Day 21 & 22 {About Me + A Rant}
May 23, 2013 § Leave a Comment
Day 21 of the May Blogging Challenge is to list a few of your favorite posts. Since I’ve only just picked up blogging again, I don’t exactly have a lot to choose from. I thought I’d go with something a little different and choose my “About Me” page. Most of you are readers from my previous blogs (thank you for sticking with me!) and probably haven’t checked it out. Take a look and let me know what you think. Does it sum me up pretty well?
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And Day 22′s prompt is to “get up on your soapbox and rant.”. I decided to go with something that I feel very strongly about. Texting and driving. Please take 9 minutes out of your day and watch the video below.
Today, we live in a society where it’s incredibly easy and fun to stay connected with people. Technology is an amazing thing but it isn’t worth another person’s life, or even your own.
Please stay safe on the road and share this video with friends, because you never know, you could save a life.
xx Nina
Snaps from Sedona
May 21, 2013 § 5 Comments
For Mother’s Day, Mom and I took a girl’s trip to Sedona. We stayed at our favorite spa, Mii Amo, where we enjoyed each other’s company and were pampered to the max. Sedona is wonderful this time of year for the cooler temperatures (although now it’s pretty hot there too) and the slower pace, which is something you don’t get much of in Phoenix.
Below, is an outfit I wore to dinner one night- definitely not something I’m sporting here in the Valley.
Wearing : shirt- Comfy, scarf- borrowed, leggings- Lululemon, Uggs
We took a hike after lunch one of the days and even though I got a sunburn and some sketchy bug bites, it was beautiful and definitely worth it! And say hey to my mom, who’s rocking her Lululemon :) :)
Even if you don’t feel up for the trails, just walking around the property is a sensory experience in itself.
The layout of the spa is wonderful- while small, you never feel crowded.
The food is another reason to go! Below is my favorite GF french toast- aka my go-to breakfast. Everything is local, organic and made with your optimal health in mind. And the people who work there- waiters, chefs, etc- are incredibly kind.
On our final night, we went on a little walk at twilight. I included photos of myself because I had bought the both of us coordinating hoodies (obviously) from VS Pink. I have the pink and my mom has the blue. Unfortunately I don’t have a photo of her, but you get the idea!
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Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday! I’ll see you back here tonight with Day 21 of the May Blogging Challenge.
xx Nina
Day 20 : Career Struggles
May 20, 2013 § 10 Comments
Okay, right when I feel like I’ve got this whole “life” thing figured out, the universe throws me a curveball. Just last week I was kind of in awe of myself for doing so many things and on the cusp of some big changes and handling everything really well, when, bam! Epic meltdown.
It started yesterday morning when I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Then I was mad at Insanity for only having the easy workout to do (goddammit! I needed something brutal!). Then all the decent food in my fridge just didn’t happen and I subsided on bowls of cornflakes. And then, when I was trying to write this post, all that came out were things like “I’m too progressive for a normal job” and “I’m with the generation of million dollar startups, grassroots charities in Peru and reality t.v.”. Like, a normal job sounds kind of shitty. And soul crushing. And totally not for me.
Obviously, you all can tell that I’m struggling with this. And that’s today’s post, Day 20: Something That You’re Struggling With Right Now.
I have the ball rolling on a new career path and it’s good. The adjustment period is finally hitting me and it’s going to be a little dicey for a while. But that’s okay too. I know that the road I switched to is the right one for me at this time in my life. Am I going to be working for others forever? No. I’m still the girl who thinks small business are the best idea ever (duh!) and I feel like I have a lot to offer the world in terms of that. But right now, I need to be doing this. “This” meaning something that will give me financial independence and a piece of mind. So, that when I am working towards other dreams and goals, my head isn’t filled with worry- I’ll have a back up plan, and as I’ve discovered recently, that’s an important thing for me.
I don’t have anything big or fabulous to say to you today but I think opening up a dialogue on topics like this one are important. Because for all the prettiness and perfection in the blogging world, there’s also a wonderful support system.
So, thank you for listening and following along during the month of May. I know the blog posts have been heavier because of it, but I hope that you’ve taken something away from it. Thanks again :)
xx Nina
Day 19 : Blog Love {3 Favorite Blogs}
May 20, 2013 § Leave a Comment
I’ve read a lot of different blogs over the years. Some come and some go and a few have stayed the course. Day 19′s topic is “five of your favorite blogs.” and despite having a pretty hefty feed on Bloglovin’, I decided to cut it down to three of my favorite “professional” bloggers.
1. Sea of Shoes was the first fashion blog that I ever read and it never ceases to inspire me. Jane Aldridge is Texas-based with a style that is equal parts Americana and Avant Garde. It’s mainly high end, designer fashion with beautiful photography.
2. Gala Darling. This girl can change your life! Her positivity is contagious and she posts the most unique things- everything from how to read tarot cards to the ultimate travel guide to Paris. Her e-book, Love and Sequins, can be bought chapter by chapter and is like a life guide for the modern woman. Her website is one of those you can spend hours scrolling through, and I highly suggest that you do!
3. Into The Gloss. If you’re a beauty junkie, this website is your holy grail. It’s that amazing. My favorite posts are the “Top Shelfs”, where a cool girl (think editors, actresses, models, etc.) shares her beauty story. It includes beauty regimens, make up regrets and must-have products. It’s a fascinating read and you really feel like you’re getting to know these fabulous women. Also, this site inspired me to get an undercut and then a pixie- photos to come!
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Who are your favorite bloggers? I’d love to add them to my reading list!
xx Nina
Day 18 : Summers in Arizona
May 18, 2013 § 7 Comments
I wrote yesterday that I was going to share some more stories and photos from Italy, but when I came across this photo, I knew I had to use it instead. It’s of me, and my cousins, Charlie and Johnny. It brought back so many memories of summers in Arizona.
Summer 2001 or 2003?? I can’t remember…
For me, summers in Arizona meant…
- Spending all of late afternoon and early evening in the pool, with breaks for popsicles, naturally.
-Trips to Costco in the middle of the day. Reason #1 to go? An escape from the heat. Reason #2 and infinitely more important? Free samples!
-Visiting the library twice a week in the evenings to get my summer reading booklet stamped and to collect my prizes.
-In the complex where the library is located, sits a Dairy Queen. Being outside, sitting at a picnic table, eating a hot dog with my mom, and then the dessert! Heath Bar Blizzard for Mom and a Cherry Dilly Bar for me. I still love those.
-Dance workshops. Arizona Dance Source was where I took tap and jazz classes during the year and for a few weeks each summer, they would host workshops. You would dance all day doing different class rotations- ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop. I spent so many hours at that studio over the years, it will always have a special place in my heart.
- While at the library for books, I would also rent Murder, She Wrote and Poirot on VHS. Getting to stay up late and watch them made me so happy- even in elementary school I was a t.v. junkie! Somethings never change.
- Summer workbooks. My grandfather made my cousin, Jake, and I do them. I hated it at the time, but always felt like a genius when I went back to school in the fall. Sometimes, the adults really do know best…sometimes ;)
- Selling homemade treats on the golf course. My best friend in 5th and 6th grade, Peyton, lived at a country club and her house was right on the greens. We used to bake a bunch of cookies and muffins and then set up a table outside and sell to passing golfers. We also had Crystal Light Lemonade. You guys don’t even want to know how much money we made- food always sells!
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I’m so glad that I’m finally taking the time to write down these memories before they all start blending together. Another unexpected plus of this blogging challenge!
Do you have a favorite summertime memory?
xx Nina
Day 17 : A Favorite Photo
May 17, 2013 § 2 Comments
Today’s challenge is to share a favorite photo of ourselves. I chose the below photo because it was taken during one of the best summers of my life.
Florence, July 2002.
Is it weird to remember exactly what I was wearing? Shirt and shorts from Limited Too and flip flops from the American Girl store. Sadly, the crown wasn’t mine…
I spent the summer in a small, German village (my great grandmother was still alive) and for two weeks in July, we packed up and drove to Italy. It was me, my grandparents and my younger cousin, Jake.
The four of us stayed in Tuscany at a beautiful resorted villa that is now a hotel. It just so happened to be across the vineyard from my grandparent’s friend’s villa where we spent most of our time.
There were day trips to landmarks and the sea (Puccini’s home and Viareggio) with plenty of pizza and gelato. It was an incredible summer and I’ll always be thankful to my grandparents for including me. Luckily, I have many photos, some of which I’ll be sharing for tomorrow’s post!
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TGIF!
xx Nina
Day 16 : My lot in life
May 16, 2013 § 2 Comments
I had to look this one up, as I had never heard of the term “your lot in life” before. It means the cards you were dealt. Hmmm, the cards I’ve been dealt have been good. I’ve had my share of difficulties- just read my Day 1 post, but life isn’t black and white. For all the good, there’s bad too.
This is the street I grew up on in Tucson. The entrance to our property was on the right side (you can faintly see where the dirt is lighter) and the whole left side is National Park. In half a mile the road ends completely. Quite a change from the present!
I’m an eternal optimist, though. Even when things get really bad (i.e. lots of crying, the occasional panic attack, insomnia, self imposed isolation…) I still seek out the bright side.
Also, I feel like blogging has helped me tremendously. Realizing that other twenty-somethings deal with the same problems makes me feel less alone and not like I’m the weird one for having all these issues. It’s kind of like a bunch of people telling you (through their blogs, of course) that it’s okay! We all struggle with similar issues and you know what? We come out stronger.
Right now, I feel like I’m in a good place. I’m in the process of making a big career change (which I will share more of when the dust has settled) and it feels right. Still scary, as change always seems to be, but exciting too. Wish me luck!
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I hope you all have been enjoying my daily blog posts this month, it’s been a real challenge but really fun too. Have a wonderful Thursday and thank you for reading!
xx Nina
