It’s another rainy Friday in New York City. Bo clearly got caught in the rain on his way home tonight!

I was actually able to take advantage of summer Friday and leave the office by 4pm which isn’t as early as my co-workers, who all left at 1pm, but it’s earlier than normal.

I started this morning off with a crazy sweat session with Lauren, my personal trainer. Lauren and I have truly become more than just trainer and client over the past few weeks. We spent the hour chatting, catching up on the week’s craziness, and breaking a sweat of course. This morning’s workout was all about weight. I had my first date with the bench press (65 lbs), did crazy rope pulls, and more during our session. Luckily she included some extra stretching today because my glutes and hamstrings were still screaming after Wednesday’s VIPr session.

By the time I ate breakfast at 8:30 my stomach was growling.

This morning’s bowl was more delicious than normal because I accidentally added more cinnamon. When I was sprinkling it the lid came off and I ended up with about a tablespoon of cinnamon in the bowl. I balanced the potency with a little extra water and some Splenda. The end result was a cinnamon sweet bowl of goodness.

Lunch was an exact repeat of yesterday’s salad since I enjoyed it so much. The apples are a fresh new addition to my salads lately and I’m loving the extra crunch without the calories of nuts or croutons.

After leaving the office, I headed down to Union Square to make some much needed returns at JCrew and Sephora. I have to give a shoutout to JCrew today because their customer service was beyond amazing. I purchased two dresses last week for the engagement party but neither fit very well. Today when I returned the dress they were willing to credit my credit card instead of giving me gift cards; which is how I purchased the dresses. WIN!

Before I head into the kitchen for my cooking date with Bo, I want to leave you with a few of my latest favorite things.

Maybelline FIT foundation and powder: While I’m normally a Dolce&Gabbana or Cover Girl devotee, this line has become my new favorite foundation and powder. When I returned from Bermuda my foundation was suddenly way too light. When I went to Duane Reade this brand was on sale and I figured I’d give it a try since it was also supposed to match skin tones well. In addition, it’s oil free, wax free, and it’s patented pigments allow it to blend better than most. I’ve received more compliments on my makeup in the past few weeks and firmly believe it’s because this line looks so natural on my face. I highly recommend it!  At $7.99 you can’t beat it!

Yurbuds: Since running the marathon, one of the most common questions I receive is in regards to my favorite headphones. Leslie actually convinced me to upgrade to these headphones the day before the marathon! When she saw the Yurbud booth she convinced me to try them out and within a few minutes I was sold. I wore them for the marathon and they never fell out one time. Since the race, I haven’t run with anything other than these amazing headphones; until Tuesday. I ran 3 miles with Bo’s headphones since I couldn’t find mine and realized just how much I love the Yurbuds. The sound is clearer, my sweat never makes them slip out, and they stay perfectly snug, without being uncomfortable, the whole time.

Birchbox I first read about Birchbox on Grace’s blog over a year ago when she received her first Birchbox. After seeing her enjoy the monthly gift for over a year, I finally joined the cult so I could see what it was all about. Birchbox is a company which provides subscribers to a monthly package of the newest beauty samples in a deluxe size that’s large enough to let you try it multiple times. Gone are the foil packets or single use trial packets! I love the concept since I’m a beauty junkie and love sampling the newest products without having to pay for a full size. In addition, it introduces me to many products I wouldn’t necessarily find on my own. Even better, it’s only $10 per month! This month, my best Birchbox yet, included the following:

Dr. Dennis Gross EZ4U Facial Towelettes
Amika Obliphica Hair Treatment
kate spade new york Twirl – 3.4 fl oz
Pangea Organics Toner for Normal to Oily Skin
Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten

Question: What is your favorite thing right now?