Best book I've read since Harry Potter...

The Hunger Games. By Suzanne Collins. AMAZING. A-MA-ZING. I'm two chapters away from finishing the second book, Catching Fire, right now, and I'm already way too excited for the third, Mockingjay, which, yes, I have pre-ordered. They are a fantastic modern teenage approach to an almost 1984-ish idea, but with way more relatable plot lines of love and loss and freedoms and revolution. These books just make me hungry for more!

Biking!

So this summer, I'm learning how to bike, like really road bike, from my boyfriend who is obsessed with all things bike. At first I was skeptical, but after a few rides I was hooked. Now I'm the one asking if we can go ride all the time. It's such great exercise, your shoulders get pretty darn tan if you wear a tank top, and it's so, so great to get outside and enjoy the summer on these nice warm days (especially since I've been stuck inside a gym all winter in Boston where going outside means frostbite). Not only do I get to be outside and get a great workout, I get to hang out with my bf and also my dad, who picked up the sport relatively recently and just loves it. Not to mention, the scenery of so many biking spots is just fantastic (Tour de France, anyone?). The only problem? Sometimes, I forget to clip out of my pedals on time and tip over--it's kind of comical. Nevertheless, I totally recommend giving road biking a try, and do it with your girlfriends (or boyfriends), of course :)

Tanning and a BBQ

It's the middle of July--so obviously we all want to get tan! But having sensitive skin, or any skin at all, that gets burned is just no fun. I've tried tanners, most are either too much hassle or turn out wayyy to orange...euch. But recently I discovered (after following a good friend's recommendation) a self-tanner that seems too good to be true (but isn't!!). It starts working right when you put it on, dries super fast, and even gives you some subtle little sparkle so you feel like a bronzed pixie. To top it all off, it's under $15.00. Victoria's secret Beach Sexy tanner: and they also have one with SPF for all of us burn-easy girlies.

Now for the BBQ part: yesterday I made dinner for the fam, and I decided to try to actually cook something more intensive than pasta and a salad. So, I looked through some cookbooks and Bon Appetit magazines, and I found two super easy recipes that my whole family loved! I made a summer BBQ chicken marinade, and roasted carrots. Here's how (both are super easy!):

Rosemary-Lemon Chicken Marinade (From Bon Appetit Magazine):

1/4 Cup Olive oil

3 Tablespoons Fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 Teaspoons Fresh chopped rosemary

2 Cloves Garlic, crushed or chopped

Instructions: Just mix it all together, pour it over the chicken and let sit for 20 minutes. Then grill it (or hand it over to dad to cover that part ;)

Roasted Carrots (courtesy of Barefoot Contessa of course)

1. Slice lots of whole carrots (five or six for four people, depending on how big the carrots are) diagonally so the slices are pretty big (they shrink in the oven a little bit).

2. Cover them in olive oil, salt and pepper, then lay them out on a baking sheet

3. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, then season with chopped parsely .

YUMM!

I served this with wild rice, and there were literally no leftovers.

And now, I'm off to bike. xoxo

First Post

This is my first post on my first blog...so let me introduce you! It's a blog about life, all things girl. How to stay healthy, happy, and creative all while managing a busy, fabulous life. I'll be posing my fav fitness tips, recipes, tidbits about college life, and fun and creative hobbies. Enjoy! xoxo