October Favorites
Here in NYC, October ended on a somber note. I'm not going to go into it but to have my city attacked, particularly on Halloween which is such a fun day, was heartbreaking. The state of our world is heartbreaking.
I think part of what makes it so hard to believe that it's already November(!!) is that it still feels like summer, or at least spring. Today it's in the low 70s again. Pumpkin picking and Christmas movies being on TV when you don't even need a sweater is just bizarre. Yet, here we are, three days into November (and one month from my birthday). Here are the things I was loving in October...
Chihuly
I was determined not to miss seeing the Chihuly exhibit at the New York Botanical Gardens, so when the weather report for Columbus Day weekend showed that Sunday (or maybe it was the Saturday?), was going to be in the 80s, I called my parents and made a date. I'm not a big fan of blown glass, but I have always loved Chihuly's large-scale pieces. Like street art and other works in public places, they interact with the environment around them, transforming the spaces they are in, and of course, bring people together. It was also lovely to have a break from the city and breathe what felt like really clean air (fellow-NYCers will feel me on that).
My Best Friend's Bachelorette-ish Thingy
I may not have mentioned it here, but my best friend is getting married in December! She and her fiancé are not into all the traditional wedding-y things like bridal parties, bachelor/bachelorettes, showers, etc. At first the plan was no plan, just show up for the wedding weekend. Then, my besties' middle school bff convinced her to let us do something and the two-week countdown was on. We kept it low-key and spent the afternoon painting pumpkins in Central Park, followed by a dinner and gifts in the event space of my building and then it was time to go out. I also got to see her the night before all of the celebrations for dinner and for a little while the following morning. There is nothing like time with your best friend. Now if only she didn't live 2,000 miles away :(
Yes, that is the IG Stories' filter on this pic.
Double Spin
The saga of my hip and back issues continues. I don't know if I'll ever get to a place where I'll be fully pain-free, but I'm hell bent on not going backwards. My PT is a dream and pushes me to try and do everything I used to do, assuring me that if something goes badly, we can and will fix it. When I feel the fear and intimidation creep in, I try to listen to her telling me I've got to do it, but sometimes the part of me that remembers being all-but incapacitated with pain and pain killers, wins. Still, one Sunday I was feeling really strong. I was taking one of my favorite instructors at Cyc and he was teaching the class right after as well. Halfway through class one I got it in my head that maybe I would try to double. Now, I'm not a frequent doubler. I will take double spin maybe three times a year max. Still, I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and that I shouldn't be afraid. Worst case, I leave class two early. When we hit the final song of class one, I knew that I was clipping back in for class two. I spoke to the instructor in between and he was incredibly supportive. 45-minutes later and I CRUSHED IT! Well ok, maybe not crushed but I did it, I felt fine physically, and it gave me a high like you wouldn't believe. To do something that I once thought I would never be able to do again was indescribable. Some days, all I can do is just try to stay with the beat of the music, some days I can hit the resistance I'm supposed to. Instead of focusing on all the things I can't do, I'm taking a page out of the book of the lovely Ben Thompson and going to focus on everything that I CAN do. My body still works, I still have so many blessings, physical and not. Are you still reading this? Sorry, let's move on.
Halloween Barre
If you follow me on Instagram, over the years you have seen posts from what I call, "Halloween Barre." Just as it sounds, Halloween Barre is Flybarre but we're all in costumes, and we go all-out. Each year it has gotten bigger and bigger. It is the most fun pulse of the year, and something I look forward to all year long. Seriously. I already have a list of ideas for next year's costume.
Lumion
LUMIONskin sent me their product for my work with @whatimholding, but they never asked me to write about it (nor do they even know I have a blog) and including it here is purely because I LOVE these products.
It's no secret that for a little over a year now, my skin has been riding the struggle bus so to say that I am wary when it comes to skincare, is an understatement. Going back to my tried and true Neutrogena cleansers and my nightly manuka honey mask, has helped so much, but I will still get these concentrated eruptions and as a picker, well, it's no bueno. I don't believe in posting about a product unless I've tried it (and it's actually illegal to do so), so when the Lumion box arrived, I knew that I had to try it. Before agreeing, I read all about it and was super impressed with it's all-natural ingredients. There are truly no gimmicks; everything in it is found inside the human body. The product line is simple, a spray and a serum. You apply the spray post-workout to stave off any breakouts and/or throughout the day if your face starts to feel grimy. It mists on and won't take off any makeup. The serum is applied right after washing your face. After it's dry, you can go about your skincare routine as you normally would. I never knew I could love a skincare product so much. Lumion works and works fast. As I have since told the founders, they have a new convert in me and I will definitely be ordering again and again.
PC: @whatimholding
Brooklyn Bridge
Guess what? I FINALLY walked the Brooklyn Bridge! It may not have been summer anymore but as I've said in my summer bucket list posts, this item has always been less about summer and more about just doing it. What made it extra-special was that I got to do it with my dad on an afternoon when he and I were both free. We talked, walked, got to see the start of a beautiful sunset, and had an all-around wonderful time. I'm very lucky to have a close relationship with my dad, he really gets me so I cherish the times I get to spend with him.
What were your October favorites?