The other week, I was wallowing in my sorrows and feeling low because I'm not where I want to be in life (career-wise, financially, romantically), so naturally, I treated myself to a mini retail therapy session. To give myself some credit, I did go to an intense workout class that morning in an attempt to get out of my funk, but it wasn't enough to help me feel like myself again.  I know that I shouldn't put so much pressure on myself since I'm only 23, but sometimes you need a little treat to help you remember how much fun life can be.

When I get an urge to go shopping but don't want to feel guilty about spending, I like to browse T. J. Maxx or Marshalls. These two stores are stacked on top of each other in Chelsea (right on 19th street and 6th Ave), and I love exploring the selections. It's like a treasure hunt; you never know what amazing items you'll find. During this trip, I found this jumpsuit. It was the only one left in the store, it happened to be my size and it was only $24... yeah, the heavens were looking out for me that day.

The funny thing is I'd been searching for a striped jumpsuit just like this! And it just fell into my lap when I wasn't expecting it to. This jumpsuit is already one of my favorite summer-to-fall transition pieces because it can be styled with sandals or white sneakers if I'm casually running around town. And if I want to wear this to a nice event or to a bar, I pair it with heels and bam, I look put together without even trying. Effortlessly chic is the motto I live by. I'm planning to wear this to brunch one weekend because I need to look somewhat put together after downing 7 mimosas. I always end up on a random adventure after... or asleep in a park.  Bottomless brunch is no joke in NYC! Leave a comment letting me know what type of adventure you'd go on after a bottomless brunch, and make sure you brunch responsibly!



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I don't know if its just me, but the past few days, I've felt very...off. I've been blowing off my responsibilities and a lot of things have just NOT been going as planned at all, and that's an understatement. But today, I go so sick of being in my funk that I knew I had to do something to put my butt back on track. The first thing I did was write 3 things I'm feeling grateful for, and I have to say, after looking at my current situation from a new perspective, I instantly felt better! Plus, this little trick took less than 2 minutes to complete but changed my entire day! So here are three things that I'm grateful for today!


1. Having the wifi restored in my apartment! It's been out for the past three days, so I'm beyond happy to have access to the internet from the comfort of my own bed again.

2. Loving and supportive friends. Like I said, the past few days have been really tough for me. A LOT happened all in the course of 24 hours, but so many of my friends in different parts of the country were there to support me and helped me turn my tears into laughs.

3. Audible! I downloaded Mel Robbin's The 5 Second Rule today. It's been on my reading list for months. I am so thankful that she was courageous enough to share such a raw and kick-ass book. If you need someone to give you a little tough love and encouragement to go after what you've been afraid to pursue, this book is 1000% for you! And if you're new to audible, your first 30 days are free, so you really don't have an excuse not to listen to this book on your way to work or class tomorrow.



The second thing I did was treat myself to an entire pint of Halo Top all natural ice cream... sometimes you just need a small pick-me-up. Plus the entire pint was only 360 calories and it was on sale... so it would have been irresponsible if I hadn't purchased it (or that's the story I'm telling myself). Now it's your turn! What 3 things are you currently grateful for, and what quick tricks do you use to pull yourself out of a funk?

August is already halfway over which means summer is rapidly coming to an end. It's crazy how quickly this year is flying by, and there are still so many summer activities I want to do and more importantly, so many summery outfits I want to wear! Below is my end of summer bucket list that's been inspired the August mood board I previously posted on this site. Summertime is too precious to let it slip through my fingers.


1. Take a nearby beach trip
 I want to go to The Hamptons. Even if it's just a day trip. I recently worked a charity event in Water Mill, NY and was instantly intoxicated by the beauty of the area. I can't wait to go back to Water Mill or one of the surrounding Hamptons areas and lounge on the beach or just walk around and site-see.


2. Plan a restaurant crawl
In the NYC area, it's currently Restaurant Week (it actually lasts from July 24th to August 18th instead of just 7 days). This event gave me the idea to add a new activity to my list.... have a 5-course meal but split it up between restaurants! Have your soup, salad, and appetizer at one, the main course at another, and desserts and drinks at the final destination. I want to get a group of people together for this and make a fun night of the event.


3. Go to a vineyard
Last week I went to Rooftop Red's, a rooftop vineyard in Brooklyn, which was lovely, but I still want to hop on a bus to a large vineyard that offers wine tastings and tours. Apparently, Guilt City has amazing deals that include transportation, vineyard tours and food for insane prices. I'm going to check this site religiously for the next few weeks so I can check this off my list without breaking the bank.

4. Host the most epic movie night
I want to get a crew together and have everyone bring their favorite snack to my apartment. Part of me wants to take this idea outdoors and setup cute teepees for us to lounge in, but I know that's a little too ambitious for the time being! It would also fun to have a teepee or fort in the middle of the living room (bathroom access is very important for me because I'm always having to go), so maybe I'll compromise.


5. Throw a fancy picnic or brunch during the day or under the stars
I plan to invite some friends over to cook brunch or dinner with. My friends and I used to do this in college and I miss it so much! Of course, I would want to decorate our backyard with festive lights and beautiful flowers because you can't dine al fresco in a basic environment.


So those are the top 5 ways I plan to celebrate the end of summer with a bang! What did you think of this list? I'd love to hear what's on your end of summer to-do list or the exciting things on your radar! Leave a comment below!