“Now it’s all covered with flowers…”

Good Evening, everyone! Here’s hoping you’re all having a wonderful Friday night- or getting ready to, anyway!

My night is actually going to be fairly quiet and reserved tonight- consisting of watching a movie with friends, eating some pizza and sipping some hard cider since I have to be up for early morning plans first thing tomorrow. And honestly? I just really need a night in so I can wear sweatpants and veg out a bit.

This past week has been crazy at work, and when I wasn’t in my office- I was at networking events, keeping track of E3 coverage (hello, ‘Resident Evil 2’ remake I’ve been waiting for since I was in my teens!) and trying to soak up some Vitamin D whenever I got the chance- including taking an afternoon off for an impromptu beach trip in Manchester-By-The-Sea.

Last weekend, before I got swirled up in Manic Monday and all the tasks/errands/to-do’s that came with it and the subsequent days that followed- I actually ventured out to the wild, wild Western part of Massachusetts to lovely, quaint and picturesque Shelburne Falls to see the famous Bridge of Flowers that frequently make appearances on my friends’ Instagram feeds.

I’d never been, but neither the bridge itself or the scenic drive to and from there along some of the state’s winding back roads- dotted with farmhouses and fields- was well worth it. The footbridge (formerly a trolley bridge) stretches over the Deerfield River and is the home to hundreds of different types of flowers. It’s a very peaceful, pretty walk to take- and naturally I snapped some photos!

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the pics!

If you’re ever venturing out by Western Massachusetts this Summer- the bridge is definitely worth a quick stop! It’s open ’til October!

In other beautiful destinations I visited this past week- I took a half day at work yesterday afternoon to stop by Singing Beach in-between errands to meet up with my best friend, Sean, for lunch/coffee and to watch as the boats rolled by the marina.  Even though the sun disappeared on us (more than once)– it was still a lovely way to spend an afternoon. The view was definitely better than the one I’m used to in my office, anyway!

Every time I travel to Manchester By The Sea, I try to visit at least one new shop or restaurant since the community has so many hidden and adorable seaside finds to discover. Yesterday’s dinner saw us watching game show re-runs from the 1970s while we ate burgers and fries at Superfine Food, and then grab a couple of ‘Aloha’ lattes (coconut and white chocolate) at Allie’s Beach Street Cafe.

Everything was so delicious- and the staff at both locations were very friendly! I highly recommend them!

But now, with friends on the way for movie night with food in tow- I’m off to be lazy, eat all the carbs- and get ready for the weekend!

Good night, everyone! Have a great weekend!

xx

– Ashley –

1-Year Blogiversary Beach Giveaway!

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

While the start of a new work (or school) week is typically dreaded, I think I have some exciting news to take some of that early Monday morning gloom away. At least I do for one lucky reader, anyway!

This past Saturday marked the one year milestone since I launched ‘Blondie Birdie’ back on June 9, 2017.  When I first decided to make the move from my former longtime home at ‘Legally Redhead’ and start fresh and new here- I had wanted to not only focus more on sharing my love of food, vintage clothing and travel- but also showcase local businesses and female-fronted organizations that were doing amazing things for causes that I was passionate about.

Since then, Blondie Birdie has grown beyond that and into so much more- with collaborations/partnerships in Boston, NYC, San Diego, Las Vegas and London- and I’m so excited to see what the the future holds for my little corner of the internet!

I wanted to take a quick moment to say thank you so, so, so much to all of the readers, fellow bloggers, businesses, designers, photographers, and artists that have made this such an incredible blogging journey for me so far- and especially thank my friends and family for supporting me and helping out with this project in so many ways over this past year. I know it wasn’t always easy- recipe attempts were burned, GPS devices were needed more than once when my unfailing wanderlust got myself and others lost in the wilderness- and shooting at just the right angle to showcase an outfit/accessory could be downright frustrating- but I was and will forever remain overwhelmingly proud and grateful for what has been built here. I couldn’t have done it without all of you!

That being said, here’s to another great year ahead with just as much fun, silly, (hopefully) interesting content- and to many more years after that, too!

To show my appreciation, I’ve put together a Summer/Beach-inspired giveaway (with help from Rafflecopter) to commemorate this most exciting of occasions! I handpicked a selection of items that reflect both me and my blog’s overall laid-back, Summery, mermaid-obsessed personality. Just a head’s up- there is a lot of aqua and blue in here!

This giveaway is currently open to those residing within the United States, Canada, Mexico and the U.K- but I haven’t forgotten those who live outside those areas. I’ll be planning something special for all of you soon. I promise!

Before I get into the rules/regulations and how to enter- here’s what’s included!

I always keep a notebook handy for scribbling down ideas or mindlessly doodling when the thoughts (or the mood) hits me, and this ruled mermaid notepad from Spartina 449– with really good advice etched into the cover- is perfect for bringing to the beach or your next backyard BBQ in case you need to jot down some recipes, poetry- or write a couple of reminders for any family functions your relatives mention while you’re there that you accidentally forgot about…

… It happens to the best of us. No worries!

You didn’t think me- a girl from New England- wouldn’t include a Yankee Candle in a giveaway, did you? Of course I’m putting one in there!  This medium sized glass jar features the scent “Life’s A Breeze”- which is a perfect combination of salty sea air and fresh cotton. It’s light and clean- and will refresh any room in your home for hours and hours!

There’s a reason Yankee Candle is considered *the* go-to candle company, after all!

I know I’m not the only one who has been relaxing on a pool floatie and wished my frozen margarita could float right alongside me- right? Well for the winner and a friend (unless they’re having two drinks at once, in which case- more power to you!) now you don’t have to paddle your way to the pool’s edge to grab your cocktail.

This set of two drink floaties from Slant Collections are going to help keep you relaxed and hydrated for the whole Summer.

Everyone needs a new pouch to hold their Summer essentials- and I thought this mermaid (and merman!) covered one from Danica Studio was incredibly cute and convenient. Both sides have the underwater design on them- which I love- and there’s enough space to fit the important stuff: cards, keys- and your phone!

Just because you leave the beach or the pool to return to real life doesn’t mean you can’t still bring some of it home with you. I’m including this super moisturizing foaming bubble bath from Michel Design Works in the giveaway- because being able to transform your tub into a less-drying ocean with a few drops of this shea-butter infused, beach-scented bubble bath is divine!

And finally, Summer Sundays (for me) means having a couple of glasses of rosé with my girlfriends while we grill or lounge by the shore- but this glass, with “RESTING BEACH FACE” predominantly featured in gold lettering- can actually fit an entire bottle of wine in it.

So if you’re having a tough day, or maybe want to make a good day a little better- drink up!

Of course, I plan on throwing a few more more beach-inspired surprises in there, too!

Before I get to the most important part (how to enter)– here’s just a couple of important rules/specifics for all participants to consider:

The giveaway is running from now through midnight (EST) on Saturday, June 23rd, 2018- after which time a winner will be selected at random through Rafflecopter and contacted directly to obtain additional information to process shipping (which I’ll be paying for!) 

If selected, you’ll have 72 hours to respond to the confirmation e-mail. If I don’t receive a response in that time, I’ll unfortunately have to select another winner, instead!

Nothing in this giveaway can be traded or swapped for something else. What you see is what you’ll be receiving if you win!

But now, onto what you’ve all been waiting for!

HOW TO ENTER:

First and foremost- please visit the Rafflecopter page for the giveaway by CLICKING HERE to make sure your entry is properly counted!

1. Comment on this post with your name and e-mail address. (Please keep in mind that I have comment moderation turned on to avoid spambots- so if your comment doesn’t appear right away- don’t panic! I’ll put it through as soon as I’m able!)

2. You can tweet about the giveaway and link back directly to this post or to my homepage: BlondieBirdie.com

That’s it! Just two simple steps and you’re in!

I’m so excited for this giveaway and to choose a winner in a couple of weeks. I’ll be tweeting out (and posting) occasional reminders every now and then- but it’ll be kept to a minimum to avoid spamming everyone.

Again, thank you all so much for the continued support and enthusiasm. I really love writing Blondie Birdie and I hope you all feel the joy I pour into it every week.

Here’s wishing you all a wonderful Monday! Let’s make it count!

xx

– Ashley  –

“I’ve Got No Roots” – A Summer 2018 Playlist

Good Afternoon and TGIF, everyone!

I’m getting ready to head out to the first day of this weekend’s Boston Calling Music Festival to catch sets from The Killers, The National, Paramore- and many more!- before I have to grab my backpack and fly on out to Washington D.C. first thing tomorrow morning!

But before I go, and to kick off the *semi-official* start of the Summer season this Memorial Day weekend- I put together a little playlist of songs I’ve been listening to lately (the title inspired by the super catchy Alice Merton song- which is also included!) that have gotten me into that jet-setting, beach-going, road-trip planning state of mind I’m always in this time of year.

This is “I’ve Got No Roots” – A Summer 2018 Playlist!

– TRACKS –

  1. Alice Merton – No Roots
  2. Middle Kids – Mistake
  3. CHVRCHES – Get Out
  4. The Decemberists – Severed
  5. Beach House – Dark Spring
  6. Japanese Breakfast – Boyish
  7. Tennis – No Exit
  8. Bastille – Quarter Past Midnight
  9. The Vaccines – I Can’t Quit
  10. Hinds – The Club
  11. Courtney Barnett – Nameless, Faceless
  12. Yuno – No Going Back

Here’s wishing everyone a safe, sunny, and fun Memorial Day weekend! I’ll be back on Tuesday with my favorite odds and ends from this past month- as well as plenty of fun stories to share!

If you’d like to follow my travels over the next few days, be sure to follow me on Instagram!

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: Breezy Southern Belle

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone! Time to get back to the grind and get some work done!

I hope all the moms and/or moms-to-be out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day! I spent most of the morning and afternoon with my mom- savoring the sunshine, cooking a delicious, homemade brunch together (the recipe for our main course will be up on the blog in a couple of days!) and doing a little bit of shopping for some plants/flowers for her garden- as well as some furniture and decor for a few renovations she has planned for her house this Summer.

My mom is very much the DIY, HGTV-obsessed type- always coming up with new projects to keep her home and lawn looking immaculate and cutting edge- so it was a lot of fun to just watch her in her element and jot down some pointers she had for me as we went about our day together.

Since our plans weren’t anything particularly fancy and I am all about comfort this time of year- I wore this lovely, lightweight gauze maxi dress I picked up a few weeks ago with laid-back weekends in mind. Something about this dress gives me a Southern Belle vibe. Not like Scarlett O’Hara- but I could envision myself strolling through a picturesque town in South Carolina during the Summer in this (it should be mentioned that I also recently watched ‘The Notebook’ for the first time in forever so that scenery is still fresh in my mind…)

The great thing about maxi dresses is that you can wear flats, sandals, wedges or heels with them and it always looks good. Yesterday I opted for these woven strap heels to give me a little boost of height and improve my posture- and topped things off with an over-sized hat I had originally bought a couple of Summers ago for the beach. Add some colorful bracelets and rings with aqua and orange tones and you have a perfect look for a lovely Spring Day!

But now I’ve got to get to work. Monday morning obligations and whatnot- and I haven’t even had my coffee yet!

Here’s hoping you all have an easy and stress-free week!

xx

– Ashley –

August 2017: In a Nutshell

The accuracy.

I am the shameless and quintessential Autumn Enthusiast, or “Basic Bitch” as it’s more commonly referred to whenever September/October roll around. Pumpkin Spice? ALL THE THINGS. Ugg boots? Mandatory and comfortable (and okay, yes- a little hideous looking). Sweaters and scarves? Can’t get enough of them. Apple picking and football? Every weekend, baby! Long drives to look at the changing foliage? Hop in! I made us a Fall-inspired playlist to listen to along the way! Halloween? It’s better than Christmas!

You get the idea.

I am all about Fall- but I’ve got to give a proper send-off to August- the last month of what has been an incredible Summer. I knew things were going to be great when my best friend Sean returned home to Boston at the very end of July after a month-long stay in Spain- and sure enough we’ve spent the better part of the past few weeks at the beach soaking up the sun with our friends. When I needed a break from being covered in sand and saltwater- I had also managed to squeeze in a quick (and rain-filled) hiking trip to the White Mountains, a stifling hot afternoon at Six Flags, and caught a live WWE house show in my hometown for the first time since I was about 11. I’m not even going to try and play it cool- I had so much fun and got really into it- and that was even before my friend’s Summer Slam party a couple of weeks ago where I successfully managed to pull off baking a wrestling ring cake!

Balor Club – Boston (8/27/17)

I stood up against hate speech with 20,000+ of Boston’s best, sat through a solar eclipse, cooked up some really tasty recipes and got to hang out and catch-up with old friends I hadn’t seen in a long time now that all of our work and/or vacation schedules seemed to have finally settled down- a trend I hope continues throughout September, too!

So what’s in store for next month? Well, I’m kicking off Labor Day Weekend with an overnight stay at an (allegedly) haunted inn up in the mountains of Vermont because I’m already in Halloween Mode- and a trip to NYC I had initially planned for August had to be postponed for this coming month instead due to a scheduling conflict- so I’m pretty excited to finally head back out there for a day or two! I’ll be attending a couple of early Fall weddings, preparing some of my favorite Autumn-inspired dishes- and sharing plenty of my chillier weather wardrobe staples in the coming days.

And who knows- maybe there will be a couple of other surprises, too!

So here’s to what was undoubtedly an awesome Summer of 2017- and to hoping that Fall is just as fun!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

xx

– Ashley –