Tag: Summertime

Summer Wind Down…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Summer Wind Down…

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone! Today couldn’t have come fast enough for me!

It’s been a busy and, admittedly- pretty stressful week at work- with a lot of overtime, late nights, and earlier-than-I-care-to-think-about mornings. I’m excited to have a half day at my office today, and am rather looking forward to getting a proper night’s sleep over the course of this weekend. I really, really need it!

I hate to say it, but Summer is coming to an end- and in a couple of weeks we’re going to be into September, Labor Day, and the beginning of all things Fall. Although it’s my favorite season and I have plenty planned around New England to savor every moment of it- I’m a little sad to be saying farewell to the Summertime. I’m going to miss long days, late nights at the beach, bonfires and BBQs.

Of course, the pressure is on to squeeze as much last-minute Summertime fun into the schedule as possible- which can cause some serious stress and FOMO to those, like me- who work a lot- so I’ve compiled a handy little guide that has benefited me over the past few years when it comes time to put the flip flops away and start shopping for cute boots and sweaters again.

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR VACATION TIME/PTO

If you’re itching to take a few days off from work, plan a trip, etc. and you know you’ve got earned (and owed!) vacation time left to use up at your job- ask for a print-out or a written record of how many hours/days/weeks you have for your personal file and reference- and go from there!

In my case, I have about 3 weeks of unused time at my company that I can take- whenever I want- before the end of the year, and although I’d been saving a good chunk of that time for October and Halloween-related festivities- I plan on using a couple of days within the next 2-3 weeks for some stress-free beach days and pool lounging.

Once you have a better idea of how much time you have at your disposal, making plans is a *lot* easier!

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE LATE SUMMER FARES

With students heading back to school and classes starting up shortly (if they haven’t done so already!) many popular tourist destinations and vacation hot spots are going to be a lot less crowded than they were throughout June and July. If you’re thinking of taking a day trip, a weekend away- or a full-blown vacation- now is the time!

And when it comes to saving some money for booking flights or hotels- you’re in luck- because September is typically when fares are at the lowest (especially for those trying to book trips around the holidays!) so keep an eye out for weekly sales- they typically go into effect on Tuesdays and run through Thursdays- to compare prices and save some serious cash.

MAKE A LIST- AND CHECK IT TWICE

No, not the type of list where you’re keeping track of nice and naughty kids- I’m talking about a list of the places/things/activities you want to do before the end of the Summer. I use my notepad app on my phone to help me out when I’m planning day trips. I list what I want to do/see- ranked from what I absolutely and 100% have to get done before Fall arrives to what I can wait to do ’til next Summer- and where each of these places/things are located.

Then, when I’m on the road of planning my day off adventures- I can check the list, see what’s left, and go from there! For example, the other night while traveling to Easthampton- I crossed “get a milkshake at Cindy’s Drive-In” off my list. It’s a little roadside 50s style food stand that remains open throughout the Spring and Summertime only- and I had been dying to go since passing by it last month!

I had one of their German Chocolate Milkshakes- and it was awesome.

GET A HEAD START ON THE FALL DE-CLUTTER

I’m not saying you have to pack up your swimsuits and put your shorts in storage right this minute- but now is the perfect time to begin easing your way into your Fall wardrobe and/or makeup as painlessly as possible.

Those wedge sandals you wore to your cousin’s wedding last month but haven’t touched since? Those can be packed up. The Patriotic tee you tossed on for the 4th of July festivities? Into the closet it can go. How about the aqua eyeliner you’ve been wearing every day since Memorial Day that has been worn down to nearly nothing? Yeah, that can get tossed until you buy a new one next Summer.

As you wear your late Summer outfits- ask yourself when you plan to wear them again before the Fall. If there’s no definitive answer- wash them or have them dry-cleaned and pack them away ’til next year!

This doesn’t just apply to clothing/makeup, either. Every year around this time, I go through my e-mail inbox to unsubscribe from mailing lists and advertisements from companies/businesses I haven’t bought anything from/visited in a long time. That restaurant I made an online reservation with back in June but haven’t returned to since? That clothing company I bought a couple of sundresses from for backyard BBQs and who have been e-mailing me 5 times a day ever since? Yeah. No thanks.

As I get the alerts- I’ll go in, so who the e-mail is from- and if it’s not anything I’m interested in, I unsubscribe. If a company/business is persistent, even after I’ve requested they cease e-mailing me promotions- the trusty block feature works wonders!

This sort of de-cluttering is especially helpful leading up to the holidays, when e-mail advertisements go into hyperactive mode. I like to get it done early!

STAY HYDRATED AND WEAR SPF.

I think this one goes without saying. Summer might be ending- but that doesn’t mean the hotter days are going to be over and done with anytime soon. Remember to drink lots of water and wear lots of sunscreen.

And finally-

DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP IF YOU DON’T ACCOMPLISH ALL YOUR PLANS

So that camping trip in the mountains didn’t pan out as expected and you didn’t get around to signing up for those surfing lessons you swore you’d try way back in the Spring. Relax. Life happens and not everything we want to do or plan to do can go right 100% of the time. We may have the best intentions- but that doesn’t mean work or family or personal matters are going to just go along with those intentions.

If you didn’t accomplish everything on your Summer ’18 “To-Do” list- it’s okay. A lot of outdoor activities are just as much fun in the Fall (maybe even moreso since it won’t be so hot out and there won’t be as many bugs!) and worst case scenario? You add it to the top of your list for Summer 2019! It’s not the end of the world.

Just grab a final scoop of ice cream before it’s gone and enjoy the last of these long, late and lazy days!

_______________________________

Those are just some of my tips/tricks to making the most out of these final days of Summer. As always, if you have tips of your own- feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment and share what you do to wind down for the end of the Summer!

But that does it for me this week. I’m going to wrap up a few things at my office and then head out to hit the town- and the coast!

Enjoy your Friday, everyone- and have a safe and wonderful weekend! I’ll see you all on Monday!

xx

– Ashley –

A Slice of Heaven…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on A Slice of Heaven…

Good Morning and Happy (Ugh…) Monday, everyone!

When it comes to day trips, road trips, vacations, etc.- I consider myself pretty spontaneous and open to trying/visiting new places/people/attractions. I’m not married and I don’t have kids- so it’s not like failing to adhere to a strict schedule is going to result in a backseat meltdown or anything.

My original plan on Saturday morning was to head down to Boston Harbor and catch the earliest ferry to photograph some of the lighthouses sitting on the edge of the Harbor Islands- but when I sat up in bed and saw how foggy out it was- I knew I’d need a backup plan. I’m always a little weary of being on a boat in low-visibility conditions- and trying to take good pictures of the lighthouses when they were blanketed in rain wasn’t exactly my idea of an “ideal Saturday morning.”

I suddenly realized that the weather would give me an advantage if I headed down to Mystic, Connecticut bright and early. The last time I had tried to spend a beautiful afternoon in the popular tourist town- finding parking or sidewalk space to walk was near impossible. Never afraid of a little rain and drizzle- I figured I’d have the town to myself to shop, dine and explore!

No sooner had I arrived there, found prime parking on Main Street (which is like winning the lottery)– and exited my car to browse some of the local shops- when the sun suddenly broke through the clouds and stayed out for the remainder of my time there.

After grabbing an iced latte from one of my favorite cafes in the area, Bartleby’s– I spent the mid-afternoon strolling the pier on the waterfront, watching boats pass and the drawbridge in the center of town go up and down to allow the bigger ships to make their way through. There were plenty of sidewalk sales happening once the weather cleared up- so I managed to browse goods by some of the local shops in the area likeĀ Tidal River Clothing Co., Trove (for the fella’), and Sea Bags.

When I started getting hungry, I was able to find a seat against the counter at Mystic Pizza (the same one from the 1988 Julia Roberts movie of the same name) and enjoy a slice of cheese pizza- which was everything I’d hoped for and more. Naturally, I had to take a photo of my slice- and the famous sign outside- before I headed back towards my car.

I left Mystic just in time, since a late-afternoon storm had started to come towards the area. My drive back was filled with lightning, thunder and rain- but overall I had a really nice day in one of the most charming coastal towns in New England.

I’m still recovering from my friend’s Summer Slam party last night (and I’ll have the photos from that adventure up a little later on this week)– but for now I’ve got to ease my way into my Monday morning routine and focus on getting some work done since this week is looking like it’s going to be a pretty busy one.

Enjoy your Monday, everyone! Let’s get through this one together!

xx

– Ashley –

Sunsets and Sandy Toes…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Sunsets and Sandy Toes…

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone! We managed to make it to another weekend!

This week got progressively more hectic at work as the days wore on, and with the first half of the week being filled with a lot of rain- I started to get a little stir crazy at home and in my office. Luckily, I managed to find some downtime to break up the monotony with a couple of visits to Western Massachusetts (where I’ve been treated to lovely dinners and some incredible chocolate chunk cookies from Insomnia Cookies courtesy of my dear friend Troy.)

I also managed to clear a bit of my schedule and find a lovely spot at “The Wall” at North Beach in New Hampshire for myself to catch one of the most breathtaking of sunsets I’d ever seen after the clouds had cleared for a while.

The area is settled right across the street from one of my favorite surf shops- Cinnamon Rainbows– who are always open late. Once the sun had vanished and the stars were out, I popped by for a few minutes to browse bikinis and boards. I get paid today, and I have a feeling some of that money is going to be used at the shop this coming weekend while “Treat Yo’Self 2018” rages on. They have the cutest clothes!

Today is my half day at work, so by noon I’ll be out of my office, changing out of my heels and my dress into shorts and sneakers- and running some errands before it’s time to launch into my weekend. I have boat-related plans over the next couple of daysĀ (if the sun can stick around!) involving checking out some lighthouses around Boston Harbor, a possible burger date in my hometown at one of my favorite spots to eat- and I’ll be cooking up a *ton* of buffalo chicken wings for my friend Phill’s annual ‘Summer Slam’ party in Salem on Sunday night!

As always, I’ll have my recap up at some point next week (alongside a great chicken recipe I stumbled across)– and you can follow-along my journey(s) over at my INSTAGRAM.

Here’s wishing you all an amazing, safe and sunny weekend! Remember to take some time for yourself to decompress- and stay hydrated. It’s hot out there!

See you all on Monday!

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: She’s a Rainbow…

by Ashley DeLarge1 Comment on OOTD: She’s a Rainbow…

Good Morning and Happy “Hump Day” everyone!

Two OOTD (Outfit of The Day) posts in one week? As Summer winds down and I try to get as much wear out of my hotter-months-wardrobe as possible, I have more and more pieces and ensembles to share before they go back into storage and I have to break out my sweaters and boots for the Fall again!

It goes without saying that I wear a *lot* of brighter colors in the Spring/Summer- and when I stumbled on this bright purple mini-skirt in my closet last week, I knew I had to find a top bold enough to pair with it. This multi-colored, striped, billowy blouse I picked up a couple of years ago (and typically wear with jeans and flip flops when I’m out running errands) was perfect.

Not only do the shades remind me of the tropics with the aquas, pinks and green/yellows- but I can wear my go-to flowered sandals for the Summer and look seasonal while staying comfortable at the office or out with my friends after a long day at work.

As far as makeup goes, I always believe in keeping it simple for the Summer- and turned to a tangerine-toned lipstick from Maybelline I had picked up back in May in preparation for the season. My nails are presently a really bright sea green color, too- so I didn’t think any jewelry was necessary. As much fun as I have in this outfit- I didn’t want to over-do it.

I’m going to miss this top and the skirt so much when I have to put them away again for the Fall/Winter.

But I digress. On Friday, before I head out for the weekend- I’m taking a look back on the past few days (including beach trips, rainy day hangouts and some late night cookie cravings)– and preparing to share a couple more recipes and Summer spots around New England while it’s still hot enough outside to enjoy them!

Enjoy your Wednesday, everyone! We’re almost to the end of the week!

xx

– Ashley –

Backyard BBQ Recipes: 15-Minute Skillet Pepper Steak

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Backyard BBQ Recipes: 15-Minute Skillet Pepper Steak

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone! We made it to another weekend! Celebrate!

Today is my half day at work, and then once I’m out of my office- it’s off to lunch in the city with some friends and getting a jump start on my plans for the next couple of days. Not that I’m counting down to noon or anything, right?

Before I wrap up a couple of things I put off until the last possible minute and race out the door-I thought I’d share a quick, mess-free and pretty convenient recipe for those of you who- like me- are doing their best to savor the last of these final Summer days with as many backyard BBQs and cookouts with friends/family as you can fit into your schedule!

If you’ve got 15 minutes to spare and some steak and vegetables on hand, you can whip up this on-the-fly dinner recipe with no hassle and feed everyone in no time at all!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  • 12 ounces top round beef, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or other neutral oil), divided
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1Ā½ teaspoons crushed red-pepper flakes
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • Ā½ white onion, thinly slices
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
  • Sesame seeds, as needed for finishing (this is completely optional. I skipped using these this time around because I didn’t want them to get stuck in my teeth!)

READY? HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

  1. Season the steak with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the steak to the skillet and stir-fry until browned on the exterior but not fully cooked, about 2 minutes.
  2. Transfer the steak to a medium bowl. Add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and crushed red-pepper flakes. Toss well to combine.
  3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the peppers and onion in an even layer. Cook, tossing occasionally, until just tender, about 4 minutes.
  4. Push the peppers and onion to one side of the skillet and return the steak to the other side of the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir the garlic into the peppers and cook for 1 minute more.
  5. Garnish the steak with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

I’m a carnivore through and through- and I love burgers, steaks, chicken wings, etc. during the Summer. The steak was filled with so much flavor- and I added a little extra soy sauce to the vegetables after the fact to give them an additional kick, as well.

This dinner was filling for sure- but afterwards I didn’t feel gross or like I ate too much. It was just the right portion size!

I’d actually like to incorporate some grilled corn (my favorite!) the next time I cook up this recipe for guests in order to add even more flavors and textures to it. You can’t really go wrong with the vegetable choices, after all!

But I’ve got to head out and get to work. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your Fri-yay and a fantastic weekend!

See you all on Monday!

xx

– Ashley –