Summertime – Page 11 – Blondie Birdie

1-Year Blogiversary Beach Giveaway!

June 11, 2018June 17, 2018by Ashley DeLarge17 Comments

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!

– Ashley –

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

May 25, 2018June 6, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

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 –

Alice Merton – No Roots
Middle Kids – Mistake
CHVRCHES – Get Out
The Decemberists – Severed
Beach House – Dark Spring
Japanese Breakfast – Boyish
Tennis – No Exit
Bastille – Quarter Past Midnight
The Vaccines – I Can’t Quit
Hinds – The Club
Courtney Barnett – Nameless, Faceless
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!

– Ashley –

August 2017: In a Nutshell

August 31, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

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!

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!

– 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 –

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 –