Likes & Favorites: Hi, I’m procrastinating.

December 13, 2014December 21, 20141 Comment

It’s finals week. I’m procrastinating by blogging. Go team.

My Senior Project Group

Take 6 individuals with strong personalities, 1 awesome adviser, a killer topic, 20+hours writing an analysis, a near all-nighter, countless social media breaks/YouTube videos (mostly Blank Space), dozens of CampCo latenight milkshakes, funny document titles, and color coordinated business attire, and you’ll get an amazing semester working on the biggest group project of your life. Shout out to #InvestClub7 for being awesome and killing the presentation game on Tuesday. #ByeFelicia

Tiny Mason Jars

The roomies decided to do a secret Santa between the 4 of us and I was beyond excited to give my roomie Juile these mason jar shot glasses. They’re cute, a little country and the right amount of basic. (Want them? You know you do.)

{look how cute&fun!}

Aca-Awesome Friends

I happen to have a lot of musically talented friends in Acapella groups, which I guess makes me a self-proclaimed aca-groupie. One of the best parts of the holiday season is the acapella concerts. I can’t sing for the life of me, so I appreciate those who can. Now you can too.

{This is the SuperNovas. Same mashup I saw this week, different performance}

{Say hello to the lovely ladies of Nothin’ But Treble. They don’t have their most recent performance online, but watch one of my good friends, Julie, kiiiiilll it during Acapellapolooza last spring. I lost my mind.}

Carbs & Caffeine

Essentially the finals diet. You can’t fight it. You know you want that third cup of coffee and Swedish fish as you waste away in the library. Like I’m doing right now. Forever.

Working off all those Carbs & Caffeine

After starting the finals diet, my friend shared this video on Facebook which immediately made me want to work out. I’m going to 8am yoga tomorrow morning because of it. It’s all about balance, right? I can eat all the bagels and candy I want if I work out? Cool, glad we agree.

Liking an excuse to wear leggings for a week straight & Favoriting blowing through every playlist I’ve ever made while I study.

Likes & Favorites: Lots of Work and a Little Fun

December 7, 2014December 21, 2014Leave a comment

This week has been killing me. To put it simply, I have 4 HUGE assignments due Monday/Tuesday, including probably the biggest project/presentation of my entire college career. Plus the week after Thanksgiving always sucks because being home is such a tease. But, it is the beginning of December (aka the best month of the year) and in between all my work, I had a little bit of fun too. There may have been some lows this week (doing laundry on a Saturday night, having a mini breakdown in Garey Hall, it raining for 2 days straight), but here are some of the highs.

Recipes, Courtesy of Baci

My Polish grandmother, Baci, passed away in August (Click here to read about her, she was a super cool lady). On the Friday after Thanksgiving, my family went to clean out her house a bit and get it organized. While I was there, I stumbled old pictures of my dad when he was a kid, picked out some jewelry of hers to keep, but most importantly, I found her pierogi recipe. Every Christmas, my Baci would make this traditional and extremely delicious Polish dish. Considering I’m the only grandchild who got the lesson on how to make them, I’ve decided to take over the pierogis this year. I feel better having her original recipe, however I’m sliiiiightly nervous I’m going to mess up the staple of our Christmas dinner. Stay tuned.

Fancy Cheese and Crackers

Not sure what got into me, but I felt super bougie this week when I was food shopping and decided to buy honey goat cheese and “fancy” crackers. Over the summer, I had both with granny smith apple slices and decided now was as good as time as ever to have it again. Which I guess is why I left the supermarket with a few college staples (peanut butter, Bagel Bites, coffee K-cups) and honey goat cheese. I decided to add cranberries to the combo and had it for dinner that night. Pinkies up people, this girl is fancy.

Monday Mimosas and Jimmy Fallon

On Monday night, a small group of friends celebrated my friend Meg’s 21st bday. To pregame the pregame, my friend Tony and I decided to drink mimosas and watch funny YouTube videos. I highly recommend you start pregaming this way as well as watch this segment from The Tonight Show with guest star Jennifer Lawrence. It will not only confirm that JLawrence is the most perfect human ever, but also inspire you to ask people to dance like she does.

Cracklin’ Candles

My roomies and I reaaaalllyyy like candles. Maybe it was because they were banned in the on-campus dorms/apartments, regardless we constantly burn a candle while we all hang out in the living room. To get in the Christmas spirit, my one roomie Julie and I decided to buy a holiday-scented candle from HomeGoods. Well. We stumbled upon this one candle that smells like Christmas tree (aka the best smell) that has a WOOD wick which means it CRACKLES while it burns! Probably one of the most relaxing sounds ever. Want one too? Check it out here.

Care Packages from Karen

Lucky for me, care packages didn’t stop after freshman year because I literally have the best mom ever. I got a surprise package from the lovely Karen which basically made my whole week. Who doesn’t love homemade banana bread, Starbucks gift cards and fuzzy socks? That’s the epitome of happiness right there.

Liking that Nova beat St. Joe’s today (#gocatz) & Favoriting getting more than 5 hours of sleep tonight.

Confessions of a Barista

November 29, 2014September 29, 20166 Comments

Because things look different from the other side of the counter.

More often than not, I remember people’s regular coffee orders, sometimes more than their names. It applies to the random girl I see passing to class who loves venti peppermint lattes, the basketball player who always gets a caramel freddo with one shot of espresso or the scottish professor who routinely orders a short latte with a LITTLE foam in his personal Villanova mug. Plus it impresses people when they show up and I ask “the usual?”
I know it takes me 3 steps to go from the sink to the ice container to the counter, 4 and a 1/2 pumps to fill a grande cup with hot coffee, and about 76-78 seconds to steam milk. But don’t ever ask me to do mental math when giving change because I’m terrible at it.
One of my favorite things is to give people recommendations. Seriously, if you can’t make up your mind, just ask and I can rattle off a dozen different drinks you’ve never thought of. It makes me feel important.
I don’t particularly like people who order macchiatos. Mostly because they don’t really know what a macchiato is. Barista lesson: it’s an upside-down latte. So when you order a macchiato and immediately stir it= Your macchiato becomes a latte. You should have just ordered a latte.
While we’re on the topic, other customers I don’t like: those who order venti cappuccinos (you know it’s all foam right?), others who insist on calling the cups small-medium-large (But your large is my grande and “small” is really a short and it would just be easier if you just used the right terms), and the countless people who say eXpresso (just stop. Please. I’m begging you).
As a lover of Starbucks, I frequent it often. And even more often I bond with the baristas over typical barista problems. #itsalifestyle
People who get decaf coffee: Good for you for not being dependent on caffeine. People who are rude to me when you order: I give you decaf because you are dependent on caffeine (hehe).
I’m good with whipped cream. Just saying.
Most days I work, I use my shift as a social hour. One of the perks of working at the busiest coffee shops on campus is that I see EVERYONE I know. So you’ll usually find me making a drink and gossiping with the person it’s for.
They say coffee is addicting, but I want to argue that the smell of coffee is also addicting. Every time I refill the espresso beans, I take a whiff of the bag because it smells so damn good.
My drink of choice will forever and always be a grande caramel latte with skim milk. <3