Zero 7 - Throw It All Away

How on Earth did I forget about this song? I think i listened to it everyday in 2006.

Candles, Candles, Candles.

One of the most cherished things in my life is scent. I've always had a really great sense of smell (sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes a bad thing) and as I get older & create my own little home, the importance of filling your space with a great smell is extremely clear to me. Since I've been back to Savannah, all I want to do is buy different candles with warm and cozy scents and light them every time I'm home.

While it's not exactly fall weather out right now (hi, 87 degrees?) I'm in absolute denial about it because today is the first day of Autumn. So that's that. See you later summer, even if it's hot & humid out for a little bit longer. So, the next best thing besides already transitioning into sweater weather attire (thank god for overly air conditioned classrooms) is lighting crisp and comfy fall scented candles.

Buying candles off Etsy might seem a little crazy at first because everyone wants to smell a candle before purchasing it, and with Etsy, you obviously can't do that. However, I was in the mood to shop for some truly original, homemade, good quality candles and decided to take a chance. I immediately found 4th Street Candle Co. and fell in love with all of the magically described mason jar filled candles. They are all hand poured, dye free soy candles. I ordered Basil Sage Mint & Autumn Magic, but was accidentally sent Apple Butter Caramel and Pumpkin Creme Brulee. As soon as I opened the package, my whole apartment smelled like I had been baking sweet Autumn pies all night long.

Andrea, the owner, even insisted on sending me the two original candles I ordered for free which was absolutely so kind and one of the reasons why Etsy rules. Everything is so personal and helpful when you find the right shop. So I'll own not two but four fantastic candles from 4th Street Candle Co and you should head on over as well! Lighting these just make your day ten times more comfy.

Recipe Round Ups

It's a lazy Friday afternoon (SCAD always has off on Fridays which usually make for busy work days or lazy cozy days...work can wait til Saturday & Sunday sometimes) and although I did wind up being pro-active by doing laundry and cleaning, I also perused the internet extensively. From next to my kitchen sink. Let's just say that the realtor that handle's my landlord's responsibilities when he's not here, SUCKS and is dishonest & unreliable. You'd think that since I pay more for this apartment than my last one, the management would be fantastic. Nope. In fact, just the opposite. So until Comcast installs my own connection on Tuesday, I will be stuck next to my tiny kitchen window & sink if I want to go online. #firstworldproblems, i know.

So since I was conveniently located in the kitchen, I decided I needed some culinary inspiration so of course I went straight to Small Kitchen College to really examine all of the great posts from the past two weeks. Here are some of the ones I really loved and know you will too:

1. The 7 Healthiest Cereals To Eat Before Your 9am Class

2. You're Invited: Oktoberfest!

3. 9 Cool Ways to Use Your Freezer

4. The Dorm Room Bar: Rosemary Sangria

5. Cooking 101: Grilled Cheese

Have a good weekend!

peppermint coffee date

Oh, hey. Getting pumped for the chilly season & the different ways to enjoy a nice cup of joe? Well, I'm over at Small Kitchen College this week talkin' about love and coffee and perhaps a little anti-Nickelback talk as well.

Come on ovah!

walking to the coffee shop

In March, I will be graduating SCAD and spreading my wings, giving someplace else a shot. So for the next couple of months I want to fully soak up every detail of this little city and cherish the time that I have spent here. Who knows what the future brings and how much of it will be memories that I, and only I, can call my own. This is the place that I moved to not knowing really anyone or truly anything about the area. Miles and miles from home.

My first apartment(s) are here, first with complete strangers and then alone where I created a tiny home for myself. It was the first time I couldn't just leap in a car when things were getting tough and be near my mom. I took a chance by declaring a major that I was kinda sure was for me but now as I'm on my way to graduation, can proudly say that it is very much for me. I learned a ton, from mistakes and successes. I've been criticized & praised, now understanding that the praise part rarely occurs without the criticism part first. I shed tears over projects (and people) because it was the first time I really gave a shit. I was working on things I loved, for people I admired, yet being here has made me feel calm about the future and my prospective career options. Most importantly, I figured out bits and pieces of who the hell I was, fell back in love with someone that I had been missing for years and gave somewhere besides the north-east a shot. It's a different culture here and being exposed to it has been interesting and frustrating.

Savannah is lovely and calm. It has shaped bits & pieces of my life, especially my personal taste and favored style. My time spent in Savannah will be a chapter in my book that's really just beginning. So, as hard as it will be to up & leave it after 3 years, it is totally necessary. I want to leave it while it remains this cherished time in my life and before it gets too routine and maybe tarnished. I don't want to ruin a good thing, you know? It's like The Sopranos finale and the fact that they aren't coming back with movies and spin-offs. It was great while it lasted so let's not push it. Yes, I'm comparing this to the Sopranos because I am a New Jersey girl after all, awlright?

So, tiny things like my five minute stroll to get coffee through my neighborhood that I will remember and be inspired by for the rest of my life, is something that I look forward to everyday. I want to notice small details and thankfully my IPhone helps me capture them so I can essentially remember them forever.

Oh, and Twitter can help me remember how many times I complain about how god-damn slow but extremely kind everyone is here or other tiny thoughts. Technology rules.

kate spade x current/elliott

I am so in love with Kate Spade & Current/Elliott's recent bag collaboration entitled "Westward". In case you haven't noticed, the days of Kate Spade's boxy & utterly boring bags are over and their rebranding it practically perfect.

Kindness Above Malice

Some of you might remember my post awhile back about my cousin Kameron. My Aunt & Uncle were on TV today spreading the message against bullying and I'd like to share their words & strength with you all.