a sunday night survival guide

sunday, SUNDAY. i mostly love this day of the week—i've only really ever had the whole "sunday scaries" thing once, when i had an absolutely terrible job last year. and then i was freelancing for 5-ish months and had a completely neutral attitude toward sundays, because it was the same as any other day of the week for me. and now, i have a new full-time office job that i really like, and i'm adjusting back to the whole sunday night routine once again. i feel like i've gotten a pretty good handle on how to keep the scaries and blues at bay, so here are some of my must-haves. share yours in the comments, por favor!

1.  a good podcast

or a couple! i recently discovered the sunday scaries podcast, which is cute and fun. plus, the episodes typically fall under the 15-minute mark, so they're super easy to keep up with. now that i'm commuting by train, i've been trying to listen to more on my way to and from work, but i just tend to be able to pay better attention when i'm hanging around the house on a lazy sunday morning and making pancakes or making dinner at night; it's a nice little ritual. pop culture happy hour is another new favorite, but i know i'm probably late to the party on that.


2. something delicious

sure, it could be a cocktail, if you're in the mood. but i've found that having a little treat in the evening while i'm watching a movie or reading a book—whether it's a cup of my favorite tea, a piece (errr, 4) of dark chocolate, or a big oatmeal chocolate chip cookie is a very lovely, visceral, in-the-moment way to enjoy the last hours of my weekend. alternatively, if i'm feeling ambitious, sundays are typically my nights to make that awesome and super-involved dinner recipe i saved on pinterest like 6 months earlier.


3. time with friends or family

sometimes, the best way to distract yourself from the impending workweek is with some good old-fashioned socialization. not just talking about brunch, either. i love meeting a friend for the occasional sunday night dinner, or catching up over a late-afternoon coffee to shake up my routine a bit.

4. candles/soft lighting

y'all know i'm obsessed with candles, and little white lights, and my himalayan salt lamp. all of these things do the MOST to promote a chill and pleasant home environment with minimal little effort. of course, everyone has different candle preferences, but my personal favorites are the scentsational midnight woods and DW home warm tobacco pipe (both available at marshall's or tj maxx) and anthropologie's warm vanilla cinnamon. the rate i burn through all of these is genuinely frightening.

5. the right (preferably vinyl) soundtrack 

to quote trent from daria, "it's the warmth of vinyl, man." my vinyl collection isn't very large thus far because i'm not made of damn money, but i treasure the 12 or so records i do have so far, and it's just so much cozier than spotify in terms of setting a definitive mood. i scored elvis costello's greatest hits last weekend for $10 at in your ear in harvard square, and it was the perfect thing to dance to this evening while prepping overnight oats for tomorrow.

here are some sunday evening standbys that will treat you right, with or without a record player:

kurt vile - wakin' on a pretty daze (and smoke ring for my halo...and...okay, pretty much anything by kurt vile)
the neighbourhood - wiped out! 
the brian jonestown massacre - take it from the man! 
the lemonheads - it's a shame about ray
pernice brothers - overcome by happiness
pinback - summer in abaddon

6. a plan for the week

i feel like it's all too tempting to close your eyes and forget that monday is coming, but i've found that making a mini to-do list for each day of the week ahead can go a long way to make you feel in control, and it only takes like, 10 minutes tops.

5 things i love right now

1.  tights under ripped jeans

so, i bought a pair of ripped jeans at primark a few weeks ago, remembering the '90s trend of either sewing up the knee with a funky patch, or wearing tights under them. there are so many ways to mix up the look (colored tights, lace, other patterns), and they add a pop of intrigue and fun to any fall look.


2. this blog post about random turn-ons

when i came across this post the other day on one of my favorite blogs, a cup of jo, i found myself chuckling/smiling while reading the comments because it's comforting to know that we're basically all delightful weirdos. as jenna elfman (while dressed as an angel stripper) says in the teen classic can't hardly wait, "we all have our things." after considering the topic for a bit, i determined that my random turn-ons (besides men with long hair, because, duh) include:

• southern accents
• forearm and/or abdomen tattoos
• chiseled cheekbones a la nick valensi
• playing the electric guitar (not acoustic, though) or drums
• skater beanies
• salt-and-pepper hair

what are your random turn-ons?

3. this acoustic performance of "prey" by the neighbourhood



speaking of acoustic guitar ...
i don't know what's gotten into me in the past couple weeks, but i've basically become a neighbourhood fangirl. the fuzzy, soulful, slick new album, wiped out!, has mad atmospheric weeknd vibes and it's just really hitting the spot for me right now. however, the marketer in me is also a little fascinated with the group's carefully-cultivated image (all videos and photos of them must be black-and-white...whaaa?) and fervent tween fanbase, known as "hoodlums." anyways, this stripped-down rendition of one of my favorites is pretty addictive. jesse rutherford's voice is, to quote a commenter, "not of this world," and his funny facial twists and tics are quite amusing to watch.


4. this sage advice

buzzfeed, of all places, published this piece on relationship advice and it was GREAT. aside from this quote, the final paragraph was poignant and so, so true:

Don’t end up in a situation where someone else’s needs and desires come before your own. Don’t allow someone to control your emotions. And don’t put your heart in the hands of anyone who doesn’t treat you the way you deserve. If you’re ever doubting the way a situation is panning out, or how someone is treating you – whether you’re dating, in a relationship, or completely single – just imagine what you would tell a friend in the same position. Because while it can be easy to lose sight of things, and relationships can become complicated, one simple, indisputable fact remains: You deserve the best.

5. this video of a guy and his cat vibing to drake's "hotline bling"



YES, i know he's moving the cat's head, but lololol. may or may not have snorted the first time i watched this. it's almost as good as the kittens dancing to "turn down for what."

the best life lessons from mom

with mother’s day just around the corner (aka tomorrow), i’ve been thinking a lot about the important things that i’ve learned from my dear mama, and there have been many. she’s imparted wisdom on love, education, friendship, career, and just about everything else under the sun. most of these gems fall into the “everything else” category, so i present a few of my favorite, completely impractical “mom-isms” that have served me well throughout my life.

1. always have a bottle of wine on hand.
   
   

this one may seem obvious, but actually has a couple of different reasons behind it. sure, it’s always wonderful when you can pull a bottle of riesling out of your fridge after a particularly awful day and just go to town. however, my lovely mother promotes wine possession for just-in-case purposes. you know, like just in case your cool new coworker with BFF potential invites you over for a friday night dinner party, or just in case you decide to make some killer chicken piccata that calls for a few splashes of white wine. with at least one bottle on the premises at all time, you’ll never be stuck in a jam. who knew that vino could be so practical?

2. treat your purse like your second home.

no doubt about it, i’m a purse hoarder, and i blame my mother. money, receipts, jewelry, food items (wrapped -- i’m not a monster!) ... they’re all in there. however, the most important item? a tissue (or three). the bottom line is that it always pays off to carry some sort of absorbent material with you at all times, and my mom instilled that in me early on in life. how many times have you caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and go, “WHAT IS THAT ON MY NOSE?!”  just as you’re cornered by your crush, or boss, or someone else super-important that does not appreciate your booger shenanigans. sure, it’s still awkward to wipe your nose in front of them, but it’s much more awkward to have an entire conversation where both of you are trying to ignore the gross reality. sure, this is an extreme case, but you never know when you’re going to spill a little coffee on your desk or need a makeshift napkin for that afternoon snack, either. thanks, mom!

3. when in doubt, dance it out.

whether i’m sad, mad, or just plain grumpy, the first thing i do is crank up the hip-hop and go nuts for about 10 minutes. my dear ol’ mom has always been an advocate of the dance party, and taught me that it can do wonders to turn your whole mood right around. she’d probably frown upon me twerking to raunchy rap, but what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. by the time i’m tired out from shakin’ what she literally gave me, i’ve usually forgotten whatever i was upset about in the first place.