Quick Trip to the Pumpkin Patch, Round Two, Year Two

Cliche fall things are honestly some of the best. I get so excited for the time of year when I can have a warm coffee or hot chocolate halfway through the day or an orange KitKat instead of a regular one because they taste better and no one can tell me otherwise. Let's face it: I'm a little basic, but I'm okay with that! Especially because that means I can go to the pumpkin patch with friends and pick out some cute pumpkins to put on my doorstep. It's the little things, you know?

This was my first official fall outing and I was pretty stoked for it. I went with some friends from work, my roommate, and her boyfriend and even though it was nearly 80 degrees, our quick trip to the pumpkin patch was utmost enjoyable and got me so excited to go home and start watching Freeform's 13 Nights of Halloween with all of its Halloween movie goodness. Not to mention, the pumpkin patch we went to also had a tiny little farm with goats! My heart was so happy.

I hope you guys are as excited for the upcoming months and all of their basic af activities as I am! I'll be doing my best to take you all along for the ride as the months unfold.

xxx

My Autumn/Winter Coffee "Recipe"

It's finally feeling a little like autumn in RVA and I woke up just wanting to feel cozy today. I got out of my bed into a freezing cold room, put on my comfy flannel and some sweatpants, and went downstairs to make my morning coffee with a wintery twist. I personally think this technique works best if you grind your own beans, but pre-ground beans would probably work fine if that's all you have (although I do suggest grinding your own beans for an improvement in your morning coffee's quality).

  

This is pretty simple and by no means an innovative recipe (if you can even call it that), but I think it helps my mornings have the right amount of festiveness, where it's not too in-your-face, but it's cozy and warm and plain delicious.

There's really only one step to this: pick your spices. If you're like me and you grind your own beans, I suggest adding them to your coffee grinder. I like winter spices, so I tend to add nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. Ginger can work if you're going for a pumpkin vibe, but that's not my style. Everything is to-taste, so just add however much you like. For me, it's usually about a one and a half teaspoons of whole cloves, about a teaspoon of cinnamon, and one hefty portion of freshly grated nutmeg. Then I add my beans, grind everything together, and begin my pour-over process and voila! you've got yourself a festive drink in less than a minute. Since everything is freshly ground into my beans, I feel the spices are much more apparent than when you simply buy an autumn or winter blend at the grocery store.

Feel free to tweak the recipe in any way you see fit, and let me know what you like to do to start feeling the autumnal vibe.

xxx

2017 Autumn/Winter Candle Haul

It's that time of the year again! I love, love, love candles, but the autumn and winter lines are the ones that I get the most excited about, especially from Bath and Body Works. I just feel like the brand has its scents down: they aren't too overwhelmingly fragrant that they give you a headache, but they still have a strong enough scent that you smell the subtle scent notes throughout the room in which the candle is lit. I don't know how they do it, but they do it and I am 100 percent loyal to them.

Last year I did a mini candle haul, and a couple of these candles were featured in that, but hey, they're good candles, so I repurchase. Sorry not sorry. This year, I also jumped the gun and went ahead and bought a few winter candles. I guess I'm just ready for my cozy, candlelit nights in. Sue me.

Autumn

Let's jump in with one I featured last year. I won't go into too much detail since I have in the past, but this candle is just the perfect settle-into-fall candle. The scent notes list gala apple, fig, eucalyptus leaf, and fir balsam, and the apple is definitely the most apparent, with the tiniest bit of balsam to cozy it up. I am just obsessed with this candle and it 100 percent signals fall for me. It's my perfect October candle.

Leaves

Ugh, this smell is apple cider in a candle. What more could you want? It's got hints of clove to give that warm spice, but still apple to keep it autumnal. It transitions perfectly from fall to winter and it just smells so good! Honestly, I cannot stress that enough. It's my roommate's favorite candle, actually, and I've bought it for the past three or so years and I'm still just as in love with its mouthwatering scent. 

Marshmallow Fireside

Oops, another candle I featured last year. I never thought I'd like this candle as much as I do, considering it's pretty sweet and I'm not into sweet scents, but it's got a subtle amber scent and literally smells like a fireplace, just with vanilla, so I'm into it. Light a fire and I am there, so in a candle, what's not to like?

Winter

We've jumped from autumn to winter now, literally. Although the name of this candle is totally lackluster, it fits the scent because oh my God if this isn't the smell of winter, I don't know what is. It's my absolute favorite winter candle because it's got the clove and fir needle scent, but also orange and citrus. Like yes, please? It's also good to note that Bath and Body Works changed the packaging for this candle this year and I love it.

Chestnut & Clove

This is definitely a candle that screams middle of winter, but that didn't stop me from buying it in October. Can you tell I like spicy scents? It's literally just a cozy, spicy candle, with scent notes of cedar, clove, roasted chestnut, and moss. I haven't burned it yet, so I'm curious to see--well, smell (I am not funny)--if the candle burns more spicy or nutty. I'll keep you posted once it's cold enough to burn such a candle!

Fresh Balsam

This candle is the most Christmas-y, and for obvious reason. I buy it every year even though my roommates and I get a real Christmas tree because I freaking love the smell of Christmas tree and there's never enough of the smell, in my opinion. It's got the same new, nice packaging that Winter has. We all know when I'll be burning this wonderful candle, and I cannot wait!

I hope you guys enjoyed another candle haul, even if it was pretty similar to last year's (I'm sorry)! Make sure to leave me recommendations for any candles I should check out, so that maybe we can have some new ones next time.

xxx

Long Time, No Blog: I Went to Europe

Oh, wow. You're back?

I know that's what anyone who might have read this blog last fall/winter is thinking. I'm sorry. I'm the worst blogger. But I really, truly want to become more disciplined with it. Wish me luck?

For anyone wondering, I've been planning a trip to Europe since last March, I'd say? Maybe a little earlier or later. And I'm just now getting back from it! The trip lasted a little less than 25 days and it was AMAZING. But no matter how much I tried to prepare, I still ended up making some travel mistakes, which thus inspired me to make this post giving some tips on how to pack light and travel right for a month in Europe. Hopefully you guys can learn from my mistakes!

Pack light, and then pack even lighter.

I tried so very hard to pack as little as I possibly could, and still, I ended up with more than necessary. How? I had four bottoms, five shirts, two long sleeved shirts, a couple dresses, and that's really it. For a month.

Well, it turns out, you really do not need what you think you need. One pair of shorts would have been plenty since I had dresses. Why didn't I realize that before? My best advice is to write down the weather of your destination(s), plan two to five outfits, depending on the length of stay in said place, and pack no more than that. Mix and match some basics and repeat a few outfits. You'll be happy later when you're not lugging around a heavy carry-on.

Plan a loose itinerary.

Rushing from one place to another is no fun, but neither is spending a few hours trying to find things that interest you in an unfamiliar city. Whether it be before the trip or on the plane or train to the destination, have maybe two or three things you desperately want to do in the place you're visiting. It'll give you some direction and get you out of the hotel, hostel, etc.!

Be flexible.

Plan an itinerary, but don't be afraid to stray from it. It's best to have options just in case something doesn't go as planned. Plus, it takes a weight off your shoulders when you don't have to stress about missing a train. Trust me. Flexibility will also allow you to leave a place early or stay longer if you want to. It also allows you to go somewhere else just because--like Pisa in between Florence and Rome because why not?

Look for free sights and discount offers.

It honestly isn't too expensive to travel if you do it right. I managed to spend no more than about $50 a day, not including board, no problem. Most blogs will tell you, but take advantage of eating free breakfast in a hostel or cooking in an Airbnb. Also look for local places. They tend to have lower prices and better quality food, anyway.

Moreover, I traveled with a book that suggested free things to do in major cities and Googled special offers (like a BOGO deal for the London Eye), which helped to save quite a bit.

Exchange your money at your bank before you go.

I read this tip and totally ignored it, and oh my God was I sorry. Firstly, I was left looking after quite a bit of my country's currency in a foreign country, with absolutely no use for it. And the one time I did exchange some, I got about 50 percent back of what I gave, thanks to high exchange rates in the easy-to-find change stores. Banks will exchange it without the large fee. It just takes a few weeks to work out, so don't wait until the last minute if you choose this option.

Another option is to not bring cash at all and to withdraw from your bank for a small fee whenever cash is necessary. Cash is no longer king in most places, so this should suffice if it's what you prefer.

Hostels are not always cheaper. 

Depending on if you're traveling alone or not, hostels might not be your best option. My friend and I found at times that splitting the cost of an Airbnb actually cost us less than paying for a bed in a hostel. Price it all, and weigh the pros and cons of each option.

Look into what needs to be booked in advance.

We learned this lesson our first day, and then a few more times after that. Some things sell out. If you desperately want to do it or need to make a specific train, book early, so that you're not stuck in Iceland being the only people not at the Blue Lagoon. See also: We Desperately Needed a Night Train and It Was Sold Out so We Had to Sleep In a Sketch Train Station.

I hope these tips can help somebody on a trip, or encourage you guys to take one if you were skeptical before! It was life-changing and amazing and I'm so happy I was able to do it!

xxx