And just like that, we are at the end of another week. Happy Friday!
This one went by quickly for me, and I never got around to sharing a mid-week post here on the blog. I was busier than normal working on other parts of my business, thanks to the Beautycounter Friends and Family Sale that dropped last week. (Did you snag anything good?!) I had several days full of fun-filled activities like extra newsletters, giveaway opportunities in my private Facebook group, emails, and more excitement surrounding a weekend full of birthday festivities.
I turned 36 on Sunday! Birthdays always inspire me to reflect upon the last year, so I’ll be sharing more on that soon in an upcoming post. A lot has happened and changed in a year!
This edition of Friday Favorites highlights our weekend of outings in Manhattan and also includes a GIVEAWAY and a new workout share for you to try at the gym. I hope you enjoy the read!
Friday Favorites: Week of 4/30
- Clean Skincare Regimen Giveaway!
In case you didn’t know, I host a big giveaway over on Instagram at the end of every month! (I truly appreciate your readership here, and I wouldn’t be able to work at home and for myself without your support all around.) Since it’s my birthday month and I’m feeling generous, I put a whole regimen complete with my favorite add-ons together as a gift to raffle off to one of you.
Would you like to personally experience my very favorite CLEAN anti-aging skincare routine? This is bigger than any Beautycounter giveaway I’ve ever done, and I’m digging deep into my personal stash of must-haves to share the goods (valued at over $350!) as a thank you for supporting my social pages and small businesses.
The giveaway is live with multiple chances to enter through Sunday, May 2nd at Midnight EST. No purchases are required, so go check it out and share it with your friends, too. I cannot wait to pick and announce this winner!
- Bodyart NYC at the William Vale
My birthday weekend started out with the perfect breath of fresh air on Saturday!
Scott and I got an invite to attend a garden workout with our friends at bodyART NYC, and we decided to include the day into the weekend festivities and make it happen. The class took place outside at The William Vale Hotel in Williamsburg, and it was absolutely gorgeous with the perfect amount of sunshine. We had a friend meet us there to watch Skyler for about two hours, and it was such a treat to be able to take a fitness class outdoors with Scott. (I honestly cannot remember the last time that this happened!)
By the way, if you’re local to NYC, you totally need to check out bodyART. It’s a very unique physical therapy based workout that challenges your body with low-impact movements, flows, holds, meditations, and stretches. The workout is a holistic approach to movement that balances endurance, strength, flexibility, and mindfulness.
(Masks were worn off of our mats, and we kept them off for a quick photo as Ryan is a personal friend). Both Scott and I left feeling lighter and refreshed, and it was nice to break a sweat in a low-impact way. The hour took us through a lot of strength and balance challenges, and we finished the class out with a much-needed meditation. Thank you for the great class, Ryan! We will be back for sure.
- afternoon in Williamsburg + Ponyboy
After the workout, we headed over to McCarren Park to pick up Skyler. The weather was beautiful, so we took our time exploring the area a bit and strolled a bit before we found a great spot for lunch.
I love Williamsburg! We actually looked at a few apartments over in that part of Brooklyn before we settled into Park Slope, and the location still appeals to us today. It’s a good blend of trendy and family-friendly, and always hosts the coolest pop-ups and events. Our walk took us through many different brunch options, and we stumbled upon a hidden gem called Ponyboy that wasn’t even listed as open on our maps.
Ponyboy is a cocktail lounge, but hosts a wonderful brunch on the weekends with live music! We were one of two parties in the entire back area, so we felt safe and thankful to have a space for Skyler to enjoy the music and dance in the back area while we waited for our food. And speaking of food, it was fantastic.
Scott ordered the huevos rancheros and I chose the vegan tacos. Both were really, really good!
- Flipper’s pancakes and brunch (Soho)
My birthday fell on Sunday, and I didn’t have a lot of expectations for the day since we already celebrated a bit the day before. Scott told me that he planned for a sitter so we could have a day date, and I told him that all I really wanted for my birthday was an adult brunch and a couples massage. So that’s what we did!
Scott had been eyeing Flippers for quite some time, so he was looking forward to taking me to the surprise location for their famous soufflé pancakes. They had other brunch items to choose from, but we went with two of the top picks with the Strawberry Flipper’s Pancake (pictured below) and the Blueberry Cream Cheese Pancakes.
Oh my goodness. That’s all I need to say. If you’re anywhere near Soho, do yourself a favor and try them for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!
We spent the rest of the day walking around the city toddler-free, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my 75-minute massage that followed. We picked Skyler up just around dinner time and had a low-key rest of the night.
Thank you for all of the birthday wishes, and a special shout out to this guy who made me feel extra spoiled and loved. I am so grateful for you!
- *NEW* Total Body Gym Strength Workout
I figured it would be good to round out this week of food recaps with a new workout that I put together at the gym.
I shared a bit about the topic of training with cable machines versus free weights on my stories, and you can read more about that in detail on my blog post: Cable Machines Versus Free Weights — Which Is Better?. The long answer is there, but the short answer is that it depends on the person and what their goals are. My favorite types of workouts typically include both machines and free weights with other elements like stability balls, BOSU balls, kettlebells, medicine balls, sand bags and more.
The latest one I created incorporated both cable machines and free weights as an example.
Anything that says “seated” is done on an exercise machine. Check out the demos below, and please modify anything that doesn’t feel comfortable.
The workout is broken up into three circuits, with the last being in a Tabata format which means you would do 4 sets of half burpees and 4 sets of mountain climbers in the pattern of :20 work/:10 rest.
EXERCISE BREAKDOWNS
dumbbell squat to overhead press
cable biceps curls (I used the T-bar)
half burpees (no push-up)
Disclaimer: If you’re new to strength training, please make sure that you’re cleared by a doctor before you try this. Modify when needed, take water and stretch breaks when your body needs them and reach out with any questions!
- favorite LIL posts
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In case you missed it, I shared my top must-have better-for-you beauty products for Spring last week. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post where I share how to save money on your orders!
» Tips On Cooking With Kids: Toddler Edition
It takes more patience to cook with a crowded kitchen, but it’s also an opportunity to multitask with learning, cooking, and having fun together all at once. Here are ten tips on how to make cooking with kids an enjoyable process.
All right, it’s time to move on to other things before Skyler and I have to head out to the City again this afternoon. I hope you have a great weekend, and don’t forget to go over to Instagram to enter my giveaway and following along for more daily adventures there.
Talk soon and stay safe out there!
*Disclaimer: Friday Favorites posts may contain affiliate links. Also, I am a Beautycounter consultant and love what I do with the company. By using the links provided in this post to order products, you are supporting my business. I always appreciate you!
![[in our elementary school era] 🚌😭
Skyler did great walking into KINDERGARTEN with a big smile on his face this morning. I, however, was a bit of a mess on our walk home. 🥹
It’s wild how fast these 5 years with him have gone … 7 since we moved to NYC and into our apartment, dreaming of the day our kids would someday go to the *awesome* school right down our block. 🏫
That day is today, and I still don’t believe it — feeling allll of the emotions and thanking God for placing us here and for being able to trust His timing through the journey. 🫶🏼 #hbshinnyc
SO proud of you, SK - you are going to rock your first year at your “big boy school” - WE LOVE YOU !! 🩵👑](https://lifeinleggings.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
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