the science of happiness.

i am in absolute awe.

a little saturday afternoon downtime lead me to stumble upon this video from a gem of a website, soulpancake. there are plenty of videos that will leave you inspired, but this one really hit home as it is the foundation of it's all happening. it will leave you in tears, no doubt, and prove the true power of how reflecting on what you are grateful for can increase your happiness level.

so, here's to being grateful, dolls. may you boost your feelings of happiness and contentment by remembering what you're grateful for.

ps. watch kids take on love, which reminded me of this little boy in love..

p.p.s. while browsing twitter today, i realized how many amazing brands there are doing amazing things in this niche lifestyle space. i want to create a platform where people can discover all of these unique businesses in specific categories. a platform for people to discover platforms, really. a brands doing cool things directory, perhaps?

ten minutes.

i've been tasked with a little project.

write ten minutes a day.

ten, that's all. not eleven. not eight. ten. creative, non-work, thought provoking writing. nothing has to come of it. just words. strung together. so, here's my attempt at those ten minutes. i have no idea what's about to come out. maybe not my best work, but i've got promises to keep.

in the scorching heat today, i had a thought on my walk to work. how many iced coffees must new york go through during the course of a summer? LOTS. oh if i could do a study on that one! then it dawned on me that i am one of those crazy new yorkers downing her venti iced coffee {in t-minus two minutes. but that's another story entirely}.

today on our usual nine forty five am starbucks run, it dawned on me how grateful i am for this little routine. the gals who work there call us the sex and the city girls. i can't quite figure out why, but i'm going to attribute it to this absurdly curly 'do i've got going on this summer {no time or patience or air conditioner strong enough for hairdryers}. i digress.  

anyhow, as long as i live, i want to remember these coffee runs. the mornings i got compared to carrie bradshaw. today i am grateful for new co-workers and the words it's on us today girls and just really nice strangers, but also not-so-strangers who have a unique and unattached way of brightening your day.

i think that's at least fifteen minutes now. ahhh it feels so good.

summer edition.

on a plane ride back from california recently, i decided to spend ample time doing some much needed catch up on magazines {to be honest i looked forward to it for days}. people stylewatch, lucky, and real simple were my mags of choice. dozens of folded pages, several lists, and four post-its {front and back} later, this special summer edition fashion and beauty list was born.

eight things to try this summer.
by, me.

one. try a cc cream. i think clinique will be my go-to.

two. invest in a cute pair of pj's.
the ones below are found at nordies {my second choice over at anthro}. they are the perfect mix of sexy and sweet, and most importantly super lightweight for this scorching nyc summer. 

{might i add there is a lack of good, simple women's pajamas out there. hot business idea if you ask me! ps. sleepy jones, anyone?}

three. shop on zappos for once and for all.
it's time to pull the plug. convenience is really becoming key.

four. rock the headband hair braid.
i once dabbled in the waterfall braid, remember? julianne hough got it right, just saying.

five. play with polyvore. it's genius!

six. one word: jumpsuit.

after much research, this one was found at macy's {and on sale!} DO IT.

seven. splurge on some new sunnies. 

currently coveting these elizabeth and james pair originally spotted on the lovely gals over at a piece of toast. 

eight. find the perfect nude pump... and ankle strap heel... and sandal. 

that's actually three things, isn't it? apparently i will be sticking with number three above after all. finding the perfect shade of nude is a daunting task. up for the challenge this summer! 

and, after making this list, the number one thing to do this summer is actually learn photoshop. it's truly time to step up my collage game {oh, what i wouldn't give to attend blogshop!}.

have a great week, lovelies! here's to trying new things this summer. xoxo.

published.

you guys. YOU GUYS! i got published. small potatoes here, but really, i don't care how minuscule they are. baby steps. BABY STEPS!

let me explain.

my job.

i do marketing for three women's lifestyle sites part of aol: stylelist, kitchendaily, and homesessive {you remember i'm an aol fanatic, right? exhibit a, b, c, d, and most importantly, e}. these sites are gems! please take a look. it's so fun to learn and grow, just as they do.

anyhow, as you probably know, writing is something i'm fascinated with. it invigorates me, moves me, and challenges me. there are few things in life i've ever wanted to be better at than i want to be at writing.

so the long and short of it is i will stay up to the wee hours of the night {as you've seen from me here many-a-time}. you can check out my contributions over here on homesessive. a site all about... you guessed it... your home! this particular editorial series is one on your home now. that means at any life stage, really. your first home. your home together. your family home. and your home and beyond. all brought to you by none other than... p&g.

my first piece is one you've actually seen, perhaps. remember, apartment 24? well this evolved into lessons learned: studio living, an article about living in your first apartment all on your own and learning to decorate using your own taste and personality.

the second piece took a little field research with the 'ol parentals as they embark on the empty nest phase of life. what information do you need about your home now that you don't feel is available to you? i asked. i learned that they are very passionate about investing time and money into turning their master bedroom and bathroom into a spa {well, that's reason enough right there to visit home more often!}. my informal interview lead to this article: 8 ways to turn your bathroom into a spa. i hope i could share with them something new and valuable they hadn't thought of yet. and p.s. check out the printable guide i made which contains quick tips on what to remember when living in your first home.

so that's that. beware, if i run into you, i just might start asking questions about your home. bare with me, oh won't you please? and if you feel like sharing, all ideas and thoughts for topics are very much welcomed and appreciated. send my your ideas!

so this week i am grateful for the small milestone. i am a rookie, it's not perfect. but, you know what they say...

you gotta start somewhere.

and that somewhere is here.