Always Ascending…

Good Morning and Happy Wednesday, everyone!

What a busy, bustling week this has been! I’ve been juggling work at my office, prepping posts for Blondie Birdie, getting my car repaired from my recent accident, planning an upcoming day trip to NYC- and tonight I’ve got to make myself look pretty for a mid-week date in Western Massachusetts where a longtime friend of mine is treating me to a night out to help me relax a bit before it’s back to work tomorrow morning!

It hasn’t all been “all work and no play”, though. Last week’s Franz Ferdinand gig at the House of Blues was truly incredible. I’ve been a fan of the guys for years but had only ever seen them live a couple of times here and there (and each time was fantastic, mind you), so to not only get a free ticket to their recent gig at one of Boston’s best venues- but to also get the VIP treatment upstairs in The Foundation Room before the show where I had the best view in the house- was enough to make my month of April, really. I was ecstatic.

The guys still put on one high energy dance party of a show- even after all these years. I sang along, danced with strangers, enjoyed a couple of cocktails- and just took it all in from my perch right above the stage. I was, and still am, so so grateful for the hookup from indie617. Truly unexpected and amazing. Thank you guys!

This past weekend, needing a little pampering while simultaneously mixing up my look a little- I wore the ‘Always Ascending’ tour t-shirt I picked up at the Franz gig to my stylist where I decided to give myself a bit of a Spring makeover and color my previously golden highlighted hair a little more rosy, instead! That’s right- I took the pastel plunge and dyed my hair rose gold- and I am absolutely in love with it!

This color is so fun, so flattering, and is just the right shade of pink where it won’t clash with anything in my wardrobe. The stain will last a few weeks before I’ll have to touch it up again- but when it starts to fade- it will just be a lighter shade of pink instead of an orange-esque color like what I used to go out of my way to avoid back when I was a redhead.

I took my new hair out on the town with my best friend on Saturday for some late afternoon shopping and a little take-out from Mexico Lindo before heading back to the apartment to eat, drink some homemade margaritas, and watch a couple of horror movies. It was a nice, laid-back way to close out the week- and get me mellowed out and relaxed for the season finale of ‘The Walking Dead’ on Sunday night (where my nerves got shot to hell all over again.)

I’ll be doing a full write-up about the season, my thoughts, predictions for the Fall, etc.- and it’ll be up this Friday! And no worries- I’ll put any spoilers behind a cut/”Read More” tag for those who may not be caught up in the series yet and don’t want to know what’s been happening!

But  first, I’m going to go get some work done before I get dolled up and head out to be wined and dined tonight.

Enjoy your Hump Day, everyone!

xx

– Ashley –

“There’s a starman waiting in the sky…”

Good Morning, everyone!

This week’s blogging schedule may be a little off. Instead of my usual Monday, Wednesday and Friday posts- I’m updating today and Thursday (and posts should be back to normal next week!) I was away/out most of this past weekend- which left pretty much no time at all to decompress at my place, catch up on e-mails, and get working on my Blondie Birdie stuff for the week before I was suddenly hurrying back to the office yesterday morning bright and early!

But what a weekend I had! On Saturday, I opted to spend St. Patrick’s Day in Brooklyn, New York- kicking things off at the Brooklyn Museum where I caught their “David Bowie Is” exhibit (which runs through July 15th.) Featuring mementos from Bowie’s childhood up until his death in 2016- including costumes, letters, photographs, instruments,  handwritten music sheets, and so much more- the self-guided audio tour was fascinating and gave an intimate look into the life of one of the most talented, entertaining, versatile artists and visionaries of our lifetime.

I truly could have spent the whole day in there dancing and singing along to the music. It was brilliant- and it you’re in Brooklyn anytime soon- I can’t recommend checking it out enough!

Photos aren’t allowed within the exhibit, but I snapped those in the queue area.

Of course, while I was there- I checked out the rest of the museum, as well- which boasts a pretty impressive art collection. One of my favorite exhibits, apart from the Bowie exhibit and tucked away in a far corner on the fourth floor was Judy Chicago’s ‘The Dinner Party’- a large, triangular dining table scene where each seating arrangement was decorated specifically for various groundbreaking women throughout history.

The museum was a little more lenient about allowing photographs throughout the rest of the exhibits, of course…

(Click the thumbnails to enlarge.)

And with Saturday being St. Patrick’s Day- I made sure to grab a Guinness at a nearby pub before i had to get back to my train to catch a late night ride home!

On Sunday, while I had every intention of heading down to catch the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade- the cold weather and packed sidewalks caused a bit of a road block, and coupled with the newly shortened parade route due to the still towering snowbanks from the recent series of storms/blizzards- finding a decent spot that wasn’t in the direct path of the very chilly wind proved to be a daunting and somewhat hectic task.

My BFF and I finally decided to celebrate the extended holiday indoors with spicy food and an “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” mini-marathon bundled up under blankets. Worth it. Best of all? Friends who did manage to find a spot with a decent view sent some photos over from the parade- which was super sweet of them!

But for now, I’ve got to get to work for the day! A little later on this week, I’m talking Spring makeup (tomorrow is the first day of the season, after all- even though it doesn’t feel like it here!) including finding the best foundation for your skin tone and type. I’m excited to talk about all the hues and trends I’ve been loving lately!

But until then- enjoy your Tuesday, everyone!

xx

– Ashley –

February 2018: In a Nutshell

Good Morning, everyone! Can you believe it’s the end of February already and that March- and Spring!- are right around the corner? I sure can’t. It feels like this month flew by- although I’m sure my traveling and long-term-plan-making kept me pretty occupied (and maybe a little distracted!) as the days went right by me!

February- as short and sweet a month as it is- had it’s fair share of incredible, memorable moments that I’ll carry with me through the rest of 2018. I kicked things off with some of my dearest friends in Las Vegas where I got to catch up with people I love and who I hadn’t seen in what felt like the longest time, enjoy a hometown show from one of my favorite bands (The Killers, obviously!) and ultimately made the decision to move to Henderson, Nevada later on this Fall. Talk about a busy weekend, right?

While I was in Vegas, The Patriots sadly lost the Super Bowl in what was really one of the only low points this past month- which was a bummer, for sure- but what an incredible season they had! I had so much fun reigniting longtime rivalries with friends who support other teams, going to multiple tailgating parties, and enjoying all the amazing game day food- and I’m looking forward to next season where I’m sure my boys are going to dominate again.

But until then- it’s almost time for the Red Sox resurgence!

I was surprised with a Belated-Birthday-Party by my friends this past month, as well as a semi-surprise dinner date for Galentine’s Day courtesy of a guy friend of mine who went above and beyond to cook me a homemade meal (I’m still a little heart-eyed over that one, to be honest!) and rang in the ‘Year of The Dog’ with my own puppers and some Chinese takeout for the Lunar New Year.

With hints of warmer weather teasing us here in New England every so often over these past few weeks- some days were spent out in the sunshine, savoring the rising temperatures- while other, chillier days were spent driving through places in Western Massachusetts and Vermont with the heat cranked up and some hot coffee within reach to decompress and unwind.

And then, of course- there was this past weekend- where I took my friend from work- Bryan- with me down to Mohegan Sun to catch an impromptu show from some of my favorite local boys and longtime friends- the Dropkick Murphys! The guys were nice enough to hook Bryan and I up with an All Access pass so we could roam backstage and stage-side freely- and what a view we had of the show!

The show was the kickoff to their annual Saint Patrick’s Day celebration- and what an incredible performance it was! The crowd was awesome, the setlist was pretty perfect- and we had such an amazing time. Bryan hadn’t seen the guys in years, so I was really glad that he could come along and watch it from what was undoubtedly the best spot in the entire arena with me!

And afterwards, of course- I had to thank Ken- who has been so lovely to me over the years since we first met back in my early (like, really early) twenties. We made sure to take an updated photo, too- since the last one was from circa 2013.

It was truly one of the best ways to wrap up the month, and I hope I get to see the guys again in a couple of weeks at any of their Boston shows. They’re so much fun!

Speaking of- what else do I have in store for March? A long overdue trip to NYC, stopping by the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, breaking out some of my Spring wardrobe to share with you all- as well as some new recipes I’ve been experimenting with- and a few other tricks I have up my sleeve!

Enjoy the rest of your day, everyone- and be sure to tip your hat to February. It was a good one!

xx

– Ashley –

Favorites: February 2018!

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone! What a wild weekend I had- which I’ll be talking about in a couple of days when I share my month’s-end “In a Nutshell” post- but for now it’s back to work for me, while simultaneously grieving over last night’s mid-season premiere of ‘The Walking Dead’ (for real- I cried so much that it was actually kind of gross.)

But before I dive into my morning meetings, e-mails and phone calls- I wanted to share some of my favorite things from this past month. Admittedly, there isn’t a lot of products/items since I did a pretty significant amount of traveling throughout February and many of my favorites from January carried over as a result- but there were a few things that stood out and even more odds and ends that I couldn’t photograph that made the list!

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

Despite fluctuating temperatures here in Massachusetts, it’s still pretty cold at night, and this mermaid tail blanket- a gift from my Aunt and Uncle earlier this year- has definitely come in handy on the nights I’ve spent throughout this month lounging on the couch and watching TV or getting some late night work done from the comfort of my dining room table.  This blanket is really warm and really fun- and has made more than one appearance in a selfie or on my Snapchat throughout the past couple of weeks.

Oddly enough, I recently read an article where someone said the mermaid and unicorn-themed clothing and accessories for adults are “juvenile”- which to that, I say- awesome. I’m warm, and that’s all that matters!

I’ve been wearing a lot of turtleneck sweaters lately, which makes accessorizing my neck a little difficult unless I go for statement pieces that are big and bold. I recently rediscovered this peacock necklace that my mother had given to me a couple of Christmases ago and I’ve been rocking it to work and out on the town nearly every day/night ever since.

I love the teal and purple colors- which stand out against my usual Winter-neutral shades of black, tan, and grey- and matching my eye shadow or eye liner to them proves for a fun, pre-Spring look without getting overly light and bright too prematurely.

With plans to potentially move out West later on this Fall, I’ve been revisiting something I’ve had on my ‘Bucket List’ for quite a few years but have never had the opportunity to complete until now. I’m talking about traveling cross-country on the remnants of what was formerly Route 66- complete with cheesy roadside attractions, cheap motels, diner food, and an amazing classic rock playlist.

I picked up this book a while back to see what this journey had to offer- and although it’s a little outdated- a lot of the attractions are still very much in existence (The Blue Whale of Catoosa! Cadillac Ranch! Prada Marfa!) I’ve been enjoying researching the must-sees and marking them down along my personal route map now and then over the past few weeks. It’s going to be an adventure!

And finally, one skin care product I’ve been obsessed with as of late. When I returned from my trip to Vegas earlier this month, my skin needed some serious TLC. The dryness of the desert, followed up by the harsh cold here in New England when I came back home- did a number on my complexion. I turned to this gel textured, 10-minute mask from First Aid Beauty to even out my face- restoring moisture, softening rough areas, and brightening any dull spots that appeared along the way.

I swear by this mask- which I use 2x a week- and achieve fantastic results every single time!

And I think that’s it for the photogenic stuff! Moving on, however-

– MUSIC/MOVIES/TELEVISION –

‘Far Out\Thaw Out’ – I had shared my most recent, Spring-inspired playlist on 8Tracks a few days ago here on the blog, but it’s worth mentioning again because I truly love each song I hand selected for it and have been listening to them on a rotation (typically on my way to and from work) and thought it was worth posting again!

‘Black Panther’ – WAKANDA FOREVER. Not since ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ have I been so thoroughly in love with a MCU movie as I am with ‘Black Panther’ right now. It was perfect from start to finish- and I have to give a standing ovation to my Queen, Danai Gurira (who rules on ‘The Walking Dead’, too!) I practically shrieked with joy when she showed up on my screen.

I’m actually planning on seeing it again this week with friends who haven’t had the privilege of watching it yet- and I’m just as excited as I was the first time around!

– GAMES/APPS –

Overcooked – I can’t remember the last time a video game caused my friends and I to frantically scream burger ingredients to each other, but here we are. My BFF Sean discovered this game and wasted no time in getting the rest of us on board- but we’ve been obsessively playing it at get togethers all month and we’re showing no signs of stopping any time soon.

The premise seems simple, but the execution can get complicated REAL quick. You play as little cartoon chefs and have to prepare, cook, and serve recipes in the order that they come in. Once the recipes become more complicated and the orders start coming in faster and faster- things turn into an absolute shit show. Our group’s friendship has been tested- more than once- with this game. Over cartoon cheeseburgers, of all things.

And I think that’s it for my February Favorites! I’m off to get some work done- and I hope you all have a great start to your week! Here’s hoping your Monday goes by quickly and painlessly!

xx

– Ashley –

Belated Birthdays, Galentines Day and Dinner Dates…

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone! After a particularly grueling work week (for me, it was filled with meetings and making deadlines in-between those meetings)– it’s nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel known as an upcoming three-day weekend! I’m just excited about being able to sleep in for a morning, maybe do a bit of local adventuring- and getting some things done around my place!

Work aside, this past week was a lot of fun- having kicked off with a surprise Belated-Birthday-Party for yours truly that was thrown by some of my friends I hadn’t seen since last month, right before I’d gone off gallivanting around the West Coast! We had a really great dinner, listened to music, played some highly competitive video games- and indulged in my favorite type of cake (complete with crazy candles!)– red velvet!

And while I can’t say for sure who wrote the message to me in the frosting- I think I have a pretty good idea who was behind it…

Of course, this week was all about Valentine’s Day (and the equally important and undeniably way more fun Galentine’s Day holiday on February 13th!) and despite currently dating-around-but-not-seeing-anyone-exclusively situation I’m currently in- I felt festive and made it a point to touch up my nails- which had long since been destroyed since my last legitimate manicure in San Diego a few weeks ago while I was visiting for my birthday.

They’re still in good shape as I type away right now- so I’m pretty happy! Look how cute they came out!

And in preparation for the official day of cheesy romantic anecdotes and lovey-dovey gestures, one of my exquisite gentlemen friends invited me over to cook me dinner and watch a movie together at his apartment on Tuesday night- an impromptu date which included wine, flowers, and candles.

I couldn’t resist snapping a photo before we sat down. It was legitimately too cute (and the food was really good, too!) Of course, neither one of us- both overly sarcastic- could stomach a romantic comedy after a couple of glasses of wine. Instead, we opted for Tom Cruise’s “American Made”- which was actually very good! Gritty, a little dark- but funny and entertaining nonetheless.

Today also happens to be the Chinese New Year- and in celebration of the Year of The Dog- I’ll be cuddling up with mine after work today and enjoying some takeout crab rangoon and Lo Mein. I’ll also be bumping this Spring-inspired playlist I put together on my 8Tracks Account during some downtime this week.

If you’d like to give it a listen, it’s linked right here! The track listing is below!

– Far Out\Thaw Out [Spring 2018] Tracklisting –

  1. Vance Joy – Lay It On Me
  2. Birdy Bardot – Black Mirror
  3. James Bay – Wild Love
  4. MGMT – Me and Michael
  5. Franz Ferdinand – Feel The Love Go
  6. Dani Bell & The Tarantist – Crave
  7. Brian Fallon – Etta James
  8. The Killers – The Way It Was

Enjoy your weekend, everyone! See you next week!

xx

– Ashley –