Ashley DeLarge

“Don’t go chasing waterfalls…”

August 7, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Ew, it’s Monday again- and I’m bracing myself for a seriously packed workload at my office this morning. I’m hoping by this afternoon I’ll have finished most of my To-Do list and can breathe a little easier- but right now I know I’m going to be completely absorbed in my case files and my coffee for the next few hours.

I’m pretty tired this morning- and not just because of last night’s episode of “Game of Thrones”- but because I did a LOT of driving, hiking and swimming this past weekend- and my muscles aren’t letting it slide. I’m a sleepy, semi-sore mess and I can’t wait to get home after a post-work burger run with one of my co-workers so I can crawl into bed and get some sleep!

On Saturday, I ventured up North to the White Mountains- towards Mount Washington- when I was caught in a torrential downpour and one of the worst thunderstorms I think I’ve ever seen. Whether it was the altitude or the change in air pressure, I’m not sure- but the lightning was terrifyingly intense and the winds were strong enough to force me off of the road for a while until it was safe to drive again. I ended up parked near Cascade Mountain while I waited for the conditions to clear- which ended up being sort of a pleasant surprise since there is a gorgeous waterfall right there off of the roadway. When the storm passed, I ran out to snap a few photos of it before the downpour started again.

The rain didn’t let up- and it nearly followed me all the way home Saturday evening when I gave up on having enough visibility to safely hike any trails or cross any rivers. The conditions were just too dangerous at the time- and I’m hoping I can try again in a couple of weeks- weather permitting!

Yesterday was much more laid-back and the weather was infinitely nicer. With clear, sunny skies- I headed up to Singing Beach for a few hours to soak up the sun with friends. There was a street festival just outside the beach, too- where the local shops and vendors around Manchester-By-The-Sea gathered to sell food, jewelry, home decor, books, etc. Although parking was a nightmare- it was fun to have a look around before we headed out to grab dinner and a couple of margaritas in downtown Melrose and I started back towards my place to prepare for work this morning!

And now I’m here, sun-kissed and ready to snooze- but prepared to tackle the day as best as I can.

Here’s hoping you all make it through your Monday!

My friend was feeling cheeky yesterday at the beach and snapped this one of me.

– Ashley –

Madrid and Margaritas…

August 4, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Evening, everyone!

I hope you’re all enjoying your Friday night. It’s a bit unlike me to post after dark (I usually update Blondie Birdie early in the morning before I head into work or while I’m waiting for my coffee to brew)– but I took a long-overdue “Selfie Night” for myself today in order to catch up on e-mails I’d been neglecting for the better part of a week, enjoy a long bath while I started binge-watching the new mini-series for “Wet Hot American Summer” on Netflix (I’m nearly finished and it’s so over-the-top crazy-funny. I love it!)– and catch up on some much needed overall rest and relaxation. After I post this, I have a feeling I’ll be crawling into my clean and freshly folded sheets to try and get a full night of undisturbed sleep. I’m exhausted!

My last attempt at a “Selfie Night” was supposed to have been last Sunday, but my plans became a bit rearranged when- as I’d mentioned in my July “In a Nutshell” post earlier this past week- my best friend Sean returned home from a month-long stay in Spain after he came down with a severe case of food poisoning/dehydration that resulted with him spending a significant amount of time in the hospital. It’s a scary thing- to have someone you care about be so sick and so far away from home- and I can’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like for him to go through on his own. Thankfully, he’s back in the States and on the mend- and once he had stepped off the plane- some of our friends and I (and his mother!) who had showed up to surprise him at the arrival gate outside the airport snatched him up to get him some food and a couple of drinks so he could tell us all about his trip.

While Sean had been in Madrid prior to falling ill, he picked me up this really beautiful paper and lace fold-out fan that he gave to me at dinner. I love it. The imagery on it is really gorgeous- and even though I briefly used it to cool myself off in the car ride home since the temperatures were scorching- it’s since been placed neatly and delicately on display near my nicer dishes and silverware in my dining area. I don’t want anything to happen to it- and that’s the safest spot!

It’s just really nice to have him back home. I missed him a lot and I’m glad he’s feeling better and doing okay. We have a lot of catching up to do- starting tomorrow, more than likely! While there’s a few different weekend getaways planned throughout the month of August- I believe the next day or so will be spent in the White Mountains for the first time in over a year. I’m sure I’m going to have plenty of pictures to share!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

– Ashley –

Summer Treats: Grilled Pineapple Split Sundae with Cherry Sauce

August 2, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning, everyone- and hello, August! Before I get to work at my office (and prepare to fight off a migraine from staring at my screen so intently for such long periods of time)– I wanted to share this quick and easy Summertime dessert recipe I recently discovered floating around the internet that I’ve been whipping up at home for guests that pop by- and for myself!

I love pretty much anything with pineapple in it, which is why I’m sort of shocked I’ve never thought to grill it before until now. Sure, I’ve cooked and baked with slices or cubes of it in the past- but to simply grill it and substitute it for a banana in a sundae/split? It never crossed my mind- but it’s a game changer!

You can use any type of ice cream you want for this recipe, too. It calls for vanilla- but I had some pineapple-coconut Häagen-Dazs (with pieces of fruit mixed in!) already inside of my freezer- and it tasted just fine with that, instead!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

2 cups pitted and halved cherries, plus more cherries for serving
1 pineapple—peeled, quartered and cored
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 quart vanilla ice cream (or any flavor of your choosing- I picked coconut-pineapple for this one!)

READY? HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

In a small pot, combine the cherries with the sugar and ¼ cup water over medium heat and cook until the cherries break down, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat and use a potato masher or a fork to mash it into a paste. Strain into a small bowl, stir in the vanilla and set aside.
Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Add the pineapple quarters and cook until charred all over, about 4 minutes per side. When cool enough to handle, cut the pineapple quarters into long strips or bite-sized pieces.
Scoop the ice cream into bowls and top with pineapple, fresh cherries and cherry sauce. Serve immediately.

This is such a light, tasty, sweet (and a little tangy) treat to enjoy on a hot day. The pineapple has a certain crispiness to it when it’s grilled- and if served right away the ice cream melts just enough to coat all of the wedges. You can serve the dish with as much cherry sauce and whole cherries on the side as you want- depending on your preference. I personally love a ton of them on mine!

I’m thinking when I make this again this coming weekend- I’ll include some grilled bananas and maybe some strawberries, too!

– Ashley –

July 2017: In a Nutshell

July 31, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

I feel like many people- myself included- say it every single time we’re about enter a new month, but really- where did the time go? July is finished and here we are getting ready to launch headfirst into August. The summer is almost over! In just a couple of weeks a lot of students will be returning to school, seasonal landmarks and shops will be shuttering their doors until next year- and I’ll be preparing to once again rotate my wardrobe and makeup collection for when the Fall inevitably arrives.

But I don’t want to get ahead of myself, here. We still have a bit of time left to cram in some last minute Summer activities throughout the month of August- so I’m trying not to panic as I make my plans- and July was definitely a whirlwind of a month that deserves a proper sendoff.

I kicked off this past month with a firework-filled Fourth of July and a spur-of-the-moment, wild (and unbelievably fun) 24-hour weekend trip to San Diego to surprise and visit with friends- which might go down as one of the most impulsive things I’ve ever done- and that is really saying something since I’ve done a LOT of crazy, unplanned and unexpected things over the years. It keeps me young, I always say.

Not only was July spent with family and good friends (on both coasts!) but with co-workers as well. A group of really great people I work with and occasionally hang out with and myself caught the most bizarre concert in the sticks of central Massachusetts following my return from California. Granted, one of my co-workers could have easily died in a horrible car accident afterwards- but he miraculously managed to walk away from it relatively unscathed (I saw him the other day when we all went out for lunch and he’s healing up just fine!)

July marked five years since my father passed away, so there was a period of quiet reflection in-between jet-setting here and there. Those closest to me helped make the anniversary a little easier to get through with kind words and much-needed distractions and humor- so I’m very grateful for them- and for a lot of things this past month, really.

I would say that the majority of my time in July, much like June- was spent at the beach, mostly in New Hampshire- including this past Saturday when I ventured up to Rye and Portsmouth for a full-day of shopping, dining, swimming in the ocean and cruising the coast while listening to good music. Nearly every weekend throughout the month had at least one full day dedicated to spending time in the sand. You can take the girl out of California but you can’t take California out of the girl- after all- and beach days are a rare commodity around here since it can get so cold sometimes! You truly have to savor it as much as you can and that’s exactly what I did!

So what’s in store for August? Well- for starters- lots of time spent with my best friend Sean, who returned home from Spain yesterday evening (I surprised him at the airport!) after he’d spent some time during his stay hospitalized in Barcelona for extreme food poisoning/dehydration. It’s so good to have him home and in good health again- and I can’t thank the Doctors overseas enough for taking such good care of him.

And while I will undoubtedly spend more time at the beach this coming month- I’ve also got a long overdue trip to NYC planned, a couple of recipes to share, and a few more peeks inside my closet in-between working at my full-time job and traveling as much as I can to those aforementioned seasonal landmarks before they close up for the year!

I’ll see you all in August, but in case you’re looking for a couple of things to add to your end-of-the-Summer bucket list:

Bring my 2017 Summer playlist, “Pineapple Daze” with you!
There’s still time to whip up some of the recipes I’ve shared these past couple of months for your next BBQ, cookout or pool party!
I shared my favorites from July last week- in case you’re in need of some updates to your makeup/skincare regimen for the month of August.

– Ashley –

Favorites: July 2017!

July 28, 2017by Ashley DeLarge2 Comments

Good Morning and TGIF, everyone! Can you believe we’re heading into the last weekend of July and that Summer is going to be winding down soon? As much as I love the Fall here in New England (I’m very much one of those unapologetic pumpkin-spice-everything type of girls)– I’m not ready to say goodbye to Summer of 2017 yet- especially when it’s been so much fun!

But I’m getting ahead of myself here. We still have this weekend and all through August and early September to soak up some more sunshine and hit the beach before it gets too cold out- which is exactly what I plan on doing come first thing tomorrow morning. Before that, though- I wanted to share some of the odds and ends that I absolutely loved this past month.

Most of my favorites from July were cosmetics-related since I recently did an overhaul and mass clean-out of my skincare and makeup to get rid of expired/empty products and make some room for newer items- but there’s a couple of other things that made the list, too!

One of the things that I ate pretty much non-stop throughout July were these cold brew latte dessert popsicles I kept buying at Trader Joe’s. Think of how refreshing an iced cafe mocha tastes on a sweltering hot morning- then make it even colder and put it on a stick- and you’ve got this wonderfully smooth, creamy and satisfying treat that’s low in fat (and calories, too) and gives you a nice caffeine boost when you might need it the most.

I’m seriously addicted to these things so I have a feeling they’ll probably make my August Favorites list, too!

I was admittedly a little skeptical when I first saw swatches of Urban Decay’s latest Naked palette, “HEAT”- since I’m pretty fair and always assumed any sort of red/orange shadows would just end up making me look like I had a bad case of pink eye or a weird rash or something. Earlier this month, however- I was treating myself to a couple of goodies and thought I may as well give it a try- and I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised with how neat these shadows look.

While there’s plenty of red/orange tones- they can easily be blended and sort of mellowed out with the lighter brown and almost rose-colored shades that are included in this palette, too. There’s a nice mix of shimmers and mattes that I’ve been experimenting with pretty much every day since I picked this one up for myself and I haven’t found a color combination that I dislike yet. Every shade is really beautiful and makes me think of days spend out in the desert whenever I visit Nevada!

Another “wasn’t sure at first but now I’m a believer” find? Brazilian Bum Bum Cream by Sol de Janeiro. HEAR ME OUT- I wear a lot of bikinis during the Summer, and even though I never skip squats and am a body lotion/cream fiend- I was intrigued about this Guaraná-packed moisturizer I heard mentioned through word of mouth. It’s all-natural ingredients are supposed to boost circulation in your skin while smoothing and tightening- and some people I know swear by it.

First things first, the cream smells delicious- good enough to eat, even- and it doesn’t feel greasy or sticky after you slather it on, but the most important thing are the results. I’ve been using this quick-absorbing cream religiously for a good portion of July now- and even though I’ve always thought my posterior looked decent, anyway- it definitely looks a lot smoother and feels a bit firmer after I use this stuff! Consider me a fan!

I recently misplaced one of my favorite raspberry-hued Formula X nail polishes, and I cannot find it for the life of me (I think it’s somewhere in San Diego!)– so I found a lovely substitute in Deborah Lippmann’s Summer 2017 collection with this bright, poppy pink shade called “Shut Up And Dance” which I’ve been sporting on my fingers and toes nearly all month. The formula, long-lasting like a gel manicure but without the harmful chemicals and UV rays- gives full coverage and is highly pigmented.

The shade just feels like Summertime- and I doubt I’ll be wearing any other color on my nails ’til the Fall!

And the last thing in July’s beauty round-up is this gorgeous roll-on fragrance from Replica– “Beach Walk”. A really incredible combination of lemon, coconut, cedar wood and ylang ylang- among others- this perfume transports me to the beach even when I’m landlocked at work. It’s hard to describe just how lovely this perfume is- but I’ve been wearing it every day and I get so many compliments on it.

It absolutely reminds me of evenings spent at Old Orchard Beach strolling the boardwalk with my friends. Replica managed to somehow bottle that memory in fragrance form!

I think that’s it for the things I was able to photograph for the month of July- but there’s still a couple of other Favorites, too!

– MUSIC/MOVIES/TELEVISION –

“Preacher” (2nd Season!) – I’ve been a huge fan of AMC’s “Preacher” since it premiered last year, and I was so thrilled that it had been picked up for a second season that started in late June after another series I enjoy, “Fear The Walking Dead”, wrapped up for the time being. The show, characters, story- and the comic book it’s based on- are absolutely bonkers. It’s funny, clever, violent, a little gory- but so, so entertaining nonetheless. I’ve been putting the finishing touches on a Jesse Custer cosplay I intend to wear around Comic-Con next month when it swings through Boston- so I’m very excited!

“Atomic Blonde” – So the movie technically comes out today, but I’m already so hyped up to see this one with my girlfriends this weekend. It’s been a pretty good year for ass-kicking female-led films so far- so to watch Charlize Theron take no prisoners as a secret agent and look stunning while she’s stabbing people with a stiletto heel is something I can definitely get behind. Yes, please!

– MISCELLANEOUS –

San Diego Comic-Con Recaps! – The biggest convention of the year wrapped up this past weekend, and I was LIVING for the updates that were coming out on a near hourly basis- both from friends who were in attendance and on social media. The trailer for the 8th season of “The Walking Dead” (my all-time favorite show, ever- period) stopped me in my tracks when it was released- and I was fan-girling so hard on my phone during the Marvel panel updates. I haven’t been to SDCC since 2014- where I had the time of my life- but I’m really hoping I can be there for 2018 to re-live all the excitement and previews!

Alright- I think that’s everything! Anything else that I may have forgotten will definitely get a mention next month when I inevitably remember it!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

– Ashley –