Today is the last day of August. Starbucks launched their Pumpkin Spice Latte, and everyone is waiting for that first leaf to fall. I’m looking forward to experiencing a New England fall but the weather has been so beautiful here- 70-85 degrees and low humidity- that I’m going to be sad to see summer go. We had such a good summer, even with adjusting to a move. Actually, maybe that’s why we had a good summer- we spent a lot of time exploring Boston. We especially had a great time with the kids when they came to visit- and we’ve discovered they like seafood as much as we do! I was so glad that they loved Dryft as that is my favorite restaurant. In fact, we went twice in 3 days while they were here! Other than trying to hang on to summer- here are 10 things I’m loving right now:
- Sephora Collection Playlist Eyeshadow Palette: I said this in my last post, but I am LOVING these eyeshadows. These palettes are only $15 and they have 7 shadows each. I got the colors Samba Sensation (warm browns and rusts) and Metal Rebel (cool taupes and a black shadow). I also said I wasn’t buying pallets anymore but these all have nice shades so you’ll actually wear them. Each palette has matte and shimmer so you can make a lot of different looks.
- Citizen Jill Perfume: I needed a new perfume because I’d either used up everything I had or was bored with it. Two weeks ago, we were in Assembly Row and I stopped in Fragrance Outlet to check it out. I told the salesman that I needed a new everyday perfume. After asking me what I liked, he gave me a sample of this and I immediately loved it and said, “I need that one!” It’s so hard to describe the smell but it’s incredible. The website says it has top notes of bergamot and pear and bottom notes of amber and vanilla. Whatever. I just know that it smells really good and doesn’t give me a headache.
- Rothy’s Lace Up Sneaker: I’ve been hearing about Rothy’s for several years but I didn’t want to order shoes online. Then I found out they had a store in Boston (right down the street from Freebird!) so I went in to look at these shoes. I had purchased a pair of white sneakers a few months ago, but they weren’t comfortable enough to walk all around Boston. Rothy’s aren’t cheap, but they’re worth it for the comfort. They’re also made out of recycled plastic water bottles. Does it sound weird? Yes, but that’s also what makes them cool. Plus, they are machine washable. I thought that was a gimmick, but my friend who owns 5 pairs swears you can actually wash them.
- Kodiak Power Waffles: I love waffles, but they aren’t always good for you. These waffles have more protein in them and they’re delicious. I love eating right away in the morning and all I have to do is pop these in the toaster. Buttermilk & Vanilla is my favorite flavor but the Blueberry is good too. They’re really good if you sprinkle some cinnamon on them. If you have kids, this would be an easy breakfast for back to school.
- Freebird Mara Bag: I used to switch my purse everyday to match my outfit so I never purchased a purse for more than $40. I always say I’m going to go buy a Louis Vuitton, but I know when it comes time to pay for it, I’ll panic and run out of the store. I got a fake Louis last year but it was starting to show a lot of wear and tear. Freebird doesn’t make cheap purses but they aren’t as expensive as a Louis Vuitton bag either. I got the White Croco color because it was 50% off. Right now, the White and Pink Croco colors are 50% off. This purse is all leather and handmade. If it wears like my Freebird shoes, it will last forever. Or at least, longer than my fake Louis Vuitton. Freebird has great customer service too. My husband purchased a pair of Freebirds in May and had an issue with the sole. He brought them back and they repaired them with no questions asked. While they were repairing them, I got this bag. So I guess it wasn’t totally free…
- Sprayaway Stainless Steel Cleaner: I hate marks on my stainless steel appliances. But I can’t seem to find cleaner that actually works and doesn’t leave streaks. This stuff cleans and doesn’t leave streaks. I got mine at Walmart but you can probably order it on Amazon. The Sprayaway Glass Cleaner is really good too. I follow a girl named Vanessa Amaro on Instagram. She’s a professional house cleaner and she uses this stuff. Even if you don’t trust my cleaning, you should trust hers.
- Jessica Simpson Aviator Sunglasses: I love aviators. They never go out of style and they always look good. When I wear them, I almost feel like I’m as cool as Tami Taylor in Friday Night Lights. I wish I could find an affordable pair that didn’t have nosepieces, but I haven’t yet. I only buy cheap sunglasses because I tend to lose them. I included the link to order these from Amazon, but I bought these at TJ Maxx for $10. You should definitely check there first.
- SUPERJARE Adjustable Bar Stools: We had a horrible time finding barstools we actually liked for our apartment. We sold all of our barstools for our Arkansas house because the bar was a different height. After looking at several stores, we finally ordered these from Amazon and love them. I like the fact that they’re adjustable so if we move, we can still use them. We ordered them in the retro brown color and they look really nice! In fact, we liked them so much we ordered 2 more to go around our bistro table. These are comfortable, look great, and they swivel. They’re only $169.99 for a set of two. I posted a pic below but I can’t seem to get a good picture of them in our apartment.
- Reopet Silicone Dog Bowl Mat: Putting a mat under your dog’s food and water just saves your sanity. Deuce doesn’t spill a lot (thank God!) but having a mat is really nice. I like this silicone mat so you can just wipe it up easily. I got it in gray but comes in a lot of other colors if that’s your jam.
- ZINUS Shalini Upholstered Platform Bed: We got this bed for our guest room. Since we sold all of our guest beds when we moved, we went to look at several stores. After not finding anything in our price range, we turned to Amazon. This bed was affordable and looks really nice. We also purchased the Olee 10 Inch Mattress for it. It’s really comfortable and we’re happy to have a nice bed for our guests who are visiting this fall! I can’t seem to get a decent pic of this either.
We’ve lived in Boston for almost four months now. This means I’ve went a quarter of the year without seeing my Arkansas friends. It’s been an adjustment, but we’re getting more comfortable. Like I mentioned before, going from a large house to an apartment is a HUGE change. We took a drive out to another suburb last weekend to see if that’s an option for when our lease is up. It was a nice town, but we like being close to the city. Right now, we’re 15 minutes from the beach, 15 minutes from the airport, and 20 minutes from downtown & the Back Bay area. We also have a mall, Target, Trader Joes, & Walmart within 10 minutes from our apartment.
Since we’ve adjusted so well so far, we’re really excited for guests! My friend Ann is visiting in September and we’re going to the Lizzo Concert. My mom is visiting in October and we’ve been told that the colors will be the prettiest at that time. We’re also looking at times to go visit NYC for Christmas and Vermont or Maine for the fall views. This weekend, we’re going to a Cyclones Watch Party with the Boston Chapter of the ISU Alumni. I’m excited to meet some new people- especially Cyclones fans!
Have a great day and be sure to let me know if you try any of these!!
**All opinions are my own and I am not compensated for this post**
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