lmpicard16@gmail.com

Author: lmpicard16@gmail.com

Exciting News…

Posted on August 11, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Remember how I promised (and Instagrammed, and tweeted…) that I would be writing a “How to Pack” post?!

Screen Shot 2014-08-10 at 10.40.20 PM — Instagram @ FuelingFab

Well….

At 9:00 AM this (Monday) morning, I am finally fulfilling that promise.

The piece I’ve been working on since the ‘Washington DC trip that wasn’t” (at least something good came of it, right?!) will be posted on one of my favorite blogs…

(If you don’t follow Chelsea’s blog already, ~~where have you been?!~~ get on it!)

She’s away on vacation (I know, aren’t you jealous?!), so it’s a pretty apropos topic, don’t ya think?

Anyway, I’m super excited to share it with you guys, as well as Chelsea’s audience! It’s always such an honor to be able to be a tiny part of a blog I read every day.

If you find yourself looking like a total diva carrying (aka struggling with) too many heavy bags (yes, that has been me), or even if you just want a few tips and tricks that I’ve learned over the years (and over this summer’s trips to NYC, Cape Cod, and back to the Cape), head on over to Chelsea’s blog!

I just hope I’m not eating my words about how I “finally got hang of it” as I begin packing for my semester in Italy..

As always, don’t be afraid to leave a comment there (and/or back here so I see it right away 🙂 ). I’d love to hear some of your tried and true tips for packing light because…

…let’s face it, no one wants to be that girl. ^

Have a marvelous Monday!

I know I’m a bit late to the party, but these were my thoughts this past Thursday as I finalized my post for Chelsea. Thanks Amanda, as always, for hosting ‘Thinking Out Loud‘ each week 🙂

xo’s

If you want to connect and see even more fitness, fashion, food, and fun, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @ FuelingFab!

PS – I’m not happy about this, but as you’ve probably noticed I’ve been sort of MIA on here lately. I’ve been working up a storm at J.Crew before I’m done for the summer, as well as running around like a mad woman as I get ready to leave for Europe in less than 2 weeks(!!!).

I love blogging and as you know, I have a ton of ideas and exciting, positive changes coming (aka becoming self-hosted, changing the title, etc).

That said, as I’m sure you understand, leaving the country for 4 months takes a lot of prep, and then I’ll be quite busy getting acclimated, exploring, taking classes, and enjoying my study abroad experience.

I definitely plan to document my travels (helllllo – Italian food, fashion, ((probably not so much fitness but maybe?)), and fun all over Europe?!), so I hope you stick around and come along for the ride. I’ll be sharing my daily adventures (plus my outfits, eats, and, ya know, all that good stuff) on here, as well as on Instagram!

So buckle up, sit tight, and join me on this journey, because it’s about to get a LOT more fabulous. 😉

Food is fun.

Posted on August 6, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Raise your hand if you agree with me! ^

It’s fun to make, it’s fun to order, it’s fun to buy (well maybe not the actual losing money part of that exchange…but it becoming yours is fun, no?), it’s fun to look at (and drool over), and mostly it’s just fun to EAT.

Am I right?

Anyway, that’s what was on my mind today as I looked at the food photos I had chillin’ on my iPhone that didn’t make the cut in the past couple WIAWs because they weren’t consumed in Cape Cod (round 1 OR round 2).

So this week I’m ‘attending’ the hilarious Jenn‘s link up party (have you seen her Instagram hashtags? I actually laugh out loud), not with a dreamy “WIWIAW“, or with fancy shmancy eats from NYC or Cape Cod, but instead with a regular old (but still insanely yummy!) WIAW.

Enough talk. Let’s get to the good stuff.

Yesterday’s protein-packed breakfast.

Screen Shot 2014-08-05 at 3.48.21 PM — Instagram @ fuelingfab

^ What you see here are 2 scrambled eggs – one with garlic and chili powder, spinach, and a few very thin granny smith apple slices (big fan of sweet & savory over here!), and the other with cinnamon and apple slices! I know, both combos sound a little weird for eggs, but seriously, you just have to try them before you judge.

Oh, and of course I enjoyed the rest of the (huge) granny smith + plain greek yogurt with cinnamon! Then after my workout I had a cranberry almond Simple protein bar.

‘Twas a very tasty, very healthy start to the day!

No clue how long ago I took these pics, but here are more before-work meals. MorningStar Farms garden burgers, Flat Out wheat wraps, pop chips (sweet potato is my absolute favorite!), white nectarines, and Sparkling Ice. Ya know, the usual.

And a during-work lunch. Still obsessed with carbs of all kinds, especially in the form of ginormous bagels!

I’m seriously loving the almost weekly Cosi takeout thing we’ve got going this summer… How gorgeous is this salad?

Screen Shot 2014-08-05 at 3.48.05 PM — Instagram @ fuelingfab

That avocado though. I just can’t get enough of the Peruvian Palm!

Screen Shot 2014-07-12 at 11.06.30 PM — Instagram @ fuelingfab

Yet another repeat offender – my fave mango salsa salmon!

A summertime classic – hamburgers and corn on off the cob! My burger was super thick so I cut it the long way and ate each half ‘open face’ with tomato, onion, mustard, hot sauce, and lettuce on top!

A snack of one nasty looking greek yogurt + frozen banana smoothie (sprinkled with cinnamon) and one of my favorite protein bars. Yes, the smoothie looks awful, but it tastes amazing.

I don’t know why, but I have always loved sloppy-joes. We had them with some clean sides – sweet potato, zucchini, and summer squash. See what I did there? 😉

Nothing like cupcakes at a party. I can’t remember the last time I had one, so as soon as I took my first bite, I remembered how stinkin’ delicious cake is. These bad boys were so moist and fudgy, I just had to have two!

This bar. Dark chocolate pretzel with sea salt. Sweet + salty = perfection.

Panera strawberry poppyseed & chicken salad. Nothing says summer quite like this!

Another thing I’m loving this summer (and all the time)?

Kind bars! I’ve liked every flavor I’ve ever tried, but my favorites are: Almond & Coconut, Almond Cashew With Flax + Omega 3, Pomegranate Blueberry Pistachio + Antioxidants, Blueberry Vanilla & Cashew, and Maple Glazed Pecan & Sea Salt. Yummmmm!

Even more fun egg creations! (See, I told ya I make the ‘best’ eggs 😉 )

Apple cinnamon ‘pancake’, a wheat wrap, and another egg scrambled with tomatoes, broccoli, green peppers, and hot sauce!

You know what I love doing no matter what time of year it is?

Sipping a mug of coffee. (And simultaneously being a complete weirdo…)

I usually make about two cups of Archer Farms coffee (the s’mores flavor is especially fabulous!) in the morning, and then sip it all. day. long. I like it at any temperature, so I’ll reheat it, put it on ice, or just drink it at room temp!

The perfect pre-workout snack = Almond butter, banana, and cinnamon whole wheat ‘pizzas’.

And last but certainly not lease, I love ending almost every summer day with ice-cream.

(And the Kardashians…)

Woohoo that was fun! I love getting to see what foods other people are loving, so I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my everyday eats!

I’ll see ya soon with a special post, so keep an eye out for that 🙂

Have a happy Hump Day!

xo’s

PS – If you want to connect and see even more food, fitness, fashion, and fun, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @ fuelingfab!

In case you missed them, here are a few of my recent posts:

25 Things You Don’t Know About Me

Posted on August 2, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

I saw (and really enjoyed reading!) this questionnaire on Tina and Julie‘s blogs and I figured that it’s time I share a little bit more about myself on here!

This questionnaire has 25 pretty random prompts, and I am almost positive you guys don’t know most of these things about me. But you will now!

25 Things You Didn’t Know About Me…Until Now!

1. I’m happiest when… I’m with my family and friends.

2. …Especially if it… involves relaxing on a boat or the beach, enjoying amazing food, or experiencing new things!

3. I’ve always wanted to… go to a taping of Ellen. Still a dream 🙂

4. My family and I… love to joke around, go out to dinner, and support each other in all that we do!

5. I was a terrible… soccer player. I played (for one season) when I was 5 and all I remember is that at the last practice, I peed my pants in the middle of the field because I didn’t want to go to the porta-potty by myself. Also, one time I let the ball go right past me and straight into the goal because I was waving to my mom. Yep, I was MVP. I’m glad I tried it though because I learned (and my parents quickly saw for themselves) that any sport involving a ball is not my forte.

6. My first job (besides babysitting) was… as a hostess at a local Italian restaurant. I got paid a full 10 bucks an hour plus tips and got free dinner after my shift – not a bad gig for a 16 year old!

7. I could ~~probably~~ definitely eat… ice-cream everyday. In fact, I pretty much do.

photo 4 copy m&m brownie blizzard strawb shortcake photo copy

Sorry I got a little carried away there… You drooling yet?

8. I stole… ummm all I can think of is a few t-shirts from my brothers’ drawers when I was in my ‘sporty’ phase in 5th grade.

9. I was born on the same day as… my uncle. And (I just looked this up) Jessica Alba’s husband, Cash Warren (woohoo).

Funny story about birthdays though – two of my three brothers were born on April 22nd (4 years apart), which is also one of my cousin’s birthdays. And my other brother was born on April 27th, so there were many shared birthday parties for them!

Three boys, 2 years between each, all born in April, all with blue eyes…3 years later, in January, came me, a brown-eyed girl. Talk about the black sheep!

It’s too bad we don’t look (or pose…) like that anymore.

10. My all-time favorite film is… oh gosh, I can never choose favorites… maybe Parent Trap? But to be honest, I like almost every romance, comedy, or chick flick that I see – I’m not a tough critic when it comes to movies.

11. I do a pretty mean… British accent. One summer my friend and I went on vacation together and spoke in accents whenever we were in public (only when we weren’t with my parents because there was no way they were going to attempt to play along…that would’ve been a dead giveaway). I’m sure we fooled no one, but it was our tween-age idea of fun!

12. I’m still mad… I quit taking piano and guitar lessons. I started piano lessons in 2nd grade and quit after about a year because my teacher made me sing along… In school I played violin in 4th grade, then flute from 5th – 8th (both of which I’m not too mad I stopped playing). In 6th grade I took guitar lessons outside of school, but I quit once dance started taking over my life in 7th grade (I danced from ages 3-14).

I’m so mad I quit piano and guitar because I absolutely love music, and playing one (or both!) of those instruments is a hobby I wish I could have. I’ve tried to pick the guitar back up every now and then, but I end up getting frustrated when my little hands won’t stretch to get my fingers where they need to be. I just need more patience, really. Oh well…

13. I met my husband… HAHA funny one. I’m still in college, and probably pretty far from getting married (although I’d love to one day!!). I’ve been single since last July and am in no rush to meet my husband. That said, I’m definitely ready to have a boyfriend again, so I’m open to whatever is meant to happen.

14. I always knew I wanted… to be a mom. But seeing as I don’t want that to happen without first being able to answer number 13, I’ll go with… to study abroad. And that’s why I’m going to (in 22 days) (EEEEK!).

15. I’m not afraid to… try anything (within reason) once! That’s the attitude I’m trying to have as I go into my study abroad adventure this Fall!

16. I make the best… eggs. Haha trust me, I make more than just the microwave variety and I also am slowly learning how to cook and bake many things, but as a college kid, I have a lot to learn. I absolutely love being in the kitchen, experimenting with different ingredients, and trying new recipes as well as learning my family’s classics. Cooking and baking are definitely passions of mine, I just need much more practice (and time)!

17. I have ~~almost~~ no… hand-eye coordination when it comes to sports. I cannot catch/kick/throw a ball to save my life. Refer to number 5….

18. I always cry when… I watch the movie A Walk to Remember. Oh and Marley and Me. Aka almost any movie with a sad/deep/emotional ending.

19. I’m a… Connecticutian (Connecticutter? Yeah, I don’t know…), but I’m also a Bostonian because I go to BC. I love being both!!

20. I’ve spent 20 years (I guess technically 18 since I’m in college, but I’m home in the summers)… in the same house. My family moved into our current home about two years before I was born, and my parents aren’t planning on moving any time soon. I am more than okay with that because I love my home sweet home.

21. I wish my folks… the best (oh gosh, that sounds like I’m leaving them, which I am not. Well I guess I am for the semester, but you get my point). I love them so much and my brothers and I owe everything to them, so I pray every day that they stay healthy and happy 🙂

22. At 5, I was deeply in love with… a boy in my kindergarten class. I thought we were going to get married. I also was in love with dance and figure skating.

23. I believe if everyone… learned to love one another and treat others with respect, the world would be a better place.

(source)

24. I can’t stand… when people hover over me. Whether I’m studying, writing, eating, packing, whatever it may be, I hate when people stand over me/ watch me/ look over my shoulder if we’re not actually having a conversation as this happens. I also can’t stand…super slow walkers on campus between classes. I appreciate the fact that maybe they’re just soaking it all in or enjoying nice weather, but if I have a class to be getting to, pick up the pace or get out of my way! (Woah, did I just say that?)

25. Whenever… Keeping Up with the Kardashians is on, I’ll watch it. Yep, I said it.

I’ll be living in Europe… Say what?!

Posted on July 31, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Hey hey happy Thursday!

I hope you enjoyed reading about all the good food and fun I had while in the Cape! I’m really missing it and I’m not gonna lie, I’ve already gone back and read both the first and the second trip recaps… No shame!

Anywhoozles, as I said yesterday, I had written a ‘Thinking Out Loud’ post in the car on the way to Cape Cod last Thursday, but since we had zero internet all weekend, I couldn’t post it.

Since I love linking up with Amanda on Thursdays to share a whole bunch of random thoughts (especially on things like being a crazy runner), of course I wanted to join the party even more this week since I couldn’t ‘attend’ last week! I didn’t want to trash last Thursday’s draft, so I edited it to make it more relevant (I had written a lot about the Cape Cod trip I was going on). So now I present to you my rambles…

1) I am leaving for Europe in less than one month. 24 days to be exact. Just a little over three weeks and I’ll be en route to Italy. Like what??

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. <- That’s an excited and slightly terrified scream.

I’m going to Italy for a semester abroad and right now I have a crazy mix of excitement, nerves, and disbelief. It honestly hasn’t hit me that I’ll be living in Europe for four months.

All I know is that it’ll be quite the learning experience, and hopefully one I will always be grateful for. Hopefully in ~1 month I’ll be doing well and adjusting to my ‘new’ life abroad! All I can do now is begin to think about packing… that’ll be brutal.

Jamming a semester’s worth of clothes/ toiletries/ all the things I need to survive in one large suitcase + a carry-on is going to be a job and a half…not looking forward to it one bit. Plus it doesn’t help that I already loathe packing and it’s almost impossible to know everything I’ll need while I’m in a country I’ve never been to. I just keep reminding myself that I can always buy the majority of the things I’ll need (minus most of my clothes/ certain toiletries, etc.). Knowing that makes the task of packing seem like a little less of a monster.

Besides packing I still have tons more prep to do (getting the visa/ bank stuff, etc. has been quite the task!), and all the planning/ figuring things out (phone, etc.) just never seems to end!

I really need to start doing more now while I’m still relatively relaxed. Doing all those things while also being nervous about leaving will not be pretty. I should get on that…

2) On another note…The tan lines I now have are just plain awkward. Running outside + lounging on the beach makes for some odd skin-tone differences.

3) I finally did my nails… Thank goodness because they were not looking too hot.

You probably can’t tell but I did a few little blue polka dots on my pale pink ring fingers. Ya know, just getting a little artsy fartsy.

4) Last week I wore a maxi skirt for the first time to work. I will now be wearing maxi skirts every other day (when I’m not in workout clothes).

Screen Shot 2014-07-31 at 12.12.40 AM — Instagram @ fuelingfab

5) I know I said way way way back when that I’d be doing a “how to style a maxi skirt” post. I took tons of photos and wrote a bunch of stuff and it’s saved as one of many drafts, but I just never got around to taking pics in the different ensembles. The way I’m wearing it in the above picture was the main way I was planning on styling it, so since I’m not thinking I’ll finish that post any time soon, we’re just going with this one, mmkay?

Terrible excuse but it now seems silly to take more pictures in this outfit plus a few other combos. However, I WILL definitely be doing more posts in the way I was going for with that “how to style” idea once I have things all figured out on my blog. I’m still experimenting/ exploring/ LEARNING! Thanks for being patient and sticking around 🙂

6) Speaking of clothes… On Thursday I literally felt like I was in pajamas (and simultaneously felt like a genie) at work. Not a bad feeling if you ask me!

I am loving my Old Navy drapey tuxedo pants that I got back in May. If you like to be beyond comfortable while still looking chic, pants like these are the perfect style for you!

7) I think I chose my blog’s name for when I become self-hosted!

Thank you @wthwhynot2011, @faithfulaly, and @gabsessions for giving me some great input on Instagram!

I’ve thought ~~a lot~~ too much about the title and am currently leaning towards ‘Fueling Fab’. I think it works better for multiple reasons, but I won’t be self-hosted for a little while, so I’m still totally open to your input on the whole great debate (in fact, I’d love to hear it!). You can read about the current title here and here and about ‘Fueling Fab’ at the bottom of this post!

8) I really miss everything about Cape Cod. The beach, the pool, the time with family and friends, the food, oh and sipping some post-run coffee while looking out at this wasn’t a terrible way to start a day…

Now don’t get me wrong, I love my hometown, but nothing can really compare to this view.

9) I know I said it back in June, but seriously, the freckle face is out in full force these days.

10) I’ve been Instagramming (is that a verb?) basically all my work OOTDs, so if you’re here for the fashion, be sure to check out all the outfits I’ve been wearing to work at J.Crew @fuelingfab!

11) And just for kicks and giggles…#tbt!

Have a great rest of your week!

xo’s

Questions of the day:

If you’ve been to Europe, what is your favorite country/place to visit?
Fave memory from this summer so far?
Any fun plans this weekend?

And in case you missed them, here are a few of my more recent posts…

Less Than 48 Hours Later… (Escape to the Cape – Part 2)

Posted on July 30, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Hi guys! Happy Hump Day!

I feel like it’s been ages since we last spoke…

It’s been much longer than I anticipated because I did end up going back to the Cape on Thursday night, and unfortunately we had no internet.

I actually wrote an entire Thinking Out Loud post last Thursday in the car, thinking I would hit publish as soon as we got to the hotel.

Wellp that wasn’t exactly possible when we had no internet. The hotel ‘had wifi’ but for some reason it didn’t work, at least not in our room..

I was ~~a little~~ extremely frustrated at first, but then I decided to fully embrace a much needed break from technology. I didn’t use my laptop once and I only used my phone to text (and to Instagram one pic) when we were at restaurants and places where there was service. I have to admit, it was really nice to step away from the internet and social media for a couple days and just focus on my family and enjoying our little vacation.

Anywho, most of the post I wrote on Thursday is still relevant so I’ll probably edit and publish it tomorrow. Since today is Wednesday and all and I have tons of food pics, I think that calls for another WIAW, hosted by Jenn of course!

First of all, you may be wondering why I headed back to Cape Cod less than 48 hours after I returned home from there…

I got back from Chatham last Tuesday at about 8pm, worked Wednesday and then Thursday from 7am to 1. After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to give someone else my on-call shift Friday so I could head back to the Cape with my parents on Thursday afternoon. They had made these plans to go a while back, and since a few of my college friends were possibly going to be in Chatham, my goal was to at least see one of them.

Going into it, I knew that even if I didn’t end up seeing my friends, the quality family time was needed, especially since I’ll be leaving for Europe in less than a month.

After I got off work Thursday, I did a quick run and some arms, then repacked my bag (that I had basically left packed from Tuesday, just swapped out some outfits and such).

We arrived in the Cape Cod town of Yarmouth around 7pm and went right to The Skipper Restaurant & Chowder House. We had to wait an hour to be seated, but we didn’t mind!

I started with a few spoonfuls of my mom’s chowdah, which was super thick (and tasty).

For my meal, I ordered the ‘Grilled Scallop Salad’ which was fantastic. The cranberries and poppyseed dressing were just the right amount of sweetness to balance the salty scallops. I also had a piece of cornbread alongside my salad which tasted like dessert, so obviously I loved it.

We ate every bite of our meals, but there was no question about whether I would get ice cream from Skipper’s Icecream counter…

I chose the ‘Sea Salt Caramel with Walnuts’ which had some surprise chocolate caramel cups in it! I learned quite the valuable lesson by eating this ice-cream -> I don’t love plain walnuts… I guess I only like the candy-coated variety. That said, I loved everything else in this bowl of goodness that I enjoyed later on at the hotel (and I still ate all the walnuts – gotta get those healthy fats ;))

On Friday I woke up and ate a quick breakfast before heading out for a run (while my parents walked). I had some greek yogurt, a pear, and a bit of s’mores coffee pre 5 mile run, then a protein bar afterwards. Nothing too exciting, but it got the job done!

There was not a single cloud in the sky and our hotel was right on the water, so we quickly changed into our swimsuits, bathed in sunscreen, packed some lunch, and headed to the beach!

We relaxed in our chairs for a couple of hours before my mom and I took a walk along the water. When we returned, we were more than ready for lunch!

I packed a pb banana wrap, a white nectarine, and a kind bar.

Around 3:00 we decided to head back up to the hotel to lounge by the pool.

Clearly it was rough day..

For snack I had a gala apple with the rest of my pb + some almonds.

Around 4:30 I took a much needed shower and then we headed to Hyannis for dinner!

We parked our car and then walked around in search of the perfect place to eat. We came across The Black Cat Tavern where we were told it would be an hour wait. I had plans to meet up with one of my roommates (the same one I saw last week!) at 7:45 for an a Capella concert, so we said thanks anyway. As we started walking away, the hostess stopped us and said they could actually seat us right then. Score!

I chose the ‘Oven Roasted Pistachio Encrusted Salmon’ which was cooked to perfection and served on top of the most delectable orange honey glaze and creamy fruit risotto. I ate every last morsel and even used a piece of crusty bread to soak up all the delicious remnants. It was dee-lish.

We finished dinner right around 7:30 so I made it just in time to catch the Hyannis Sound concert with one of my college besties and her mom (while my parents explored town and went to ice cream, awww).

If you are ever in Cape Cod in the summer and you like good music, cute boys in Vineyard Vines, and/or having fun, you need to see one of their shows. Click here for all the info (and to listen to some of their amazing music!)

After the incredible show, we drove to my friend’s condo in Chatham where I was spending the night. On the way back we stopped for, what else, ice-cream!

I chose the ‘Purple Cow’ which was black raspberry with white and dark chocolate chunks. Yum!

We stayed up giggling like middle-schoolers and chatting away before calling it a night around 1:30.

It was a long but fabulous day!

On Saturday morning we woke up at 8:30, ate some cereal and fruit, then headed out for an easy run around downtown Chatham!

It was pretty humid out, and the pool was calling our names when we got back!

We were bummed we couldn’t see our other roommates (one had an early ferry ride to Nantucket, so the timing didn’t quite work out, and another ended up having to go to New Jersey), but we had a blast and were thankful just to see each other again!

My parents picked me up at 11:45 and as soon as we arrived back at our hotel, we got set for the beach.

It was pretty windy and the sun was going in and out of the clouds, so after about an hour I had to drape a towel over me as I ate my lunch (which was the same as Friday’s).

In an attempt to escape the sea breeze, we headed to the pool shortly after.

Around 4:00 it started to sprinkle, so I headed in for a shower before mass and dinner with my parents.

^ Lilly Pulitzer + some serious tan lines…

After church we went to The Waterfront at Lighthouse Inn in West Dennis.

I chose the ‘Sweet Salad’ which was a ginormous bowl of fruit over a bed of lettuce with seasoned shrimp. I thought it could have been tastier with spinach instead of romaine and iceberg lettuce, but the fruit and dressing were great and the shrimp was even better!

The sun was setting outside the window, which was an absolutely perfect way to end a yummy summer meal.

We then drove to Harwich Port to walk around for a bit before it got dark.

As we drove back to the hotel, we were on the lookout for a good ice cream spot. We saw tons on our way, but most were super crowded, so we decided to just head back to Skipper’s Icecream.

I got ‘Lobster Tracks’ which was vanilla ice-cream with a thick fudge swirl (oh my gosh), and red white-chocolate caramel cups. It was to die for. Definitely my favorite flavor of this trip!

^ That second photo is a massive fudge chunk. Aka a bite of heaven.

I went to sleep very happy (and very full) that night.

I got up at 7:45 on Sunday and went straight out the door for another 5 mile run. When I got back I stretched and sipped some coffee out by the pool, soaking up one last bit of sunny Cape Cod.

Once my parents were all set, we packed up, checked out, and headed to Hyannis for brunch at The SunnySide Restaurant.

We grabbed a table outside and enjoyed some breakfast while people-watching and recapping our awesome mini vacation!

I got a blueberry pancake and an over-easy egg. Once I saw my moms wheat toast and jam, I wish I had gotten eggs and toast instead of the pancake, but I was craving pancakes all weekend, so it had to be done!

We hit the road around noon, just as storm clouds rolled in and the skies opened up. Perfect timing!

Because Cape traffic can get a little crazy on Sunday afternoons, it took about 4 hours to get home, so a light lunch was needed in the car around 3:00.

I whipped out an undocumented nectarine and then topped a wheat wrap with pb and banana (while we were in motion, hence the horrendous presentation).

Plus an apple and more pb as soon as we got home!

In the summer, my parents usually throw something on the grill and we have a nice Sunday dinner with my older brothers, but since we didn’t get home until after 4:00 and were in no mood to cook, we ordered takeout around 7:00.

I got my fave Cosi salad (the Peruvian Palm). No pistachio-encrusted salmon or waterfront dining, but I still liked it!

It was such an amazing long weekend with my family (and a friend!). I’m so glad I decided to take work off to spend that time with my parents. I’m going to miss them so much when I’m abroad, so this was the perfect trip for us. Plus, the beach and food weren’t too shabby either…

Once again, thanks for enduring another photo dump/ rambling post from me! I hope you enjoyed reading it because I loved writing it.

Have a great rest of your Hump Day, and a fabulous rest of the week 🙂

I’ll see ya back here soon with some Thursday Thoughts, a ‘how to pack‘ post, and much, much more!

xo’s

PS – Don’t forget, my Twitter and Instagram handles (as well as Pinterest) are now @fuelingfab (which will possibly be my new blog title!). Your input on my blog name (once I go self-hosted) is still much appreciated 🙂

Questions of the day:

Have you gone anywhere fun this summer?
Do you have any end-of-summer plans coming up?
What is your all-time favorite ice-cream flavor?

And in case you missed them, here are some of my more recent posts…

A Quick Escape to the Cape

Posted on July 23, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Hey hey what up on this Wednesday?

I guess someone’s a little (too) excited to be back on the blog today (and to have an app that frames pictures)…

I did stop by for a quick ‘hey!’ on Monday, but today it’s back to your regularly scheduled programming with another WIAW link-up hosted by Jenn!

As I briefly mentioned at the end of my Friday Favorites post (and made pretty obvious in Monday’s Instagram), I did end up going to Cape Cod, MA for a quick trip. A couple friends of mine have cottages there, so since I had work off and schedules aligned, I packed my bags Saturday night and headed up there with a high school friend on Sunday afternoon!

We arrived around 5:45 and went straight to one of my college roommates/ best friends’ beautiful condo. It was cool and drizzling, but I did not care one bit. I hadn’t seen her in over 2 months and I was beyond excited to reunite!

A couple of my high school friends met my roommate when they visited me at school, and since this friend was one that visited, it wasn’t awkward (not that it would’ve been even if they hadn’t met) when we drove into downtown Chatham and had a nice long catch-up sesh over a delicious dinner.

Originally we had planned to go to The Chatham Squire, but there was a 45 minute wait (must mean it’s good!) and my roommate had to be on the road by 8:00 to get back for work on Monday morning. We walked around a bit and quickly decided on The Captain’s Table, and we were soon quite glad we did!

I ordered the salad plate with salmon, which was a tossed salad topped with a salmon filet and drizzled in raspberry vinaigrette (<- my favorite). It was simple but absolutely perfect. Plus a fluffy roll dipped in the dressing (I told you it’s my favorite!) rounded out the meal.

After chatting away for almost 2 hours, we (sadly) dropped my roommate off at her condo so she could head home. Even though it was way too short, I’m sooo happy I got to see her! 🙂

We then headed to my high school friend’s adorable cottage and got settled before leaving again to get ice-cream.

When I’m on vacation (and even when I’m not…), the question isn’t “do you want ice cream tonight?”, it’s “what flavor do you want tonight?”

We went to Emack & Bolio’s and I got the ‘Salted Caramel Chocolate Pretzel’. So sweet. So salty. So. freaking. good.

It was pretty nasty out so we decided to take it back to the cottage and eat it while watching the Kardashians because come on, is there any better way to spend a rainy summer night? Not in my book.

After devouring our frozen treats and commenting on the ridiculousness that is the Kardashians, we Face-Timed one of our friends who is interning in DC. It was awesome to ‘see’ him and he (as always) had as laughing so hard my abs were sore (which is a good thing since I didn’t workout at all Monday or Tuesday). I know I say this a lot, but I am seriously so blessed to have the hilarious/ fun/ caring/ incredible friends that I have!

We went to bed super late (and I didn’t end up falling asleep til 4 am…) so on Monday we slept in until 10:30. We had brought a ton of food from home so we could just eat dinner out (and ice-cream, that’s a given) in order to save money after the NYC trip last week. Breakfast was light and uneventful, and we left the cottage around 11 to head into town!

It wasn’t raining, but it wasn’t awesome weather, either. The skies were gray but luckily the temps were prime, so we decided to park the car in town and walk ~1.5 miles to Lighthouse Beach, window shopping and chatting as we went. When we got there we realized we wanted to stay so we walked back to the car, grabbed some beach towels and headed back.

I couldn’t help but snap some photos of the gorgeous hydrangeas and breathtaking ocean views!

The 4.5 mile walk in flip flops (+ lack of sleep) meant it was nap time as soon as we found a spot to spread our towels.

It was a bit chilly and windy, but the sun peaked out for about an hour or so. The soothing sound of waves crashing and little kids giggling made me so relaxed that I almost fell completely asleep (but not quite). I had my eyes open for a total of about 30 minutes to eat a pb + banana pita, white nectarine, almonds, and a few other snacks that I honestly can’t even remember (that’s how boring they were).

At about 4:30 we decided to make the trek back to the car so we could shower before heading to dinner!

Looking out and seeing this reminded me just how good life is.

After a nice warm shower, we headed out in search of an inexpensive place to eat. As we drove into town, the sign for Sweet Tomatoes caught our eye so we turned right in, ordered at the counter, and snagged a table outside! The sun was out now, and the weather couldn’t have been better for some casual outdoor dining.

Since it was just the two of us (other friends from home couldn’t get off work, which was a huge bummer, but we made the best of it!), we decided to split a salad and a sandwich. Again, another great dinner decision!

We literally did not leave a crumb on our plates.

The salad was fresh, and the raspberry vinaigrette (see, I did it again!) + goat cheese brought it to the next level. The sandwich was on the most incredible, thick focaccia and the roasted veggies + warm goat cheese melted in our mouths.

I know I can ~~sometimes~~ always sound a bit dramatic when I describe food, but I’m just being honest, and honestly it was that good.

Once we licked our plates clean, we sat and talked for another hour before going back in and grabbing a root beer. Don’t ask why I was suddenly craving this… It was weird but I just went with it.

Naturally, we then ventured over to Harwich to go to Schoolhouse Icecream and Yogurt for our nightly ice-cream fix. After mulling over the menu for about 10 minutes, I chose the ‘Harwich Mudpie’, which I believe was coffee ice-cream, brownie bites, almonds, and a little bit of heaven sprinkled in.

We brought them back home to eat later on after digesting our dinners, and so we had something to enjoy as we ~~watched~~ suffered through the painfully awkward ‘Bachelorette: The Men Tell All’.

By that, I mean we had it on in the background as I blogged/ read blogs/ enjoyed every spoonful/ cringed at the conversations the guys had. I haven’t been watching this season, and honestly after Monday night’s episode, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on much.

While I was happy when the episode was over, I was legitimately sad when I finished my ice-cream. I could’ve eaten another cup despite the fact that this ‘small’ was literally overflowing with chocolatey goodness.

Exhausted and in mild food-comas, we happily went to our rooms around midnight, and I was asleep by 1:00.

Tuesday was a sunny day (yay!), so I woke up at 8:45 ready to beach it. Again, we ate some lame breakfast, and then grabbed Dunkin iced coffees (toasted coconut for me!), and were basking in the glorious sun by 10:20.

We laid out, chatted, people-watched, and relaxed for a solid 5 hours before we decided to call it a day so we could hit the road and be back home before dark.

In case you’re wondering (which I’m sure you aren’t) – Yes, I did apply (and reapply) sunscreen, but yes, I did still get burnt in the places that hadn’t seen the light of day all summer. My stomach, upper thighs, and random patches on my back are the color of a tomato. Ouch.

Anyway, after a quick cleanup, we were saying goodbye to the cottage and to another awesome little getaway by 4:15.

The ride home takes about 3.5 to 4 hours, so we made a pit-stop at Dunkin again, and this time I tried the blueberry coffee. I always thought it sounded pretty gross, but I went for it and was pleasantly surprised!

As we sipped away, we had the age-old Starbucks vs Dunkin debate and concluded that DD’s coffee is the way to go.

This is because 1) it’s cheaper, 2) it comes in way more flavors, and 3) it doesn’t taste like syrup. I don’t know about you, but whenever I’ve gotten a flavored iced coffee from Starbs, all I taste is syrup. Could just be a bad barista, but I still prefer the price and variety of DD’s. Starbucks is good for other things though!

I digress…

I hadn’t eaten lunch (WHAT?! I never forget to eat a meal!), so as we drove I ate another pb banana pita, almonds, and various other treats I had stuffed in my bag.

I got home at 8:00 ready for a real meal, and luckily my wonderful mother had saved me some leftovers. I also had a bowl of cinnamon chex, yogurt and fruit, and a few little granola bars throughout the night because I was suddenly starving. I guess all that sun really drained my energy!

It was an awesome quick escape to the Cape, filled with fun times with friends, fabulous food, and lots of R&R!

Also, while I was there, I thought a lot about this little blog of mine. You may have noticed that my Instagram and Twitter handles are now @fuelingfab… As I said in my short post on Monday night this may be the name of my blog once I become self hosted…or it may not.

As I commented on my Instagram photo ^, I originally titled my blog ‘Fueling a Life’ for these reasons (also explained a bit more here).

As much as I love and am always going to keep the purpose of my blog and the meaning behind the current name, I love the word ‘fabulous‘ because I think it can describe so much – from life in general to fashion to workouts to food, which is what my blog is all about! Although I may discuss some serious topics, my blog is generally meant to be a lighthearted, slightly witty read to brighten peoples’ day, so I like how ‘fabulous’ is a fun word (that I use quite often) and is shortened to ‘fab‘, which is just a little more spunky (if a word can be spunky?). Plus, I do love a good alliteration…

I guess it all boils down to what name has more of a ring to it/ makes sense/ represents my blog/ lets the reader know exactly what my site is all about right from the get-go.

As you can see, it’s a really tough decision for me, so any and all input would be greatly appreciated! And don’t worry, you won’t hurt my feelings either way 🙂

Thanks for sticking around through my long posts and listening to allll my thoughts! I hope you have a great Wednesday and a fabulous rest of the week 😉

xo’s

Sweater Weather? (OOTD – Work Day 4)

Posted on June 9, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Today was my 4th day at J.Crew! That means I’m coming at ya with another OOTD!

I think I’m going to see The Fault in Our Stars tonight (!!!!) so I have to make this pretty brief. Here is a short update vlog (are these getting old? Seriously, let me know!) and all the deets on today’s outfit!

I was planning on wearing this white J.Crew blazer (featured here), but it was super hot out and I’ve worn a blazer the last couple times I worked, so I decided to look through my sweaters to see what I could wear over my dress.

Since it’s not exactly sweater weather (great song, though!), most of my sweaters were way too heavy for this hot summer day. I finally decided on this white J.Crew cardigan.

—>

Under the cardigan I wore this Old Navy dress in Absolute Blue (featured here).

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to belt it or not, but when I put the cardigan on, I thought the waist could use a little definition. Plus, once I put on these American Eagle sandals, it all came together quite nicely!

*My hair looks a little greasy ^, but actually it looked pretty shiny and frizz-free despite the fact that I let it air-dry. My secret weapon was coconut oil! I’ve read so much about it lately and actually purchased some a few years ago to use in my hair but completely forgot about it until yesterday! So far, so good!

I digress…

Apparently I’m really digging the statement necklaces lately! This one is also from J.Crew (I got it last July so it’s no longer available, but it’s somewhat similar to this one).

Boom, there is it, another OOTD.

Hope you had a fab weekend and are ready for the week ahead!

xo’s

In case you missed them, here are my other workday OOTDs –

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
And here is the haul where I show a lot of these items!

OOTD – Jewel Tones in the Summer? (Work Day 3)

Posted on June 7, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Happy Friday!

I hope you all had a fabulous week and are ready for a great weekend!

I worked this morning, so as always, here is my OOTD (and a quick update vlog!)

J. Crew purple, blue, and navy (yes, jewel tones in the summer!) silk top (I got this a few years back, and can’t find anything like it online)
Gap dark wash chambray blazer (featured here)
American Eagle White Artist Crop Pant
Target Navy Merona Emily Sandals (featured here)
J. Crew Factory Crystal Pendant Necklace
And, as usual, my Relic Rose Gold Watch (similar to this one), and Alex and Ani Bracelets (silver “L” similar tothis one), gold “BC“, silver “endless knot“, rafaelian silver “Jordan Beaded Bangle“)

Frizzy bun!

Couldn’t decide if I should wear the blazer or not…

Whatcha lookin’ at, weirdo?

Now what are you looking at?

That’s more like it. No makeup, workout clothes, ~~frizzy~~ natural hair, and glasses. Aka me ~80% of the time!

Excuse the copious amount of selfies today, I couldn’t decide what to post on Instagram, so I had to do an awkward little photo-shoot. I just couldn’t resist making fun of myself when I looked back at all the pictures I didn’t use. I’m not very good at the ‘take serious selfies’ fashion blogger thing, but I’m trying haha!

Well there it is, folks! Another OOTD in the books.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram for more fashion, food, and fun photos!!

Also, be sure to have an amazing weekend 🙂

xo’s

And in case you missed it, this week I…

I Caved.

Posted on June 6, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Well, I didn’t really cave since it’s something I actually wanted to do and wasn’t pressured to do whatsoever. So yeah, not sure why I chose that title.

Moving on…

I made an Instagram account for Fueling a Life!!! And…

I would LOVE it if you followed me! 🙂

There’s nothing too exciting on there yet, but I promise it will be full of fun photos very soon.

Anyway, I just thought I’d let y’all know. I’m so excited for the picture adventures to come!

Hey, it’s the little things in life, right?

I’ll catch ya later with a fashion post!

xo’s

Ten Thoughts

Posted on June 5, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Good morning! Today I’m doing another “Thinking Out Loud” post because I had so much fun with last week’s!

Thanks to the amazing Amanda for hosting this link-up!

Unlike last Thursday’s haul post, this week I’m just purely writing my random thoughts! Here we go…

1. I love my hometown.

2. I also love this shirt. I got it last summer (and wore it to a John Mayer concert), and it’s still one of my faves! I just think it’s so flattering and perfect to dress up for a night out with friends, or dress down for an effortless summer look. I know, kind of a random thought, but I was going through pics from this past school year, and I noticed I’ve worn it quite a bit!

3. I’ve been doing a longer run on Sundays for a while now. It’s just a great time to zone out and be alone with my thoughts. Sounds deep, but all my fellow runners out there know what I mean 😉

4. Marathon Monday was incredible this year. There was so much Boston spirit, genuine happiness, and touching, respectful remembrance of last year. And look at these pics I got of Shalane Flanagan zooming by! I took a video, but my friends and I (mostly me…) were screaming so loudly, I didn’t want to burst anyone’s eardrums. You’re welcome!

5. I made this little “signature” that, if you’ve read my blog for a while now, you may have noticed I’ve been using lately. I’m not sure I love it, but I think it adds a personal touch, and I like having a consistent little sign off at the end of each of post. My blog is a work in progress, so we’ll see if I keep it!

6. I was looking through some photo albums from when I was in middle school and I came across this little gem from the first day of 7th or 8th grade. Yeah… I wasn’t awkward at all… Love the bermuda shorts and polkadot shirt… Wow. Just wow.

7. Do not purchase this roller, or one that looks anything like it. It gave me awful bruises all over my legs. Not a good look – I don’t even want to know what people thought happened to me. Target, I love you, but this was not a good purchase. Luckily I only used it once, and still had the tags and receipt, so I was able to return it.

8. Can I just share something super strange? The other night I went out for ice cream with friends, and this car was sitting in the parking lot with its front door wide open! I noticed it when I arrived, then an hour later it was still there! The owner wasn’t in it or even near it. What the heck? Good thing nothing happened, but come on, how do you forget to close your door?!

I mean, hey, maybe they were just so exited to get their ice cream! Especially if they were getting anything like this bad boy (vanilla soft serve, rainbow sprinkles, toasted coconut, and chocolate crunchies).

9. Is it bad I’m already regretting cutting my hair? It’s not like it was super long (nor is it super short by any means now), but I like having longer hair. Oh well, what’s done is done. I just wish it grew faster!

10. Tomorrow is my old high school’s senior prom! I cannot believe it’s already that time of year, and that the kids who seem so much younger than me are already SENIORS! Ahhh I’m getting old. Since it is Thursday and all, here’s a little #tbt to my senior prom!