Alyson’s Obsessions // June 2017

Happy almost first day of summer! Intense/fun/busy week over here — birthdays for my husband, grandma and father-in-law, plus Sarah is performing in a circus, yup! There’s a circus camp here that’s just incredible… you should see what they learn and perform in a week. And then there’s an appointment to get my car breaks checked, PT for my sprained ankle and dinner at one of our favorite spots to celebrate our guy. Lots on the calendar!

Anyway, I digress (well, more like tangents… I’m good at that!)… as you guys know, I love corralling my favorite finds and discoveries from the past month into this fun feature. Even though The Modern Savvy focuses on style, life, family & career, I loooooveee food, and I also love beauty finds and all sorts of randomness, so I’m glad we get to share these things. I equally love when you spill what you’re obsessing over so don’t be shy about commenting or emailing me. Friends have to hook friends up.
Straw Tote with Pom Poms (Target find!): My interior designer friend, Shira, took what I look at as an oversized straw tote, and re-purposed it into an entry way basket to freshen up her space. GENIUS. Obviously I neeeeeeded to copy her, especially because this adorable guy is less than $35… and actually can be used for the beach or pool, too! I now have my sitting by my front door, perfectly filling up this random empty wall spot… and you can also toss in shoes to keep them out of sight. In related news, Shira’s been helping me update a few spaces in my home and I recently went on an accessories buying binge at West Elm, Home Goods and Target. If you haven’t looked lately at Target, I’m completely obsessed with a few things: these pillows, this end table (in my cart), these white-washed lanterns (I purchased these to top off my book cases/media console), this marble serving tree, and this pom pom basket (so cute for a kiddos space).

READ THIS: The silent tragedy affect today’s children. A friend recently shared this article with me and as much as it hurts to admit reality, there is a lot of truth here. While I tell my daughter all the time, “it’s OK to be bored,” am I honestly the best teacher? I impulsively grab my phone with spare time (which is also why I’m starting to read more, and with real books not devices — I have to be a good role model if I expect her to be equally excited about reading) and much of this article rings true, at least from time to time. Important, and certainly worth sharing.

 

Halo Top in Peanut Butter Cup: Have you experienced Halo Top ice cream? It’s sooooo yummy. Everyone suggested I try the birthday cake one but I must confess it’s not my favorite… this one is (then again, I do have a thing for peanut butter), with the cookies n’ cream a close second. Halo Top is a lower-fat ice cream without all the chemicals. Because of this it can be really hard/frozen at first… so leave it out to thaw a few minutes or… pop in the microwave for 10 seconds. #noselfcontrol. This one has peanut butter ribbons and a rich peanut butter flavor. The biggest challenge is obviously not eating it in one.

 

Rodan & Fields Lash Boost: I’ve been wanting longer lashes but have avoided lash extensions due to the cost and maintenance… it’s intense! My blogger bestie, Kim, showed off her insanely long lashes while we were in Nashville (remember this girls weekend??), and I couldn’t get over it… they looked legit fake, in the best way possible, except they weren’t… they were all hers! She swore by this R&F Lash Boost so I splurged and bought it from a high school friend, Kristin. Figured if this works it’s way more affordable and less time intensive than the alternatives.  Well ladies, so far I’m blown away by the results! I must confess I haven’t even been the best student about applying it every night — you really should if you want to see faster results — but even with my B- efforts, I definitely have longer lashes. All you do is swipe the product’s brush along your lash line before bed. The key is to give it at least 4 weeks…. I recently had a friend saying it wasn’t working but she’s barely three weeks in. Lashes are soooo tiny that it takes some time to see growth. I was in denial this would work but it really does; highly suggest! PS: Kristin is generously offering you a discount if you order through her; get $25 off! Just email her kristinscaglione@hotmail.com and she’ll give you the deal.

Crazy Rich Asians: if the name wasn’t a conversation starter enough, this fun read is the perfect, no-brainer summer book that will have you laughing, turning the pages and wondering about this elite class that’s richer than rich. I candidly have been trying to get back into reading — and am using this list as my guide! I’ve seen countless friends mention this book so I Amazon Prime’ed it (yup, like how I used that?), and devoured it in just a few days. It’s the story of Rachel, whose smart, gorgeous boyfriend Nick, invites her to spend the summer in Singapore with him. She assumed they’d spend quality time exploring and getting to know his humble family. Little did she know she’s been dating one of the country’s richest, most eligible bachelors. Plus, there are now two more in the series: China Rich Girlfriend and the just-released, Rich People Problems.

Pineapple embroidered baseball hat: Did you see on Instagram how I shared that I found this cap while in the men’s department at Target browsing for Father’s Day?! Embarrassing but true, and I love it so, so much. I’ve been looking for a baseball hat for a while — I want to be cool and wear one of those fedora or wide-brimmed beach hats but welp, I have a huge head and think I look absurd. This hat is so stinkin’ cute, and if you want a “women’s version,” it also comes in this adorable chambray option… they’re a steal at $12.99! Men’s // Women’s

Frosé (Frozen Rosé): gah, this stuff is good… and screams summer in the best way possible! My girl Adele made it for Memorial Day weekend BBQ and we all couldn’t stop gulping the slushy drink… it’s icy, refreshing and goes down impressively easily. We’re already planning a girls night in so we can make it again. #priorities 😉 Check out the recipe from Bon Appetit… There are plenty more out there (and you can probably do a semi-homemade using frozen strawberries, etc) or even minimizing the sugar — we did on the second round. Play around with it, cheers!