I feel like it was just yesterday that I moved back to DC from Los Angeles. A little backstory for those who joined my journey within the last year, I somewhat consider myself a bit of a gypsy. Normally, I travel so much during the year that home doesn’t feel like this massive commitment, it’s more so a place to keep my things in between trips. Last year I struggled with changing my “home” location and ended up doing a 3 month test run in LA, you can read about that part of my life here. Since my LA stint ended I’ve been back in DC living with one of my best friends, who owns a gorgeous home here. I feel SO lucky to have been in DC for this weird and wild year. I spent so much time with friends, my brother who also lives in DC, and we all made the most of it. When I said goodbye to DC last time around I continuously felt unsure of my decision, there was this nagging feeling that my time in the city wasn’t complete.

Here we are, a year after settling back into DC, and my lease is coming to an end. Quarantine really changed my perspective on things, as I’m sure it has with everyone. For the first time in years I find myself reprioritizing things I’m looking for in a home. I want more space and a bigger slab of grass, closer to my front door, for Lemon to run on. I want to be closer to my parents. I want to be in a climate that’s warmer, so should things shut down again I can still get outside for walks and runs. That’s where my head was at when it came to finding my next lease, and yes I lease because I don’t want to buy until I know where I want to be for at least 5 years.

I had narrowed it down to two places, Newport Beach, CA and Tampa, FL. I fell in LOVE with Orange County when I was out there in October and honestly had it not been for COVID I think Newport would have won the race, but after thinking long and hard, now is not the time. In Newport I would be essentially starting from scratch, knowing only a few acquaintances. With everything being closed that felt scarier than normal. I have no doubt I can make new friends, but doing it in the middle of a pandemic felt extra exhausting. I also did the CA thing before and it was always a pain in the ass getting home to see my parents, or friends on the east coast. You pretty much lose a full day coming this way, no matter how you slice it. This isn’t to say that one day I won’t move to the OC, it just won’t be this next year. Sooooo… that leaves Tampa.

Tampa has been a contender in the past and there is a laundry list of reasons why I ended up coming back around to the idea this fall. First of all, the obvious, it’s close to my parents. I was born and raised in Orlando, just and hour and a half from Tampa. My mom and I are best friends, we talk anywhere from 10-20 times a day, so being within driving distance from her, and my dad, is an obvious gold star. Then there’s the friend group I already have there, including my best friend from childhood, a handful of friends from high school and more. I honestly know a bigger group of people in Tampa than I do DC. On top of that, I have friends in Orlando and other parts of FL, which will also be driving distance now. A few weeks ago I went there to tour places and ended up falling in love with this townhouse on Harbor Island, a cute community surrounded by water. From the minute I walked in the door it just felt right, and as someone who listens carefully to their gut, that meant something to me. I pretty much put in an application that night and haven’t looked back.

I’m going to miss DC more than I can begin to explain. This city saved me when I needed it the most. I moved here 3 years ago as really a broken and lost person. DC gave me a fresh start that completely changed the course of my life. As much as I have weeks where I’m over it, the amazing aspects forever outweigh those. I’m starting to cry as I sit here writing this because I hate the thought of no longer having a fall stroll through Georgetown to see the leaves change, or a random Wednesday afternoon coffee date with Riley. I’ll miss my people here who have been there for the tears and to pop champagne. No more Sweetgreen, Southblock or O-ku. I won’t be ok without the endless amounts of food options on any given day. Don’t even get me started on Barry’s Bootcamp… Ugh, I’m really going to leave a piece of myself here when I go. If you’re looking for a big city to move to, consider DC, you won’t regret it!

Riley and my friends will be here, so YES I’ll be back, probably more than Riley would like (as I’ve deemed his couch my guest room). The big move will happen mid-December and while my credit card isn’t thrilled about it, I’m having way too much fun decorating a bigger space. Thank you all for coming along with Lemon and I on this next chapter, we can’t wait to see where things go.

Finally, I’m looping back on one of my most asked about topics!! I wrote a post on this topic over a year ago, but since then a few things have changed, let me get you guys fully up to date on my wellness journey. I call it a journey because it’s always changing. As I’m writing this, DC is still in full lockdown (quarantine) so some things have been adjusted, but I’m going to write this out in a way that makes sense during and post-quarantine.

Let’s start with food, because as my dad always says, 80% is what you eat and 20% is working out. I have learned the hard way that this is pretty damn true. You can run all day every day, but if you’re eating like shit, you won’t see the results you crave.

Intermittent fasting & food:

Intermittent fasting means different things to different people, the following is my take on it. Let me say this right now, I’m not a dietician nor am I a nutritionist, by any means, so this is simply what I’ve learned works best for MY body.

Monday through Friday I practice intermittent fasting in a 16:8 ratio. This means I stop eating 16 hours of the day and only eat within an 8 hour window. 16 seems like a long time to not eat anything, but when you break it down it’s actually pretty manageable. Most weekdays I’ll wake up, have black coffee (no calories are allowed during that 16 hour window) and water until noon. The first few days may feel tough but it gets easier. At noon I’ll usually reach for a ONE Protein Bar, favorite flavor is cookie dough or cinnamon roll, and fruit.

Some other lunch options I tend to go for:

salad from Sweetgreen, love the thai ones

oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar

Chick-fil-A nuggets, no fries

reduced fat turkey bacon egg white sandwich -Starbucks

Between lunch and dinner I’ll usually grab a snack:

banana and almond butter

bell peppers and black bean dip

Siete chips and salsa

Dinner:

lots of salmon in different varieties

spaghetti squash

taco salad

honey nut Cheerios and almond milk

I’m not a huge cook and tend to be more of a picker so it’s really tough to write out exactly what I eat in a day. If you go to my Instagram, I have a food highlight with some dinner ideas.

To make fasting easier to track I use the Zero Fasting Tracker app.

I loveeee me a glass of wine or spicy margarita, but I try to only drink alcohol on the weekends. I notice when I drink less I deal with less bloating and have more energy.

Fitness:

I’m pretty into working out, but that wasn’t always the case. I didn’t get into running until junior year of college, and that was only because I gained 15 pounds in a summer (yup, ONE summer… two months…. don’t even know how that’s possible). I first gained a ton of muscle through BBG by Kayla Itsines, a 12 week workout program you can download on your phone. I’ve gone back to this workout a few times, it’s especially great for traveling because it requires minimal equipment. After BBG I started Orange Theory and loved the environment! This was my first real experience with a workout class in some time and I forgot how much better I perform with structure. After a year of Orange Theory I wasn’t thrilled with the shape my body was taking. I think I was doing too heavy of weights and the rowing was broadening my shoulders more than I liked. Also, I found myself so ravenous after each class, I was going 4-5 times a week, which lead me to overeating. Last year I was introduced to Barry’s Bootcamp, a fitness chain comparable to Orange Theory, and fell in LOVE!!! Barry’s is a 50 minute HIIT class that switches you between treadmills and floor circuits. After a few months, I found myself still gaining strength but leaning out more. Before quarantine, I was doing Barry’s 3-4 days a week and running/ doing my own floor workouts the other 1-2 days. My body needs cardio to stay lean, and running has become super therapeutic for me, so I try to get in runs 4-5 days a week. If you’re not near a Barry’s studio head to their Instagram, they have tons of workouts up on their IGTV. Some weeks I’ll go to an Orange Theory or pilates class, but for the most part my fitness routine stays pretty consistent. I’ve been asked about the Peloton and my thoughts on it. Personally, I’m not super into spinning, but with quarantine my options are limited. If you don’t have time to go to a gym, or you love spinning, I would highly suggest getting a Peloton. I would’ve gone for the tread but they aren’t delivering during quarantine.

Hope this helps you guys and please remember that every body is different. What works for me may not work for you!

Who else is ready to get dolled up again? I for one, am so ready for things to reopen and to have the opportunity to show off some new outfits I shopped while in quarantine. Since high school I’ve been a huge fan of Forever 21. I used to get all of my formal dresses from them in college and they’ve continued to be my store of choice through my first office job and now into blogging!

You all have been asking for more affordable spring and summer finds, so here are my favorite new arrivals from Forever 21. I wear my true size in these pieces.

You guys know I LOVE my stacked jewelry and these Victoria Emerson cuffs make it SO easy! Also, these beauties make the perfect gift / BFF bracelet. Starting now and running through the weekend they’re running a BOGO sale, buy one get one free. This sale rarely ever happens so runnn and load up. I’m linking my favorites below, including their zodiac necklaces and AMAZE headbands:

I planned to do an IGTV on this topic but realized writing it out would be the best way to fully gather my thoughts and get my feelings across. In the summer of last year I was feeling off… I couldn’t understand it myself, let alone explain it to anyone else, but something felt out of line. I think the feeling started in the winter, which isn’t a huge surprise. I’m a Florida girl, born and raised, so the whole getting dark early and freezing my ass off 24/7 thing got old quick! Mix that in with a few bad dates, jerky boys and some other friend stuff and there you have it… I was done. It wasn’t that I was done with DC, but I was just OVER IT. Do you guys feel me on that? Like sorry world, but you did me dirty a few times… and you did it while I’m already cold and the sun hasn’t shown it’s face in days and.. ugh I’m just out. Overall, a few shitty things lined up and that equated to me feeling stuck, annoyed and wanting some sort of change. I thought change would make the feeling of being over it go away, so naturally I picked the biggest change of all… a cross country move.

It was in the summer when I really mustered up all my annoyance and started considering the idea of living somewhere new. But where?! I made up a list ranging from Nashville, to Dallas, to moving back to FL and pretty much any big city in between. My lease was up in August and if you’re new around here then you may not know this, but at the time I was living with my brother, Riley. He and I had discussed going our separate ways for a while so it was inevitable that I was going to have to find a new place anyways. There wasn’t an apartment I was obsessed with or desperate for, so instead of half heartedly signing a lease somewhere in the city I settled on trying out California, Manhattan Beach to be more specific.

Cali had always been in the back of my head… along with a million and a half other people out there. Who wouldn’t want the weather, gorgeous people, amazing food and that LA vibe? My mom was born and raised in California, I still have tons of family there and a few friends so it wasn’t like I was going into this totally on my own. My aunt and uncle gave me the amazing opportunity to stay with them and test it out. I was fortunate enough to really make the move without an intense commitment, which made the whole thing a little less scary. I moved out there end of September and truly believed I wasn’t coming back to the east coast anytime soon.

The truth about LA:

Yes, the weather is THAT good. Yes, the people are THAT pretty! And yes, it’s a total scene of who’s who. I loveddd being by the beach, the workout scene, the fashion and the ability to explore all the cool cities within driving distance. The first thing everyone says when I tell them I moved back is, oh you didn’t like LA??? I get that look like… I’m sorry you were in California and CHOSE to come back to DC?… I know, crazy concept right!? Here’s the thing, the majority of my people and family are on the east coast. Flying back was such a chore and usually ate up an entire day. Seeing the people I did know in LA was such an effing hassle each and every time. One girl may live 12 miles away… but 12 miles can mean an hour and a half drive… each way! I’m not used to that. In DC my friends and I will call up at 5:30 pm and say hey let’s meet at this spot in 30. Easy peasy. I prefer to be able to get to people quicker and make plans more last minute. Seeing my friends in California took a lot of planning and effort, something I just wasn’t prepared for. Also, there’s the Lemon of it all. I travel tons and when I’m in DC I can fly back to Florida, drop her with my parents and head out. Logistically, everything was tougher in California.

Then there was the task of running my blog/ Instagram. It seems simple, like geez Madi don’t you just snap a picture on your phone, slap on a preset and call it a day? I wish it were that easy. I usually have to shoot during the day when lighting is good, move locations, get a few things shot at once and then be ready at any moment to take on a campaign with a quick turnaround. In DC I’ve made up a network of people who can help me and creatives to work with. I had family to help but realized it was going to be a huge task to rebuild a network like I had already established in DC. Also, I didn’t realize how DC had become my thing on IG and how followers loved my content infinitely more there. That’s important to me! One more thing, I’m not in a job that fluctuates salary based on location, so the cost of living was hard for me to wrap my brain around. I’m going to make the same amount whether I’m in BFE (bum fuck Egypt) or LA. Financially, it didn’t make tons of sense right now.

Here’s the MAIN thing I learned from my move… I’m not ready, and not wanting to, start over. I built a life in DC and completely took it for granted. DC has weirdly enough become my home in the last two and half years and it’s cheesy, but I truly didn’t know what I had until it was gone. I also love the city life more than I thought. I enjoy walking to my grocery store, workout, friends house and having a million food options in a five mile radius. Who would’ve ever thought this lil Florida girl would thrive in a cold city one day? Not I!

Moving back:

I’ve always been a person who isn’t afraid to say nope that wasn’t right and move on. I did it while trying out jobs after college, I do it with boys and I did it with this decision. In my opinion, life is too short to continue with something that isn’t a fit. Some things are long run plans and you push through, but with this there wasn’t a reason to stay any longer when I knew it wasn’t my fit. It also didn’t hurt that one of my friends in DC bought a brand new, gorgeous, house while I was away and offered to rent me a room and allow me to decorate one of the living rooms as my own. I mean… twist my arm. There was a moment where I worried I would get back and be just as unhappy as when I left, but luckily that didn’t happen. I moved back after NYE and immediately found my groove. I decorated my space to be super cozy, calming and put so much love into it that I knew would make me feel happier day to day. As much as I hate to admit it, I missed being so close to Riley. Through the past two years he and I got so close and it’s a relationship that has grown to mean SO much to me. Not to mention, he is one of the biggest helps with my job and truly I need every ounce of his help I can get. This definitely isn’t to say that I want to be in DC forever… eventually when I have a family one day I’d love to move somewhere warmer, possibly Florida, where I can have a yard and become a boring suburban mom… that is way way wayzzzzz away. Also, I doubt I’ll ever be boring, but ya know what I mean. For now, DC is my spot and who knows what comes next, I’m still just taking it all day by day.

Alright so here’s the deal, I’m putting it all out there for you… the good, the bad and the smelly. I’ve been saying I wanted to make the switch for a while, but you know how it goes… things continue on and it’s easier to just keep things the same. A month or so ago I was in Chicago with my friend Nicole and she convinced me to make the jump, she had just tried it out for 2 weeks and felt great. Now I had someone to hold me accountable, which always make things a little more real.

Which deodorant did I switch to?

Native

Why Native?

Native doesn’t use any aluminum, parabens, or sulfates in any of their products! In their products you’ll find ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter, for moisture, baking soda and probiotics for odor, and tapioca starch to stay fresh and dry.

How was the beginning?

At first, I definitely felt I smelled. You have to remember that I take part in pretty intense workouts, where the sweat is REAL, so there’s a need for odor protection. I didn’t have any sort of reactions and my skin remained the stayed the same. The texture of the deodorant is a little rough and grainy, but smooths out, and you get used to it.

What’s my favorite scent?

Coconut and Vanilla without a doubt! I also tested out their body wash and fell in love with the seasonal pumpkin spice scent.

After the full two weeks, which my cousin ended up doing with me, I feel great! The overall stinky feel went away and I feel like my body is adjusted. One thing that come from this whole experience is my growing awareness of what I’m putting on my skin, which is pretty much an open door to your body. I went through my other beauty products, did further research and ended up tossing out some products that had questionable ingredients.

Now it’s my turn to change the minds of some of my best blogger babes, @baileyschwartz and @byhilaryrose!

Ok here’s some real honesty for you guys, prior to actually using Billie razors, a company created for women, I was skeptical… All my friends were raving about it and I kept thinking what could be so great about a razor!? I finally took the leap and bought one for myself, now I get it! 

I’ve been using Billie for a month now and my skin feels smoother after shaving while the hairs stay away just a little longer. So yes, the razor really is THAT good, but there are other bonuses beyond just the quality. The razor comes with a magnetic holder for your shower, genius, and it’s only $9, no pink tax, which is less than I was already paying for my last razor. I love the whole brand, from the vibe their packaging and razors have, to the shaving cream, which is another game changer. I can’t rave enough and I’d love to hear what those of you who try Billie think!

Warning, reading this post will cause major damage to your credit card. Proceed with caution.

You GUYS, one of my favorite bracelet brands, Victoria Emerson, is having an insane BOGO sale (buy one, get one 50% off). Their prices are already low so with the sale it’ll be hard to stop yourself from buying one of everything. Since the site has tons of options I’m helping narrow it down to some of my all-time favorites. Sale runs now until Sept.24.

These wrap bracelets are a hit with a ton of my friends, we love to stack and layer them with our watches or other bracelets. Another cute idea is getting matching ones and turning them in to friendship bracelets.

Another perfect night on the beach with my family, and I can’t begin to tell you how many people at our resort asked where this dress was from. I loved getting to tell each one of them that it’s from Walmart and only $7! People always looked so shocked when I say I’m wearing clothing from Walmart… you guys, let me let you in on a little secret… Walmart Fashion has GREAT stuff! My sunnies are also from Walmart, and they’re a brand you’ll most likely recognize. All I’m saying is, add Walmart to your online shopping list, you’ll thank me later 🙂

I’m linking up my exact look for you guys here, but if you head over to my LikeToKnow.it profile I’ll be adding even more Walmart Fashion finds there!

I’m spending the week in Hilton Head Island with my family and it’s one of my favorite trips every year. The town is super chill, but we’ve been coming here for as long as I can remember so it has a special place in my heart. If you’re ever in this area you must do dinner at Salty Dog Cafe, a drink (or 2) at Pool Bar Jims and get donuts from Duck Donuts. I grabbed this dress from Forever 21 before heading out and I love it so much I’ve already placed an order online for 2 more colors.

After this I’m heading to NYFW so I also grabbed these leopard heels, which will be great for fall. Right now Forever 21 is running some amazing promotions- $10 off when you spend $50, $20 off when you spend $75 & $40 off when you spend $100. Also, the 20% off Labor Day sale starts on Wednesday and runs through the weekend.

I’m linking up some of the pieces sitting in my cart. Happy Shopping!

Get my look:

Currently in my cart: