A healthy alternative to cheesesteaks

Hello all! It’s been a while. Things have been busy, especially since… I got a new job!

It happened pretty suddenly, after I applied one day to a great job for a local school district. I didn’t think I really had a shot, but imagine my surprise when a few weeks later I got a call asking me when I could start! I’m so excited for the new opportunities and adventures, though I’ll miss the traveling that I got to do with the magazine.

Because of all of this excitement, I’m in a “fresh start” mode right now. And part of that is extending to my fitness and diet.

Checking Out BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse in Lancaster

Late last week, I took a few days off work to recharge and use up some vacation time. Since my youngest sister, Zoe, is home from college for a just a few weeks more, I wanted to spend some time with her and take her out to lunch.

We hemmed and hawed over where to go before I suggested a new restaurant that had just recently opened: BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse in Lancaster, right by the Park City Mall (so we could do some post-dining shopping).

Review: July’s Sephora PLAY! Box

Hello all! I’m back after a few days of R&R. Since I traveled a lot last summer, I’m spending my vacations this summer a little closer to home. Recently I took off a few days and spent the long weekend golfing, swimming and trying out all of my new products in my brand-new Sephora Play! Subscription box!

About a minute after cancelling Glossybox last month, I got an email from Sephora announcing that I was off their Play! waitlist. I hadn’t even remembered signing up for the waitlist, yet I was curious, so I clicked to see what that month’s box contained. To my surprise, it included a bunch of small samples of things I had been wanting to try at Sephora, but didn’t want to blow the $20-$40 on full-size products. So, I signed up.

Review: IT Cosmetics CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder SPF 50+

Since canceling my Glossybox, I’ve been able to spend a little more time and money searching for products that I actually need. And that’s great, because I’ve officially found the best foundation ever.

Recently, after running out of my favorite drugstore foundation (Covergirl’s Hello Gorgeous), I found myself in Ulta while my sister, Zoe, shopped around. I started looking at the high-end foundations, which at an average of $40 apiece were roughly 5 times the cost of my usual Covergirl go-to. I’ve never been one to shy away when it comes to spending on my skin, but with my budget tightening in recent weeks (thanks student loans!), I wasn’t sure it was worth the cost. But, when Zoe showed me a compact and gushed about how much her friend loved the stuff, I grabbed a medium shade and headed to the cash register without much thought.

It was, without a doubt, one of the best impulsive purchases I’ve ever made.

Staying Healthy this Summer

Hello everyone! The summer is finally here, and you know what that means… swimsuit season has arrived.

In an effort to shed some pounds and get a little healthier, I’ve found a few new favorite things I wanted to share with ya’ll.

Fish Tacos: My New Favorite Healthy Weeknight Dinner

Hello all! It’s been busy. Work’s starting to pick up, and with the summer comes all of its extracurricular activities (not that I’m complaining). This past weekend, for example, was jam-packed. Saturday, Tom and I went to Hershey Park with his parents for a picnic, which was fun (though the lines and our late start meant we didn’t do much ride-riding). On Sunday, we took a ride up to Mount Gretna to visit the Jigger Shop and hike a bit, which was a perfect way to spend a beautiful sunny Sunday.

With it being as busy as it is, I thought I’d share a super simple recipe that I recently made that Tom fell in love with. It’s perfect for summer and is a tasty way to jazz up a weeknight.

I always try to have some frozen flounder fillets on hand for nights when I want a simple, healthy and fast meal. The other night, I didn’t want the usual broiled fish and veggies, so I instead created these amazing, easy fish tacos. From the first fish hitting the pan to the time they were plated, it took me all of 15 minutes.

Money Mondays: 5 Tips for Managing Your Finances (even when they’re an overwhelming mess)

I rarely cover personal finance, but since this is a lifestyle blog that touches ever other aspect of my life, I thought I’d do a quick Monday post with some personal finance tips and tricks I’ve picked up recently.

After reading Lifehacker and The Financial Diet over the past few months, I’ve really become interested in taking a good, long look at all things money. Specifically, my money. While I’m far from an expert (and my finances are still a bit wobbly), here’s a few things that have helped me get a grip.

Rugged Maniac: A Muddy (but fun) Run

This past Saturday, I spent the gorgeous summer day slogging through creek-beds filled with mud, jumping over fiery logs and climbing (and falling) off 10-foot walls.

And I loved every second of it.

What’s in the Box: May Glossybox Review

So this is super, super late, but I still wanted to share my thoughts on May’s Glossybox because 1. I only got it last week thanks to late shipping and my week in California and 2. it’ll be one of my last Glossyboxes.

If you’ve read my reviews you’ve probably noticed that I haven’t been thrilled with the products included in the boxes each month. And after noticing my medicine cabinet is filled to the brim with unused products (plus that I’m on a strict budget thanks to a surprise $1,200 car repair) I’ve decided that June will be my last Glossybox subscription for the time being. But don’t worry! There still will be plenty of product reviews, as now I’ll be able to focus my money and writing on things that I actually want and need instead of random samples.

With that in mind, let’s get to May’s box. It included some weird products and at least 1 find that I adored. One word to describe my feelings this month: Meh.

San Diego Dreaming

I’m back! I recently spend 5 days on the West Coast for a medical conference for work. The conference was in San Diego, and I came back a little tanner and truly in love with the West Coast.

Rather than bore you with every detail, I thought I’d just hit some of the highlights and let the city show you itself how gorgeous it really is. San Diego is, by far, my absolute favorite city I’ve visited yet (maybe even a potential new home in the future 😉 ). The food, the weather, the people — everything was perfect.

• While I did have to work, I managed to get away and explore a little and meet up with friends who live outside of LA for a dinner on the water one night.

• One thing on my bucket list? Hit up in-n-out burger.
• I had some extra time my last day, and spent some time exploring Coronado Beach. The Hotel Del Coronado is one of the most famous (and most beautiful) in the world. The town itself is an adorable beachside community, and the beach itself is miles of pristine sands and clear, blue water.

• • And of course, the food. I ate amazing tacos every, single day I was there. If that’s not a perfect place, I don’t know what is.

   

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