Summer 2019 Bucket List

I was going to share my July goals today, but I don't have anything I want/need to accomplish this month or since April for those of you keeping track, so I figured why not share a Summer bucket list instead? Quick recap of those April goals though- I accomplished 3/7: make and attend eye appointment, and got a haircut (9" donated woot woot!). Ok, now back to today's topic!

Go "glamping" and rafting down the Delaware River: This is tradition! I was invited to join this lovely group of 12+ individuals who have been doing this trip for the last 14 years by Blue's neighbor. They normally don't/didn't allow couples or spouses so it would be a true getaway, but they made an exception for us! 

Make a new dessert: This one is for Blue. I'm certainly not the chef in the family- that honor goes to her niece who just graduated from Johnson and Wales in May- but I can follow a recipe well enough and Blue likes it when I make her a birthday treat. Whatever she wants, of course.

Have a Tourist NYC Day: My ideal afternoon would include roaming The Strand Bookstore, walking the Highline, and a late lunch at The Meatball Shop or Max Brenner Chocolate Bar and Restaurant. 

Plan birthday vacation: Every year Blue and I take a vacation for my birthday in December. This year I had my heart SET on Tulum, Mexico but with all the reports of kidnapping at resorts recently, especially in Mexico and DR, we decided to nix that idea. So we're regrouping- possibly a Caribbean cruise? 

Get "sand flu" at least once: That's what my friends and I call it when we all call out of work one random day and head "down the shore" (or to the beach to anyone not from NJ) together! 

Walk/hike the trails on Garett Mountain: Blue actually lives on this "mountain" (it's really not that big) and asked me to go on walks with her since like spring, but I haven't. I need to get my butt in gear and start doing them, at least at dusk if not early morning like she originally asked!

Go to a Phillies/Mets MLB Game: Another tradition, and one of the few rivalries between us! 

Visit a new brewery: We've been to a bunch in northern NJ, but we always like discovering new craft beers. And we haven't hung out with our beer buddies Mark or Michael in awhile!

See a double feature: I'm pretty sure Spiderman is on deck next. I'll probably get to pick the second one, and we'll probably watch it at home. It will most likely be Us if it's available, or a rom-com 'cause that's how I roll. 

Check out a new town/weekend getaway: None planned yet, but hoping to make it happen! 

Visit the NJ State Fair: I just can't stop myself from watching those pig races and eating my once-a-year corndog and fried Oreos. And this year they have a new show- the LUMBERJACK Special... how can I not?! I think this is the last year they're doing it too because they're adding a Nickelodeon amusement park thingy and like, an indoor ski slope or something. 

Go to 2 concerts: Tickets already purchased for John Mayer and Chris Stapleton! 

Celebrate Blue's Birthday: I got Blue the John Mayer tickets for her birthday, but I'm sure we'll find ourselves at a local casino since that's her favorite bday activity, and possibly another beach day!

Try deep sea fishing: This isn't really my thing since occasionally I get a little sea sick, but Blue mentioned that she used to do this with her dad when he owned a boat, so this might be part of her birthday weekend as well. I've never fished except in lakes (and even then I just threw them back in), but I plan on asking her if this is something she might want to do. 

Read 5 books: I usually average about a book a week or so, and I'm super excited to start Erin's Book Challenge 11.0. I've already read Husband Material, I'm in the middle of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and What's Your Story? True Experiences from Complete Strangers, my first challenge book will be The Farm since I have to finish that before July 8 for Netgalley, and then well... we shall see! 

Work on scrapbook/photo album with Blue: I bought Blue a photo album and printed out a bunch of my/our fave pics for Christmas, with the intention of filling it before December 25. That did not happen because I just couldn't decide which pics to add and the layouts. Instead I gifted her that and a bunch of stickers and background paper and suggested we do it together. The other day I went through it because she wanted to put a pic of us on her desk, and realized that it was already completely full of pics, minus the fancy paper, stickers, ticket stubs, etc. So I'm hoping one super hot day we can stay in the AC and finish it together. 

Watch fireworks: Living on a mountain has it's perks (other than high speed winds and snow before everyone else in the area). We're able to see several town's fireworks from the deck! "Deck beer season" will commence on July 3rd! 

Binge 2 shows: Stranger Things and Orange is the New Black are coming out in July and we are here for them! 

Shop at the Meadowlands Flea Market: I've actually participated in this flea market as a vendor, but that's a story for another day. Anyway as a vendor, I never had time to check out other stands. I've been wanting to go back for a long time now, and it's open every Saturday, so I'm hoping we get to it this summer! 

Host a "wine down" Pedi Party: I did this with the Mountain Mamas (our group of friends who live in the same condo complex as Blue on the mountain) back in December as part of one of the mama's birthday. It was a lot of fun, and they let us BYOB! Hoping to get this in before "sand flu" day! If that doesn't work out, we can just do it with drinks on the deck (with something under our toesies because Blue's deck is newly painted and she might kill us otherwise lol). 

What's on your Summer Bucket List? 

Linking up with Lauren and the Peaceful Posse! 

5 On Friday: Most Anticipated Novels June-Dec 2019

Happy Friday and happy official first day of summer! Something about summer just screams books and reading to me, so today I'm sharing 5 new releases that I'm looking forward to read in the next few months!

1. Pumpkinheads- Rainbow Rowell (Sept 2019): The first graphic novel by one of my favorite authors. Do I really need to say more? Oh, it's YA (aka my favorite genre) as well. And PUMPKINS! Perfect for fall!

2. Wayward Son- Rainbow Rowell (Oct 2019): I'm not a fan of series books. Unfortunately for me, I didn't know this was going to be a series until after I read the first one ::face palm:: I really enjoyed Carry On though, so yeah. I'm gonna continue on this one as long as the author does! (I kinda love the titles too... those lyrics are not lost on me!)

3.  How To Skimm Your Life- The Skimm Inc. (June 2019- out now!): I'm not gonna lie; I'm not a huge fan of "self help" books. However, I've been a big fan of The Daily Skimm as a newsletter for awhile now. And now they wanna give me a whole book on how I should run my life? Why yes, I'm here for it. I honestly think it might be a bit young for my 35-year-old self, who has successfully worked and lived on my own for the last (at least) 10 years, but I'm willing to see what advice they have to offer. If nothing else, I can gift it to one of my millennial nieces. 

4. Children of Vengeance of Virtue- Tomi Adeyemi (Dec 2019) : Another one I didn't know was going to be a series until I started it. I don't even like fantasy, but I fell in love with this epic tale and all of the strong characters. so I'm really looking forward to this follow-up. 

5. The Testaments- Margaret Atwood: The follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale?! Finally! Unfortunately it's coming AFTER Season 2 of the miniseries (which I'm completely invested in), and while I'm still hoping it lives up to the original, I really don't see how it can compete with the show at this point. Fingers crossed though?! 

Which books are you looking forward to in the coming months?

Linking up with The Artsy Reader Girl! 

Summer TBR List

How many books do you put on a seasonal reading list? My "books-read-per-year" numbers have been going up in the last few years, and my GR goal for the year is 50. So far I've read 31, and we're just at the halfway mark! That may not seem like a lot to some of you, but some years I've only gotten through 30 in total, so this is definitely a big deal to me! 

I'm always actively participating in at least one reading challenge, and that's Erin's bi-annual challenges. (Click here if you'd like to join!) I'm a mood reader so it's hard for me to commit to 10 books but luckily, Erin no longer deducts points if you feel the need to switch! So here's what I plan to read between now and end of August/early September. Netgalley books are marked with an asterisks, not owned books are marked with a plus sign,... and I think that's it! 

Twenty-One Truths About Love- Matthew Dicks* (currently reading- such a slog- ugh!)
Husband Material- Emily Belden (my vacation/beach read)

Erin's Challenge 11.0 July 1-Oct 31

• 5 points: Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages: Ghost- Jason Reynolds+

• 10 points: Read a book that starts with “F”: The Farm- Johanne Ramos*

• 10 points: Read a book with one of the following words in the title: rain(s), thunder, lightning, or monsoon: The Art of Racing in the Rain- Garth Stein

• 15 points: Read a book with a picture of a building (i.e. a house, a castle, a school, a hospital, etc.) on the cover: Watching You- Lisa Jewell*  

• 20 points: Read a book that the published author uses an initial in his/her name: After Nightfall- A.J. Banner*

• 20 points: Read a book with an article of clothing or accessory in the title: The Dressmaker- Rosalie Hamm*

• 25 points: Read a book set in India: The Jungle Books- Rudyard Kipling

• 30 points: Read a book that has won or been short-listed for the Booker Prize: The Accidental- Ali Smith+

• 30 points: Read a book about a human with superpowers or supernatural powers: Road to Eugenica- A.M. Rose*

• 35 points: Read a book that has the same title as another book in a different genre: The Perfect Stranger- Megan Miranda*// The Perfect Stranger- MM Romance

Do you participate in reading challenges? 

What are you planning to read this season? 

Let's Look At... Inside My Suitcase

Good morning and Happy Thursday friends! By this time tomorrow I will be in sunny, hot New Orleans, so I thought this would be the perfect time to share what's in my suitcase with Shay! 

I received my suitcase as a birthday present before a trip a few years ago. I love it because it's "official" carry-on size, it's hardshell (so no bulging sides!), and it's an upright spinner. I thought people with upright luggage were kind of bougie - like, who can't you just drag it behind you like everyone else?- until I had one. They are so much easier to roll around! Also pictured is Mopey Batman. He comes with us on all of our trips and partakes in our adventures with us. And my Starbucks, because the only time I buy Starbucks is when traveling- it's like an extra treat! 

So what's inside? The mesh side is the "top," where I keep my toiletries, jewelry, make-up, undergarments, and any other accessories, like belts or a small purse. The "bottom" has all of my regular clothes. I use the roll method of packing since I find it takes up so much less space. 

I pack by outfit and event. This trip will be 4 days, including travel time. Not pictured is what I'll be wearing on the flight, which include sneakers, jeans, a long sleeve tee and a hoodie. I wear my heaviest/bulkiest clothes on the plane since I'm always cold. 

The first outfit is simple jeans, tank and a cardigan (because as mentioned, I'm always cold). I'll probably wear this for our jazzy brunch and day of sightseeing/exploring. The one next to it is more of a casual evening outfit, for our evening ghost tour followed by some bar hopping. You can't tell form the picture, but those are capris. I'll probably be carrying either my hoodie or cardigan!

I'm not a big fan of shorts, but I love these bright floral ones from J Crew. They're elastic waist and SO comfy. We have one day that we're staying by the pool so these will be worn when we finally have to leave in search of food and wandering around. 

The last outfit is a 3/4 sleeve button down and khaki capris. I thought this would be perfect for the airboat swamp tour we're going on. 

Smaller things like chargers, gum, a few "in an emergency" type items like extra contacts and glasses are kept in my purse, along with my headphones and iPod (yes, I still love my iPod mini!). I'll probably bring a smaller paperback with me in there as well, but I have a lot of e-books on my phone too. And that's it! 

What are some of your travel necessities? 

Linking up with Shay!

Show Us Your Books: May Reads

Hey hey, it's my favorite day of the month! And remember last time when I mentioned that "I really need to write these reviews right after I read the books?" Well, it finally happened! At least with half of these, since they were from Netgalley. Speaking of which, Netgalley *finally* started giving me books again after my previous requests were not read or logged for several months err... years! I currently have 4 more on my Kindle with archive dates ranging from July-October, so I'm fairly certain I'll be able to get through those in a timely manner as well (I'm already halfway through one of them)- woot! (Question for those of you who also use Netgalley, are you supposed to post your review by the publish or the archive date? I've always wondered this.) Also, stay tuned because next Tuesday (6/18) I'll be sharing what's on my Summer TBR list! Anyway without further ado, here's what I read last month. 


Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows- Balli Kaur Jaswal: 5 Stars
library hardback

“Whoa! I was not expecting that. I thought these were going to be granny romance stories. These are all-out naughty.” 

As someone who is half Indian (of the red dot variety, not the Native American pow-wow kind), I'm always wary of reading stories about Indian-Americans. It's why I refuse to read When Dimple Met Rishi (like, why does the Indian protagonist *have* to be interested in web development?! And why is everyone's surname either Shah or Patel? Stop it. But I digress...). However the premise (and title, and fact that it was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick, if I'm being totally honest) drew me in, and I'm so glad it did! It took me a little while to get invested in the story, but I loved the fact that Nikki was a law school dropout (law school- NOT pre-med or technology- hurray!). I think I related to her because though I'm in a secure job, I still "don't know what I want to be when I grow up," if that makes sense. I was also happily surprised that it was her sister, and not the main character, following the arranged marriage trope that's so common in these novels. And I'm not very familiar with how strict they are in Sikh religion/culture, or in the UK, so both of those were points of interest for me. I admit I actually skipped all of the "erotic stories"-I just wasn't in the mood to read steamy erotica at the time and bookmarked them, but then the book was due back at the library. I don't think this detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story at all though. 

Spoiler (highlight): I kept waiting for them to get "caught" by the ultra-conservative men group, I thought for sure that would happen at the end, and I'm so glad it didn't! 

I'm a tough critic, but this is one of three that got 5 stars from me this year!

Dear Lily- Drew Davies: 3 Stars
Netgalley

The beginning was really, really drawn out. I didn't get pulled into the story until the 50% mark. I found Joy to be a spineless, whiny, self-indulgent jerk. I also just wish Davies had said about the sister earlier, and didn't drag on the bit about her being a lesbian and how hard it was for Joy to tell her mom; that whole bit seemed to make it more about Joy than Lily. I'd like to say Joy redeemed herself in the end, but I was so over her that it didn't quite work.

*I received this from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. Thanks Netgalley!* 

I'll Be Gone In The Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer- Michelle McNamara: 4 Stars
library e-book

"What is the lasting damage when you believe the warm spot you were just sleeping in will be your grave? Time sands the edges of the injuries, but they never lose their hold. A nameless syndrome circulates permanently through the body, sometimes long dormant, other times radiating powerful waves of pain and fear."

I'll admit that this is the first true-crime book I've ever read and apparently, this genre is just not for me. While the story was compelling and I enjoyed Michelle's writing style, there were many times where I had to put this down because it just had so.many.people and so.many.facts that trying to keep them all straight started hurting my head. While I understand why so many of these people and facts were included (to develop an emotional connection to the victims and investigators working on the case and the frustration of so many of the details leading to red herrings or dead ends), they stilted my reading rhythm and interest.  That being said, I did enjoy the book overall, but my favorite parts were the ones where she shared what was going on in her real-world life as she was writing (like typing a quick note on her phone while at a movie premiere for her husband), and the excerpts of direct conversations- the memoir parts. I think this quote best sums it up:

"Part memoir, part true-crime study, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark mined rich detail from interviews, police reports and newspaper clippings. The prose is concise yet elegant, the reporting meticulously researched."

Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want To Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes- Jessica Pan: 2.5 Stars
Netgalley

This reminded me Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project, which I really disliked. I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. It had a catchy title, a fun cover, and it started out promising; Ms. Pan, though self-deprecating, came across as very relatable and engaging. Halfway through however, I had to force myself to finish. The experiments and feelings related to them (nausea and panic) became repetitive, there were too many character names thrown around, and I didn't find the ability to actually get in touch with the "experts" she was able to either talk to or meet realistic at all. Maybe she was able to reach them because she's a journalist? I'm not sure, but The "Real-Life Interlude" sections became the saving graces. 

Unrelated (ha), is "relatable" a word? Auto-correct is telling me it isn't, but I was sure it was/is? 

*I received this from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. Thanks Netgalley!* 

Burn This: A Play- Lanford Wilson: 1.5 Stars
library hardback

I picked this up for two reasons: 1) To check off a category in some reading challenges "read a play," and 2) because it is currently a play on Broadway starring Keri Russell and Adam Driver, and I always try to read the book before seeing it on TV/movie/live. Basically a guy dies in a freak boating accident with his boyfriend, and his roommates are upset, particularly Anna who attended all the funeral services and stayed with his family. His family refused to believe that he was gay and a dancer, which is unfathomable to her, and deeply frustrating. I think the back cover described it being "tense with  sexual desire" or something to that effect, and it just... wasn't. It focuses on Anna (one of the roommates), but all she does is drink a LOT of vodka and cheat on her long-term boyfriend with the dead roommate's "coke-snorting, hyperactive" brother (and even those scenes weren't sexy or even described much). Oh, but now she's going to pursue choreography because the brother says she's really good and she was interested in it, so this makes her "independent and self-confident," as the GR description reads. No, what, hoowwww??! Maybe this is just one of those plays that has to be seen in order to appreciate it, but I definitely didn't like it, and only finished because it was only 99 pages. 

What are you reading? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana! 

What's New With Me: May Recap

I feel like life goes quicker when the days get warmer. Just me? I didn't even do much last month, and yet I still feel like it went by in a blur. Here's what I was up to last month. Starting halfway through the month since apparently I didn't do much the first two weeks besides a Mountain Mamas dinner where we didn't take pics- oops. 

Mother's Day- I feel like we had big plans for Mother's Day, but I don't remember what they were. Since it was rainy and horrible out we just hung out in my apartment, ordered Chinese food, and watched some movies. I also helped my mom with some admin stuff like writing and editing emails and helping her find a new lawyer for her landlord issues, which was probably the best present I could have given her. 

This is the only pic we took. She keeps doing this ridiculous thing where she looks up in the distance instead of the camera because she *thinks* she looks better this way. 


Keebler- I mentioned this yesterday, but we found he had a urinary blockage and needed immediate surgery last month. They said if we had waited much longer he wouldn't have made it. He has to stay overnight 2 nights, and use a catheter during that time. They also said we have to put him on prescription food AND snacks, so we finally got an account with Chewy. He seems to like it ok enough.

While they were checking him out, they also found an infected tooth, so we have to bring him back tomorrow to get that taken care of. We are currently looking into pet health insurance, so if you have one that you recommend, please let me know! 


Niece's Graduation- Blue's niece graduated from Johnson and Wales with a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition. We headed up on Friday and had a yummy dinner at Union Station Brewery before she and her sister went out on the town. The ceremony itself was on Saturday and was surprisingly short, which was appreciated! 

After the graduation we had some down time, so we headed back to the room to relax a bit and then up to her family's suite for snacks and cocktails before dinner. We met up with one of K's friends and her family at Fleming's Steakhouse, and the food was absolutely delicious! (I didn't take pics because the place was kinda fancy and I didn't wanna be *that* person!)

The Book of Mormon (musical)- I had been wanting to see this Broadway show since it first came out in 2011, but the prices had been way out of my range, especially after winning so many Tony awards. While perusing TodayTix (free app for shows in major U.S. cities, Toronto, London, and Australia) I noticed that they were *finally* on there at a discounted price, so I jumped on it. I had heard it was funny, I mean, it was written by the creators of South Park, but I was nearly in tears. It was so freakin' hilarious (if you're into that type of humor, which I most certainly am)! 

Right before the show started, Blue posted that we were there on Facebook. At intermission she received a comment- her old college classmate was the lead guitarist of the show and was currently playing, and would love to meet afterwards and give us a backstage tour. WHAT?! Um, yes we would, thankyouverymuch! He showed us the whole backstage and changing areas, and then took us down into the pit. Blue took music theory with this guy, and he let her noodle around with his custom made guitars... it was so cool and he was the nicest! He couldn't join us for dinner since he was playing the evening show as well, but it was an awesomely serendipitous event!


Haircut! Every two years or so around this time, I chop off my long locks to donate. I think I've been doing this since maybe 2007/2008? My biggest cut was in 2015, when I donated 15". This time I only got 9", but that's still enough to donate! Unfortunately I don't have any good "after" pics because the next day we got caught in a rainstorm and my short straightened locks got frizzy and curly, and I am still trying to figure out how to style it properly. If you have any frizz-controlling, short hair tips, please share! 

What were you up to last month?

Linking up with Kristen! 

Currently

I know that it's June, and my pic says May, but what had happened was... I made it last month, didn't use it, and was too lazy to make a new one. Also, all these things have been favorites or happenings in more than just the last 5 days, so I think it still fits. Anyway, here's what's been currently going on in my world!

Reading: Sugar by Deidre Riordan Hall for the PopSugar Reading Challenge. 

Listening To: I actually just learned that one of my favorite YA authors, Rainbow Rowell, has a bunch of Spotify playlists that she put together while writing her books. I've been listening to the "Lincoln" character one from Attachments. 

Watching: Game of Thrones... what did ya'll think of that ending? Currently watching Dead to Me on Netflix. I'm almost done with the mini-series- it's sooo good! I also just started watching Good Omens on Amazon Prime after coming to terms with the fact that I have no interest in reading the book. I'm only on episode 3 or 4, but I'm really enjoying it! 

Recommending: TodayTix. I recently used the free app to purchase discount tickets for a Broadway show, and it was so easy to use! They are available in most major U.S. cities, Toronto, London, and Australia! 

Not recommending: Wine Country on Netflix. I was so looking forward to it with that all star cast (Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch) but it was just NOT funny. It was like they were trying too hard. 

Loving: Summer Fridays! Our department just started participating in this this year, so every week 2 people WFH and then have 1/2 day off, and 2 people go in to the office (full day). I had to use up a few vacation days for this month, but looking forward to taking advantage of this the rest of the summer! 

Appreciating: That our fur baby Keebler is okay. He gave us quite a scare last month  when he started sitting in weird places like the bathtub with his bum on cold surfaces. We found he had a urinary blockage and needed immediate surgery. They said if we had waited much longer he wouldn't have made it- so scary! 

Looking forward to: vacation next week, The Handmaid's Tale (6/5- TODAY!), Big Little Lies (6/9)

Eating: Nabisco Good Thins Sweet Potato crisps. They are SO addictive; Blue and I nearly ate an entire box in one sitting! 

Drinking: Harpoon/Dunkin Donuts Summer Coffee Pale Ale. BLECH! It tastes NOTHING like coffee! 

Picking: Books for Book Challenge by Erin 11.0 that starts July 1st! I'm trying to use only books that I currently own this time around. New members are always welcome, so if this sounds like something you'd be interested in, find out more here! 

Going: To New Orleans later this month! My niece got an internship with Tulane University's Medical Center teaching the doctors about nutritional meal planning for the patients. 

Wishing: That my new deck was done. The landlord decided to redo the decks on all 8 of the apartments in my little complex, and it was only supposed to take a week, but apparently didn't do his homework. They took down all the decks (planning to build on top of the beams that go in to the basement), only to realize that the beams are not structurally sound, and now they need an architect to figure out what they're going to do. Meanwhile, all of my outdoor furniture is sitting in my kitchen and there's no ETA in sight :( 

Wearing: A lot of 3/4 sleeve tops and cardigans or blazers. Still not yet warm enough to go out without a jacket, but I'm ready for it! 

Celebrating: My best friend from college is pregnant! So I'll be celebrating at her baby shower at the end of the month! 

What's currently going on with you?

Linking up with Anne!