Helloooooo May! May is my favorite months because it’s also my birthday month! The countdown begins to May 16th. As always, here’s a round up of my favorite things from the previous month. Fun fact, my first “Favorite Things” post was now a year ago from last April. Craziness.
Workouts I’m Loving…
Current
Current is the newest rowing studio in town. I had a chance to check out the new Tribeca/ borderline Soho studio and it’s GORGEOUS. What can I say, I love a studio that emphasizes white spaces.
The rowers are a bit different than the ones I’ve used before– it took me a minute to get the hang of it because the motion of rowing almost feels backwards to what I’m used to. Once I got used to it, though, it wasn’t a problem. I noticed that these rowers challenged my core, something that doesn’t happen for me on other rowers.
If you’re a fan of rowing workouts, you definitely gotta check out Current.
TMPL
TMPL is the latest creation from fitness icon David Barton. True story, the first gym I EVER joined was the Astor Place David Barton. My friend wanted to take a tour out of curiosity… and then we both were like SIGN ME UP! Oops.
I was invited to visit TMPL and take a class a few weeks ago. Lemme tell you, it has some insane amenities. I was really won over by the fact that there’s a whirlpool (should’ve brought my bathing suit!) There’s also a salt water pool… but I’m a terrible swimmer so whirlpool is where it’s at for me.
The class I took is called The Trip. It’s a spin class that utilizes digital projections on a large cinema screen. The music was fully synced up with what was happening on the big screen which often times mimicked cycling in futuristic looking cities. I’ve never taken a class that’s anything like it.
Working out with Tony Horton
I had the chance to workout with Tony Horton of P90X fame and take his 22 Minute Hard Corp class. As the name suggests, the class is only 22 minutes long. Every second counts and you’re getting a great workout.
The class was a media event, so a mixture of fitness bloggers and fitness magazine writers. Before class, he eased our fears regarding the workout we were about to endure and explained that he’s a huge supporter of modifications in fitness. Even though the class is based on the bootcamp mentality, Tony was far from a mean drill instructor. It was such a cool experience to get to work out with such a fitness legend, and I loved the 22 minute class format.
Foods I’m Loving…
Sweetgreen – West Village
I’m a long time fan of Sweetgreen, so this is really just a PSA that their new West Village location is OPEN on Bleecker and 6th Avenue. It’s close to my office and a very welcome addition to the neighborhood. My all time favorite salad is the guacamole greens and I sub pepper and cucumber for tomatoes and onion. Delish.
Airpopped Popcorn
Jeremy got me an air popper for Valentine’s Day and I’m OBSESSED. Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks and until now I was making it in the microwave in a brown paper lunch bag. It did the trick… but I also ran the risk of burning my popcorn. With my new air popper I don’t have to worry about burning my popcorn. I’m super boring and just eat my popcorn topped with salt. And yes, I use my air popper on the stovetop because that’s what happens when your kitchen is smaller than a closet.
Beauty Products I’m Loving…
The Beauty Blender
Anyone else totally guilty of going to Sephora for one item… and then leaving with like 10 new things you definitely don’t need? I hate going to Sephora for this very reason, what should only be a moderately expensive shopping experience always becomes SO expensive.
Anyways… I was seeking out a new foundation sponge because the type I was using kept “shedding” all over everything. I decided to give the Beauty Blender a chance. I’m happy to report it lives up to the hype. I like that it helps me apply foundation heavy enough that I’m getting the coverage I need, but light enough that it doesn’t look caked on. Definite upgrade from the old sponges I was using.
Eyebrow threading
I typically get my eyebrows waxed. Unfortunately I’ve always been super sensitive to eyebrow waxing and 99% of the time leave with BRIGHT red and/or burnt brows. The joys of super sensitive skin.
I had gotten my eyebrows threaded a handful of times in high school but never loved the shape of the final product compared to waxing. I decided to give eyebrow threading another chance and was amazed by how much less irritated my skin was after and I also really loved the shape. If you’re in NYC, I had a great experience at Unique Threading… and it’s right near Y7 and Uplift in Flatiron 🙂
Also, I’m so grateful that bold eyebrows are in now because mine have always been hella bold…
What I Read…
I’m Glad About You by Theresa Rebeck
I liked this book, but I definitely didn’t love it. It’s a “will they or won’t they” love story about former high school sweethearts and where they are now a few years out of college. I thought I would enjoy it more, especially since the main female is an aspiring actress, something I once was.
This book made me realize that chick-lit books that are super focused on the central love story instead of the character’s bigger hopes and dreams don’t cut it for me… but I can see why people that love romantic tales would enjoy this book. It was a total change in tone from the recent books I’ve been reading that have been all about career focused women and their desire to “do it all”.
Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess
I shamelessly loved this book and sped read through it at a record pace. It follows a group of 5 recent college grads living in Brooklyn and trying to get their shit together. It reminded me of a slightly more mature version of Gossip Girl, which I totally read in middle school long before the TV show became popular. I instantly got sucked into Brooklyn Girls and was SO excited to learn that it’s part of a series.
It’s far from highbrow, but it’s the perfect “beach read” for summer…or in my case, Washington Square Park on a gorgeously warm day, read.
What I Watched…
So many Broadway musicals!
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler has never been one of my favorite shows… but I seriously love this current production and found it incredibly moving. It also helps that one of my favorite actors, Danny Burstein, is so perfectly cast of Tevye. I’m really happy I got to see this production with my Grandma and highly recommend seeing it with your whole family.
American Psycho
I’ve never read American Psycho or seen the movie… so I had no idea what to expect going into this show. I found the musical oddly entertaining and almost intoxicating. The visuals are overwhelming in the best way possible and I can see this show becoming a cult favorite.
Waitress
Much like American Psycho, I wasn’t familiar with the movie Waitress and went in with minimal expectations… although I had already heard from a number of sources that the show was amazing. Both Jeremy and I absolutely loved this show, especially the music by Sara Bareilles and the insanely talented cast. The cast recording isn’t out yet, so we’ve been listening to an amazing album that was produced of Sara singing all the songs from the show.
Since it’s literally impossible to get tickets to Hamilton on Broadway, this is your next best bet for a night of great theater.
Disaster
I knew I wanted to see Disaster based on it’s insane cast– almost everyone in the cast was a musical theater hero of mine growing up! The show isn’t highbrow by any means but is incredibly fun and campy. I have a soft spot in my heart from super cheesy musical that are self aware of how cheesy they are. I had a blast at Disaster, which is all that matters.
What I’m Listening to…
Podcast – Two Inboxes
[image via]
I love listening to podcast while walking to work. I was excited to learn about this podcast from Molly Ford Beck whom I met while taking a course of her’s at General Assembly. This podcast focuses on the art of balancing your side hustle with your “real job”, something I can totally relate to.
I’m only one episode in and can’t wait to listen to Episode 3 which features one of my favorite bloggers Elana.
If you have any other favorite podcasts I should know about, let me know!
Other random things…
Jet.com
Have you heard of Jet.com? It’s website that’s similar to Costco… but without buying in bulk and membership fees. I stumbled upon it will trying to find this obscure mouth wash I love (<--- now I sound like a weirdo...) and was impressed with Jet.com's creative approach to pricing. I have no affiliation with the website, just thought it was cool and helped me save some $$. Speaking of saving some money, people can also try sports betting like over 1.5 first half goals in soccer games as it can be a lot of fun to bet on the odds during a good game. That way, one can make extra cash while sitting at home.
New Starbucks App
A few months ago I mentioned my obsession with the new “order ahead” option on the Starbucks app. The app was recently updated and now allows you to pay with rewards. It’s a really small, seemingly unimportant thing, but I’m really excited about this because it means I can order my free drink ahead of time.
Which product did you buy on Jet? I’m so curious! They are my client so I’m with them on a weekly basis – love the site too!
I had no idea that they were your client! It’s totally weird, but I hate mint and am really obsessed with this bubblegum mouth wash from Listerine that is impossible to find.