Good news: I have a home in Baltimore. Bad news: I need to pick a paint color. 

It sounds like my room is being repainted before I move in so I have to pick a color. Does this process stress anyone else out? It's such a permanent thing, well pseudo-permanent. You pick the wrong color and you're stuck!

If I had to describe my style I would say it's rustic? How do you boil one's style down to a few words? Think light and airy, lots of white with pops of color, but nothing too in your face, lots of linens, and tons of natural light:

So paint colors. Part of me really wants to do white, but I'm also thinking of doing a light neutral color. Here are a few I'm thinking of (my 'accent' colors are mustard and navy blue):

Any thoughts? 


A girl and her bed on Sundays in an endless love affair. 

Don't you love it when your bestie comes to town?

My best friend Lauren came into town this weekend so we could play before we both 'grow up' and go to graduate school. We're kindred spirits. It's the best.

We explored different parts of Charlotte, including the Fourth Ward. The Fourth Ward is this fantastic neighborhood with restored houses from the turn of the century. Think Downton Abbey, but in the US. 

It was BEAUTIFUL!

On Saturday morning we took a trip to the Farmer's Market where I got these amazing blackberries. I dipped them in frosting, which probably counteracts their nutrition, but whatever :)

That evening we played a round of disc golf with Mom. I used to play this game in high school every day, not an exaggeration. EVERY. DAY. 

It's so fun but not so difficult that you have to be crazy good to have fun. In other words, my kind of game. 

We spent an abnormal amount of time looking for our discs considering how flat the course was. 

This weekend was perfect: We ate too much food, laughed too much, and stayed up way too late. The trifecta for a perfect weekend. 

I cannot believe that I have never made lasagna until yesterday! Dad and I cook together when I'm home from school so I asked him to teach me to take lasagna :)

We turned on the Italian Dinner playlist, featuring the likes of Dean Martin and Andre Bocelli, and got to work. Pops usually makes lasagna the day after we have spaghetti and uses the leftover sauce, which is exactly what we did!

Don't our lasagna guts look amazing?! We added some zucchini and spices (the secret is a little bit of thyme) and cheese and then put it all together. 

Dad spouted the secrets to lasagna while we worked. My favorite had to be that good lasagna starts with wearing socks with sandals. An old wives' tale if you ask me :) 

I was just heading out for work when I saw these flowers. Aren't they perfect?

Also, here are some articles I stumbled on over the week that I loved:
-This girl writes down ten things each week that made her happy. I might just steal this!
-Movies to keep your wanderlust at bay
-Three different popcorn recipes in one place!
-A compilation of a month-long Instagram challenge
-Enterprise's road trip competition

 Happy Monday :)

It's almost time for the big move and so, naturally, I've been pinning away things for the apartment. I've found some awesome prints! It's an eclectic mix, but here  are some of my favorites:

This last one just cracks me up, but it's so true! I have the hardest time getting out of bed on Sundays!

One//Two//Three//Four//Five
Six//Seven//Eight//Nine//Ten

I resisted becoming a Spotify premium user for as long as possible. Why? I have no idea. It's only $5 per month for students, so really there is no excuse. This morning, as I was lying in bed and trying to muster up the will to get out of bed, I discovered the Genre/Mood section of Spotify. Most Spotify-ers probably discovered this day one, but some of us take a little longer. But, holy cow, I am in LOVE! They have a playlist for everything imaginable. I clicked on the "Travel" mood and this is just a taste of the playlists I found:

-Evening Commute
-Beach Day
-Summer for Hipsters (I don't know how this qualifies as travel, but I'm in)
-Drive Through the Mountains
-TransAtlantic Lullaby (Love this one--I totally subscribed)
-French Holiday
-Hit the Slopes-Beginner (There is also an advanced playlist)
-Paris Métro 
-Cleared for Takeoff 

There were easily 50 more playlists just in Travel. And the other genres (some favorites: Country, Romance, Dinner, Focus) had just as many! I think I am in heaven. I hate it when I get tired of all the songs in my library, but that won't be happening any more! 

When I first heard about dry shampoo, I'll admit that I was a little skeptical and maybe slightly grossed out. Put more product in my hair instead of washing it? That sounded a little backwards to me and, let's be honest, a little too good to be true. I think we're all fans of second (or third) day hair. I tried a few brands of dry shampoo but never found one that I loved. They left my hair feeling more gunky or smelled weird or left grey residue no matter how far from my head that I held the can. I eventually settled on Tressemè. 

While I was in Europe, however, I found myself in a pinch. I hadn't brought my dry shampoo (major oversight!) and I was tired of having to wash my hair every day. While I was in Oxford I ducked into Boots, the UK's version of Walgreen's except way classier. I LOVE this store. My normal brand of choice was a zillion pounds so I browsed the aisles for a cheaper alternative. The dry shampoo gods must have been smiling down on me that day because I found the best dry shampoo for just £2 or about $4. Luckily, Batiste is sold in the US too! You can find it at Ulta or Asos. Batiste smells great, leaves my hair light and soft, and doesn't leave anything behind. I use it before I go to bed and when I get up and I can go three days in between washes. Blush is my favorite 'flavor'; it has a light, sweet scent without being too overpowering. 

Am I the only person who actively looks for excuses to update my wardrobe? Because I totally do; sometimes legitimate, sometimes not. Grad school provided the perfect excuse to add a few more pieces to my wardrobe. I've been surfing the internet for a few days and haven't really found anything I like, which rarely happens. Then, all at once, I hit the jackpot, well at least part of it. Many know that Kate Middleton is my style icon. Her wardrobe is AMAZING and I found a few dresses that are replicas of her style. And the best part? All three are under $30! Yeah, amazing! They're going to find their way into my closet :)

One//Two//Three

I miss England so much! I wish I could buy a ticket right now and catch the next plane out. But, alas, England is going to have to wait for a while. I did find these awesome maps though that are probably going to find a new home in my apartment which should tie my over until I can go back :)

Is it kosher to write a book review before you've finished said book? Well, I'm doing just that :) A few weeks ago a friend recommended that I read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. This book is amazing! I am learning so much and it is super validating. This may be surprising to those of you who know me, but I am an introvert to a "T". I'm super uncomfortable in huge crowds of people and often would rather curl up with a book than go to a party. I'll be reading a new section and Susan Cain will point out a behavior typical of introverts and I'll mentally scream, "I so do that!" or "Yeah, I totally get that!" 

Throughout her book, Cain talks about the power introverts have. She explains how solitude can foster creativity, innovation, and deep thinking--not that introverts have a corner on these markets at all. I've found this book to be super validating and, interestingly, I've learned tons about myself. I highly recommend it, whether or not you're an introvert.

PS. The author also did a TedTalk.

Since I've graduated I sometimes wonder if I would still choose business if I were a freshman again (not that I chose business as a freshman). Somedays I think I would have, and others days it's a definite no. While at Oxford I listened to lectures on everything from the Church of England to Kafka to Roman humor. I found them all fascinating; I couldn't soak up the content fast enough and found myself wanting our lecturer to continue for another hour. So, while I'm glad I majored in business, here are a few others I might try if I were to do it again:
English Literature: You just read all the time! Preferably I would do this at Oxford because students there read like 10-15 books every week, but I'm not picky. Seriously, if I could find a job where I am paid to read, gold. I would love it.
Graphic Design: As my parents will attest, I had plenty of trouble picking a major and at one point Graphic Design made the short list. I love good design and am addicted to typography. Would this make me a good graphic designer? Probably not, but this is just a wish list, remember?
English Language: This may seem redundant from the lit major, but it's definitely different. I recently started a book about JRR Tolkien and how he created Middle Earth and the Lord of the Rings. I was shocked to learn how much of the story was based around the evolution of the English language and its Nordic roots. It was fascinating! Hence, English Language makes the list.
History: The majority of lectures at Oxford began with a historical background of an author, a time period, an organization, etc, which I found just as interesting as the content matter we would move on to discuss. There are so many rich stories in history! Some are heartbreaking, others are funny, and some are just bizarre. I liked them all. Plus, I realized how much more I enjoyed visiting places when I knew more about their history; it enhanced the whole experience. Definitely pro-history
Art History: I love art. I think it's totally rad. I love everything about it and I wish I knew more. Maybe I could give tours at the Louvre or the d'Orsay after I graduate.
All in all, I think I majored in what was right for me, but sometimes it's fun to think about what I'd choose if I did it again. What would you major in if you re-did college?

I'm not sure if traveling for six weeks makes you any kind of travel expert, but you definitely learn a thing or two: things you should have brought, things you should have left, etc. This post hopefully catches a little bit of that and some tips I picked up along the way. None of these are 'tried and true', but they were helpful for me.

Tide-to-Go

My momma and I were walking through Wal-Mart and I decided to throw a Tide-to-Go in the cart of my carryon. So. Glad. I cannot tell you how many times that little pen came to my rescue or someone else's. Tide-to-Go is great to have on hand all the time, but they're especially useful when you're traveling and may not have direct access to laundry facilities

Wet Wipes

Along the same lines of the Tide-to-Go, wet wipes come in handy all the time. I always have them in carryon so I can wash my face after a long flight, but I found myself using them all over the city too. I'm a believer.

Internet

Since most of my travel companions and I didn't have international data on our phones, we relied on iMessage or Facebook to communicate. Wifi is sometimes more scarce than gold so this can be difficult. Starbucks is the gold standard. If you can find a Starbucks then you should be fine. They typically don't even make you buy anything, but are fine if you just pop in to connect. The Apple store is the other gold mine. You can walk into any Apple store, hop on their device, check your email/Facebook/Twitter, and be on your way. Their employees will not harass you or try to get you to buy anything. Their devices are there to be used. 

Packing

We have all seen the pin on Pinterest that claims to be the one and only way to pack to maximize space. I tried a few different methods while on my trip since I definitely needed as much space as I could get. The one that worked best for me was to roll my clothes. I fit waaay more into my suitcase and my clothes weren't as wrinkly, so double win.

I also realized I didn't need as many clothes as I had brought. An easy way to fix this is pack two days before you leave and reevaluate the day before. I did this and ended up taking about a third of what I had originally packed. 

Transportation

Getting around a new city can be tricky. Metro? Bus? Taxi? Walking? There are so many options! Once you decide what you want to do, buying the right ticket can be just as frustrating. I found that following the locals' lead was the easiest on this one. The locals know what's cheapest and most convenient. When we got to a new place we would simply ask our host/front desk what ticket to buy and we'd be on our way. (In Paris, buy a multi-day pass if you're there for a while. In London, buy an Oyster card.)

Eating

Eating in Europe can be so expensive! I was shocked at how much things cost in some of the cities I visited, but quickly found ways to save. First, always take advantage of complimentary breakfast if your hotel/hostel provides it. We saved so much money just on breakfast by doing this. We often packed our own lunch. The local grocery stores are a great way to try some of the food from the area and it's usually a much cheaper option than eating out for every meal. An alternative to supermarkets is street food. Most street food vendors are totally safe and they're usually really good and on the cheaper side. I did a mixture of both throughout Europe and never felt like I got a bad meal :) 

 

Again, none of these are tried and true, but helped me while I traveled. I'll post more in the next few days!

My last night in London was one of the best of the whole trip. My travel companion had one thing that he wanted to do while in the UK, which was to see Les Miserables in the West End. At first we were told that that night's show was sold out, but we ran over to the theater and scored some of the last seats. So lucky, right?

Now, I am partial to the 2012 movie version (not at all because I have the largest crush on Eddie Redmayne or anything), so I was a bit nervous about my lofty expectations. While the show was very different from the move (to be expected) it was still amazing. Both of the women who played Fantine and Eponine were phenomenal. I mean, wow! They were just so good. Val Jean was great as well. Really, I was impressed with the whole cast. But this is the West End, so I should have known it was going to amazing :) I am sooo glad that we made time to catch a show. Les Mis was definitely the right choice. There's just something special about seeing a show where it first opened. 

I wasn't able to take pictures or anything, so enjoy this clip from the movie, featuring Eddie Redmayne:

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PS. I also visited the Churchill War Rooms, a definite must see if you're in London!

After Oxford, I spent the next few days in London-town. I LOVE London. I think of all the places I visited, London was by far my favorite. I don't know what it is about that place, but there is magic in the air. Maybe it's because of London's royal history or the fact that it is an absolute melting. Whatever it is, I fell in love from the very first day. I spent plenty of time in London's parks, which is a fabulous way to 'waste' an afternoon, but I promise that it is not a waste. 

My last day (I know, out of order) I took a bike tour of Royal London. This might be my favorite thing that I did in Europe. Bikes are THE way to see London and most of Europe I would venture to say. I heard about this company from a friend who did their tour and for £20 ( about $35) I was treated to four hours on a guided tour. It was so perfect. We started at Kensington Palace, through Hyde Park to Buckingham Palace, up to Parliament, through Trafalgar Square to Westminster, back to Downing Street, and through St. James and Kensington Gardens back home. This may not seem like a lot, but London is massive. Our tour guide gave us just enough information to keep up interested without overloading us.

The actually biking itself was extremely enjoyable as well. As I said, London is huge but the biking was not strenuous in the least. Luckily, London is flat :) I was on a cruiser for the tour. At first the handlebars were tricky to get used to, but after a few minutes I got the hang of it and felt very posh as I rode through the streets of London. So, I'm a believer. #biketours4lyfe

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