Do you guys remember that Destiny's Child song, "Independent Women" that was featured in the Charlie's Angel movie...or even that movie in general? Three kick ass women fighting crime while 3 (or were there 4 members of Destinys Child at this point?) kick ass women sung the anthem of the modern working woman. Movie magic. Seriously though, that song came out in 1999 and I was just a litte girl listening to the message that it was cool for women to support themselves and treat themselves to fancy things without needing a man's help. I mean, I was definitely too young to appreciate how deep Beyoncé and crew were getting with that song, but I still have rocked out to it in the car. Fast forward 16 years and there is still nothing more inspiring to me than a strong, confident, independent woman. Political views aside, can we just talk about how freaking cool it is that there is a WOMAN who is seriously in the running for president?!?! I mean ... Think about it...100 years ago women didn't even have the right to vote and now, in 2016, there is a woman standing up in front of the entire world in a predominantly male field saying "yo bro.... I can do this!" I can't even handle it. So incredible. Personally, I like to entertain the vision of Susan B. Anthony looking down on all of us and thinking, "I mean... About time, ya fools."

So between Beyoncé, Lucy Liu and HilDog, it's clear that I've been thinking about some seriously empowering humans or better yet, "Girl Bosses". For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the phrase (serious question... Do you live under a rock?), a "girl boss" is basically anyone kicks butt and takes names. The term, #GIRLBOSS, comes from an incredibly inspiring book written by NastyGal founder and CEO, Sophia Amoruso that serves as a platform for inspiring and empowering women to be the boss of their own lives // it's pretty incredible and I highly suggest checking it out here.

Today I thought I'd share 5 of my favorite girl bosses with you. These are women all have very different backgrounds and stories, but have all inspired me in a big, big way. So here we go... Here are a few of my favorite HBIC's:

Audrey Hepburn

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It's no secret that I love and admire Audrey Hepburn. girl could rock a high pony and turtleneck combo like no one's business. One of the most appealing things about Audrey has always been her  kind heart and the legacy that she left behind. Yes, the woman had a closet that any girl would die for, but the legacy I'm talking about her isn't how amazing she looked in a LBD, but how she completely immersed herself in the service of others up until the end of her life. Audrey spent much of her later life working with UNICEF in some of the poorest countries in Africa. She even won a Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work right before she passed away. How amazing... to be  that successful and that famous and to choose to give up your lifestyle to go be with those who have nothing...a true icon. I also read in a book once that she ate pasta once a day (disclaimer: I'm not entirely sure just how true this is, but I like to imagine it to be a fact.)

Tina Fey & Amy Poehler

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This list would not be complete without this duo. Forget Taylor Swift's girl gang, this is #squadgoals. Not only are these two accomplished actresses and comedians, they are also two of the most influential and intelligent women around. Between Tina writing (and co-starring in) Mean Girls and Amy's #SmartGirls red carpet and social media campaign, these two are changing the way the world views women in comedy, an industry that until recently was predominantly made up of men. If anyone ever tries to tell you women aren't funny, tell them to watch literally anything these two are a part of. A personal favorite of mine is the SNL skit of Tina as Sarah Palin and Amy as Hillary Clinton .... Also good if you need a good ab workout!! (Sidenote: check otheir books here & here for more badass, LOL, girl power goodness.)


Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG)



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The OG girl boss. Ruth was once asked when there will be enough women on the Supreme Court, to which she replied: there will be enough women on the Supreme Court when there are 9. Snaps for Ruth, the ultimate badass. I really don't think I need to say anything else. 


 Grace Helbig

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Grace is a YouTube star, New York Times Best Seller, and all around comedy genius. Seriously... When I grow up I want to be half as funny as Grace. I've been watching her videos for awhile now and whether she's doing a monthly favorites video or waxing her legs on camera for the very first time, you can guarantee that I am laughing hysterically. Grace is changing the comedy game and I highly suggest that you check out her podcast, "Not Too Deep'" in which she interviews other content creators and asks ridiculously funny questions, or her books Grace's Guide: the Art of Pretending to be a Grown-Up & Grace & Style: the Art of Pretending You Have It, two "self-help" books that are very cheeky and very hilarious. Grace doesn't take herself too seriously and her sense of humor is incredibly refreshing. If you're not gonna read her books, at least watch this video in which she talks about the presidential hopefuls' style (or lack there of). V funny.

That's my list, but I'd LOVE to hear some of yours - Leave me a comment telling me who your favorite #girlboss is!!

Cheers,

Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself...

Holy Cow! Remember me?

It has been far, far, far too long since I've sat down to write. I think it's about time that we resurrect this sweet little abandoned blog ... What do ya say?

Since we've last seen each other, a lot has changed. Life got a little bit crazy there for a second, but I'm back! I figured I'd spend this morning catching you up on some of the changes. So, grab a cup of coffee and catch up with me!

- I got a new job! After a lot of back and forth about making a career jump, I bit the bullet and took a job with a company that I am head over heels obsessed with! I can't imagine working anywhere else.
-I moved! I'm now only a short walk or uber ride away from my favorite spots in the city (the art museum, Bakersfield, and 1215 to name a few)
-I found a new workout routine that I LOVE! (And can't wait to rave about in a later post) Thanks, Allison!
-I turned 25! I'm now officially a quarter of a century old.... Eek! Just kidding.. Aside from my hangovers reminding me that I'm not 22 anymore every time I drink, 25 isn't so scary.
-I stopped going to Starbucks (with the exception of the occasional cup of tea or midday Americano) If you know me, you know this is maaaaajor!
-I dyed my hair for the very first time (well... Sorta... I put some balayage highlights in there cuz why not?)
-I traveled to Vegas for the first time with my best friends and almost married two men named Michael (I think) -- aren't you proud, mom?

And honestly some things are exactly the same...

-Cupcakes and champagne are STILL my love language
- I STILL go through the McDs window for a Coke over ice
- I STILL have a love/hate relationship with The Bachelor
-I STILL monogram everything
-I STILLcannot function before 8am without a cup of coffee
- I STILL love Taylor Swift
-I STILL love mac&cheese
-...and I STILL have a (many) bottle (bottles) of wine on hand for any impromptu emergency or celebration (HEY! Sometimes you need to pop a bottle of bubbly to celebrate on a Tuesday simply because you made it through the day without wanting to punch anyone in the face! - don't lie, we've all been there.)

SO much more has changed since last January, and TBH I feel like a brand new person when I think back to last year...BUT! One thing is for certain, I am so glad to be back here writing and sharing my life with you! 

I'll see you all on Thursday with a brand new post!

Cheers!

Current Obsession: Gilmore Girls

Friends,

I have a major confession to make. I cannot stop watching Gilmore Girls. All day. Everyday.

Everyone and their mother has been blogging about their Gilmore Girls obsession, subsequently fueling mine, but hey... if ya can't beat 'em, join 'em, right? Carly from The College Prepster blogged about finding the ultimate Rory Gilmore reading list on Buzzfeed which includes every book that Rory talks about in the series... that is one loooong (339 books) reading list. Has anyone ever attempted this?

This show is just too good to resist. I mean, the cheeky characters from the quaint and quirky little town of Stars Hollow, the presh mother-daughter relationship between Rory and Lorelai, all of Rory's different boys throughout the seasons, LUKE... Everything about this show is absolute, literal perfection.

I've laughed big, hard, loud belly laughs and I've cried big, ugly, Kim Kardashian tears. This show just gives me all of the feels. I never really watched it when it was on air. I would catch reruns after school on ABC Family every once in a while, but I never watched the series unfold from start to finish.

One thing this show has definitely done for me is magnify my coffee addiction. Every time Lorelai says "coffee coffee coffee" or Luke pours a cup into one of his kitchy mismatched mugs, I run to my Keurig, power that baby on, and pop in one of those cute little pods. It just doesn't feel right to watch the show without a cup of my own.

So, I have a question for you all -- who's your favorite Gilmore Girls character? I'd love to know!! I absolutely love Melissa McCarthy, so Sookie has always been a personal favorite.

p.s. I'm currently on Season 5 and I mean....team Luke forever and ever. I don't know how the series ends, so don't spoil it for me pleeeease.

Weekend Notes

Hi, friends!!

Wow - Sunday already. I always have a hard time coming to grips with Sunday evenings turning into Monday mornings. The weekends go way too fast!!

I hope you all had a lot of fun this weekend and got into all kinds of crazy shenanigans (or took lots of cat naps...whichever is more your speed).

I have a love/hate relationships with weekends most of the time due to my retail schedule. A weekend completely off is a one-a-month kind of luxury. Most weekends I spend the majority of my time folding clothes and hanging out at the mall...nothing crazy exciting.

Some weekends, like this one, are a complete and total breath of fresh air. I was off Friday and Sunday. A-MAZ-ING.

I spent most of Friday morning cleaning and relaxing. I slept in a little bit, which was phenomenal, and then binge watched Gilmore Girls and cleaning my apartment. Super low key. Super relaxing. After a peaceful day of laying around doing (practically) nothing, I was ready for some fun and some company. I ended up making plans to go out to dinner with two of my dear friends -- the couple who got married on National Wear Your Lilly Day (#NWYLD). I have not seen these two in (what feels like) ages, and it was so lovely to catch up with the two of them. The conversation was wonderful and we talked, laughed, reminisced, and celebrated the fact the Ben, Elizabeth's hubby, got a new job (yay!!) Dinner was yummy (all of the pasta, all of the carbs), and I was so ready to hit the hay when I got home.

Saturday was mainly spent at work and I finally took down my Christmas tree -- hold your judgment, please!!

Today was the cherry on top of a great weekend. I really love having a Sunday off every once in a while. Sundays just might be my favorite day of the week, but this Sunday was super special. My friend Sasha was in town visiting Elizabeth (from Sweet Spaces) and we all made plans to go to brunch and celebrate reuniting with a few mimosas and some delish breakfast food.

Sasha and I were both bridesmaids in Elizabeth's wedding and have been friends ever since. She lives in Virginia, so I never get to see her anymore (boo!!) -- brunch was definitely a fun time! Elizabeth warned me that she was going to be wearing her newest Lilly dress and Sasha is always wearing something adorable, which meant that I couldn't just roll out of bed and go to brunch in my workout gear (aka, my typical brunch attire). It was a great excuse to have to get up and put together a cute outfit. I mean, who doesn't love an excuse to dress up a little bit?!

Isn't Elizabeth's Kate Spade clutch just to die for!?! I have some serious bag envy.

After brunch, we headed out to do some shopping at the Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, and HomeGoods. Sasha found an adorable leather skirt and Elizabeth picked up a pack of makeup removing wipes. I was on the hunt for a Kate Spade mug I had seen the other day, but for some reason (I'm claiming temporary insanity) I passed..... It's pretty much all I've been thinking about ever since... it was $12 and a pretty blue color that read "seize the day" on the inside rim... and it matches my "skirt the rules" mug perfectly.... but I digress. We ended with a quick trip to Starbucks for a latte (and a pastry to satisfy my sweet tooth). It was truly a lovely Sunday afternoon !!

Lipgloss: Smashbox // Shirt: Old Navy // Necklace: J Crew Factory // Skirt: J Crew Factory // Boots: Jessica Simpson // Boot Socks: Target //  Nails: OPI Shim Merry Chic // Watch & Bracelet: Kate Spade 

After our little afternoon date, I headed home to change (sort of) to head to dinner at my boyfriend's parents' house. His family does a cute little family dinner every Sunday evening -- such a great excuse to slow down, sit down, and talk to each other about all of the fun and new things going on in their lives. I love that his family does this and definitely think that it's time I set aside a time each week to hang out with my parents (mom & dad, since I know you're reading this -- when are we getting together!?!).

Shirt: Old Navy // Vest: Old Navy // Necklace: JCrew Factory // Jeans: Gap // Boots: Jessica Simpson // Watch & Bracelet: Kate Spade

Now I'm winding down, watching more Gilmore Girls (I'm on some seriously emotionally damaging episodes and may or may not have been sobbing while I've been writing this post), and catching up on all of my thank you notes. Today has just been glorious.

Let me know how you all spent your weekend!! I can't wait to hear all the juicy details!!

10 Life Lessons I've Learned From Carrie Bradshaw

My biggest, wildest dream has always been to be Carrie Bradshaw. Ever since I watched my first episode of Sex & the City, I have idolized Carrie. Her confidence, her apartment, her man, her job, her closet -- I wanted it all! Fast forward about 9 or so years, and not much has changed. Just tonight, while talking to my bff Elizabeth, I casually dropped into the conversation how much blogging makes me feel a teeny tiny bit closer to achieving my dream of morphing into Carrie Bradshaw.

Seriously. That closet.

Thinking about all of this makes me giggle a little bit, but in all honesty, why? Carrie Bradshaw is a fantastic role model. Sure she made a ton of mistakes throughout the series, but ultimately, she was an icon. There's a reason the series is still successful to this day. Carrie is the epitome of "girl power". She had an amazing writing career, incredible friendships, and the strongest sense of self of any fictional character I know.

Today, I'm going to share 10 of the best pieces of advice, or life lessons, that I have learned from Miss Carrie Bradshaw.

disclaimer: If you've never seen Sex & the City 1) um... what? and 2) call me up ASAP - I have the collectors edition and a few bottles of red ... or we can make cosmopolitans (her signature cocktail). Seriously, we'll have ladies night.

10 Life Lessons I've Learned From Carrie Bradshaw

1, It's a totally wonderful thing to be a strong, single woman.

"Being single used to mean that nobody wanted you. Now it means you're pretty, sexy, & you're taking your time deciding how you want your life to be & who you want to spend it with"

What an important lesson to learn in your early twenties. This time last year I was going through a strange phase in my life. All of my best friends were happily coupled off. One was married, one was engaged, and one was in a wonderful relationship with a man who adored her. Then there was me.... alone. I envied my friend's happiness and relationships and hoped that one day I would be as lucky. While it is definitely a great feeling to be in a secure, healthy relationship with a person who thinks you're the sun and the moon, it is equally wonderful to be alone and to be secure with that. Being single and confident in yourself is an amazing feeling. The biggest thing this taught me is that my time is valuable and that I am wonderful. Single and fabulous (exclamation point)!

2. It is 100% okay not to be a perfect, domestic, stepford wife.

"I will never be the woman with the perfect hair who can wear white & not spill on it"

Those friends I referred to above? Yes. Those girls are the definition of domestic goddesses. I, on the other hand, am a mediocre cook (at best), a decent baker, and I do not think of my life 5 years in the future. Don't get me wrong, I think that being a little bit stepford wife-y is fantastic -- I just will never be that girl. For example, I recently decided that I would buy crisp, beautiful, white sheets to match my beautiful white comforter... the actual, literal night that I purchased these sheets, I may or may not have spilled red white all over (spoiler alert: I did). But you know what? I like myself, messes and all.

3. Your true friends will always be there for you, throughout every season of your life.

"They say nothing lasts forever, dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style"

I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. Nothing better than true friends who will always love you even if you suck sometimes. (Shout out to Kourtney, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth for being literally the best).

4. Just because people move on and chase their dreams, it doesn't mean that they will no longer be a huge part of your life.

"After all, seasons change, so do cities. People come into your life & people go, but it's comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart & if you're very lucky, a plane ride away."

No matter where life takes you, the people who truly matter will always be there for you to celebrate all of the important matters in your life. I am so fortunate to have girlfriends who are so supportive of my decisions and goals and these girls know that I back them 100% no matter what. How lucky am I?

5. It is so important to love yourself before you can expect anyone to love you.

"The most exciting, challenging, & significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself...& if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous"

There is no sense being in a relationship if you feel you have to hide your flaws or insecurities from your significant other. In order to be in a truly rewarding relationship, I think that is is so, so, so important to be totally, completely, comfortable with yourself first. 

6. Just because a relationship doesn't last, doesn't mean that your feelings are/were invalid.

"Some love stories aren't epic novels. Some are short stories, but that doesn't make them any less filled with love."

Just because something doesn't last forever, doesn't mean it wasn't an important time in your life. People come into our lives for a reason and sometimes that reason is hard to see in the present moment. Everyone teaches us some sort of lesson. What we take away from each failed relationship is what is truly important and significant; just because it didn't work out in the long run, doesn't mean that the feelings were never there/

7. It is okay to leave some things in the past.

"Maybe the past is like an anchor holding us back. Maybe you have to let go of who you were to become who you will be."

While everything and everyone we meet teaches us a lesson of some sort, some people just aren't meant to stay in our lives forever. It is 100% okay to cut people out of your life if they do not fit into your dreams. If someone isn't willing to support you and your crazy ideas, do you really need to make it a priority to keep them in your life?

8. You are perfect just the way you are. You do not need to conform to any societal norms to make other people happy.

"Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free til they find someone just as wild to run with them."

There is no reason in life to be anything but happy. Do everything you want to do. Do them with the people who want to do these things with you. Don't change who you are or what you want for someone else.

9. Never judge another person's relationship.

"When it comes to relationships, maybe we're all in glass houses & shouldn't throw stones because you can never really know. Some people are settling down, some are settling, and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies."

It is so easy to have an opinion about every aspect of your friends' relationships. It's so easy to look from the outside and judge the decisions people make, but why? Everyone has their own quirks or problems, it's a part of life. As long as our friends are happy, what other business do we have sticking our nose where it doesn't belong? I think the major lesson here is to learn to be supportive. If your friends are happy, that is all that matters.

10. Sometimes you have to make not-so-logical decisions. Sometimes you have to follow your heart.

"Sometimes you gotta quit thinking so much. If it feels right, it probably is. So just go with it."

& as a bonus.... my all-time favorite, justify all of my life decisions, quote.....

"It wasn't logic. It was love"

forever searching for Mr. Big.

I'd love to hear some of your favorite Sex & the City quotes!
Until next time

Cheers,

* all pictures were found in a pinterest search