Feb 14, 2013

Treat Yo’ Self

Madeline Beard Fashion, Food, Music, Other Adventures cupcakes, india arie, mustaches, parks and rec, sweaters, valentines day 0 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Okay, I know what you’re probably thinking: “Here we go, a nice big post filled with photos of puppies in baskets, children dressed up as baby cupids and old couples holding hands next to a scenic lake or mountainscape.” Now everyone utter the obligatory collective groan and give me a chance to explain.

None of the following will be included in tonight’s ramblings. I will, however, try to point out the redeeming qualities of the holiday. First of all, let’s all remember this: it’s a holiday. A time for celebration. Sure, you may not get the day off of work, and maybe you don’t have a “valentine”, but this is no reason to keep yourself from having fun. From the wise people at Parks & Rec, you gotta treat yo’ self:

Valentine’s Day is as good of a time as ever to treat yo’ self — I mean, it is a holiday all about love, so who better to love than yourself? Sounds good, right? Right. In case you need a bit of inspiration, I have come up with a little list of my favorite day-to-day indulgences…

but first, you’re required to listen to this India.Arie song:

Now, on to the list:

1. Bake something decadent — then share it with friends!

2. Wear something wild

3. Wear mustaches for the hell of it

These things stray from the standard treat-yo-self collection of massages, mimosas and fine leather goods that seem popular around this holiday. When I think about treating myself, it’s less about the material and more about what will make me feel the best… and let me tell you, there is no better feeling than sporting a fake mustache for a night. What do you do to treat yourself? I hope this post will spark your desire to celebrate yourself and those around you — it’s Valentine’s Day guys, might as well just spread the love.

♥

Feb 5, 2013

Surf’s Up… on the Interwebz

Madeline Beard Food, Music, Other Adventures beer, crock pot, design, inspiration, music, patrick watson, postcard, winter 1 Comment

Hello readers! Or should I say aloha? As the temperatures stay well below my comfort zone and my first instinct is to hibernate under my covers for days, I have been using an alternative method of escapism to bring blue skys and sunshine into my life. While living vicariously through the internet 100% of the time can make me feel like a bit of a twitchy-eyed goblin creature, in small doses the internet can be quite the mood booster. So, here are some of my happiest discoveries from these past few weeks:

1. An epic pep talk from an unexpected source

2. A beautiful song for a grey day

3. My new favorite website for design inspiration

4. A postcard that speaks volumes

Source: imgfave.com via Madeline on Pinterest

5. Planning meals for the newest addition to my kitchen

Source: fiveinohio.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

The best part about the start of a new month is the opportunity to hit life’s refresh button and get back on track — I have always preferred starting something at the beginning of a new week or month — February will be all about getting back to balance. I miss little habits that seem to have fallen through the cracks so far — carrying my camera around with me 24/7, baking for the hell of it, weekend render-vous in DC and seeing my family that lives here. So, with this post, I want to raise a virtual glass to the little steps. To the reminders and the efforts that come out of them that keep me moving forward. It’s hard to see the progress when life goes whizzing by you, sometimes you just have to stop, turn around and look at how far you’ve come. Then keep moving. That’s my plan at least.

A wish of sweet dreams to all of my night owl friends and a good morning to all of my early risers. More adventures to come.

♥

Jan 25, 2013

Begin Again

Madeline Beard Music, Other Adventures edward sharpe and the magnetic zeroes, music, resolutions, school, winter break 0 Comments

I always have a way of forgetting about the intensity that comes with transitioning from school to break and break to school. In Vegas, I had settled into a lovely state of relaxation — my winter holiday had been spent reflecting, enjoying the time with my family and traveling to one of my favorite places.

As soon as my plane touched down in DC, I hit the ground running — there were old friends to see, back from faraway adventures, and new responsibilities to prepare for. The past two weeks, I have been attempting to fall back into some semblance of a routine, while still trying to hold onto the clear and calm mindset I gained while I was home.

When I envision this upcoming semester, I see a world of possibilities and dreams just waiting to be actualized. In keeping with a tradition I started when I was young, I made an epic list of resolutions for the new year. A few of them include:

secure a sweet internship for summer 2013

start planning my meals to avoid outside spending and develop healthier eating habits (I bought a crock pot last week, it has been such a good way to kick off this resolution)

get organized — last semester my method of organization fell by the wayside and I literally took notes on a legal pad for all my classes and internships — flipping through all of those pages was such a headache!

start investing my time in producing interesting and meaningful content for SLB — this blog has been a consistent evolution and learning process for me, and I look forward to all of the potential 2013 holds

Finally, I have been meaning to post this video on SLB for a few weeks now. The weather in DC has turned cold, wet and grey since I’ve been back, and this music video has picked me up and gotten me moving during my haziest winter days.

The lyrics match perfectly with the friendships I have made over my past two and a half years living in DC — this song is a sweet reminder of how lucky I am to have people who will keep me looking towards the future.

Many more adventures to come, looking forward to sharing with you all!

♥