It’s the first weekly report of September! Woohoo! But seriously though… HOW is it already September? I can’t believe it. Also, did anyone else feel like this was the longest week ever!? I know it was a short week, but I swear, each day, I woke up so confused about what day it was. I hate that feeling! While I’m still not ready for Summer to be over (I don’t think I ever will be), this is always a hard time of year for me because it feels like summer, and I want to enjoy it, but it’s also kind of when the rest of the world gets back to “real life,” and I feel the need to do the same. It’s like back to school! Even though September is three-quarters into the year, it still always feels like a restart season for me, and I think that’s a result of “back to school season.” It makes me want to go school supply shopping… anyone else?
Alright, enough of my rambling. Here’s this week’s report!
Reading
I still haven’t made much progress in my book, but I am so excited to share Mark D Sikes’s newest coffee table book that came out this week, Forever Beautiful. This is the third book from his series and might be his best yet. They are all so stunning, though. I had this realization earlier this week when I opened the package that I have all these beautiful coffee table books that I hardly ever read and that just feels like such a waste! What’s the point of ordering all these beautiful books for inspiration if I don’t ever actually open them to get inspired!? So, I’m now making it my mission to read and enjoy my coffee table books! Who’s with me!?
Eating
This past weekend, Shane and I went to Mercado in Laguna Beach to explore and WOW it’s amazing. I heard about it a couple of weeks ago from my mom when she told me they’re opening a location very close to my house later this fall. I went on their Instagram to check it out and I was mesmerized! It reminds me of our own version of Round Swamp Farms from the Hamptons, which is totally going viral right now. We got the smoked trout dip, salsa, enchiladas, and a chopped salad, and it was all incredible! I can’t believe it took me so long to find out about it. I had the salad for lunch on Tuesday and I loved it so much! I am so excited to have one closer in a few months because I think it’ll be the perfect spot to grab and go when you’re in a pinch! I have a feeling I’m going to frequent there far too often.
Playing
I’d wanted a watercolor workbook from Emily Lex for a few months, and I saw them in person in the cutest stationery store this weekend and picked one up! I am so excited to start using it! I’ve always loved arts and crafts and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that the easiest way for me to destress is by doing activities that occupy my hands where I can’t pick up my phone. I got the Seaside themed one and I cant decide what I’m most excited to paint! On that same note, I am dying to pick up needlepoint! If you have any suggestions or tips please, let me know!
Obsessing
Current Body was so generous and sent me one of their LED Red Light Masks and it has quickly become my favorite part of my bedtime routine. I’m not sure if Shane would agree, but I am obsessed with it. Aside from the skin benefits, the red light also just helps me unwind and feel very relaxed. I also feel like I can already tell a difference in my skin and it’s only been a few days. Maybe that’s placebo effect, but I’ll take it! My skin looks a little bit more glowy and plump! You can read all about the benefits of red light masks here. Current body was also kind enough to give me a discount code to offer you guys! You can use code Preptista to get 10% off!
Recommending
I shared this reel a couple of weeks ago, but now that people seem to be packing up their summer things and switching to fall, it seems like a good time as any to reshare. I am obsessed with these bags for my swimsuits. They’re clear so you can see what’s in them, they stand upright, they keep all your swimsuit pieces together and organized, and the list goes on… I can’t say enough about them! I got the 7.9 inch size, and they perfectly fit my one and two pieces. You can get a better look at them in my Reel, but they really rock! I also love that when you’re on the go or traveling they can double as a bag for a wet swimsuit instead of having to scramble to find a bag or ending up with a crinkly grocery bag.
Treating
This was a really fun week of gifting for me! However, I don’t ever like to make it seem like I am always promoting gifted stuff. When I am offered something gifted, I only ever accept it from brands that A) I already know, share, and love, B) have been curious about trying already, or C) seem like a genuine fit for me and you guys! You guys would be amazed if you saw the amount of gifted product I actually turn down. Just this week I turned down at least 5 gifting opportunities, one of which was for a brand that would be a dream, but I wasn’t okay with what they were asking in return for the product. However, Dolce Vita is a brand that I love and have purchased for a long time, and they offered to send me some shoes to help me transition to fall… I couldn’t say no! I got two pairs of Mary Janes—a cream pair and a red pair—and I am so excited about both of them. I feel like the cream will be perfect for early fall when I’m still wearing some of my summer things, but trying to make them a bit less summery.
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