New Finds of July

This month has been quite successful on the shopping front. Although it makes me very happy, my wallet does not feel the same way. To my defense, I have been stocking up on some fun new things before heading back to school next week! There is a mix of some hair products, accessories, shoes and makeup. 

Fun Summer Activities

Summer is one of my favorite seasons. Although it is a great time for internships and traveling, it is also a great time to do fun things right in your hometown! I have come up with a list of several things I love doing in the summer without having to travel very far! This list also comes in handy when you have a free day with nothing planned but want a fun activity!

ONE // Paddle Boarding

I love paddle boarding. It can be kind of challenging, but it is so rewarding to stand up and stay up. Recently, my friend and I went down to Georgetown to paddle board on the Potomac River. We went through a company called Boating in DC, which was located right under the Key Bridge. It was so fun and not expensive at all. It made for a great morning activity! 

TWO // Hiking Hiking is such a great summer activity. It is fun and great exercise all at the same time! Living in Maryland during the summer, there are so many great places to hike. One of my favorites is The Great Falls. We normally hike the Billy Goat Trail, and trust me it is no walk in the park. Finishing the hike is so rewarding that it makes it all worth it. A little hint though, I suggest going in the late afternoon/ early evening. It is still light out, but the temperatures are a tad lower.  THREE // Outdoor Shopping There are not a ton of great outdoor shopping areas near me because they can't be used as easily year around. We do have Georgetown though. I love heading down there for the day to shop and get lunch! There are so many great stores (Rent the Runway, Barbour, and anything you could imagine) and amazing food (Clyde's, Sequoia DC, and many more). It makes for a fun girls' day! And you can't forget all the great cupcake shops! FOUR // The Zoo I don't know about y'all, but I love the zoo. I think all the animals are so fascinating and it makes for a fun, outdoors day! I live just a short metro ride away from the National Zoo, but I know there are plenty of great zoos throughout the US. If you ever want to spend a leisurely day outside, but don't know what to do, head to the zoo!

Weekly Round-up

I apologize for this going up so late, but here is last week's round-up! So, last week was a little more busy than usual for my summer so far. My week started out on Monday with visiting a friend from school in DC. I live pretty close to DC and its just a quick ride on the metro into the city. It was so nice to see my friend and play tourist for the day! We also ate at District Taco for lunch, which was SO good. Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty boring days of the pool and taking it easy. Thursday was a relaxing day that ended with another trip into the city for dinner with another friend from school. She is interning in DC for the summer, and I had to see her while she was up in my neck of the woods! We ate at Ted's Bulletin which is one of my favorite DC spots. I suggest trying out their homemade pop-tarts if you ever find yourself near one.  Finally on Friday I went on a hike at the Great Falls with my best friend from home. It was so nice because we went in the late afternoon when it wasn't so hot! Let me tell you, that hike isn't easy. At one point we were legitimately rock climbing.  

ONE // Soldier Returns Home Video

I watched this the other night after it popped up on my Facebook feed, and I bawled like a baby. It is so precious and really well made. Honestly, I can't turn away from a good homecoming video. This one is a great one. 

TWO // May Designs

I have had a May Design notebook in the past and loved it. I recently have been eyeing the "adult coloring book." It looks so fun, and great to carry around when you have some spare time. I just love how you can custom make your books. The possibilities are endless. 

THREE // Kiehl's Masque

I noticed my pores were getting larger and I wanted to find something to clear everything up and deep clean my skin. I finally decided to get this masque and see how it went. It went amazingly. I noticed my pores were so clean and much smaller after just one use. I highly recommend if you have blackheads and large pores.

FOUR // Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

The infamous Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has been going on. It is one of the greatest sales of all time. There are great discounts on designer brands. It is the perfect time to stock up on some fall pieces at a low cost. I got these boots and can't wait to wear them in the colder months!

Again, I am so sorry this is so late. It is almost time for another one in a few days! I hope you enjoyed nonetheless!

Current Makeup Favorites

The makeup products I use are constantly changing. Of course I have my all-time faves, but I also like to mix it up and try new things. For the summer I like keeping things easy, light and natural. Here are a few products that I have caught myself repeatedly going for when I put on makeup (which has been rare). 

Weekly Round-up

This past week was not super exciting, but hey, just keeping it real over here!  Last weekend was the Fourth of July, which was fun! On Saturday night my parents and I went to the Baltimore Inner Harbor for dinner and fireworks. It was really nice to walk around, but sadly we couldn't see all the fireworks from where we were standing. Oh well! Then on Sunday (cause why not celebrate independence every day) my family hosted a cookout! It was so fun, and after we went to fireworks at the country club we belong to. They were some of the best I had seen in a long time. The week then consisted of the gym, pool, and some dinners with family and friends. Nothing too exciting, but enough to keep me entertained. Here are a few pictures to sum up my week!

The first few are from the Fourth of July weekend festivities with my family. The donut pictures are from when my Dad and I ventured to Krispy Kreme in honor of their 78th anniversary. We clearly had to celebrate with a proper two dozen. The last is just a picture of one of my breakfasts this week that I thought looked good!

The Round-up

ONE // The Skimm
I have been reading the skim for well over a year. I absolutely love it. I usually read it on my way to class or in bed when I wake up. It keeps me up to date on all the news, says everything in easy to understand language, and is always quick and to the point with a little humor. With all the big things happen in national and world news lately, I have really loved keeping up every morning. Highly recommend.

TWO // Americans Guess What 100 Calories Looks Like
I love Buzzed videos, and this one was very interesting and informational. I was so shocked to see how much some things actually are. As I am trying to get back in shape and eat healthy, portion control is a huge part of that. I thought this was very fitting at how we usually over-estimate portions.

THREE // VSCO Cam
Lately, I have really been into editing photos. I think ever since my trip to Europe, I have loved just editing random pictures I took abroad. This app is so easy to use and has so many different options. I am also {slightly} ashamed to say that I even purchased some more filters to add to my collection. If you are looking for a good editing app for you phone, this is it. I also really prefer using it on my iPad to see better!

FOUR // Online Shopping
I. Can't. Stop. With all the sales this past weekend it made it so easy to just want to buy everything. I obviously didn't do that, but I definitely found a few great things! Bauble Bar has been a long-time favorite and I found a few great staple pieces there. Like this and this. I also found a great deal on a Rebecca Minkoff bag on Amazon! It is such a fun color for summer!

Favorite Places to Shop

So, you are probably here because you love fashion and beauty and all those girly things just as much as I do. I thought I would start things off by sharing some of my favorite places to shop in-store and online. I definitely love shopping in-person, but sometimes it is a little easier to make purchases online. Here are my favorite places that tend to take my money more often than I would like to admit.

Free People
I am a huge Free People fan. I am all about the comfy but cute look, especially for going to class and running errands. They have a great range of cozy shirts and sweaters to dresses and tops for a more put together look. I currently have an obsession with their Free Fallin Tee and want to buy ever color it comes in. I have always been an advocate for the oversized t-shirt look, but this is a little bit of an upgrade. 
Sephora I think this comes obvious from a self-proclaimed product junkie. I love shopping in the store, but shopping online through Sephora is really easy. I have an account, so they save all my purchases (online and in-store), that way I can go back and see what color I purchased to avoid getting the wrong one. My mother and I share an account, so we have (shamefully) reached the VIB Rouge status, this means we always get free two-day shipping. It makes it easy for me to replenish while away at school when I am not near an in-store location. Be on the lookout for my current favorite beauty products coming soon!
Nordstrom I have been shopping at Nordstrom since I can remember. I even used to model for our local Nordstrom store and do little fashion shows in the mall. So trust me when I say that Nordstrom is a top favorite. Shopping both in person or online is always a great experience. From their fabulous customer service to their online price-matching, you can't beat either option. They also have such a great variety of brands and are always adding more!
Show Me Your Mumu This is definitely one of my favorite places to go online. They don't have a wide variety of clothing, mostly just dresses and tops, but they are all perfect. They offer tunics, dresses and kimonos, amongst other things, in really bright and fun patterns. They also add new merchandise constantly which is really awesome! Their Instagram account is also one of my favorites. 
There are definitely plenty more I could put on here, but I had to limit myself before I got carried away. I hope you enjoy and find yourself a few fun new things!