Money, money, money. I try to live with less, but then I always end up spending more. I don’t have a bad relationship money in the slightest, but I do seem to consistently spend up to the wire. I save well for a few months and then spend it on a trip or eating out or clothes instead of letting it continually rise. Zach and I are fortunate that the only debts we owe exist on our cars and the house; no tuition loans or secret credit card interest piling up live in our closet.

Near the end of the summer every year, my great-aunt, Charlene, participates in the Table Setting fundraiser at our Synagogue. Companies, such as Z Gallerie, professionals, and congregation members who know how to host an impressive dinner party participate in decorating a single table setting from the linens to the centerpiece. Charlene, or Bobbie as we call her, which is a childhood nickname derivative of the Yiddish word "Bubbe" (Bub-bee) meaning "grandmother", provides th

Sitting in my corporate office drawer lays a stack of unused business cards with my prior job title printed across them. They illustrate a company logo and design identical to each person’s own set in the cubicles surrounding me. Dust collects on them as I forget to pack them in my carry-on bag every time I travel for a work conference. Why do I fail to remember to pass out my corporate business cards time and time again? Because they are lackluster and they do not truly repr

Searching for the “right” hotel for your weekend road trip or romantic getaway can be exhausting. It’s fidgeting with a sensitive scale as you try to balance price with amenities with star rating with location. Zach and I always want to find a uniquely designed hotel, a good deal on the price tag, and a close proximity to night life when picking a spot to rest our heads on vacation. We often find that hotel search sites aren’t the best route to land the atmosphere we desire.

There’s nothing like mountains, drinks and a few vacation days with your partner and best friend. Zach and I haven’t been on a trip together since the honeymoon back in October, so we were beyond ready for our Colorado venture this past week. We may be newlyweds, but these lovebirds have lived together for four years; we aren’t total newbies. And, when you know each other as well as we do and most of the ground feels like it’s been covered, you have to seek out adventure and

Has your brain been bouncing around the idea of starting up a form of digital media? Whether it’s a YouTube channel, a website, a podcast, or something completely different, then I have one question for you: what are you waiting for? I’ve sensed a lot of fear out there from people who think that they can’t do what they are seeing online, from myself included even a mere couple years ago. (Spoiler alert: you’re wrong; you can do anything any other human is doing, too.) W

I love Netflix and chill as much as the next guy, but it gets a bit depressing when that's the only after work activity you do in the winter. My average January schedule: 8:30am-5:00pm: Work my digital marketing butt off 5:00pm-7:00pm: Eat snacks and dinner until I'm so full I can only wrap myself up in blankets 7:00pm-10:30pm: Watch TV until I fall asleep Repeat above M-F (with Friday exception of wine & sweets) Saturday - Sunday: Wake up, watch TV, maybe coffee or brunch

I got hitched! :) As my regular readers, friends, and family know, Zach and I tied the knot on October 7, 2017. And, what kind of lifestyle blogger would I be without sharing a photo blog of the special day?! I shared my wedding mood board back in January. (Wow, crazy how time flies!) I must say, we nailed it down to each little detail we desired. Our wedding felt timeless as we danced under twinkling Gatsby lights and sipped champagne with loved ones. The deets: Venue: Lau

You know when you pack two books for a flight how you never read the second book? (Seriously, 99% of the time, you can save your carry-on the extra space for snacks.) I'm a quick reader, but rarely does one novel even get finished during travel. People watching and sleeping are all too tempting alternatives. Well, on my flight to San Fran for work, I was halfway through my latest Kurt Vonnegut (Player Piano), so I dared to pack along a second read. (I also packed a third in

Photo by: Chelsea Seekell Photography Blog posts are taking a pause behind regular work, busy bee secret business things, and of course, wedding planning. I'd expect this to remain the case until post-honeymoon, which I don't even want to think about! So anxious and giddy about getting married, but also quite tired of moonlighting as a wedding planner. Last night, my mom and I went for my final wedding dress fitting, including ensuring all of the little details matched. (Wh

My closest girlfriends and I get a natural high off of tea parties and dinner parties. It's how we ensure we get together in a quiet space where we can catch-up, eat, and drink to our own merriment. While my fortes are tea parties and fancy hors d'oeuvres, my friend and artist, Joelle, kills it with her full blown Summer dinner parties. At one such gathering this past season, she delighted us with a fruit and chicken poppy seed Summer salad, cold cucumber soup, grilled chicke

Father Time manipulated the holidays once again and sped up the clock. Suddenly, Zach and I are only 9 months away from saying, “I do”! My (over) planning skills came in handy, because I’ve planned the majority of our wedding already, and now I’m reaping the benefits of no stress! Okay, my anxiety hiked up a bit picking our Save the Dates and finalizing our guest list. But, with a little help from friends and Zach, naturally, I moved past it. With only a few items on my to-do

Winter isn't coming; it's here. My body is responding to the shift in temperature with icy toes, dry skin, static hair, and chapped lips. My furbaby, Willow, walks into the house with rough, cracking paw pads from the snow and salt. Our little family of three needs some moisture over here! I saw a video on Facebook with a solution to my puppy's problem that keeps her paws safe from the harmful winter elements. It inspired me to research a homemade remedy for my own irritate

One of the few downsides of having a lush, large backyard is mosquitos. They run rampant every Summer without fail. I literally cannot step outside without obtaining multiple, itchy bumps in an instant. Being required to spray ourselves with OFF! simply to enjoy our own backyard gets old fast. I can tolerate smelling like repellent chemicals for a hike or a canoe trip. But, committing to the sticky stench for merely 30 minutes outside at home, and risking ruining our furnitur

Photo by: Stalph. From left: UaZit, WaZeil wearing custom shirt and dress from WAZUAZ collection. A creative soul trapped behind family shaming. A woman who cut her own ropes, unbinding herself from oppressive silence. An artist freely expressing herself through raw paintings of self-growth and awareness. A powerhouse couple dedicating their lives to their creative work and building worlds hand-in-hand. Born Emily to an Egyptian, Pentecostal family, this woman did not find sa

If you're like me, you're living in a post-Valentine's Day chocolate coma. I let myself indulge in at least half of the oh so satisfying truffles from that iconic heart-shaped box that Zach gifted me as my cheat meal this week. I regret nothing. But, I need to get back on track. I have a salty sweet tooth, which sounds contradictory. I crave salt and sugar the most when they are together. Peanut butter by the spoonful tops my list as the best snack or pre-workout munch. I of

Coffee shops are a haven for me. There's nothing like a fresh cup of chai latte or tea with a giant muffin, or a bacon & egg bagel. Especially if you have a good book, or good company, by your side. I dive into work with a cup 'o joe almost every morning. Today, sitting near the coffee pot was an assortment of sugary, fluffy muffins. Hard to resist. Bacon & egg bagels are easily substituted by toasted whole wheat bread topped with an avocado spread and an overeasy or sunny si

Photography by: Alison Mae Photography Instagram | Facebook As promised, here is the second recipe inspired by The Cake Bake Shop in Broad Ripple. Individualize or miniature items excite me. As does dessert. These pair well with a chai tea, in my opinion. A big thanks to my lovely friend, Joelle, for helping me make these while I was buttering up tea sandwiches! If you haven’t checked out my Part 1 post with more details & tea sandwich recipes, please do! Enjoy your tea! Serv

Photography by: Alison Mae Photography Instagram | Facebook I started hosting tea parties at the mere age of 5 or 6, and, well, I never quite stopped. It’s well beyond a girly girl hobby of mine. It stems from the special place in my heart dedicated to fancy dinner parties, old fashioned etiquette and historical lifestyles. I’m one of those weirdos who loved cotillion and those etiquette sessions they make you take in school. When my mom’s family came over for dinner in my el

I’ve always believed that people have more than one soulmate in this world. Maybe even across time. Realistically, the odds of that not being true are slim. Romantics, please don’t start sharpening your pitchforks to come at me quite yet. I think this opinion strengthens a relationship’s bond, and shows me and Zach every day how we are truly meant to spend the rest of our lives together. But, I think it is a common misconception that soulmates are constrained to one person, o