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Currently

Currently #41

Hi friends! Happy Last Day of May! This has been a packed month and I swear it flew by in the blink of an eye. I hope you had a fun and relaxing Memorial Day weekend and enjoyed the unofficial kickoff to summer.

A snapshot of our Memorial Day spread!

I had a busy weekend between celebrating the holiday, working and then celebrating my 25th birthday. It was packed full, but oh so fun!

 

Celebrating 25!
With my pup too!

Now, that I have got you all caught up on this weekend, as another month comes to a close, it’s time to recap this month with a new edition of Currently. Here’s what I’ve been reading, watching, and doing.

What I’ve Been Up To: May was a busy work month between traveling to Canada for a day trip to preview the Coronation of King Charles III, which you can read about here, Primary Night in Pennsylvania and kicking off summer events. 

Day trip to Niagara on the Lake!
Primary night in PA!

On weekends, I have been savoring the warm weather by spending as much time outside by taking walks or runs and making a point to get outdoors.

First sunset of summer!

From doing work outside to taking walks after work or on days off, I even have been making it a point to catch up with friends over the phone or in person over a walk. Spring and summer means eating meals outdoors, I always try my best to spend some time outside every day.

Enjoying a Saturday morning walk and coffee!

I also got to enjoy my first sunset and grilling of the season at the beach. It was a beautiful night to sit on the beach and grill! Looking forward to many more nights this like this through the summer.

First sunset and picnic on the beach

What I’m Wearing: On cooler days, I have been enjoying wearing cuffed jeans and graphic t-shirts and sneakers. I even have gotten to break out the shorts a few times this month too which is a huge win! I can’t wait for shorts season all the time come next month.

A weekend look, cuffed jeans for the win!

I also got a few new closet staples from J.Crew and Ann Taylor which I will be sharing soon. I have been looking for bright colors to wear in the warmer months. I got this bright, yellow dress from a friend from The Limited and it’s perfect for Spring and Summer. I love the color and the style, it would be great for a summer wedding, Sunday Church service or work.

Bright and cheery for spring!

Speaking of weddings, I went to a family wedding a few weeks back and wore this dress. Although, it’s navy blue, I dressed it up with gold accents.

A classic wedding look.

What I’m Reading: The end of April and start of May was a big reading month for me. Here are some of my favorites.

I read the sequel to “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover. You do have to read It Ends With Us, before you read “It Starts With Us“, but I don’t think it’s necessary to read the sequel. It was definitely lighter than the first book and it was interesting to see how some of the relationships progressed and changed, but I don’t think you have to read the sequel.

I also made it my goal to read all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books. I read “After I Do”, “Forever Interrupted”, and “Maybe in Another Life”.

“After I Do” follows the story of a young couple who after being married for several years goes through a rough patch and agrees to take some time apart. The book follows what happens when they separate and if they decide if they are better together or apart.

 “Forever Interrupted” tells the story of a newlywed couple who are on Cloud 9 in marital bliss, until the husband is tragically killed just a week after they say, “I do”. The book goes back and forth between the grieving widow trying to move on and the start of the couple’s relationship. I really enjoyed the two perspectives it was told from and how the two storylines eventually get tied together.

The final Taylor Jenkins Reid book I read was “Maybe in Another Life”. This book follows the story of Hannah who moves back to California and when out with friends, she has to decide if she wants to go home with her ex-boyfriend or her best friend. The story goes back and forth between both decisions, if she plays it safe or makes a bold decision. I really enjoyed seeing both lives and perspectives.

The last book I read was “The Dinner List” by Rebecca Serle, it’s all about a woman who shows up to her birthday dinner with five people from her life. Through the course of the dinner, the purpose of each guest is revealed, and our heroine learns the importance of letting go, moving on, and growing from this special birthday dinner.

What I’m Watching: This past month, I wrapped up a lot of series. I finished The Mindy Project which was so good. I loved the casting, storylines and one-liners and truly didn’t want it to end, however, I was satisfied with the ending.

I also finished The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which I loved from the get-go. I thought this season did a great job at wrapping things up and giving glimpses into the future of what happens with fan-favorite characters. I am going to miss the cast, the comedy and of course, the clothes! This article gave a great recap!

If you watched the show, what did you think of the final season and ending?

I also talked about Jury Duty a few weeks ago. You can find it on Amazon Prime and it was the perfect show to watch for a comedy filled 30 minutes. I thought the show was well done with the creative story of a group of people sitting in on a court case that’s being filmed for a tv show. The catch is, they are all in on it except for one jurors. It was such a fun show to binge watch.

I also finished The Diplomat which stars Keri Russell on Netflix. It’s all about a woman who becomes the new Ambassador in the United States. It’s a mix of politics, drama, intrigue and some romance too! I give it 5 stars! I’m already looking forward to the new season.

What Inspires Me: Spring and summer mean all the salads! I have been on a kick of making chefs salads. They are so easy to assemble and great to use what you have in your fridge. I often throw in any leftover vegetables I have plus any cheese or sliced meats or even fruit. I love that you can use what you have and get a hearty meal out of it too.

Besides making chef salads, I have also enjoyed making flatbread pizzas this summer and trying different combinations.

Plus in honor of Cinco de Mayo, I made chicken tacos! Yum!

Lastly, I have been inspired by picnics. There’s nothing better than enjoying a picnic after a nice long walk. I enjoy a classic sandwich and chips and fruit for a picnic, but love to switch it up with grilling too.

Summer picnics are back!

What I Accomplished: I’ve been really enjoying time outside, time spent with family and starting summer traditions and fun! If this month is any indication at how summer will look, we are in for a good summer!

Summer appetizers are back!
Bring on the fresh salads.

Goals from Last Month: This past month has been busy as I celebrated my 25th birthday, I accomplished a lot of things on my summer bucket list and I made lots of memories through the spring and did some things for the first time too, like being to a new part of Canada.

Day trips to the zoo are back!
The best part of family weddings-cookies!
And some sweet gifts too!

Goals for this Month: My only goal for next month is to kick off summer and begin my summer bucket list! I am already working on it and can’t wait to share it with you next week!

Whew, that was a lot! May has packed full in the best way. I can’t wait to see what June has to offer! I can’t wait to welcome a new month and summer! See you back here in JUNE!

Categories
Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #43

Happy Friday Friends and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!! This month flew by, I feel like we were just celebrating Mother’s Day and here we are at Memorial Day weekend!

This past month has been up and down weather-wise. Some days, we hit 70’s and others were in the 50’s. Last weekend, I had a family wedding and it was so nice to celebrate love and see family! 

Zoo trips are back this season!

Besides Memorial Day Weekend, it’s also my birthday weekend. I’m looking forward to celebrating on the actual day and a bit before.

Now, that I’ve got you all caught up on all things in life, here’s what I’ve been loving this week as I link up with Erika and Andrea!

Lemon Bundt Cake-I have been trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables as we get closer to summer and that includes desert too. I made a lemon bundt cake last week and it was the perfect taste for spring. It was sweet and moist and had so much flavor. You can eat it solo or with some vanilla ice cream or fresh fruit. A lemon cake and fresh strawberries would be divine for a summer night dessert. If a cake isn’t your cup of tea, you can make these into cupcakes or muffins. The possibilites are endless!

The sweetest cake for spring!

The Dinner List– I have been a big fan of Rebecca Serle’s books. I’ve enjoyed In Five Years and One Italian Summer and I was excited to read The Dinner List. The book follows a young woman as she enjoys a dinner with five important people in her life. The purpose behind the dinner is explained through the book and different relationships are explained through the story. I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters, but the end had me grasping for more. I wasn’t ready for it to end!

Such a good read!

Brain Dumps– This month has been so busy with all the activities, events and to-do’s and the only way I have been keeping it all straight (besides my Simplified planner) is by writing everything down and doing periodic brain dumps. A brain dump is when you literally put everything that needs done or what’s on your mind on a giant list and break it down about what needs done. I always write to-do’s for the day in my planner, but sometimes, for long term lists or detailed to-do’s, having it in one spot is a game changer. I love these large pads from Simplified, not only are they super cute but have a ton of space for lists.

The best notepad for brain dumps!

Selling Sunset Season 6– One of my favorite reality shows is back! Selling Sunset is my guilty pleasure and there has been so much drama and excitement this season. From new characters to familiar faces, incredible homes and all the drama…this season has been so good. I’m currently watching it as I type this post. The only downside is that once I finish it, I have to wait for a new season. If you are watching this season, what are your thoughts so far?!

Substack– Have you heard of Substack and started using it? It’s a platform to read blogs and newsletters. A lot of writers I follow have joined substack. Some you have to pay to read their newsletters, but others offer free subscriptions. A few of my favorite writers on Substack right now include Emily Ley and Elizabeth Holmes (are we surprised?) I have been loving following Holmes’ coverage of the Coronation. She’s been providing both newsletters and podcast about it. Substack has been a fun place to get lots of content in one place. 

Some of my Substack reads

That’s a roundup of some of my favorite things this week. From books, to food, and shows, I hope you found a new favorite here. Tell me, as we gear up for Memorial Day weekend, what are your plans? I hope you can enjoy some fun time outside and with family! Happy Friday!

Categories
Recommendation Roundup

Recommendation Roundup #1

Hey everyone! Happy Wednesday!

I’m kicking off a new series today called Recommendation Roundup where I gather and share a variety of things I’m reading and watching. You may see me talk about a series I watched or a book I read in a Friday Favorites post or a Currently post, but this series will be one spot where I share my recent top recommendations for the series. Don’t worry, I’ll still be sharing what things I’m loving week by week, but this series that will come out every few months will be a one stop shop for recent favorite things. 

Here’s the first recommendation roundup. 

For the book lover:

Taylor Jenkins Reid books. Like so many other readers, I have fallen in love with Taylor Jenkins Reid and her writing. I love that several of her books are in the same universe, meaning you could be reading one book and then there’s a reference to a character from another book. Such a creative way to tell a story and to find little Easter eggs in the books. 

So far I’ve read

Daisy Jones and the Six

Malibu Rising

Carrie Soto is Back

One True Loves

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

(I can’t choose a favorite since they were all so good and have their unique storylines. But, I do have to say, I have loved seeing Daisy Jones and the Six come alive on the big screen. I can’t wait for One True Loves to come out soon.)

Rebecca Serle books. I’ve read a few of Serle books and I love how she ties family, love friendship and finding oneself all in one. I also love how she usually has a twist in her books too. She has a way of writing that once you start, you can’t put it down. 

So far I’ve read:

In Five Years

One Italian Summer

Colleen Hoover books. I just started reading some of Hoover’s books but I have found myself hooked with her thriller themes and intriguing way of writing. There have been so many times when I’ve wanted to stop reading since a storyline was getting intense, but couldn’t put it down. Even after reading the books, I still think of the endings.

So far I’ve read

November 9

Verity

It Ends with Us

For the binge watcher:

Downton Abbey (PBS) – A classic period piece with two movies that follows. This series follows a family who’s male heir dies and it’s up to the family to find a husband for one of the three daughters within the family. The series follows the wealthy family in England through ups and downs, war, love, marriage, loss, friendship and new decades. I was hooked on this series and equally loved the movies.

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – A series that I have watched for years. It starts with five interns on the first day working in the hospital and follows them through residency and eventually becoming attendings. There’s love, loss, death, drama, lots of crazy, unexpected plot twists, natural disasters, characters coming and going, but after over 20 seasons, it’s still going strong.

This season is off to a great start!

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime)– This follows a woman who takes a chance on becoming a stand up comedian in the 1950’s. The costumes are fantastic, the one-liners are too funny and the scripting keeps you on your toes. After watching this series, you will wish you were back in New York City in the 1950’s.

Emily in Paris (Netflix)– This tells the story of a young girl who moves to Paris for a job and ends up falling in love with the city. I drool over the fashion, Emily pulls off outfits that I couldn’t pull off. There’s some love triangles, cute one liners, gorgeous Paris scenes and of course lots of finding oneself. 

Outer Banks (Netflix)- It may seem like a teen drama and it is, but once you start, it’s hard to stop until you see if a group of high school friends discover buried treasure. Just when you think, things can’t get crazier, there’s another twist. Definitely a fun show to have on in the background.

For the podcaster

The Simplified podcast -Emily Ley and her team put out episodes once a week where they offer ways to simplify and automate your life. They cover topics like friendship, family, cleaning, organizing, schooling, relationships, holiday prep, summer fun and more. It’s such a fun way to find ways to make my life simpler.

That’s my recent roundup of recommendations. Some of my all time favorite things. The next time you are searching for something new to read or watch, I hope this provides some suggestions. Happy hobbying!