friday favorites :: car tunes

For some reason I woke up from an awful nightmare last night... I rarely remember my dreams, but when I do, it's not good 90% of the time. So, if this post makes no sense, blame it on my bad REM cycles. I need coffee. Also, I bought hand sanitizer yesterday for my desk at work. Except I tried to use it this morning and realized it's not sanitizer, it's soap. I strongly believe the two products should be separated in the store. On the plus side, our women's bathroom got some great new soap this morning...

I wanted to post all the random music I've been listening to over and over again in my car this week. There may be a guilty pleasure or two in there (don't judge). Enjoy & have a great Super Bowl weekend!

bad quality,  but go listen to this song recorded. i love it.

an anthem of sorts for my life.

i know i've posted this one before, but i can't get enough.

these boys are just the best. i mean, their harmonies... come on!

something reminded me of this song this week.

i'm seeing this guy in march.

and there's the guilty pleasure haha i can't resist FOB... throw in haley williams and you've got yourself a deal!

throwback thursday :: the sick diaries

As seen on Instagram (@sarahfisch) and my overloaded iPhone photo library!

I'm calling this one the Sick Diaries! Hooray. 

1. Notice my cozy feet. These + good socks are necessary for combating sickness.

2. Hot water with lemon juice and honey. (This will save your throat. I drank tons of this stuff and didn't get a sore throat at all! Tea is good too, but I didn't have any.) 

3. At the beginning of my sickness I had a fancy dinner  planned with some girlfriends. Do you know how hard it is to try to coordinate four busy schedules? I was not about to re-do that. So I went and prayed that I wouldn't sneeze all over the fancy bread. (In case you're wondering, we went to La Scala. Excellent! And we got all dressed up and did our hair and makeup together in my tiny bathroom.)

4. I've been eating really well this month (see yesterday's post), and this is one of my favorite meals. Salmon, sweet potato, and edamame. 

5. At the end of sickness, I resumed working out. This is what it looks like. I know you don't care, I just like my pink yoga mat.

6. How I generally feel during my workouts.

 Part 2 is all things that are good!

1. One of my best friends who came over when I was sick to have girl time and eat beef jerky while drinking a protein shake. She also worked on her amazing art project and we ate orange chicken and watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2). I love her.
2. My corgi friend! This little girl is so loving... she always climbs into my lap and wants to snuggle when I'm at my friend's house.
3. The other pup that lives with Maggie the Corgi. This is Bailey... she is anxious and weird and a hot mess, but she will stay by your side forever (mostly because she is afraid to ever leave you).
4. My roommate made me eggs and bacon when I was sick! She was a godsend. Also, she burned all the bacon by accident... luckily, I love burned bacon. The crispier the better! She was appalled by this but let me eat four pieces of it anyway.
5. A meal I saw recently on @bleubird's Instagram. Sauteed kale with a fried egg on top! I mixed my kale with olive oil, hot sauce and Old Bay.

And there you have it! I'm glad to report that I am feeling much better (though the continual Polar Vortex is not helping). Until tomorrow!

what they wore :: scarves, and other tales of 10° weather

Apparently we are not done with the Polar Vortex-esque weather. It's 10 degrees and I am beginning to dream of jobs that have a strict "no walking in frigid temperatures" policy. Sigh. But I got up this morning, brushed the newly fallen snow off my car, and drove to work. Here is a pet peeve of mine: when I go to cross the street while walking to my building and the crosswalk timer is just ending, so I have to wait for a whole new cycle of green-light-to-red-light. First world problems. Also, I'm pretty sure my thighs were frozen this morning. They were the only bit of me besides my face that didn't have an extra layer.

Here are two items I cannot live without during this freezing time of life. One is scarves. The second one is ear warmer things. (Do these have an official name?)

The scarf selection from H&M is really beautiful. One thing I hate to sacrifice for staying warm is style. Scarves like these are long so you can layer and wrap them around your neck and keep out the cold, then re-style to be more fashionable when you get inside! Love.

Knit scarves are the best. They offer a level of comfort and warmth that you can only dream about in the midst of a Polar Vortex. If you have knitting friends, I strongly recommend you commission them to make you a knit scarf :) Otherwise, grab this one from H&M. (In case you haven't noticed, all good things come from H&M.)

Warning: I do not own a hat like this. However, I frequently see them on other women walking around and their heads look so warm. I may have to cave! Especially if the inside is fleece-lined.

Ear warmers: ugly or justified? You decide. Either way, they are necessary right now. I don't care who you are... your ears will thank you when you're out in the cold. 

My favorite winter pick! The crochet headband. It keeps your ears and forehead warm, and you can layer a hoodie over your head with it. The one shown is from Etsy and the very similar one I own is from Target, but isn't available anymore. (I kind of want this one more, though!)

If you're going for super pretty, Forever 21 has some lovely scarves out right now for amazing prices. (The one above is only $8!)

And when in doubt, just go for the hat. I should wear hats more. Maybe next winter I will have a hat obsession.

all images are from the product websites.

Stay warm, friends!

the talk :: clean eating

image via weheartit

There has been a lot of talk about the subject of eating clean lately. Naturally (pun intended), I wanted to give my two cents since that's what I do best! First of all, let me preface by saying that I thought I was being healthy for years... before all this hype started, before things were labeled as bad for you, before any of this became a trend (and I do believe it's a trend, but also beneficial). Little did I know I was still eating preservatives and unnecessary sugars, and nowhere near the amount of veggies I should be. I like the quote above because it is so true. 

Take a minute to think about what you put in your body daily. I want to address this because I have made changes in my diet that I never thought I could, or would. Once you get in the routine of eating what you like, it's kind of hard to get out of it. But our bodies are better served and more functional when we aren't filling them with things that have minimal or no health benefits. This is not meant to be a "get on my soapbox" post, it is simply to share the changes I've personally made to make a better diet a part of my daily life. Here are some things that have made me feel better overall:

1. No more than one cup of coffee a day. I was never an all-day coffee drinker, though I have worked with plenty of them. Coffee, in fact, has antioxidants and isn't bad for you. It's how much you drink and what you put in it that matters. Instead of using creamer in my coffee, I now use vanilla almond milk or coconut milk.

2. Read the labels. I can't stress this one enough. Have you ever actually looked at what is in your food? I know I didn't. A good rule of thumb is if you can't pronounce what's on the ingredients list or you have no idea what it is, it's probably best to stay away and find a healthier, natural alternative. Side note: some good things are just defined by their scientific name, like ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). It's a good idea to Google anything that you don't understand and see if it has any actual health benefits or if it's a useless chemical.

3. Make substitutions. This is a HUGE one for me. Once I figured out that some of my favorite foods are not so good for me, I didn't know how I would live! (So dramatic.) Trust me when I say that it is easier than you think to substitute healthier options for the things your body craves. For example, I love pasta. LOVE IT. Instead of white pasta (or even wheat), opt for quinoa pasta (I get mine at Trader Joes). The ingredients are quinoa (a super high source of protein) and brown rice. The next time you look at a box of white pasta, look at the ingredients list. I guarantee you it will be written in foreign language. I also use spaghetti squash instead of real spaghetti, and olive oil, lemon juice, and hot sauce for salad or pasta dressings. Take a look around the internet for healthy substitutions for your personal favorite foods.

4. Portion size. This one is common knowledge, right? Well, I still wasn't following this rule for a long time. While I am not overweight, I am a classic over-eater. I could sit down with a huge bowl of pasta or snacks and just EAT. Some things that help me fix that problem are only cooking with nutritional ingredients, using smaller plates, and following the rule of protein the size of your fist, small side of veggies, small side of grains. And choosing healthy snacks like carrots and hummus instead of chips... or if you must have chips, pita or corn tortilla chips. Just not the whole bag!

5. Cutting down on not so healthy things that I can't entirely give up. I love cheese. It's just a fact, and I don't want to live without it. But even low-fat cheese can be bad for you when you eat a ton of it in your pasta or have grilled cheese every day (oh, college times). Now, I choose a less fatty one like feta and sprinkle it lightly through salads and quinoa pasta if I must have it. And making cheese sauce out of cashews is a good alternative for things like mac and cheese if you get a strong craving. Sounds weird, but non-dairy people swear by it.

6. Completely cutting out things with zero nutritional value. We have all eaten things that don't do anything whatsoever for our bodies. We crave them because our bodies become addicted to them over time. The biggest one is soda. I have never been a big soda drinker except for ginger ale once in a blue moon. For those of you who drink one a day or more, hear me when I say this is doing nothing for you. There is nothing nutritional or good in soda. I guarantee that if you replace your soda with water or at least substitute seltzer, you will notice a difference in how you feel. If you drink it for the caffeine, I recommend weaning yourself off and replacing it with a smaller daily intake of coffee or tea. If you think there is no harm to it, realize that soda is nothing but chemicals (especially the diet ones), and daily consumption does affect your health. It may seem impossible to give it up, but your body will get used to it, and  you will feel the difference. Sorry if I'm preaching at you here, but this is one item I feel passionate about!

I am by no means a nutritionist or a health food expert, so don't think I am trying to be. I have simply seen the benefits of eating well and making positive changes in my own life, and I wanted to share. I didn't think it would be possible for me to even make those changes at one point in time, so if I can do it, you can too. Don't beat yourself up if you relapse into a bad habit, just try to do better the next time. And of course, pair eating well with some type of exercise a few times a week to really reap the benefits. I really enjoy Way of Gray: awesome workouts that take only 30-40 minutes, with healthy recipes and food substitutions that Sophie uses in her own daily life. Clean eating may be a trendy thing in the world right now, but it's a trend your body can get on board with.

music monday :: lou doillon

Friends, my apologies for not posting on Friday! I came down with a cold Thursday night that kept me from doing anything productive the whole weekend. I just laid around with massive amounts of tissues, Zicam, and hot water with lemon and honey. Still getting over it but the worst is behind me!

image via google

I wanted to introduce you to someone I've been listening to lately... Lou Doillon. It's not too often you hear of a model turned musician, so I was immediately interested in her story. She began her music career by co-writing songs and then released her album "Places" in 2012. 

I listened to the album via Spotify and loved that it was a record with commentary. She explains the songs and her viewpoints, which I enjoyed a lot. Her sound reminded me a little of Feist mixed with someone I can't put my finger on. See if you think the same! 

Have a great start to your week!

throwback thursday :: when it's cold outside

I'm back in the office today after being holed up in my house since Friday. Well, technically that's not true. I was out with friends all weekend. But I hadn't left my house to go to work until today! Monday was lovely since our manager let us work from home for a holiday we technically don't get. And then... it snowed. And snowed some more. 8 or so inches later, my roommate and I had a fun-filled work at home snow day! Our favorite! Work laptops and cookies and snowflake watching and rerun episodes of Happy Endings. Then the temperature decided it was going to be 10 degrees eternally and never go back up again. Not our favorite: ice, shoveling, not seeing road lines, and bitter cold. Oh, and low tire pressure on my car (thanks for the alert, Sangria). I am so ready for summer. Any season where I can get up at 6 AM and it feels like a sunny afternoon is the best.

So, here's a recap of my snow day week in pictures. Side note: I was pretty boring.

Outside my house when the pre-snow madness was starting.

I adore Mindy Kaling, so I was excited to read her book! Finished that one, and moved on to the next. (While wearing my favorite snow day leggings!)

This is where I spend my Wednesday and Sunday nights, playing music and admiring stained glass windows. My church rents this space... it's 175 years old and has an amazing pipe organ.

My roommate always stands at our door watching the snow fall. And I always take a sneaky picture of her and post it to Instagram (@sarahfisch).

My teacher friend Tricia had the day off, so she came over and we had sushi for lunch, talked about her upcoming wedding (yay!), and played some music. I love this girl. (I also love that white blanket. SO SOFT.)

And as always... NICK MILLER. This is the Nick I'll be channeling at my fancy dinner with friends tomorrow night. Happy Thursday!

what they wore :: snow gear

Since we have had more snow in a couple of months than in the past three years, I felt I should share some weather-appropriate clothes. Mind you, I don't own most of these since I never leave my house in the bad weather (and since my  designated snow uniform is patterned leggings and hoodies). It's just a rule of my life. But if I do venture out of the house into a snowdrift one day, these are what I want to be wearing!

This quilted jacket. It also keeps in mind that in the midst of a blizzard, you may need to text you loved ones to alert them that you have severe frostbite or got stuck while trying to snowshoe to your boyfriend's house by adding a special smartphone pocket. 

The name of these leggings is enough for me. I mean, Cozy on the Couch? It's like they know me or something. 

You may have seen these in one of my recent posts. I'm a big fan of Minnetonka slippers and they have some awesome boots as well. Perfect for lounging on the couch (yet again) or running out to your car to scrape off ice in a pinch. Or collecting your trash cans from outside your alley fence so no one hits them with their car. 

First and foremost, you must ignore this outfit. Please, never go out in denim shorts with platform boots and these socks. I wish I could meet the stylist of this shoot to say, "You're doing it wrong." Now that we've got that out of the way, just look at these awesome socks! Over-the-knee socks have been my thing this winter. I wear them over leggings, under jeans and work pants, and they keep me so warm. I highly recommend having at least four pairs. Oh heck, why not make it seven. 

Fair isle patterns are the thing this season, in case you haven't noticed. And cardigans are always my thing (I am the queen of cardi's, just ask my closet). Put them together and you have one of my favorite combos! This cardigan looks cozy and fun all at once. And when you have something as patterned as this, it's incredibly easy to just throw it over a plain tee and jeans and call it a day. Easy peasy, I'm all about it.

Check out some of the great sales from these companies as the winter season starts to wind down and spring lines are coming out! Lots of places are having 50% off sales and now is the time to start stocking your closet for next winter... and for the second coming of the Polar Vortex (Lord help us all).

the talk :: life in a list

image via weheartit

It's snow day #4! We are supposed to get the most we've had this year... 5-10 inches. The roommate and I are going to spend the day on our work laptops while making cookies and never changing clothes :) And for your reading pleasure, head over to Bubby & Bean to read about my 2014 goals! Thanks for letting me share, Melissa! 

1. So happy to be getting back into reading books. It's such a good way to unwind at the end of the day before going to sleep, and much better than being on electronic devices. I'll post a list of what I've been reading soon!
2. I'm beyond blessed to work from home on snow or sick days and not take my vacation time. Thank you Jesus.
3. January has been my month for eating clean, and I have to say, I am doing a very good job of it! I've even made good choices while going out to eat. I had this amazing ahi tuna salad this weekend. Cooking more has been fun, too. I'm planning to make a healthy version of chocolate chip cookies today, so we'll see how those turn out.
4. I love when musicians make albums that include their personal commentary. I'll share one that I'm listening to in particular for the next Music Monday!
5. Is it wrong that I want to live my whole life in leggings and sweatshirts? It is my firm belief that getting dressed is overrated.
6. I spent my whole weekend with groups of different friends, and I loved it. Friday night I was with my college loves, Saturday morning I had a brunch party with the lovely women from my church, and that night I hung out with a couple high school friends. Sunday was with my church people and an old college friend I hadn't seen in forever. I actually went to her church in the morning, and she came to mine in the evening. It was so great to share in each other's experiences after not being together for a long time!
7. I have a bunch of material I need to start recording... but it's so hard with roommates (no offense to them, obviously I love them)! I never want to disturb anyone's quiet. I wish I had the money to rent out an isolated, creative space to work in. One day!
8. "Adventureland" was on TV Sunday night, which I had never seen. I only watched it because Jesse Eisenberg was in it, and I like him. And it had Kristen Stewart, who I only watch for her emotionless expressions that are characteristic of every single movie she does. I found myself loving their story, how much he cared about her from the very beginning. It's kind of a dumb movie but I liked the pair of them.
9. I'm sure a bunch of you out there watch Parenthood. I have such a love-hate relationship with it right now. Come on, Joel. Get your ish together, for the love of all of us watching!
10. Thanks for reading all of this and pretending you care. And to my multiple friends who have told me they read the blog, I so appreciate you. Even though I'm sure you're doing it so I won't call you a bad friend :)

Also, this:

Love them, love his moves. Always.

music monday :: rising fawn

image via google

You guys have read my posts or at least heard of Eisley before, right? There's a special connection between them and Rising Fawn.  The girls' own sister, Chauntelle DuPree, has finally made her way from backup singer to lead in her own band alongside her husband, Todd D'Agostino. What I love about this band is that Chauntelle very much brings an Eisley-esque vibe to the table again, but in her own way. She has a voice that has long complimented her sisters, but it's such a great thing to hear her on her own. Her music is full of the indie stuff that I can't get enough of... haunting melodies and the most wonderful harmonies, dreamy rhythms, plus a voice that doesn't quit. It's got the perfect mix of the Eisley element that I have forever loved and Chauntelle's original sound. I really enjoy Chauntelle and Todd's writing style as well. I can't wait to hear what else they come up with in the future! For now, here's a little something to start your week off right!

friday favorites :: tiny houses & such

I've discovered that Fridays are for running late and somehow ending up at work on time. Go figure. Also, you know how people make fun of women who drink hot coffee out of a straw? I have one word for you: L I P S T I C K.

On to Friday Faves!

all images via google

I had to make a Christmas return to Amazon and bought these Sperrys with my refund. I used to hate gold and was strictly a silver person, but clearly things change. And I'm now a weird hipster/preppy hybrid, apparently. I don't even know me.

Doesn't this Minnetonka slipper look like the most comfortable thing in the world?!

I also ordered one of my favorite childhood books from Amazon. Can't wait to read it again!

Just look at this tiny house from the Tiny Project blog! You seriously have to go look at the interior photos. It's dreamy. Plus, the guy built it himself and lives there with his girlfriend and dog. What a crazy experience! I secretly want one for myself.

Around the interwebs, Lark & Lace is a blog I'm enjoying this week!

The Bachelor recaps from the I Hate Green Beans blog are my favorite every season. Lincee is so funny! I can't read it at work anymore because I die laughing.

Best of all... 99¢ Dunkin! Hallelujah.

Tonight means dinner and drinks with good friends... have a great weekend!

throwback thursday :: this week in photos

Let's review what's gone on this week, shall we?

My coworker gives us flowers every few weeks. It's lovely. Unfortunately, every time I Instagram them, someone asks what guy gave them to me. Sigh. No guy... just a nice lady named Michelle. (I don't care how many times I get asked that question, I'm going to keep Instagramming!)

Last Friday I went to Slainte and had Guinness & soup. Our Irishman server called me "his kind of woman" because I ordered Guinness. (WIN!)

Also, the pub had a giant red chair, which we took turns posing in and getting weird looks from people coming up the stairs. No regrets.

Then we relocated to the downstairs bar and had Irish coffee!

After cheers, we drank it. Then my friends requested more whipped cream, so our bartender put a mountain of it on to be funny. They made me drink the rest of both of their coffees so they could just eat the whipped cream. I'd like to point out that I'm a good friend for doing this, considering the amount of whiskey that was in those.

These are my awesome friends! (See the whipped cream?!) Also, there was an excellent local band playing, so of course I had to talk to them and get their info. I'll probably post about them soon.

We went home and all three of us slept in my friend's queen bed. That only works when you have true friendship, by the way. In the morning, we went to this Starbucks that was in a really cool space... lots of exposed brick and very open.

I had my usual (a skinny vanilla latte) and a breakfast sandwich. Also, I was le tired. 

My best friend sent me this picture of my puphew. He is THE sweetest. If you disagree, leave this blog and never come back. (Just kidding. But really....) 

I drank organic hot chocolate gifted to me from a friend because it was cold. And because I'll drink anything as long as it's in this mug.

This is actually not from this week. It's probably from a few months ago. But it's a dessert that my roommate made me and I loved it! Vanilla ice cream, blackberries, chocolate. 

My view from work when I get there first thing in the morning. If it wasn't so cold, I'd probably sneak out and go sit by the harbor to get a better view. (And if I wouldn't get fired for not being at work.)

Wine times! My friend Amanda gave me this wine for Christmas, and the glass below. I have a thing for stemless wine glasses. She knows me.

These leggings are, in fact, the best leggings in existence. They are knit and patterned and everything that is good. If it was socially acceptable to wear these every day, I would. (I'm sure my coworkers would be thrilled.)

I have started eating healthier and I'm discovering new replacements for things I love but aren't super great for you. Example: white pasta = not so good. I cooked with quinoa pasta for the first time the other night and it was great! I added all these veggies and instead of sauce, used olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Delish!

The finished product... yum! Leftovers all week! There's nothing I hate more than having to make a legit lunch at 6 AM. That's when PBJ kicks in.

With my wine, of course. And brussels sprouts! Roasted with olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt. Even if you're a sprouts hater, try it. I used to hate them too, but I love them this way.

I made a trip to the library and finally got around to reading this! She's so funny.

Last night we had band practice and it was my friend's birthday. He ended up not being able to make it... so we happily ate all his doughnuts! While I texted him pictures of it happening. Happy birthday, Aaron! :)

In the middle of practice with my people. Love it, love them. 

And one of my favorite photos of the week! Pomegranate, the snack of champions.