Categories
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
Travel

Niagara on the Lake Recap

Happy Hump Day! We made it halfway through the week. I hope your week has been smooth sailing, but if not, I hope the wind moves you in the right direction as we wrap up the week.

These past few weeks have been busy, but in the best way, so I haven’t had a chance to chat about a recent trip I went on for work. I got to cross off something from my bucket list which was huge win and very exciting!

Charles the III was crowned King on May 6 and leading up to the Coronation, a close co-worker and I were tasked with getting the pulse of how Canadians felt about the new monarch and any festivities they had planned for the big day for a series of stories for Coronation Day. 

After coming up with a game plan and setting up interviews, we made our way to Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, which was just over a two-hour drive. It was my first-time visiting Niagara on the Lake, so I was excited to visit a new place and do a series of stories on a topic I have a lot of interest in.

Passport ready to go!

We had no problem getting through the border and once we were in, we hit the ground running. Between the two of us, we had five interviews to conduct. My co-worker focused more on taking the pulse of Canadians and I focused on the event and activities surrounding the Coronation in Niagara on the Lake.

The town itself was so charming. I loved seeing all the shops and popping into a few of them myself.

We went into one store that had lots of Coronation merchandise, I ended up picking a gold King Charles III spoon for myself as a souvenir. 

Some of the Coronation gear you could buy!
And some British candy!

There were different restaurants, cafes and bakeries on every corner. You felt like you were in a Hallmark movie and while we were there, I learned some Hallmark movies have been filmed there. 

The tulips were just starting to bloom and I’m sure in a few weeks, the streets will be covered in them.

Niagara on the Lake is also known for their wineries and Bed and Breakfasts, which we passed as we were making our way from stop to stop.

Another thing I loved about the town was how close in distance everything was to each other. Driving from one edge of town to the other took a few minutes and there was lots of sidewalks if you were looking to just walk from your hotel or BnB to a restaurant or shop.

Parks were all around and we were steps away from the lake.

My story took us to the Prince of Wales Hotel where Queen Elizabeth II stayed when she visited Niagara on the Lake in the 1970’s. It was a beautiful hotel with lots of history. 

We grabbed lunch at Treadwell, which was a farm to table restaurant. I got a salad that was the perfect mix of fresh and tangy.

This salad was so good!

We popped into a few shops on our way out of town, like this linen store. I wish I had time to check out all the different storefronts. 

One of the shops we popped into.

And just like that we were back on our way to the U.S.A. and we passed the falls on our way out.

The American and Canadian Falls!

Although, it was short trip, 12 hours total, we got a lot in and it was quite a success. I can’t wait to return and explore the town more, maybe even see a show or two. I’m so glad I got to go to a new place and experience a new culture. It was so fun to step out of my comfort zone and it definitely gave me the travel bug.

Have you been to Niagara on the Lake? If so, what were your favorite things to do and see? Let me know in the comments below!

See you back here on Friday for another Friday Favorites link-up!