Summer – Page 12 – Blondie Birdie

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 –

Stone Stacks and Seafood…

July 26, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

As much time as I spend along the coast in New Hampshire- to the point where I know most of the roads and the sights/places to stop like the back of my hand- sometimes I stumble on something I’d never seen before or that I didn’t know existed and I can still manage to be surprised. Case in point: this past Sunday when I had pulled over to a secluded section of the beach in Northern Hampton in order to answer a couple of texts I had received while I was on the road heading towards my favorite seaside lunch spot to grab a quick bite.

Typically, I’d just sit in my parked, air-conditioned car to answer the texts- but it was lovely out on Sunday- with the sun shining and the temperature not too hot or cold. Instead, I decided to climb up a set of rocks to soak up some Vitamin D and watch the low tide in-between reading messages.

Once I’d reached the top of the rocks along the shoreline, I noticed a path that cut down to a section of the beach where there were a ton of intricate man-made stone stacks (some people call it rock balancing, too- I think.) I mean there were SO many. I’d never seen anything like it before- so I completely forgot about answering my messages and instead grabbed my camera before heading down the pathway to check it out.

I had no idea any of those were just on the other side of the edge of the roadway that I’ve driven by literally hundreds of times over the years- otherwise I would have stopped to check it out sooner! It was such an unexpected sight to see- and I had such a peaceful time sitting among the rocks and marveling at just how much time and patience it must have taken to get some of the stacks just right without causing the entire thing to topple over on itself.

Of course, I HAD been on my way to get food- so when I was done snapping photos- I headed down the coast to the Beach Plum for one of their famous toasted lobster rolls and some ice cold lemonade to eat beside the waves.

The best part of the Beach Plum’s lobster rolls? Absolutely no lettuce to get in the way. Just plenty of meat and a delicious, buttered and lightly toasted roll. That’s all I could ever ask for! So, so good.

Overall, I had quite a nice afternoon- full of surprises and seafood- and I’m looking forward to a planned trip a little further up to Maine this coming weekend if the weather permits!

– Ashley –

Pre-Flight Prep

July 7, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

TGIF, everyone! I hope you’re all recovered from a nice, long Fourth of July weekend and are planning to treat yourselves in some way, shape or form this coming weekend, too. Me? I’m wrapping up some things at my office today before I head off for a weekend on the West Coast first thing in the morning. That’s right- in one of the most impulsive trips I think I’ve ever taken on a whim- I’ll be spending the next 48 hours in sunny San Diego to catch a show, grab a couple of drinks with friends, visit with my number one man-crush from SoCal and snap plenty of selfies in front of palm trees.

And also eat some In-N-Out- as is tradition!

Since I’m only going for a such a short period of time, a suitcase isn’t really necessary. I’ll be backpacking it to and from the airport- which frees up tonight for me so I can get plenty of rest (and anyone who knows me knows that I’m a last-minute packer, so this is a rare occurrence) although I have a feeling I’m going to be too excited to actually sleep.

Be sure to keep an eye on my INSTAGRAM for the snapshots while I’m in the air and on the ground for the next couple of days!

My Fourth of July weekend was an absolute blast- spent between cookouts and the beach. I rounded out my extended holiday with an afternoon trip to Hampton, New Hampshire- which was unbelievably packed to capacity (no surprise, really)– so I strayed off of the shore and spent more time near the Rye and Portsmouth areas to pass the time.

While I was out, I ate a lobster roll with a bit too much lettuce for my taste and browsed clothing and jewelry racks at some of my favorite surf shops before I decided to head back into the city just as the sun was starting to set in order to beat the post-fireworks traffic. Luckily, my neighbors managed to smuggle some fireworks over state lines- so I still got to see quite a show from the comfort of my deck!

I’m looking forward to sharing all of my photos/stories from Southern California next week after I get back- but for now- I’ve got to get some work done!

– Ashley –

OOTD: Americana

July 3, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Every year- without fail- I bust out this fitted red, white and blue sun dress that I picked up on a sales rack at Macy’s in my early twenties to wear at some point during the Fourth of July weekend. It’s been spotted at the beach, at fireworks displays, and at patriotic bar crawls (which are a real thing around here- I swear.) This year, this dress was my go-to during a friend’s cookout over the weekend.

I don’t own a lot of patriotic clothing, save for a couple of Captain America t-shirts and tank tops- so it’s nice to have something pretty, festive (without being over the top) and feminine to wear on hot and humid days.

The red and white striped form-flattering bodice of the dress zips up the front, so it’s easy to take the dress from day to night in a flash (you know what I’m talking about- I’m talking about showing a little bit of cleavage. Nothing crazy- just a little bit!) which is especially helpful if I’m trying to even out my tan lines while I’m outdoors for any great length of time.

The skirt, made from navy eyelet fabric- is flowy and comfortable. If I’m going to be participating in any outdoor activities (frisbee and highly competitive badminton are pretty common among my friends)– I usually wear navy shorts under the skirt, too. Just in case I take a dive and don’t want anyone seeing what else I’m wearing underneath this thing!

For shoes this year, I traded in flip flops or my usual nude wedge sandals for these super comfortable (and also semi-patriotic) pair of blue and white striped flats from Primark– no surprise there. I usually try to include one piece of Americana jewelry with this ensemble but I think the shoes and the bodice are enough of a combination where matching accessories aren’t really a necessity- and not being weighed down with bangles or necklaces helps me stay more limber when I’m active, too!

A good red lipstick was all I needed for an extra pop of color on my complexion- and I was good to go! (The shade I used is MAC’s “Como La Flor” red from their Selena-inspired collection- in case anyone was wondering!)

I’m hoping those of you celebrating here in the States have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July- filled with plenty of fireworks, perfectly prepared potato salad and clear, sunny skies!

– Ashley –

June 2017: In a Nutshell

June 30, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone! I’m getting ready to put in one last productive day at the office before I break for a long, extended Fourth of July weekend- but given that it’s the last day of June- I thought I’d continue my tradition of wrapping up the month with a nice little summary in one of my other blogging traditions I’ve carried over from ‘Legally Redhead’- my “In a Nutshell” posts.

As I type this, my best friend of 21 years- Sean- is on a plane headed towards Spain where he’s going to be living for a while to study abroad. It’s an exciting and incredible journey he’s embarking on, although it’s a bit of a downer to end the month with his departure since I know I’m not going to see him for a while and I already miss him. I can’t wait to hear all about his trip when he comes back in a couple of months.

This past weekend- Sean’s last here in Massachusetts before he left for his trip- a group of our friends threw an all-day (and nearly all-night) farewell party at Singing Beach in his honor. We swam in the ocean, ate amazing food, played games, and when the sun eventually set- we made s’mores over a bonfire, stargazed, and danced to music along the surf. It was pure magic! Maybe one of the best nights ever. Truly.

A lot of June was spent at the beach, really. It seemed that every free weekend or afternoon I had- I was heading to the coast to savor the salty air and sunshine as much as possible. When I wasn’t doing that- I was all business (okay, and maybe some fun) at work as well as getting Blondie Birdie off the ground. I’m loving writing here, by the way! I celebrated Pride with my friends, saw and LOVED “Wonder Woman” during a Girls-Only Sunday brunch get-together, and dove right back into some of my favorite shows that returned for the Summer like “Preacher” and “Fear The Walking Dead”.

While July 4th is going to be a busy weekend for sure, the weekend after that is proving to be even more action-packed since I’ll be returning to the West Coast for a couple of days! That’s right, San Diego- I’m stopping by to say hello (and grab some In-N-Out while I’m there!)

I’ve also got some more recipes, cosmetic reviews, a Summer-inspired playlist and a whole lot more to share in July- so I’m pretty excited!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and if you’re in the States and celebrating the Fourth- be careful with those fireworks!

– Ashley –