Natural Skincare Routine

If you have read my 'simple ways to look put together' post, you would know I recently have had some trouble with my skin. I have always had relatively normal skin: it's not overly oily or dry, and throughout my 'teen' years I have pretty regularly had spots on my face, but it was never bad acne or that troublesome (just enough for me to become self-conscious about my skin). Then earlier this month I started feeling like my skin was getting worse, until it seemed like it was at an all-time low. My chin was the worst area of my face, but I also had some spots on my forehead; additionally, what made it seem worse was that I was pale from it being winter, and this seemed to emphasize the blotchy redness around the breakouts. I was aggravated by how much I was breaking out, and started feeling like I never wanted anyone to look at me, because I had it in my head that they were staring at my bad skin!

Simple Ways to Look Put Together

Before I get into this post, I first wanted to quickly apologize for being MIA the past couple of weeks. I believe that consistency is important for anything you are trying to accomplish, and I haven’t been doing a good job of that. With that said, I am going to rededicate myself to try to resume a relatively set uploading schedule. Full disclosure, I want to be honest with you: I hadn’t been feeling the best, and am only now starting to feel more like myself. My skin seemed like it has been getting worse with more breakouts of my face, and this previous Monday, I woke up and I felt like it was at an all-time worst. Particularly around my chin and forehead I was really breaking out, and my face looked particularly red and blotchy in general. I have never been one to want to use foundation on a daily basis because to me it would feel as if I was trying to hide my face, and that’s not the way I want to feel about my skin. (for people who do like to use foundation, go for it, this is just my opinion!) That morning I was not looking forward to going to school, and all day I constantly wanted to hide my face, so people wouldn’t see how I was having some problems with my skin. This is a toxic mindset, because instead of enjoying life (particularly at such a happy time of year), I was constantly obsessing over my own appearance! It may seem silly to be so derailed by something as trivial as spots on your face, but it’s something I have always been self-conscious of.

It can be extremely hard to be your best when you aren't feeling your best, so I thought I would put together a couple of my tips for looking and feeling put together. Sometimes you may breakout, or have a bad hair day, or just feel kind of gross; you can’t control that! I think if you are confident in how you look it does reflect how you feel, so embrace the things you can control.

Staying Healthy Throughout Winter

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, it is truly the holiday season. The season of giving, and being merry, and spending time with the people you love. It is also the season of eating, whether it be holiday baking, Christmas/Hanuka/New Years parties, or just making nice dinners with friends and family. As wonderful as all of this is, I am a firm believer that it's important to remain active throughout the cold seasons when you most likely would rather stay inside curled up with a blanket than brave the cold and go for a run or head to the gym. But however hard it may be to get motivated to exercise, it is doable and absolutely worth it. Don't wait until until New Years to make a resolution to get back into shape; start now: there's no time like the present!

Exercising will give you more energy and enhance your appreciation for all the holiday treats, since you can indulge without feeling guilty. With that said, I know that it can be hard to remain enthusiastic; it's something I struggle with every year. I have come up with some little ways that have been helping me stay more motivated, so I thought I would share my tips for remaining healthy and active throughout winter.

Autumn Movie List 2015

These past few months, as weather grows increasingly colder, I am constantly wanting to snuggle up under a big blanket with a cup of tea and a good movie. And in fact I have been doing quite a bit of just that! I have tried to continue branching out with what kind of films I watch--rather than always going for typical Hollywood rom-coms--and I have loved a lot of the films I have watched so far, so I wanted to share them with you!

Copenhagen
Trailer here
A couple of weekends ago, my parents were out of town, and one of the nights I was on my own in the evening, so I made a nice dinner and then decided to watch a movie in the living room where we have a big TV and great speakers. This may not sound that unusual, but I normally watch movies on my laptop in my room, so it was exciting for me. I was browsing Netflix for something good, and stumbled upon Copenhagen. The story follows a young American who goes to Denmark with his best friend in search of his grandfather. While there he gets to know a girl who turns out to be quite a bit younger than him, and the film explores the controversial topic of relationships with substantial age differences by pushing the limits, but never crossing the line. Naturally being filmed in Copenhagen, the scenery is stunning, and by the time I had finished I found myself wishing I was on an adventure in Europe!

Tunisian Pumpkin Soup

I know that I posted a recipe last week, and I don't typically like to post two recipes in a row, but this soup is utterly fantastic!! A couple weekends ago my parents were out of town, so I was cooking dinner for myself, and one of the nights I decided to just open up a boxed soup because I wasn't in a big cooking mood. The soup was really just very sad: it was supposed to be butternut squash soup, and yet it tasted like chicken broth with a ever-so-slight squash flavor. Oh no. In my book, any sort of squash or pumpkin soup should be thick, creamy, and above all else, bursting with the signature flavors of fall. So I decided the next weekend to make the soup myself... you know what they say: if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself.

Wholesome, Healthy Granola Bars

With fall fully upon us I have truly settled into a routine, which has become quite comforting. Getting up at 6:15 AM for school can seem brutal in the moment when you have to tear yourself away from the warm covers of your bed, but going to school to learn new things each day, keeping up with going to the gym, and taking the time each day to appreciate the seasonal changes makes for a very productive and exciting time of year. Besides, after having a long (and yes, often quite tiring) school week, the weekends are so much more relaxing! Sleeping in, making nice breakfasts, and getting together with friends or chilling out at home all make for a revitalizing time to recharge for the upcoming week.

Although good for any season, granola bars are especially good in the fall time: the toasted hearty oats, buttery sweet honey, and the wholesome flavor of fruits, nuts, and seeds. Because it's already becoming quite chilly in PA, coming home from school I always immediately turn on the kettle for some tea. While my tea is steeping, I always like to have a little snack, and something about the autumn weather makes me want a hearty snack in the afternoon. Granola bars are lovely for just that because they provide a great wholesome flavor, are healthy, and will fill you up. They're also tasty as a quick, but fully nutritional breakfast if you add in  a glass of milk and an apple or banana (breakfast of champs for when you're in a pinch, if you ask me).

The Best Feelings in Autumn

I am currently sitting at my kitchen table, with my brother is just starting to cook dinner (it's just the two of us tonight, because my parents are out of town). I have had quite a laid back day, but in a wonderfully relaxing way: I did some reading for English, made a quick shopping trip for groceries, I'm wearing one of my dad's big, worn T-shirts, and the best part: I made my first pumpkin bread of the season!! I figured that it was the perfect day to make a post celebrating the wonderful season of autumn. The past week has been quite cold and rainy and completely gray everyday, and while I definitely appreciate cloudy fall days where it's cozy to hide inside, I have started to miss the beautiful clear days of autumn.  This afternoon, right as I finished washing up, I looked outside and realized that it was suddenly completely clear; the sun was already starting to descend on the horizon, but the sky was a beautiful hue of light blue... barely a cloud in the sky. Anyway, I though I would share what I think are the most wonderful feelings of Autumn and share some photos of what I've been up to!

Piercings: Tips, My Experience, and Care

I have always loved piercings. I like the way they look. I like how they are so small, but can change someone's profile. I like that they make you a little bit different.

With that said, I know that not everyone feels the same. I remember a day last year when a young women (early twenties, I would guess) came into the cafe where I worked, who had her septum pierced (the 'bull' piercing for those of you who may be unfamiliar). When I saw her, I immediately thought 'wow, she really pulls it off!' because it fit her look: fair skin, high top-knot, floral dress, and the septum... boho with a bit of bad ass let's call it. As soon as she had left, my co-worker (a really lovely women) said to me 'I don't understand why girls do stuff like that'. I just sort of laughed at the time, but later marveled at how differently people perceive the same thing.

To me piercings are no different than clothing style, in the sense that they are just part of how you choose to present yourself. I think that if you like the way something looks, go for it! Although piercings aren't dangerous or risky, I do think it is good to know how to care for them, where to go, and so forth. I'm certainly no expert on piercings (and truthfully don't have that many), but I do have some experience (good and bad) that I figured I would share.

27 Facts About Me!

I figured that it was about time that I wrote a post that's a little more personal... Something to give you the chance to learn a little more about me. I've watched a number of videos on youtube, which are '50 Facts About Me', and have always found it quite interesting what people choose to share about themselves, so I though why not?! With that said, 50 seemed like an awful lot of facts (I don't want to overwhelm you) so I just started coming up with little things about myself, and here they are!

1. I am proud to be an east-coast girl
2. I eat ice cream almost everyday (and can eat it like a champ)
3. I can be a very nostalgic/meloncholy person
4. I love quotes, and aspire to be able to recite great quotes for whatever situation I'm in and know who said them
5. I am an introvert so I love being on my own, but it can also get pretty lonely sometimes

Long Weekend in Madison, WI // Part II

    Just as the morning prior, our second full day in Madison began relatively leisurely.  I woke up around 8:30AM, and read for a little bit before jumping in the shower. About an hour later, we headed out of the house, again stopping at Starbucks for a quick breakfast before heading on to the morning destination: House on the Rock.  Located in Spring Green (about 45 minutes away from Moses’ house), this had been the house of Alex Jordan, a man whom there is not a lot known about. He had sought to create a house for himself which would incorporate nature in an eccentric and unconventional architectural style. The exterior of the house alone is very impressive (there is a narrow glass hallway that reaches out over the ‘rock’ and appears from far away ominously precarious), but the interior is where things get really weird. The house is humongous, and each new space is filled with different odds and ends... one hallway is modeled after a 20th century village (with authentic shops such as a sheriff, an apothecary, a old-school theater, and more), there are a maze of turns decorated by intricate dollhouses, collections of swords, creepy dolls, cars, armor, instruments (which self-play complicated melodies when activated), and just about anything else you could think of. The house is utterly indescribably, and even seeing the photos will give you no appreciation of just how bizarre is is to actually walk through the house and be overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of stuff.

Long Weekend in Madison, WI // Part I

This past weekend, my brother, Trevor, and I took a road trip from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin to visit a family friend, whom we've known our entire life. Uncle Moses (although he's not really my uncle in the generic meaning of the world) is one of the most charismatic, eccentric, and witty people I know. Originally from Greece, Moses came to America for university studies and is now is the founder of a consulting company. When I say that Moses is somewhat eccentric, it's no exaggeration... he is a certified minister, speaks three languages fluently, has taken an 8 week course with his local police department, has traveled to over 46 countries, and has the most incredible house (more on that later though!). The last time I had seen Moses was almost exactly two years ago in Paris for my 15th birthday, where we had gone to the Paris Opera House for dinner, and he had given me a chocolate shoe and a Swarovsky diamond necklace. Needless to say, I was more than excited for what the weekend adventure would hold.

Seven Healthy Habits to Adopt

With the start of a new academic year coming up, I thought I would compile a list of healthy habits that I think everyone should adopt. I am definitely still on my way to making some of them habits I am consistent with, but I'm working on getting there. I will say that some of these are somewhat generic things that I am sure you have heard before (and if you're not already doing them, shame on you! ;) ), but others you may be new to you, and if that's the case, I hope you can make use of them.

An Inside Look at Cambridge, UK

As some of you may know, during my would-be freshman year in high school, I lived in England with my parents, due to a sabbatical year my dad was taking with his work. My two brothers did not join us, as they were both already in university, so just my parent and I arrived in late August into a city where we knew nothing and no one. Being a relatively quiet (and awkward) person, it was hard for me to adjust in the beginning--especially at school--but as the months went on, I came to love England as my home.

Summer Movie List

As we approach August, for me it means that I have just about one month of summer left. In reality that is about a third of the entire summer (so quite a bit), but it still feels quite unfortunately close to the start of a new school year, and with it, lots of stress. Rather than think about the fact that soon we will be buried in homework, however, I thought I would make a list of my all time favorite films; I love having movie nights with friends, and summer is the prime time for it. Get the works: pillows and blankets on the floor in front of the TV, plenty of drinks and snacks (my favorites are popcorn, ice cream sandwiches, and Dr. pepper), some of your friends, and most importantly, some good movies.

Croatia // Day 4

I woke up a little bit before 8 AM, feeling slightly groggy and unsettled. Because my upper back had gottena bit of a sunburn the previous day, I had tossed and turned quite a bit during the night trying to find a way to be comfortable, but it the end, not gotten a very good rest. Regardless, it was our last day so I was excited to have one last chance to explore Rovinj.

For breakfast we had some rolls and fruit, and afterward lazed around a bit before getting together some things for the beach. My brothers and I were going to rent bikes again, and ride some ways up the coast, where the beach was less populated and more rustic. Meanwhile, my parents would go for a walk, get a drink somewhere, and relax together. I wised up from yesterday's sunny bike ride--which had made my skin quite sensitive--and put on lots of sunscreen before stretching out in the sun. After a while of reading, listening to music, and splashing in the water, we headed to a beach side restaurant to get a drink.

Croatia // Day 3

The morning started out around 8:30 AM, and I awoke not long before sitting down to breakfast with my family. We had some fruit, yogurt, and rolls. When we had finished, I settled down with my computer, and tried (and became more and more frustrated) with trying to upload photos for the prior day's blog post!

Quite a bit later, a little after 10 AM, we were finally all ready, and headed into town. My brother, Colin, had found a website proclaiming the best coffee in town was at a cafe right at the edge of downtown, so we decided to go check it out.

Croatia // Day 2

    Day two in Croatia began at 8 AM: a relaxing start compared to the day before. We had gotten some breakfast essentials at a little market the previous night, and my brother had gone into town earlier that morning to pick up some rolls, so around 8:30 AM we sat down to a breakfast fit for kings: eggs, rolls, and a nice cheese board. After a leisurely morning of editing my previous day’s blog post and checking up on my Instagram, we headed out the door for a morning expedition.

    Our first destination was a quaint town roughly an hours drive away, called Motovun. The drive there was relaxing, as we passed through canopies of green trees, which cast dramatic shadows onto the small country roads. Cyclists were scattered along the road, and I must admit that riding through the country in the bright morning light looked appealing.

    Perched at the top of a hill, Motovun is located in Istria, and known as the center of ‘truffle country’: a type of mushroom which is a delicacy around the world, and a specialty in Croatia. At the highest point of the town stands the church, surrounded by old buildings with the typical Croatian rusty-colored tiled roofs and crumbling plastered walls. We meandered through the streets, soaking in the sun, and looking out at the seemingly endless scape of forest which is visible from the high focal point.

Croatia // Day 1

The day started off quite early; we rose at 5 AM and after some last minute packing and breakfast, loaded up the car. Four hours later, after driving through foggy mountains and tunnel after tunnel, we approached Ljubljana: the capital of Slovenia. The city is an absolute European jewel. The Ljubljanica River runs directly through the city center, and the streets are littered with brightly painted buildings, cafes, and groups of young Slovenian students and awe-struck tourists.

An Early Summer Weekend in Philly

This past weekend, my family and I set off early Saturday morning for a weekend in Philadelphia. The drive there from my hometown is only a couple hours so we planned to get there for a late breakfast, spend the day wandering around the city, and then checking out the Philadelphia Museum of Art the next morning before heading home. Although I have been to Philly before, this was the first trip for a number of years, and I was in charge of planning where we would go. All in all, the trip was relaxing and I certainly have some gems to recommend, however, I will say that there were a number of things I would do differently, as well as a couple destination which are on the list for next time.
(**Links for all places I mention will be at the bottom!)

Sunday Morning Scones (with gluten-free modifications!)

Sunday mornings are one of my favorite times. I typically like to have busy Saturdays where I feel productive by planing things to do, going shopping or out with friends, as well as get a jumpstart on homework. Sundays, on the other hand, are the time for relaxing, pampering, exercising, and best of all cooking (and of course eating).

During my freshman year in high school, my dad took a sabbatical from his work, and we moved to Cambridge, England for a year. During the course of this year, my mom and I went to countless tea rooms for afternoon tea and scones, and let me tell you, having a cup of tea and warm, buttery scone is one of the most delectable pleasures in life. Being back in the US, there are many things that I miss about England, and the scones are certainly one of them.

Spring Favorites 2015

I am over the moon that this Friday we can officially call it Spring (even if in PA we're expecting a couple inches of snow)! In honor of the changing of seasons, and hopefully sunny warm days to come (fingers crossed, everybody), I have decided to get a foot up and think about how I'm going to revamp my wardrobe for Spring. I will confess, I'm not a big colorful dresser, as I'm all about black being the new black, but I've decided that this Spring I will branch (just slightly) out of my comfort zone in terms of color, as well as try to get some things that are just a lil' different than my usual V-necks and loose tees.

Spring Break 2015 // Day 6

It was the last day of being in California. I got up somewhat early, and relaxed for a bit, working on my previous day's blog with a cup of tea. My mom began making blueberry pancakes; let me just tell you guys: I love pancakes. Maybe it's because I used to help my Dad make them over the weekend for breakfast when I was little (I always got to whisk the ingredients together, and put on chocolate chips), but they will always be one of my favorite breakfasts. Meanwhile, I decided to make some fresh squeezed orange juice with a basket of oranges that were from the garden (something I definitely won't be able to do once I'm back in PA :( ). Once all the pancakes were done, we sat down to a nice breakfast together.

Spring Break 2015 // Day 5

Today was another very low key day. In the morning, I lazed around for a bit, and then headed to the kitchen to make dutch baby. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a breakfast for which you make an extremely simple batter out of flour, milk, and eggs. Then you put a pan in a preheated oven with lots of butter; once the butter is melted, you pour in the batter, and let the breakfast bake for around fifteen minutes. When it comes out (if you've done everything right) there should be peaks all around the sides, and the rest is fluffy. It's hard to explain, but they are delicious--especially if you eat it with maple syrup and fruit salad, as we did.

After breakfast, I worked on finishing up by blog from the previous day, as my Mom and her friend who was visiting caught up. Soon, we left for a hike at Hidden Villa (an organic farm with trails going into the mountains). Although the morning had been somewhat grey, by the time we reached the lookout at the top, there was nothing but blue above us, the the sun felt great.

Spring Break 2015 // Day 4

Today started out relatively early, as most days have, at 7:30 AM, and my Mom and I decided to go for a walk. It was still quite foggy and cool at this point, but it felt great to get some blood circulating to my muscles (and as expected, my quads were sore from the previous days run :( ). When we got home, I relaxed on the couch for a bit, and waited until everyone was up. Finally, around 8:30, we headed out for breakfast.

For all the years that I have been coming to California to see my Grandparents, I cannot remember a visit that didn't involve going to Linda's, a breakfast place in Santa Cruz. The place has a rustic, homey feel, and absolutely fantastic food!! After waiting outside the cafe (where they have benches and coffee), we were called in when a table opened up. The waiters there are super friendly, so after placing our orders, and impatiently waiting, the food arrived. I had a greek scramble (which consists of three eggs, black olives, tomatoes, spinach, and feta cheese) with a relish green pepper hot sauce, a heaping plate of potatoes, and a buttery cinnamon role... and damn, it was fantastic!

Spring Break 2015 // Day 3

Today I got up and went for a run; wow, that sounds kinda weird to say! To give you guys a little bit of background, I am a pretty athletic person in general, but during the winter I always fall into a slump. It's not good, and I should really try to stay more motivated, but in Pennsylvania during the winters when it's negative temperatures outside, I want to be cuddled next to the fire with tea and Netflix, not freezing my ass off trying to go for a run! Anyway, the run was rough, to say the least. Regardless, I did it, so I'm happy to say that I'm one step closer to getting back into a good fitness routine for Spring.

When I got back from the run, I cooled down with a nice green smoothies, and sat in the sun. A while later, after showering, I moved on to breakfast with some maple oatmeal and tried to finish a little bit of homework. The rest of the morning I have to be honest with you guys, I did not do that much of anything :( However, come lunchtime we all made a trip out to Chipotle, where I got a chicken burrito. It was delicious, and I felt like I was going to explode by the end (I guess that's what 1,000 calories does to you, eh ;) ).

Spring Break 2015 // Day 2

After waking up, I went downstairs and had some water and and an orange (this is quickly becoming a ritual for my mornings in Cali), and started on a walk downtown to pick up some bagels for breakfast. The place I got them is quite the local joint, and at 7:30 AM already a had a little line! After coming home, we made some coffee and tea, set the bagels and cream cheese on the table, and sat down to yet another family breakfast.

Spring Break 2015 // Day 1

After a long day of school, which included getting back a math test (yikes) and taking a history test (yikes!), I was picked up by my family, and we started the long journey from Pennsylvania to California. After the four hour drive--which was quite beautiful, as the setting sun cast hues of pink, orange and yellow into the clear sky--we arrived at the airport, and made our way to the correct terminal. We had quite a bit of time to kill, so I enjoyed the avocado turkey sandwich I had packed and watched The Prince and Me on Netflix. A couple minutes before boarding, I filled up my water bottle, bought some tropical fruit snacks, and I was ready to go!

Pennsylvania sunset, as we drove to the airport

My Travel Essentials

I am currently sitting in my bed, surrounded by a cocoon of pillows and blankets, and writing this post because I have a two hour delay (it is currently -10℉!). Don't get me wrong, I love winter but I think the time has come to 'spring into spring' and leave the freezing weather until next winter. I am counting down the days until spring break when I'll be going to sunny California! My spring break is coming in about two weeks, so I thought I would share with you guys what kinds of things I like to bring with me when I travel!

Chai Tea Latte

Where I live, January still means a snowy wonderland outside. Currently, late Sunday morning, I am sitting on the couch in my pajamas with a fuzzy blanket wrapped around me, headphones in, and a steaming chai latte. Warm drinks are by far one of the best parts of winter: essentially a hug in a cup :) Whenever I go to cafes, I love getting chai lattes, because each one is slightly different: some are more cinnamon, some more vanilla, some more spicy with ginger and clove. Chai lattes are the perfect drink of robust flavors that are warming on even the coldest day.

As nice as it is to go to a cafe, and be served chai (with some latte art, if you're lucky!), I decided it was time for me to try to make one at home. I have made chai at home before, but it's never as creamy and rich flavored at when you get one at a cafe. After taking some pointers from various recipes online, I created a blend that balances spicy and sweet, is creamy, and has a great vanilla aroma.