Farm Market Pumpkin Pickin' & ASOS Outfit Lovin'

Recently, my boyfriend and I took a trip to Demarest Farms in Hillsdale, New Jersey. We went last year around this time and ultimately decided we'd make it into an annual fall tradition. Because who wouldn't want to pick pumpkins at a local farm market with fresh vegetables, a petting zoo and the yummiest apple cider doughnuts EVER - especially the ones covered in cinnamon sugar, ah. I made the very poor decision of only buying four doughnuts last year, but it's safe to say I was definitely better prepared this time around. I took home a dozen in my ASOS Leather Embossed Backpack because you gotta' stock up when you can only enjoy something that good only once a year. Ya feel me? ;)

We got lucky with the weather as it was the definition of a perfect autumn day. The sun was shining bright and the air crisp and cool, but not too chilly. I've been a bit spendy on ASOS lately, so I paired my favorite good ole Topshop Ripped Jamie Jeans with my new ASOS J.D.Y Peplum Shirt and ASOS Warehouse Leather Look Biker Jacket. I've always been more of a comfort gal than anything else and well, I was feeling just that in this outfit. We peered around the crowded market and my mouth watered at the sight of crisp gala apples, homemade jams and fresh local produce. 

Outside, I took the opportunity to people watch as there was loads to see! I'm sure you can imagine how many families with young children were there enjoying some quality time together. We went over to the petting zoo and watched a little boy feed the cutest little goat, who seemed to never be satisfied with the amount of food it was being fed. More please. I'm looking forward to carving the pumpkin I picked up as I have to redeem myself from last year. Let's just say my cat pumpkin didn't come out as I had planned...

Next weekend, I'm heading to Bates Motel in Pennsylvania with my family and I couldn't be more excited about it. I've always wanted to go to a proper haunted house and hayride and Bates Motel is ranked as one of the best haunted attractions in the country. As a lover of all things horror (I'm always down to watch a scary movie), I've been looking forward to this trip for SO long. I'll definitely have to report back, so stay tuned! Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

Read more

The Autumn Nail Polish Edit

I aim to polish my nails every Sunday afternoon or evening with a fresh coat in preparation for the upcoming week, but I have to admit that I rarely stick to this routine. I've never liked the way my nails look bare and therefore always try to have them done, but don't care much for the actual process of polishing my nails. I find it to be a tedious task as opposed to a relaxing one because I feel like there are other things I'd rather be doing with my time. You'd think I'd love this part of my beauty routine seeing as I do a pretty good job of not getting nail polish all over my cuticles. Recently I put away all of my pastel summer shades in exchange for my favorite autumnal shades- think deep burgundy, mauve and dark gray. You can certainly wear whatever color you want anytime of year, but I'm the kind of gal who coordinates her nail colors with the seasons. What can I say? 

My two favorite salon brand nail polishes that are sold in drugstores are Essie and OPI. I just find that they offer the best range of color options and my manicures usually last a full week and sometimes longer when I use either of the two. OPI polishes have a wide, thick brush which can be easier or harder to apply depending on your nail shape. I quite like a full, thick brush as I find it takes less effort to get your nail covered with just the right amount of polish. Essie polishes have a shorter and smaller brush, which works for all types of nails. When comparing the two brands, I'd say Essie offers even more unique seasonal shades for an affordable price than its counterpart. 

( L-R : Ulta Salon Formula Nail Lacquer Hot Spot, Ulta Salon Formula Nail Lacquer Aubergine, Essie Angora Cardi, Essie Wicked, Kiko Milano Power Pro Nail Lacquer 51 Blue, Kiko Milano Power Pro Nail Lacquer 53 Graphite )

Two other nail polish brands I love are Kiko Milano Power Pro Nail Lacquer and Ulta Salon Formula Nail Lacquer. The quality of these two brands really surprised me when I used them for the first time given how affordable they are. Definitely give them a go, I promise you won't be disappointed! You can pick up Kiko Milano nail polish at Garden State Plaza if you live in the tri-state area or shop them online. Don't forget that the secret to a long-lasting, salon-quality manicure is a good base and top coat. Whether you're using a Revlon or Deborah Lippmann nail polish, this important step is always necessary. For my base coat, I swear by Butter London Nail Foundation Priming Basecoat and top coat, Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. You can't go wrong ;)

Read more

Hello October :: Fall Fun Activities

Autumn is not just one of my favorite times of year, it's my only favorite time of year. There's something so calming about the leaves changing color, the chill in the air and the promise of cozy evenings inside with cups of hot cocoa and pumpkin spice candles. Bomber jackets, sweaters and socks are slowly making a comeback into my wardrobe and I couldn't be happier about it. This season calls for some of my favorite activities, which involve binge watching my current favorite Netflix show (Bates Motel), indulging in comfort food like grilled cheese and tomato soup and going on long walks for fresh air. I also find that there's a spike in my productivity during the fall. It's likely a combination of the fact that there's three more months left in 2016 to achieve goals and also because cracking down on work is a lot easier when you don't have the option of spending the day by the pool or beach. Ya know...

October kicks off the holiday season, which really is the most magical time of the year for obvious reasons! From Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas, we all have amazing memories to make and good times with friends and family to look forward to. But before we begin our holiday trifecta, let's make the most of this month because it's such a fun one to participate in all the fall activities you possibly can. I have a few really exciting weekends planned including a wedding and a trip to a haunted house in Pennsylvania in late October. I've rounded up ten weekend activity ideas you can put into your calendar now because this month will fly by and you'll be disappointed when November rolls around!

1. Go pumpkin or apple picking

2. Rent a cabin by the mountains or a lake to getaway for a weekend

3. Visit a haunted house or go for a hayride

4. Tailgate at a football game 

5. Bake your favorite kind of pie (pumpkin for me!)

6. Drink hot cider and eat apple cider doughnuts 

7. Spend a relaxing night in carving pumpkins (YouTube will help with ideas)

8.  Enjoy a pumpkin ale with cinnamon sugar on the rim at your local bar

9. Watch your favorite horror movie on or before Halloween

10. Make s'mores by the campfire 

Hope you're all having a great weekend and planning some fun activities this month!

xx JG

Read more