Weekend Roundup

With Memorial Day Weekend being the official start of Summer, I was ready to kick it off with a bang. I live for summer, hot days, long nights, BBQ's, family, friends, vacations, the beach and waiting to find out where the Manfriend and I will be next. This Memorial Day Weekend was awesome, I got to do so much and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Friday


On Friday I learned that I am pretty good at multitasking. I've been complaining to the Manfriend that by having such a busy schedule lately I never really get quality "ME" time, which I feel is so important not only for yourself but for your relationship. So I decided on Friday I would do something about it, after having a great lunch from Beacon Side Door, which I will definitely be writhing about in more depth soon, I had a half hour left in my lunch hour so I used that time to do something for me. I went down the street to this peaceful little eyebrow threading spot, I've been bitching about my brows for weeks and this sweet lady turned my frown upside down by threading my brows in less then ten minutes and making me feel like a woman again.


With twenty minutes left in my "ME" time outing, I headed over to Henri Bendel's to see if they carried a particular sunglasses brand and a very particular style I've been looking for. Well I hit the jackpot when I entered Bendel's, not only did they carry the brand they had only one pair left of this certain style I've been lusting over for the past three months. Let just say I left this fabulous store with a smile on my face and I was protected from the sun. I went back to work a very happy camper and I was ready to end the work week and start the long weekend.


Friday night the Manfriend and I joined his parents for a bite to eat, at Jimmy Max, a local spot that Kyle's good friend's family owns. It was such a nice time, I love hearing stories from their youth and seeing how happy they still are today. I enjoyed a yummy Jimmy Max bar pie called the Max Special, which is marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil accompanied by a Blue Moon beer.


After Jimmy Max we headed to one of my favorite places on earth, Barnes and Noble. I absolutely love this place, I could literally spend hours here reading magazines, browsing for my next great read and enjoying a coffee. I hate that I don't get to go here as much as I used to and on Friday night I vowed I would change that. I left Barnes and Noble with what I came for and was ready to settle in for the night.


Saturday

When I woke up on Saturday I was so happy to see how beautiful it was outside, I couldn't wait to get the day started. I headed to my 8am practice with my Team and Training Fast Track ladies and we set out for our 5 mile run on the beach. I awarded each of my Rock Stars of the week with a copy of Bethenny Frankel's, A Place of Yes, since they remind me of Bethenny because of their "go getter" attitude. 

Thanks Noel for the pictures!

Our run was fantastic, even in the heat, we had such a great turnout and it was awesome to see the Team takeover the beach. I can't wait to announce this week's Rock Star, it is very well deserved.  We are less then two weeks until the big day, they race on June 11th and I can't wait to see how well they all do.

After practice I hurried home to shower and get ready to head down to the Jersey Shore. The manfriend and I were going to go meet up with his brother Ryan, his fiance' and a bunch of our friends to have a BBQ and enjoy the amazing weather. I love taking day trips with the manfriend, I love the feeling of getting in the car, listening to great music, enjoying a coffee and great conversation. We were expecting to hit major traffic because of the holiday but much to our surprise we didn't hit any. I was so excited to see everyone, we enjoyed some really yummy food, some delicious Skinnygirl margaritas and of course some great conversation. We stopped by the beach for a few and it was our friend's baby Auden's first trip to the beach and he loved it.

Auden's first beach experience.

Later in the night we headed over the the Point Pleasant Boardwalk, to go on some rides and play some games. Now I am not one for rides but the manfriend convinced me actually go on quite a few, I didn't puke or feel dizzy, the night was a success. I actually went on my first ever roller coaster. I know I am 25 and your probably thinking, what the hell were you waiting for, I just don't like the danger factor that comes along with a roller coaster but I let that fear go for the night and really enjoyed the experience.

Sunday

We woke up early Sunday morning and had a nice breakfast before we hit the road back home. I had a piece of the most delicious crumb cake from a local bakery in Point Pleasant called Muller's. People wait on line for an hour to get their hands on this stuff and I would do the same, this stuff was yummy.

On our way home we stopped at the Jersey Shore Outlets for a little browsing, I love that my manfriend loves, shopping, malls and outlets as much as I do. We weren't planning on really buying anything, that was until we went into the Banana Republic and J.Crew shops, the deals were to good to pass up and we left the outlets with a few bags, but didn't spend to much which is always awesome.

After our little shopping excursion, we got home and relaxed a little before heading to another BBQ. My aunt had all of my family over for a nice Memorial Day BBQ. I love catching up with my family, it seems like we are all over the place these days and I don't get to see everyone as much as I'd like. It's crazy to see every one's families expanding and seeing my generation head into adulthood, life seriously moves so fast.

Brendan, Lia and baby Will.

Monday


I was planning on running the local Memorial Day 4 miler on Monday morning, but I woke up a 6am to the sound of thunder and after competing in a half marathon only a week earlier, I decided to sit this race out. I enjoyed a nice relaxing morning with the manfriend, who fixed me a yummy breakfast and coffee of course.


I knew I couldn't relax for long though, I am training for an Half Ironman and since I didn't run the race I had to get in a workout. I headed over to the gym, got into the pool and challenged myself to a mile swim. I was a lifeguard all through high school but swimming has never been my strong suit and since I have to swim 1.2 miles August 21st, it's time to step up my game. This mile swim was tough, I'm in shape from running and yoga but swimming is a totally different beast, it works your arms, legs, core and makes the lungs burn. When I completed the 66 laps, I was so proud of myself and I also felt like I was going to die, mission accomplished.


The rest of the day was spent as my manfriend's parents house and my parents house, I love that we've created this routine and make it a point to spend quality time with the people who've done most for us in our lives. I think the highlight of the weekend was Monday night seeing my manfriend getting excited to watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey with me, I find this hysterical and I also love his impression of Teresa's husband Joe, "I don't know Tre."


This was an amazing start to the summer and it's only just begun. We have so much to look forward to, so many exciting things coming our way, like the arrival of my nephew, William, our annual trip to Long Beach Island, my Half Ironman and Kyle's brother's wedding. So many great things to come.

Quote of the day.

Hey there, happy Tuesday! I'm loving that it is a short work week, I hope the rest of your Memorial Day Weekend was fantastic, I know I ended mine on a great note. (I'll talk about that "great" note in my, Weekend Roundup.) Now it's back to business; work, workouts, and focusing. The Manfriend and I have a lot coming up in the next few months and I want to make sure I stay calm and stress free.

Today's quote is from author Emily Giffin's, Something Borrowed. After this past weekend this quote resonates with me. On Saturday the Manfriend and I drove down to Point Pleasant, New Jersey to hang put with Kyle's brother at his Fiancé's grandmother's house and our good friends. This immediately took me back to three summers earlier, when the Manfriend and I first met and spent Memorial Day Weekend in this very house. It's crazy how fast time flies and how I can go back to 2008 and reminisce over our beginning.

We all have our feelings of nostalgia. Places, smells, people and songs that take us back in time, sometimes to places that make us smile, some that make us want to forget and some that let you know how much you've grown. That's the crazy thing about life one minute your doing something and the next you are looking back at it as a memory, a chapter in your ever growing book.

Enjoy!

Songs and smells will bring you back to a moment in time more than anything else. It's amazing how much can be conjured with a few notes of a song or a solitary whiff of a room. A song you didn't even pay attention to at the time, a place that you didn't even know had a particular smell.
— Emily Giffin, Something Borrowed

Quote of the day.

Hey loves, Happy Memorial Day! I know when you think Memorial Day, we think sad and somber but today I choose to celebrate the lives of the amazing men and women who fought for my country and made the ultimate sacrifice, I am forever grateful of them. So thank you servicemen, what you do is amazing!!

Sorry for the lack of posts the last two days, I have been enjoying the Holiday weekend with family and friends, I'll continue to enjoy that extended weekend today and I'll be sure to get my posts back on track come Tuesday. I hope your Memorial Day Weekend has been a great one, the weather in New York was perfect, so I've been able to get in some great runs and enjoy the family BBQ's. 

Congrats again to Cindy from Hellcat Vintage for winning Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes First Giveaway, she won a pair of TOMS Classic Shoes. And also a BIG Thank You, to all of you who've participated in the contest. There will be plenty of more giveaways to come, so sit tight and keep reading. 

Today's quote is in honor of Memorial Day, it's from  U.S. General George S. Patton. This quote is great and this is what I choose to do, because I think this is what our great servicemen and women deserve. Thank you to all those in the Army, Marines, Navy, Seals, Coast Guard, Rangers, and National Guard who have lost their lives to keep our nation free, and thank you to all of those who are still serving or have served. 

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. 

-George S. Patton

We Have a WINNER!!!!

Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes has it's first GIVEAWAY WINNER!!! 

Cindy a Follower and Blogger from Hellcat Vintage!!! Congrats Cindy, now pick out your pair of TOMS Classics!!!

Thank you so much to all that participated.

Jeans and Tee's used Random.org to pick the lucky winner.

Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes will be doing another GIVEAWAY in the weeks to come, again thank you to all my fellow bloggers, readers, and friends for taking the time to participate. 

Way to go CINDY!!! 

Quote of the day.

Yay for the weekend lovers, I'm so happy it's Friday, especially after the bad day I had yesterday. I'm not going to go into detail about my "bad" day, I just want to say thank you to my mother, brother, sister and Manfriend for helping me get through the tough day I was having. On top of the bad day I was having, I missed the Thursday night Fun Run in the park, which I was looking forward to all day, instead of being pissy i went for a nice run on my own, which I needed very badly. I love the way running clears my head, it really is so therapeutic.

What are your plans for this Memorial Day Weekend? I can't wait to get off work tonight and let the festivities begin. I am really looking forward to heading down to the shore tomorrow after my Team in Training practice and spending time with the Manfriend and company. I long for the beginning of summer and I'm so happy it's finally here.

The Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes TOMS Giveaway ends today at 12pm EST, you still have time to enter!! Click Here ->GIVEAWAY<- for all the Giveaway details. Thank you to all my fellow bloggers and readers who have participated in Jeans and Tee's very frist giveaway and GOOD LUCK of course!!

Today's quote is from an Unknown author, it came from a book of quotes my mother gave me called, I Believe in You. (Great book!) This quote was a real eye opener when I found it this morning. It's about going for it, not putting things on hold such as, what you are passionate about or a long time goal/dream. Because if you keep putting things off til "tomorrow", you may never get the opportunity to actually go through with what it is you really want out of life. We are all guilty of this, and mostly because we let some fear creep inside, which tells us that we should settle. Don't settle, be what you've always dreamed of being, sometimes it's just taking that initial step that is scary but will put you in the right direction towards the BEST YOU!

Each morning he'd stack up the letters he'd write...tomorrow. And think of the friends he'd fill with delight...tomorrow. It was too bad, indeed; he was busy today and hadn't a minute to stop on his way. " More time I'll give to others," he'd say...tomorrow. But the fact is he died and faded from view and all that he left when the living was through was a mountain of things he intended to do...tomorrow.
-Unknown

Quote of the day.

Yay for Thursday, hope the day is wonderful for you Lovers. It is a hot one here in New York and the weekend forecast is looking good, perfect beach weather, let's get this summer started. I had an awesome recovery run last night, it definitely helped relieve the soreness I had from the boot camp workout I did the night before. Today if I get out of work and home in time, I'm going to run the local Thursday night Fun Run, it's a 3 mile course with some good competition, let's hope I make it.

You have a day and half left to enter the Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes GIVEAWAY!! Don't miss your chance of winning a pair of TOMS Shoes. The contest ends tomorrow, Friday May 27th at 12:00pm (Eastern Standard Time), so be sure you get all your entry points in. I want to thank everyone who has been participating, you are amazing and your support of Jeans and Tee's really rocks my world! If you haven't entered please click here ->GIVEAWAY<- for all the Contest rules.
Good Luck!

Today's quote was found on Hollies Quotes, under the "LIFE" section (My favorite section.) and it's by an unknown author. This is a great message, we all need to realize that we control our future, our life and our path. I know some things can get in the way but if you have the drive and have the dreams, you can seriously go, do and be anything you want, when you know this, all things are possible.

Enjoy!

My will shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny.

-Unknown

What's in Your Bag?

What's in your bag? by meggie23x

My Longchamp bag, contains my life. Since I commute into Manhattan everyday, my bag is always stuffed with the essentials that get me through the day. 

Everything from my mac products (iPad, iPhone), my Nikon D300 (You never know when you're going to have to snap some pictures.), a Starbucks travel mug (Saving money by making coffee at home is pretty sweet!), a fresh pair of Rays, makeup to freshen up throughout the day, magazines, my book of the week and of course an umbrella, because you never no when a summer thunderstorm is going to pop up.

What's in your bag? What are the esstentials that you can't live without?

Quote of the day + A Tune.

Wahoo, we've reached the hump, Wednesday that is. This week seems to be going at a nice steady pace. I know my fellow New Yorkers are happy the sun is finally out and the temperature is actually warm, has summer arrived? I sure do hope so, I'm counting down the days, really looking forward to the three day weekend that's approaching. How's your week going?

Last night I met up with my Team in Training ladies, for a Boot Camp cross training workout, let me just say it kicked my butt, doing this workout right after running a half marathon, probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. But I am training for a Half Ironman, so I have to really step the intensity up. With that being said, I can't wait to go for a run after work today. I really want to train hard so when August arrives and I'm toeing the line at my first Half Ironman 70.3 mile race, I'll be prepared. (I can't believe I'm actually training for an Ironman!)

Have you checked out the Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes GIVEAWAY?!? You have three more days to enter Jeans and Tee's FIRST GIVEAWAY, with a chance of winning a pair of TOMS Shoes. The contest ends Friday May 27th at 12:00pm, so got check out this post

->GIVEAWAY<-

and

 ENTER!!!

 Please be sure to leave your Blog's name, so I can follow you in return. Good Luck to everyone participating!!!

Today's quote comes from the band, Snow Patrol and their song, Chocolate. I really dig this song, I first heard it when it was used in the movie, The Last Kiss. I didn't love the movie to much, but I did however love the soundtrack. The words to this song are fantastic, instead of using just a few lines, I've included all the lyrics. This is a song about finding yourself, fears, love and discovery. I really appreciate songs like this, it makes me feel that I'm not alone on this crazy journey called life.

Enjoy!

This could be the very minute
I'm aware I'm alive
All these places feel like home

With a name I'd never chosen
I can make my first steps
As a child of 25

This is the straw, final straw in the
Roof of my mouth as I lie to you
Just because I'm sorry doesn't mean
I didn't enjoy it at the time

You're the only thing that I love
It scares me more every day
On my knees I think clearer

Goodness knows I saw it coming
Or at least I'll claim I did
But in truth I'm lost for words

What have I done it's too late for that
What have I become truth is nothing yet
A simple mistake starts the hardest time
I promise I'll do anything you ask...this time
-Snow Patrol, Chocolate

I also included the song for your viewing and listening pleasure, enjoy it Loves!

Quote of the day.

Happy Tuesday Beauties, it's another icky day in New York City and on top of the rain, it's now very hot and humid, we seriously can't catch a break. I'm hoping that it will clear up by Memorial Day Weekend, because I'm heading to the beach. I'm looking forward to my workout today after work, my team and I are doing a boot camp style workout, it's a great cross training workout and I hope the instructor kicks my booty.

CHECK Out the TOMS GIVEAWAY from Jeans and Tee's

Be sure to check out the Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes GIVEAWAY!! Enter with your chance of winning a pair of TOMS Shoes!!! A big shout out to all who have already participated, it really means so much to me that you've taken the time, to read, follow, and promote. Please leave the name of your blog when you leave a comment so I can follow you back!!! Remember the GIVEAWAY ends this Friday May 27rh at 12:00pm (Eastern Standard Time)

Check out the sweet GIVEAWAY and Entry Rules
->HERE<-

Today's quote comes from Eddie Vedder's song, Guaranteed, off the Into the Wild soundtrack. I love Eddie Vedder, his voice is so soothing and the words  to are so powerful. He's coming out with a new album next Tuesday, May 31st called Ukulele Songs, which I've already pre-ordered on iTunes. Anyway, this song Guaranteed is one of my all time favorites, there is something about the words that I really relate to. I think we all deal with a bit of soul searching, every now and then, trying to form that perfect verison of ourself. For me it's a constant search, never settling, maybe one day I'll find my ideal self but I think once I get there, I'll want to go even higher.

Enjoy!

A mind full of questions, and a teacher in my soul
And so it goes...

Leave it to me as I find a way to be
Consider me a satellite, forever orbiting
I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me
Guaranteed

-Eddie Vedder, Guaranteed

Weekend Roundup

I had an awesome weekend, hope yours was just as great, if not better! Ever since I've been back in New York and becoming more and more settled into our new place, I feel I can enjoy the weekends more. This weekend was full of some fun, some challenges, relaxation, and of course family. 

Friday

I got out of work a little earlier then usual because of my half marathon Saturday morning. On my commute home, I stopped at the farmers market by the ferry and  picked up a beautiful bouquet of lilacs. I loved that by purchasing these pretty flowers, I was supporting my local farmers market.

Friday night the manfriend and I went to dinner with our great friends James and Elisa, we went to a great Italian spot called, Pasticceria Bruno. I love this place and the manfriend and I frequent this restaurant. It's always hopping, the food is great as well as the service.  It was a really nice night out, I enjoyed a yummy salad and a glass of wine. We ran into my brother and sister-in-law as we were getting ready to leave, that's the great place about where I'm from, it's a city but it has that small town charm where you can run into family throughout your day. 

Pretty Lilacs from the Farmers Market

Saturday

I had to wake up rather early Saturday morning, 4:00am to be exact, to get ready to compete in the Brooklyn Half Marathon. I was nervous about this marathon, I had a certain time I wanted to hit, so I had a little added pressure but when I woke up Saturday morning, all that nervousness seemed to disappeared .

The manfriend drove a couple of my Team and Training teammates into Coney Island, where we hopped on the train to the start of the race in Prospect Park. Now instead of being nervous I was excited to get this race started. When you see all the other runners, there is nothig but good vibes and I live for good vibrations. I was nice and relaxed, I had a great playlist on my iPod to helo me through the next 13.1 miles.

When the race went off I got into a nice rhythm, hitting the mile markers with ease, I was feeling great. That is until the heat set in, it was very humid and the air was thick but I wasn't going to let this stop me from giving a maxium effort. This was my  first time runing  for Team in Training, and I have to say when it comes to cheer spots along the course they were phenominal! They gave me the confidence boost I needed to conquer this beast of a half marathon.

Finishing the Brooklyn Half Marathon with a smile on my face.

With a mile to go, my face lit up and I realized that it wasn't even 9:00am and I finished a 13.1 mile race, this actually made me feel like a badass. I did't hit the time I was going for but I was really proud of myself, I broke some mental barriers in this race and I'm learning that not every race is going to be a PR but you do walk away learning something new about yourself.

We planned on going to a local food festival called Uncorked, but due to the silly rain we've been having, we cancelled our plans. We did however stumble across something awesome, a church around the corner from us was having a yard sale, and what we walked away with for the amount of money we spent, felt like we were robbing these people. Kyle spotted a great end table that would look perfect in our living room for all of our coffee table books. We also found a brand new espresso machine (never used) hiding in the corner. Me being the coffee addict I am had to have it. Well when we asked the gentleman how much he was asking for the table a espresso machine, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He told us $5.00 each! This was quite the steal and I couldn't wait to get our new purchases back to the apartment.

We cleaned up the end table with some Murphy's Lemon Oil, which makes older wooden pieces look as good as new. We placed it next to Kyle's man chair, added some books and it really looks great. It's awesome when you find something like this for so cheap.

Loving our new end table.

Our Brand New $5.00 Espresso Machine!!

Saturday night we went to a local pub, Jody's and enjoyed some yummy food, beers and great conversation. I love nights like this and it makes me fall more and more in love with the manfriend when I see how much he enjoys these nights as well.

Sunday

This was the first morning in a very long time where I had no place to be. I didn't have a practice, race or work, so the plan was to sleep in. Well at 7:00am I was wide awake, my body won't allow me to sleep in, instead I put on a pot of coffee for the manfriend and me to enjoy and relaxed. I love the mornings, I love my apartment the most in the morning, it's so cozy. I love curling up working on a blog post, watching SportsCenter and planning out my day.

Since it was another dreary day, the manfriend and I took a trip to New Jersey to do a little shopping. We went to the Menlo Park Mall, it was great, we got some stuff for the apartment. I picked up some clothes at Urban Outfitters and also picked up a pair of Hunter Boots. Kyle added to his ever growing collection of white v-neck tee's.

My new Hunter Rain Boots.

While we were walking the manfriend pointed out that this is what he misses most about Greece. When I asked what he meant, he explained that whe we were in Greece we got to spend a lot more time doing things together and that he really missed that time we shared. My heart literally melted when I heard him explain, I obviously felt the same way but I am a lady so I thought it was just a common mushy girl feeling, it's good to know the feeling is mutual.



Sunday evening Kyle's brother and fiance stopped by are brought us a really cool house warming gift. They know we are wine lovers and gave us this awesome wine barrel accompanied with a bottle of merlot. The wine barrel is for us to save our wine corks, which we were already doig but we only had them in an old jar, this was way cooler. It was so nice of them to do that for us and I look forward to enjoying wine with them at the new place.

Our Cool Cork Collector from Ryan and Tara

I couldn't believe the weekend was over! They always go way to fast. I got a lot done this weekend and I am ready for what this work week has in store for me. I begin serious training for my Half Ironman this week, while this scares me a little, it also has me excited to tackle this huge goal on my bucket list.

How was your weekend?!?

Quote of the day + A Tune.

Monday, you're here again, please be kind! I can't believe this weather in New York, it is another rainy day, I am seriously longing for some sun and warmth. I hope your weekend was great and that you are ready to tackle this new week. I begin serious Ironman training this week, now that my half marathon is over I can devout all my focus to this triathlon that is rapidly approachig, yikes!

Remember to sign up for the Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes First Giveaway!!! Enter with your chance of winnig a pair of TOMS Shoes!!!

Check out the details here, ->GIVEAWAY<- It ends Friday May 27th, so hurry up and enter!!!

Good Luck to all those particpating.

Today's quote comes from an unknown author, it's short, simple and sweet. I love quotes like this, makes me feel better about life and how no one will ever know where their path will take them, you just got to roll with it.

Enjoy!

There is no set path... just follow your heart!

-Unknown

I also included this song from the great band Five For Fighting, called New York City Weather Report. It's a perfect song for my fellow New Yorkers and the weather we've been having. Enjoy this tune and enjoy this Monday!!



Quote of the day. + A Nice Tune.

Hey beauties, happy Sunday! This is the first time in a long time that I had nowhere to be Sunday morning, I planned on sleeping in but the early bird inside of me wouldn't allow it. So now I'm up enjoying some delicious coffee, watching SportsCenter and I'm  happy. After yesterday's race I'm rather sore but I expected it, I didn't realize how well I actually did. I placed in the top 1,500 out of 6,000 runners and I placed 317th for women, which was part of the top 10%, and 122nd for my age group. I'm proud of myself and my effort. A big congrats to all of my friends who also ran yesterday, you are all ROCK STARS in my eyes! 

Last night the manfriend and myself were going to go to the Uncorked food festival but thunderstorms kept us away. I was a little bummed but we went out to dinner and enjoyed a nice low key night. Hopefully the rain will not ruin our Sunday. I hope your Sunday is fantastic! 

Don't forget my beautiful readers and fellow bloggers to take part in Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes First GIVEAWAY. Enter with a chance to win a pair of TOMS Shoes!!!

 It's day three of the week long contest.

Check out all the Giveaway details here.

->GIVEAWAY<-

Good luck to all that participate!

Today's quote come from one of my favorite shows as a teen, Gilmore Girls. This quote is a great one about finding your path and not being afraid of it. Everyone is on their own journey and sometimes it can  be scary and you are uncertain of what's to comes. Instead of worrying about what's next, we need to learn to embrace to process and trust our gut. 

Enjoy!

If you're feeling frightened about what comes next, don't be. Embrace the uncertainty. Allow it to lead you places. Be brave as it challenges you to exercise both your heart and your mind as you create your own path towards happiness, don't waste time with regret. Spin wildly into your next action. Enjoy the present, each moment, as it comes; because you'll never get another one quite like it. And if you should ever look up and find yourself lost, simply take a breath and start over. Retrace your steps and go back to the purest place in your heart... where your hope lives. You'll find your way again. 

- Gilmore girls

Today I included a tune from the lovely Sara Bareilles. I love this chick and with all the rain we've been having in New York, I felt this song was very fitting. The lyrics to this song are awesome and I wanted to share it with you.


Again Enjoy and have a Happy Sunday!

Quote of the day.

Happy Saturday Loves, sorry for the delay with this quote of the day.  I was running the Brooklyn Half Marathon this morning, and I am proud to say I ran well, broke some mental barriers and finished strong with a smile on my face. Now it's time to enjoy the day, it's beautiful here in New York and even though I am tired from my run, I don't want to miss out on this weather. 

The manfriend and I are going to stop by the Uncorked food festival, if I can walk later on today. I am really looking forward to trying some delicious food from all the great restaurants in my hometown. I hope your weekend is filled with great things, you've worked hard all week, it's your time to enjoy life and be sure to do something exclusively for YOU. 

Be sure to check out Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes 

FIRST GIVEAWAY-> HERE!!!! <-

It's day two of the week long giveaway challenge, check it out, gain your entry points and a chance to win a sweet giveaway!!! I wish you all GOOD LUCK!!!

Today's quote comes from the late British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.  This quote is phenomenal , and after the challenge I put myself through today running 13.1 miles, I thought it was very fitting. It's about continuing to have goals throughout life, not being afraid to fail, and that you should feel proud of yourself if you had the courage to try something out of your comfort zone. Remember you only live once, make it count, make your story a personal best seller.

Enjoy!

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

-Winston Churchill 

Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes Giveaway is...?!?!?!?

Drumroll Please...Jeans and Tee's First Giveaway is....a pair of...TOMS Shoes!!!

I love TOMS Shoes and thought they would be great for a giveaway. 

Why? You may ask. 

  When you purchase a pair of TOMS Shoes another pair goes to a child in need!

 TOMS matches it ONE for ONE. 

So by you entering this Giveaway, you are entering with the chance to give back to a child in need of a pair of shoes. How awesome is that!! 

The winner can pick any pair of the Women's or Men's Classics!!!

Here's the Rules for the TOMS Giveaway

The Giveaway Contest starts today Friday May 20th at Noon 

(Eastern Standard Time) 

The Giveaway Contest Ends Friday May 27th at Noon

How to receive Giveaway entry points:

1 ENTRY POINT FOR COMMENTING ON THE GIVEAWAY POST on Blogger
 2 BONUS ENTRY POINTS FOR FOLLOWING JEANS AND TEE'S on Blogger
2 BONUS ENTRY POINTS FOR FOLLOWING JEANS AND TEE'S 
FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
2 BONUS ENTRY POINTS FOR FOLLOWING JEAN'S AND TEE'S ON BLOGLOVIN'
AND
3 BONUS ENTRY POINTS FOR PROMOTING THE GIVEAWAY 
ON YOUR BLOG OR TWITTER.

At the END of the GIVEAWAY the WINNER will be picked at random with a number generator. I will post the winner Saturday May 28th! After the winner is picked,(It could be YOU!)I will be asking for your mailing address along with the color and size of your desired TOMS Shoes. And there you have it!!! I hope you participate and join in the fun of this GREAT Giveaway. 

Thank you again for continuing to visit, read and follow the journey of, 

Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes!

Please e-mail JeansTeesTravelCakes@gmail.com if you choose to follow me on Bloglovin', due to the "Anonymous" feature. Also, if you promote this Giveaway on your Blog! I want to make sure you all get the correct amount of entry points. 

A Place of YES.

I just finished reading Bethenny Frankel's, A Place of Yes, and it was amazing. I'm not being bias because I love Bethenny, I am serious when I say it was one of the best books I've  read in a long time.

She talks about the 10 rules she has followed to get everything out of life. Bethenny figured since it worked for her she would  share her journey with her fans and readers. I knew I was interested to see how she got to where she is today, so I picked up a copy and I couldn't have been more happy with my purchase.

The rules are pretty simple to follow, she isn't telling us to make drastic unrealistic changes in our lives. She is motivating us (the reader) to go after what we want in life or as she puts it, "going for yours". Whether it's success in a career, gaining confidence in yourself, not being afraid to take risks,  to finding the perfect man or woman to live happily ever after with. Bethenny gives you these rules (tools) to help you get yourself on the right track. Ultimately showing us how to come from a place of "yes", rather then a place of "no" or a place of "I'm afraid". I took so much from this book and I thought her approach towards achieving success in whatever you are going after, is attainable.

I am nowhere where I want to be when it comes to dreams and goals I've set for myself.  I wouldn't call myself a ultimate "Yes Man", but I am learning through her technique how to be less and less of a "No Man". The difference is mind blowing when you begin to look at things in a more positive light. For instance, if I have to make a tough decision, instead of thinking of all the negatives that can come out of making a choice, I'm learning that there are no bad decisions. Every decision you make in life will help you on your personal journey, and once you accept this you'll feel that stressful weight lift off your shoulders.

Her ultimate goal is for the reader to find happiness in whatever it is you do. It may not mean becoming a millionaire, a supermodel, or a high power executive. It could simply mean waking up every morning and having passion for something or someone you love. I really latched on to this concept and  I try to follow through with my passions everyday.

While reading, A Place of Yes, I went highlighter crazy and underlined statements that I thought were so inspiring, motivating and true, at least in my eyes. Below I've included what I've underlined. Take the time to read these great messages, and maybe we can all take a que from Bethenny and come from, A PLACE OF YES!

Quotes

from

A Place of Yes

When you say yes to the good in you, then you become better and better, and you have the potential to go anywhere and do and be anything.

Look yourself straight in the eye. That's the real you. You get to decide what comes next. Stop getting in your own way, and stop telling yourself you can't. Because you can.

Be patient. Your life is the puzzle, and it's fun and challenging to put it together, even if you sometimes spend too much time trying to shove a piece into the wrong space. At some point, you figure out that you're doing it wrong, and you try a different piece.

Intimacy is hard, and vulnerability is scary.

-if you want to be really successful, you have to
 be one of those people who sees yourself as more than a number or a drone or a cog in a machine. You have to see that you are special and believe that you can do it-and you have to surround yourself with people who believe you can do it, too. It doesn't mean you won't have doubts, but you have to keep seeking your truth, and my truth was rooted in my belief that I was destined for something more.

You are on your own journey, and more than anything else, that journey must be about finding your truth. Not finding a husband, a boyfriend, a partner-but finding yourself.

Don't wait around until you're absolutely sure that you are doing the right thing. You'll never be absolutely sure. Go with your gut and act in line with your nature, and you'll be on the right course.

Find your truth, act on it.

Acting on it-making real things happen in real life-comes from a place of yes.

No matter what you are doing, always learn-it's all life experience.

Don't let decisions fester. Learn your own risk tolerance so you can feel good about your decisions. And if you screw up anyway? Suck it up, admit it, learn from it, and move on with your life.

If you don't try, if you don't go through that experience, how will you ever know it wasn't right? Better to try and learn and then move on to the next thing than to live a static life of regret and the haunting "what if?" in your head.

-nothing is ever wasted on the fearlessly curious.

-you don't ever want to have to say," I should have..."

Everything's your business-treat everything you choose to do with as much importance as if your career depended on it.

A resume might as well be written on a paper towel, for all it really matters. Let your job performance be your resume, let your passion be your recommendation, and let the quality of your work shine through. You'll get farther than any slacker who only looks good on paper.

-fear is a mindset, and so is the will to succeed. It's all in how you approach it.

When you do say yes, keep going. No matter how difficult it gets, plowing through and taking responsiblity for what you decided tp do can transform you. It builds character, and it helps you to push yourself to accomplish what you never dreamed you could.

Skinnygirl is: She's the girl we all want to be, whether size 2 or size 12, the girl who is comfortable with herself, who feels good in her body and loves her life.

No matter what you do, it reflects on who you are, so do it with integrity and honesty and quality, by investing yourself in your work.

The truth is that most people don't exert very much effort. The ones who do are more likely to get noticed.

Be the cream that rises to the top. Get in there, get dirty get noticed.

Life is a mystery sometimes, and not knowing all the answers is exactly why you can stumble right into the life that's meant for you in a way you could never have planned out in a million years.

I say never be embarrassed if you're working hard and doing what you need to do. Never care what people think, as long as you feel that what you are doing is right.

If you can't do something well, don't do it at all.

-have faith in yourself, your passions, your talents, and go big. Or go home.

It's time to stop wanting and start getting.

Great things take time, and your life is a project.

Every step as wells every leap along the road to your success should change you because you're in a different place than you were one step before. And each step is a decision, and matters for your future.

You are who you are because of you, not because of anyone else.

-but your real friends will love you for who you are, not your ability to mimic them. Being brave enough to be yourself, whether you blend in or not, is the best way to separate the people who matter from the people who won't be important in your life.

The bottom line is, if you want to live your life making other people happy, you're likely to lose touch with what makes you happy.

When you operate just outside your comfort zone-whether it's taking on new responsibility at work, or a whole new job, or saying yes to a date you might not normally have accepted, or signing up for a class you know nothing about-you force yourself to keep firing on all cylinders. You wake and pay more attention to your life. And you grow. Just push the envelope of your own experience until you feel slight discomfort. That's when you separate from the pack. That's when the magic happens.

By owning what you do, you'll always be able to maintain your integrity.

Life isn't usually grandiose. It's just life. If it's sincere and meaningful and you own it, it's interesting enough.

Could I really have it all? Was this amazing man in front of me really going to be my partner in life?

Owning it doesn't mean you always have to be 100 percent sure about everything you do. It just means you have to stand behind your decisions and, when the time comes, trust that you know how to do what is necessary.

-taste the moment, because life whips by so quickly.

To come together successfully with others, you first have to know who you are.

Coming together is the opposite of a codependency. When you seek to come together, what matters is your wholeness. When you become someone in your own right and are no longer dependent on the labels and opinions of others, you can get a grip on the kind of lasting contentment that carries you for a long time. Together, the two wholes become greater than the sum of their parts. You are complete, and so in your partner, and together, you become something even more amazing.

When you come together and work together in a mutual give-and-take way, rather than simply working side by side, then everything changes. You make each other better, you are stronger and when you are really doing it right, you'll discover the true meaning of the word "relationship".

Fill your life with people who are good under pressure, not just during easy times.

-it's about love, in the end, the ultimate message at the end of the journey to yourself.

You choose happiness, you don't wait for it to choose you. You have to choose to celebrate.

This is what it's all about: driving your own life, even when you have to floor it, speeding in the opposite direction from where you started out. You can choose to be successful, you can choose to be great, you can choose to be happy. You can choose love.

It's all up to you. You are in charge. It's your life. Don't hand the wheel over to anybody else. Take responsibility for you, and the rest will fall into place.