My Fall Fashion Wish List

It's almost September and the start of my favourite season—Fall! I love everything about the Fall: the weather, the beautiful scenery, the holidays, and especially the fashion!

Here are some of the new items that I am absolutely loving for this Fall season:

1. Superstretch Skinny Biker Trousers from Zara
Black skinny jeans and leggings are always a staple in my wardrobe for Fall and Winter. I especially love the zipper details on these pants because they have some extra edge to them!

Zara superstretch skinny biker trousers


2. Polka Dot Silk Top from Zara
I'm pretty obsessed with both polka dots and this pretty cream colour. This top would look so good for Fall paired with some skinny jeans, boots, and a blazer. And what I love about this top is that it could even remain as a wardrobe staple into the Spring paired with shorts or bright coloured skinny jeans!

Zara polka dot silk top


3. Metallic Skirt from H&M
This beautiful metallic colour is so perfect for the Fall. Even though this skirt is such a stand-out piece, it's structure makes it so versatile. I would wear this to work, out for a day of shopping, or to a party.

H&M metallic skirt


4. Contrasted Quilted Jacket from Zara
I absolutely love this jacket because it's so versatile and also so flattering. It is beautifully tailored and includes piping that creates a nice silhouette. I really like the texture of quilted jackets and think this one would pair perfectly with almost any possible Fall outfit.

Zara contrasting quilted jacket


5. Weave Printed Top from Zara
Cheetah print has been hugely popular for years, and the trend is continuing into this Fall season. I really like this top because it's more neutral and less "in your face" than a lot of cheetah print. The back of this top also has a black exposed zipper, which I think adds a great touch.

Zara weave printed top


6. Jersey Duster Jacket from Miss Selfridge
I absolutely love this jacket! It has such a cool print, but since it is so neutral, it could pair well with a variety of things. It seems so cosy, and I think it would look perfect with black leggings or skinny jeans, boots, and a plain white t-shirt.

Miss Selfridge jersey duster jacket


7. Petite Spotty Swing Dress from Topshop
As I mentioned before, I absolutely love polka dots and can never get enough of them! I saw this dress on Topshop's website and completely fell in love with it. It is A-line and skater-style, but still structured enough to be super flattering. I love the three-quarter length sleeves and the exposed zipper on the back of the dress! It also has a vintage 60s feel to it which is a big trend for the Fall.

Topshop petite spotty swing dress


8. Soft Slipper from Zara
I always like shoes like these ones because they are so comfy and easy to wear. You can slip them on with jeans, leggings, or a dress and tights and instantly make the outfit look more classic and polished.

Zara soft slipper


9. The Chelsea Boot from Madewell
Chelsea boots are a classic style that are going to be huge this Fall. Buying nice leather boots like these ones are a great investment because they will never go out of style. I especially like black Chelsea boots since they go with everything and add an element of chic-ness to anything they are paired with.

Madewell Chelsea boot


10. A-Line Faux Leather Skirt from Zara
Leather accents are going to be big again this Fall...leather pants, jackets, and, of course, skirts! I love this A-line style because it's not as tight as a lot of leather, so your legs are able to breathe.

Zara A-line faux leather skirt


11. Rubin Bootie from Steve Madden
Another pair of great boots for the Fall! I love lace-up boots, especially in brown and a taupe colour like this and definitely want to get a pair for this Fall. These boots are leather and seem like they are so comfortable, and they come in a variety of colours: taupe, black, cognac, and pale blue!

Steve Madden Rubin bootie


12. Faux Leather Jacket With Flounce from Zara
And last but not least, a classic Fall piece, a leather jacket! I'm really loving collarless leather jackets like this one and think this jacket would be the perfect compliment to any outfit.

Zara faux leather jacket with flounce



Thanks for reading! Let me know in the comments of trends and clothing pieces that you're loving for this Fall!

24 Hours in Provincetown, Massachusetts

This weekend, some of the women in my family headed to the town at the very tip of Cape Cod—Provincetown.

I had only been to Provincetown (or "P-Town" for short) once when I was about 6 years old, so I had never fully appreciated the uniqueness of the town. First off, it is so beautiful. Of course, with it's location right on the tip of the Cape, it has amazing views. And the hotel we stayed in, the Provincetown Inn, was right on the harbour where our room had a patio overlooking the water. P-Town has some amazing beaches and is the quintessential "quaint" New England town, with narrow streets, lots of beach-themed shops, and the cutest houses and inns you can imagine! The downtown area has so much going on, and there are some really amazing restaurants—and with P-Town being on the Cape, it has some of the best seafood around.

And another reason that makes P-Town unique is that it is known as a huge hub for the LGBT community. While some of the LGBT people who come to P-Town like to blend in and stay under the radar, a huge amount of them love to be completely themselves and really flaunt who they are, which I loved! People there are so friendly, and it's so entertaining as well, because you'll see everything, from drag queens dressed as various celebrities to men walking down the street in speedo bathing suits, and even a dog riding a skateboard! (And yes, those are all things we saw while we were there!)

To start off the weekend, my mom and I made the two-hour car ride to P-Town where some of our relatives had already arrived the previous day. As soon as we got there, we joined them in the pool area of the hotel for some cocktails. The cocktail I got was called a "Watermelon Kiss" and it was amazing!

 After a few hours of lounging in the pool area enjoying some cocktails, it was time to get ready to go out for the night! I stayed in a room with my mom, cousin, and two of my aunts from my dad's side of the family. After we were all dressed and had touched up our make-up, it was time to break out some wine. My dad's entire side of the family loves their sauvignon blanc, and I cannot say that I complain about that! Then we headed over to the other ladies' room where my dad's cousins and a couple of their friends, were already starting to party hard! We got some group pictures on the P-Town waterfront, and then headed to the hotel restaurant for dinner. I ordered lasagna, which was really good and tried a drink called a "butterball" that tasted like butterscotch and was delicious! After dinner, we headed down the hall for the hotel's resident drag show—Forever Blonde. It was decent but, not gonna lie, we expected there to be more drag queens! The show featured songs from lots of different blondes throughout music history (Britney, Madonna, Lady Gaga, etc), but other than the host of the show, all of the girls were played by girls, and the guys just danced with them. Although, they did perform "Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake, during which some of the guys showed off their moves on a stripper pole! It was a fun night, and definitely an authentic P-Town experience!

getting ready to go out with my mom, two aunts, and cousin

the whole Goyette clan!

                       
The next day, we headed into town. I walked in with my mom, cousin, and two aunts where we wandered through the streets and eventually found a place to get lunch that overlooked the water. The food was all so good, including my chicken panini and especially the scallops that my mom ordered! After lunch, my mom and I split off from the other three, because we wanted to go into some different stores than they did. We checked out clothes and accessory boutiques, consignment stores, and  beach-themed homeware stores. There was some really cute stuff, but we didn't end up buying anything. I think the most interesting encounter we had was definitely in the Marc Jacobs store. A man approached me and my mom asking for our help in picking out a man purse for him. He was one of the most eccentric people I had ever met, and based on his odour, he had definitely been enjoying some alcohol and marijuana earlier that day! I don't think he ended up buying a man purse in the end, but my mom and I had a fun time recalling all the crazy things he said to us! After that, we made the scenic walk back to the hotel, and then decided to head home for the night.

downtown P-Town

the view from the restaurant where we ate lunch

the view of downtown from the hotel

The rest of the group was staying an extra night and heading back downtown dressed up as superheroes, but we had decided to only stay for one night. And one night had been perfect for us, because we got to experience both the pretty and crazy sides of the town and had a really fun time! I want to go back to P-Town in the future with a group of girls, because it was definitely an experience I'd like to repeat!

Dealing With a Quarter-Life Crisis

Over the past six months, I have noticed a major change in my personality and levels of happiness, which can only be described as a "Quarter-Life Crisis."

Starting in the Spring of my senior year of college, the realisation that I would soon be graduating slowly started to sink in, and I knew my life as I knew it would change drastically. For starters, I had grown so used to being independent over the past four years at university, so it was definitely an adjustment to move back home with my family. My parents are definitely what most people my age would describe as "cool parents", but no matter how cool your parents are, there definitely comes a time when you feel the need to be independent and live on your own. (Or, more realistically for recent college grads, with about two or three roommates.) Secondly, I have kind of lost touch with most of my friends from home, because we have all changed a little bit over the past few years. I was really lucky to meet some great friends from all over the country and world through my years at Elon and my semester studying abroad in France. But, while it's amazing having such a geographically diverse group of friends, it's hard too. I still talk to a lot of my friends regularly through texting, Facebook, and Skype, but I haven't been able to just meet up with a friend to go to a movie or shopping. It's sad thinking that I'm in my twenties—this is supposed to be the most exciting and social time of my life! But, living at home in a small town, far away from all my friends, is far from the glamour associated with being a twentysomething.

And of course, there is the biggest factor: the fact that I am still unemployed. Not only am I unemployed, but I am also completely confused as to what it is that I want to do with my life. It's tough because I want to find a job that I will enjoy, but at the same time, who knows when this dream job could come along, and I'll need to have an income soon. There are some companies that I've applied to and am really excited about, but I know the positions in these companies are so competitive, and I'm up against hundreds of thousands of other young people from all over the country. In the meantime until I find a job, I have been working at the local ice cream shop where I worked when I was in high school. The owner of the shop is so nice, but I have to say, returning to work there has been pretty depressing. I was so sure I would have a job after graduating and wouldn't need to work there again. But unfortunately, the job search process is harder than I expected it to be.

When I was talking to my mom recently, she suggested that maybe the reason I've been feeling depressed over the past several months might have to do with the fact that this is the first time in my life that I don't know what my next step in life is and that things aren't going exactly the way I had thought they would in my mind. And after thinking about that, I think I agree that has been a huge factor in my post-grad depression. When I was a kid, I knew I had school up until I was 18, then I was accepted into my first-choice college, then I landed great internships two summers in a row, and lastly, I was accepted into the on-campus position that I applied for at university. Since everything else had worked out for me in the past, I was so sure that the job process would go just as smoothly (which, of course, it hasn't).

It's now been almost three months since I graduated. I am trying to stay as positive as I can and am continuing to look into different job opportunities. I have also decided that, in case I am still struggling to find a job a few months from now, I am going to start looking into different graduate programs or teaching abroad. I already know of a few great programs that I think would be great experiences and make me really happy! And until I can figure out that next step, I am going to try and stay as positive as I can and channel more of my energy into things that I enjoy: blogging, making YouTube videos, spending time with my family, reading, and keeping in touch with my friends from Elon and abroad.

Thanks for reading, and I will keep you informed of when I decide what that next step in my life is going to be!

My Eighth (and possibly final) Trip to Prince Edward Island

When I was 12 years old, my grandparents decided to buy a second house in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. I had never heard of PEI, but after they bought the house, my family decided to go up for a couple of weeks the following summer, and then the next six summers after that! After that first summer, my aunt, uncle, and cousins joined us every other year. It turned into a fun tradition, and we made so many fun memories up there! We spent time relaxing on the beach, walking on the boardwalk down the street from my grandparents' house, going to the small amusement park and water park, shopping, going to the Anne of Green Gables village called Avonlea, and eating lots and lots of great food! The last time I went to PEI was when I was 18, and then after that, my grandparents stopped going up every summer since the 2-day long car journey was getting to be a lot, so we stopped as well.

But now my grandparents are selling the house, so my grandmother wanted to go up one more time! My mom, aunt, and I all joined her as well. Even though none of the other kids would be joining, I knew the trip would bring back a ton of memories, and I would have a good time!

We left early on Saturday morning and drove all the way up to Calais, Maine—right on the border of Canada. Then on day two, we made it up to PEI around 5pm—just in time for a happy hour! We had a fun night sitting out on the deck watching the sunset and looking at the beautiful harbour view.

the view from my grandparents' deck

My favourite memory from this trip was something new that I had never done before in PEI. One night, we went to a brewery in Charlottetown called the Gahan House. Unfortunately, they no longer offered a brewery tour in that location, but they had really good beers and AMAZING food! They had a mango beer on special that my mom, aunt, and I all ordered, and it was so good. Then for dinner, my meal was fettucine with chicken, chipotle sauce, mushrooms, and bacon. I swear, once I got my food, I did not stop to talk to anyone until I had finished... it was that good! Everyone else's meals were amazing too. The chef in the restaurant has won a bunch of awards, and I could definitely see why!

The Gahan Brewery

Cheers!

One of the best meals I've had in a LONG time! So delicious!!

Something else we did several times was to go to the beach that is about a half mile from my grandparents' house. Even though it's a small beach and there are much more famous ones in PEI, we loved the North Rustico beach because we could walk to it on the boardwalk, and it was never overly crowded. Something unique to PEI that I love is that the sand on all the beaches is red, and there are a bunch of cliffs. Even though I grew up in a beach town, the beach there is completely different from the beaches in Massachusetts so it's a totally different experience!

We also did some shopping while up in Canada. Something I was so excited about was going to drugstores and checking out some of the makeup brands that they sell in Canada, but that we don't have in the US. I ended up buying an eyeshadow crayon from a brand called Annabelle that I love and a lip gloss from Soap and Glory called Sexy Mother Pucker. (Yes, the name is part of the reason I decided to buy the lip gloss, but it's also an amazing product, and I've been using it so much!) Once we got back into the US and we had WiFi again, I actually saw online that Soap and Glory products are sold in some Sephora stores in the US. I'm going to be sure to check it out, because they're awesome!

And finally, we couldn't leave out my favourite Prince Edward Island tradition: a few trips to Cows. Cows is an ice cream shop that has so many amazing flavours, and has actually been voted the best ice cream shop in the world according to some lists! What makes Cows stand out is that they have a store connected to their ice cream shops where they sell t-shirts and different clothing items with puns on different pop-culture things, but all about cows! For example, Orange is the Moo Black and Fifty Shades of Hay. I did see that there are a couple of Cows locations outside of PEI, so even if I never make it back to Prince Edward Island, I may still be able to go to Cows again, which makes me happy.

posing with the Cows mascot outside of the Charlottetown shop

                              
                              
In addition to all of those things, we had several happy hours out on the deck, met a few of my grandmother's friends, had some more amazing meals, and did a lot of reading. I have been starting to feel really stressed out with the job search, and was so ready for a break from all that, so having a week off in PEI was perfect for me! I originally didn't think I would be able to join in on this trip, but I am so happy that it was able to work out. As of today, my grandparents just accepted an offer on their house, so I know none of us will be returning, which is a little bit sad. But now I have even more memories of Prince Edward Island to look back on, which makes me happy :)

the Charlottetown waterfront

me and my mom in Charlottetown

with my aunt on the Charlottetown waterfront

my grandma, aunt, mom, and me at Brackley Beach

Another first: trying the Canadian classic, poutine! It was so good!

delicious margaritas at a Mexican restaurant in Maine on our drive home

the group at our last dinner together in Maine after a LONG day of driving!

Family Day in Boston to Celebrate My Mom's Birthday!

A couple weekends ago, it was my mom's birthday, and my family decided to celebrate by going into Boston for the day! I always love when I get the opportunity to go into the city and get a little break from the suburbs. After my mom opened her presents and we had some lunch at home, we headed into the city!

We had planned to get dinner in the North End, which is the Italian part of the city, but had decided to just see where the day took us before that. The great thing about Boston is that it's a very walkable city, so we could easily walk anywhere we decided to go. We parked in Chinatown and then walked through Boston Common and the Public Garden. The Public Garden is so pretty in the summer because it's so green! After stopping to get a few pictures with the birthday girl, we kept walking until we got to Newbury Street. My dad was feeling pretty tired and a little faint, so he and my sister Lexi decided to sit in Starbucks for a little bit while my mom and I went to Marshall's across the street for some shopping. While we were there, my sister texted us saying my dad had passed out in Starbucks and the employees had taken him into the back to lie down! She even said one of the employees was holding a straw for him while he drank some lemonade! My mom and I actually believed her and were laughing hysterically in the store from the visual of a Starbucks employee holding a straw for my dad while he laid on the floor complaining haha! Eventually Lexi called though and said it was all a joke that they decided to play on us since they were bored sitting in Starbucks!

with my mom in the Boston Public Garden

After that, it was around 6pm, so we decided to start walking toward the North End which was about a half hour walk away. We walked through Faneuil Hall and past a bunch of Irish pubs before we came to the North End, my favourite part of Boston! We had heard of a restaurant from a few different people called Trattoria Il Panino that we wanted to try. Amazingly, we only had to wait for about 15 minutes before we got a table! The restaurant doesn't take reservations and it was a Saturday night, so that was impressively fast! We think the host favoured us since he knew it was my mom's birthday, because we ended up getting seated before a few groups who had been there before us. We got such a perfect table too! It was in their little terrace area right next to the sidewalk, so it was perfect for people watching! We heard some musicians who were playing an accordian and violin outside, which was really cool! To celebrate my mom's birthday, we got a bottle of wine for the table which we thoroughly enjoyed! And the food was so amazing! I got lasagna with beef in it, my dad and sister both got chicken parmesan, and my mom got a pasta with pesto, cheese, and vegetables. The sauce on my lasagna was amazing, and I tried some chicken parm and pesto pasta too which were also so so good! I have had meals in so many different North End restaurants over the years and have always been amazed by how good the food is in each place!

the North End

This is the restaurant we went to. It was amazing!

my lasagna and wine

my mom with her pasta

the chicken parmesan that both my dad and sister ordered

another shot of my lasagna. It was sooo good!!

After dinner, we decided to walk around the North End a little bit to digest our food before hitting our favourite dessert place: Modern Pastry! Mike's Pastry has the reputation of being the more famous pastry shop, but we have always preferred Modern. When we got there, there were no tables available, but a server told us about a room downstairs that was relatively new and not many people knew about yet. There were a bunch more tables and only one other group down there, so it was the perfect atmosphere to enjoy our desserts! It looked like a cute rustic Italian cafe down there too! I got a chocolate covered cheesecake, Lexi got carrot cake, my dad got a cream puff, and my mom got a cannoli and a cappucino. As always, the food was amazing!

all of our delicious desserts

my chocolate cheesecake. It was delicious!

After enjoying our desserts from Modern, we started to make our way back toward Chinatown where the car was. We went into a couple North End shops and walked through Faneuil Hall again before arriving back at the car. I had an amazing day in Boston with my family, and I know my mom had a great birthday! I always have a great time in the city and will hopefully be going back into Boston again soon!

with my mom and sister at the end of the awesome day!