In the words of Adele, “Hello from the other side!”
August is over, and it’s bittersweet.
Despite August having been the most hectic, the most poorly work-life balanced month I’ve had in a long time (I cried out of sheer exhaustion, on a Sunday - I wasn’t even working), I’ve come to love the month of August for a few reasons, one of them being our annual tradition of taking our summer vacation the last week of the month. It’s the perfect way to say goodbye to summer before September rolls around and I go into fall mode.
This year, we escaped to Rhode Island for a few days. We stayed at the Club Wyndham Bay Voyage Inn in Jamestown (note: the hotel has been renovated; the photos on the website are old), and it was breathtaking.
We arrived on Tuesday afternoon and explored Beavertail State Park. The view of the New England Coastline from the park’s rocky shore was unbelievable. Working behind a screen in a two-bedroom apartment with very little access to nature (I miss having a backyard), it’s easy to get inside your head and feel like the extent of your world is the four walls around you, and an overflowing inbox. Standing on the rocks, looking out at the vast ocean and setting sun, I was reminded that there is so much more to this life than digitized interaction, deadlines, and emails.
We ventured into Newport that night for dinner and ate at Imbriglio's Pizzeria Napoletana Resto Bar. We ordered calamari as an appetizer and personal pizzas for dinner. I had the Loretta Margherita pizza. Mark designed his pizza, adding meatballs and ricotta to a plain pie. It was an incredible meal, and probably the best pizza I’ve ever tasted. If you’re ever in Newport, this Imbriglio's is not to be missed. We also discovered our love for Cabernet Sauvignon this night. With a full belly and sun-kissed cheeks, I was already feeling like an entirely different person than who I’d been in the weeks prior.
We dubbed day two in Rhode Island as a beach day. Unfortunately, when we got to the beach, we were informed that the oceans were closed due to high levels of bacteria. The beaches were open, but we couldn’t swim. We laid out for a little while, Mark worked on his tan and I read a few chapters of We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (I’ve since finished the book and loved it) until it was too hot to exist.
We drove back to our hotel and hung by the pool before freshening up for dinner at the restaurant on-site, which was also fantastic. I had Ahi Tuna tacos and the fish was so fresh. Mark had a fig jam and prosciutto burger. 10/10 would recommend.
On our third and last full day, we headed into Newport for an early lunch of lobster rolls at the Newport Lobster Shack. You can’t visit New England in the summer and not consume a lobster roll. It’s borderline sacrilegious. Then we toured the Vanderbilt’s vacation mansion (called “The Breakers), saw how the 1%ers live, and went back to Beavertail to take in the view one last time.
Our farewell dinner was fancy. We made reservations at The White Horse Tavern. It’s the oldest tavern in America, and, in my opinion, we got the best seat in the house. It was a high, round table, in a loft on the second floor. We had the corner to ourselves, with a candle lit at its center and a window with a street view. The food was good (I had lobster bisque and roast chicken marsala, and Mark had pork belly and swordfish), but the experience was better.
Usually, after vacation, I’m ready to go home. That was not the case this year. Being in Rhode Island, completely unplugged from work, indulging in nature, had and still has me re-evaluating my lifestyle. My day-to-day. My priorities. I’ve been overworking myself and, in the process, losing myself.
This break was so needed. Still, even though I didn’t want to come back, I came home with a lot of clarity, and, so far, September is looking much brighter.
But before I dive into pre-fall and all the autumnal content I’ve been brainstorming, I did promise you all a regular monthly favorites post. So, without further adieu, here are all of the products that kept me going last month.
Beauty
Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo
$30, sephora.com
Never have I ever received so many compliments on how good my hair smells until I started using this shampoo from Ouai. Mark loves the smell, my sisters love the smell, and my mom thought I was wearing a new perfume. Plus, it makes my strands feel amazingly soft.
Shiseido Synchro Self-Refreshing Skin Tint SPF 20
$43, nordstrom.com
With the East Coast summer heat lingering, I’m still not wearing a ton of makeup. Most days, I’ve just been applying this light coverage tinted moisturizer from Shiseido. It keeps my skin hydrated, and balances my complexion, resulting in a seamless finish.
Merle Norman Plush Liquid Shadow in Perf
$27, merlenorman.com
Usually, I’d use concealer to prime my eyes for shadow application. That changed when I received this liquid shadow from Merle Norman in PR. The shade Perf works as the perfect base for my skin tone. I’ve found myself reaching for it whether I’m going for a full, dramatic eye or I’m just looking for a color to mask the redness of my lids.
Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Eucalyptus Spearmint Body Wash & Foam Bath
$14.50, bathandbodyworks.com
It’s no secret that I was incredibly stressed this past month. I was looking for comfort anywhere I could get it. Long, hot showers were key, and Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Eucalyptus Spearmint Body Wash & Foam Bath enhanced the soothing experience. The scent is strong and fills the room with the soothing aroma of calming essential oils. I swear by this collection and would recommend it to anyone craving some extra TLC, who can’t make it to a spa soon enough.
Health & Wellness
OS1st KS7 Performance Knee Sleeve
$24.99, roadrunners.com
Mark and I recently started running a few times a week, but I have a very weak right knee. I bought this compression sleeve from Road Runners, and I’ve definitely noticed a difference. I can run, and run pretty fast, without any aches or pains. I was nervous to start hitting the pavement again, so to speak, but this sleeve has made it easy for me to get back at it.
Snacks & Supplements
Catalina Crunch Cereal
$7.39, target.com
Catalina Crunch has single-handedly saved my stomach. OK, that’s not entirely true. I have a fabulous gastroenterologist. But said gastroenterologist ordered me to eat fiber cereal 2x per week, and while Catalina Crunch is most famously known for being keto, I zeroed in on its fiber content. Per ½ cup serving, you get 11 grams of fiber. 11 GRAMS PER SERVING. My favorite flavors are Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Mint, and Chocolate Peanut Butter, but I’ve tried them all and can honestly say, they are all good.
The Coconut Cult Chocolate Mousse
$13.29, amazon.com
Another gut-friendly staple in my diet these days is The Coconut Cult’s Chocolate Mousse. It’s a chocolate probiotic yogurt, in which one serving is two tablespoons, but I could easily eat the whole jar in one sitting (I do not recommend it, though - stick to the serving) because it tastes so good. I’ve found that even just one tablespoon gets the job done *if you know what I mean* and that way I double the number of servings in each jar.
MUSH Coffee Coconut 8-Pack
$29.99, eatmush.com
Need a quick breakfast option? MUSH is my new go-to. Until I master DIY overnight oats, I’m happy making a bowl of MUSH. They come in a bunch of delicious flavors (Coffee Coconut and Dark Chocolate are my favorites) and average only 210 calories per serving. I like to add a serving of chia seeds to increase the fiber content and top it off with fruit like strawberries and bananas.
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That shampoo smelled really nice! I definitely want to try some of the products for fiber!