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Sunday, April 30, 2017

Last Month Today | April 2017.

As much as I love blogging, it’s safe to say I am not the most consistent blogger out there (not even close!). I can blame a lot of that on my school and work schedule, but it’s also due to a severe lack of planning posts on my end. Whoops.

A few weeks back I read a post about filling up a content calendar, written by the lovely Summer over at Coffee with Summer. Tip #1? Create a monthly and/or quarterly series. I loooove series posts from my favorite bloggers (like Chelsea’s bookrecommendations and monthly to-do lists and Olivia’s Weekly Chat), so I thought I would try to hop on the bandwagon and see if it’s something I can keep up with (and see if it’s something you guys are interested in, of course!).

I’m a huge fan of John Oliver and his weekly show on HBO, Last Week Tonight, where he talks about the past week’s current political events each Sunday night. So – I decided to snag the idea! On the last day of every month, I’ll be posting a new series, Last Month Today, where I talk about the books I’ve read, movies I’ve watched, restaurants I’ve tried, what I’ve worn, etc. over the past month…maybe even what I’ve studied, for those of you interested in my grad school journey to become a speech-language pathologist!




What I Wore: We’re only a month into spring time, and Florida is already testing my patience. It’s been upwards of 90 degrees all week, my friends. 90 degrees plus the kind of humidity that makes you feel like you’re walking underwater (or, as my mother so eloquently says, “like you’re living in Satan’s underpants.” I can’t). Because of the ridiculous temps, my wardrobe has been a whole lot of anything flowy that I can pair with a bralette. Tobi was kind enough to send me a couple of items this month, and I’ve been living in this Show Me Off Shift Dress

Note: This post contains a few affiliate links.









I’ve been on the hunt for this type of dress for what feels like forever! I love the flattering V-neck in the front, and don’t even get me started on the open back...it’s the perfect dress to throw over my favorite Aerie bralettes (this baby is on sale for $20!).


Tobi has a ton of beautifully simple basics just like this dress, be sure to check them out here!

Dress, Tobi | Bralette, Aerie | Purse, Coach





To continue with my all-things-comfy-only trend, I scooped up these adorable shorts from Target this weekend (only $18!). I already have a pair in olive green and I basically live in them, so I’ve been slowly adding to my collection…their soft denim and maroon colors are next on my list!). I haven’t always been a fan of flowy shorts, but this cut is actually super flattering. If you’ve been on my Instagram lately, you can see I also paired them with my new favorite cold-shoulder top (also from Target!). I love this top because it’s easy to pair with comfy shorts, but I can also dress it up with dark jeans and wedges to go out!

Shorts, Target | Top, Target | Mug, Francescas | Necklace, Charming Charlie's

What I Watched: I established a new [loosely termed] house rule – TV shows on week days and movies on weekends. We’re obsessed with our shows we watch together (How I Met Your Mother, Homeland, Veep, Big Little Lies, etc. with plans to start 13 Reasons Why) and I’ve been watching shows on my own (Girlboss and re-watching One Tree Hill!). But as much as I love a good TV show, there’s something to be said about taking a couple hours to get lost in one continuous storyline…AKA I miss watching movies! This month, I watched –


War Dogs (2016) – starring Jonah Hill and Miles Teller.
"With the war in Iraq raging on, a young man (Jonah Hill) offers his childhood friend a chance to make big bucks by becoming an international arms dealer. Together, they exploit a government initiative that allows businesses to bid on U.S. military contracts. Starting small allows the duo to rake in money and live the high life. They soon find themselves in over their heads after landing a $300 million deal to supply Afghan forces, a deal that puts them in business with some very shady people" (Google).
My thoughts: I wasn't sure if I'd be interested in this storyline, but I love Jonah Hill & Miles Teller, so I went for it...and loved it. It's described as a crime/drama film, but I found myself laughing throughout.

Money Monster (2016) – starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts.
"Lee Gates is a Wall Street guru who picks hot stocks as host of the television show "Money Monster." During a live broadcast, a disgruntled investor storms onto the set and takes Gates hostage. He tells Lee that he lost everything on one of his tips. As Gates tries to plead with the man, he's also using an earpiece to communicate with his producer in the control room. Together, they must figure out a way to defuse the situation and disarm the angry young man" (Google).
My thoughts: Another movie I wasn't sure I'd care for, but I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of this film. Mildly predictable, but still made for an interesting plot.

Spotlight (2015) – starring Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, and Mark Ruffalo.
"In 2001, editor Marty Baron of The Boston Globe assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against John Geoghan, an unfrocked priest accused of molesting more than 80 boys. Led by editor Walter "Robby" Robinson (Michael Keaton), reporters Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Matt Carroll and Sacha Pfeiffer interview victims and try to unseal sensitive documents. The reporters make it their mission to provide proof of a cover-up of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church" (Google).
My thoughts: FINALLY! I'd been wanting to watch this movie for so long, then kinda forgot about it, and rediscovered it on my Netflix watchlist this weekend. Such an amazing film (hence the Academy Award win for Best Picture in 2016). Amazing and simultaneously horrific, considering it's based on the real investigation for the real article because it's based entirely on true events. 

Up next on my watchlist: Southpaw, The Revenant, Cake, and Carol.

What I Read: I finally finished The Woman in Cabin 10! First of all, fun fact: the cabin is a cruise cabin, not a log cabin somewhere out in the woods...that’s what I pictured before I cracked open this one. In a nutshell: It’s a murder mystery following a travel journalist who was given the chance to review a brand new leisure cruise…and the trip turns awry real quick. I found the storyline to be a bit outlandish, but certainly unexpected, so if plot twists are your thing, dive in! I definitely think it’s worth the read.

I’ve also been desperately trying to get into 13 Reasons Why, as I wanted to read the book before watching the show. Can someone please tell me this book gets better? I’ve heard great things about the show, but I find the writing to be hard to follow and frankly, uninteresting. I might just cut straight to the show at this point, as I’ve had zero desire to pick the book up again!

What I Worked Out: Or I guess how I worked out? Ha! For the longest time, I’ve been intermittently doing Kayla Itsine’s BBG workouts. Even though I love them (and plan to start them again in the next couple weeks!), I felt like my body was in some serious need of cardio, so I’ve been on a cardio kick for about three weeks. This month, my friend and I went for a run on Tampa’s iconic Bayshore Boulevard, and I made an effort to run on the treadmill a couple times a week. My apartment gym also has legit cycling bikes in one of the workout rooms, so I’ve been taking full advantage of that...and it’s been worth it! I can definitely see my legs slimming down, which I’m super pumped about. Bring on bikini season!

What I Did:
- Traded the Gulf for the Atlantic when my mom and I kick-started the month of April with a trip up to St. Augustine to visit my grandparents.
- Saw Viola Davis speak at USF’s Lecture Series (she’s amazing!).
- Drank margaritas on a beachside rooftop and hopped into my childhood home’s backyard (with permission, of course!) with my older sister while she was in town from Bulgaria.
- Bought locally made hot sauce from the Saturday Market in downtown St. Pete.
- Had my last day of clinic and classes for my second semester of grad school! Two down, four to go, my friends.




What You May Have Missed:
If you’re about to graduate college (or know someone who is!), click here.

If you’re a Communication Sciences & Disorders major, or you have an interest in applying to graduate school to become an SLP, click here.


What have you been up to this month? What are you looking forward to in May?






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Friday, April 21, 2017

Sephora VIB Sale | My Picks.


In case you haven’t heard (and I’m sure you have), this week is Sephora’s semiannual VIB sale, where VIB members get to take a whopping 15% off their order. If that sentence sounds like it’s peppered with sarcasm, it’s because it is. In the grand scheme of all things makeup and luxury skincare, 15% off feels like pennies to me…but do I participate anyway? Absolutely. Because money saved is money saved, is it not? PS: Beauty Insiders can take 10% off as of yesterday, April 20th! Have at it, my friends.

After spending more than an hour scouring through pages upon pages of reviews, thinking about what I want vs. what I actually need, and discovering items I never even knew I needed but now desperately want, I narrowed it down to these three items. It's still a little more than I'd like to spend on a grad school budget, but I think it's okay to splurge on skincare and makeup bits every so often. Shop my favorites below:





Note: This post contains affiliate links.

bareMinerals All-Over Face Color | warmth - $21



This is an old favorite of mine, but it fell off my radar a few years back. My friend Steph let me use hers when we were getting ready for a wedding last month and I fell in love with it all over again. It looks pretty dark in the pot, but don't be discouraged! A little goes a long way, and it'll last you awhile for sure.


I have two friends whom I refer to as the Messiahs of Makeup. I've been on the hunt for a good mascara, as drugstore brands have been seriously failing me lately. I texted our group chat, "what's your favorite mascara?" and within two seconds of each other, both of them recommended this one. I'm excited to try it out!


At 25 years old, I'm not all that worried about anti-aging and wrinkle treatments. Having said that, I think skincare is of utmost importance, and I've been wanting to incorporate something to target those fine lines on my forehead. This product says it helps with dullness, loss of firmness and elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles. While it only has a couple reviews right now, I'm excited to try!

Other items I'm loving but holding off on...






Will you be taking advantage of Sephora's sale? What's on your must-have list? Have you tried any of these products? 




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