Part of me is still kind of in shock, it was only two weeks ago when I thought about getting a tattoo. Never did I ever think I would go through with it at this young. I'm 18, so it's totally legal and up to me, but part of me still can't believe it happened. I texted my best friend and told her Miami was when I was going to get it and that's it. It was only going to go down then and there. At the time only my roommates and my two best friends knew. I was not planning on telling anyone in my family, partly because I didn't want their opinion to sway my thoughts or decision on it.
When I was thinking of what to get and where to get it and how I was gonna get it, I knew I wanted my first tat to be small and minimal. Excuse my arm hair haha. I ended up picking out a waning crescent and just a simple black outline. I was going to get stars, but the tattoo artist and I decided we just liked the moon. There's no specific significance of it, I just liked it a lot. I think that's a very viable reasoning for getting something you like and won't regret later.
I'm interested in space and I read online that the waning crescent symbolizes getting rid of the bad stuff in your life, so I guess I'll have that on my wrist as a reminder. As for where I wanted it, I originally thought my ribs would be a good place, but my best friend suggested a place like my wrist so the pain wouldn't be so bad. And it wasn't for the most part. I have a pretty high pain tolerance and I described the pain as a pen vibrating and scratching your skin for like two minutes.
I would recommend for other people who are getting their first tattoo to find a quality place that knows what they're doing. I had a great experience at this place called Oriana Tattoo in Miami, Florida and my artist's name was Ruben. Super sweet and made my whole tattoo experience relaxed and comfortable. He was open to ask me about designs and help me with taking care of it after that.
I know that tattoos can be a controversial topic for some people and put permanent ink on your body is something that should not go unconsidered and well thought out. They're basically wounds in your body so I would make sure that it's something you really want and talk to people who have experienced it and are knowledgeable about the process.
My whole family was not extremely surprised. My mom thought I was joking and my dad was like, "whaaa", but they all seem to like it and where I put it. My sister has a couple tattoos, so I guess they weren't as new to it as I thought they would be. This might be my eye-opening to getting more tattoos in the future, who knows. Getting it will be a moment I will have forever.
My spring break is officially over and if you have not seen my posts on Facebook or Instagram, then you do not know that my best friend Alyssa and I planned a weekend trip to Miami, Florida. Now in none of my thoughts did I consider going on a beach vacation with my best friend for the first time. Alyssa's mom and my mom were with us when we were discussing spring break plans and we both had time off over St. Patrick's Day weekend.
We kind of threw a dart on the map and chose one of the warmest places south of us. My freshman college spring break happened to be in one of the most popular locations and I wasn't mad about it! Living in Chicago, it still feels like December, so I was eager to fly out and meet Alyssa at our quaint Airbnb.
This trip was definitely a trip of firsts. It was the first trip I actually planned alone and had to figure out where to stay and as far as our itinerary was, the beach was our main goal. Transportation was the main hiccup because we just planned to walk as much and Uber as much. I don't think I've Ubered more in my life—it really saved us, though. You can only walk all over South Miami for so long.
We had perfect beach days and spent the first day at Hollywood Beach and ate at this awesome Mexican restaurant called Mamasitas, and all of the waitresses performed a dance routine for St. Patrick's Day. We got really tan (and sunburned), ate some ice cream on the beach, and enjoyed seeing all of the art deco architecture and neon signs which was something I fell in love with down there.
We ordered sub sandwiches on the beach and laid out for a couple hours until we got too hot and swam in the ocean. This was actually my first time swimming in the ocean and it was pretty salty, but reminded me of Lake Michigan in terms of how calm the waves were. Also, I found a rotten coconut and would advise to not crack it open as it smells of rotten eggs and was an all in a bad idea to begin with.
Besides the fact that it was much clearer and we saw a manatee wading in the shallow end, I was so happy with how we picked the beach to go to and avoid the crazy partiers. In the picture, you don't see anyone in the background swimming. The first night we decided to go to a nice restaurant for dinner called Billy's Stone Crab Grill which I got a plate full of scallops, more than I have ever eaten.
I also was not aware that wall art and murals were really big down there, and I obviously had to take a photo in front of at least one. The first day Alyssa and I had walked all the way to downtown Hollywood from our Airbnb, stopped at a garage sale for some lemonade, almost stepped on some lizards, and got an energy smoothie for breakfast at this really swanky gym downtown.
One thing we both really wanted to do was be immersed in some of the Cuban culture that is prevalent in southern Florida. We stumbled upon this restaurant called Havana on Washington Avenue. It was the perfect place to have our last dinner. They had huge mojitos and plantain chips. It was covered in twinkly lights and set the perfect hoorah on our last night there.
We wished a little that we had started in Miami and stayed there, but being more north in Hollywood where our Airbnb was kind of showed more of the residential area of Miami and southern Florida. I was happy to see a lot of people speaking Spanish, as there is a large population of Hispanic people in Florida. I used my knowledge of the language to my advantage and met some really nice Uber drivers and locals.
I will always remember this trip with my best friend and am so grateful that we got to share this adventure together. I feel more independent and empowered to travel alone now and can rely on myself to figure things out when I'm in an unknown place. It's amazing how fast trips can fly past when you're enjoying it. Alyssa and I were on the beach when she said, "We're gonna be on a plane home in a day," and I almost slapped her (haha). I enjoyed every minute!
Decorating your nails is always a must. This orange and gold is perfect for showing a pot 'o' gold off on your fingers! I'm a fan of Essie and OPI products as you all know. You can't go wrong with a vibrant nail color for a holiday celebration. The OPI Gel shades are long lasting and my now go-tos.
Go all out with these huge and oversized "Irish" glasses! I know I'll be bringing these along with my shamrock beads on my trip. Add some touches of green and you'll be good to go for any parade or party! Mix in some gold and silver bangles or rings. These pieces and touches are festively tamed and everyone can get in the mood, I know I will be! How do you celebrate St. Paddy's Day?
So, I don't remember if I mentioned this, but I planned a St. Patrick's Day trip to Miami, Florida with my best friend. It was such a spontaneous idea and we both have spring breaks off together. It will be my first trip alone and I am so excited for it. We are headed to the beach and my list has gradually gotten bigger. Today, I have a few carry on items specifically for the beach or tropical vacations!
I get really excited for trips and packing is one of my favorite things to do. I know a lot of people think it's tedious and annoying, but something about planning outfits and packing only the essentials seems really fun to me. This trip will only be a carry on trip because it will save me a lot of money and I won't be there long.
I'm not one to have an abundance of swimsuits just because I don't see the point of having a ton of cheap ones. I've always been on the lookout for nice and quality bikinis and to my surprise, Target came through yet again.
I only really buy tops because I just have one nice pair of black bottoms that go with everything. I bought this extremely adorable embroidered halter neck swim top and have fallen in love with all of Target's new swim range. I would highly recommend checking it out. They have a large variety of trendy styles, colors, and styles.
These green and gold round Raybans have been on my wishlist for quite some time lately and I finally found the perfect pair on Poshmark. Poshmark is a buy and sell fashion website/app and it has been an addictive obsession. These are the most classic pair of sunglasses and give off 70s vibes for real. I'm putting these babies on as soon as I land in paradise.
A few beauty products might be essential on a carry on a flight. I always make sure I have some type of roll-on perfume to freshen up and the Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Now roll on that is fresh and fruity. Perfect for a beach vacay. Then I always pack some sort of lip care because I need to have moistened lips, especially in a dry and stale aircraft. The Kiehl's Lip Balm is an unscented goddess of a lip saver.
As a hair refresh, dry shampoo is always a go-to. The one I have been loving the most recently has been the Herbal Essences Bio Renew and it smells so fresh and clean. I never like cucumber scented anything, but this combination has my hair smelling so nice and doesn't weigh or leave oil around when I wake up.
I went ahead and made an investment purchase. I bought the new Apple AirPods and I am in love with them. I was hesitant at spending my money on a small pair of wireless headphones, but I caved and I do not regret it one bit. I can switch between devices, make calls, use Siri to text, listen to music and videos, exercise better, and the charging life is so great. I considered Beats, but not having any cord at all is great. I haven't lost them and I've had them for a good three months. These are great for travel.
I am so excited for my trip and will definitely be taking photos. I don't plan on bringing my camera, but my phone can do just fine. I know this isn't everything I need to bring on my trip, but just a couple little gadgets and essentials I find make the trip worthwhile. What are your spring break plans?
I have become a pretty big Jo Malone fanatic and I have been loving the scents that Jo Malone offers in the collection. It's been hard for me over the past couple of years to find scents that I truly love and can see myself constantly wearing and liking. I think I have found a couple of my signature scents.
Now, I like a number of different notes and scents when it comes to perfumes, but there are a lot that I don't like in particular. I love light florals and fruits, but I do not like rose or extremeley sweet fruit scents that are sickening to smell. I don't want to smell like a 12 year old's PINK body spray blew up in their locker. I'm passed that now, haha. I love notes of peony, sandalwood, citrus, and jasmine. These two perfumes really stood out to me.
Peony and Blush Suede
This one is probably my all time favorite. I know a lot of beauty bloggers rave over this and claim that it's their favorite, too. It has notes of red apple and jasmine. It's a very fresh and flirty scent. I love it especially in the spring and summer. It's warm and sweet. Just two sprits will do and the staying power is amazing.
Pomegranate Noir
This is my newest addition to the Jo Malone family. It is more of a warmer and spicier perfume. This has a balance of pomegrante, plum, and raspberry. It also has notes of pink pepper and spicy woods. This is a perfect fall and winter scent. I would say that it is a bit muskier and stronger, but is sexy and sophisitcated as well.
I'm sure that my collection will grow and I want to continue to smell all of the great scents in the range! There's probably a scent for everyone. I would definitely recommend going into the store and trying a few out to see which is perfect for you! The 1oz bottles are just the right amount because one or two sprits goes a very long way. Have you used a Jo Malone perfume before?
This month closes a second quarter of my freshman year of college and big things are happening this month. First off, spring is already on its way and I am so excited. It's that time of year when spring cleaning is coming and a refresh is on its way. Everything is brighter, greener, and cleaner. Hopefully, Chicago will keep getting warmer and warmer. We've already have some really nice sunny days.
The winter has honestly been kind of a drag: a lot of people were sick, it was constantly snowing, it was very dark at four o'clock, and a lot of people's moods were not great (in my experience anyway). There's more to do when it's warm, so here's what I have planned and plan on doing this month!
01.
This month I plan on decluttering every single thing. I'm already a master at this, but I want to declutter my mind more than anything. I haven't been terribly stressed lately, but sometimes there are little things that I still worry about and need to let go of. Especially things like my grades or future goals. I know that things will eventually work out.
02.
My best friend and I have planned a spring break trip in a couple of weeks to go to Miami, Florida and to go straight to the beach! This will be the first trip I have gone on completely alone without my parents, so it will be a fun learning experience for the both of us. I've been to Florida, but never to Miami and I will definitely be taking lots of pictures, so stay tuned.
03.
I hope that this month I will write more and focus on this blog a bit. Since the weather is going to get nicer, that means more opportunities for lookbooks and adventure type posts. I really want to explore the city more this spring and share it with you all.
04.
I have been really wanting to change my look up a bit and I've been really loving the look of balayage on people. Balayage is sort of like ombre, but more subtle and natural looking as the color is blended more into your hair. I'd like to have a bit more blonde in my hair for the warmer months. I've never dyed my hair before, so recommendations would be appreciated!
05.
I'm changing classes next quarter and I can't wait to start learning new subjects. I'm going to be taking a Buddhist Experience class and I've always been interested in that religion as it has contributed to my experience with doing yoga. Also, I'm taking this required focal point class and I chose "Real Cavemen" as my topic. I have no idea what made me gravitate towards it, but when do you get to tell people you took a class about cavemen?
These are just a few things that I am looking forward to this month and I love starting out fresh and taking a step back to reorganize and plan a bit. Time goes by so fast and it's nice to know what's going on! What are your plans for this month?
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