Tag Archives: a month in review

July 2015: In a Nutshell.

Leave a comment Standard
July2015InANutshell01

Deerfield, Mass. July 2015.

First and foremost, I’m so proud to say that this is my 300th post here at “Legally Redhead!” It’s been a couple of years since I started this blog with nothing more than just a slightly vague idea of what I wanted it to be about and how I wanted it to look- and it’s blossomed into such a fun and fulfilling project for me. Over the course of these past 300 posts I have met and networked with so many interesting people and have made so many new friends- both near and far- and I have gotten to experience new things and travel to new places. “Legally Redhead” has truly played a crucial part in opening my eyes and mind to all sorts of adventures and possibilities!

From a business perspective, “Legally Redhead” has enabled me to form strong partnerships with different brands and companies that I otherwise would have missed out on had I not taken the initiative to begin this blogging journey- and I’m truly thankful to the representatives of those brands/companies that continue to support and encourage me and who continue to promote my content.

But mostly I’m thankful to those of you who follow my blog or even just casually read it from time to time, and who communicate with me through the comments/social media/e-mail/etc. or share my posts with your friends and/or followers. Connecting with all of you is what makes this worth it for me and keeps me going- even when I hit that occasional slump of writer’s block from time to time or get overwhelmed at work and am unable to post for a bit while I catch up at my office.

Deerfield, Mass. July 2015.

Deerfield, Mass. July 2015.

From the bottom of my heart- thank you all so much! Here’s to another 300 posts!

I also want to say HAPPY FIRST DAY OF CAMP to my fellow “Wet Hot American Summer” enthusiasts and Netflix subscribers who have no doubt already started marathoning the mini-series as soon as it launched today. I’m anxiously waiting ’til after I leave work this afternoon to head home, close my blinds, make some popcorn- and get started. I’m so excited to see Gene and his talking can of vegetables again- and I promise everyone I will refrain from incessantly quoting the series all day, every day.

What can I say about July? It was a beautiful, often scorching hot month that I spent most of outdoors at backyard BBQs, bonfires, and the beach. When I wasn’t slathering on SPF like my life depended on it- I was following the San Diego Comic-Con feeds (and inwardly shrieking at all things “Walking Dead”-related) and preparing for the upcoming craziness of a jam-packed August. Earlier this month, my best friend Sean headed to Spain for a month-long study abroad program through his college (and he returns home tomorrow!) while another friend moved back to the area after nearly a year living and working in Upstate New York! It’s truly been a fast-moving few weeks- and it isn’t going to be slowing down anytime soon.

Deerfield, Mass. July 2015.

Deerfield, Mass. July 2015.

To kick off August, I’ll be heading to Boston Comic-Con this weekend (in my full Agent Carter costume, which I will happily share photos of as soon as possible!) to meet the lovely Hayley Atwell and the man, the myth, and the legend himself- Stan Lee! I’ll also be reuniting with my longtime friend and absolutely brilliant lighting designer, Steven, as he heads into town for a stop at the House of Blues with the always wonderful Mr. Brandon Flowers (I’ll be sharing photos from the show, too!)

Even though August marks the winding down and near-end of the Summer season, I’ll still be sharing some of my favorite hot weather-friendly recipes and my “Battle of the Beaches” post that compares Hampton Beach in New Hampshire to Old Orchard Beach in Maine for others like me that love the ocean and the boardwalk no matter what time of year it is. I had initially wanted to have it up in July, but I’m still making some final edits and changes (plus, it gives me a reason to head to the beaches- again- for a couple of days for “research purposes”!)

Also in August? The “Walker Stalker” convention returns to Boston for it’s second year to thrill other ‘Walking Dead’ fans like me in the area. I can’t wait to see some familiar faces and meet some new ones- too!

I’m so excited for these coming weeks and to close out Summer 2015 in style!

xox

Deerfield, Mass. July 2015.

Deerfield, Mass. July 2015.

Deerfield, Mass. July 2015.

Deerfield, Mass. July 2015.

June 2015: In a Nutshell.

Leave a comment Standard

Where does the time go? It feels like I was launched out of a cannon at the beginning of the month and have been hurdling forward ever since! June was crazy, hectic, and most certainly a blast- although I did fall behind on my posts just a little bit. Now that I’ve got a couple of quiet days ahead of me before Fourth of July weekend, I’ve been playing catching up.

I thought I’d be writing this from San Diego right now- but with my work schedule, current case load, and friends moving to and from the area in recent weeks- I’ve been grounded here on the East Coast for the time being. I’ll be returning to SoCal soon, though!

June2015InANutshell1

I didn’t spend all of June in Massachusetts sitting behind my desk or helping friends pack/unpack their belongings, though. A considerable amount of time was spent hanging around NYC, too. A few weeks ago I had my aura read in Chinatown, and last weekend a group of friends and I caught an early morning train into Grand Central Station to give one of our own a nearly 16-hour tour of some of the city’s most famous landmarks since he had never been to NYC before and was itching to go. We started in Times Square, made our way to Radio City Music Hall, then Rockefeller Center, Central Park (where our friend had his first authentic pretzel cart experience,) One World Trade Center, the 9/11 Memorial, Battery Park, Wall Street- and then worked our way to Brooklyn before we caught an evening subway back to Grand Central. We did it all on foot- and I’m pretty sure I’m still sore from it!

The only two landmarks we couldn’t make it to were the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, which were closed by the time we made it to where the ferries were- and the top of the Empire State Building. The weather was rainy and foggy the entire time we were there- so much, in fact- that we couldn’t see the top of most of the skyscrapers! With visibility being next to zero- we all collectively decided to head back on a sunnier day to finish the tour properly.

June2015InANutshell2The 9/11 Memorial especially stood out to me. The last time I was down by where the Twin Towers once stood was in the Spring of 2002- and there was nothing left. It was both horrifying and heartbreaking. Now, over a decade later- and this beautiful memorial stands in it’s place. It’s truly something to behold. While I was there, I leaned that a white rose is placed on name plates to commemorate victims’ birthdays- which I thought was so touching (because everyone deserves to be recognized and remembered- especially on their birthday.) It happened to be Martin N. DeMeo’s birthday while I was in the area, and I snapped a photo of his rose.

I haven’t checked out the 9/11 Museum yet, but the memorial itself was worth the trip.

So what’s in store for July? More travel, of course (and not just to NYC this time!) some fashion and recipe posts I’ve been meaning to put up for a couple of weeks now, a head-to-head breakdown of Hampton Beach v. Old Orchard Beach, the usual subscription box reviews- and maybe a good old fashioned camping trip (weather permitting!)

And while I may not physically be at San Diego Comic-Con in the coming days- I’m very much there in spirit (and my spirit just happens to be cosplaying!) I might be writing up a couple of posts about upcoming projects that are displayed/revealed there based on the panels and press releases that are provided to those of us not in attendance. I’m really looking forward to seeing the new trailer for the sixth season of “The Walking Dead” and anything pertaining to Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight!”

July is the prelude to what might be my busiest and most exciting month yet- August- but we’ll get to that when the time comes!

Until then- I’m ready to slow things down a bit and enjoy all the fun July has to offer!

xx

May 2015: In a Nutshell.

Leave a comment Standard
Under the Boardwalk - Old Orchard Beach, May 2015.

Under the Boardwalk – Old Orchard Beach, May 2015.

Happy Sunday, everyone! I’m stretched out by my window and enjoying the breeze as I type this right now, being unapologetically lazy before I head out for a drive (and to get some tea) this afternoon!

I can’t believe tomorrow marks the first day of June (which also means that we’re nearly halfway through 2015!) I had mentioned earlier this month how Spring came and went in the blink of an eye this year- only leaving behind a lot of pollen in it’s wake- before New England was fully enveloped in Summer. The days are longer and hotter, the beaches are already getting packed with people- and throughout May I ate more than my fair share of delicious BBQ at family cookouts- an indulgence I’m sure will continue well into the next three months or so.

I definitely spent a lot of May enjoying the outdoors. taking long drives and hikes throughout places like Concord, Hampton, and Old Orchard Beach (as well as around the city, too!) and making more outdoor plans for the coming months. I saw a couple of shows throughout the past few weeks when I wasn’t working or doing the aforementioned minor traveling- and I’m continuing to see and feel great results with my diet and healthy eating regimen (I’m actually ready to buy a new bikini!)

In June, I have more travel planned- including a couple of stops in NYC and a possible adventure in San Diego (if my schedule allows for it!) As for my blog content- I’ve perfected some more recipes I’m excited to share, and will FINALLY be putting up my personalized guide to Boston (I know I’ve been working on it and promising it since as early as April, but I kept getting sidetracked!) as well as some other posts I’ve been drafting that have unintentionally fallen to the wayside amid all my busy-ness at work, frolicking around on the weekends, and succumbing to seasonal allergies.

I’m excited that the pollen will (hopefully) be washed away with some impending Summer storms we’re supposed to have in the coming days- because I’m ready to stop sneezing and get back to writing, my photography, and posting more often. Although the first *official* day of Summer isn’t until June 21st- it’s already here as far as I’m concerned- and I couldn’t be more thrilled!

xox

April 2015: In a Nutshell.

Comments 2 Standard

BethelApril20151“I’m going to camp out on the land. I’m gonna’ try and get my soul free.”

You’ll have to excuse my whimsical demeanor in this post. I’m still coming back down to Earth and re-adjusting to city life after a beautiful and sunny few days in quiet and quaint Bethel, New York. This past weekend- spent re-visiting the 1969 Woodstock Festival, hiking through a portion of the Catskills, photographing just a few of the breathtaking abandoned buildings throughout different counties, and enjoying some of the local cuisine- was the perfect way to round out what was overall a pretty good month. Some of my photos can be viewed in the album below!

I’d love to go back this Summer with more appropriate hiking and photography gear, since some of the long since emptied houses and businesses were a little tricky to get to due to their altitudes along the hillsides and the fact that they have been overtaken by the elements growing around them. I had packed ankle-length flowing skirts and boots with little to no tread on them this last time around- so I kept getting snagged on things every few steps! Lesson learned.

April was a busy month at work, which kept me on my toes- and between Boston juries returning GUILTY verdicts on both Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and former Patriots’ star turned murderer, Aaron Hernandez- it was an excellent month for the justice system in general, too.

This past month also kicked off the 2015 convention circuit for me. I had a blast at the New England Super MegaFest a couple of weeks ago, and I’m excited for the upcoming events in my area where I can get my geek on and wear some of the costumes I’ve been working on in my free time.

Not only that- but “Avengers: Age of Ultron” finally opens tomorrow! If that’s not the perfect way to start the comic-con season, then I don’t know what is.

So what’s in store for May? Definitely a little more traveling if I can manage it, some in-depth posts I’ve been drafting about fun things to do around my city, healthy recipes (that don’t taste like chalk- I promise!) and another “Inspired By” look that pays homage to the greatness that is the movie “Almost Famous.” I’m also doing some re-decorating in the coming weeks, so be on the lookout for a peek at the newest developments unfolding in my bedroom and bathroom. I love to paint, so it’s going to be fun (I’ve been watching a lot of HGTV lately and getting a TON of ideas. Someone stop me. Please.)

‘Til next time!

xx

BethelApril20152

March 2015: In a Nutshell.

Leave a comment Standard
NYC - March 2015.

NYC – March 2015.

Good evening (in my time zone, anyway!)

I’m so used to publishing posts in the morning during the weekdays that writing this so late in the afternoon feels a bit unfamiliar to me! I’ve been incredibly busy at work (which is a good thing,) and enjoying a touch of warmer weather as much as I can. I actually have a window open as I type this, and while it’s by no means beach weather quite just yet- it still feels really refreshing!

Winter has been putting up quite a fight on it’s way out the door. This past month, on more than one occasion here in New England- we’ve seen snow dustings blanket the area- only to be melted away within hours when the sun finally came out through the clouds to wrestle back it’s control of the sky. The forecast for the week ahead is showing a steady rise in temperatures and no snow on the horizon- so here’s hoping April will be more mild!

Unpredictable weather, a battle with a flu (and then a sinus infection- ugh!) and some non-stop Spring tidying aside- March was a really fun and productive month for me. I did a little bit of weekend traveling, teamed up with the good folks over at Rocksbox for a great promotion, and just recently put up my Summer-themed giveaway (which I’ll link to again below!) I’m also a few weeks into my Springtime diet and fitness regimen- and wow– I’m already noticing such a big difference. I look and feel so much better than I did, say, near the end of last year- for example. I’m sure I’ll be doing more posts pertaining to it in the near future- be it exercise routines, healthy recipes, or even a “Day In The Life” type of post. We’ll see!

With tomorrow being April 1st (and also “Stay Off The Internet Day” for those of us who typically fall prey to April Fools jokes, fabricated news stories, and the like,) I’ve been plotting out my plans, goals, and posts for the upcoming month. I’m hoping to spend a weekend in one of my favorite spots in Upstate New York in a couple of weeks since I haven’t been there in years and have been pining to go back- and I’ve stumbled on an incredible abandoned location a couple of hours away in Connecticut that I’m  hoping to photograph now that the snow isn’t obstructing my view of anything and everything quite as much anymore!

Over the next few days, I’ll have my review of my March GlossyBox up- as well as my breakdown of the recently completed and absolutely wild fifth season of “The Walking Dead” (“RICK. DO IT.”)– which is always so much fun to write.

Until then, there’s still time to enter my “Is It Summer Yet?” Giveaway- so be sure to check it out!

IsItSummerYet01

– Click Here To Enter! –

Bring on April!

February 2015: In a Nutshell.

Leave a comment Standard
February2015

Standing by the snowbank (taller than me!) outside my mom’s house. 2/26/15

I won’t deny that I’m thrilled March is here, because with March comes Spring- and with Spring comes warmer weather- and with warmer weather comes the snow we were pretty much buried in throughout February finally melting once and for all. It’s going to be so, so wonderful to see the grass and the flowers blooming again. It feels like it’s been ages since Snowpocalypse’15 started when in actuality it’s only been a few weeks!

I truly can’t remember the last time I saw so much snow here in Massachusetts. The storms came so often and so relentlessly that I missed more time from work in five weeks than I have over the span of the nearly five years I’ve been working at the firm- and the state was shut down a staggering amount of times while road and emergency crews rushed to clear roads, walkways, rail tracks- and keep the power on for residents across Mass.

With most of February being spent shoveling or confined to the indoors to bundle up and keep warm, it was easy to lose my motivation at times. There’s something about temperatures dipping into the negatives on an almost daily basis that just sucks the life and the will to go on out of a person. I was unapologetically lazy this past month. I think a lot of people were- but with warmer days on the horizon- I can feel my energy slowly but surely coming back to me.

In March, I’m going to get back into gear- kicking off the month with a big dinner with some of my friends. I have a little bit of travel planned, some more posts and collaborations ready to be published here on the blog (as well as a bit of scheduled maintenance )– and a really fun giveaway I’m nearly finished putting together!

I’ll have the details soon!

xx

I can't wait to take my parking spot at work back from Mother Nature! Taken a couple of days ago.

I can’t wait to take my parking spot at work back from Mother Nature! Picture taken a couple of days ago.

January 2015: In a Nutshell.

Leave a comment Standard

January20151If January was any indication as to how the rest of 2015 may go- then I’m more than satisfied and excited for it! (and I really hope I’m not jinxing myself by writing that.) I had said at the end of 2014 that I hoped to slow down and enjoy more this coming year- and I didn’t waste any time in doing that this past month. From ringing in the new year in a beautiful and romantic bed & breakfast in Salem, spending a rainy afternoon in a gorgeous library in New York City, to having a fun (and impossibly geeky!) Marvel-centric birthday- and my recent post-birthday weekend in my beloved San Diego.

To close out the month following my return from the West Coast, I spent a couple of very lazy days with Sean at the apartment while we waited out one of the worst, most intense and record-shattering blizzards to ever hit the Northeast. With nearly three feet of snow accumulating along roads, sidewalks- and burying my car over the course of nearly 48 hours- there was little more we could do apart from play plenty of “Resident Evil 6,” keep the ‘Game of Thrones’ votive candles lit in case we lost power- and try to channel a little piece of San Diego by having ourselves a taco night while we watched the flakes fall outside.

January20152

January20153

January20154

Having successfully been able to shovel out my car and return to the outside world (and my office) as usual- I’ve started making plans for February- and preparing projects and posts for the blog! I’m hoping to do some more traveling, attend a couple of upcoming events in the New England area, shine a spotlight on some of my favorite local spots, share some pieces from my wardrobe- as well as my winter hair care regimen- and get ready for the return of “The Walking Dead!”

Of course, I’ll be kicking off this coming month with tomorrow night’s Super Bowl (complete with a party at my friends’ place to watch the game,) so I’m sure I’ll have a couple of semi-unhealthy recipe posts coming up shortly, too!

xx

November 2014: In a Nutshell.

Leave a comment Standard
11/29/14

11/29/14

How on Earth is it already the end of November? It feels like just days ago I was bidding a fond farewell to October and getting ready to travel into NYC for Halloween, and now here I am- bundled up in fleece blankets- preparing for December! I couldn’t think of a better way to end the month, however- what with tonight being the 4th annual “Friendsgiving” at my friends’ apartment and the mid-season finale of “The Walking Dead” (prayer circle for Carol!)

In contrast to this time last year, this past month has been considerably busier- what with settling cases for the end of the year at work, organizing the office, prepping plenty of posts for the blog, and getting ready for the holidays. I’ve barely had time to stop and take a breath for more than a few minutes at a time- which probably explains why November has flown by so fast.

Busyness aside, November did have it’s fun moments- with what little down time I could find being spent with family, friends, or on my own while out getting some fresh air and taking in some rural scenery. We’ve been getting snow on and off for the past few days, too- which has helped me get into a festive state of mind. I’m ready to start decorating for Christmas, write out holiday cards, bake some cookies and pick out some presents!

Of course, while I’m excited for Christmas, I’ll also be starting to wrap up 2014 and preparing to welcome 2015 over the next few weeks, too. I’ve already began piecing together my end of the year summary and drafting my resolutions in an attempt to stay one step ahead of the game- so we’ll see how it goes.

December will most certainly be hectic, for sure- but I’m looking forward to it!

xx

October 2014: In a Nutshell.

Leave a comment Standard

October2014InANutshell

First and foremost, Happy Halloween!

I can’t believe October, the best month- MY month- is over already and in just a few hours I’ll be in New York City celebrating Halloween and kicking off November! Time flies when you’re having fun and reviewing terrible horror movies on Netflix.

“Horrors of Netflix” jokes aside, October was, of course, fantastic- spent participating in Halloween-themed activities (getting separated from my friends during a haunted corn maze in the middle of the night, for one example,) photographing eerie and beautiful locations, and screaming/cheering/screaming some more at the new season of “The Walking Dead” (it’s REALLY good so far!) I hosted my first, but certainly not my last horror-centric giveaway and collaborated with some very cool representatives from some very cool companies to review their products. All in all- I stayed busy!

Of course, with October over- November begins what I call the “year end crunch” at work, where my office starts to wrap up and organize cases for the current year while simultaneously preparing for the upcoming one, It also means the holidays are on their way- so it’s going to be very, very hectic over the next few weeks. In between work and spending time with my family, I’m going to be attempting some travel, prepping some recipe and fashion posts- and scouting out some new locations to photograph.

And with all those great plans in writing, I’m off to head into NYC and bid farewell to October and my favorite holiday in style- and maybe sneak some candy. Maybe…

… Probably.

xox

September 2014: In a Nutshell.

Leave a comment Standard

Despite the fact that we’ve reached the end of September, the leaves have been changing colors, and we are (officially) in the midst of Fall- it has felt more like mid-July these last few days here in New England. I briefly had to swap my boots and hoodie for comfortable flats and a t-shirt when temperatures unexpectedly soared this past weekend. Much like Winter did earlier this year when it came time for Spring to reign supreme, it seems Summer isn’t ready to go without a fight.

As excited as I am that my favorite month of the year is finally here, proper respects must be paid to September- which, when not in my office, was spent in beautiful locations like Hampton Beach, rural Vermont- and the always picturesque Western Massachusetts taking in the beginnings of Autumn. September also saw the start of what has quickly become my newest favorite tradition: bringing my six year old niece to kindergarten a couple of days per week. I love concocting bizarre pancake recipes with her for breakfast, listening to music together in the car, and talking about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles while we walk hand-in-hand to her school. She’s just such a fun little kid and I adore spending time with her.

I also ended this month on the highest of high notes:

KasabianSept20141

KasabianSept20142

KasabianSept20143

KasabianSept20144

On Friday night, I saw one of my favorite bands, Kasabian, at The ‘Dise.  The last time I saw Kasabian live was circa 2005 at a small outdoor festival in Staten Island with my friend Sam. At the time, Sam had quite the crush on singer Tom Meighan (not that I blame her- he was, and still is- very, very handsome,) but I’ve always had a thing for Sergio Pizzorno, the guitarist. Despite my love for the band- it seems as though every time they came to the area in recent years, I was either out of town or busy with other plans.

Regardless, Friday night’s show was worth the wait. Kasabian were fantastic and the show was fun and memorable enough to climb near the top of my list of all-time favorite gig experiences. Not even getting accidentally elbowed in the face during the encore by a very enthusiastic fan could deter my good mood. I sang along to every song, fawned ridiculously (and shamelessly,) and jumped up and down with the crowd until it became physically impossible to move.

I hope they come back to Boston sooner rather than later.

BigE20141

BigE20142

BigE20143

BigE20144

On Sunday, I headed out to West Springfield with some of my girlfriends to attend the final day of The Big E, because what better way to start the week than by stuffing ourselves with the unhealthiest of fair foods and then risking our necks on carnival rides? When we couldn’t take anymore deep fried Oreos or swinging dangerously high off of the ground- we spent the afternoon and early evening walking the fair grounds, feeding farm animals and perusing booths upon booths of goods from local vendors. It was a really lovely afternoon spent in good company.

And with October mere hours away, I’m so excited for all the things I have planned! “The Walking Dead” returns in a couple of weeks, as does “American Horror Story.” I have a pretty fun Halloween-themed giveaway coming up (the details will be announced this coming weekend!) some travel and day-trips scheduled, and I get to absolutely decimate my recommendations on my Netflix account when my “Horrors of Netflix” reviews return!

It’s been fun, September- but now it’s October’s turn to shine- and I couldn’t be more excited!