Spring Goals Recap// Summer Bucket List

I'm so excited that summer is finally here! Summer is by far my favorite season- longer, sunny warm days, al fresco dining, BBQs, beach days, and an overall sense of freedom! Before I get into what I want to do this summer, let's review my Spring Goals.

Spring Goals

Visit the Bronx  or Central Park Zoo- Fail.

Walk on the Brooklyn Bridge- Check!

Visit the Botanical Gardens- Fail.

Visit the High-line- Fail. 

Go to a concert- Check! John Mayer and Train

Check out a new city- Check! 

Go on vacation- Fail. 

Get my spring shearing/haircut- Check!

Spring clean my apartment- Check!

Fix screen on patio door- Fail. Moving to summer list. 

Oof. Only 5/10. 
There was only one I had actually planned but didn't happen, which was visiting the High-Line with my mom. We were going to go as part of her Mother's Day but on that day she didn't feel like going, so we went to the South Street Seaport instead. The others I just didn't get to because it was raining or snowing all damn season. 

However, I did a lot of other stuff that wasn't on this list. I went to a NY Rangers (hockey) game, 2 food truck/brew festivals, checked out several new-to-me restaurants, won some $$ in a spontaneous trip to a casino, and went to a live showing of Young Frankenstein. So overall, it was a successful season! Moving on... 

Summer Bucket List

Go Camping/river tubing

Go to the beach at least 3 times

Attend at least 2 concerts (tickets purchased!)

Participate in Erin's 7.0 Book Challenge (7/1-10/31)

Visit the Meadowlands State Fair

Check out Brew at the Zoo

Attend a Phillies game
Go sailing
Complete at least 5 goals from my 101 list 

Attend at least one food festival

Watch fireworks
Complete the 30-Day De-Clutter Challenge

Linking up with Penny  and...

Did I miss anything? What's on your summer bucket list? 

Show Us Your Books: May

It's SUYB day, and though I didn't read many, I had a lot of feelings about the ones I got through! Let's jump right in shall we?

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry- Gabrielle Zevin: 5 Stars
Read if you like reading, books, romance and second chances
free Amazon Prime Reading

I picked this up because so many of you (SYUB folks) read and recommended it, so I'm not going into details about it. I very rarely give 5 stars, but this book completely deserves it. I loved everything about it- the books, the bookstore, the romance, the descriptions and writing style, and especially the characters. I  related to something in almost all of them and some of them very much surprised me.

Flat-Out Love (Flat-Out Love #1)- Jessica Park: 4 Stars
Read if you like YA, romance
free Amazon Prime Reading

I admit I picked this up because of the cover, and I'm glad I did. A cute, quick, albeit rather predictable love story. I loved all the characters, including Finn, but especially Celeste and all of her little quirks. I also really enjoyed the writing style and inclusion of IMs, emails, and FB status updates. I didn't realize this was a series until later, but I'm compelled to read the others. 

The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood: 2 Stars
Read if you like classics, science fiction/dystopia, feminism, books to TV series
free Amazon Prime Reading

I motored through this novel and had SO MANY FEELINGS! I wanted to discuss with everyone who has ever read this. So why only 2 stars, you may ask? Because that ENDING. UGH. I was disappointed in the ambiguity of the ending. There were too many questions left unanswered. I am waiting until the TV series is over so I can binge watch it. 

And that's it! Somewhat related, Erin's Book Challenge 7.0 starts July 1st. Last time I got thorough a little over half of it, but I'm going to try again. Come back Thursday to see what books I'm picking!

What have you been reading lately? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana! 

Summer Staples

Today I'm joining in Girl Chat to talk about my summer beach bag staples! It's been pretty cool and crappy here lately (as of yesterday I was still wearing my North Face!), but summer is my favorite season and I'm trying to get in the spirit, especially with it officially starting in just 2 weeks!  Here are my top 10 for a successful beach day!

Beach Bag Essentials by lildesiqua featuring a picnic cooler

1. Sunglasses- I buy cheap ones because I'm forever losing or breaking them.

2. Sunscreen- I'm really bad at putting on sunscreen because I very rarely burn (once, maybe?). I try to put on at least 15, especially when I know I'm going to be out in the sun all day. I also make sure my makeup has SPF in it, but I hardly wear makeup in the summer!

3. Towel/blanket/chair- Honestly I like sitting more than laying out, but I also bring a towel in case I actually go in the water. This chair is perfect because it's low to the ground (also good for concerts), and has a strap so it's easy to carry.

4. Deodorant- I sweat like a man. I know it and hate it, but at least I've learned how to control it.

5. Book/Kindle- Though I won't do it when I'm with a group of people and socializing, I do love reading on the beach and in summer in general.

6. Portable music player- I love this one from SunnyLife. You connect it to your phone/iPod inside to protect it from the heat/sand/water. Smart!

7. Hair ties/hat- You know those commercials or pictures where the woman is standing on the shore, wind blowing freely through her long hair? That's not real life, at least not for me. My hair likes to get all up in my face with any passing breeze. I carry extra hair ties or those claw clips for this reason. Hats come in handy too, but I don't really look good in them.

8. Water- I like freezing a reusable bottle to take with me, that way it stays cool longer. I may have to invest in one of those Yeti stainless steel jug things everyone is talking about though.

9. Snacks- To keep from getting hangry, and for sharing. Because sharing is caring.

10. Bottle opener- Because it's always good to be prepared, especially if you're bringing along a cooler bag :)

What are some of your summer staples? 

Currently: June

Reading: I took a break to read a few other books, but back on track with This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper.

Listening to: new Hanson- I was Born. Loving their new grown up sound! Also, Malibu- Miley Cyrus. Love the vibe and her voice. 

Planning: days off. I just realized last week that I have 7 days to use up this month before I lose them on June 30th. My boss's last day is this Friday though, so I'm trying to put in my time off before then, which is proving to be difficult since others in my department have days off scheduled/conferences/etc. 


Wishing: to add a few key items to add to my wardrobe. I need new jeans, flats, and a khaki mid-length trench coat. 

Watching: a lot of Netflix. Finished Master of None S2 (meh. It was okay), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (started out strong, but lost me after Titus' single), and anticipating OITNB coming back on Friday! Blue also just signed up for the Netflix DVD plan so we could watch more of the new releases. So far we've watched Sing!, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Split. We've been hitting the theater too...Wonder Woman was AWESOME! As was Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (love the music in that one!). Not gonna lie, I have a tiny obsession with Baby Groot. He's so cute!

Hoping: that the sun will come out and I can stop wearing my North Face in June! 

Learning: I just signed up for an Intro to Voice-Overs seminar later this month and I'm excited to check it out! I've been asked to do voice-overs for a lot of training videos and tutorials at work so I'm hoping to learn some new tricks. 

Browsing: Poshmark. (You can peek my closet here!) I recently did a complete overhaul on my closet and instead of donating everything I'm trying to sell some pieces, but people are being mad stingy on there. They are offering me half of my asking price or to trade. I don't want to trade- I'm trying to get rid of clothes, not add random crap! Do you guys have any tips for online selling? 

Going: I wish I could say I was going on vacation, but that's just not in the cards until maybe December. Sigh. I'm going to see Train with Natasha Bedingfield and O.A.R. on Friday and U2 later this month though! 


What's currently going on with you? 

Linking up with Anne and Erin. 

What's New With Me: May

I really can't fully comprehend that it's June right now, but here we are. And I'm linking up with Kristen and Gretch with my monthly recap, mostly in pictures. Not pictured: my boss just put in two weeks notice, I'm redoing my resume and I'm really f*ckin worried about the state of my job. Also, Blue is leaving her job of 19 years and starting in a completely different field which I'm super excited about. We may get to commute together which makes me a little giddy. Now... back to what all happened in May!

Food truck and craft beer festival in Kearny, NJ.
One of Blue's friends was a vendor and I got some super pretty earrings from her :) 

Bought a desk (finally)! Mentioned it here. #goals

Hit another goal by walking across the Brooklyn Bridge with Alyssa, David, and Blue.
I was sad I forgot a lock, but there was a $300 fine so probably best that I didn't have one.

Saw Young Frankenstein followed by a talk with Mel Brooks!

"Firework" Oreos, huevos ranchero, shrimps, and Eggslut.
(Yes, that's really what it's called and it was delicious!)

Mother's Day celebration included cutting 8" of hair...

...and doing a mini photo shoot with my new 'do because my mom loves taking pictures.
We also went out for lunch and watched Snatched.

Last Saturday was spent at Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
They also had a poutine food truck on premises which was pretty dang tasty.
We followed that up with a trip to The Sands Bethlehem where I won $200 on an Ellen penny slot machine. 

Sunday we did a North Jersey hot dog tour. I'd never been to any of these places, but the famous Rutt's Hut (since 1928- Home of the "Ripper")  was by far my favorite. It's a no frills spot that won't give you chili cheese dogs or even "all the way" so I tried what the cashier recommended- cup of chili and sweet relish. It was bomb. 

I kinda dropped out of the blog world for the second half of May, but hoping to get back in to the swing of things. So tell me friends- what did I miss? What's new with you?

101 in 1001: An Update

Back in December 2015 I decided to start a new 101 in 1001 challenge, and actually try to accomplish more than the 33 items I had done on my previous one! One of my goals was to write about my progress once a month, which I'm obviously failing at being that this is the first time I've even mentioned since last year! However, I found this awesome link-up to track this list quarterly over at Macy's blog, so I decided to join to keep myself accountable and share my progress. For the full list, click here!

Start Date: December 12, 2015

End Date: September 8, 2018
Completed: 29/101 (as of 5/16/17)

In Progress 17/101

Things completed since my last check-in:

Make a new wreath 6/15/16 (cork wreath)
Go on a sunset cruise 5/11/16
Party in New Orleans (NOT Mardi Gras) 12/8/16- 12/12/16 
Go on a spontaneous day trip (Warwick Winery, 11/5/16)
Try a new food Chicken and Waffles 12/12/15
Get a promotion/new job 7/29/16
See an outdoor movie 7/19/16
Host an annual party (Halloween! Last year's theme was Stranger Things) 10/28/16
Attend an NHL game (NY Rangers vs. Blue Jays 11/1/16)
Attend an MLB game (Phillies vs. Mets 8/27/16)
Organize all of my photos and back them up in multiple places 12/8/16
Set up a new vanity area with makeup and jewelry storage 12/28/16
Create an emergency kit (Christmas present, 12/25/16)
Get rid of 101 items 4/22/16
Purchase a scale (Christmas present, 12/25/16)
Go on a picnic (Easter- 4/16/17)
Find my holy grail item in each makeup category (wrote about it here- 1/31/17)

In Progress: 17/101:

Read all the books I currently own but haven’t yet read 23/70
I've only been reading books that I own, which is why this goal and the next have the same number. 

Read 101 books (23/101) 
You can see what I've read so far here! 

Watch a new-to-me movie starting with every letter of the alphabet 18/26
This is actually one I thought would be done already, but I keep watching movies with duplicate letters! Missing C, E, K, N, O, Q, V, and Y. Have any recommendations for me? 

Figure out a skincare routine
I've actually figured this one out, but I'm not marking it as completed because I haven't been consistent in following through with the routine daily/weekly. 

Find holy grail skin and hair care products
Thanks to a few blogger recommendations and a recent trip to Ulta, I'm well on my way to figuring out what works best for my face and hair. Of course this takes time, as using a product once won't give the best results, and but I'm working on it.

Create and maintain a "staples" closet/wardrobe
I still need a few "key" pieces, such as a great, high-quality blazer and/or suit, but I've weeded out the stuff that no longer works for me, and that's half the battle, right?

Pay off student loans 
I'm happy to report that one loan has been PAID. Woot! However I did a huge consolidation for a bunch of other ones, and that's going to take quite some time to pay off. Baby steps. 

Try 101 different bars and restaurants 77/101
To see the list of places I've been to so far, click here! I'd also like to review these places on Yelp, but I haven't been quite that ambitious as of yet. Maybe I should add that as another goal?

Get my apartment and possessions 100% organized
I'm about halfway done with this one. I need to go through some closets, and all the crap I have stored in the basement that no longer serves any purpose other than taking up space. 

Organize all of my music files, delete/update as necessary
I've uploaded all of these onto my laptop, and then left them there. I need to sort, delete old songs I'm tired of and broken links, edit song titles, etc. 

See 3 Broadway shows (musicals or plays) 
2/3- Paramour 5/3/16, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical 1/21/17

Clean out my closets and purge
I did this in my main clothing closet; I need to continue with the hall and linen closets. Halfway there! 

Update resume

Another work in progress. I've done several drafts and enlisted the help of some friends though, so hopefully this one will be completed soon! 

Completely use up or otherwise get rid of all excess makeup
I've accrued quite a bit of makeup while I've been trying to find out what works, but I still want to use it up or toss it. 

Get to my goal weight
Should be easier now that I own a scale! 

Blog about progress bi-annually (ha...oops!)

Try a new recipe (at least) once a month for a year 3/12
Got the Budget Bytes cookbook for Christmas, have yet to make anything. And I'm not even going to mention how many recipes I've pinned. I really need to get on this! 

Have you ever done a 101 in 1001 challenge? 

Currently: May

Reading: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Listening to: Michelle Branch's new album "Hopeless Romantic" on repeat. So happy that she's back! 

Watching: First Dates, Married at First Sight, Married at First Sight: Second Chances, Grey's Anatomy, Blindspot, and WAS watching NY Rangers play-offs until they lost on Tuesday night :( 

Purchasing: Alllll the concert tickets. Train, U2, P!nk, Incubus with Jimmy Eat World, the Cranberries, and Britney Spears (in Vegas). Still debating one with Gin Blossoms, Fuel, Marcy Playground, Dishwalla and Alien Ant Farm. 

Loving: My new pins from Junk-o that Blue surprised me with! 

Planning: May day dates! An "Eff It"/Mother's Day pampering day tomorrow with Mom , crossing some things off my spring bucket list, and seeing Young Frankenstein with a with Mel Brooks! So many things to look forward to! Also planning some travel for late summer/fall. Looks like Denver and Las Vegas are up first! 

Reorganizing: My bedroom, because I finally got a desk! At work, we started listing things that we are selling, and my coworker was selling a perfect little computer desk for $25. I'm so excited. Crossing another one off of my 101 list! (More updates on that coming Monday!) 

Planting: When I saw this on the list for this month, I was like "Ummm... I just killed another plant and have moved on to fake ones at home..." which is true. HOWEVER, a coworker wants to "warm our office space" so she gave us seeds and a special "plant grow" bulb, and someone else brought in pots so we now have a few growing! 

Baking: beer bread from Tastefully Simple last weekend. You guys, it's seriously addictive! Add some cheese or dip or eat it plain- so good! (And not hoppy tasting at all.) 

Remembering: TimeHop reminded me that on this day last year I was in Key West, FL. We had so much fun on that trip! I'm a fan of visiting new places, but this is one place that I'd love to revisit!

What's currently going on with you? 

Linking up with Ann, Nancy, and Kristin.