What Julia Has Been Up to this Month: Edition 3

It’s actually been a couple of months since I’ve shared the happenings from around these parts, which means it’s well overdue that I write this piece! This has been the busiest summer in recent memory, mainly because I’ve been teaching three fashion courses which come to an end in the next few weeks. I certainly haven’t been slacking off, and am very much looking to my load lightening so that I can focus on more writing!

Relaxing: I just returned from my annual girls trip with the best friend, and this year we decided to go international, and made a beeline straight to the Bahamas. “Work hard, play hard, and take relaxing seriously” is my mantra for this summer, and hence, staying at picturesque The Island House was a luxurious, unparalleled experience that not only fulfilled my summer vacation needs perfectly, but swiftly exceeded all expectations. Tucked away on the western side of Nassau, the gorgeous boutique hotel provided the right amount of visual and physical stimulation with ample opportunities for repose. Swimming, yoga classes, and spa treatments were how we spent our days, interspersed with dining on top tier cuisine, sipping delectable coffee, and viewing a recently released film in the property’s cinema. It was truly a tremendous experience, and stay tuned for a featured dedicated to it coming soon!

Reading: After beginning, but never finishing Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar in high school,  I returned to it recently in my summer reading binge of great books worth revisiting. I think my current perspective on it is drastically different than my 16 year old self’s, and I also just finished re-reading Linda Grant’s We Had it So Good. Next up, I’m going to turn back the wheels of time and pick up a 19th century literary masterpiece…

Planning: Returning to Pittsburgh for a long weekend is right around the corner, and I will (hopefully) be squeezing in a visit to one or two of Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses in Western Pennsylvania. I also have some really incredible content coming up on Fashion Pulse Daily that I can’t wait to share, featuring fall and holiday collections from some of my favorite retailers.

Loving: It’s no secret that I’m pretty devout to Dove, and this week I was able to experience the Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash in an entirely new way. Skin can get especially dry in the summer (and especially so when you have sunburn), so maintaining soft, smooth skin delivered via a gentle cleanser year ’round is of the essence.  Over a gelato-making class sponsored by the brand, I learned about its NutriumMoisture technology, which provides natural ingredients to the skin, all the while moisturizing and nourishing skin. Dove expressed that other brands include ingredients that are as harsh as dish soap, resulting in very much the opposite effect of moisture and hydration- yikes!

Shopping: I treated myself to a new Furla bag and pair of shoes this month at the brand’s sample sale; I just can’t get enough of it in my life these days! Stay tuned to see a lot more of the brand on FPD.

Thankful: I’m so grateful for the continual support of my hometown, Pittsburgh community that I don’t think I could be any prouder to be from the ‘burgh! Not too long ago I was featured on my high school, Oakland Catholic’s RadiOC podcast, part of the Podcast Club at the school. See above for the podcast, and I come on at about 18 minutes! I also was quoted in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette piece (“Remembering Bill Cunningham“) on my memories and reflections of the legendary photographer, Bill Cunningham, found here.

Full Disclosure: Fashion Pulse Daily received some courtesy products and services mentioned in this post.

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