SOMETHING PAISLEY

Hi everyone, With all of my exciting adventures, I have decided to move my blog over to it's own domain. Check out something-paisley.com ! XO

Hi all! Happy weekend ~ I feel like my week days are getting longer and my weekends are getting shorter, but at least the sun has been shining, which means Summer is almost here! After a big internal debate, I decided to end my Whole30 three days early and treated myself to wine and cashew milk icecream Friday night. Caity and I took advantage of the nice weather and met up for dinner, and after that, I just kept going. A teeny part of me wishes I held out the last few days, and the other part of me doesn't regret it even one little bit. When I made the decision to begin the Whole30 (while I was vomiting into a garbage can in my kitchen with the stomach virus), I had hopes that I would learn what foods bothered my digestive system. Throughout the past 30  27 days, I have learned a ton of self control when it comes to eating (I used to have this, and then it all went away...), and have become aware of how much sugar is unnecessarily added into just about everything we eat. Becau...

Has New York just decided to give up on bringing us nice weather?! I know it's only May, but I feel like there have been just the teeniest handful of days where I have actually wanted to go outside. Yesterday was one of them, but it kept being super nice, then down-pouring out of nowhere, leaving me feeling very confused. Sunshine, where are you? Speaking of yesterday, it was the best day that I have had in a while! On Saturday night, Mom, Dad, and the dogs slept over our apartment, and then Tyler joined us in the morning for a Mother's Day brunch made by yours truly! Luckily, the weather was nice for a bit, so we brought the dogs to the park and took a walk along the water. It was so nice having everyone together, and I always love hosting! After they left, Brett and I took a walk to SingleCut Brewery (he drank a yummy beer and I had to satisfy myself with just smelling it), where I kicked his ass in Othello. Mom & Me Managed to get the dogs to sit long enough f...

Hi Pals! I'm happy to say that I'm alive -- and anyone that was around me on Sunday will be glad to hear it! Good news : On Sunday, I accomplished what I once thought was an impossible task for me to complete, and I ran the Shape Women's Half Marathon in hilly Central Park! Bad news : Also on Sunday, I threw up eight times and suffered from the stomach virus (thanks, Brett!). Now, let's backtrack. If you've followed any of my last few posts, you will know that I signed up for the Shape Women's Half Marathon in January during a temporary lapse of judgement. Read about that here . After a few days of panic, I decided to become a superhero and start running (and yes, in my mind, that qualifies me as a superhero). From the slowest, hardest 2 miles in Barbados, to a spontaneous 7 mile run after work one day, to my furthest pre-race run at 9 miles, I laughed at myself for paying to run 13.1 miles, I almost cried at least one time each time I ran, and I justifi...

Hi ya'll! Welcome to Friday. Amen, we've made it. In the beginning of February, I was lucky enough to escape the snowy cold of NYC (seriously, I missed a big snow storm that closed down my office), and headed to the beautiful island of Barbados. For those of you who know the name but can't point it out on a map, Barbados is a little island just southeast of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. Brett's parents, Laura and Jim, vacationed to Barbados last year and were SO beyond kind enough to ask us to join them this year. A week away from work, a tropical island without sharks, and free tour guides (aka Brett's parents) -- who would say no to that?! For anyone looking to book a vacation, or anyone looking to torture themselves with really pretty pictures of a really pretty place, see below for a Barbados travel guide! The island was truly amazing, with friendly locals, beautiful beaches, and delicious cuisine, and I would absolutely return! I'm usually ready to ...

Happy Tuesday everyone! I'm not sure about you, but I'm really looking forward to the weekend already... On Monday, I will be starting a new job at The Knot as a Sales Representative! I'm both excited and nervous to start a new position, but I'm really ready for the change :). Here's to hoping it goes well! It's been pretty rainy so far this week, and I've been using that as an excuse to be lazy. On Saturday, I completed a nine mile run (!!!) and then took a Barre3 class (unsure what I was thinking), so walking has been very difficult. Foam rolling has been even harder, and I concern my roommate, Caity, with the noises I've been making every night as a result of foam roller pain. It's seriously a form of torture. Anyway, for the last running related post I'd like to share (for now), I've compiled a list of five of my running "Must Haves!" I highly recommend every product on this list, as they have made my training more enjoyabl...

Let's be really real about running for a second (or any type of work out, for that matter). Some days, you feel like a super human and can run seven miles even though you've never run that far in your life and have been a lazy couch potato for a week straight. Other days, you lace up your sneakers and feel like you "literally can't even" after mile 0.45 and wonder if there is something physically wrong with you that is making it seem like your legs aren't capable of moving in any sort of efficient manner. On those "other days," I'm really not sure how to get through much more than two miles and call it quits. However, for all of the other times -- the times when you feel super human and the times when you just feel like you're capable of running without dying on the side of the road -- I find myself constantly searching for motivation. Whether that motivation is needed to help me get through a light run or a new personal record, I've foun...

Spotify. The butter to my bread. Training to run a half marathon has been pretty difficult, and I truly can't imagine not being able to make my own playlists to help me stay motivated. Dramatic? Maybe a bit, but it's totally true. Anyway, if you're wondering how to benefit from all the perks of Spotify Premium and not pay a single penny, all you have to do is find a boyfriend who pays for it and steal his login information. Sorry if I misled you with my post name, but now that you're here, I hope you keep reading ;). So far, my half marathon training has been an incredibly challenging and humbling yet prideful experience. It hasn't been easy... I've cheered after jog-walking through two miles a few times and cried after I finished my first 7 mile run. I've cursed my foam roller and have wanted to make out with my new sneakers that are just oh so comfortable. I still can't believe that in just over a month I'll be running 13.1 miles, but I also can...

So, today I did something crazy, and then it made me feel inspired, and then I decided to blog again. Hm... Let's backtrack first: throughout 2016, Mom would occasionally ask, "Hey, why haven't you blogged in a while? [Insert name of one of Mom's friends] really liked reading your posts." Then, I would go and pull up the old blog and read a few posts, remember how much I loved writing it, open up a new draft, and realize that I had nothing exciting to write about. Sounds like 2016 was kind of boring, huh? Good things happened... Mom and Dad bought a building so Mom could finally open a Stained Glass studio. Tyler got accepted into Harvard Law. I moved into a new apartment that I love and got promoted twice. Brett still likes me even though I take up more than half of the bed and boss him around in the kitchen. I traveled to California (#dreams) and Florida, and a bunch of other places for quick weekend getaways, and yet I still felt pretty uninspired. Insert N...

This morning, my boyfriend told me that my dress looked like a fancy robe, and about halfway through the day I looked in the mirror long enough to realize that I wore two completely different earrings. Apparently having Monday off doesn't do too much in regards to helping me begin the week on the right foot. Regardless, everything is still going well! We're currently slaving over our regions and qualifying venues into our program. It's super time consuming and rather tedious (my Los Angeles region has over 800 venues alone), but it's also pretty neat. Not only am I learning my way around Southern California, but I've been seeing some of the prettiest places there are. There's an endless amount of parks, and estates, and country clubs with unreal views. There's even an occasional cross-fit gym and cemetery on the list. (I've discluded the cemeteries, since I'm considering them to be a bad omen, and the cross-fit studios haven't been given the ch...

After working in the city for only three days so far, I am remembering all of the little lessons that NYC taught me about a year ago. 1. Every minute counts. And by every minute, I really do mean every one (I can even say every second, but every minute sounded the slightest bit less cheesy). Stating the obvious, one, single minute can determine whether I get home at 7:30 or 8:00, and while that may not seem like a huge deal, imagine missing your train by one minute and having to stand at the station waiting for your train to come, while trying not to drool about the idea of the dinner you wish you had 20 minutes ago. 2. You learn to walk super fast. Last night, I had dinner at The Park with the Stonehill students who are doing the NYC internship program this semester. When I signed the bill at around 8:30, I realized I had to catch the 9:15 train, or I'd be waiting around until 10:15 (although I was at least fed this time). In the city, you walk fast. When you're walking...

Today is one of those days with the perfect mix of sun and clouds to make the sky look like it's on fire during sunset. It's too pretty to be real; I wish I could paint because I would replicate it and hang it in my room for those sunset nights that aren't as perfect. What a nice sky to end 2014. My year was full of big steps and new things. In January, I started dating someone who is my everyday smile, and we adventured to Puerto Rico in February, marking my first trip to any island of the sort (and the most wonderful vacation I have been on to date). Shortly after, I began working with Cheeky Details and have learned so, so many fun and valuable aspects of the wedding world through them (not to mention all of the wonderful people I have met because of them, too). Around May, I decided officially that I would graduate early, and although the first half of my summer consisted of free time being spent completing online courses (and playing in a kickball league), it was tot...

If you know me, you know it takes me two seconds to get a idea and about three more seconds for the idea to become an obsession. So, for those of you who can't do very, very simple math (yikes), that means it takes me only a mere five seconds for some crazy, impulsive idea to become something I decide to live my life by until I become rational and start thinking again... This (usually) isn't a bad thing though... It is the reason I ended up in NYC interning at Kleinfeld, the reason for booking a trip to Puerto Rico with my beau that I had only been dating for a day (love you), and the reason behind so many fun, fulfilling things that may not have been a part of my life if it weren't for my five second brain. I locked myself out of my room (accidentally), so I have about an hour of sitting in the cafeteria until Hanna is out of class and can let me back in. I probably should be reading the book that I have to write an essay on this weekend, but Instagram seemed way more ex...

I tried about five different times to start writing this blog and couldn't find the right words to express how I'm feeling, so here's a brief list: excited, nervous, proud, thrilled, anxious, overwhelmed, grown- up... Guys... I got a job! A real life, big girl job in my favorite city. Just a few minutes ago, I accepted a position with The Knot as a Wedding Concierge. For those of you who aren't familiar, The Knot is a wedding magazine (a very  prominent  one, I may add) with an online counterpart that acts as a planning resource for engaged couples. The company is very well known in the industry, and working for it is a dream that I've had in the back of my mind for the past year or so. I guess my interests in the wedding industry really began when I was thinking about applying for the "Stonehill in New York" internship program. As a female, I've always thought of weddings as magical and beautiful and breathtaking, but aside from picturing some...

Well........ I haven't blogged in forever, considering the fact that my life became markedly less exciting since leaving New York City. It's a sad truth, but a truth nonetheless. The semester I spent there truly gave me time to spread my wings; I became a new person, went on new adventures, and explored a whole new world. It was invigorating and amazing and a thing of the past. That leaves me here, at Stonehill College, glancing at my Timehop everyday to see what kind of extravagant thing I was doing a year ago. (Seems like October 1st, 2013 I was thoroughly enjoying some David's Tea, and I'm actually doing the same right now. Pumpkin Chai to get in the October mood). Needless to say, I'm missing the adventure, hard. So, now I'm swimming in ideas of how to make my life interesting again. It's not bad by any means, it's just not as full and thrilling as it was a year ago. So far, I've come up with the idea of packing my car and traveling to the we...

Looking at the positives of Stonehill College so far: 1. I have access to snuggle with my soul mate, Hanna, every night. 2. We just got a new shower head so I can take a normal shower and actually get my hair fully wet. 3. Two out of my three classes were cancelled today. 4. I was reunited with fruit and yogurt bar last night. So, I've made it through the first two days of classes and my third day has been pretty awesome. Normally, on Thursdays I have class from 10:00-12:45, work 1:00-4:30, and then class again from 6:30-9:00. Needless to say, I already hate Thursdays, but today good karma has been on my side. My first professor never showed up and my second professor left a note on the door saying that class is cancelled. Drinking tea, painting my nails, and having a country concert in my room has definitely created a way better Thursday that I know I can't get used to...

I really don't think I could put into words how amazing of an experience I was given during my semester in NYC. I had such a fun internship, met the most wonderful people, and learned so much about life and myself. Now, I'm sitting in my living room at home for the last night before I head back up to Stonehill College, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pretty bummed out about it. Stonehill is a great school. It's safe and comfortable and I have the most amazing friends there, but that's about it. Nothing beats taking a quick subway ride and having access to practically anything you want. Despite the misty weather, I would definitely be headed into Manhattan right now to walk the city and take in all the lights... I'm reading a book called "Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York," that I conveniently found at the Strand Bookstore when I reunited with my city right after Christmas. Anyway, I've found one of my new favorit...

Five things I love about the holidays: 1. Shopping so much and pretending I'm Santa 2. The endless amount of hugging 3. Opening presents 4. Seeing my cousins for three days in a row 5. Singing along to Christmas songs I'm snuggled in the living room with my Santa's Secret tea wearing the comfiest pair of socks I've ever owned and chatting with two of my best friends in the entire world. I feel like an old lady because of how exhausted I am from shopping, wrapping, chatting, and all of those other activities that come along with the holidays. Tomorrow marks the final day of celebration; the family comes over for Tyler's birthday. That also means I am soon to add cleaning to the list of exhausting tasks. Someone carry me to bed... I miss the city already and kind of wish I was in the Bronx sitting at my spot by the front window right now. It's weird how some place can become your home and then you just have to leave it behind. Saying goodbye to NYC was d...

I created my month long bucket list over a month ago, so it's safe to say that I'm not too great at bucket lists, but let's review: 1. Get tickets at the TKTS booth for a Broadway show. Okay, not completed yet, but Tyler and I are going over break for Christmas gifts, so I'm getting there with that one.. 2. Go ice skating at one (or all) of the outdoor rinks. I brought my ice skates back after Thanksgiving but have yet to go... Does anyone want to go ice skating? SOS. 3. See a movie at the Loews Theatre with reclining chairs. (check.. almost) Funny story about this one... On Thursday, Tess and I planned on going to see The Hunger Games at this theatre. I chose a movie time, met up with Tess, and we hiked it through the city in the below freezing temperatures.... towards the wrong theatre. TOTALLY my fault, I don't know how I managed that one. But it actually worked out well (I'll explain below) and we're going today, so that's soon to be che...

For the past two weeks or so I have been dying to write about my upcoming trip to Stonehill, but to keep the visit a surprise, I had to seal my lips. I decided to set up an interview for a possible part time internship at Lombardo's, a beautiful, family owned venue for corporate and social events (www.lombardos.com). It's about a 20 minute drive away from Stonehill, and would allow me to get a taste of the event planning world. Anyway, for fun, I decided to not tell my friends that I would be at school, and trekked through the snowy weather up north. Before heading to Massachusetts, I had to take a train upstate to get my car from Grandma (she's visiting her sister who just had knee surgery). So, Sunday night I arrived in Poughkeepsie, and met up with the pair to head back to Aunt Chickie's house for the night. Now, as I mentioned, she just had knee surgery, but I spent about 10 minutes at the train station trying to find them, because she kept climbing d...