Link Love February: Cookie Monster, Mr. Darcy, and the Florida Everglades

February 28, 20191 Comment

Does anyone else feel like February came and went in the blink of an eye? This month has been an especially busy one for me, with a weekend vacation to Tampa and St. Pete, a day of park-hopping at Disney, a Breakfast at Tiffany’s themed dinner, the Orlando Apollos launch game, and a trip to Wonderworks, along with a two-week bout of laryngitis. My happiness project is still going strong, and I’m excited to share my recap of Month 2 on tomorrow’s blog. 🙂

What links are you loving this month? Check out my latest favorite reads below and share your own in the comments!

As a fan of Clyde Butcher’s Florida landscape photography, I loved reading his insights on why everyone should care about the Everglades.
Cookie Monster did a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything). Cuteness ensued.
Looking to up your Instagram game? Check out Kate’s guide to some of the amazing photo-friendly murals throughout Orlando!
Orlando is getting a dog park with a bar? Count me in!
The Yayoi Kusama LOVE IS CALLING exhibit may be gone from the Tampa Art Museum, but you can still check out the pictures from my recap and learn about some of the other great exhibits!
If you’re planning a trip to the Tampa/St. Pete area, you’ll want to check out my guide to the Imagine Museum – a hidden gem and must-see in the area!
Does anyone in your life need these Nicolas Cage sequin pillows?
Some farms in England are planting stripes of wildflowers across farm fields to cut down on pesticides. What a beautiful solution!
Meet the historically accurate Mr. Darcy, based on what historians think the character would have realistically looked like.
Galentine’s Day is over, but if you’re planning a bridal shower, birthday party, or other fun group event, be sure to check out my top five local activity suggestions!
As someone who frequents the Sanford Riverwalk, I would love one of these floating bungalows.
Looking to make your life happier and healthier? Check out my suggested wellness podcasts, along with my top five book suggestions.

What links are you loving lately? Sound off in the comments!

Link Love January: Rom Com Dialogue & Millennial Burnout

January 16, 2019Leave a comment

Now that we’re halfway through January, how are everyone’s New Year’s Resolutions holding up? Normally by now, I’d be back to my usual deviant habits, but so far my 2019 Happiness Project is going strong! My focus for the month has been to boost my physical health, and I’ve been doing that in a few different ways: embarking on a round of Whole30 (it’s getting easier!), tackling those nagging tasks to clear up “brain clutter” (we’ll talk about that in a future post), and even by simply acting more energetic when I may not feel that way. I’ve been more successful in some areas than others, but I’m happy to share that I am starting to feel a lot healthier than I have in a long time.

Of course, in the midst of all of these changes, I’ve been doing a lot of reading! Check out my latest link love below and be sure to drop your own favorites (along with a resolution you’re working toward!) in the comments section below.

Photo Credit: NatureCoaster.com

Millennial burnout is a real thing, and I’ve never felt more validated than I did by this article. It’s a longer one, but well worth the read.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, tea drinking was once considered irresponsible and reckless for women. Guess my mom and I are the two most irresponsible and reckless people I know!
In case you’re planning a trip to Miami, check out my recent guide to the beautiful Art Deco Walking Tours.
One man built a miniature village for a family of mice living in his garden. Cuteness ensues.
As a writer who loves Nora Ephron (may she rest in peace), I absolutely loved this New York Times article on the art of rom com dialogue.
What’s on your Central Florida bucket list for 2019? Ten local bloggers shared their favorite local hidden gems on a recent collaboration, so be sure to check it out!
Guys — are you stuck on a Valentine’s gift? Check out these fun accessories from Civion and use the code VALERIE25 for 25% off your order!
Looking for ways to travel more sustainably? Asia from Dreams to Plans has you covered!
If you’re looking to add more wine to your life, check out Courtney’s recent guest post on the Island Grove Wine Company at Formosa Gardens in Kissimmee.
According to Inc.com (and me, independently of this article), open-office plans are officially the dumbest management fad of all time.

Celebrating Curiosity: How to Participate in Smithsonian’s Free Museum Day

September 19, 20181 Comment

Happy Hump Day! It may only be mid-week, but it’s never too early to start making weekend plans. This Saturday, September 22, is Smithsonian Magazine’s annual Free Museum Day, a day when museums all across the United States offer (you guessed it) free admission.

Celebrating Curiosity: How to Participate in Smithsonian Free Museum Day

In order to participate, you can click here to search for participating museums and claim your admission voucher for two. As someone who loves to explore various museums, I first participated in Free Museum Day a few years ago, when I had the pleasure of visiting the Orange County Regional History Center. The museum featured a traveling Gone With The Wind exhibit, and I had the opportunity to see costumes, awards, and letters from the film, all while learning about the history of my very own city.

Celebrating Curiosity: How to Participate in Smithsonian's Free Museum Day

For those in Orlando and the surrounding areas, a few favorite attractions of mine that will be participating this year include:

Cornell Museum of Fine Arts
Art & History Museum of Maitland
Orlando Museum of Art
Orange County Regional History Center
Mennello Museum of American Art

I can’t wait to share my own Museum Day 2018 adventures on the blog soon! How are you celebrating?

28 at 28: Let the Good Times Roll

September 13, 2018December 16, 2018Leave a comment

Hey readers! With my birthday just around the corner, it’s time to close the books on my 27 at 27 bucket list adventures and make way for a new year. (For anyone asking, I’m turning 21 again.) Every year, my birthday bucket lists expose me to so many new experiences, and I’m excited to see what the next year brings. 🙂

Feel free to follow along here or by tapping that 28 at 28 link on the main menu. I’ll also share links as I blog about my experiences!

Things I’d Like to Do While I’m 28

Visit the Casa Feliz in Winter Park.
Tour the Oak Haven Winery in Sorrento and go strawberry picking.
Take our annual mother/daughter trip.
Go to Top Golf.
Take a coding class.
See a movie at the Enzian.
Tour the Howey Mansion.
Tailgate at a UCF football game.
Take a class at Total Wine.
Visit the Avian Reconditioning Center in Maitland.
Travel to a new state.
Attend a performing arts show.
Take the Mr. Rogers Walking Tour at Rollins.
Get my writing published somewhere new.
Complete another round of Whole30.
Take a Christmas tour of the Pinewood Estate at Bok Towers.
Attend a non-UCF sporting event.
Finish an old writing project.
Hike the Shingle Creek Trail to Pioneer Village.
Take a Downtown Sanford Ghost Tour.
Celebrate Smithsonian Museum Day.
Visit the Bronze Kingdom art gallery.
Take a weekend trip to St. Petersburg.
Visit the Back to Nature wildlife refuge.
Take an Art Deco tour in Miami.
Visit one of the local springs.
Go out for Magical Dining Month.
Do the annual grape stomp at Lakeridge Winery.

What are you looking forward to this year? Share in the comments section below!

Link Love Wednesday: It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane!

April 2, 2014Leave a comment

3605753-1936874063-31646 Happy April, my friends! Now that we are in a brand new month, we can look forward to new opportunities, challenges and surprises. For me, that means embarking on a second Whole 30 and attempting to keep up with a very busy April schedule! What will the new month bring you?

As always, enjoy this week’s Link Love and share your own favorite links in the comments section below!

I don’t know a ton about the Superman franchise, but I was very interested to read this back-story. (Did you know he was originally intended to be Jewish?)
What emotion goes viral the fastest? You may be surprised by the answer!
Thought Catalog has an excellent list of things we need to stop saying. I completely agree with all of these!
I was very disappointed with the last few minutes of the How I Met Your Mother finale, so my boyfriend sent me this alternate ending that made everything better. (Caution: Spoilers ahead!)
This list of struggles that student newspaper editors face reminds me of my days as a yearbook editor back in high school!
Both H&M and American Apparel are in trouble for edgy (perhaps inappropriate) marketing moves.
Here are the four reasons why women need to embrace failure in order to be successful.

What great links have you come across this week? Share in the comments section!

Link Love Wednesday: Love at First Tweet

March 26, 2014March 26, 20142 Comments

Whew – this month is flying by! I can’t believe that the first quarter of the year is almost up. At my job, this means that event season is about to pick up, and with that comes all of the craziness involved with packing, planning, commuting and a dash of public speaking. Of course, that means that now is as good a time as any to take a deep breath, log onto my RSS reader and enjoy some good old fashioned link love. I’ve got some great articles for you this week!

In honor of Twitter’s 8^th birthday, plug in your Twitter handle at this site to see your very first tweet!
I couldn’t help but laugh when I read Chelsea Fagan’s list of 25 things you catch yourself saying seriously when you start your career. I’m only a year into mine, but I’m constantly “checking my calendar” to schedule lunch dates and promising to “touch base” with people. (Recently, I developed a newfound appreciation for Office Space as well!)
Forbes recently posted three powerful ways to stop wasting time.
If you’re starting a healthy new lifestyle and in need of a boost, check out Motivate Your Plate, an inspirational blog focused on health and fitness. The posts are motivational and upbeat, and best of all, the blog is written by a former classmate/cheerleading teammate of mine! This recent post was probably my favorite so far.
Did you know that you can now donate your voice?
My wanderlust has been reawakened with these 32 places that actually exist on earth and are not Photoshopped. Who wants to hop on a plane with me? 🙂 (Thanks for the link, Branden!)
After reading these facts, you won’t look at these 50 books the same way ever again. (As a side note, Peter Pan is a much darker story than we all remember!)
Another BuzzFeed article: Some history on Maleficent and the gender roles in various adaptations of Sleeping Beauty. I’m a huge nerd when it comes to this sort of thing, so it was interesting to learn about some of the earlier versions of the story and the less “feminine” aspects of one of my favorite villains.
I do love a good superhero movie, but these are some of the ugly lessons they teach.
Oh, and if you haven’t already, be sure to check out my recent review on Masik Collegiate Fragrances – they are amazing!

What are some of the great links you’ve come across lately?

Wellness & Wanderlust

A Lifestyle and Adventure Blog

Tag: smithsonian

Celebrating Curiosity: How to Participate in Smithsonian’s Free Museum Day

28 at 28: Let the Good Times Roll

Link Love Wednesday: It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane!