ESSENTIALS FOR OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING THIS SUMMER

Happy Monday, y'all! Summer is underway and July 4th is ONLY days away. Which means, it's time to start planning that BBQ with friends, pool party or lake house getaway with the family. So, in celebration of Summer gatherings, I'm sharing some essentials for entertaining outdoors. 

1. Wine Bottle Chiller

This will keep your favorite bottle of wine, champs or sparkling water at the perfect temperature for hours. No more having to chill bottles in the freezer before the party starts. 

2. Unbreakable Silicone Wine Glasses 

No broken glass by the pool with these silicone wine glasses. Also, these make the perfect cups to take to the beach, park and bbq's. And they come in an array of bright colors, so you'll never have to guess which drink is yours at the party. 

3. Tropical Prosecco Bong

No party is complete without a game. Think of this as an upgraded version of beer bong, because you're an adult now and kinda classy. 

4. Rosé All Day Cocktail Napkins

The perfect addition to all your Rosé filled soirée's this Summer. 

5. Cheers Metal Drink Tub 

This will keep all of your beverages sitting pretty while on ice. And your guests will appreciate not having to dig through an old school cooler in order to find a drink. 

6. Chip & Dip Serving Bowl 

This serving set is not only pretty but functional. It comes complete with a lid to cover your snacks, so that they can stay fresh longer.

7. Inflatable Drink Holders (12 Pk.) 

The ultimate pool party essential. Your guest can float and drink in style, with this fun pack of inflatable drink holders that includes palm trees, pineapples and flamingos. OH MY!

8. Beverage Drink Dispenser 

Don't want to play bartender at your own party?! No problem. Fill this 2 gallon dispenser with your favorite alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage and let guest pour their own drinks. It even has a seperate compartment for ice to keep the liquids from diluting. 

9. Outdoor Lantern

This is an easy and cost effective way to add some lighting to your outdoor space. These lanterns are made for outdoors and also come with a battery operated LED flameless candle so you can turn them on and they will last throughout your party. 

Shop this post by clicking on the photos below. 

Happy 4th, y’all! 

XO, Rae

Wine Bottle Chiller

Unbreakable Silicon Wine Glasses

Tropical Prosecco Pong

Cocktail Napkins

Cheers Metal Drink Tub

Chip & Dip Serving Set

Inflatable Drink Holders 12pk.

Beverage Dispenser

Outdoor Lantern

MY SUMMER BUCKET LIST

Summer seems to always come and go so quickly. So this year, I'm making more of an effort to live each day to the fullest. And I figured I would hold my self accountable by making a list of things to do throughout the next few months. Some of which are personal things I want to accomplish and others are just things to simply ENJOY. 

1. Plan a trip. 

2. See a Movie on the lawn at Bryant Park. This is something I've wanted to do since I moved to New York and I'm excited to finally make it happen this Summer.   

3. Go to a farmers market and cook dinner with all the fresh ingredients found. 

4. Rent a kayak. There's actually several places in the city that offer FREE rentals. 

5. Attend a few concerts. I love going to smaller local venues in the city. So far, I have tickets to see JoJo. This will my second time seeing her LIVE in concert and she does not disappoint.  

6. Visit a NEW rooftop & sip a fancy cocktail. There are so many good ones in the city. 

7. Go to a baseball game. Now the question is: METS or YANKEES?! 

8. Watch more sunsets than Netflix. 

9. Find a workout that I actually like and do it often. One place I've been wanting to try is Y7 Yoga studios.  They offer Hip Hop Yoga classes which is totally my kind of workout. 

10. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge and watch the sunrise. 

11. Go on a Tiki Bar Crawl, including this one that recently opened in Midtown. 

12. Spend more days with a Make Up FREE face. 

13. Spend an afternoon at Smorgasburg, an outdoor food market full of popular NYC eats. And definitely INSTAGRAM worthy. 

14. Pack a picnic and hit the BEACH for a day.  

15. Visit the Museum of Ice Cream Pop-Up in Soho. And rumor has it, there is a pool of rainbow sprinkles. 

16. Read 3 books. Currently reading & LOVING Single State of Mind by Andi Dorfman.

17. Explore a new neighborhood in the city. (Tribeca & Lower East Side are on my list so far)

18. Host an end of SUMMER gathering with friends. 

I would love to hear what's on your bucket list this Summer?!  Comment below.

XO, Rae 

WHY IT'S OKAY TO LOSE YOURSELF AT TIMES

This blog post has been a long time coming. But even with that said, it's still difficult to write even as I am typing these words. Let me first say, that I am so thankful to have this platform to be able to be raw and open with y'all. And I've always said that no matter what, I will keep things real on here even when it's not pretty. After all, my goal of this blog is to write about REAL life and how we often find that we are 'REINVENTING' ourselves. 

This year has not been my best. I had high hopes for what would be to come and what I would accomplish. If your new here, let me back up a little to the Summer of 2015. I had just left my comfy corporate job here in the city after deciding that I wanted to explore other options. At the time, I didn't know what those other options were. For the first time in my life, I left a job with no plan as to where I would be next. The month before I left, I started my blog Reinventing Rae NYC. Initially the blog was a way to connect with friends and family since I had just moved to New York six months prior. I knew nothing about blogging at the time, but I had a passion for writing. I had no clear vision of where the blog would eventually go, I just knew I wanted to write about life here in the city and real things happening in my day to day life.

In late 2015, I started to play around with the idea of starting my own business. Although I wasn't sure what exactly it would entail, I was excited for the possibilities. Fast forward over the next year, after talking to a friend, ideas started to come together for a product based business. Products that would include drinkware (coffee mugs, wine glasses, tumblers, etc., with a plan of eventually adding party accessories and stationary. I have a passion for putting together gifts for friends and loved ones as well as planning any type of event or social gathering. This was my brain telling me to put all of my passions to good use and make it profitable. In August of 2016, I started to put plans together and collaborate with a friend who had the talent I needed to make my ideas a reality.

But early on in 2016, my personal life was falling apart. (Well, at least that's how it felt anyways) I was struggling with myself in this new found free time on my hands and the lack of structure in my everyday life. Although it would be my busiest year yet, having friends and family visit me in the city almost every month. Not even kidding. This kept me distracted in a lot of ways although I welcomed it most of the time. Which also allowed me to be less accountable for myself, claiming that I was "too busy" to do anything else. And on top of everything, my parents decided to divorce after 26 years of marriage. And even though it wasn't a complete shock, the aftermath hit me hard. I am not one to adapt to change very well, especially when it involves those closest to me. And this would prove to bring a lot of change that I was in no way prepared for.

Over the course of the year, I quickly lost focus of my business planning and started to loose sight of what my goals actually were. I was struggling to be happy and stay in a positive place when I felt like so many things were falling apart. This continued into 2017, even though I set out to finally conquer my fears and get serious about starting my business. This year has been full of ups and downs. I would take several steps forward and then I would take even more steps back. I even sought out a business mentor and completed my business plan. And with the push of friends and family, I made the bold move of ordering physical products in hopes to launch and start selling in the Fall of this year. But when those products finally arrived, they were less than desirable. There were more mugs with imprint errors, than there were ones that I could actually sell. It was a huge disappointment. Luckily, I was able to return the product (all 446 mugs) and received a full refund. Everyone was busy reassuring me that things like this happen and I could easily begin again. But I felt like something was missing all along and that maybe this was a sign. Even with all the progress I was able to make throughout this year, I was still holding myself back from moving forward with everything.

For the past 6+ months I have admittedly been depressed. Which is something I have battled with before. However, it is never easy to openly talk about. And I think that several factors have contributed to my depression this time around. As time has gone on, it has proven to be difficult to stay motivated and be productive while at home full time. Structure is something I never realized I relied on so much until I had to create it for myself. And with lack of a consistent schedule, my sleep habits were a mess. I have gone through periods of staying up all hours of the night with little to no sleep to days where I barely function before noon. I've questioned what I really want my career to look like and IF I have the ability to make it happen. I've allowed fear and insecurities to take over even when I had all the resources. And my family and I continue to try and adjust to a new "normal". 

It wasn't until a few weeks ago, that I finally opened up to a few close friends with all my recent struggles and everything I had been going through. It was hard to put into words at first, but I felt relieved to talk about it openly. And it was in those conversations when I started to realize that it's okay to lose yourself at times. Nobody is perfect. We are all human. We all have shitty things that happen to us in life. And we all certainly go through difficult times. We can't expect ourselves to always keep going when we feel like breaking down. And sometimes you just need to listen to your gut and take a step back. 

I somehow started to build up walls in order to protect myself, but in reality those same walls have made me closed off from the people and things I love most. And I know now that often times you have to break down to get back up. And most importantly, give yourself the chance to cope with things. I'm a firm believer that things happen for a reason. And maybe you have to go through the real tough shit in order to come out better than you were before. 

Now, I am more determined than ever to pick up the pieces and keep moving forward. I still have a lot of things to consider and work through. But one thing I know for certain, is that I really want to focus on my blog over the next year. I put so much hard work into building a new website this past April. And I feel like I ended up neglecting the blog over these past few months. Writing has always been such a great outlet and I want to continue to share things that I'm passionate about with y'all. I've already started working on lots of new content for the coming months. 

We are never as broken as we think we are. So, if you're going through a season of change or feel like your life is in chaos. Remember this. EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY. 

XO, Rae 

FALL BUCKET LIST 2017

Hey y'all! Can you believe that Thanksgiving is NEXT week?! I feel like once November begins, the rest of the year goes by so fast and ends up being a blur. Fall is my absolute FAVORITE time of year. I mean what's not to LOVE?! Sweater weather, scarves & boots, cozy nights at home, changing of the leaves and Pumpkin Spice everything. So, in my attempt to hold on to Fall a little bit longer, I'm sharing my bucket list.

1. Once the weather starts to get cool, I love walking through Central Park to see all the leaves that are changing colors. Walking through The Mall & the Bow Bridge are some of my favorite spots to capture photos. 

2. Fall isn't complete without a few pumpkins, right?! I love going to the Union Square Green Market this time of year. They have the best selection of fresh produce as well as pumpkins in all sizes and colors. I'll be stocking up on a few for my Thanksgiving tablescape. 

3. I love to bake, especially around the Holidays. I always make Pumpkin Bread each year, but this year I'm planning to bake a few pies for Thanksgiving as well. What are your favorite recipes to make?

4. Nothing says Fall like scented candles lit on a cozy night at home. (insert wine here) I'm loving these candles from Target. Because you know, who doesn't need another reason to shop at Target?! 

5. I recently learned of a local restaurant that offers Pasta Making Classes here in New York. And I'm excited to make a night of it with my best friend. I actually gifted him this experience for his Birthday last month. So now we just need to pick a date & go! Wine & Carbs....Yes, Please! 

6. The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is a MUST to experience at least once. But last year I decided to go the night before to see the parade floats being inflated on the Upper Westside. They line the floats up over several city blocks and allow you to walk around getting a sneak peak of all the floats. It was definitely less crowded than the actual parade. And I'm excited to do it again this year! 

7. Hosting Friendsgiving! Since I moved to New York, my roommates and I have hosted Thanksgiving for the past 3 years at our apartment. We love opening our home to anyone who doesn't have a place to go or just isn't able to travel home for the holiday. Bring on the pie & booze!

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving filled with all the food & surrounded by your friends & family! 

XO, Rae 

MY CLOSET MAKEOVER: HOW A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER GAVE ME A DREAM SPACE

Living in New York City has its perks, but it also comes with a few challenges. And one of those challenges is lack of space and storage within your apartment. Especially closet space (or lack there of) really. 

When I moved to New York, I only brought with me what I could fit inside of an S.U.V. and of course that included my ENTIRE closet. Soon after moving into my city apartment, I realized why Carrie Bradshaw kept her sweaters in her stove. I've considered it, but not sure how my roommates would feel about that. Kidding. 

I have attempted several times to organize my closet in effort to make room in my (very small) space. However, no matter what I've tried, it never seems to make a difference. And over the past 2+ years, clothes have just collected and ended up shoved inside of my closet. Even to the point where clothes were spilling over to the outside of my closet. I couldn't even close my closet door because it essentially became a hanging rack of clothes. 

BEFORE

 

But all that changed when I recently partnered with Jamie from Horderly. Jamie is a professional organizer who has a gift for turning your once HOT MESS of a space into a DREAM space. The process was really easy. I first sent Jamie a few photos of my closet for her to evaluate. And then we set a date for her to come to my apartment in person. The day Jamie arrived, we chatted for a bit and she asked a few questions regarding what was in my closet as well as, what I was open to changing. She then began to remove all items from my closet and had me sort through each one to decide if I wanted to keep, purge or donate. This was so satisfying in itself. I had never completely removed everything out of my closet before. And honestly, we found clothes that I had forgotten I even owned. As I separated each item into piles, Jamie was hard at work at re-organizing each piece of clothing that I was keeping, back into my closet.

And there were a few things that Jamie taught me that I feel will help me to keep my closet organized long term. 1. We exchanged all of my plastic hangers for black felt non-slide hangers. (I was skeptical at first) But these are a game changer. They save so much space and aesthetically are pleasing to the eye. 2. Jamie taught me her rule of: 1 IN, 1 OUT. Meaning for each new item you purchase, you have to get rid of one item. I love this concept! Plus, it makes you think about buying new items and decide if you really have a need for them. 3. Categorize items together in your closet. I.e; sweaters together, casual together, activewear together etc. Jamie really made sure to place my clothing items that I wear the most in an accessible place. Which makes it so much easier to get ready in the morning. I no longer have to dig through my closet to find what I'm looking for. 

 AFTER

I absolutely LOVE my new organized closet! I was in shock on how good it looked after Jamie worked her magic. It was so helpful to have a professional come in with a new perspective to help me realize the potential of the space. And not to mention, Jamie was so fun to work with. Honestly, it was like hanging out with a girlfriend, chatting and sorting through clothes. Only thing that was missing was a glass of wine. 

If you're in need of a closet makeover or any other space organized, make sure to reach out to Jamie.  Or if you just need some organizing inspo, you can follow her over @horderlynyc on Instagram. 

XO, Rae 

5 WAYS TO PULL YOURSELF OUT OF A FUNK

We are all subject to falling into a funk from time to time. Because well...life happens. Maybe you feel stuck in a rut, overwhelmed, burnt-out or even unmotivated in everyday tasks. It's easy to loose ourselves in the process of trying to keep up with it all. Our jobs, friendships, relationships, family, social calendars and everything in between. 

Life can be hectic and chances are, it's not slowing down anytime soon. So the next time you find yourself in a funk, here are 5 ways you can pull yourself out and get back to living your life. 

1. GET OUTSIDE

I know that your comfy bed & a pint of Ben & Jerry's is tempting when you’re feeling down and out. And it's easy to just want to seclude yourself from the rest of the world. But fresh air can do wonders. Even if you have to force yourself....GET UP, GET DRESSED & GET OUT of the house. Go for a walk/run or just put your bare feet in the grass. It’s actually called grounding and you can read more about it here. My friend Jackie swears by this and I've tried it, and IT WORKS! 

2. TREAT YO' SELF

Not that buying things is the way to solve your problems or that you have to spend money on yourself every time you fall into a slump. But IF it makes you feel better and you can afford it, DO IT! Take yourself out for coffee, splurge on a new piece of clothing or pamper yourself with a mani + pedi. If you want a more budget friendly option, you could have an at home spa day. Taking time out for YOU, can help boost your mood and help take your mind off of things. 

3. PHONE A FRIEND

We all get by with a little help from our friends, am I right?! So, why not lean on them when you need them the most. Your real friends will understand that there are times you may just need to vent and have a listening ear. Sometimes just talking about what's going on in our life helps us to feel better and less alone. And often our friends struggle with similar things as us. The more you open up to the people around you, the more you will create an open dialogue. And who better than your closest friends to give you advice and help you through the difficult stuff. 

4. SHARE YOUR STORY

Now days we have this notion that we can only share the "perfect" things in our life on social media. But people don't want nor expect your life to be 'PERFECT 24/7'. Life can be complicated at times. And sometimes it's okay to share that. I personally feel relieved when seeing other people open up on social media, that they are struggling with something in their life. Why?! Because it means that they are just like me, human. And it actually makes you more relatable to others. We tend to get caught up with only posting pretty squares on Instagram. But people want to see the real YOU. I promise you'll be surprised by the kindness of strangers. 

5. TAKE A DAY OFF  

Self care is the best care. Schedule a day for just YOU. Take a personal day from work, cancel any meetings, unplug from social media, leave your inbox as is and turn your phone off. The laundry can stay in a pile on the floor for one more day, emails can wait and work will still be there tomorrow. Allow yourself 24 hours to do NOTHING. You can binge watch Netflix and not have to change out of your pajamas if you see fit. Pants optional. When it all feels like too much, give yourself the chance to recharge. 

What do you find helpful when trying to pull yourself out of a funk?! Comment below. 

XO, Rae  

HOW TO COPE WITH DIVORCED PARENTS AS AN ADULT

Divorce is something I am all to familiar with. At the age of two, my mother divorced my father. I don't really remember much other than my father not being around afterward. But years later, I remember reading something my mother wrote in my baby book. She wrote how she hoped that the divorce wouldn't screw me up. 

My Mom remarried when I was 7 years old. And my stepfather essentially became the Dad that I never had and took on the role of raising me. They both have helped shape me into the person I am today and we have always been close. But no family is perfect and ours certainly wasn't. After 25 years of marriage, they separated last year and have since divorced. 

I knew it was for the better but it broke me down in ways I never could have imagined. I wasn't prepared for the aftermath and how it would effect me not having the parental unit I was accustomed to having all these years. The first six months I felt depressed and sad by everything that was taking place. One parent was moving on too fast and starting a whole new life and one parent was still struggling to deal with the reality. I felt torn between the two and neither one of them seemed to notice my feelings at all. 

And to make it worse, there was little comfort or understanding from friends and family. Everyone seemed to have the same attitude of "oh well, life happens". But it was MY life and it did matter. And trust me, I never thought that being in my thirties and having divorced parents would be such a big deal. But the truth is, divorce is hard no matter what age you are. You are not bullet proof to the emotions of something just because you're an adult. 

I've had to learn how to set boundaries with both parents all while trying to rebuild my relationship with them individually. How to factor in holidays and visits and everything in between. And because there is no manual on how to deal with it all. I felt like I needed to share the things that helped me in the process. 

1. TAKE A BREAK IF YOU NEED TO

By this I mean, distance yourself if need be. Sometimes the best thing you can do is take care of yourself. Both parents have to deal with their new reality and you have to allow yourself the time to do the same. And don't feel guilty about it. We all need a break from time to time.

2. SORT THROUGH YOUR FEELINGS

You may feel a sense of loss and sadness and it's important to recognize those feelings and deal with them. Talk to someone, write down how you feel and be honest with yourself. And know that you're allowed to feel this way even if others don't understand it.

3. FIND ONE PERSON YOU CAN CONFIDE IN

Your friends may not be sympathetic to your situation. And like any big change in life, you will need someone who can be a listening ear when needed. I am so thankful for my friend, Jackie. She took my calls at any time of day and was there for me when ever I needed a friend. I told her things that I could barely admit to myself. Having someone there you can trust and confide in will help you to get through the worst of days.

4. BE OPEN TO THE CHANGES YOUR PARENTS WILL MAKE IN THEIR LIVES

To be honest, this is still something I am getting used to. It's not easy to see your parents move on and be with other people. And they often start to live a completely different life than they did before. But if I've learned anything through this process, it's that everyone deserves to be happy. And although you may not agree with their new life decisions, it's their choice to make.

5. SET BOUNDARIES

At some point you will have to set boundaries with each parent. And it can often feel like you're putting them in "time out". But in order for you to have a healthy relationship with them individually, you will have to let them know when they are crossing a line. And it's okay to not want to hear every detail of their divorce, or who did what wrong and even things about their new significant other. YOU get to set the boundaries of what makes you comfortable.

6. ESTABLISH INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH PARENT

Now that each parent has moved on in different directions. You will have to reestablish your relationship with each parent individually. You will also have to find ways to communicate, share holidays and factor in visits. Dedicate some time to spend with each parent separately to re-familiarize yourself with one another. 

It's been a long year of high emotions, changes and accepting the reality of my family's new normal. But I'm thankful that we each seem to have found some sort of peace within ourselves amidst the chaos.  

If you've experienced divorce, what helped you to cope?

XO, Rae

BEING SINGLE IS OFTEN A CHOICE WE MAKE ON PURPOSE

If you're a SINGLE girl like me, chances are high that you are often reminded of it. Most friends and even strangers for that matter, generally have no hesitations on asking about your love life or lack there of. And of course friends like to remind you that "any guy would be lucky to have you". Well, maybe they have been lucky to have me but what they don't realize is that they were ALWAYS the wrong guys. 

I think Carrie Bradshaw said it best:

“Being SINGLE used to mean that nobody wanted you. Now it means you’re pretty, sexy and you’re taking your time deciding how you want your life to be and who you want to spend it with.”

— Carrie Bradshaw

The first guy I ever fell for, was when I was 16 yrs old. We formed a friendship almost instantly but I soon realized my feelings for him were way more complicated. I eventually fell hard but he kept me in the friend zone. So, like a good friend, I stood by him as each of his relationships would fall short of 'happily ever after'. And there I would be, wondering why he didn't choose ME instead? We spent almost all of our time together and with the exception of sex, it felt like we were dating more often than not. I remember feeling as if i was playing the role of his girlfriend just without any of the benefits. And I guess I played the role a little to well, because he kept me around. There would later be blurred moments on and off of us crossing the friend line. But the universe always seemed to stop us before we went too far. Eventually, I would move to another state and years later he would end up in that same state. No, not for me. But with his then, wife. He would later confess to me, that he had often thought "what it would be like" if we had ended up together. I guess he finally realized what he had in front of him all those years. But by now, I was in a long term relationship and wasn't looking to go down that road again. 

Then there was the guy who I would sneak around to date because he was old enough to buy beer and I wasn't. SORRY, Mom! He was in his party phase when we first met and I was still in high school. Our physical attraction to each other was always stronger than anything else. We dated on and off for a few years and even again in my twenties but I couldn't find myself sticking around long term. I think when you're younger, you like the chase more than the actual idea of a relationship. We are completely different people and ultimately that is what drove us apart. That and the fact that I couldn't see myself with him indefinitely. He was always way more into me than I was into him. Although, he is the kinda guy that you wish you could see yourself with. 

Over the years there would be a few other guys. Nothing serious and nothing long term for the most part. And there would even be a guy I would later date and reluctantly go out with. He was the "new guy" in town and started working at the same job as me. He told everyone he was a "business guy" in between jobs and had just relocated back to the city to be closer to his family after a recent separation with his wife. He was charming to say the least and made friends with everyone we worked with. But he had everyone fooled, including me. Until one day, all of his lies would surface and his past would come back to get him, literally. He would end up in jail, tell me it was all a "misunderstanding" all while pleading his innocence. By this time, I had already fallen for him and his story. So much so that I visited him in jail for weeks, paid for numerous collect calls and lied to my parents and friends about what was really going on. Only to eventually watch it all unravel in the end. I will never forget the day I sat with his mom while the Feds came and picked him up from county jail. As I sat there behind the thick glass of the visiting room, it felt like I was watching a scene from a movie. Except it was my real life and I was living it. Needless to say, I ended things that day. 

The next guy that would come into my life would leave a mark forever. To date, my longest relationship of 6+ years, with a man whom I thought I would spend the rest of my life with. I spent the majority of my twenties learning this lesson. The years you're supposed to be single and/or dating just for fun. I thought I was ahead of the game and found "the one" early in life but later that would prove not to be the case. We met while working at a restaurant together. We had mutual friends but had only met each other in passing initially. One day during a casual conversation, we discovered that we both had moved to Georgia from South Florida. We also realized that we had both graduated from the same high school (3 years apart) and lived less than a mile from each other in that same city in Florida. It seemed like destiny at first but destiny like many things in life can be total BS. We had a great relationship until it wasn't. And in between that was love, cheating, making up, breaking up, moving in, moving out and eventually more heart break than either one of us could bare. We would try and put the pieces back together too many times to count. Fear of letting go would keep us holding on but we both knew it was also tearing us apart. We were never really out of each other's lives even after we broke up for good. And a part of me wanted to believe that he could change and be the person that I first fell in love with. I think a part of him also wanted to believe that as well. 

When he found out I was moving to New York. He asked me to stay. But I left anyway. A year later, he told me he wanted to try again and said he was ready to settle down. The one thing I always wanted but never got from him, was commitment. Here he was telling me what I had always wanted to hear but now it wasn't what I wanted. I traded in that dream for a bigger one. A dream driven by success on my terms, happiness within myself and living in one of the greatest cities ever, New York. 

So, if you have a Single friend, don't ask her 'why'? Don't look at her as damaged. Just know that there is more that lies under the surface of why she is protective of her heart. I still believe in love and hope one day there will be a man who will make me forget any of the crappy relationships I've had. Until then, I am enjoying being single. Because it's gonna take one hell of a guy to change that.

XO, Rae

NEW YEAR, SAME DREAMS

Happy New Year, y'all! I'm excited to get back to blogging and share even more content with you in 2017! Not gonna lie though, I'm kinda sad the holidays are over. I love how the city transforms into this magical place during the month of December. But I guess all good things must come to an end sooner or later. And maybe that's a good thing, considering all the indulging that I've done the past few weeks with holiday treats and cocktails. Thank GOODNESS for yoga pants!

A New Year is kinda like having a fresh start. Whatever held you back last year or didn't bring you joy, you can leave it all behind in 2016. And that is exactly what I plan on doing. Since leaving my 9-5 corporate job in the Summer of 2015, I have been in this awkward transition phase. I worked from home for awhile and have since been putting ideas together of starting my own business. My dream is to create a Lifestyle Brand that reflects me and has something for everyone's budget. And it has proven to be harder than I ever imagined. Not that I thought it would be easy, don't get me wrong. But having BIG DREAMS also means BIG CHALLENGES. So, here I am, back to the drawing board and pushing myself to do EVERYTHING I can to get this business off the ground this year. 

I was recently explaining to a friend, over brunch, how you loose some of your confidence when you haven't worked in awhile. I have always been driven in my professional life. And I always succeeded in any position I held. But when you strip everything away and get back to the basics, it's easy to forget what you are actually capable of. You constantly fight off doubt and start to question yourself. 

I also, allowed my personal life to overshadow my dreams and goals last year. My parents divorced and the aftermath was more that I could handle at times. I spent months just feeling like my whole world was coming apart and I didn't know how to fix it. And it caused me to be distracted and unfocused on my life.

For me, 2017 is going to be a year of CONQUER. I want to conquer the FEAR, DOUBT, COMPARISON and DISTRACTIONS. And I want this year to be the year I let go of anything that doesn't serve a purpose in my life. It is possible to live your best self, you just have to want it bad enough.

How will you make 2017, your best year yet?!

XO, Rae

YEAR 2 OF LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY

On October 10th, 2014 at 3 A.M., I crossed over the George Washington Bridge and into Manhattan. Moving to New York was never something I saw myself doing, but when life brings you opportunities, sometimes you have to take it and RUN! It's hard to even believe that it's been 2 years already. I still feel like I just moved here but also strangely feel like I've been here forever. That's the thing about New York, once you live here you instantly become attached. My first year living in New York was one to remember. It was full of amazing experiences and growth. And year two has been just as memorable. Here are some of my favorite memories over the past year. 

STANDING ATOP THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

Seeing all of New York City from 86 floors up above, gives you all the feels. It also, gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “Empire State of Mind”. It reminded me how lucky I am to be able to call this concrete jungle, home. 

SUNDAY FUNDAY IN BROOKLYN

This Summer, my brother visited NYC for the very first time. I was excited to get to show him around the city. But I also wanted to show him life outside of Manhattan. And Brooklyn is the next best borough. We first walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, then grabbed pizza at Grimaldi's (best pizza in Brooklyn) and finished the day drinking beers at the Brooklyn Brewery. By far, one of my most favorite days.

TAKING MY MOM TO SEE 'THE COLOR PURPLE' ON BROADWAY

The moment I learned that Heather Headley would be taking on the role of Shug, I knew I had to see this show. And what better show to take your Mom to during a girls weekend?! It was one of the best shows I have seen thus far. After the show, I pulled my Mom quickly aside and stood to wait for the cast outside. We got to have our playbills signed by all of the main cast including Heather Headley and Cynthia Erivo. I was freaking out (on the inside of course). Sharing that moment with my Mom was amazing. 

SEEING ALICIA KEYS PERFORM IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER

I may have had to wake up at 4:30 A.M. to only stand in the back of the crowd behind a street light pole. But to hear Alicia Keys sing LIVE made all of it worth it. Not to mention, I got to share the moment with my best friend. We bonded over Alicia Keys music over a decade ago, when we first met and I'm pretty sure we will dance to 'No One' one day at my wedding. 

WITNESSING MY BEST FRIEND PROPOSE TO HIS BOYFRIEND

That dinner, those words and the tears shed will always be a night to remember. I can't wait to help plan their wedding and stand next to my best friend as he says 'I Do'.  Love is Love. 

FINDING NEW FRIENDSHIPS

Moving to a new city means meeting new friends. And although there are millions of people here, it almost makes it harder. Everyone is busy with work and the city hustle, so it's not often you find long lasting friendships. But I have been lucky to meet some amazing people and I am so glad I get to call them friends.

I never could have imagined all the things that would come with living in New York City. Every day still feels as exciting as the next. I can't wait to see what the next 365 days bring!

XO, Rae