That Went By Fast | Leaving Grenoble

It's hard for me to imagine that just four months ago I was packing for a semester that would end up being one of the best chapters of my life. I didn't know what to expect coming to Grenoble. I honestly didn't know a lot about the city and came in with an open mind. The past four months ended up being one of the biggest rollercoaster rides I've ever been on, from traveling and meet great people to making mistakes that you can only learn from. A lot of time was spent learning, not just in school, but mostly about another culture and adjusting to a new culture and new people. I look back and realize that I think I have progressed as a person more in the past semester than I had in a year at college. Study abroad pushed me harder mentally and socially, and although at times it would be exhausting, I couldn't be happier for that push forward. 

The hardest part in the end was saying goodbye to a city that become home, a host-family that became my second family, and friends with whom I shared experiences that can be found only on the other side of the world. I left sad, wondering where time went and not wanting to leave, but also thankful for the experience and thankful for the people who helped make this past semester one I will never forget.

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Patterned Cape | Fall/Winter Fashion 2015

Items above: American Eagle Southwestern Poncho / BP. Plaid Poncho / American Eagle Southwestern Poncho / Topshop Tonal Knitted Cape

Outfits for Inspiration

Clockwise from top left: Southern Curls and Pearls / Hello Fashion Blog / The Sweetest Thing Blog / Jimmy Choos and Tennis Shoes

Oh my gosh, has it been a while. Too long if you ask me. I could give you many excuses, but I'll be posting my recent trips and updates about what has been taking up most of my time. This post will be about one of the trends that I've been seeing everywhere, from blogs to the streets of Grenoble: The patterned cape. Capes are similar to cardigans, but often don't include sleeves. Instead, they are simply in-between a cape and a blanket scarf.

Capes are not only comfortable and warm for the cooler months, but also had a chic twist to an outfit. In particular, pattern capes can add twist to an otherwise simple outfit. Capes also can give a mixed, but stylish look of being both laid-back while also fashion forward. Although capes can seem intimidating, they can be easily paired with a simple sweater, skinny jeans, and a pair of booties, making it the perfect outfit for the fall and winter!

Will you be trying the cape trend this fall?
I would love to read it in a comment below!

Thank you for reading!

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Plum Beauty for Fall

Items above: MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Cream in "17 Plum" / Essie Nail Polish in "In The Lobby" / Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in "Plum" / Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lipstick in "Barberry" / Urban Decay Afterglow Powder Blush in "Rapture" / Urban Decay Eyeshadow in "Roach" / Benefit Cosmetics Push-Up Liner in "Beyond Purple"

Nothing says chic and luxurious like a beautiful deep plum color. Maybe it's because I am currently sitting next to a pair of French, plum-colored drapes, but I am craving everything plum-colored. The color is not only gorgeous for the fall, but is also the perfect sophisticated pop of color. When it comes to beauty, plum compliments every skin tone and eye color, especially if you have brown eyes. Plum is the perfect alternative for a variety of beauty products this autumn, whether you are substituting a typical red lip with a deep matte plum lipstick or replacing a black eyeliner for a subtle, but complementary pop of color.

Will you be wearing plum this fall?
I would love to read it in a comment below!

Thank you for reading!

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Provence, France

Day 1: Pont au Gard and Avginon

Pont au Gard

Palais de Pape

View from Avignon Bridge

So it's been a while. I know excuses are the worse, but these past few weeks have been busy full with school and study abroad in general. I've gone several weekend trips, with and without my program, which have all been growing experiences. One trip that I took in the beginning of October with my program was to Provence, a region near southern France (I know, this post is way overdue).

The first stop that we took on the first day was to the Pont au Gard, which was magnificent and beautiful against the setting of the countryside. After the Pont au Gard, we visited the Palais de Pope, which is a gothic building in Avignon and was once home to the pop during the medieval period. One of my favorite parts about Avignon was the Avignon bridge, had a beautiful view of the river, where you could get lost looking at the sun starts setting (or maybe that was just me).

Day 2: Arles and Château de Tarascon

Arles Amphitheatre

Arles Amphitheatre

Arles Amphitheatre

Top of Château de Tarascon

Top of Château de Tarascon

Caves in Beaux-de-Provence

The next day was a little less than pleasant. Provence is known for it's sunshine and beautiful weather, however, we happened to run into a full-day rain shower that occurs very few times during the season. Despite the rain, we visited Arles Amphitheatre, an old Roman amphitheatre. One of my favorite parts of the Arles amphitheatre was walking on top of the amphitheatre, whether or not it was allowed.

One of my favorite parts of the whole trip was the next stop, the medieval castle Château de Tarascon. My favorite part of the castle was the roof, where we had a view of the whole area and even a view of another castle in the distance. After the castle, we visited some man-made caves in Beaux-de-Provence, which displayed light shows and moving photography across all the walls. 

Day 3: Aix-en-Provence

Church in Aix-en-Provence

Streets of Aix-en-Provence

The last day in Provence was in Aix-en-Provence, which was a nice turn-around from the day before in terms of the weather. We got a tour of the city and had time to walk around the city on our own. The city had a different look than Grenoble that resembled southern France, which was interesting to explore. 

The whole trip was a bit of an experience, both in the rain and shine. As much as I like Grenoble, it was refreshing to see a different piece of France and French history. As cheesy as it may sound, I left thinking that Provence stole just a little bit of my heart that weekend.

Thank you for reading!

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Friday Favorites!

This week was one of those weeks where I wondered where the heck did the week go. The weekend before was an activity-filled weekend in Provence full of rain and shine. After an amazing weekend, the rest of the week was a bit of a blur full of school and enjoying the pros of being abroad, which included a lot of food. Anyways, here are some of my favorites from the week!

Favorite Fashion Inspiration

Clockwise from top left: Southern Curls and Pearls / Pink Peonies / The Sweetest Thing Blog / Katies Bliss

Favorites Hair Inspiration: Half-Up Braid 

Gal Meets Glam

Favorite Food Inspiration

Recipes above: Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Ravioli - Half Baked Harvest / Pumpkin Nutella Crepe Cake - Half Baked Harvest / Pumpkin Churro Waffles - Damn Delicious / Sweet Potato Pie Bars - Handle the Heat

Favorite Moment(s): Provence

Pont du Gard

View from the roof of Château de Tarascon

This past weekend, my group went to Provence, a region in southeast France. The weekend was packed full of different stops and tours through the different cities in the Provence region. A more in-depth post will be up soon!

What was a favorite of yours this week?
I would love to read it in a comment below!

Thank you for reading!

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Distressed Black Denim | Fall Fashion 2015

Items above: Free People Destroyed Jeans / American Eagle Sateen X Extreme Legging / MOTHER 'The Looker' Frayed Ankle Skinny Jeans

Outfits for Inspiration

Photos above: A Southern Drawl / Crystalin Marie / The Sweetest Thing Blog

Distressed light denim and boyfriend jeans grew in popularity over the past few seasons, and the trend is effortlessly transitioning into fall through distressed black denim. Earlier this year I wrote a post on distressed jeans (here) for spring and didn't think that I would be posting about distressed denim again anytime soon.

However, when tastefully paired with the right pieces, distressed black denim can easily be considered a staple for anyone looking to add a bit of edge to an everyday outfit. Whether it's paired with a classic striped tee or worn with a pair of strapy heels, distressed black denim is a chic alternative to the classic black leggings or jeans.

Will you be wearing distressed black denim this fall?
I would love to read it in a comment below!

Thank you for reading!

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Pumpkin Lovin': Recipes I Want To Try

Recipes above: Pumpkin Roll Cake - Culinary Hill / Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting - Handle the Heat / Skinny Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake - Eat Yourself Skinny / Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting - Two Peas and Their Pod

Recipes above: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust - Le Creme De La Crumb / Pumpkin Brulee Cheesecake Bars - Cooking Classy / Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecake Bars - Mels Kitchen Cafe (yum!!) / Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread - Two Peas and Their Pod

Recipes above: Pumpkin Toffee Cookies - Lemons For Lulu / Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies - Averie Cooks / Pumpkin Pie Smoothie - In Sonnets Kitchen / Pumpkin Scones - Cooking Classy

For the past few weeks it seems as if I have been bombarded by pumpkin recipes, and let me tell you, I'm not complaining. If there is something that I've learned in Europe is that when it comes to fall food, pumpkin is just not as big here as it is in the states. You may be able to find a pumpkin spice latte if you looked hard enough, but pumpkin spice flavored treats are not hyped up here, unlike back home. Needless to say, I can vicariously live my love for pumpkin through online recipes and pinterest. Above are some recipes that I would want to try if I was back in the states.

Will you be eating pumpkin this fall?

Thank you for reading!

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Cuves de Sassenage | Semester in Grenoble

This post is a few weeks overdue, but earlier this month my study abroad program planned a hike to "Cuves de Sassenage," where we hiked up one of the surrounding mountains in Grenoble to visit the Sassenage caves. We took a tour through the caves, which were larger than I expected and interesting to walk through. From the caves, we further hiked up and down the mountain along steep paths until we reached a small river where some decided to swim. On the hike back to the bottom, there was a beautiful view of the city and surrounding mountains. Visting the caves was definitely the perfect day trip!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Everyday Skincare Routine

Of all the years I have had this blog, I have realized that I never once wrote a skincare routine post. The reason why I'm somewhat surprised that I never posted a skincare routine is because my skincare has not significantly changed over the past few years. Aside from occasionally switching up my moisturizer, I've been using the same cleanser ever since high school. For reference, I have very oily-combination skin, in which my t-zone gets very oily while smaller areas of my face are normal/dry. This routine would be appropriate for those with normal-oily skin, however, the cleanser may be too harsh for those with dry skin.

Cleanse

As someone with acne prone, combination skin, finding a cleanser that effectively prevents breakouts is difficult. After trying many products, the Clean & Clear Continuous Control Acne Cleanser has been one of the only face washes that does not break me out. I have been using this cleanser everyday for the past several years and still works well without irritating my skin. The cleanser contains benzoyl peroxide, which stands out from the most acne cleansers, which contain salicylic acid.

Exfoliate

Exfoliating is not part of my daily routine, but I use an exfoliator about once a week to remove any dry skin. The Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub has been in my routine for over a year and is the perfect exfoliator for those who have sensitive. The scrubbing beads are not abrasive while effectively leaving your skin smooth and soft.

Moisturize

Although I like using an acne face wash and I have oily skin, moisturizing is a must in my routine as well as necessary step in all skin care routines. Adding moisture to your skin not only makes your skin look healthy throughout the day, but also helps repair your skin long-term and helps slow the aging appearance of skin. After washing and exfoliating my face, I apply The Face Shop Clean Face Mild Lotion (review here) on my skin and the The Face Shop Mango Seed Eye Cream around my eye area.

What's a staple product in your skincare routine?
I would love to read it in a comment below!

Thank you for reading!

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Friday Favorites!

This week went by particular fast and I can't believe it's already Friday. I'm slowly starting to get into a routine here abroad, however, I think I have to give it another week or two before I feel completely comfortable in my new surroundings. Anyways, here are some of my latest favorites!

Favorite Fashion Inspiration: Flare vs. Skinny

Clockwise from Top Left: Southern Curls and Pearls / Pink Peonies / The Sweetest Thing Blog / For All Things Lovely

Favorite Fall Makeup Inspiration

Source

Favorite Food Inspiration

Recipes above: One Pan Spinach and Cheese Gnocchi with Tomato Cream Sauce - Half Baked Harvest / Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli - Skinny Taste / Lemon Tassies - Handle the Heat / S'Mores Cereal Treat - Jelly Toast Blog

Favorite Moment: Top of the Bastille

Grenoble, France

What was a favorite yours this week?
I would love to read it in a comment below!

Thank you for reading!

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Olive Green | Fall Trends 2015

Items above: Topshop Plunge V-Neck Cami / Topshop Tie Back Maxi Dress / American Eagle Shirt Dress / Echo Sequin Embellished Crinkle Wrap / Sam Edelman 'Dea' Pointy Toe Pump / BP. V-Neck Sweater / Topshop 'Westly' Bucket Bag / BP. Long Textured Open Cardigan

Outfits for Inspiration

Clockwise from top left: The Style Bungalow / Kats Fashion Fix / Southern Curls and Pearls / The Sweetest Thing

Olive green jackets seemed to take stores by storm throughout the past few seasons and continue to be a fashion-forward color this fall. Olive green, however, does not have to be limited to outerwear and can be often found in everyday pieces, such as dresses and t-shirts.

Olive green is described as a not-so-appealing yellow-toned medium green and is often more widely known as army or military green. Although the description of olive green may not be so welcoming, the color is chic when represented through clothing while also providing a subtle pop of color to a fall outfit. Whether it's through clothing or accessories, olive green is a great way to add some color to your wardrobe this fall.

Will you be wearing olive green this fall?
I would love to read it in a comment below!

Thank you for reading!

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