Oscar Favs 2016

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Cate Blanchett in Armani Prive

Well, I may not have made it to the movie theatre once to see any of this year’s Oscar nominations…when you have a new baby, everything is on Netflix! I will have to add all of these films to my queue. However, I did have time to catch most of the Oscars including the Red Carpet. Cate Blanchett has my absolute favorite look of the night. I think she looks incredibly stunning! Below are the rest of my favorites from the night in no particular order.

88th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals
Julianne Moore in Chanel

 

88th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals
Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell

 

Maria Menuounos
Maria Menounos in Christian Siriano

 

Naomi Watts
Naomi Watts in Armani Prive

 

Olivia Munn
Olivia Munn in Stella McCartney

 

Rachel McAdams
Rachel McAdams in August Getty Atelier

 

Rooney Mara
Rooney Mara in Givenchy Haute Couture

 

Saorise Ronan
Saoirse Ronan in Calvin Klein

 

Sofia Vergara
Sofia Vergara in Marchesa

Which Red Carpet look is your favorite? Or do you have a different favorite look that did not make this list? Please share! 🙂

We had a great family weekend with a nice brunch in the city followed by some adventures in Central Park. It was a beautiful day and such a nice little tease for spring! Busy busy week ahead prepping for our upcoming trips to Maryland this weekend for Luca’s Baptism and our cruise to the Caribbean the following weekend. Lots to do before we leave!

Today starts block 3 of P90X3 for me, and I’m super excited to be 2/3 of the way through the program. Although slightly sad that it’s coming to an end this month, because I am really enjoying it!

Make it a great week everyone! And Happy LEAP Year!

XO,

Gina

{37} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading  Prayers for the Advent wreath and my new Advent calendar which was gifted to me last year.

writing  I honestly wish I could say Christmas cards, but alas I am behind this year…it might be one of those “Happy New Year” card years…hopefully I can get my act together!

listening  To the podcast, “Happier” by Gretchen Rubin. I loved her book “The Happiness Project” and someone recently suggested I check out her podcast. I am HOOKED!

thinking About Christmas lists and gifts. And that it’s also about time I start shopping. Eeep! What are your favorite places to shop for the holidays?

smelling  Christmas cookie candles and the beautiful smell of pine from my Christmas tree. ‘Tis the season!

watching  Recently watched the movie Pans Labyrinth. Weird. Just weird.

wishing  You all a Happy Holiday season!!!

hoping  For clear roads, clear skies, and safe travels on our road trip tomorrow.

wearing  This stunning new dress from ASOS. Looking forward to wearing it for the first time at a wedding this weekend. May also be the perfect Christmas Eve dress. Since this one is out of stock, here is another beauty.

loving  That the Holly station is back on Sirius/XM Radio. It’s gonna be a jolly ol’ car ride tomorrow! (My Jewish husband hates me right now…)

wanting  More days in December! I have so many fun holiday traditions I want to partake in from parties to light shows, train shows, a visit to Santa, and more. It doesn’t seem like there is enough time to enjoy it all!

needing  To start packing yet again. I don’t mind the traveling and the driving so much as I mind all the packing!

feeling  Snuggly. Christmas jammies anyone?

craving  Cookies! Here are some healthier holiday cookie options for you this year.

clicking  On one of my favorite websites to shop for sweet gifts and deals.

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HAPPY THURSDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

{33} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading  The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. I have been reading a lot of personal development non-fiction lately. As an entrepreneur, I think it’s extremely beneficial to help keep myself on track with my goals for my life and my business.  It’s a practice that I have picked up since becoming a coach with Beachbody, and I think it has really made a difference overall in helping to improve my business as well as my life. The particular book talks about how a few simple daily disciplines can really turn into a massive change in terms of success and happiness.

writing  A workout routine for my new upcoming Bikini Boot Camp Challenge that will focus on the core using crunch-less ab exercises. The challenge will kick off next week right before Memorial Day Weekend, so let me know if you want in!

listening  Loving this new jam by Martin Solveig – Intoxicated

thinking  That I am a very lucky lady. I had a wonderful Mother’s Day Weekend spent with my boys. We had a playdate with friends on Saturday, a date night Saturday, and spent Sunday getting pampered with breakfast and gifts, hiking, and having an early dinner on the water.  I am so very lucky to have incredible moms in my life to call my own (mom, mother-in-law, grandmothers, godmother, aunts, friends, family friends, etc), and I am lucky to be a mom myself to my amazing little boy and babe on the way. I am also super lucky to have such an incredible partner in my journey through life. We are going to be celebrating 4 married years together (and 10.5 together) this Thursday, and I just feel so blessed for the relationship that we have built and will continue to build.

smelling  The fabulous chai that I am consuming at this very moment. Mmm.

watching  Was lucky enough to get a date night with the hubby courtesy of our fabulous parent’s group in our hood. We decided to catch a movie and saw, The Age of Adaline. Starring Blake Lively, this period piece was interesting and although unbelievable at times, if you vow to just be purely entertained and not focus so much on how it can be a little ridiculous…it was a really good movie. It’s almost as if she is time traveling because she is able to live through so many different time periods. And I just love her classic style throughout the film. Would definitely recommend! Even the hubs enjoyed it.

wishing  If I tell you this wish…it might not come true…so I’m going to stay mum for now. 😉

hoping  To finish up the planning this week for my BFF’s Bachelorette Weekend coming up! We already have some fun ideas in store, but putting together the final touches with my fellow Matron of Honor this week. Cannot wait for this little gal’s getaway!  Thanks for getting married, bestie, so we have an excuse to all get together! Hehe.

wearing  Plaid button down, ripped casual jeans, and flip flops! Yes, flip flops!  Cheers to warm weather!

loving  My new pregnancy pillow and the prenatal massage that I have booked for June. Spoiled mama!

wanting  Baby to move up a little bit in my belly! Apparently my placenta is lying a little low and so I am feeling all kinds of movements very low as well…feels kinda weird! But good news is, he is moving a lot!! Always kicking around in there. We go to the doc again on Wednesday for a growth check, so keeping fingers crossed that baby is getting bigger! (I am getting bigger, so I am hopeful!) Today marks 24 weeks!

needing  More sleep! I am so bad at going to bed early as I feel I need to stay up and complete so many more things on my to-do list each night! I really need to start forcing myself to hit the sack just a little bit earlier each night and tell myself that things can wait until tomorrow.

feeling  Tired! Like I said above…I need to get more sleep! I also did the PiYo Drench workout this morning and whew! Talk about sweating up a storm. They were not kidding about the whole “drench” thing. Felt good to get back to PiYo though after taking the weekend off. Never miss a Monday!

craving  Sweets. My pregnancy sweet tooth is starting to come back in full force! Nothing new really though, pregnant or not. I need to start eating more fruit to nix those unhealthy cravings for sugar! Watermelon was my fruit of choice last pregnancy. I would be happy to return to that routine 🙂

clicking  Through the recently launched site Co11ective, where 11 ladies have come together to share stories of health,  nutrition, fitness, fashion, digital marketing, entrepreneurship and more. I am so happy to be included in this dynamic group of powerful and successful women.

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HAPPY MONDAY!

Hope all the mommies out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day Weekend!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

P.S. I usually only share one photo in my “Lately” posts. However, we had such a fun day yesterday, that I wanted to share a little more:

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***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

{31} Lately…

Nico St. Patricks Day

Lately I’ve been…

reading  Still reading The Goldfinch.  Didn’t realize how long the book was!  I am actually enjoying it, but I have been pretty sidetracked with reading business development books and other things.  I will eventually finish it!  

writing  I recently started freelance writing for the new parenting blog started by Mom365. They are a newborn photography company who specializes in hospital photos.  Their blog has tons of parenting tips and advice from moms across the country and is an excellent resource, especially for new parents.  I am so excited to be included in this new venture!  Here is one of the more recent posts I wrote about taking baby outside in the cold.

listening  Went to brunch over the weekend at a piano bar and heard amazing music from Dylan Meek.  We ended up getting his CD and have been playing it while cooking dinner this week. So relaxing!

thinking  How much I miss Nico’s curls.  I held off getting his hair cut for SO long. People thought I was crazy as his hair was growing into his eyes and all, but I just thought it was adorable.  I did have to admit, things started getting out of control, so we finally decided to go for a haircut.  I’m definitely missing those baby curls on my little boy!

smelling  The chicken dinner my husband prepared for us last night lingering in the kitchen.

watching  Just watched 127 Hours, which was nominated for an Academy Award a few years ago.  What an incredible survival story.  It was tough to watch at times, but I’m so glad we watched this amazing account of a man’s will to live.

wishing  We were back in Mexico enjoying that warmth & sunshine once again!  Although my stomach probably wishes otherwise haha.

hoping  For a good doctor’s appointment this week.  We are going on Thursday to check on our little baby for an anatomy scan to make sure he or she is healthy.  Please send us love, prayers, and good vibes!  We will also be able to find out baby’s gender VERY soon!  We are hoping to do a fun reveal in the next week or two (not only for you, but for ourselves as well!), so stay tuned!

wearing  GREEN!  In honor of my Irish heritage.  Yes, I know it’s hard to believe, but I’m actually 50% Irish.  As you can see from above, Nico is celebrating too. Happy St. Paddy’s Day to all!

loving  Nico uttered these words this week… “I love you Mama.” I meeeeeaaannnn this pretty much just made my entire life!  I think every mom waits to hear those three little words from their child. I admit, I prompted him to say it, and right now he loves parroting everything I say, but it was absolutely amazing all the same. 🙂 

wanting  One of these amazingly cool cartoon bags.

needing  Support for my Lenten service project! My sorority sister, Brielle, and I decided to join together to run a family supply drive for the Thorpe Residences in the Bronx, NY. They provide food & shelter to families in transition. They are in need of everything from diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, to board games & toys for family game night. We created an Amazon Wish List that will be up until April 12th for donations, and we can also accept donations in person. Brielle and I will be hand delivering the items to Thorpe after the drive. We appreciate anything you are able to donate!

feeling  How proud of how productive I was yesterday.  I normally hate waking up early, but decided to force myself to stay awake (and not go back to sleep), get my workout in early, eat breakfast and get a jump start on my work for the day.  I have to admit, it felt amazing, and I felt like I had so much energy to get things done.

craving  A green smoothie…because it is St. Patrick’s Day afterall.

clicking  Through beautiful houses in Deep Creek Lake, MD.  Planning a bachelorette getaway for my bestie, Meg, and should be making a final selection on a place tonight!  Whoo hoo!

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On a final note, I would like to wish a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my niece, Brittany!  Hope you have a great day!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

{25} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso, founder and CEO of Nasty Gal.  Incredible story and extremely inspirational.  Would recommend to anyone, not just the ladies.

writing  In Nico’s baby book.  I have a few months of catching up to do with all his new milestones!  

listening  “Talk Dirty” by Jason DeRulo.  As a former sax player, I had to give a shout out to the awesome solo work in this song.

thinking  It’s been a bit of a crazy few weeks for me and my family.  We lost my beloved Granny recently, and although she was 93 years old, it was  sudden and a bit of a shock for all of us.  After losing my Uncle earlier this year, it’s been rough for everyone, especially my Mom.  I cannot imagine losing my own mother, and I know this has got to be incredibly difficult for her.  My Granny was the sweetest lady, and I miss her dearly.  I am comforted in the fact that I was able to be by her side in her last week along with the rest of our family, and that she was comfortable and knew we were all with her at the end.  I truly appreciate all of the love, prayers, cards, and support that people have given us during this time.

smelling  The great outdoors.  Spent Zack’s 1st Father’s Day Weekend hiking Bear Mountain on Saturday, and Sunday was spent smelling the sweet salt air at Rockaway Beach.  I would definitely recommend the Perkins Memorial 3.9 mile trail loop.  Amazing views and a challenging, fun hike.  I impressed myself by doing a few rock scrambles with a baby on my back as well, and we were able to introduce Nico to his first ride…the carousel!  Onto the beach…if my fellow New Yorkers make it to Rockaway this summer, you must go to 106th street for arepas at Caracas.  I insist!  P.S. Nico LOVED the beach.  That’s my boy!

watching  Watched the throwback movie Big for the first time with one of my favorite actors of all time, Tom Hanks.  Although the method of getting “bigger” was a tad cheesy, I really enjoyed the movie and would recommend it.

wishing  For the weekend to get here!  We are heading to Cape May for the first time for a family vacation with the hubby’s side.  Looking forward to snuggling that little nephew of ours, and spending time with the entire fam.  Have any of you been to Cape May before?  Would love some suggestions on what to do/where to eat/where to shop, etc.!

hoping  That Nico feels less pain when the rest of his teeth come in…yes, you heard right…Nico got his first tooth this weekend!  My boy is getting big.  

wearing  This new vintage style bathing suit I purchased from Grey Dog Boutique.  Discovered this shop from Bonnie over at Flashes of Style.  Go say hi!

loving  The the line-up of summer travel we have on the horizon.  While driving long distances can sometimes be draining, Zack and I are always up for an adventure, and this summer will be no different even with a little one in tow.  We started off the summer in New Hampshire with good friends, enjoyed upstate NY last weekend, and have Cape May to round out the month of June.  July we will be heading to Rehobeth Beach (DE), North Fork (Long Island), Deep Creek Lake (MD), and celebrating my 30th (eek!).  Ending the summer will be a trip to the Outer Banks (NC) and celebrating Nico’s 1st birthday.  Some may call us crazy, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

laughing  I’m not a cat person, but this kitten jam had me rolling!  

wanting  This shocking coral lip color for the season.

needing  Some more time with girlfriends.  I’ve been loving the family life without a doubt, and I love my boys to death, but sometimes a girl needs some quality time with her girlfriends too!  Hoping to set up a few “girl-dates” while the weather is nice and warm. 

feeling  A second needle injection into my thumb this morning.  OUCH.  My thumb has definitely gotten a lot better since the first shot, but it’s still not completely back to normal, and as the doc said “I am too young to have this problem!”  Not to mention how impossible it is to “rest your thumb.”  I really do hope this one will curb me from having to undergo surgery, but worst case scenario, I have heard it’s a fairly simple procedure.

craving  More time to work on this blog and other personal endeavors/passion projects.  My creativity is bursting at the seams with very little time to act!  I’ve always been great with time management, but juggling work, caring for a baby, and our social/travel calendar have made things a bit more tricky.  I know it’s tough to “have it all,” but I’m determined to come up with a way to make things work without sacrificing my family time.

clicking  Nico is pulling himself up to a standing position, and I think it’s time for some functional shoes for summer.  I’ve been searching around online, but does anyone have any favorites they love for their little one?

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What have you been up to lately?

Happy Hump Day!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Oscar Favorites

Happy Monday!

Today I want to share some of my favorites from the Oscar Red Carpet.  Two major trends I saw this year were metallics and pale neutral colors.  Of course, there were a few pops of bright color in there as well.   There were so many to choose from this year (even the gentlemen rose to the occasion!), but these were on the top of my list.

JessicaChastain
Jessica Chastain looking gorgeous in Giorgio Armani – Steve Granitz/WireImage
StacyKeibler
Stacy Keibler in a stunning metallic dress from Naeen Khan – Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
AmyAdams
Loving Amy Adams in this gown from Oscar De La Renta – I could be biased, because it reminds me of my wedding dress – Kevin Mazur/WireImage
JenniferLawrence
Oscar Winning Best Actress Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Couture – Steve Granitz/Wire Image
CharlizeTheron-
Charlize Theron with a sexy haircut and sleek white dress from Dior Haute Couture – Michael Buckner/Getty Images
AmandaSeyfried
Amanda Seyfried looking sophisticated in Alexander McQueen – Kevin Mazur/WireImage
HalleBerry
Halle Berry never fails to be a showstopper. Looking amazing as always in Versace. – Steve Granitz/WireImage
ChanningTatum
Oh Channing, I know you have a pregnant wife, but you are so ridiculously handsome. – Getty Images
JenniferGarner
Jennifer Garner supporting her hubby, Ben Affleck in this beautiful bordeaux number from Gucci – Steve Granitz/Wire Image
NaomiWatts
Naomi Watts sparkling in Giorgio Armani – Jason Merrit/Getty Images
KerryWashington
Kerry Washington brings a pop of color to the Red Carpet in this fabulous dress by Miu Miu – Jason Merrit/Getty Images
NicoleKidman
Nicole Kidman shining bright in L’Wren Scott – Steve Granitz/WireImage
EddieRedmayne
Les Mis star, Eddie Redmayne dressed in Alexander McQueen and looking dapper. Loving those shoes. – Kevin Mazur/WireImage
DanielDayLewis
Best Actor, Daniel Day Lewis rocking navy and black by Domenico Vacca – Jason Merrit/Getty Images
SandraBullock
Sandra Bullock looking ever so classy in Elie Saab – Jason Merrit/Getty Images
BradleyCooper
Loving the slicked back hair, baby blues, and Tom Ford tux on Bradley Cooper – Steve Granitz/Wire Image
HughJackman
Hugh Jackman looking smashing in Tom Ford – Jason Merrit/Getty Images
JenniferAniston
The always adorable Jennifer Aniston donning a bright red gown from Valentino – Steve Grantiz/Wire Image

Would love to know your Red Carpet favorites as well!

I had a great time watching the Academy Awards last night with the hubby.  I felt very knowledgable about a lot more of the films this year, because of our Race to the Oscars.  I also thought the competition was really fantastic this year.  So many amazing pieces of work were nominated, and so many categories held really wonderful options for winners.  There was a even a tie in the Sound Editing category this year.  I have never heard of an Oscar tie!  What an honor to share.  The performances were great, and there was even a guest appearance by our First Lady–what a surprise!  Congrats to Argo and Ben Affleck for winning Best Picture.  How exciting!

I had a great weekend fulfilling a bucket list item (more to share on that later!), date nights with the hubby, coaching basketball, and relaxing.  Looking forward to a busy week ahead as well.

Hope you all have a great week too!

XO,

Gina

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{6} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading  Still reading Book 5 in the Harry Potter series…I can’t seem to stop falling asleep on the subway lately, which is cutting into my reading time.

writing  Been taking lots of notes in my photography class.  Weird to be using a notebook and a pen again.

listening  Of course the Maryland girl has to listen to a little country every now and then.  This song is a bit of a morbid love ballad by The Band Perry, and I can’t get enough of it.  Check out “Better Dig Two.”

thinking  About my spiritual self.  It seems this is the time of year that I tend to look inside my soul.  Today is Ash Wednesday (if you didn’t already notice from the photo above), which is the start of the Lenten season.  It makes me think about what I can do to be a better person, and what I can do to help others.

smelling  Citrus tea that my boss has been brewing daily in the office.

watching  Still on my “Race to the Oscars,” and I have seen all but two films now that have been nominated for Best Picture!  I have to say, there has not been one that I have disliked so far.  Last night was Lincoln to celebrate Lincoln’s Birthday.  It was a fantastic film, and I have a feeling it just might take gold at the Oscar’s.

wishing  My butt buddie, Erin, a speedy recovery as she is undergoing Lasik eye surgery today.  Love you Munchkin!

hoping  For warmer weather on the horizon.  I’m pretty much done with cold and snow.  Unfortunately, I do not think I am going to get my wish just yet…

wearing  My “Hi” “Bye” heart sweater with leggings and combat boots.

loving  The genius behind Oreo during the Super Bowl a couple weeks ago.  Did anyone see that Twitter ad during the blackout?  Pure genius.

laughing  At my husband and neighbors this past weekend as they attempted to invent a live version of “Frogger” with this Makey Makey invention kit.  Just picture a grown man with 4 children jumping up and down around the room Dance Dance Revolution style while listening to techno music.

wanting  The doctors to come to a diagnosis for my Uncle, so he can start getting the treatment he probably needs.  He has been at Hopkins for awhile now undergoing tons of tests.  Love you Uncle Johnny.

needing  Rest.  It’s been a busy couple of weeks.  While I love keeping myself busy most of the time, I am looking forward to a little downtime at some point.

feeling  Optimistic.  I will leave it at that.

craving  This shade of MAC lipstick – Rebel – Did you know MAC recycles?  If you return 6 empty MAC products, you can get a free lipstick!  I think I just may…yay!

clicking  I have been click click clicking away on my camera since I started my photography class a couple weeks ago.  So far, I have already learned a lot, and I am looking forward to learning even more.

What have you been up to lately?

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

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A Bright New Year

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The bright color contrast between this sweater and necklace just make me happy!  I was also very excited to sport my new Michael Kors watch for the first time as well as my spike bracelet.  Thanks Mom/Dad and hubby for the Christmas presents!  The gold nail polish is left over from the festivities of the New Year, but I think it may end up being a favorite this winter.

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Photos by: Zack Notes

Sweater: GAP – similar here and here / Pants: ZARA / Shoes: Nine West – pretty alternative / Bubble Necklace: Cheerfully Charmed – similar / Rose Gold Watch: Michael Kors via Nordstrom / Bow Bracelet: BaubleBar / Spike Bracelet: ASOS / Nails: Essie Metallics Good as Gold

Happy Thursday everyone!  Did anyone happen to catch the 2013 Oscar Nominees this morning?  ParaNorman has been nominated for best animated feature.  YAY!  My company represents the studio who produced the film in the commercial world, so we are very excited over here today.

Speaking of the movies, I have been spending a lot of time there lately.  First, I saw This is 40, which although I think  was lacking in plot, made up for that fact by being extremely funny.  I donned this get-up over the weekend to head to the theatre to see another Oscar Nominated film, Les Miserables.  Of course, you know already how much I adored this film.  Lastly, I attended a special screening on Monday hosted by the Tribeca Film Institute called Cutie and the Boxer.  A lovely documentary about a Japenese artist couple.  The couple has both passion for their work as well as each other.  The dynamic between the two artists was just hilarious and adorable all at the same time.  The film will be premiering at Sundance this year.

What movies have you seen lately, and what are you faves?

XO,

Gina

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Change is Good

New name.  New layout.  New blog?  Not exactly.

I have been thinking a lot about my blog lately, and while I LOVED the premise of the “Great Freakin’ Adventures of Gina,” I realize that I was limiting myself to only posting when I accomplished a breakthrough bucket list item.  Yes, those are probably the most exciting adventures of mine, but I am constantly partaking in adventures on a daily basis that although may not be bucket list worthy, they are still worth talking about…at least in my opinion.

I have a lot of interests including fashion, film, photography, writing, travel, etc. that I was not allowing myself a creative outlet for.  So I have decided to rename my blog as “popcorn and pandas” which for those of you that really know me, know that those are two of my favorite things.  All of my earlier content is still here, so you can still catch up on all the bucket list items you missed.  However, I don’t want to pigeon hole myself into only writing about bucket list adventures any longer.  While those will still be a huge part of my blog, I will also be posting about an assortment of other interests and adventures that come my way!  You will probably see a lot of changes to some of the content and the layout of my blog in the next few months as I sort out the details of my new site.  I hope you enjoy and stick around for the ride!

XO,

Gina