lessons lately.

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Tuesdays are still the best nights out.

That would be Jessi enjoying her birthday extravaganza last night, which started at Tequila Park and ended at Lil Charlie’s.

Rule #1 of being in charge of the cake: don’t forget the cake.

That’s right – I got a great big birthday (cookie) cake, brought it to Jessi’s party, AND FORGOT TO GIVE IT TO HER. I did at least sort of make up for it with a new cake today…

“He is the God of the second chance.” I like that.

Amazon makes it quite easy to create your own store. So I decided to create a (still work in progress) GML store!

I get so many requests for my favorite products/books/etc., so I thought it would be nice to have them all in one place.

Even the littlest bit of unplugging can make all the difference in the world.

I actually ended up having an even more productive day than usual when I finally sat down at my computer and just took on my emails all at once. Compartmentalization is underrated.

This.

…and this.

What’s a lesson you’ve learned lately?

remember that time?

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…I tried to beat a thunderstorm on my bike ride home? I lost.

…I tried to break my Smokey Avocado Wrap addiction? Lost that one too.

…we made it to Montauk in record time? Midnight departures are the way to go.

…there was that Saturday where it was supposed to rain all day? Well, it didn’t. And it was lovely.

…I killed this frozen yogurt when what I really wanted was ice cream?
(Seriously, why is it so hard to find a regular old ice cream shop in New York?)

…I went from NYC to Montauk to NYC to Pennsylvania *takes breathe* all in one weekend? Cue the train selfie.

So now here I am in PA, excited for some time to relax and have a productive few days before the 4th of July festivities begin (woo!).

As always, I’ll leave you with some inspiration for you on this Monday :)

Enjoy your week!

What was the highlight of your weekend? Do you have a short holiday week ahead?

this and that.

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Most of the time I like to have some sort of story behind my blog posts. A common theme, at least.

But this one? Not so much. Here are some happenings, links, and other randomosities I’ve enjoyed so far this week.

…like this (perfectly timed) devo from the other day.

Or this screenshot I decided to save of me searching the web for my favorite Emoji.
Don’t ask, because I don’t know.

My favorite salad in the city – the Elmo Cobb (with goat cheese instead of bleu). Aaaaand inhale.

On Tuesday we celebrated the engagement of Jessi and Parker. The party was at Mulberry Project, and it was such a fun night! Let’s just say if the engagement party is any indication of the wedding…we’re in for quite the reception.

Thought Catalog, you’ve done it again. This 20 Things Girls Like to Talk About article is pretty much dead on (especially the “begin withs!”).

Pondering this…

Why yes, yes I have.

It’s much more excusable to have tangled beachy summer hair when Shimmer Lights helps keep the locks as blonde as possible.

Speaking of which, if you look up “stereotypical blondes” in the dictionary you might find…Monica and I?

I’m no coffee snob (yet), but if I was…La Colombe would be my buzz of choice.

And last but not least, I really loved this article about The Science of Positive Thinking. Very interesting…and encouraging.

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Tell me something (anything!) you’ve enjoyed so far this week! Any good articles?

a productive week.

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I’ll be honest – the past couple of weeks have not been the most productive for me. Between going back and forth to Montauk and just being in a bit of a personal rut, I’ve kind of been getting by doing the bare minimum. Sometimes you just have to let yourself, you know?

This week, though, has been quite the 180 so far. On Monday I spent the whole day getting caught up with work and other life stuff. I even managed to stay up late finishing some work I had been putting off.

(…because a cozy candlelit room makes projects that much easier, right?)

Fast forward to yesterday where I had a full day out and about in the city. My first stop was Brooklyn Heights to see my lovely friend Emily and her little snuggle muffin Jax. This boy…

And I’ve got to say, Brooklyn has been making quite an impression on me lately. You see that? Trees!

After Emily’s I headed back into Manhattan to meet Jessi for lunch and to talk all things wedding. We went to Westville and enjoyed veggies on veggies on veggies.

And iced coffee, of course.

This wedding planning stuff is no joke. I even took notes!

(…which is now the mother of all spreadsheets. Dear other bridesmaids, please don’t hate me :))

After lunch we stopped by a bridal shop for Jessi to get a head start on her dress search. Mission (almost) accomplished.

With another full day today and tomorrow, and heading to see my family on Saturday, it looks like this week is going to continue being a great one. I’ll take it.

As usual, gotta leave you with this great excerpt from yesterday’s devo…

Have you had a productive week so far?

some good reads.

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Back before I was a blogger, I was quite the avid blog reader. Over the years my time writing blog posts seems to have taken over the time I spent reading them. Not to mention…well, most blogs just don’t seem as entertaining to me as they used to be…

BUT. There are still a ton of gems out there! Here are some articles and great blogs that I think are worth a read.

polish my crown.
This is one of my favorite blogs and a daily visit. Andi is one of the most inspirational women I know (and she may or may not be my virtual pen pal). Girl gives some great advice! I find myself constantly bookmarking posts like this.

15 things girls like to do on social media.
Who…us??

waiting on perfection.
My friend Jessica is doing amazing things with her Pure Beauty Project and for women in general.

the curse of the connector.

how sweet eats.
My favorite food blog for years, and my go-to when trying new recipes. Not only are Jessica’s recipes creative and delicious, but she’s just a cool chick. No food-snobbery here.

the 10 girls you’ll meet at every post-college bar.
This is too hilarious…and unfortunately too true. Thanks, Thought Catalog, for saying what everyone else is already thinking.

the divine appointments.

51 animal pictures you need to see before you die.
No explanation necessary.

why you need to tell someone how scared you are.

nyoutritious.
My friend Regina has so much knowledge when it comes to nutrition, and great recipes to match! Her Apple Cashew Cupcakes look especially delicious.

the ebb and flow of life.

life in your early 20’s vs. life in your late 20’s.
This gets an lol.

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What are some blogs/articles you’re loving right now?

scenes from the weekend.

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You know the drill…

Friday’s trip to Montauk was especially nice because we had a car instead of taking the train. One of the main reasons why?

Fully stocked kitchen – check.

Driving is oh so much prettier than taking the train.

Friday we had a fun night out with friends.

On Saturday Jessi and I made a massive breakfast for everyone. And by massive I mean 2 packages of bacon, 18 eggs, and 4 avocados.

The gluttony continued with a BBQ on the beach.

Later in the day we headed to Sloppy Tuna, where selfies upon selfies ensued.

Apparently Saturday night was too fun to bother snapping photos. Whoops.

Sunday breakfast of champions…

Church! It was so great yesterday. I’m already having FOMO to be missing it next week…

I rounded out the weekend by coming back to the city, going to Liberty USQ, walking home on the gorgeous night, and enjoying a like, really classy dinner.

It was a great weekend, to say the least. I’ll be with my family next weekend to celebrate Father’s Day + Katie’s going away party, so I’m glad I got a good dose of Montauk to last me another two weeks!

As usual, will leave you with some Monday inspiration…

(This last one from Cambria’s journal :))

Hope your week is off to a great start, friends!

What did you do over the weekend? Any highlights?