As someone who is fairly introverted, I really don’t mind spending time at home alone. The other night, TJ had a work dinner for the first time in over a year (almost forgot those existed). I knew I’d be spending some time at home by myself that night so I planned on having a much-needed, simple at-home spa night. I ordered my favorite greek food for dinner to be delivered, picked out all of my facial serums and hair treatments, put on my favorite washable silk pajamas and picked out a movie.
The first step of a spa night for me is taking a shower/washing my hair and doing all of the hair treatments so, if needed, they can sit while I do other skin masks. For the last 1.5 years or so, I’ve been using Herbal Essences Hemp + Potent Aloe collection, which is made with real botanicals certified by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This collection is one of the few of the mass care brands that ranks very high on the EWG website. In addition to the Hemp + Potent Aloe shampoo and conditioner being the best to combat my frizz (especially in this summer humidity), I follow up with the Argan Oil and Aloe Hair Mask along with the matching Hair Oil Mist once I’m out of the shower. The Argan Oil and Aloe Hair Mask is the best hair mask for dry hair – my hair always feels so silky afterwards! Plus, the Argan Oil & Aloe Hair Oil Mist does wonders for detangling and repairing. If you’re in the market for some new hair products (and want to discover how amazing Aloe vera for hair is), I’ll link this collection here because it is not only affordable and easy to find, but has made a big difference in my hair over the last 1.5 years.
I’ll apply some self tanner immediately after drying off (don’t forget about exfoliating beforehand) and then step into my silk pajamas. To avoid any mistakes, I’ll use extra moisturizer on my knees, ankles, and feet to avoid tanner mishaps. I’m not going to lie, some nights call for an XL t-shirt but when you’re having a spa night… it calls for your finest! And I can’t recommend these splurge-worthy pajamas enough.
Once ready to get the skincare treatments started, I’ll prepare a cup of rose tea with lemon. I’ve lately been drawn to Rose Hips with Hibiscus! Nights alone are when I can re-watch some of my all-time favorite movies like My Best Friend’s Wedding, You’ve Got Mail, or How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. But before pressing play, I’ll get my journal out and jot down some thoughts to really help clear my mind.
While my hair is drying and tea is steeping, I’ll turn on my facial steamer to prep my skin for all of the serums I’m about to apply. A spa night is not complete without a face mask so I’ll usually start with one of those and then move on to serum and moisturizer later.
This is our second summer in New York City and I remember being so surprised last year about how hot it got here in July, especially as someone coming from North Carolina. I lived on cold summer salads, Italian ice, tons of ice water with lemon, and told myself we’d be traveling somewhere every July moving forward. Well, the time has come, and while we don’t have any travel plans set in stone for anytime this month, I’ll be staying as cool as possible while also making the most of our time here with our friends. Mentally, I’ll be transporting to somewhere on the Italian coast with lots of caprese salad, refreshing lemon juice on everything, and evening patio time in the shade.
I’m partnering with one of my favorites for outdoor entertaining and dinnerware, Walmart, to share my top summer staples for whether TJ and I are just having a date night at home on a hot summer day or hosting friends and family while trying to keep cool.
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Aside from the quick shipping/delivery and easy online shopping experience, Walmart has been my go-to for years now when it comes to our dinnerware. You can find really beautiful full sets of 16 pieces for unbeatable prices that are also very high quality, convenient serving dishes in any size, shape you can need, unique glassware, and so much more. Not to mention, cute little outdoor bistro tables and pillows.
DINNERWARE SETS:
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You can also browse curated lookbooks of products depending on the season you’re shopping for which I find so inspiring and helpful. I found this bright yellow outdoor pillow and these cute summery lemon dish towels to add to my summer collection and they both transport me to somewhere in Italy.
SERVING DISHES:
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Last week, we picked up some fresh salads from a local favorite grocery store, West Side Market, and ended the night dining outside while the sun set. Sometimes you don’t even need to travel to transport yourself to a totally different place. PS If you’re in the mood for a few of my favorite picnic food recipes, you can read here.
It’s my favorite time of the year… when it’s 70-80 degrees just about every day (‘til the summer heat arrives) and one of our favorite things to do is bring dinner outside to the park to enjoy on a big picnic blanket right before the sun sets. Sometimes we’ll pick up sandwiches at a local deli but other times we’ll make our own dinner to bring out there. When I think of summer park days, the first thing I’m in the mood for is refreshing pasta salads, salsas, and sandwiches. Today I’m sharing a few favorite recipes we love to make that all use simple ingredients that taste like summertime. I’m excited to partner with the Vidalia Onion Committee and highlight my personal favorite ingredient.
Vidalia onions have a sweet, simple, yet distinctive taste and the harvest hits stores in April and typically runs out of stock by August or September. They’re also hand planted and harvested in only 20 counties in South Georgia so you’ll want to pick these up while you can! Not only do I add them to just about every single pasta salad, casserole, and sandwich I make, but they’re also a good way for me to get more vegetables in my diet.
So, last week, we ended up making a modified version of my favorite pasta salad in my Grandma’s cookbook, a simple corn salsa, and caprese sandwiches. I love to make this pasta salad at the beginning of the week so I can eat it for lunch throughout the rest of the week. For the caprese sandwiches, we picked up fresh focaccia bread from a local bakery but you can of course make your own too.
‘PICNIC PASTA SALAD’ RECIPE:
4 cups cooked pasta, elbows or penne
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 large cucumber, diced
Pinch of salt and pepper
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup of feta
Optional: olives, shrimp
In a large serving bowl, mix all ingredients. Stir to combine.
CORN SALSA RECIPE:
3 cups corn kernels, shucked (or you can use cooked corn if you prefer)
1 cup finely chopped Vidalia onions
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 medium jalapeno, finely chopped
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
In a medium serving bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Stir to combine.
Adjust flavor with vinegar or lime juice. To add more spice add additional jalapeno.
CAPRESE SANDWICH RECIPE:
Rosemary focaccia bread
4 Vidalia onion slices
1 heirloom tomato, making 4 individual slices
Fresh mozzarella cut into slices
Pinch of salt and pepper
8 basil leaves
Balsamic glaze
Slice focaccia bread into individual sections.
Add layers of onion, tomato, mozzarella, and basil.
If I’m being honest, I don’t think I’ve ever really loved my hair until this past year. I’ve always had uncontrollable frizz, constant baby hairs and breakage. For someone who has never colored or even highlighted my hair, it has had some major dryness at times, likely due to heat damage. It wasn’t until this year that I noticed less frizz, more moisture PLUS shine & softness. 2020 also brought me bangs… which has really helped my baby hair issue since they completely hide them and give my usual part a rest.
In terms of my routine, I try to wash my hair no more than 2-3 times per week and limit the heat tools as much as possible (I’m still working on that). About a year and a half ago, I was introduced to a few new hair products that I’ve been using ever since, and they’ve made a big difference in my hair. They’re all a part of the Herbal Essences Potent Aloe Collections, a sulfate free, paraben free collection that is made with real botanicals certified by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
FRIZZ CONTROL SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER
Herbal Essences Hemp + Potent Aloe Shampoo and Conditioner have been my go-to for months now and is the first step in my hair routine. I used to use the Bamboo + Potent Aloe Collection but switched things up a bit recently. The good news? They’re both part of the same collection of sulfate free and PETA cruelty free products made of real botanicals and sustainably harvested aloe. Not only do they smell incredible, but the Hemp + Potent Aloe Shampoo is one of the only mass hair brand products that meet the ingredient standards for the Environmental Working Group.
ARGAN OIL & ALOE HAIR OIL MIST
After I get out of the shower and my hair is slightly tangled, this Argan Oil & Aloe Hair Oil Mist smooths and helps fight frizz. It’s been such a game changer and now I ALWAYS use it right after washing my hair.
25mm ROUND BRUSH
About a month ago, I bought a new brush specifically for my bangs and I cannot recommend it enough (less $ version here). It heats up very quickly and when used with a hair dryer creates the perfect amount of volume for the bangs. It was definitely a splurge for a brush but worth every penny. When it comes to styling bangs, I start with damp hair and brush left to right repeatedly a few times to confuse the roots so that they don’t drift to one side. Next, I’ll take my round brush and pull up using the hair dryer to heat up the brush. It only takes a few seconds since the brush heats up so quickly but I just love the volume and slight curl it creates.
1.25in. CURLING IRON
This curling iron has been in my routine for years and I try to only use it a few times a week at most. It curls my hair in no time at all and I’ve never had any issues with it so I plan to continue using it for as long as I can! If I’m going for a more wavy look, I like to leave more ends out (3 in.) but if I’m going for more curls/less wave, I’ll leave barely any ends out when curling.
HAIR ACCESSORIES
My last step in my hair routine is an accessory that I’ve been reaching for almost every day… specifically, a hair barrette, which also takes me back to my middle school/elementary days. My mom would always put my hair in a barrette but nowadays, I reach for the tortoise and gold classics. Sharing a few of my favorites below:
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Let me know if you have any questions or if you’ve had the chance to try the Herbal Essences Hemp + Potent Aloe Collection yet. If you’re wanting to order a few products depending on your personal hair concerns, you can find the collection here.
This post is sponsored by Herbal Essences. All opinions are my own.
As soon as you walk into our apartment, you’re greeted by our “dining room” which probably isn’t supposed to technically be a dining room but, since the first day we walked in, I couldn’t stop envisioning our round dining table right in the center of it. It almost seemed to good to be true that all of our furniture fit perfectly in it so I decided that we’d start with this space. I filmed a full video of the makeover here and I’ll be sure to link as much as I can within this post!
Don’t get me wrong… I’m all for appreciating every moment and making the most of every season but this winter in NY has felt long. I’ve loved all of the snow this year and we’ve made the most of it for sure but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t ready for spring. I’ve now officially lived through every season in New York and I have to say… spring was my absolute favorite so I am SO excited to experience one where more businesses are open and life is a little more normal (last March-May was definitely the furthest from normal). Spring in NYC, especially near Central Park, is just a total dream. But before we move on to warmer times, I wanted to take a moment to look back on winter, share some of my winter staples that I’d use over again, favorite local restaurants we discovered, memories and more.
BEST of WINTER: CLOTHING STAPLES
Ribbed Turtleneck Tops: These are how I got through the coldest days for sure. No matter what I was wearing that day, I’d layer these underneath everything and it kept me warm and cozy. They’re on sale now too so I’m wondering if I should stock up for next winter.
Quilted Bouclé Shirt Jacket: This one was a splurge but worth every penny. I wore it almost every day and because it’s quilted but not TOO thick, it was the perfect layering jacket for winter. It’s so well made and if they made it in other colors, I’d buy those too. It’ll also be a nice transitional jacket going into spring.
7-Pack Crew Socks: These definitely aren’t the thickest socks but they were the ones I reached for day after day to keep my feet warm plus they’re all neutral everyday colors with cute “days of the week” on them. They’re a great year-round sock.
Mens Puffer Coats: I have compiled quite the collection of coats but I still reached for TJ’s puffer coat almost every day. His is this exact one but they come in endless styles/colors.
Tall Alpine Waterproof Boots: These are a hybrid between a sneaker and snow boot and incredibly comfortable. The velcro makes them my go-to for when I need to quickly take Colbie outside.
Ivy Chelsea Boot: These also are top of my “most worn boots” list, especially for the non-snowy winter days.
Ultra Long Puffer: These coats are the best and that’s all I have to say about that. They release new colors each year so I can’t wait to see what they do next year!
Spacedye High Waist Leggings: These leggings continuously (for the past 4 years or so) are my favorite leggings for winter. Something about the material makes them very warm and perfect for winter months. I even layer a couple of them when it’s a true snow day.
BEST of WINTER: LOCAL BUSINESSES
Sala Thai: Their vegetable pad thai delivered on a freezing cold day is pure happiness. Located in the Upper West Side in the 70’s.
Butterfly Studio Salon: Back in early winter, I discovered Butterfly Studio Salon where I eventually scheduled an appointment with Julianna. It’s SUCH a great salon and they offer complimentary bang trims too after your initial appointment.
Browtiste: Tammy was recommended by a close friend and, ever since, I’ve used her as my go-to brow gal. She knows how to get your brows looking their best and comes to you so you don’t even have to leave your home. You can book the at-home services here and use PINES15 for 15% off any service! I do the wax and tint when she does mine.
Housing Works and Unique Boutique: These two thrift stores (both UWS locations) have become my favorite stores to browse (and donate to!). I’ve found such great items at both of these including picture frames, a coat rack, lamps, boots, and so much more. Plus, they came in SO handy when we were moving and had items that needed new homes.
Kings Carriage House: Discovering new spots to get tea with a friend is one of my favorite things to do in NY. The latest afternoon tea find is Kings Carriage House which has the most charming English country house feel and is perfect for getting a bite to eat and catching up with a friend. This specific location has limited outdoor dining, just FYI. If you’re comfortable dining indoors, it’s such nice place. Plus, they offer to-go tea parties.
Pekarna: Pekarna is a brand new (well, as of December but then they had to temporarily close for COVID) Slovenian American restaurant/bar. We met the owner recently and he gave us a tour of the entire place (it’s HUGE) and showed us all of the event spaces that you can reserve. It underwent a 2 year renovation and is now officially open. It’s a great place to simply get a drink with a friend or for a full dinner.
Zucker’s: Zucker’s is my newest bagel find since we have had to say bye to our old one that we lived next to. Our old one (Lenny’s) doesn’t deliver, sadly. Their everything bagels are so good toasted with their scallion cream cheese and I also love their “Classic” which is just bacon/egg/cheese.
BEST of WINTER: WELLNESS
The newest flavors of Equilibria CBD, the Indulgence Collection and Cranberry Elderflower. If you’ve been feeling anxious, stressed, or trouble focusing… I’d recommend trying out CBD if you haven’t yet. Equilibria launched new flavors this winter and they are SO good. You can also always use my code prettyinthepines for a discount at checkout.
Light Therapy Lamp: After hearing from so many people who use these daily in the winter, I decided to give it a try and it instantly boosted my mood on mornings where I’d use it for 15-20 minutes. Our new apartment thankfully doesn’t have a problem with natural light but our old one was d a r k and it became a necessity to turn this thing on.
This alarm clock: I decided to start using a regular alarm clock this winter and have really enjoyed the sunset/sunrise feature of this one along with so many therapeutic nature sounds as opposed to using my phone each morning. Something about NOT using the phone just makes life seem a lot less chaotic and more soothing.
Less screen time: Speaking of less phone usage, this winter has been a season where I have made some big changes in my screen time. I’ve found that I am much happier when I get off of social media by 7pm each night and I’ve gotten to the point where I dislike posting anything on social media at night… it’s kindof weird for someone who uses social media as a business but I love how it makes me feel not ending my nights on my phone and don’t see that changing anytime soon. I do need to work on finding a balance though because I have gotten very behind on messages.
SmartSweets: Putting this candy into the wellness category BECAUSE it actually has way, way less sugar and this has been my favorite dessert lately. They also do not contain any artificial sweeteners.
This cookbook. SO many good recipes that are simple and absolutely delicious. The lemon/basil pasta with balsamic brussel sprouts is my new favorite pasta dish. This whole book has made me excited to order takeout less often which was honestly becoming a problem there for a minute.
From our first time experiencing snow in the city, to walking around and seeing all of the Christmas decorations around the different neighborhoods, to us unexpectedly finding our new apartment… it’s been an unforgettable season. There are a few times I’d like to forget (like spending 2 straight weeks on the couch sick) but overall, I think we’ll look back on this winter and remember all of the “firsts”.
Most of these outfits have been on heavy rotation for the last few months. For example, this ribbed hoodie and jogger set is pretty much a weekly ‘fit year-round. Over the last year, I have really started to be much more intentional with my clothing purchases. Living in NYC, we don’t have walk-in closets or endless space, so if I’m going to buy something, it better be really good. If it’s not something I see myself re-wearing over and over again, I probably won’t buy it. And if you see my outfits on the @liketoknow.it app where I usually post daily, you’ll see that I basically wear a lot of the same pieces but mix and match them different ways. So, I thought I’d share a week of outfits featuring pieces I’ve been loving lately…
This has been an extra snowy winter here in New York which, honestly, I don’t mind! If it’s already going to be freezing and I’m going to be inside a lot, it might as well snow a little, ya know? I thought I’d share a few of my favorite snowy scenes from the past few weeks. I’ve been on a photo-taking spree this month with all of the snow.
I Tried Out FabFitFun’s Spring Box and Here’s My Review
USE ‘PRETTYPINES’ AT CHECKOUT FOR A DISCOUNT.
You’ve probably heard the name before but, if you’re unfamiliar with what exactly FabFitFun is, it’s a seasonal subscription box filled with full-size fashion, beauty, fitness, and lifestyle products. You can even customize most of the products in the box so that it’s a little more personalized. I recently tried their spring box and I thought I’d share my honest thoughts about it!
WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT
First of all, in my opinion, FabFitFun is all about the experience… it’s a nice way to treat yourself or a friend/family member to a seasonal mix of (full-size) products and brighten their day. Every detail down to the packaging gives off happy vibes and I’m a fan of that. This box arrives to your doorstep filled with brands that you may or may not have heard of but brands that have been curated to be the best and highest quality. If you’re a fan of discovering new brands (fashion, beauty, home, fitness) that are the best of the best, FFF is probably for you! Plus, the company is big on female empowerment so most of these products you’ll find within the box are from female-founded companies.
CAN YOU PICK OUT THE ITEMS YOURSELF?
If you do the annual membership (remember, it’s only sent quarterly), you get to customize the majority of the products in the box. If you pay per box, you can still customize a good portion of the products but there is definitely more customization with the annual membership. Either way, you can select items yourself. Some of the products are worth more than the entire box FYI. It’s actually an incredible value for what you’re getting when you do the math.
DO THEY HAVE BEAUTY INGREDIENT STANDARDS?
They do! Actually, starting in 2021 with their current available box, FFF launched a beauty list of ingredients as part of their #FabFitFunStandards that they’ll never feature in ANY of their products. You can find the list below:
WHAT WAS IN MY BOX
GROWN ALCHEMIST Body Cream in Mandarin and Rosemary Leaf.
SAIE Reusable Beauty Rounds (3 Pack)
HUMAN + KIND Hand Scrub Elderflower + Raspberry
COCOFLOSS Tropical Trio
PINKSKY Cactus Sipper Cup
Our Place Lunchbox
BLOOMINGVILLE Woven Seagrass Coasters
MILK MAKEUP Watermelon Brightening Face Mask & Mini Watermelon Brightening Face Serum
Out of all products, I have to say my number one favorite is the Our Place lunchbox. I also really love all of the beauty products that were included, especially the body cream by Grown Alchemist and the Milk Makeup face mask that simply rolls on (keeps things cleaner than usual and saves a bit of time).
This winter has been LONG and this box definitely boosted my mood while introducing me to a bunch of brands that I’ll likely become a lifelong customer for. Will I use EVERY item in it forever? Probably not. But it DID help me discover a few products that I now use everyday and I’m kindof hooked to FFF now.
If you’re interested in trying out a box for yourself, you can use the code PRETTYPINES for a discount and, if you do try it, let me know if you enjoy the products!
I think the last time I gave an apartment tour, it was pretty much empty. Since we have less than 10 days in this current apartment, I wanted to film an updated tour that we can look back on years from now and remember our first apartment in New York City… it’s bittersweet and we’ve LOVED this apartment. We’re still staying in the same neighborhood, don’t worry, but this one specific apartment became available in our dream location (with all of the amenities that we don’t currently have) so we kinda last minute decided to make the switch since our lease ends later this month.
Anyways, WELCOME TO OUR APT. I hope you enjoy the video tour! I’ll be sure to link everything I can within this post.
You can find previous Daily Decor finds here. If you have any special requests, let me know! Hopefully these will help get your decorating brain wheels rolling if you’re stuck with a space in your home.
With the start of the new year and the end of a rather long January, I felt like it was a good time to finally update our duvet cover and comforter in our bedroom. I had been using the same windowpane patterned duvet cover for years and it somehow worked well for every season but I had always been on the hunt for the perfect neutral linen duvet cover that could last years and become even more lived in/cozy with each wash. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago when I saw The Company Store’s newest Relaxed Linen collection when I knew it was “the one”. I ordered the Legends Hotel Relaxed Linen Duvet Cover in the color “parchment” with matching shams and it’s the dreamiest, most beautiful linen duvet I’ve ever seen. The color is a warm, neutral, beige and pairs perfectly with practically any solid colored or patterned sheets. I filled ours with the LaCrosse LoftAIRE Down Alternative Comforter and it makes for the fluffiest cozy layer. I love how you can customize these comforters to get the warmth layer you’re looking for whether it’s light, medium, or extra. I wanted mine to be warm and fluffy so I went with “extra”. Basically, when shopping for a comforter, you’ll want to decide on down v. down alternative, the fill amount/warmth level, and size. This comforter buying guide is super informative if you’re looking for learn more.
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When it comes to building your bed with the right layers, I like to keep it fairly simple but with a few extra touches to give it 5-star hotel-vibes. I start with a fitted and flat sheet (currently loving these Legends Hotel Supima Cotton Wrinkle-Free Sateen Sheets in the color Thyme). I love these sheets lately because they feel very cooling compared to others I’ve tried and they’re a really great price so we can keep a few color options. Next, I like to have a layer in between the duvet cover and sheets, whether it’s a quilt, bedspread, or coverlet. Having this extra layer makes the biggest difference and really takes it to another level of comfort, especially during the winter. Next, I add the duvet cover/comforter and top it with a throw blanket. I’ve shared this neutral cable knit blanket before but it is a long-time favorite.
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If you’re on the hunt for new bedding but unsure of where to start or what pairs well together, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorites below!
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Thank you to The Company Store for sponsoring this post.
