Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, my friends! First things first. Let me give you a quick run down of my week.

I’ve been busy this week planning Bryan’s 30th birthday party. He hates surprises, so I knew I couldn’t do a surprise party, but I wanted to plan something really special. He didn’t want anything too over the top, so I promised him that it would be low-key. I’m still ironing out all the details, but as soon as it’s all done, I’ll be sure to share everything here. Maybe some of you are planning a birthday or special event for your significant other? There’s TONS of inspiration on Pinterest and blogs for events for the ladies, but what about guys? How do you plan a sophisticated, laid-back event for the man in your life?! I’m definitely struggling a bit, but it’s coming together well so far! More to come!

Other than that, I’ve been going to yoga 3-4 times per week and I’m seeing so much improvement in all aspects of my life. {Did you read my post about lessons learned from a bad yoga class?} I’m feeling more energetic, my mind is clearer, and I have less stress and anxiety. I’ve been practicing yoga since college, but only recently started attending classes regularly. So far it’s been worth every penny. I’m actually in the midst of writing a post about getting the motivation and dedication to start and maintain a workout routine – whether it’s yoga, pilates, Zumba, weight training, whatever. If you have any questions about that, or want me to talk about anything specific, leave me a comment below or send me a tweet @nicoleraudonis.

Okay… on to Friday Favorites!

1. Flower Delivery

Haha, okay this is a funny story. Last year, my friends at ProFlowers sent me flowers for Valentine’s Day. They were absolutely stunning, so when this year rolled around and their sister brand FTD wanted to send me some, I said, “of course!” I sent them my new address a few weeks ago, and completely forgot about it. 

Fast forward to this week. I get a call from a rep at our apartment complex’s clubhouse. She says, “Hey Nicole! Uhm… you have a very special package here that you should come by and pick up.” Usually when we get a large package delivered, the leasing office will email and let us know. So, I told the rep, “Yep! I got the email this morning about that delivery. I’ll swing by after work and grab it.” To my surprise, she says, “Uhm, this is a second package. You might want to come by sooner than later. It’s a special delivery!” 

I was REALLY confused, and she was being super weird and shady about the whole thing.

Bryan gets home from work first, so I asked him to swing by the clubhouse on his way in and pick up the package. Haha, it ended up being the flowers from FTD! Our clubhouse rep probably thought I had a secret admirer sending me flowers or something. Bryan explained the whole thing when he got there, but it was hilarious nonetheless. 

The flowers, a bouquet of long stem pink roses, ended up being absolutely stunning. They were delivered by a local florist and came in a classic glass vase, which was super convenient. I have them on our kitchen counter and they make our entire living room smell AMAZING. 

Like I said… this is the second year I’ve been sent flowers from ProFlowers/FTD. They aren’t paying me to mention them, and they didn’t even require that I mention them at all. I’m sharing this with you, because I genuinely adore their service and have had great experiences. 

2. Becca Bristow

Next favorite for the week is Becca Bristow, a Youtuber and registered dietitian from the Philadelphia area. She makes wellness videos that are super easy to understand. She shares tips about nutrition, a look into what she eats in day, and my all time favorite – food product breakdowns in her Skinny Series. Her most recent video, The Skinny on Juice, is super interesting and informative. Basically, she takes a deep dive into each product, looks at ingredients and nutritional values, and gives her professional opinion on whether it’s healthy or not. Other food breakdowns she’s done include the skinny on protein powders, protein bars, and non-dairy milks. Go watch. 

Maybe I’ll have her on Simply Nicole soon, so she can share her tips and tricks with all of you. I think that would be fun!

3. Signature Scent

I don’t think I posted about this on the blog yet, and I’m shocked because I’m completely obsessed. But a few years ago, I was on the hunt for my signature scent. I’ve always been a fan of perfume, but I’m super picky. Scents, like music, tend to remind me of certain events or time periods in my life. For instance, Bath and Body Works Country Apple reminds me of elementary and middle school. Britney Spears “Curious” perfume reminds me of high school. It’s weird how these things bring back positive or negative memories. 

So yes, finding my own signature scent was important. A few years back, I discovered the Jo Malone counter at Nordstrom. {Super late to the party, I know!}. The sales rep was super nice and gave me a bunch of little sample bottles to take home and try out. Most of them were great, but one really stuck out to me as a favorite – Wood Sage and Sea Salt. OMG, you guys. The Jo Malone website describes it best. “Waves breaking white, the air fresh with sea salt and spray. Alive with the mineral scent of the rugged cliffs. Mingling with the woody earthiness of sage. Lively, spirited and totally joyful.”

Bryan bought me a large bottle of Wood Sage and Sea Salt for Christmas {which was a huge surprise!}, and I use it every single day. If you’re in the market for a new perfume, definitely go check it out. 

4. Dreaming Cow Yogurt

Sometimes when I go grocery shopping, I just pick up random things to try out. Most times I don’t enjoy what I bought, but every once in a while, I find a gem. Case in point: Dreaming Cow Yogurt. I buy all types of yogurt, ones with cow milk, coconut milk, almond milk… It doesn’t really matter to me. What DOES matter is that if I’m having cow milk yogurt, I make sure to buy HIGH QUALITY. I look at every nutrition label, and google the brand if I’ve never heard of it. 

That’s sort of how I came across Dreaming Cow. I was perusing Giant recently, and saw that Dreaming Cow was on sale. I love a good deal, so I googled the company on my phone and learned all about them. Their yogurt comes from cows who are grass-fed 365 days a year. No barns, no stress, no added hormones. 

My favorite flavors are: Dark Cherry Chai, Honey Pear, and Strawberry Pomegranate. They are super delicious!

// Okay, that’s it! I hope you guys all have a fantastic weekend. Talk to you soon.