Fixations

Admittedly, I like to immerse myself in new things on a regular basis. There’s something about looking forward to marathons of a new TV series, cracking open a fresh book, applying a different shade of lipstick, trying a new recipe, or otherwise sampling what the rest of mainstream America is into that makes me incredibly happy.  Variety is the spice of life as they say, and it is with that witticism in mind that I am starting a new semi-regular feature in which I let you know what I’m up to when I’m not posting on here. 

READING

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld: Curtis had me at Prep, kept my attention with Man of My Dreams, and absolutely made a life-long fan of me with American Wife. Though this latest book of hers has a slightly out-there premise, it is not letting me down. I’ve been spending a lot of time catching up with 20 and 30-somethings and thinking about where I’m at in relation, and I’d say that this book does a great job of nailing all of the emotions and circumstances that go along with this unique stage of life. 

WATCHING

Scandal: I have to admit it--I thought I was going to hate Kerry Washington. But, oh, how I love it when my faulty expectations are proven wrong. Mary Louise Parker in Weeds anyone?  I have a fair degree of insight into government work, and though I can assure you that it’s typically nowhere near as scintillating as this series would have you believe, I’m hooked and eagerly looking forward to Season 3 this fall. 

LISTENING

Songza App: I've said it before and I'll say it again. This app has changed my down time. There's something for every occasion and every mood, and it lets me quickly queue up a perfect playlist the moment I walk in the door after work. The best part? It's free. Lately, I've been partial to the upbeat morning mixes and the variety of porch songs that perfectly set the stage for kicking back with a mason jar full of iced tea.

WEARING

Essie’s Blanc: What’s a girl to do when she can’t decide among the nail colors at the salon? Go for white, of course. I recently took the plunge on both my fingers and toes, and though my tan is nowhere near where I’d like it at this point in the summer, this color really made it pop. That, and it looks amazing with gold accessories. 

EATING

Peeled Juice Cleanse: This shop recently opened up in my neighborhood and, on an impulse, I bought a cleanse deal on Gilt. With my boyfriend out of town, I figured it would be a healthy way to get out of cooking for a few days. After completing all three days of it without a problem, I can say that I did end up feeling rejuvenated and the 6 juices a day surprisingly kept the hunger at bay. 

DOING

Cooking out of It’s All Good: I’ve been looking to minimize the amount of sugar, dairy and red meat that I eat, and this cookbook is a great way to accomplish the goal. I took it with me to the beach recently, and as I was flipping through it, a girl on the next towel over chatted me up about it and made me even more excited to work my way through the recipes. 

COVETING

Haircare by Wen: I get this strange satisfaction out of finishing products. I love when I reach the end of a jar of moisturizer, or eat the last bit of cereal out of the box. My regular Kerastase shampoo and conditioner bottles are nearly empty, and I’m already thinking about changing up my routine and trying this renowned 2-in-1 system.