Category Archives: Every day life

Found Delight: Morning Radio Edition

Every day life, Media, , , ,

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I heard the sweetest story on the radio yesterday and I just had to share it. I was driving some dirty tablecloths over to the laundromat  (#glamlyfe) for an upcoming work event, the perfect excuse to get outside and soak up some mid-morning sunshine in the midst of a day of desk work. I popped on the radio, no idea what morning show was on or even what station I was listening to but the hosts were asking for callers with stories of proposals gone awry. A soft-spoken dude was put on the air who recounted a plan to propose to his girlfriend on a trip, the location of which they were meeting at. The guy arrived at the train station before his lady so he shoved all his stuff in one of those rental lockers. Not wanting to add any undue stress, he tucked the ring in his pocket and set out for the gal’s platform. Unbeknownst to him, once she arrived, to make their way back to his secured belongings they would have to pass through security and dun.DUN.dun. a metal detector! Unwilling to put the ring in the little tray, the caller set off the metal detector…again…and again….and again. He’s politely asked to empty his pockets and submit to a pat down. He declines. At this point armed security approaches him (they were in a foreign country BTW, but I didn’t catch where) and he knows the jig is up.

SO…

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the train station security line, flanked by armed guards, he drops to one knee and asks his girlfriend to marry him right then and there! WHAT!?! Sir, I promise that turned out way better than whatever was previously planned.

How freaking cute is that?

Big Blue Nation camps out.

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Just a few blocks from my house, a temporary city formed last week. Fans of the University of Kentucky basketball team pitched 760 tents encircling the campus’ Memorial Coliseum for their chance to secure tickets to the players first official public introduction. Populated by students, families, young, old, and citizens from all over the Commonwealth; the mass camp out is certainly a sight to behold. Kentuckians, without any pro sports teams to speak of, pledge their allegiance to college basketball. And they honor that pledge in wacky, intense, heart-warming ways. Ever fascinated by this diverse set of super fans known as the Big Blue Nation, I made my way down Euclid Ave. to scope how those camping were spending their time (corn-hole, shootin’ the shit in camp chairs and enjoying massive pizza deliveries from players), what the tent real estate market was like and who would be mingling with fans (Marcus Lee, the Harrison twins). I snapped some pics because I love displays of commitment and I thought you might like to see…

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What’s your favorite sports team? Would you ever do something extreme, like camp out for a week, in order to attend one of their events? I’ll hand it to this crowd, the energy in the air was electric! Definitely worth spending an evening exploring. 

Free-time this Fall? No need to break the bank!

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As the weather gets a little chillier and we shift from Summer to Autumn, I’ve got penny-pinching on my mind. Summer may have seen you spending a bit more liberally (vacations, eating out, outdoor adventures) and back-to-school time can get costly as well. Looking ahead to the holidays, the next couple months can be a great time to rein it in, make some cut-backs and start saving. So, turn off those air conditioners, meal plan, host a Naked Lady party to score clothes for a new Fall look…and as for fun; here are 10 ways to spend your down-time this Fall without breaking the bank!

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Sweat.

Forget the fancy gym memberships and costly classes. You can just bust a move from the comfort of your own living room. Youtube and Pinterest are fitness gold-mines! Do Erin Motz’s 30 Day Yoga Challenge. See how many reps of push-ups/sit-ups/lunges/squats/WHATEVER you can do in a row. Try to do more each day. Go upside down in a hand stand! Wanna explore? Jog in your neighborhood. Find a hiking trail nearby.

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Practice.

Commit to picking back up a hobby you let fall by the way-side or finally learn the skill you’ve had the equipment for in the back of your closet for ages. Play around with that camera (even if it’s just on your iPhone…you could even sign up for an Instagram “picture a day” challenge). Bust out your craft supplies. Build something. Grow something. Dust off that violin. Teach yourself calligraphy or German or darts.

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Play.

Turn off your TV, close the laptop and play a game instead. Spread out on the floor with your significant other or gather ’round the kitchen table with friends. Play Backgammon, Rummikub, Pictionary, Jenga, Chess, Trivial Pursuit or Monopoly. Got a deck of cards? Deal out Hearts, Poker, Euchre, B.S. or my always and forever favorite THIRTEEN.

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Explore.

You don’t always have to strap on your hiking boots and hit the woods to have an epic adventure. Try your hand at urban exploration. Find a historic neighborhood and provide a running commentary on the architecture (even if it’s completely made up). Get lost in a gi-normous indoor flea market or antique mall. Check out abandoned buildings (don’t get arrested). See how many green-spaces, fountains, swing-sets, hot-dog stands, libraries or pedways you can walk to in one day.

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Enrich.

Do a little research and find free cultural events going on in your area. Check out galleries displaying art in public places. Go to an educational lecture hosted by a school or church or non-profit. Lots of organizations love hosting free movies. Got a friend or family member in a play, concert, dance recital? See if you can peep their dress rehearsal for free. The public library is a fantastic resource. And if you live in a university town you’re golden!

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Read.

Nothing says Fall like hunkering in a cozy spot with your latest page-turner. Join a book club. Start your own. Blaze through some Young Adult fiction on your e-reader. Pick up a stack of historical romance novels from the library. No one needs to know about your literary guilty pleasures.

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Slurp.

Don’t shell out all your hard-earned money at Starbies. Yes, you may lose that gold status (R.I.P.) but you can learn to make your favorite hot beverages at home. If you want to drink all pumpkin everything until Christmas day…so be it.

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Pamper.

Choose one evening a week to have some “you” time. Learn a new hair-style. Do face masks. Do the DIY kind, too. Give yourself a manicure.

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Cheers.

Ok, so this may cost a LITTLE bit but if you have a Trader Joes we’re not talking much. Have a few friends over for a nice night in. BYO #3buckchuck. BYO #horsdouevrestoshare BYO #classyattire Set your Pandora station to whatever you like best, mingle, and let the conversation flow.

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Volunteer.

Evaluate your unique gifts and skill-set and figure out ways to give back. Sign up to be a mentor. Play with puppies. Organize events. Try your hand at a radio reading service. Answer phones, ring doorbells or just listen. When you give of your time, not only are you NOT spending money, the Universe finds powerful ways to reward you. : )

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What about y’all, dear readers? How do you save money without sacrificing fun? Will you be ballin’ on a budget like me this Fall? Sending you an encouraging high-five if so! We got this! 

 

Tea party.

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Today I thought I’d share my current favorite teas and tea essentials! Tea for two and two for tea…

1. Blackberry Black loose tea from MonTea,a fabulous little tea shop in Lexington, KY in the Chevy Chase neighborhood.

2. Yogi Pure Green tea bags in a thrifted glass tea jar.

3. Loose green tea leaves from the Good Foods Co-op bulk tea section. For the easiest bulk foods container DIY? Just spray paint the lid of a mason jar with some chalkboard paint.

4. Hand-painted tray table, thrifted. (Similar: here, here, and here.)

5. Local honey in hand-me-down Hadley Pottery.

6. Tiny cups from my stackable espresso cups and saucers set .

7. A mesh tea ball to steep loose leaves. (Though I’d love to get my hands on some cheekier infusers like this one and this guy.)

8. Mismatched spoons.

9. Linen tea towel, thrifted. (Similar: here, here, and here.)

So, now the only question is…

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Favorite Things Friday!

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So, here’s a totally random post because it’s Friday and I want to talk about some of my favorite things!

1) Bagel upgrades.

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A bagel from Great Bagel. Hit it with any or all of the following: bacon, spinach, turkey, mustard, swiss, muenster, grilled onions, sriracha… I will be a happy girl. I’ve talked about creating food rituals at home before but this is my most tried and true “eating out” ritual. I typically order up one of these bad boys from the Good Foods Co-op every Monday aka Bagel Day.

2) Binge watching newly discovered YouTubers.

I can’t stop watching the YouTube channel ViviannaDoesMakeup and I really have no idea why. Well, maybe I have somewhat of an idea…I LOVE HER ACCENT. She mostly does makeup videos (tutorials, hauls, etc) which I haven’t really been watching. But I’m totally obsessed with her vlog videos and her very adorable British life. Isn’t she the cutest? Most days, I get home from work at approximately twenty to 11 pm (crazy, right?) and I’ve found that I just can’t pay attention to whole TV shows that late at night but I still want to watch SOMETHING to unwind in the midst of checking my sites. Lifestyle YouTube videos have been fitting the bill nicely as of late.

3) Revisiting my youth by way of the library.

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Remember this book??? I picked it up at the library the other day (along with this book of accompanying short stories–more on that later) and it has been so fun to leaf through. Writing stories based on the mysterious pictures was one of my favorite elementary school activities. No wonder so many of us grew up to love conspiracy theories!

4) Putting cranberry sauce on everything.

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I don’t know where this idea came from but lately I’ve been really into grilling fish (salmon, cod, tilapia) on my Foreman and somehow I got it in my head that cranberry sauce would be a really delish addition. So I picked up a jar of this R.W. Knudsen cranberry sauce from the grocery and gave it a try. OMG, it is the perfect finish for a really simple meal of meat, vegetables and rice…tangy and sweet and you just need one little dollop.

5) My new capsule wardrobe.

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So, if you don’t know, I have a really weird obsession with capsule wardrobes (I talked about my love of minimalism ogling here). In addition to my “one in, one out” rule (which I’ve been really good about! Just the other day I took a whole Trader’s Joe bag full of clothes and accessories to donate when I was initially just looking to get rid of a one skirt and one necklace) I’ve been trying to streamline my wardrobe. I finally solidified a late summer/early fall capsule wardrobe that I’m really happy with. Outfit #1 from the capsule is pictured above! Longer post to follow, I’m sure. ; )

Now, tell me a few of YOUR favorite things? I wanna know what is making you happy and giddy this Friday! Spill!

 

(Top image comprised of a photo from The Sound of Music and an illustration by Tyler Feder)

Cat Scratch Fever! (& a giveaway!!!)

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As I’ve mentioned before, I share my little abode with a sweet, cuddly, mischievous Ragdoll cat named Wink. While it seems like he sleeps about 18-23 hours a day, when he’s awake he’s absolutely my spirit animal and spoiled as they come. I can’t help but to give him butt rubs whenever he cuddles up next to me or pop him out an ice cube whenever he sits by the freezer and mews. He’s got me wrapped around that little white paw, y’all! But sometimes all this love and attention makes him forget that his Mama loves sleep just about as much as he does. When I shut my bedroom door at night I imagine he has all sorts of kitten adventures (the most recent of which involves hopping from dining room table to bar cart…not cute)! Sometimes he gets excited in the middle of the night and wants to fill me in. Sometimes he feels like I should get up and get his breakfast on the table (errr…floor) LONG before my alarm has signaled the start to my day. And how does my dearest pet voice these concerns? By giving the carpet by my door a good once over with his claws. He’s definitely not as much of a scratcher as other cats I’ve met, yet, this ONE little patch of carpet is irresistible…and who can blame him, really? Yours truly is on the other side of that door!

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Seeking a simple solution, I found Carpet Scratch Stopper. Basically a plastic/vinyl mat fitted to your doorway, this new product completely eliminates the possibility of a feline friend digging his/her claws in where they shouldn’t be. The website features mats that will fit 28”, 30” and 32” doors. I got a 32” mat and it fits great, even allowing me to open and close the door as needed. The Carpet Scratch Stopper could definitely stand up to some bumps and scratches from high traffic/having animals afoot and would be fairly easy to clean. So far Wink has been interested in laying right by it, bringing his toys to it and *drum-roll please* NOT scratching…I’d say that’s a win. If you want to save your carpet (or your security deposit) this product is well worth the price! And how cute is the website’s “About Us” section written by the company’s founder Joanne? She even has introductions to her 4 cats: Chloe, Ripley, Rose and Blackie. Adorbz. Speaking of adorable…look at this pensive fellow! Uuuugh, I can’t get enough of him…claws and all.

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Would you like to give the Carpet Scratch Stopper a run for it’s money?  Leave a comment below telling me a little bit about your cat companion! I’ll choose a winner (randomly) at the end of the week. Good luck! GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. 

Why I love tiny homes and a new challenge.

Every day life, , , , , , ,

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Some of the happiest times in my life have been those periods when I was most unencumbered with STUFF. Living abroad, attending camp, traveling. Does anyone else feel this way? Any excuse to whittle down the daily necessities to the bare minimum just feels so reassuring to me. Decision making causes me a lot of anxiety. So, there’s immense comfort in knowing the less possessions you have the fewer decisions you have to make. If you only have one set of coffee cups, you use those coffee cups. Just 2 pairs of shoes? Guess what, it’s a coin toss. I think this is especially true for children. Kids get stressed too and I really believe that bombarding them with a bunch of toys causes just that–stress. In fact, I can strongly remember feeling tangible, physical relief when, at 10, my family moved to Vienna, Austria for the year and I just had…less. And my sister, who was 5, has mentioned feeling similarly. We were happy to have less so that we could live more. A philosophy I’ve tried, since drawing this connection time and time again, to actively adhere to.

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A strong sense of calm comes over me when I can see all of someone’s belongings in one place, unobstructed. And it’s not just tiny homes. Many of my internet obsessions center around this idea of “less is more.” Capsule wardrobes, backpacking, ex-patriating. I’ve literally googled “a list of everything I own”…probably multiple times.

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I fantasize about paring down my possessions to accommodate the tiny home lifestyle. I know I probably will never part with enough to live in a 8×10 home on wheels. But I hope I can continue on a simple living path. To waste less and buy used. To approach my purchases mindfully and treat the whole outdoors as my backyard. You can’t put a white picket fence around all of that. You CAN have an American Dream that involves having less. I love tiny homes because I can live vicariously through these people I see online who’ve achieved this version of the American Dream. I can ogle their homes and limited STUFF and vow to at least take lessons from the tiny home lifestyle.

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For the next month, I will be putting a very simple simple-living rule into practice and letting y’all know how it goes.

One in. One out.

Meaning, for every thing I buy new I will give away or donate a similar item that I already have. If I buy a shirt, I must part with one. If I buy a book, I’ll pass one along to a friend I know would enjoy reading it more than I enjoy having shit on a shelf. I’m hoping this concrete rule will encourage considerate consumerism while allowing for some healthy decluttering. Yesterday I kicked off this challenge when I bought a drink dispenser (like this one. It’s for storing the spoils of my new adventures in cold brewing coffee at home…but more on that later) and a DOZEN mason jars. So, I got rid of a pitcher and a dozen cups…and then ended up throwing in 4 margarita glasses. Because who doesn’t want to have their margaritas in a mason jar? Heathens, that’s who!!!

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I’ll keep you updated as things progress this month. Have you ever done a challenge like this? Would you? Let me know in the comments below! And follow me on Instagram @BBerg1012 for future “One in. One out.” documentation. Accountability, y’all. Let’s do this!

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(Tiny home photos via Apartment Therapy, Curbly, Tiny House Talk, and Tammy Strobel of Rowdy Kittens. All fantastic resources if you, like me, want to waste hours looking at tiny homes on the internet.)

 

Celebrating Chet’s Birthday

Every day life, Personal, Travel, , , , , , , , ,

As you know, last week was Chet’s birthday!!! I thought I’d share a few photos to show you how we celebrated…

Lunch on the Ohio River…bday1

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Newport Aquarium…aquarium1

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The Purple People Bridge…bridge1

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Stein Time at Hofbrauhaus Bier Garten…hofbrau2

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And fro-yo, always fro-yo…froyo

Bonus–The next day, birthday celebrations continued when we took an impromptu trip to the Bluegrass Fair where we saw alpacas, spun on some rides, watched a lady climb a pole 12 stories tall and…pigraces

 

…because Kentucky. I love our adventures and had a blast celebrating the birth of such an awesome guy. xo

 

 

Mini Pigs!!!

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I frequently daydream about hypothetical pets. Do any of you do this? (I might just be a big weirdo.) I think about having a boxer named Bradley (Brad for short) and a husky named Adelaide–both girls, the former named for a Hey Dude! character, the latter a city in Australia. I think about having a slew of goats who would get in trees and assist me in starting some sort of fun cottage industry. I think about turtles and guinea pigs and baby ducklings. But my number one favorite pet fantasy is that of the mini pig. I’ve been coveting one of these lil swines for nigh on a lifetime it feels like. Which is why, when I saw this family’s story about choosing a pig as a pet, I LOST. MY. DAMN. MIND.

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Gah, don’t you just want a little Bacon Bit to call your own? For now, in  my little one bedroom apartment in the urb-burb of Chevy Chase, I shall be content with my one ACTUAL pet–Wink Moonshine Berger. He is all I can handle for now. But some day… *exits stage left to plan pig Halloween costumes and bedazzled carrying crates*

Meet Wink.

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This is my beloved Ragdoll cat, Wink. He is named as such due to blindness in his right eye and he’s been my love since 2008. He enjoys nesting in cardboard boxes, sunbeams and quilts (see above). His brother, Garcia, lives in California. He loves ice cubes, plastic and bounding down the hallway at very random times for no particular reason. He is keen to be involved in various apartment activities including cooking dinner, living room floor yoga practice and Netflix binges (although whenever a character in a movie or show rings a bicycle bell he gets rather startled. This happens more often than you would think.). Feel free to ogle his cuteness. What a prince.