December Favorites

Here we are at the end of the week, the month, the year. Wow. I think Al Roker said it best on Today when he described 2016 as full of tumult. But there were also so many good things that happened but I will save that for a January post (i.e. a post in a few days) where we can do all the reflecting and intention setting and one year blogiversary goodness :) As you head into the weekend and the new year, here are my favorite things from the month of December.

My Birthday

Started the day with sweat & cupcakes.

In case it wasn't clear from this post, the love I have always had for my birthday was in full effect this year, despite the fact that I crossed over into the 30s *gasp!* From midnight to midnight it was the perfect 24 hours. Being 30 really isn't the "terrible awful" (props to whoever can ID that quote) I had imagined and instead it feels empowering... but sometimes a little bit old too, but mostly in a good way. 

Beauty Counter's Purifying Charcoal Mask

Not me, although I did do an IG Story with a mask on. [Source]

2016 has been the year of my skin freaking out, with a particularly bad October through early December, though I don't want to jinx it. I was never the person with bad skin, just the occasional blemish/small breakout, which seemed to be triggered by hormones and environmental factors. This fall though something went off and I experienced a breakout that turned out to be some sort of infection, led to multiple ointments and even an oral medication, which I am still on until my doctor gets to the bottom of this. As I struggled to figure out what was going on, I discovered Beauty Counter, namely their Purifying Charcoal Mask. It was love at first unmasking. The mask is one of the deepest cleans I've ever experienced from a mask but it doesn't leave your skin feeling dry and totally stripped. I'm not so sure how I feel yet on the other products I've tried but this one is A+, 100, basically all the superlatives.

Miami aka Christmas Vacation

I love NYC but I wish my days still looked like this.

If you follow me on Instagram, you will have noticed that I just came back from a family trip to Miami. A good portion of my dad's family is down there, as are family friends, and from NYC it's an easy trip so going down to Miami is something we've done at least once a year since the beginning of time, aka December 1986. As per usual, it was filled with sun, relaxation, family time, good food, some Flywheel for me, and was a nice change of pace for a few days. 

 All the Light We Cannot See

I am so late to the party here but I finally read, All the Light We Cannot See, and it was every bit as engrossing and moving as I had heard. I don't want to spoil it so I'll just say that it takes place during WWII and follows the stories of a French girl and German boy. There are some jumps in time through the war, not always chronological, and of course the back and forth between the two stories. At first it was a bit jarring which is why I got to page 30 in June and then stopped, but this time I pushed and by page 50 I was hooked. If you haven't read it, or like me, gave up initially, I suggest you pick it up/try again and push through the beginning, you won't be sorry (I hope!).

The Holidays

These are real live carolers on the balcony of that building! Christmas in NYC is a fairy tale. 

I love the holidays. From lights and stunning window displays, to learning about holiday customs and family traditions from around the world, there is something magical about this time of year, whatever your faith. Every where you look is a feast for the senses and I find myself bookmarking countless recipes and diy projects that I know I will never get to but I am inspired by them all nonetheless and who knows, maybe one day. 

What were your December favorites?