6/29/2015

Grace and Frankie

I love Netflix, and its ventures into the production of original content make me super happy. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is amazing and people everywhere have been raving about House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black.

Looking for another show to binge watch? (AKA did you finish rewatching every episode of FRIENDS for the millionth time?)

The premise of Grace and Frankie is about two female rivals who find out their husbands are leaving them to be together. 


The show sort of feels like its target audience is a bit older, but I felt like all of the witty one-liners made up for it. It's definitely a show that deviates from my typical tastes, but I'm glad I gave it a chance!

Have you seen Grace and Frankie? Do you have any suggestions on what else to Netflix?

xx
Catch you next time.

P.S. Want 10% off the cutest bows at Sugar Spice and Sparkle?! Use the code "SWPREP" at checkout!

6/26/2015

Freshman Five: Choosing a Study Abroad Program {Guest Post on Dani Dearest}

I know I've been a bit MIA lately, Rome has just been pretty crazy. Some of you have even noticed I haven't been super active on Instagram - sorry! But things should be slowing down after the next few days, so I'll be back at it really soon, promise!

Anyways, this is a heads up that I have completed my first guest post on Dani Dearest! Not only was it super awesome to guest post on another blogger's site for the first time, this also happened to be something I put on my 101 Things to Do in 1001 Days! I did a Freshman Five post on how to choose a study abroad program that fits YOU. 


Go check it out and let me know what you think!

xx
Catch you next time.

P.S. Want 10% off the cutest bows at Sugar Spice and Sparkle?! Use the code "SWPREP" at checkout!

6/24/2015

Surprise Reminder: Happiness From Small Things

Here's your daily reminder that sometimes the happiest of joys come from the littlest pieces of our lives.


Go ahead, get that second scoop of gelato! Sending good vibes! Choose to be happy today.

xx
Catch you next time.

P. S. Want 10% off the cutest bows at Sugar Spice and Sparkle? Use code "SWPREP" at checkout!

6/23/2015

A Nice Time in Nice

These are really late, but better late than never, right?


Although the WiFi was horrible, it was a mini blessing-in-disguise turned slightly awry - if that even makes any sense! Not having great Internet access forced all of us girls to stop checking our phones every minute, but it made it slightly worse because we always looked for restaurants with WiFi and then would talk as we stared at our backlit screens, catching up on all of the notifications we missed.

Nice is a beautiful little city located in the French Riviera in the south of France. Some of you may recognize the region because of Monaco or Monte Carlo!

The water was a beautiful clear blue with different hues (that you can sort of see in the fifth picture), our hostel was nice as far as hostels go, the food was amazing, and the weather had me wishing we could cancel our other plans and just move there! Who can say "No" to fresh gelato and beach time?!

We were only there for a brief time, but I'm already in the process of begging my family to take a vacation there!


One of my friends, Steph, freaked out as we approached Nice - so pretty!


If you ever visit Nice, this is the place to go for gelato! So many flavors!


Panorama of the beach at sunset. #Breathtaking


Note to Self: Don't try #DoItForTheGram. It will be freezing cold and you won't get the 'Gram.


Trying to get cool wave photos without getting soaked on the jetty. Yes we spent hours at the beach. Basically a whole day if not for the whole we-slept-in-super-late-into-the-day thing.


Amazing pasta.


Posing with awkward statues during a walk in the park with my new espadrilles (only €8!).


Strolls by the ocean at sunset make me sooo happy.


Yes I brought my DSP Lilly frocket and my Sperry's. What else would I wear while biking the coast?


Watching the sun set over the ocean on our last day in Nice was the best way to end our time there!

xx
Catch you next time.

P.S. Want 10% off the cutest bows at Sugar Spice and Sparkle?! Use the code "SWPREP" at checkout!

6/19/2015

101 Things in 1001 Days

This list was inspired by Mackenzie Horan's list on Design Darling! I started writing this quite a long time ago but decided not to publish it until it was completely written out because my slight OCD-ness wouldn't let me post an un-finished post.

I know it should have been posted a while ago considering I officially finished writing it a month ago, but things have been busy and it sort of slipped my mind that "Hey, you need to publish your 101 in 1001 list!"


Starts: January 1, 2015
Ends: September 28, 2017

General:
1. Come up with 1001 things (aka FINISH writing this list!). (May 15, 2015)
2. Deep-clean my closet/wardrobe (donate, throw out, etc).
3. Host a dinner party.
4. Re-organize my Pinterest.
5. Organize all of my photos in iPhoto.
6. Make at least one scrapbook.
7. Make a family Christmas card and send it!
8. Take a cooking class.
9. Take a yoga class.
10. Throw a surprise party for a friend.
11. Learn how to tie a tie.
12. Surprise Theatre Geek at the end of one of his performances. (April 11, 2015)
13. Decorate my dorm room to reflect how I want to feel.
14. Learn how to drive stick-shift.
15. Vote in an election.
16. Buy a stranger's coffee.
17. Get CPR-certified.
18. Buy a new wax seal.
19. Become a pen pal and stay consistent with letters. (March 2015)
20. Host a game night with family and friends.
21. Try something completely out of character.
22. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
23. Plan a charity event.
24. Support a REPRESENT campaign.

Culture, Books, Music, and Films:
25. Re-read all of my favorite YA book series (Harry PotterThe Mortal InstrumentsGallagher Girls, etc.).
26. Read five non-fiction books.
27. Read a newspaper/journal article three times a week for a month.
28. Movie marathon all of my series. (Star Wars, Star TrekLord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Avengers (and individual films!)
29. Watch five documentaries.
30. Watch ten "classic" films.
31. Watch five Audrey Hepburn films.
32. Watch every adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
33. Find five new TV series and watch them all.
34. Learn the words to one song from five musicals I currently have not seen.
35. Watch a movie at the theater in the middle of a day.
36. See a concert in a city that is not Phoenix.
37. Go to a Comic Con.
38. Go to an opera and see a ballet.
39. Go to a ball.
40. Download and join Spotify. (June 10, 2015)

Sports/Activities:
41. Watch a live TEDx talk.
42. Learn how to play chess.
43. Actually beat somebody in chess.
44. Watch professional NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL, MLS games in person. (NHL:Spring Break - March 2015)
45. Watch a tennis match in Wimbledon.
46. Play in a sports tournament.
47. Refine my swimming skills.
48. Work on my billiards skills, win three games.
49. Challenge someone to a game of racquetball.
50. Watch a NASCAR race in person.
51. Hit below an 89 on 18 holes.
52. Hike A-mountain and a minor trail on Camelback.
53. Try a new sport.
54. Ride a horse.
55. Go "real" camping.
56. Go whitewater rafting. (Česky Krumlov, Czech Republic - June 5, 2015)
57. Go indoor rock climbing.
58. Learn the rules of rugby and cricket.
59. Go to the gym twice a week for a month.
60. Start playing tennis again.

Travel:
61. Visit Chicago.
62. Visit New York.
63. See ten on- and off-Broadway musicals. (Off-Broadway: The Lion KingMamma Mia! )
64. Climb the Empire State Building.
65. Climb the Statue of Liberty.
66. Visit Seattle.
67. Visit Beccy in Louisville.
68. Visit Alyssa and Adrie in Steubenville.
69. Visit another country for Spring Break. (March 2015)
70. Visit another continent over the summer. (Prague - Summer 2015)
71. Watch the sun rise over a river. (Brno, Czech Republic - June 7, 2015)
72. See the Berlin Wall. (June 14, 2015)
73. See the Eiffel Tower and walk the entire Lourve. (June 19, 2015)
74. See the Trevi Fountain, Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel. (June 22-29, 2015)
75. See Pope Francis in person.
76. Go to a Delta Sigma Pi LEAD Conference.
77. Make a trip to watch my sister's soccer team.
78. Take a spontaneous to visit a friend.
79. Take a road trip with my girlfriends.
80. Meet at least three of my blogger friends in real life.

School:
81. Get an internship. (February 1, 2015)
82. Figure out a double major.
83. Join a new club out of my comfort zone.
84. Make a new friend from the Downtown campus. (Kristen - Prague Summer 2015)
85. Go to an event on the Downtown campus.
86. Study abroad! (Prague - Summer 2015)
87. Take a dance class.
88. Take a music class.
89. Take a sports class. (Pickleball - Fall 2014, Racquetball - Spring 2015)
90. Take a pre-law class.
91. Take a language class. (Signed up for French - Fall 2015)
92. Take a programming class.
93. Have Dad teach me about stocks.
94. Get an on-campus job/internship.
95. Become a mentor to somebody.

Blog:
96. Guest post on another blogger's blog.
97. Create a Facebook page for the blog. (May 31, 2015)
98. Reach 3,000 followers on Instagram.
99. Host a giveaway with a company.
100. Redesign the blog template and format.
101. Buy a domain name.

*For every task not completed by the given end date, donate $10 to a charity.*

Let's see how this goes, shall we?

xx
Catch you next time.

6/17/2015

Postcards From the Berlin Wall

Sorry I've been so busy, and WiFi here in Nice really isn't all that great. Here are a few "postcards" from my time in Berlin, enjoy!














Romper: H&M | Sunglasses: Target | Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider

xx
Catch you next time.

P.S. Want 10% off the cutest bows at Sugar Spice and Sparkle?! Use the code "SWPREP" at checkout!

6/15/2015

24 Hour Blast in Berlin

Hello lovelies!

Sorry I'm posting late, but Berlin was a super busy adventure and the WiFi in Nice isn't exactly as wonderful as the views!

For now, here are some snapshots from my crazy, interesting, action-packed time in Berlin! Now I'm off to the beach, see you soon!















xx
Catch you next time.

P.S. Want 10% off the cutest bows at Sugar Spice and Sparkle?! Use the code "SWPREP" at checkout!

6/12/2015

Little Discoveries

Quick update on my life: I am currently heading on over to Berlin! My study abroad program has officially ended (slightly sad, very happy!), I am no longer a freshman, and I am so excited to travel across Europe even more!

*******

I have made an executive decision (hmm, maybe more like promise? Planning?) to myself to work harder to keep up on my "Little Discoveries" posts!

It makes me really happy to share the random/interesting things I stumble upon on the internet, but sometimes time just gets away from me and I don't end up putting them together! Right now I'm going to aim to do one every other week. Let's see how this goes!

Danny Tanner is Ted Mosby?!

Okay this is mostly my fault, but still! I had absolutely no idea that Bob Saget was the voice of Future Ted in How I Met Your Mother! I knew that it was a different actor, and it had always registered in my mind that it was someone familiar, but I had just never put the pieces together. Crazy!

Aly Michalka Got Married!

A photo posted by Kevin West (@savingtheseason) on

You remember Aly & AJ, right? Cow Belles was one of my favorite Disney movies and I LOVED Aly on Phil of the Future (TBT, right?). On Monday, Aly got married, and in the cutest lavender wedding dress I have ever seen. Ready for a laugh? Aly's husband's last name is Ringer, and the guests would tag their pictures with #PutARingerOnIt - how cute!

Four Months x Four Cities

A little while ago I discovered Amanda's blog. On top of loving her blog's name (come on, who doesn't love a dress with pockets?!), she decided to take charge of her life and go on an adventure. I completely admire that, and y'all should definitely go give her a blog a look over!

Another Reason to Love Anne Hathaway



Apparently this was all over Tumblr at one point and I missed it. I just stumbled onto it when I was browsing around YouTube and I am so glad I saw it, it's hilarious!

Being Practical: Where to Start Investing

Even before I started blogging, I read a few different blogs, including Stefanie's financial management blog! She writes about everything from how you can stretch your budget to how you can start saving money for retirement! One of my favorite of her posts is this one about where to start investing when you're broke. Go check it out!

xx
Catch you next time.

P.S. Want 10% off the cutest bows at Sugar Spice and Sparkle?! Use the code "SWPREP" at checkout!

6/10/2015

Keeping It Classy at Škoda and Deloitte

Hello lovelies!

It's been a long little while since I've done an outfit post, sorry! One of the important aspects of my specific study abroad program is that it is hosted by W. P. Carey (our business school), and we have been very luck to visit several different companies here in the Czech Republic!

These companies have ranged from Staropramen (brewery) to Bohemia Crystal to Škoda Auto to Deloitte, LLC! It has been such a nice experience seeing how local and international businesses function here in Europe, as well as getting to hear perspectives from different levels of employment!

All of our company visits were business casual, and although I had wanted to pack a different outfit for each visit, my luggage (and the airline, and my parents) gave me an echoing "Nope!" I ended up choosing to bring this classy, adorable sleeveless dress I bought from H&M a few weeks ago.

This dress really is the perfect length for the company visits and I just loved the classic tone of the dress! It was also nice that it was made of a slightly thicker material so my cardigan was only necessary outside in the wind!

Here are some pictures from inside the Škoda Museum (unfortunately, pictures were not allowed inside the factory tour!) and right before entering the Deloitte, LLC presentation!










Dress: H&M (Currently on sale!) | Cardigan: H&M (similar) | Shoes: Naturalizer (Old, but here's an adorably similar pair!)

What are your favorite versatile pieces?

xx
Catch you next time.

P.S. Want 10% off the cutest bows at Sugar Spice & Sparkle?! Use the code "SWPREP" at checkout!

Latest Instagrams

© Southwest Prep. Design by Fearne.