August 21, 2019August 22, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

Super Easy and Delicious Lemon Chicken Picatta

I am not a fan of chicken. I don’t know why, maybe because everything tastes like chicken, or because it’s one of the few animals in America where you can buy a whole one at the grocery store and disassemble it yourself which my mother often did and it freaked me out. Whatever the reason, it’s just not my favorite thing to eat. I mean I will, if that’s the only thing on the menu, but it’s not my first choices. All that to say, if I’m putting a chicken recipe on my blog, you better believe that I found it to be mind-blowing. So I am very happy to bring you this Easy Lemon Chicken Piccatta which I found on Chunky Chef.

The first thing going for this is that it’s a pasta recipe, and I’m a fan of all things carbs. The next thing is the spices that go into this chicken are delicious and lemony which is perfect for a summertime dish. Next, it uses capers which is a new food I realized I really enjoy, and it pairs extremely well with even a cheap bottle of chardonnay which is mostly what I get. Lastly, the leftovers even taste great! So this is an all-around win!

August 14, 2019August 14, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

What it’s Really Like to be a Blogger

Being a blogger is hard but very rewarding work! It’s a far cry from the movie Julie and Julia or Sex in the City where people just type happily away on their laptops. Blogging is like running a one-man magazine. Pictures have to be taken and edited properly. If I’m making a video that is also going to take a LOT of time. I’m busy from the time I get up, to the time I go to bed making sure my blog represents me well.

So before you start up your blog here are some snippets from my own life and what it’s been like so far as a professional blogger.

August 7, 2019August 7, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

How to make a Summer Cocktail Wreath!

If you’re looking for a fun and simple project to help you celebrate summer, then this might be for you!

When I think of Summer, I think of hot days, cold pools and sipping a nice mixed tropical drink (preferably the ones with the little umberrellas with fruit. Growing up in Florida this was easy to come by, but now I live in Massachusetts which means it’s cold at least six months out of the year!

Just because I’m not in the tropics doesn’t mean I can’t have fun and celebrate summer when it gets here. So this delightful cocktail umbrella wreath is perfect!

I’ve been seeing this circulate on Pinterest for a while now, and every year I promise myself I’m going to make it. This year, I made good on that promise. While it can be time-consuming to make, it’s also cheap and pretty relaxing. I was able to find all the materials either online, or I had them on hand anyway. The most time-consuming part was breaking down the umbrellas so that I could use them properly. While this was fun and fairly easy to make, I wouldn’t suggest it as a child’s project because you’ll need the use of a hot glue gun and scissors.

July 31, 2019July 31, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

My Top Ten Summer Self Care Tips

I’m one of those people who likes to have the house all open when it’s like 90 degrees out. For me, I know that I have at least 6 months of cool to frigidly cold weather waiting for me once fall starts, so I try to drink in as much of the heat as I can when it’s available. It also helps lift my mood considerably when it’s warm out.

My Self Care List is completely different from Winter to Summer. So here are my absolute must-haves to spoil myself. I’ve included affiliate links in case you want to add any of these ideas to your special summer and I earn a small commission if you decide to get anything. I’ve also included some affiliate links of things I think will help. If you click and buy something from them, I get a small commission. Thank you!

July 24, 2019July 31, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

Beach Bound Summer Nail Tutorial

I really love doing my own nails. I like the whole process of putting on something fun to watch and then buffing them and painting them. I also love doing nail art which means that I either have to shell out a lot of money at the nail salon, or I learn how to do it myself. I found Moyou London and their nail stamps and I’ve been a fan ever since. The plates are reusable, you can use your own nail polish (so long as it’s highly pigmented) and they’re always coming out with new stuff. I have several plates from them and consider it as self-imposed rest because I can’t do anything until my nails are dry.

Summertime is TONS of fun not just for the warm weather, but because you can use really bright fun colors for polishes. Today I’m going to show you how to get a fun summer look using a couple of techniques as well as a nail plate and stamp from Moyou, and you know it’s good because they’re not paying me to say anything. I am using some Amazon affiliate links which means if you like what you see and you click and buy from them, I get a small commission (thank you!).

July 17, 2019July 17, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

The Most Amazing Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Cream

I feel like seafood and summer go hand in hand. When I think of summer, I actually don’t think of burgers right away. Instead, I think of margaritas with fish and lemon, or shrimp and pasta. I also think of Mexican food which probably comes from my Florida roots. This recipe featured on the food blog Garnish with Lemon.

The recipe is fairly simple to make. The only thing that takes time is the sauce which needs to sit in the fridge for an hour, but that can be assembled early in the day and forgot about. I use frozen shrimp for convenience, but you can of course always use fresh. If you’re looking to bulk out your tacos a bit, I’d suggest cheese, and lettuce, though I personally think they taste great just as they are.

July 10, 2019July 10, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

Ultimate Packing List for Transatlantic Flights!

I have been on the other side of this planet twice so far. I’ve been to Japan, Malaysia and Australia (all beautiful countries by the way). I love traveling, but packing can be a real problem and I always feel like I’ve forgotten something, and then there are all those rules on what you can and can’t bring on a flight! I’m also not always able to access my carry on luggage so, I’ve thought of some ways to organize my luggage to make everything easy and accessible to me while on a flight.

Let’s talk about checked luggage first. Usually, this is one big bag. In here, you are going to want to pack all of your clothes, toiletries, your makeup, shoes, swimsuits, an empty purse. DO NOT pack your laptop. You’re not allowed to lock your baggage and with all those hands making sure it gets to your destination, I wouldn’t put anything in there, that I didn’t want to lose. Let me put it this way. If Kris Jenner can have things stolen from her suitcase on the way to Vienna, there’s no promise your stuff won’t get stolen too.

July 3, 2019May 11, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

The Best Grilled Jalapeno and Pepper Jack Turkey Burgers!

When I was a child I loved The 4th of July. Even now I can remember my mother setting up a small pool in the back yard, and it felt like hours for the garden hose to fill it up. I remember swimming and smelling her grilling up burgers that she made. The smell of a charcoal grill brings back those memories so fast.

I am picky with spicy things. I like warm, but not hot and I am pleased to say that if you’re the same, then you’ll like these burgers. They have the jalapenos mixed in and the pepper jack gives it a little extra something. I like this recipe because you can adjust the heat to your level of liking by adding more or less jalapenos or leaving in seeds. My husband absolutely loved this and I hope you and your family does as well!

June 26, 2019July 3, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

Six Month Goals Check-In

So it’s been six months since I consistently started going after my goals and blogging regularly. I feel like this is a good time to reflect on my activities and I have to say, for the most part, I’m doing pretty good. I mean the truth is, for six months I could have not been doing anything, and that hasn’t been the case. So I’m pretty happy about that. This quarter has been particularly difficult, but with any goal, there are going to be good and bad times. So here’s my check in on weight loss, my blog, and home.

June 19, 2019May 20, 2019 - autumn Leave a comment

Why You Need a Vacation and How to get the Most from it! Part 3

I’ve had this thing ever since I was little and I’d go to camp. I’d have fun for the first couple of days, but once I was past the midpoint of the trip I’d start to get anxiety. I knew in a few days I’d have to go home and there was a lot of stress at home and I felt so GOOD being away from home! This mindset has followed me into adulthood, and my trip to Australia was no exception. About halfway through I started to wonder how I could live in Australia, and not go back to Boston. Honestly. I started thinking how could I make money, and live right here in a little apartment right on Coogee beach? The truth is, home, no matter where I live has been a problem for me because HOME IS A MINDSET! The saying “Home is where your heart is” isn’t too far off actually. The problem was my heart had been hurt a lot at my home in Boston…and I knew very well I couldn’t live at Coogee beach…So I had to start thinking of what I could do to take some of what I was learning back home with me.

In this post, I’m going to be talking about the things you can bring back with you that are going to be more life-changing than anything you can fit into your suitcase!

Autumn Becomes Me

Changing with the Seasons