While I was home in New Jersey for the Fourth of July, I have the privilege of photographing one of the most adorable families. My old boss reached out and asked if I was going to be around and luckily, I was only one little beach town away! The pictures came out so cute that I had to share some of my favorites. I would love to know what you all think!
I highly suggest reaching out to the make-up artist - Steffanie Entralgo, if you are looking for one in the Philadelphia area.
After I began freelancing in social media, my inbox has been filled with questions in regards to building an Instagram following organically and boosting engagement. I decided that for the rest of summer, every Tuesday, I will give you all a little trick of the trade! You’ll have to let me know if this is helpful at all or if there are any questions you have!
Tip Numero Uno: Do not hop on the follow/unfollow train thinking it will help you gain followers (that would only make you an internet jerk). Furthermore, don’t follow spam accounts or pay for followers. You are not fooling anyone when you suddenly go from 1,200 to 3,200 followers overnight. People and brands alike are able to look up when you gained followers and if it was an organic process or not.
“Grow organically and win the race.”
When you start to lie about followers on your social channels, your customers/friends/followers will wonder what else you are lying about. Seriously. Think of it this way; you tell your friends at college that you threw a party with 300 kids from your hometown and then they find out that only 20 friends were there. Wouldn’t you doubt everything else they tell you? What else are they lying about to seem popular or cool. People are put off by bots for the same reason they are put off by liars.
Another reason that you should not try and get “bots” to follow you is because it is an easy way to get banned from the app. Instagram has been known to crack down on fake accounts in the past and why would you want to risk that? These fake accounts cannot drive revenue or engagement for you so there is no reward in using them.
Fake accounts are only a quick fix. If you want your brand to be in it for the long haul, let it happen organically (or hire me).
A few weeks ago I was asked to shoot on Nantucket and I could not say no. A ferry ticket to Nantucket and being able to explore the island taking photos for a brand's social pages and e-commerce site? I would have been crazy to say no! I hopped on that 8am ferry with butterflies and made my way to the top deck. Three camera batteries and a cup of coffee in hand, I was ready to conquer the island.
I don't have a place to stay on the island so I knew I would have to make the most out of the 12 hours I was going to be there. If you are in the same boat (or ferry 😉) as I was, I have put together the top spots you must see while on the island
one of my new favorite lighthouses.. the list is getting a bit long.
the most delicious smoothie ever so i went back for an ice cream cone before the ferry (special of the day, banana's foster was out of this world).
charming cottages and beautiful views that will clear your mind.
i had the most delicious BLT i have ever had here. the bread, the ingredients, so fresh!
picturesque nantucket (it doesn't hurt that T proposed in front of the replica either).
an adorable collection of brands. good luck leaving empty handed.
i stopped here for breakfast to grab an acai bowl and it was incredible. they use food made with organic and local ingredients so it even makes you feel good.
what is a trip to nantucket without a little beach action?
unforunately, i didn't have enough time but i've heard only good things. be sure to check out their wines, beers, and spirits made on island.
again, i didn't have the time but it sounds like the best time when you're looking for a night out!
Think I missed something? Let me know in the comments below and I will head on over there the next time I am on island time!
Ladies and gentlemen (not sure how many gentlemen there are reading this but I do not discriminate)! Yesterday (oops) was an extremely important holiday; National Doughnut Day.
First and foremost, I wanted to point out that doughnut is actually spelled this way and not “donut” like Dunkin’ has brainwashed us New Englander’s to think. Now to the good part; Rhode Island’s best doughnut shop!
Allie’s Donuts are a must have when traveling through Rhode Island. Their original sprinkled doughnut is made of happiness, belly laughs, and love. No matter the color sprinkles, they all taste like the same light and fluffy, not too sweet, treat.
If you know you will be in the area, I highly suggest ordering a doughnut cake. It has all the goodness that their original doughnuts do just giant sized.
Another doughnut shop that deserves recognition, although I haven’t been able to try it, is PVDonuts. People line up around the block for those bad boys and I wish I could tell you why. Their menu rotates monthly and from the pictures I have seen, thinking about their doughnuts makes my mouth water. They sell out quick and are never open late enough for me to swing by after work. If I can ever get myself out of bed early enough on a weekend, you betcha I am going to head up to Providence to try one of their decadent treats.
In my last post here, I showed you my favorite things to do and places to eat while in my little coastal town of East Greenwich. After posting, I’ve gotten a few emails and questions about East Coast Paddle Sports. I cannot rave enough about this little company. Although I have only been to their EG location, I bet their Wakefield location is just as incredible.
It is so easy to book a ticket online and show up that I’m surprised I am not there every weekend. The first time I went was to go paddle boarding with T. It was so much fun and so much easier than we thought it would be! The girls working there helped us get onto the boards and instructed us where it was safe to paddle and gave us a route that would take up the time we had. We came back exhausted, freckled filled, and unable to wiggle our toes (seriously!). You do not realize how many muscles you use in your quads, calves, and feet combined to stay steady on that darn board.
I loved the experience so much that I signed up for paddle board Yoga. Adventurous, I know. Needled to say it was just as fun. I was feeling so confident doing my Warrior II pose and by the end of the class I was the only one that hadn’t fallen in. Let’s just say that I got a bit too confident (read: cocky) and decided to give a headstand a try. Next thing I knew, my back was slapping against the water. I suggest wearing regular yoga gear that you don’t mind if it gets a bit ocean drenched. If you have a one piece, try that also. I didn’t have a yoga appropriate one piece at the time so I went with some cropped leggings and a tank. I have linked a few suites/workout gear that I think would work great instead of sporting something less waterproof!
Sports ‘ kayaking does not disappoint either. T, my friend Jo, and I went one day when we were a bit nervous to fall in because the water was frigid still. Trust me when I say to check the wind speed that day. We were cruising all the way into the inlet when we suddenly realized to get back, our arms would be dying because the wind shifted directions.
Overall though, I cannot recommend East Coast Paddle Sports enough. Their employees are the sweetest and most helpful and you cannot beat the prices!
I have been living (not including those four years of college I insisted I would never stay here) in Rhode Island for just about two years now. T and I rent the tiniest cottage that we like to say is old enough that George Washington could have been born in it. What it lacks for in doors, even flooring, and air conditioning, it makes up for in charm and location. We also have a 1/2 address which makes me happy every time I say it.
My town is a quintessential New England seaside town. There is a darling Main Street, quirky coffee shops, historic buildings, and converted mills. Our docks are always bursting with boats in the summer and our bellies full with the catch of the day.
I have laid out the must do's and must eats for you if you are ever in the area. I highly suggest stopping by (and letting me know if you do!!).
Walk Main Street - my favorite store ever is The White Elephant and you must go
East Coast Paddle Sports - grab a board or a kayak and paddle into the EG bay (we highly suggest checking the weather.. again, trust.)
Felicia's Coffee - great hangout spot or for on the go
The Nook - locally sourced everything
Main Street Coffee - fun and delicious at 11am or 11pm (trust me)
Blu on the Water - delicious seafood and the best sangria
Grille on Main - any meal is good here.. brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks.. you name it
Meritage - drinks bigger than your head and I die over the penne jumbalaya
I do have a few other favorites that I would love to share so if you decide to head to the area, shoot me an email! I would be happy to help.
I attended the Create and Cultivate conference in New York this past weekend and it was incredible. I learned more than I could have imagined and made some pretty awesome friends.
I thought it would be fun to share some of the quotes I heard throughout the day with you all. You can interpret them in any way you want but I will give you my thoughts on them as well. I wanted to start with this one since it stood out to me the most.
Starting when I was in middle school, I had someone in my life that continuously told me no. She never believed in my abilities but I was always able to prove her wrong. I succeeded far beyond what she thought I was capable and when Kendra said this, I knew I had to find that inner sass-a-frass in me and start believing in myself again. This lit a fire under me and I cannot wait to show you the explosion.
For the second year in a row, Wicked Tulip Farm did not disappoint. There is not much else to say about this little corner of Rhode Island so I will let my photos do the talking.
I do have something to say about this outfit though. I had no idea what to where since the weather has been so here and there lately but I am so glad I decided to throw something breezy and fun on. This shirt is my all time favorite steal from the Vineyard Vines "Whalehouse" sale. It has the perfect stretch, which is key since I can never find a button up that works with my shoulders (#18yearsofgymnasticslater). I hope to find more in this style because I am obsessed. The skirt I wore was something I picked up from a favorite designer of mine, Katie Kime. Her prints are unique and completely adorable. You seriously will want it all (especially since the skirts have pockets!!!). This handbag is going to be a wardrobe staple since it is starting to get warm outside. Wicker and straw bags are all the rage this season so I am pretty excited I have a variation (bamboo) on that trend. This Cult Gaia bag fits more than you think and I bought the small! It is perfect.
And of course I had to wear my Hunter wellies since it had been raining all week. I have no clue what type of soil/mud/grass I was going to come across.
Side note: Very thankful to have a fiancé that will spend insane amounts of time with me while I try and get the perfect shot.
T and I decided to head up to Maine for the day on Saturday to celebrate our four year anniversary. We both had the flu for our anniversary so not much was celebrated until yesterday. Our first stop was Kennebunkport and to say we loved it would be an understatement. We immediately decided we would have to come back this summer.
With our unfortunate luck, it began snowing while we were walking on one of the beaches and we sprinted back to the car. It was nine degrees and the "feel like" temperature was negative six. NEGATIVE. We bundled up with hats and gloves and finished our adventures through town in the warmth of our car.
We then made the drive up Portland and had a ball roaming through the shops up there. I stopped in one solely to purchase a scarf. It was that cold. We shopped our way through Flea for All and I fell in love with a wicker chair that I wanted so badly. We decided to leave it behind only because there is not a single spot in our tiny cottage that it would fit. Instead of leaving empty handed, T and I got two vintage maps that we plan on framing. We stopped into another antique maps store and found the best present for and upcoming celebration we have!
So lucky to have gotten so many amazing recommendations from Jackie for our trip! Thanks lady!
I was really struggling with getting behind the drop earring trend this fall and I cannot tell you why. I thought they would be gone with a blink of an eye and boy was I wrong. When I started doing social for Loren Hope, I fell in love with this pair of drop earrings she carries. I would say it is a bit fancier than the crispin pairs I am looking to snag but either way, they were the drops to change my mind. I am now stuck between the three pairs below. (There is also a red ombre pair that I love but I tried to narrow it down to just these) Help a girl out and let me know which ones you think I should go for.
*images via BaubleBar*
