Recent Favorites (also, hi!)

Hi!! Wow, it has been a busy few weeks. I don't like taking this much time off from blogging, but with the amount of time I was staring at my work laptop screen over the past few weeks, there was no way I had the energy to focus on this at well. So, apologies for the unexpected hiatus and quietness! This week has been much calmer with work and I am hoping to share a bit more content before things pick back up again. I thought I'd resume here simply by sharing what I've been loving recently.

Quick recap of where I've been: May was kind of a crazy month for me, as I spent the first week in Madison with Joe, the second week in Charleston with my mom, and the latter half of the month back in NYC before leaving for Martha's Vineyard for MDW. So, I took the first week of June off for that little island vacation, and then Joe visited NYC for the first time the second weekend in June, and my best friend Elizabeth arrives tomorrow! The past two weeks have been jam-packed, both with work and attempting to formulate some sort of social life for myself in the city. My weekend with Joe was fabulous, last weekend I explored the city with some of my friends here, and now I'm looking forward to the adventures (aka mostly restaurants) I have planned for EJ and I!

Now, let's get into my recent faves: 

A P A R T M E N T 

Kicking it off with the topic everyone cares about most: my apartment updates! EEEP it's finally coming together!! My couch, rug, and "coffee tables" have made a huge difference in transforming the space. I definitely have a long way to go (want to hang art... have to find art first... want to replace the light fixtures, need an AC unit (lol), etc) but I really feel like the apartment is SO ME, which is all I can really ask for! Honestly, I just really wanted a unique space. I didn't want my apartment to look like anyone else's, or be "expected" at all, and I feel like I've done a good job of that, which makes me proud!

I always get questions about my wavy green pillows so linking them here!

W E A R I N G

My recent outfits are all linked on my liketoknow.it page here! 

My favorite things recently have been this zip-up hoodie (more so in May, because now it's too hot... but it's just $20, comes in a ton of colors, and it's perfect for a morning walk or a night by the beach), and these shorts that I wear just about every day.

Recently, I've been into these Zara pants, which I have in two colors (pink and black). They are super loose and flowy but still look put together, so I think they are just fabulous. Love these white jeans I recently got from Zara as well! They're having a huge sale this weekend so be sure to check it out!! 

New favorite button-down (was wearing on my IG stories last night) was gifted to me from Grayson!

R E A D I N G

I recently finish If I Never Met You and loved it. Currently reading Big Summer, and about to start Atomic Habits for a book club through work! I've been good about updating my Goodreads if you want to follow along there!

S K I N C A R E

A couple of months ago my aunt gave me a few serums from a brand called Maelove, and immediately I really liked them and looked up the brand. Maelove is a startup founded by MIT grads, and "they use many of the same ingredients and cosmetics labs as high-end brands but sell products for a fraction of the cost" (via Business Insider). I tagged them on my IG stories organically but they ended up reaching out to me, and now I'm using their serums almost exclusively for a blog post coming soon! I'm genuinely soo obsessed. So far my top three favorites are the Glow Maker serum, this retinol designed for newbies like me, and their exfoliator. 

Their products are working well for me already and have me falling in love with skincare all over again. I've been taking special care to apply the products in the proper way and order, and it is amazing what a consistent routine can do!

I've also been using Kiehl's new avocado eye cream, and I am looking into this sunscreen that people have been raving about lately. 

L I S T E N I N G

Have you seen Spotify's new blends?! They have this new collection of features, one of which is "Blends," where you can essentially create a blended playlist with your friends, and it's a great way to listen to your favorite songs while also mixing in some new ones. Elizabeth and I created a blend and I LOVE it. We have a really similar taste in music, but she's better about mixing it up while I always listen to the same songs on repeat, so it's a perfect way to find new-to-me songs that I'm almost guaranteed to love!

In addition to that, this is my "fun summer" playlist I've been working on!

E X C E R C I S I N G

I've been walking SO much here, and then I also try to do a FlexIt workout about once a week, which is a virtual personal training workout platform! I LOVE working out with a personal trainer in the comfort of my apartment, and it's really nice that you can schedule with an assortment of trainers whenever works for your schedule. I partnered with them, so you can use my code FRAN10 to get your first workout for just $10!

E A T I N G

I just love that Trader Joe's is my nearest grocery store, especially because they've had such great new products lately. The pickle chips! The peach crisp ice cream! The chili pepper sauce! Those are a few of my current faves. 

D R I N K I N G / NYC SPOTS

I haven't been drinking much in my apartment when I'm by myself, really only drinking when going out with friends and trying new spots! I've been mixing it up lately and I have to say that Bar Pisellino in the West Village is my new favorite place. I've tried both their sgroppino (vodka, prosecco, and lemon sorbet-- so refreshing and delish), and their bianco negroni, which were each amazing, in very different ways!

Another spot I LOVED was Kiki's in the Lower East Side / Chinatown. It's a really grungy, cool spot that looks Asian from the outside, but is actually Greek. Joe and I stopped there and had the BEST orange wine and octopus. 

C A N D L E S

Ok random but going to include anyway-- I recently burned through all of my candles and popped into TJ Maxx the other week for more. I found a lily one, which I like burning during the day, and a sandalwood one, which is perfect for more evening vibes! Nothing better than a $6.99 candle that smells just as good as a $60 one!!

What have you been loving recently?!

xoxo