Good Morning and Happy Tuesday, everyone! I’m up bright and early today- not only because it’s my day off and I don’t want to waste a single minute of it- but because I’m also going to look at a beautiful studio loft apartment in Western Massachusetts a little later on this morning to see if it’s a good fit for me. I’m excited, a little anxious, but hopeful. Even if I’m unable to secure the apartment or even if it’s not “the one”- it’s still a step in the right direction- and it’ll still keep me motivated.

My end-of-the-month wrap-up will be up on the blog this coming Thursday- but before I get around to discussing some exciting news about my job and the details of an even more exciting mini-road trip I’m embarking on at the end of next week- I wanted to share some of the random things that have helped to completely make my March!

As usual (well, usual since I’ve started writing these posts every month, anyway)– I thought I’d start with the products/pieces I’ve been coveting over these past few weeks and then go into the stuff that I can’t exactly photograph easily.

With Spring (kinda’) here- I’ve been preparing to trade in my favorite pair of knee-high black boots for more seasonally appropriate flats, sandals, and sneakers- and since I haven’t bought myself a decent pair of kicks in a while- I thought I’d splurge a little bit on these limited edition, glow-in-the-dark Andy Warhol-inspired high-tops from Converse. I’m absolutely loving the bright pops of color on these shoes- and like my other (and much more weathered) pairs of high-tops I’ve owned since high school (!!!)– these sneakers are just the most comfortable things to wear. My feet never get tired in Chuck Taylors. They just don’t. They are my favorite shoes- even if they make my feet look gigantic- and I intend on getting plenty of wear out of these ones, too.

Of course, if I’m going to start rocking flats and sandals again- that means I have to make sure my feet look and feel good, first. I’m always down for a good pedicure (it’s the calf rub, honestly. I could sit in that cushy chair at the spa and just have my calves rubbed for three hours)– but I wanted to try an at-home treatment prior to my first pedi of the season so that I could spend more time getting my calves massaged and less time getting abused by the pumice stone. After reading many, MANY reviews (and being both horrified and fascinated by the post-application photos I saw)– I caved and ordered a package of Baby Foot Exfoliation Peel off of Amazon.

For those who have never heard of ‘Baby Foot’- the package comes equipped with two gel-soaked booties you strap onto your feet and leave on for an hour before rinsing the gel off and going about your business. Within a few days, however- the dry, dead skin on your feet begins to peel- and when I saw “peel”, I mean you are essentially a shedding snake for a good week/week and a half. Your skin comes off (painlessly!) in SHEETS. It’s disgusting and awesome at the same time- and when all that dead skin is gone- all you’re left with is super soft heels and toes. The stuff is incredible.

Is it possible to fall madly and deeply in love with a liquid foundation? Because I think I did- and the love affair is still going strong. Some of you my recognize this full coverage Amazonian Clay Foundation from Tarte from my most recent Sephora Haul, but this stuff has truly been a lifesaver in ways I hadn’t even anticipated. Not only does it match my skin (FINALLY!), but it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing anything at all while I have it on- which is an amazing feat in itself for a product that covers every imperfection so ridiculously well. Please, Tarte- I beg of you- don’t ever discontinue this. You don’t understand how much it means to me.

Even though we’re only in the early days of Spring, I’ve already opted for citrus, beach-y fragrances to get me through the next few months (I can’t do florals this year. I just can’t. Every year I do florals and I just needed a break from them.) I recently stocked up on body washes, lotions, and spritzes from Bath & Body Works‘ Hawaiian-inspired collection, specifically their Honolulu Sun (coconut and warm sand!) and Golden Pineapple Luau fragrances. Now every shower transports me to the beautiful beach-side communities in Southern California that I adore so much. I love smelling like I just sipped a smoothie by the ocean. Even if it’s only March.

One other product from B&BW that made it onto this month’s ‘Hits List’ was this Mahogany Coconut 3-wick candle. Now, I’m devoted to Yankee Candle 100%- but sometimes, on occasion- I like to stock up on these ones, too. They don’t last very long- but they’re strong- and the scent lingers well after the candle is done burning. This fragrance, a mixture of sandalwood and coconut- smells crisp and refreshing- and is perfect to have lit while Spring cleaning and preparing to open the windows to let in some fresh air this season.

Over the weekend, Sean and I headed to Somerville to redeem a birthday present for me that he’d made reservations for back in January. The event- “Trapped in a Room with a Zombie” is exactly what it sounds like. You, and a handful of other participants, are locked in a puzzle-filled room for an hour with a zombie. Your objective is to work together to solve each puzzle in order to find the key and escape before your clock runs out. The kicker? Every five minutes- the zombie’s chain gets a little longer- and you lose if he grabs you.

Years of playing ‘Resident Evil’ and ‘Silent Hill’ had pretty much prepared me for this moment- and my team escaped with a scary-close three minutes to spare. It was an absolute BLAST– one of the most unique and fun things I’d ever participated in- and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in the Boston area anytime soon! You won’t regret it!

VICTORY!

And now, for the stuff that couldn’t be photographed:

– MUSIC/MOVIES/TELEVISION –

• ‘Schitt’s Creek’ – One of my favorite Canadian comedies returned for it’s second season this past month, and it’s even better than the first season. Starring Eugene Levy (and his totally dreamboat son, Daniel Levy) and Catherine O’Hara- the 30-minute show follows the Rose Family, who move to the small, dead-end town of Schitt’s Creek after businessman and father Johnny (Eugene Levy) loses the family’s fortune. The show is so witty and genuinely funny- and Chris Elliot plays the mayor- Roland Schitt. It doesn’t get much better than that.

• ’10 Cloverfield Lane’ – John Goodman might be one of the most lovable people on the planet, but good God- when he wants to terrify the living Hell out of you- he DOES it, and really, really well at that. I might be in the minority of people who really enjoyed the original ‘Cloverfield’ movie (motion sickness and all) so I was excited to return to the world of a still unexplained and very vague alien invasion. I liked how this was a completely different take on the events unfolding in the first movie- but was twice as scary and unsettling.

– MISCELLANEOUS –

• Costume Designing! – With the 2016 Comic-Con circuit officially getting underway, I have a couple of months before things kick off here on the East Coast with Boston & Rhode Island Comic-Con, ‘Walker Stalker’, MegaFest, etc. Last year, despite being pretty busy- I had managed to pull of a really great Agent Carter costume I was very proud of. This year, now that my schedule is a little easier to manage- I have a series of three costumes I’m going to attempt (two of which are ‘Walking Dead’-related, of course!) The process of getting started is always the most fun- and I’ve been having a blast browsing tools and fabrics and writing out my plans. I’m hoping to share my progress once I get going!

And I think that’s everything for the month of March! As always, I’d love to hear your favorites for this past month and/or recommendations for things to try and do in April! Leave a comment or drop me an e-mail!

I’m off to look at the apartment. Wish me luck!

xx