own (other than lucid dreaming) or choose what happens in our dreams but that doesn't change the fact that I think it's important that our minds wander.

It scares me to think that every face you see in your dreams is a face you have seen somewhere in real life even if only for a second. There have been some really freaky faces in my dreams, like really scary. I have woken up from dreams many times without being able to put a location to the face. Some faces I keep telling myself  for one reason or another that there's no way that I could have seen that in real life.

Do any of you have memorable dreams nightmares or not?