It's Halloween! Terror Behind the Walls...to go or no??

So in the wake of Super Storm/Hurricane/Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy, not too many people are thinking about celebrating Halloween. You're probably more likely to be wondering when your power is coming back on, or when you can possibly get to and from if your public transportation system is down. Luckily, we weren't hit too badly here in Philadelphia, and I had the bright idea of maybe, just maybe going to Eastern State Penitentiary for their annual Terror Behind the Walls haunted tour. Yep, the girl who doesn't even watch scary movies is thinking of spending Halloween night in a prison being scared by crazy actors in gory ghoulish makeup.

(Google Image)

The Yelp reviews are mixed. I'm nervous the line will be atrocious since it's actually Halloween and it's the best way to spend a Wednesday night of course. Any one ever been? Is it worth the $30 ticket?

Maybe I'll just do a daytime tour...for $12...lol

Happy Halloween!

xox

My Kitchenware Goodies have arrived!!

So, I was quite the excited little camper when I got home for lunch last week and this big box from Macy's with my name on it was waiting in the lobby!!

Yes, I had a little trouble getting it into the elevator and down the hall, but I mustered the strength some way some how because 3 of the 4 things I've been pining for were inside...

A Slow Cooker/Crock Pot..a set of decent knives...and a multi-faceted, but compact blender..!!

I'm still waiting on this super cute Martha Stewart Collection mixing bowl set to arrive.

(macys.com, Reg $29.99, Sale $24.99 (plus the 10% off that day!))

I'm slightly nervous it will soon make me want a hand mixer...the stand one can wait until I've got a real home/gourmet kitchen lol.

I'm so excited to make my first slow cooker meal! I've been pinning them since Fall tried to sneak up on us. I think today is the last day we'll see the 70 degree mark for the rest of the year. Any recommendations? I've got one for Chicken Tikka Masala...

or maybe a Lamb Tagine...

or a hearty Texas Chili!

There's just so many options! Very glad I recently learned about the Reynolds slow cooker liners that make cleaning up a cinch. Especially because I'm not sure how well the pot would have fit in my baby kitchen sink.

I'm even prouder of the fact that I got all four of these items for less than $130! Between sale items and free shipping. And because I had a few gift cards, I came out of pocket a mere $40 for these life changing gadgets.

Had I been a little more prepared, I would have given everything a whirl during Super Storm Sandy's showdown, but I quickly packed a few things and got a little further out of the city to the beau's bigger apartment, since we'd be stuck inside for a few days.

Can't wait to try them out this week though! Recipes to come.

LOTD: Shades of Grey

Sweater: J.Crew | Skirt: Banana Republic Shoes: Me Too | Necklace: Henri Bendel

A boring (read: bad) hair day doesn't have to rain on the chic parade. But the morning overcast did inspire my shades of grey. Whenever I wear my hair in a bun during the fall, I tend to reach for turtlenecks like this classic one from J.Crew. Comfy, warm, and with just the right bit of stretch, paired with a fitted wool pencil skirt (another fall staple) and some grey patent pumps. This monochromatic look is a go-to, add a little bling and the look is complete.

Happy Monday!

xox

Princess Syndrome: How Disney Sets Us Up for Disappointment

"Post-Happily Ever After"

I stumbled upon this picture on Pinterest yesterday. I aptly pinned it to my "Reality Check" board, and then remembered an idea for a post I had months ago when I first revived the blog. Having a younger sister who is obsessed with all things "Princess" has really revealed to me how much of an impact these movies have on our psyche at such a crucial age in development. Through these images and story lines, she is learning perceptions of beauty, of good and evil, expectations of others, and most prevalent in all of these films is the emphasis on gender roles. I could literally probably write a dissertation on this, but for the sake of this post, I will focus on the three biggest problems these films create as it pertains to male and female relationships later down the road:

#1) "I'm a princess and should be treated as such."

#2) "I'm waiting for my Prince Charming to come and save me."

#3) "And we will live happily ever after."

"I'm a princess and should be treated as such."

This mentality is ingrained so early in a young girl's mind, and while some have trouble believing it and self-esteem issues also created by Disney imagery and the like can overshadow it, many others wear this proclamation across their chest in "Daddy's Little Princess" labeled t-shirts and when they outgrow those, they wear it across their forehead as they enter adulthood, especially if Daddy is still paying their rent. 

My sister sometimes affectionately calls my dad "Prince Naveen" (re: Princess & The Frog). There is much truth to the idea that a father is a little girl's first love. He is the first man she sees in real life.  He is the first man to tell her that he loves her, that provides for her, that protects and comforts her, that reminds her that she is his little princess, deserving of all there is to have in this world - money, jewels, unconditional love. And if it's not her father telling her this, it's often her mother doing so, and overcompensating for his lack of presence, his lack of love, with material things. So the Princess mentality becomes even more compounded. It becomes, "If I find my Prince Charming, I will have found happiness. But having lots of pretty things can also make me happy. So until I've found him, I'll make myself happy with things." Retail therapy, anyone?

Fitness, Fun & Fall Festivals in the illadelph

Happppyyyy Frrriiiiddaaayyyy!!! Can you tell I'm excited for the weekend? In all seriousness, the week kind of flew by, but every Friday I'm ready to sing "Cheers to the freakin' weekend!" (Cue RihRih). I think the week flew by in part because I finally made my way over to The Sporting Club at the Bellevue, for which I purchased a LivingSocial deal for $30 for a month pass, which includes all access to the 93,000 sq ft facility as well as unlimited classes, and my gosh is the list extensive. Apparently, a monthly membership would normally cost ~$100/mo + a hefty initiation fee of $450. o_O...Insert happy dance here for getting quite the steal!

On Monday, I was hyped and posted this picture of my new running shoes and post-workout healthy meal.

After "The Boxer's Workout" with Clif, I was feeling good and wanted to keep it going with healthy eats, so I made a nice spinach salad with a corn/red pepper/tomato/red onion/goat cheese salad I'd made over the weekend. Because I was still hungry and kind of craving something sweet, I decided to have a brown rice cake with peanut butter for dessert. Go me!

I made it to the gym twice more this week for Vinyasa Yoga on Tuesday & Thursday. I'm excited to try all the new classes. It keeps my routine changing, so my muscles don't get used to anything, which is what I used to love about dance. There's a Zumba class tonight, but might not make it because my social life is just jumping these days. I kid I kid lol, but for real there's been a lot going on lately.

Clean Eating - A Daily Struggle

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, it's probably quite apparent that I love food. Always have and always will. But I also realize the importance of eating well for the sake of feeling well.

Last Sunday, I made what looked like a huge greasy Southern meal of fried fish, collard greens, mac & cheese and sweet potato cornbread and called it "The Last Supper" before embarking upon a "veggie-centric" lifestyle. In all honesty, the only thing that wasn't the "healthiest" was the fish. I used no oil or butter in the collards, the mac & cheese wasn't baked with eggs & butter, but a stovetop version made with a simple roux of grueyere and fontina cheeses, and the sweet potato cornbread was without the egg & half the milk, using the potato puree for moistness. All of that is to say, that if I had actually measured the calories of that meal, it'd be a FRACTION of what it had been if I'd followed the recipe exactly, or dared order it at a restaurant.

I don't believe that you have to eat like a rabbit to eat, look or feel "well". I do believe that you should know exactly what you're putting into your body and exert as much control over the sourcing of your products and minimizing the unknown and hidden ones in sauces and seasonings especially as you can. Thus, I try to buy organic fresh produce, farm raised & grass fed meats, and season with lots of fresh herbs. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with flash frozen foods or dried herbs. I just have a tendency to want to use ingredients before they go bad, so it keeps me on my toes to eat the fresh stuff I have, as opposed to boxed and preserved.

Two days after posting my last supper, I posted a picture of this great sandwich I made for lunch, an avocado BLT.

I touted that I didn't use any cheese or condiments, thinking it was a healthy & delicious choice. But, I was challenged about my "veggie-centric lifestyle" comment on the last supper. To which I will clarify that I could never be a vegetarian, or maybe I could with everything except giving up bacon. I cannot live without it. And my beloved bacon was precisely the victim of the next criticism, "Would have been great without the fatty bacon..." she said. And I thought to myself, did you notice that I subbed out "lettuce" for for a healthier, greener pile of spinach? That it's on two small slices of multi-grain bread instead of a big fluffy white or sourdough roll? Oh..ok... Let it be clear that I will never go on a diet, because I don't believe in them. Everyone I've ever known to try one was back to their old ways and weight in just a matter of time. What I do believe in is daily lifestyle choices.

9to5 Chic

I had a moment yesterday in the mirror checking out how my body was changing, you know with 25 fast approaching, and I turned around and thought "oOot! I am indeed my mother's child."  She's got an effortlessly great physique and a few enviable assets in particular, I just didn't see it coming, but I digress. As I was examining, I noticed that my cute little black dress purchased from F21 a few months ago was legit falling apart, like on my body. o_O... I thought to myself "Did I bust my dress open??" But then decided, no, it's just was just poorly made. Keep any thoughts to the contrary to yourself.

Nonetheless, I again appreciated the time my personal-Mommy-stylist helped me to find a few work appropriate, grown up sized/fabrics and budget friendly pieces. So I thought I'd share a few of my finds, and a few tips for business casual work environments for the stylish gal.

LtoR - Dress: London Times | Top: Vince Camuto, Skirt: H&M (old) | Dress: Anne Klein | Sweater: Monteau, Dress: Vintage

1.) You can be trendy without looking inappropriate for work - I love the peplum trend and am elated that it's sticking around for another season. I think it does wonders creating a feminine shape, especially for us athletic builds. I normally don't like investing substantially in trendy pieces and try to find them at affordable places, but would typically leave me in need of about 5 more inches of fabric above the knee. Marshall's/TJ Maxx are great places to find on trend pieces in real women sizes at friendly prices. I ushered Autumn in with this rich blue dress for just $39.99

2.) Keep separates simple - If you can tell, the arms of the polka dot blouse are a tad sheer, and the overall shape is quite flowy. Thus, the top alone made enough of a statement, so I paired it with a plain black pencil skirt and clean leather pumps. I could have accessorized a bit more, but instead went with a fun red lip color. Just me and my cube anyway lol. I nabbed this super cute blouse for $29.99.

3.) Fit is key - Even though you might be trying to catch a man walking to and from, maybe even in the office, form fitting clothing is just not appropriate. Save the freakum dress, skirts, and pants for the club, on the real. You want to be noticed for your merit, not for being ill clad. As you can tell with both dresses, but particularly the navy one, I could possibly have gone a size smaller, as there's room in both the waist and hip areas. But it fits properly for work, and I could wear a sexier or higher heel to accentuate my legs, because nothing else was being highlighted. This Anne Klein shift dress was $49.99

4.) Cardigans are an office girl's best friend - I tend to take my sweaters off for pictures, but I am never in the office without a sweater. I know people have mixed feelings about exposing armpits in certain environments, but it's mostly just because I'm usually cold and it provides structure to any simple attire. I almost squealed in excitement when I found this Chanel-esque tweed looking but super soft stretchy cardigan for just $19.99. 

So those are just a few tips I thought to share, after seeing a few too many divas on my morning commute and wondering just where they thought they were going/what kind of office they worked in. 

Stay fly, but more importantly stay classy.

xox