July is almost over! (*Insert crying face here*) For teachers, it’s the month that seems to have no end! We usually don’t remember what day of the week it is. Mondays, what of them? The days have been going by swiftly.  At the end of most days, I wonder what I’ve really accomplished.

This is the first of a series that will be a monthly recap of sorts. In my PDB Picks posts, you will find my favorite funny videos from this month, inspiring ideas and people, recent restaurant try-outs for those of you who live in Philadelphia or would like to visit, my current obsessions, and big happenings in my life.  I hope you enjoy!

FUNNY FAVES

•   “SEAGULLS! (Stop it Now)”– A Bad Lip Reading of “The Empire Strikes Back.” I discovered this a year or so ago, but Chris and I have watched it recently a few times. So Bad Lip Reading took the scene with Luke Skywalker and Yoda from “The Empire Strikes Back,” where Luke is completing his training on Dagobah.
• “Dog Sitter’s Vacation Updates”– I love dogs, so I clicked on the video thinking it would just be a cute pupper. The dog sitter dresses his friend’s bulldog up in different outfits, and does voices and different accents for him.
• “The Doors Sing ‘Reading Rainbow'”– This was from “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.” He sings the theme song from “Reading Rainbow” as Jim Morrison. It’s funny, but also really impressive!

INSPIRING IDEAS AND PEOPLE

Quotes:

Instagram Profiles I Love:

• Sarah_LouWho‘s profile says “Beauty Blogging Pixie,” and I couldn’t have said it any better myself. She went from having long hair (like me!) and got an amazing pixie cut. Her hair is blonde sometimes, and all the colors of the rainbow at other times. If you want a pixie cut and want to learn how to style it in different ways or you just like beauty tutorials, she posts some wonderful content. Her beauty videos on her stories are my favorite.
• Damfino is better known as Lady Damfino. She’s got a vintage-vibe, but many of her outfits are inspired by Disney. She is so creative and her whole look really inspires me! She has the annual pass for Disneyland, so you’ll often see it in the background of her photographs.
• Sew Crafty Crochet has an Etsy shop and she sells amazing crochet crafts. I love her photographs that feature her adorable scarves and Betsey Johnson purses. Her cactus scarves, pencil scarves, and breakfast scarves are my favorite so far. Check her out!

GOOD EATS

• Spice 28 is in Center City Philadelphia. The cuisine is Szechuan and Asian Fusion. We went out for my co-worker Kennitha’s birthday during Center City Sips. I had several delicious Shisojitos (like a Mojito). We liked the food so much that after we tried the apps on the Sips menu, we ordered off the regular menu to try more dishes! The interior was so cool and modern. I can’t wait to go back!
• Bonchon is a restaurant chain that makes Korean fried chicken. We were such fatties that night (the same night as Spice 28). We totally went to Bonchon and had a million wings after we were out all night. My former roomie invited us over to Chinatown in Philly and he treated us to Bonchon. Yum! They had sweet and spicy wings, and I preferred the sweet for sure.
• Barberet is a bistro and bakery in Lancaster, PA. My family lives in Lancaster County, and they wanted to surprise me by taking me to brunch at Barberet. We missed brunch by a few minutes, but we did get some delicious desserts from the bakery. Believe me, just going for dessert was so worth it! They are made by a renowned French pastry chef named Cedric Barberet. He used to be the executive pastry chef at Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia. Fancy!

NOTABLE HAPPENINGS

• Sandals Grenada- Chris and I went to Sandals Grenada around the 4th of July. We spent our days hanging out by the pool bar, making new friends. We spent every night at the main area for live shows and DJ’s. I tried Escargot for the first time at their French restaurant, and really loved it! Our favorite place of all was the bistro and bakery, where we got coffee at all hours, cookies, and cakes. Yum! I loved the decor and had to take pictures of it. I did not bring a sun hat with me, and bought this colorful one!

 

Steve and Robin’s Wedding- Our next door neighbors Steve and Robin, who we love dearly, got married this month! The synagogue they got married in was breathtaking, and so was the bride. My former roommate Raph was DJ for the night, so we got a funny picture for their memory book. My boyfriend Chris was the bartender, so I had to take the obligatory photo checking him out!

• Weezer + Pixies concert- If you don’t know me, this may seem like no freaking big deal. But Weezer is my favorite band OF ALL TIME! This is my 5th time seeing them. I’m pretty sure I know the words to all of their songs. It was rainy and miserable the night of the concert…I bought this cute tank top and ended up wearing a raincoat and hat.

• Mini-Vacay to South Bethany Beach, Delaware- I stayed at my family’s beachhouse that they like to rent. We had pretty decent weather on the first day that I stayed, but the second day was a wash. We still had an amazing time and visited the boardwalk. I ate way too much good food! As we always seem to do during our family gatherings, we watched “The Wedding Singer” and played Mad Libs.

CURRENT OBSESSIONS

• Book: 22 Brittania Road by Amanda Hodgkinson and The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by the Dalai Lama
• TV Show: Mad Men and The Office
• Movie: I Origins
• Song: Meant to Be by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line
• Stores: Water Lili (in Bethany Beach, Delaware) and Vetue Boutique (online-based in FL)
• Restaurant: Always Lucky’s Last Chance in Manayunk
• Outfit: Tan Linen Dress from New York & Company (my outfit for Steve and Robin’s wedding)

ON THE BLOG

• Simple to Stylish: How to Accessorize Your Tank Tops and T-Shirts
• Summer Trend Alert: Feminine Ruffles
• Feeling Retro: Midi Skirts
• How to Dress Well Even When You’re Broke
• My Top 10 Must-Have Make-Up Products

There we have it! This month in recap…it was a very, very busy month. I have a feeling August will be much calmer! What have you been up to in July? Do you have any book, song, TV show, or movie recommendations for me?

 

Until next time…

Melissa