As the summer draws to a close the cooling temperatures and waining sunlight can leave us feeling down. But it’s not over yet, there’s a chance for you to extend your summer experience and keep the good feelings going through into the fall.
Eat Summer Foods – While most summer foods are actually available all year round, they are undoubtably at their peak right now. So indulge in some tomatoes or strawberries while their still in season. Read more
This past week I went on vacation to Miami for my birthday. I had a fantastic time relaxing by the beach and eating lots of delicious food. Even though this wasn’t an especially exotic vacation, it got me thinking about my bucket list and all the amazing places I’d love to visit and things I want to do before I “kick the bucket.” The thing about having a bucket list is that it is personal to you, so you’ll never feel like your list isn’t as good as someone else or the other way around.Thinking about the goals you would like to achieve is a great way to get started planning your future…especially after having another birthday! If you’ve always wanted to trek along the Inca Trail – why not research what time of year is best to go and what you’ll need to bring?
Here are a few things I’ve got on my own bucket list:
It’s one of the things that I love the most but do the least — I’m talking about travel. I’ve been to a lot of great places like Italy and France but I’ve still yet to explore some of the best cities in the US like San Francisco. Don’t worry — it’s on my list! When I’m out and about on a trip — I always have a few go-to apps that help make my trip run more smoothly.
TripAdvisor – When planning a vacation, the first stop is always TripAdvisor, and for good reason. The site has millions of reviews on almost every hotel/restaurant/beach villa out there. It’s a great way to narrow down your hotel choices, plus some of the reviews are unintentionally hilarious. Check out some of my reviews here.
The sun is coming out and so are the shorts and sandals! It’s time to check out trendy online boutiques to start creating your wardrobe for the summer!
The start of summer means packing away your coats, hats and gloves for hopefully the next few months, but it’s also a good time to clear out your closet. De-cluttering can often be a painfully time consuming task. Some people like to get it over with in one afternoon (with good music to motivate them) while others prefer to split it up into phases. You know one day doing pants, the next day doing shirts. You’ve got to find what works best for you. I’ve got so many old clothes I need to get rid of since I’ve bought a load of new clothes from this site. It’s time for a new style!
As you go through every item in your closet consider the following:
Barbara Walters retires May 16, 2014. (Photo Credit: deadline.com)
If you were to visit my parents on Long Island and ask to see my high school year book, next to my photo you would find the words, “hopes to become the next Barbara Walters.” What an overachiever I was, even then! Truth is — I’ve always looked up to Barbara Walters. I remember watching interviews she had done in my college journalism classes and learning from the best. I try to use her techniques even today when I do my own interviews. After reading her memoir, “Audition” I felt compelled to write her an email — and she actually wrote me back! I’m happy I got the opportunity to tell Barbara that she is one of my greatest teachers.
Today is her very last day of work after 50 years on television. She’ll finally be able to enjoy some well-deserved downtime. To help her out, I made a to-do list of things she should enjoy during her retirement that will keep her up to date with the times:
1. Get a Netflix account: In a recent interview, Barbara said one of the first things she wants to do during her retirement is go to a movie. What she may not realize is that with a Netflix account, she’ll be able to watch as many movies as she wants whenever she wants… in her own home!
2. Get an Instagram account: After 50 years on television, it may be hard to adjust back into the “real world.” But she doesn’t need to cut out the entertainment industry completely (and she’s not—she’s still going to be executive producer for The View!). With an Instagram account, she can stay up to date with some of her favorite people she’s gotten to know over the years by “liking” their posts as they attend numerous events and award shows. And I would love to continue seeing what she’s up to!
3. Go through her old wardrobe: Barbara is in luck—fashion trends are starting to repeat themselves. Rather than have to update her wardrobe, she can just go through her closet and bring out her old favorites. Or use the extra time to clear out clutter and do a bit of a fashion show with all the garments she’s worn through the years on big interviews.
4. Travel: Since her budget won’t be going towards an updated wardrobe, Barbara can spend all her money towards travels. I even have some recommendations on my Pinterest board for places to go!
5. Learn how to take a selfie: Lets face it– we’re all going to miss seeing Barbara on our television screens everyday. It’s going to be weird not knowing what she’s up to! But once she learns how to take the infamous selfie, we’ll be able to stay updated. She can post it to her Instagram account!
6. Have lunch with me! I had to throw it in there because I’m sure we’d have tons to talk about. I’m available whenever you are Barbara!
Happy Retirement!