One week left...

Today marks one week left in Boston. Next Friday morning I get up bright and early to fly down to Raleigh for my best friend's wedding. I'm also 2 weeks into Bar prep and I'm already 2 days behind. I blame Kaplan for starting the course before I had even graduated. I'm not sweating it. I'll make up one day this weekend and the next day at some point. I'm finding it grueling already. I've finished the "Foundation Course" which was a WONDERFUL refresher on all the big subjects and rules. Today is day one of discussing essays and it already is giving me anxiety. Anyway, my whining about bar prep was not the purpose of this post.

With one week left I find myself wanting to pack in all of my favorite things to do, see and eat in this last week. I realized that with bar prep taking up 80% of my day, the gym taking up 10%, that I really am NOT going to be able to do/see/eat everything I want. I've made a list of my "musts" before I leave. (As an aside, I realize I'l be back at the end of July for the bar exam, but frankly I won't get to do/see/eat anything fun until afterwards and I'll be on the other end of the state because I'm sitting for NY and MA. Then I'll be jumping back on a plane to London.)

1.) Ride the Swan Boats one last time. I absolutely *love* the swan boats. At some point this week I'm going to take 2 dollars and stand in line with the tourists for a spin around the public garden in the gorgeous old Swan Boats.

2.) Get an Italian sausage from a street vendor. If you know me then you know that any variety of hot dog-esque thing is my favorite. I literally DIE for the italian sausages from street vendors in Boston. I'm going to go get one with onions, peppers and a ton of mustard and sit out on the Common and people watch. Calories, be damned.

3.) Walk the Freedom trail. Can you believe that I never have done the Freedom Trail?! I know. I know. It's harder when you live somewhere to appreciate the history and the significance of things that are also deemed "touristy." At some point this week I'm going to exit the law school with map in hand and DO IT. (Or some of it at least)

4.) Buy a Red-Sox t-shirt (or two). Confession: I've lived in Boston for 3 years now and I have only ever been to ONE Red Sox game. Craycray ex-roomie's parents get season tickets and she was nice enough to take me once. I feel like I can't really call myself a Bostonian without  red-sox t-shirt, so I'm going to head over to Faneuil Hall and buy PB and I each one. (I'm currently on a no-clothes shopping diet, but I think an exception can be made.)

5.) Get a froyo from J.P. Licks. Only the best ice cream in Boston... I'm going to go one afternoon and stand in line, get the biggest froyo cone I can get and walk back up Newbury and sit in the Public Garden with it. British ice cream/frozen yogurt simply pales in comparison.

6.) Take a walk along the Charles. When I first moved to Boston I didn't join a gym immediately, instead I got an unlimited month at Exhale Spa for yoga, but I would supplement that with really long walks from the Hatch Shell around to Cambridge and then back across to Charles Street. It's beautiful, fun, and I love it. Before I leave I'm going to make sure I get one more turn around the Charles. (Maybe I'll even run it this time :))

7.) GET A CANNOLI. I don't care if you say that Mike's Pastry is a tourist trap, that they buy already pre-made pastries, and that they are NOT the best cannolis. Fact: I die for the cannoli with chocolate chips on the ends. Therefore, I shall have one before I leave.

8.) Go to the Aquarium. I must say goodbye to my Myrtle the Turtle. I love her. I've been going to the Aquarium since we moved to New England when I was in 7th grade. She is large and in charge and I want her as my pet. However, seeing as how we don't have room for a 500lb sea turtle at our house in Basingstoke, I'll have to settle on seeing her and waving bye here.

9.) Pigalle. I'm going to take myself on a date with my Groupon that I must use before I leave and get an order of the comte truffle cheese fries and a salad. Oh, and maybe a glass of wine. I mean... I MUST since the Groupon expires before we are back, right?!?!

10.) Finally, I'm going to my last Weight Watchers meeting in Boston. *Am tearing up as I write this.* I'm going to weigh in (eTools/membership expired a week ago and I didn't renew, obviously) because I haven't been weighing myself, tracking points, or anything for the past three weeks. (See generally law school graduation, husband visiting, law school events involving food, food, drinks and more drinks.) I've gone to this meeting for the past 3 years without fail. I adore my leader and firmly believe that if she wasn't my leader I would not have been able to lose 90 lbs (ok, more like 85 right now... methinks I've gained about 5) thus far and wouldn't have been able to make the "life change" (i know, gag me) that i needed to make to make this weight loss permanent. I'm going to the meeting to say bye to my leader (am giving her a card) and I am going to CRY though the entire thing! (If you read this and go to weight Watchers with me, do not judge me.) I don't know why this makes me so emotional, but honestly I'm more teary about leaving my Weight Watchers meeting than I am about saying bye to my Madre!

(I also might cry during my last workout at my gym... You have NO idea how depressed I am about leaving my gym.)

Is there anything else I should put on the to-do list before next Friday?

DONE.

We kicked off graduation on Friday night at the Barrister's Ball...

We kept the party going Saturday during the Reception for Concentration Students & the Dean's Reception...

*BBMing as per usual*

*And I may or may not have eaten 3 plates of cheese with my champagne... or maybe 5... who's counting*

Then Sunday was the BIG day...

*I personally think this about sums it all up.*

Yes. Madre took a video. And put it on Youtube. I have no words. Except yes, the camera adds about 25 lbs. 

(That and that I always hoped my Youtube debut would involve me in a black catsuit a la Beyonce belting out "Single Ladies"... Maybe next week.) 

And I'm DONE. 

J.D. with an International Law Concentration WITH Distinction. 

(I put emphasis because that last bit was a little touch and go before my grades came in. Thank goodness I did well!)

Rain, rain, go away...

Those of you who live in Boston know that we're currently experiencing the rainy season in lieu of spring. I personally HATE this weather and I'll tell you why:

1.) I don't own water appropriate footwear. No wellies (hi, fat calves), no duck boots, nothing.

2.) It's bloody cold out! I could handle the rain better if I wasn't having to wear 4 sweaters underneath my jacket to stay warm.

3.) I don't own water appropriate outerwear. For some reason, never in my life have I ever owned a "raincoat." No idea why except that my mother has never owned appropriate outerwear ever and thus, I've seemingly inherited her genes. When in doubt, blame mother. ("NO WIRE HANGA'S!")

(*Actually I lie, PB and I bought me a packable rain "kagool" as PB calls it last summer at Cork Castle. However, it resides in England and until I'm there, it totally does not count.*)

Since I am moving to the land of rain and fog (incidentally, did you know that it actually rains more in continental Europe than in England? Mmhmm.) I figure I perhaps should invest in some serious water-wear. However, I'm broke (see generally: LAW SCHOOL DEBT) so where do I turn? L.L. Bean, obviously!

Bean Boot Rubber Mocs

I realize $69 is a little pricey for rubber boots, but everyone I know raves about these and says they last forever. Methinks I would need them in pink/navy. (Surprise, surprise)

PS- Waaayyy cheaper than Tory Burch's knockoffs and JUST as cute... I would ever argue cuter.

Trail Model Rain Jacket

Cute, light and packable. What's not to love? 

Obviously I'd pick the pink. At $69 it's relatively affordable for almost any budget. 

(I mean not mine... but almost any!)

And if you're reaaaalllllly hardcore you could invest in some ahem, water accessories....

Trail Model Rain Pants

Bean's Waterproof Trekking Hat

Somehow I think the mean streets of London aren't really the venue for the rain pant/trekking hat combo. 

Just saying.

Where did you get your rain gear? 

Were you shopping on a budget or did you have a blowout when buying waterwear?

PS: I'm relatively certain I have blogged about those mocs before. My bad. 

My weekend in numbers...

10: The numbers of hours I have spent on a bus in the past 4 days... (TOTALLY worth it.)

9: The approximate number of cocktails that I may or may not have ordered on Saturday night...

8: The number of hours that MCW slept on Sunday morning... (*please note my glare*)

7: The number of delicious dishes we ordered at Stanton Social... (give or take one or two)

(6.2: Number of miles RPT and I walked on Sunday morning during the AIDS Walk...)

6: The approximate number of times I mentioned hot dogs in any given 2 minute stretch this weekend...

5: The number of the hour we were kicked out of the most amazing dive bar I've ever been to... (As in AM.)

4: The number of cupcakes I wanted to inhale at Butterlane... (I restrained and only had uno.)

3: The number of hours of I slept on Sunday morning... (*please note my second glare*)

2: The number of hot dogs I inhaled...

1: The number of bedrooms MCW will be adding to her apartment for my move in...

PS- My bff/bridesmaid LD sent me this card today... Perfect advice, no?

Winner of the North River Outfitter's Giveaway!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!! 

Result:

55

CONGRATULATIONS JENNIFER (@jmerinboston)!!!!

NRO will be in contact to get your selected color and monogram!

Now... as for moi... I'm off to NYC for the weekend to celebrate being DONE WITH LAW SCHOOL FOREVER with bestie MCW (and some other pretty ladies & handsome fellows)

Stay tuned on Monday!

PS- Be sure to extend a HUGE Congratulations to my BFF BLC who graduates from law school tonight!!!!

Weekend Fun!

Last weekend (or the one before last) I was invited to attend a bridal shower for one of my law school besties at The Chart House. I'd never been to the Chart House before and got a little confused as to its location and ended up at the Custom House. Whoops. 

Anyway, I finally found it and had a blast. I hadn't seen the bride, MK, since she graduated last year! She sat for the bar in February so she wasn't able to come to my wedding (because of all the time she had taken off of work to study) so it was wonderful to see her and to catch up!

*Obviously I got the lobster roll... Perhaps this was where my huge gain at WW this past week came from!*

*I went with another friend from law school NB.*

*The cake and custom cookies were ADORABLE!* 

(and supppeerrr tasty)

*The bride MK (on the right) and some of her sweet bridesmaids!*

*Bride & fiance cutting their cake. SO cute!*

(Sorry for the terrible picture!)

*All the law school girls with the pretty bride in the middle!*

So then we all got changed (I crammed for tax for a bit) and then met up for dinner at Sonsie. I didn't take any pictures at dinner but it was fun and delicious. We then hit MK's favorite nightspot, Alibi at the Liberty Hotel. It was *PACKED* and crazyyyy. I ended up having to leave somewhat early (thank you tax exam) but it was still tons of fun!

I'm going to miss MK's wedding because I'll be in England but I know she'll be a stunning bride!

PS- Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY!!!!

North River Outfitters G-I-V-E-A-W-A-Y!

I've partnered with the lovely team at North River Outfitter to give one lucky reader a GORGEOUS makeup bag by Jon Hart.

If you haven't been to North River Outfitters you MUST go. It's arguably my favorite store in Boston. NRO as it is affectionately called, is a classic clothier for women and men. The company is every self-loving prepster's haven, stocked to the brim with labels like Lilly Pulitzer, Barbour, Tory Burch, Smathers and Branson, Patagonia and so much more. 

The flagship store is located on Charles Street in Beacon Hill and there is also a seasonal store in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard and an online store! (I'm personally ALL ABOUT the online store because they have free shipping on all items over $50 *AND* they offer international shipping! Perfect for my move across the pond.) NRO has a separate kids sections with clothes and toys galore. 

This preppy travel bag retails for $86 in the store. It's made of canvas with a soft leather trim. The winner gets to completely customize it! You pick your own color, monogram style and inscription. 

(I mean PERSONALLY, I'd go with the *PINK* makeup bag. Surprise, surprise!)

TO ENTER: For each of the following you get ONE entry!

1- Follow Me and @NROBoston on Twitter

2- "Like" NRO Boston on Facebook

3- Visit North River Outfitter online and tell us what your favorite Spring item is!

Leave a comment telling me which of the above you have done. The giveaway ends Friday at noon! I'll post the winner Friday evening. 

GOOD LUCK! 

(and many thanks to the kind folks at NRO for allowing me to do this fun giveaway!)

It's Official...

I've entered my LATE 20s. 

Ohhhhhh lordy. 

Happy 28th Birthday to Moi!

Happy Mother's Day!

To Madre!

And to my Nannie!

Happy Madre's Day!

COOLA Suncare

Both PB & I decided to skip packing our own sunscreen when we went to Maui because I had read that the hotel provided it by the pools. This was true and for the most part we used that. BUT I ended up having a reaction (read: rash) all over to something in the hotel provided stuff, so we popped into the little sundries store to buy some "normal" (read: not full-of-weird-plants-I've-never-heard-of-that-apparently-i-am-allergic-to) sunscreen.

We were going to go with the standard Coppertone until the salesgirl suggested I try the Coola products. I'd never heard of it before but she sold me on it when she opened the bottle to let me smell. It smelled like a tropical drink! I ended up buying a sample and was hooked. My rash ended up going away too! 

I have super dry skin and I really loved this sunscreen because it goes on almost like a lotion. Plus, the mango smell is divine. I didn't end up buying a full size bottle because I completely forgot in the hoopla as we were leaving. 

However, yesterday, much to my surprise and delight, I found out that they are ONLINE! 

(And on Twitter)

If I wasn't currently broke as a joke (thank you MA Board of Bar Examiners & NY Board of Bar Examiners) I would be ordering the mango moisturizing sunscreen, the peppermint lip balm and a facial sunscreen. It is expensive but totally worth it. I did not burn one bit and my skin looked moisturized and firm after using it all day!

Have you all tried Coola?

*Disclaimer: I'm mentioning this product because I love it. I wasn't asked or compensated for doing so!*

Pardon me...

While I go fail Taxation of Business Entities.

I'll be back soon!

PS: I cut 6/7 ish inches off my hair. I don't know how I feel about this mommy-do I'm sporting.

(Excuse the bad bathroom self-portrait.)