Summer is “officially” less than a week away, and shore season is here. While some are #blessed with homes they can escape to at the Jersey shore, for the majority, finding a good place to hang your hat during your beach trip is as important of a step as packing your SPF. And while a lot of weeklong rentals are popping up with an “updated” look and feel, many options can feel a little… dated. Enter: The Shore House & Swim Club. Back in 2018, I was invited to stay at Philly resident, ex-yoga instructor, and all-around great guy Kevin Reardon‘s first property, The Shore House (422 East 16th ..read more

My mom grew up in Ocean City, NJ, living the beach life you may imagine one would live. She and my dad raised us in Upper Township, NJ, just over the 34th Street Bridge. Saying I was “from the Jersey Shore (but not that Jersey Shore!)” was a fun talking point during sorority recruitment I once participated in (/endured). But I don’t think I really realized how wonderful of a place the South Jersey shore was to grow up until recent years. I went through a pretty long period after college where I didn’t appreciate going back home and taking in all this magical area had to offer. But now that I’m ..read more

If you’ve been following on Instagram, you likely saw that Jim & I just returned from Mexico! We spent 5 days and nights at Secrets Playa Mujeres and we truly can’t get over it. We only ventured outside of our resort for one day. We had heard from many people that, after multiple trips to the area, they now skip Playa Mujeres altogether and head straight to this tiny island off the coast, called Isla Mujeres (aka the Island of Women). We knew we had to check it out. Getting to Isla Mujeres does require a little planning. While there are boats that leave from the beach of some resorts, we ..read more

It’s time for another swimsuit haul! I loved hearing all your feedback about last week’s Amazon swimsuit try on. Swimsuits are some of my favorite things to shop for, and after initially feeling discouraged this season, I’m so glad I have found some really good options (especially for our trip to Mexico – we leave Monday!). Today we’re trying on from Aerie, one of my favorite brands all-around. These swim options were cute, trendy, and excited to show you how they each worked. As always, I talk through all try ons over on my Instagram, so head there for more angles & details about each su ..read more

I. cannot. wait. for. summer. I have been counting down the months, weeks, days until it is ~down the shore season~ again, and shopping for warm weather clothes has definitely been my therapy. I was struggling for a bit with swimsuits, a lot of mine are from about 20 lbs ago, so I wanted to grab a few new pieces that made me feel great for summer, but I couldn’t find any I loved. I decided to do a deep dive into some Amazon suits and see what I came up with. Spoiler alert: it was goooood. I bought 8 swimsuits (bonus: two summer outfits!), each from Amazon. I was not sure what sizes to get for ..read more

Happy almost December, you guys! We have been absolutely so busy right now with the move, but we are making progress, and that’s been very encouraging! I am really excited to celebrate the holidays in our new home. We rearranged the living room last night and decided where we’ll put our tree – I am ready for some festivity! But on to the reason you’re all here! My Philly gift guides used to be some of my favorite posts to put together, so I am thrilled to resurrect the series this holiday season. There’s only a ladies guide this year – so hopefully I can work back up to both some time in the f ..read more

Today was my official move out day of my home for the past 8+ years.  We emptied the place out, patched up all the holes from hung photos & art, and left it, probably cleaner than when I moved in.  I wasn’t emotional* – which is very unlike me. I think, for the past few weeks and in the moment, I was too focused on all of the things I needed to get done. But what is giving me total comfort and peace is this: I can’t wait for the next (hopefully!) young woman who moves in here. I am so excited for her. I hope she falls head over heels in love with the city. I hope she marvels ov ..read more

I moved into this apartment in July 2012. I had just turned 23 years old. I grew up shopping on Walnut Street and visiting Rittenhouse Square, and to live a few blocks away was a true dream to me. It still is. When I think back, my favorite moments were walking on 18th along the park. On my way back from the Farmer’s Market. On my way to a date. Heading to meet my friends to watch a game at a bar. Hurrying to a blogging event. I don’t think it will hit me until things are back to normal life that I won’t be walking that block simply because I lived right down the street anymore. As the parkin ..read more

Finding a fun yet appropriate date idea right now can prove to be… challenging. You may be craving getting out and doing things, but you’re not down with being inside just yet, and like, there need to be dates out there that do not involve a streaming service or taking a walk that are safe and cool right now. Jim and I recently got invited to Franklin Square to experience their Halloween offerings. As we told Kenneth from En Route Marketing about 12 times each, Spooky Mini Golf at Franklin Square was me & Jim’s second date back in October 2018. It holds a really special place in our heart ..read more

My mom grew up in Ocean City, NJ, living the beach life you may imagine one would live. She and my dad raised us in Upper Township, NJ, just over the 34th Street Bridge. Saying I was “from the Jersey Shore (but not that Jersey Shore!)” was a fun talking point during sorority recruitment I once participated in (/endured). But I don’t think I really realized how wonderful of a place the South Jersey shore was to grow up until recent years. I went through a pretty long period after college where I didn’t appreciate going back home and taking in all this magical area had to offer. But now that I’m ..read more