Happy New Year - Now Let's See How I Did!

I remember around this time last year posting several New Year's Resolutions on this blog. A sort of 30 before 30, if you will...which gives me the unique opportunity to check back and see how I did! Because while hitting all those goals definitely didn't happen, turning 30 was guaranteed to. Isn't it funny how aging works? Anyway, 2015 really was an incredible year, but it had its low points for me too. Beginning and ending a relationship that was kind of a full-time job in and of itself made it so I didn't have much time to really do the things I'd outlined, but it did bring lots of other meaningful goals and personal achievements. And while I'm really looking forward to a fresh start in 2016, I hope that reposting my New Years Resolutions from last year as more of a continuation (let's keep this party going!) would be kind of cool. We're all a work in progress, right?

So...without further ado, my 2015 Resolutions! I will cross out things I genuinely did and offer some background commentary on the things I did not...

1  Keep an up-to-date calendar/planner (past March...)
Yeah, this is just never going to be a thing for me. But I keep trying! I'm currently trying to focus my planner just to blogging goals and planning content so I don't just...casually step away for four years again! So that is my amended goal for 2016.
2  Keep my desktop/workspace clean (spot clean every day before leaving work)
3  Take an improv comedy class  
I still really, really want to do this.
4  Set up drinks/dinner with a new female friend
5  Blog at least twice a week
Hah! A likely story... But, I'm upping this to 3x in 2016.
6  Wear makeup everyday (bonus points if I put it on at home and not at my desk)
I definitely upped my makeup game in 2015, but yeah...it mostly happened at my desk. Not gonna lie.
7  Go kayaking at Riverside or Brooklyn Bridge Park
Still on the list!
8  Go skiing at least twice this season
9  Pay off my credit card
Almost there, but working on it! Definitely happening in Q1 of 2016.
10  Take a design/art workshop or class
11  Buy a sketchbook and start to doodle again
12  Learn to make simple things I haven't tried i.e. whipped cream, poached eggs, roast chicken 
13  Find a general practitioner that I like, and have a full check-up (I'm embarrassed to say I haven't been to a GP in 3+ years)  
I did find a GP, but I haven't really made an appointment yet. I'm waiting for a big cold so I can kill two birds with one stone. 
14  Buy a new mattress
15  Stick to my diet (I do Weight Watchers, and I always nail it perfectly for 2 months, and then fizzle for a month, and so on...this year I'm going for consistency!)
Yeah, this definitely did not happen in 2015, but I'm trying again this year, and changing it up with #Nutrisystem. Stay tuned for more posts on this! I've already lost my first 10 pounds, and I just feel like 2016 will definitely be the year of my best ever body.
16  Read at least 20 books
17  Aim to go on at least one date each week
I did do this right up until I started my relationship in March! I would like to do this again in 2016 maybe?
18  Get weekly manicures and DON'T chew fingernails  
19  Cut way back on the booze and the occasional cigarette (very important!!)
Still working on this, though I do think I made some great strides this year.
20  Don't just remove makeup, focus on using my Clinique Sonic System brush for a deeper clean daily
21  Cook for myself at least two days each week
I really did do this for most of the year, so I'm crossing it off!
22  Make my bed everyday (this is so sad...I'm going to be 30, it's time)
I don't nail this every day, but I definitely do it way more and it's been great. 
23  Never visit someone's apartment empty-handed (hostess gifts are in your future, friends!)
I can't remember if I really paid many people a visit this year, but I'm keeping this on the list because it's a nice idea and I think something people always appreciate and remember.
24  Make a point to send thank you notes, birthday cards, other meaningful communications Really still working on this. I would love to become a thoughtful, classy, adult lady this year.
25  Never go a full week without doing yoga
I did not do this but, if I'm honest, it's not really a goal anymore. I hurt my foot very badly last spring when I took a spill on my apartment stairs and it's still not quite yoga-ready. 
26  Try at least one new recipe every 2 weeks, to broaden cooking/eating horizons
I used Plated for part of the year this year, and I really enjoyed it! 
27  Moisturize hands/face/skin daily  
28  Drink water (i.e. no more than 2 Diet Cokes per day, how will I ever do this?)
I started really doing this in the back half of the year, and I really do want to continue to work on it in 2016.
29  Go on a relaxing vacation (preferably out of the country)
Sadly no vacation this year. If I hit my weight loss goals, maybe I will take myself to the beach?
30  Feel good, stay positive, be happy 

Total resolution score: 17/30 (Over half, not too shabby!)

If I had to add some new ones for 2016 (in addition to the above that I'm still working on) they would have to be:

1  Upgrade my wardrobe to start phasing in more high-quality staple pieces and more polished accessories
2  Give my room a bit of a facelift. I love the décor in there, but a few things need to be tweaked.
3  Start my JennaSaisQuois YouTube channel - Coming soon!
4  Once the credit card is paid off, start an IRA to save for the future
5  Learn how to blow dry my hair!! This is a basic life skill I do not possess...
6  Take a dance class or something fun to get my body moving
7  Really try to take the subway instead of Uber or a Taxi unless it's an emergency or I'm carrying something heavy
8  Stick with Nutrisystem for at least 4 months (longer than I have ever stuck with a diet ever)
9  Do another KonMari style purge of clothing and other clutter at some point
10  Say THANK YOU more often, which I think is such a simple thing that takes no effort and really makes a difference to people

Questions and Answers - Beauty Edition

1  What's your favorite eyeshadow to wear? The entire Urban Decay Naked 3 palette is my spring/summer favorite, with its golden pinks and neutrals. With fall right around the corner though, I'm excited to play with the Naked Smoky palette.

2  What's the one product you wouldn't leave your house without? That would be eyebrows... I have sparse, light brows, so enhancing them is a must to give my face structure. My one-stop-shop for eyebrows is the Anastasia Brow Wiz, but I really lock them in using the Anastasia Brow Gel.

3  What's your favorite makeup look? This season, I loved a fresh face and playing up rosy, glowing skin. My top products for this are Nars Orgasm, with its rosy, golden shimmer, on the apples of my cheeks and Benefit Watt's Up! cream-to-powder highlighter on my cheeks and brow bone.

4  Which feature do you play up the most? Definitely lashes. My recipe for insane #realsies is to start by layering Benefit Rollerlash to lift and curl, and top with Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume, my holy grail mascara, for crazy umph. Confession: Rollerlash never feels fully dry to me, and tends to smudge, so it needs a finishing coat.

5  Which feature do you try to downplay/cover up? Any fine lines or signs of aging! I know it's crazy, but I'm turning 30 this year and skin care has become even more of a priority as a means of prevention! I've been loving the Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum and the Clinique Repairwear Anti-Gravity Eye Lift Cream. They both have become must-haves in my daily skincare regime.

6  What's your favorite makeup brand, if you could pick only ONE to exist? This is a hard one because I love so many brands, and trying new products, but I'll default to my first-ever beauty counter brand, Clinique. They have every type of product you could possibly need, their packaging is clean and well-designed, and I trust their products...especially the 3-Step Skincare System which I always default to.

7  Which product have you re-purchased over and over again? Definitely the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment. It's a sad day when I've used the last of this lip balm, and at $22.50 it's a bit pricy to repurchase over and over, but it's the most moisturizing, nourishing lip product I've ever used.

8  What's one product you would NEVER repurchase and why? The Drybar Cream Soda Smoothing Cream, for sure. I've had a lifelong struggle with my thick, frizzy hair. I've tried many a product that promised to smooth and relax, but this just weighed down my hair and made it look greasy. Yuck! I stand by Drybar's products, especially their dry shampoos, but haircare is so personal and this one was a fail for me.

9  What's one beauty treatment you'd ALWAYS pay to have done? I would always pay for a pedicure. Living in NYC, I walk everywhere and I'm on my feet constantly. It takes quite a toll, so I'd never regret spending the extra money for a professional pedi.

10  What's one beauty treatment you'd NEVER pay to have done? That would be the dreaded bikini wax...enough said.

11  What's one beauty trick you can share with everyone? Cleaning your makeup brushes regularly (at least once a week) is a must. It prevents dirt, oils, and bacteria (read: breakouts) from finding their way to your face! You can use anything from baby shampoo to professional liquid cleansers or even solid brush cleaners. Pick a day of the week and make it part of your beauty ritual.

12  Best advice you've ever been given regarding makeup and beauty? NEVER touch your own eyebrows. Leave it to a professional to shape them, and never ever over-pluck. Trust me, once they're gone, they're gone...unless RevitaBrow actually works. It's on my must-try list!

Hello, 2015! Hello 30!

I can not believe 2015 is upon us. Not only that, but this is a very big year for me because at the very end of it, I'm turning 30! I can't tell yet if I'll have any anxiety about that, but it could go either way at the moment!

While I haven't been stressing about the numbers too much, I have been taking some big strides at the tail end of 2014 to achieve some much needed work/life balance, spend more quality time with friends, and yes...I even started dating. Let me tell you, it's been an adventure, and one I definitely don't post much about on here (because I don't post much at all these days...I promise I'm trying to change that) but I may be getting a little more...personal on this blog in 2015. I think of those of you who have stuck with me through about 2.5 years of infrequent updates as family and friends by now. You're in the inner circle.

So with that, I give you my list of 30 things I'd like to do this year, before turning 30. And I raise a glass to toast each of you, with the hope that you all accomplish all you're meant to this year. Cheers!

1  Keep an up-to-date calendar/planner (past March...)
2  Keep my desktop/workspace clean (spot clean every day before leaving work)
3  Take an improv comedy class
4  Set up drinks/dinner with a new female friend
5  Blog at least twice a week
6  Wear makeup everyday (bonus points if I put it on at home and not at my desk)
7  Go kayaking at Riverside or Brooklyn Bridge Park
8  Go skiing at least twice this season
9  Pay off my credit card
10  Take a design/art workshop or class
11  Buy a sketchbook and start to doodle again
12  Learn to make simple things I haven't tried i.e. whipped cream, poached eggs, roast chicken
13  Find a general practitioner that I like, and have a full check-up (I'm embarrassed to say I haven't been to a GP in 3+ years)
14  Buy a new mattress
15  Stick to my diet (I do Weight Watchers, and I always nail it perfectly for 2 months, and then fizzle for a month, and so on...this year I'm going for consistency!)
16  Read at least 20 books
17  Aim to go on at least one date each week
18  Get weekly manicures and DON'T chew fingernails
19  Cut way back on the booze and the occasional cigarette (very important!!)
20  Don't just remove makeup, focus on using my Clinique Sonic System brush for a deeper clean daily
21  Cook for myself at least two days each week
22  Make my bed everyday (this is so sad...I'm going to be 30, it's time)
23  Never visit someone's apartment empty-handed (hostess gifts are in your future, friends!)
24  Make a point to send thank you notes, birthday cards, other meaningful communications
25  Never go a full week without doing yoga
26  Try at least one new recipe every 2 weeks, to broaden cooking/eating horizons
27  Moisturize hands/face/skin daily
28  Drink water (i.e. no more than 2 Diet Cokes per day, how will I ever do this?)
29  Go on a relaxing vacation (preferably out of the country)
30  Feel good, stay positive, be happy

That last one could be the easiest, or the most difficult. And I'm sure this list is only scratching the surface of what I can accomplish this year. But anyway, here we go! Buckle up, it could be a very bumpy ride.

Happy New Year: 2013

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you all had an amazing holiday season and an extraordinary New Year's Eve. We had a party here in our apartment and it was lovely to be surrounded by my new fabulous friends. It was very surreal to realize that I have joined such an amazing, shiny new group of people in exactly one year's time. See a few of my 2013 Resolutions below, and feel free to share some of yours! I'd love to hear them.

Image taken at the party via my Instagram account

1  BLOG MORE
I've talked about this many times before, but since I sort of fell off the blogging wagon last year while adjusting to my new surroundings (and an extremely taxing new work schedule), I vow to carve out more time this year to writing in this blog. It always makes me feel like the truest version of myself when I am taking the time to be creative and share my thoughts with all of you readers.

2  MAKE MY BED EVERYDAY
I am embarrassed to say it, but I still don't religiously make my bed in the morning. I am not a morning person so I tend to just roll out of bed, throw on some clothes, brush my teeth and get on the subway. But I'm proud to say that I took the time to wake up earlier and make my bed every morning this past week and it made my room feel much cleaner and more organized! And it was a much better sight to come home to, and more comfortable to crawl into at night too. This is one resolution I am definitely going to stick with!

3  SPEND LESS MONEY
This is getting into the cliched New Years Resolution territory, but I seriously need to stop eating out for lunch everyday. It's not healthy and it's really not affordable. Instead, I am going to pack a lunch the night before, or bring a Lean Cuisine or something. I am also going to take fewer taxis, as I've crunched the numbers recently, and that is a huuuuge cost that will definitely be easy enough to cut. I could also stand to cut out some of those guilty pleasures like after-work drinks too, which will be sure to lighten my monthly spending!

4  WHITEN UP
This is probably more of a vanity thing, but I'd really like to cut out dark beverages like Diet Coke and coffee, because I can tell they are slowly but surely staining my teeth. Everyone likes to have a bright, white smile, and I have identified a few things to cut out of my daily routine that will help brighten my teeth.

5  WORK/LIFE BALANCE?
This is the biggest struggle in the world for me...I tend to be a bit of a workaholic, and my job is equally very demanding. This is a disastrous combination, to be sure. I need to know when to say enough is enough, and leave the remaining work for another day. There's always something more I could do, but it often doesn't have to be now, now, now, and completely interfere with my personal time! I need to reclaim my life, and I'm planning on doing it soon!

I know that New Years Resolutions are commonly scoffed at, but I can't imagine ever discouraging someone's quest for self-improvement. It's a very human thing to want to be better and do better and this time of year feels like the closing of one chapter and the opening of another! Good luck with all of your New Years Resolutions! I will keep you posted on how mine are going...

New York, New York

Illustration by Carolyn Gavin

I have spent this entire year crafting a post to accurately explain just how much my life has changed since I moved to this crazy, crazy place. It's been both the best and worst and most epically different year of my life. I never use this blog to complain, so I certainly won't do that. But when you think about starting over in a completely new place, moving in with 3 new roommates, making new friends and meeting new coworkers, starting a new job and then subsequently phasing into about a 60-hour work week in no time flat...it's made these nearly 365 days in the city go by in the blink of an eye! Take something similar to the fall semester of your freshman year of college and multiply it by 50x more stress and 30x more fun, subtract ALL of your paycheck when you realize that you will now burn through shoes at the rate that an F1 racecar burns through it's tires...and then add 25% homesickness and 25% friendsickness, divided by the square root of Pi, for good measure. That leaves you with a pretty strange equation that equals my new life in New York City.

I explained to my roommate once that I was a bit depressed that I never got to see or do the things I thought I'd certainly have crossed off my to-do list in the first year. Things like walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, or eating a Nathan's Famous Hotdog at Coney Island, or freezing my butt off watching the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade live and in-person. But then, he said something that really got me thinking...Jenna, you LIVE here. And you've LIVED here for a year. And that doesn't mean going to tourist attractions or vacation spots everyday. It means going to work, sitting on the couch, watching TV and eating takeout. It means paying way too much for a cab home because there is now nothing at all whimsical about riding the subway after a long, hard day. It's not about going to the hottest gallery openings, or taking vacations aboard Ramona Singer's yacht. Because life in New York is not a TV show. It's just life.

And for those of you who are curious about what I HAVE done in my time here, below is a list of things I am incredibly proud to have done/seen/accomplished:

1. I took a surfing lesson on Long Beach
2. I drove an actual racecar (!!!) in New Jersey
3. I got to sit in a floor-level box to see Madonna perform at Madison Square Garden (where Psy also made a surprise experience)
4. I added Hellmann's Mayonnaise, American Express, Klondike, and Dove Style+Care to the list of clients I've worked with
5. I drank a Black & Tan in the same bar that Abraham Lincoln used to hang out in
6. I saw Bon Iver perform at Radio City Music Hall
7. I saw about a bazillion shows on Broadway. Some favorites include: Newsies, Anything Goes, Porgy & Bess, Bring It On! The Musical, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Heiress (Starring the dreamy Dan Stevens from Downton Abbey...sigh), A Christmas Story, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and maaaaany more.
8. I had visitors in the form of friends from high school, friends from college, friends of friends, my aunt, my parents, and friends of my parents...
9. I rode the Long Island Railroad and then took a train to Connecticut all in the same weekend
10. I got sunburnt to a crisp on the 4th of July on the beach at Fort Tilden Park
11. I danced the night away in a basement bar on Bowery street (a few times...)
12. I took the Chinatown bus back to Columbus for an incredible weekend
13. I made it through a major natural disaster relatively unscathed and sent many prayers to those who felt it's effects more closely
14. I have made incredible memories with incredible friends that I didn't even know existed only a year ago
15. and I have made an incredible, lasting bond with friends I did know existed but now I know them a whole lot better

It's been an incredible journey. One that I haven't been too communicative about...apologies about that. But while my plans of documenting my first year didn't go so well, I like to say that it's because I was too busy experiencing everything. And next year comes the writing!

A Christmas Story: The Musical

I don't think I need to tell you how magical Christmas in this city is...I've always thought that New York City was the setting of every Christmas carol from the chestnuts roasting on the open fire, to the city sidewalks, busy sidewalks all the way to the what are you doing new year's eve? But this season, I was happy to introduce a few original carols to my holiday season in the form of the show, A Christmas Story: The Musical. Of course it's based on the classic movie, and definitely sticks close to the plot (and the flagpole) for you die-hard fans. But the original songs and choreography add something even more special to this story. I've seen it twice now... And I highly encourage those of you near enough to the city to check out this Triple-Dog-Daring Musical!

1  Ralphie hates his pink bunny suit in the musical just as much as in 2012 as he did in the 1983 film.
2  The World Premier Cast Recording will definitely have you singing along.
3  The driving force of the show is Ralphie Parker's quest to unwrap a Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun with a compass in the stock (and this thing that tells time...) this Christmas.
4  The ensemble of kids in this cast will impress even the most top-notch Broadway connoisseur!
5 The leg lamp gets the fanfares, accolades and (spoiler alert) KICKLINE it truly deserves in the show-stopping Act I number that would make "the Old Man" proud.

Home Sweet Home

I just realized that I've lived in the city for 9 months now and still haven't shown you my apartment! Part of that is because I'm embarrassed to admit that it took me until about 3 weeks ago to finally finish it....but hey, hours are crazy and city life is a blur. And it's finally finished now, so I wanted to give you a little Instagram shot of my blogging headquarters, aka bedroom. The theme here is mixed patterns and textures, vintage flair, and tons of pillows. In my opinion, that's the secret to a perfect living space. What do you think goes into your dream bedroom?

City Showdown

Have you guys seen this adorable video comparing (in my opinion) two of the greatest cities in the world? I must confess, I'm a bit partial to bagels over baguettes, but I'll let you guys be the judge. Which one is your favorite?

     

Your Fortune

While I was sitting on a stoop in my neighborhood, enjoying the crispy Fall weather, I saw this fortune on the ground right near my shoe. It says "You can do everything you ought to do." Of course I snapped a picture. Really, I think we could all use a little positive reinforcement. An outside voice telling us we are doing a good job. Telling us that we can do anything. So I am declaring this a universal fortune for anyone who sees this photo. Sometimes the right fortune for you is on the ground instead of in the cookie.

We're the Kids in America

I hope you all had a fantastic Fourth of July! I spent my day at Fort Tilden Park, located in the far Rockaway area, just laying in the sun, swimming in the ocean and getting sunburnt to a crisp. It was unbelievably perfect, (except for the sunburn part. Don't forget your SPF!) And it wasn't toooo crowded considering the rest of New York City had the day off. It's easy to forget that I live in a coastal town, since I typically stay close to the gridiron. But as long as you don't mind taking the subway for an hour and a half, then hopping a shuttle, and then hopping a bus, you're never too far from the beach! I need to go explore the different beaches every weekend until Autumn. But next time I'll remember to take more time applying my sunscreen, so I won't spend the entire next day slathering on the aloe and walking like Frankenstein. Here are some instagram photos taken throughout the day. Also, I couldn't hit you with that title and not give you a chance to hear this 90s classic...Enjoy!

My favorite, taken toward the end of the day. Photo by Jaclyn Denmark.

Fourth of July beach style. Photo by Galina Arnaut.

The long walk from the bus stop to the water! Photo by Jenna Brucoli.

The beach at Fort Tilden Park at 12:00 noon. Photo by Jenna Brucoli.

Umbrellas and chairs for the more prepared beach-goers. Photo by Jenna Brucoli.

big apple envy

Chrissy from Harve & Polly here again - for my tuesday guest post!

Jenna has been in NYC over a week - and as much as i love living in bean town, I have to admit a bit of jealousy... ok a LOT of jealousy that she gets to spend her days and nights in the big apple!

01/ vintage empire state building guide $16.50  //  02/ skyline pillow cases $34.00  //  03/ Tim Jarosz city scene $17.68  //  04/ empire photo $20.00  //  05/ taxi mittens $39.00  //  06/ NYC Sewer Decal $50  //  07/ kate spade new york lights purse $105.00  //  08/ NYC subway token cufflinks $27.99  //  09/ SOHO sightseeing iphone case $32.55  //  10/ empire state building pillow $35.00  //  11/ nyc magnets $5.95

I am already counting down those New York minutes til I can go visit her! to keep myself sane until then, i just might have to take a few naps on those new york skyline pillows, wave down a cab in some taxi mittens, or decorate my apartment empire state style!