PLAYLIST {WORK OUT}

I just saw this list, which has some of my work out favorites on it (Beyonce… Obviously, Robin Thicke, Miley, Kanye, Rihanna, Little Dragon // SBTRKT, Michael Jackson) and it inspired me to share mine. (…this is without the addition of all the Jackson 5 songs I've added since hearing them on the radio the other day)

1. Mr. Brightside // The Killers
2. American Boy // Estelle + Kanye
3. North American Scum // LCD Soundsystem
4. Belispeak II // Purity Ring + Danny Brown
5. Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe // Kendrick Lamar
6. Don't Save Me // Haim
7. Tiger // Maximum Balloon + Aku
8. Waves // Electric Guest
9. Fineshrine // Purity Ring
10. Umbrella // Rihanna + Jay-Z
11. True Affection // The Blow
12. Add It Up // Violent Femmes
13. Forever // Haim
14. Oblivion // Grimes
15. Wrath Pinned to the Mist and Other Games // Of Montreal
16. Wolf Like Me // TV on the Radio
17. Breezeblocks // alt-J
18. Get Fly // Atmosphere
19. Close to Me // The Cure
20. Burning Down the House // Talking Heads
21. Willie the Pimp // Frank Zappa
22. Hey Jude, We Major / More Popular than Jesus // Kanye + The Beatles

IDEAS WORTH SPREADING

Another not-for-profit organization of sorts I love is TED. I love to watch TED Talks after my mind grows numb from watching too many Netflix shows… in a row. I am also loving them right now, when it's too cold to do anything physically productive.

There are some really good talks. I love Ian Ritchie's talk The day I turned down Tim Berners-Lee, where he says what is probably my all time favorite quote:

"[Berners-Lee] told me about his proposed system called 'the World Wide Web,' and I thought, 'Well, that's got a pretentious name…'" 

Seriously, it's perfect. It reminds me that perseverance in the face of rejection can amount to HUGE things. I love to go back to that quote when I'm feeling discouraged about a project or [lack of] accomplishments. 

Luis von Ahn, one of the creators of the 'CAPTCHA' security system, also gives an amazing talk on using the CAPTCHA system to create unintended online collaborations that can be used for a greater good - like digitalizing books! Plus I actually use DuoLingo (it's great!), which he touches on in his talk.

But the talk I go back to time and time again is the one given by Harvard Business School professor, Amy Cuddy (which I believe is also one of the most popular of All Time). Here it is in all its glory:

I, like many of my almost mid-20's friends, am going through that Really special (not) phase in life where I'm interviewing for tons of jobs I don't want and or will probably never get, and I encourage All of my friends (and siblings!) to watch this talk before an unnerving situation like a big interview. My brother even watched it before his West Point Academy interview. By reminding himself to sit up straight and project himself in the way he wanted the interviewers to see him, he was able to focus on something other than his nerves, which helped him calm himself even if the physical act didn't. 

Hope you enjoy as much as we do.

DINNER PARTY

My friends and I had a sweet dinner party to catch up last night. We made homemade udon with cabbage, shittake mushrooms, scallions, and Japanese fish cakes - Yum. We very loosely followed this recipe.

I still haven't uploaded all the pictures from Mexico.. and it's already been a week!

This "polar vortex" is killing my productivity (well, it didn't stand much of a chance anyway).. and I'm just going to stay in bed.

KEEP THE CHANGE

Coink Piggy Bank - $36

My only resolution this year is to save all my loose change in a jar, or a really unique piggy bank like the one above from uncommon goods - at the end of the year, I resolve to donate the sum to a nonprofit organization I support. Here are my top five choices, in no particular order:

• charity: water
• she's the first
• donorschoose
• equal opportunity schools
• darkness 2 light

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

​In 2013, I traveled a lot. I racked up more frequent flyer miles this past year than every other year combined. Let's review…
June // I left Charleston, SC to move to Seattle for the summer (no really, I'll be back!)
July // I visited Las Vegas and Los Angeles for the first time
October // I visited San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, then I traveled to Tulum, MX for the first time, then I traveled to Brooklyn (all before the month was up!)
December // I've been traveling around Mexico for the past three weeks [Tulum > Puebla > Zacatlan > MX City] (the pics from this trip haven't been uploaded yet)

So now that I'm back from what was literally an entire year of straight traveling, I've got travel essentials down to a Science.

Okay, first for some Really basic travel advice - if you're traveling to another country (assuming they have the same electricity outlets), take a surge-protected power strip. One of the biggest problems we've had in hotels around Mexico is not having enough power outlets for all of our electronics. I'd also pack some of your absolute favorite DVD's to watch when you have shoddy wifi service. You wouldn't believe how many times we've seen "Now You See Me" because it was one of the only American movies for sale at a Mexican Blockbuster on a rainy day. I don't recommend it.

Then, for my favorite essentials:

Archie Grand Travelers I Met and Liked notebook - $11

Archie Grand notebooks are my favorite after Moleskine. The "Travelers I Met and Liked" notebook is a must have for the extroverted wanderer. I also love the "Faux Pas I Made and Liked" and "Shrinks I Had and Liked" notebooks.

If you're taking your iPad on an international trip, download the New Yorker or Conde Nast Traveler for travel advice and download the XE Currency app to see live rates for currency exchange. If you're like me, you'll definitely want to bring a book. I brought Island by Aldous Huxley and a collection of Kurt Vonnegut stories. I also like to travel with collections of short stories or essays, like this edition of 50 Essays, for easy but enlightening reads. I finished I Got Schooled by M Night Shyamalan on my last trip to Mexico and I recommend it to anyone interested in educational equity.

(MALIN+GOETZ) 1oz essential kit - $30

Okay, at some point, I'm going to stop raving about these products. But I've already bought five sets of these miracle products for my next travels. This kit includes their grapefruit face cleanser, vitamin e face moisturizer, bergamot body cleanser, vitamin b5 body moisturizer, peppermint shampoo, and cilantro conditioner. I love the peppermint soap so I bought some to include in my kits, which are conveniently carry-on approved!

Aesop Ginger Flight Therapy / .3fl oz - $31

Mmm my favorites - ginger and aromatherapy - all rolled into one bottle of goodness. You apply Aesop's Ginger Flight Therapy to your pulse points to stimulate and rejuvenate your senses. It's a perfect pick me up for a stressful or exhausting flight. Then try Dr. Hauschka's Aromatherapy Bath Kit for an extra luxe bath.

Bobbi Brown's Basic Brush Collection - $185

I'm a product junkie and not so much a huge make up user, but I know that no matter what make up you use, it's only as good as your brushes. So indulge in Bobbi Brown's Essential Brush Collection - if you're like me, it'll be the only set you ever need… plus there's room in the case for a few makeup essentials like the Long Wear Eyeliner and NARS' Semi Matte Lipstick in Heat Wave.

You can get a free mini eye cream and free shipping with the code NEWYOU if you order online.

For your main cosmetics bag, make sure you include spf, Burt's Bees Res-Q Ointment, and hand sanitizer for everything in between. My favorites are Cleanwell's all natural hand sanitizer and Crabtree & Evelyn's Citron, Honey, & Coriander hand sanitizer, which I've been using since high school.

As for my final advice, I recommend the Samsonite Tote-A-Ton Duffle Bag for all the souvenirs you'll inevitably buy because it's light, doesn't take up any space, and is super durable so you can feel safe checking it with all your personals. Plus it's on super sale right now. I usually never check bags - I like to fit everything into a carry-on, even on long trips, so what actually happens is I almost always forgot the 4.0 oz or under rule (hate you TSA), which also means I almost always get one of my Favorite products taken away :'( For this last trip though, I found the Perfect solution - you're welcome everyone who has products you really like but only have full sizes of. This amazing travel kit from Sephora is perfect - it's easy to administer your products into the jars and they're really durable AND they meet TSA standards.. AND x2 they come with pre-printed labels. Thank you Sephora. Finally, and this may be more specifically for Mexico, but I've gone through a Million bottles of water and recycling units are Really hard to find here so I wish I'd brought a reusable bottle. These KOR Nava bottles have filters made from pure coconut shells. Plus they're pretty and I found KOR through their support of one of my very favorite organizations, charity:water.

What are some of your essentials?