What I’m Loving Lately – December 2017

Hey there! I hope you’re having a great holiday week and soaking up the time with family and friends. We’ve been here in NYC, but today we’re driving down to Philadelphia to meet up with our friends Kyle and Kelly. They live in Los Angeles, but we all went to college together at the University of Pennsylvania, so we thought it would be fun to meet in Philly now that we all no longer live in the same city. Fun fact: Kyle actually officiated our wedding and Kelly and I were bridesmaids in each other’s weddings, so it goes without saying that we love spending time together and are really looking forward to the next couple of days!

Before we jump in the car, I wanted to pop in and share my monthly list of What I’m Loving Lately.

 

2017

Am I cheating here by including an entire year on the list? Well, as this year comes to a close, I would be remiss not to mention how incredible / crazy / scary / life-changing 2017 has been. From quitting my job, to traveling throughout Europe for two months, marrying Travis, honeymooning in Greece, and moving from Los Angeles to NYC, it’s been NONSTOP change and excitement. There have been really happy times, and some nerve-racking, unpredictable times, but in the end I am so happy with every decision that Travis and I made together. I am not sure if anything can top 2017 (or if I want it to!), so I’m looking forward to a slower-paced 2018 as we settle into our new life in New York.

 

Wall Mounted Spice Rack

One of the biggest challenges of moving into our new apartment in New York City was finding space to store everything! We definitely downgraded in size from our last apartment in Santa Monica, so it was a big adjustment for us, especially when it came to organizing the kitchen. I found this fantastic spice rack on Amazon, and it’s been a big lifesaver for us. We hung it on the wall near our stove, so all of the spices are in easy access when I’m cooking. I also love that it doesn’t take up precious counter space like many other space racks we looked at. The exact one that we have is no longer available on Amazon, but this one is very similar.

 

Doctor Kracker

My mom is the one who introduced me to these crackers, and I’m hooked! It’s hard to find a good whole grain cracker that doesn’t taste like cardboard, and so many of the ones that actually taste good have so much extra junk in them! These Doctor Kracker seeded crackers are so tasty, and very addicting. The brand isn’t that easy to find around us, so when my mom visited she brought me five boxes (she’s the best). You should be on the lookout for them the next time you go grocery shopping. They taste delicious with hummus or cheese and even on their own.

 

Me & My Big Ideas Planner

I just purchased my second Me & My Big Ideas Planner for 2018, and I love it more than ever. This planner is a less expensive version than the Erin Condren Life Planner, but with so many of the same features. Each day is split into three sections that I use to schedule my morning, afternoon and night. I use this planner to write down everything from blogging tasks, personal to-dos and appointments, and social activities. I also use it to plan our meals for the week and sometimes to schedule my workouts.

I love being organized, and even more so I love the feeling of crossing something off of a to-do list, so this planner makes me feel totally on top of things. If you’re trying to be better organized in the new year, I HIGHLY recommend this planner. Make sure you browse the different style options on Amazon to pick your favorite design.

 

Recipes I’ve been loving lately:

Homemade Whole Wheat Bagels (I made these last weekend with the Trader Joe’s Everything Seasoning, and they were SO good!)

Barramundi in Tomato Basil White Wine Sauce

Bourbon Salmon with Pecans from Sarah at Champagne Tastes (This is one of my new favorite salmon recipes!)

 

Wishing you all a very happy new year, and I’ll see you in 2018! (Wow, that’s weird to say…)

 

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