I always like to visit my local thrift store with the intention of curating my style. This helps me to focus on what clothing items I want to take home as well as which items to leave. On my latest thrift trip, my goal was to find a few more dresses to compliment my wardrobe. I got a bit lucky and found three new-to-me dresses for under $30.
First, I found this asymmetrical olive green dress. It was originally from J.Crew where dresses can easily cost more than $100. I scored this dress for just $8.99. I really enjoy the unique cut and color. This dress pairs perfectly with just tennies, but I could also dress it up with heels.
Next, I found a simple little black dress with lace detailing for $3.99. While browsing the clearance rack, I found an oversized vintage blazer to go with it for just $1.99. I think this look would be perfect for grabbing dinner.
Last but certainly not least, I found this casual denim dress. It’s Loft brand and cost just $8.99. It’s simple, comfy, and effortless. I adore dresses like this for mornings at the farmers’ market or for grabbing coffee and running errands.
If you live in northern Wisconsin like me, I’d definitely recommend checking out your local Goodwill NCW. That’s typically where I thrift, and that’s where I got all of the items featured in this blog. Also, before your next thrifting adventure, check out this blog post for a few tips and tricks!
What’s your best thrift find? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!
I have found that I do my best thrifting when I know what I want. Obviously, you never know exactly what you will find at your local thrift store, but you can set some intentions.
Pinterest is a great tool to gather style inspiration from as well as create mood boards on. Before my most recent thrift trip, I took some time to add to and review my 2021 style board (you can check it out here). This helped me to develop a general list of “wants.” Based on my pins, I knew that I wanted to add pieces to my wardrobe that were flowy and feminine. I also knew that I wanted to lean into a pastel and neutral color palette.
Because I did a bit of homework before hitting the thrift shop, it became less intimidating to go through the racks. I could immediately look at a piece and say “yes, I love this” or “nope, it doesn’t fit my description of flowy, feminine, pastel, or neutral.” When you understand your style and how you want to curate your closet, it makes it easier to find pieces that you will absolutely love.
The first piece that I found on my Pinterest thrifting adventure was this long yellow dress. I completely adore it and can’t wait for an excuse to wear it. It’s made out of relaxed linen material, and it has dainty ties on the sides that cinch the waist.
The next piece I scored was this pink cardigan. As soon as I saw it, I fell in love with the cut and the thick knit stripes. I paired it with a simple tank and some light pink shorts for a monochromatic look. I think it will pair beautifully with jeans in fall.
Lastly, I picked up this v-neck knit sweater. It’s a lighter knit, so I could comfortably wear it in winter, fall, and even spring. The colors are neutral and simple, so the sweater will pair nicely with a variety of pants, shorts, and skirts. This sweater definitely looks like a combination of sweaters and tops that I pinned.
If you’ve ever felt like you don’t know where to start when thrifting, try creating a Pinterest board to thrift from! It’s a great first step in defining your style and aesthetic.
What styles have you been loving lately? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!
Happy National Radio Day! In honor of the holiday, I wanted to share a few lessons that I’ve learned from working in the industry.
For some background, I’ve been working in radio for about two years now! In the summer of 2019, I was an intern at my local radio station. In the fall of 2019, I began working for the station as an on-air announcer. Then in the winter of 2019, I fully transitioned into a producer role.
In each role I’ve had, I’ve been able to sharpen my communication and technical skills. I believe the lessons I’ve learned on-air have helped me grow in my radio job and my day-to-day life.
Here’s what I’ve learned from working in radio:
Forming relationships is key. On the first day of my internship in radio, I was told, “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.” Getting to know others that worked at the station and learning from them allowed me to get hired. If you want people or a company to invest in you, you have to invest in them.
You must prioritize tasks effectively and efficiently. I learned this lesson when I began producing a live show. As you may imagine, producers handle a lot of moving parts. If tasks are not done correctly or on time during a show, the whole thing could go off the air. This is why prioritization is so vital. You have to understand what’s urgent and what can wait.
Anything can happen. As in life, anything can happen on-air. Technology can be fickle, and so can people. When I’m producing a show, and something goes wrong, I try to simply evaluate and adjust. I have learned to accept the fact that anything can happen (even if it’s a bit disorientating).
There are endless paths to the same result. The way that I run a show and the way that others run a show is different. Yet, to a listener, the on-air product sounds the same. There are various paths to the same result, so do what makes the most sense to you!
How are you celebrating National Radio Day? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!
If you need a caffeine boost, look no further. These drinks are sure to wake you up (and make your taste buds happy)! Whether you visit a coffee chain or local shop, they will most likely have the ingredients to craft the following drinks:
Dirty Chai. This drink is one of my personal favorites, and I typically enjoy it iced. A dirty chai is just a chai tea latte with espresso shots added. I find that the milk, espresso, and the spice from the chai blend perfectly together. This drink is on the sweeter side, yet it has a lighter feel/taste than your average latte.
Americano. I also love this drink iced, but if it’s cooler out, it’s perfect to enjoy hot! Americanos are simply espresso shots and water mixed together. I like to think of it as a supercharged coffee. If you love strong coffee, this drink is for you. If you typically like something sweeter, I’d suggest adding milk and/or flavoring. I personally love adding oat milk and lavender or raspberry syrup to americanos.
Espresso Con Panna. This Italian title translates to “espresso with cream.” Typically, ordering an espresso con panna means that you will order a single shot or a double shot of espresso that’s topped with whipped cream. Ordering an espresso con panna may also cause you to be classified as a “coffee snob,” but that’s okay because it’s so delicious.
What’s your favorite espresso drink? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!
P.S. I took the photos above while visiting one of my favorite local coffee shops, @dailybuzzgb! If you are in the area, I highly recommend checking them out.
Summer is what you make of it, so I decided to jump on the summer bucket list trend. I feel like it will help me be more intentional and get the most out of my days off. There’s no reason to say “I’m bored” when there is so much to enjoy during the summer months!
Here are some items from my personal list and ideas for your summer bucket list:
Have an outdoor picnic. Make that dreamy picnic scene on Pinterest and in your Instagram feed a reality! Text your group chat and plan a lunch or dinner to have outdoors. I plan on checking this item off of my summer bucket list next week (as long as the weather lets me)!
Attend your local farmers market. I swear I can smell the fresh fruits, veggies, and flowers when I think about it. Farmers markets are such a treat to go to and shop at.
Go on your very own Tour de Coffee. In case you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’ll explain. A Tour de Coffee is essentially a cafe crawl (instead of a bar crawl), but you create your own route. The rules are as follows: you have to stop at three coffee shops, you have to order a drink and food item from each shop, and you can’t take a bathroom break.
I first saw @girlmeetsnewyorkcity do this, and I thought it looked like a fun time. My friend Ashley and I ended up on our own tour last summer, and we vlogged it! You can check out our experience here. I would definitely suggest setting aside a day for this.
Read at least one book that empowers you. Simply put, it feels good to read something that makes you feel good or validated. A couple of books that I loved recently were Women Don’t Owe You Pretty and The Book of Moods. The next book I plan on reading is Kirstie Taylor’s What I Wish I Knew About Love.
Cook or bake something new. It feels so satisfying to create something from scratch, and it’s so much tastier. Lately, I’ve been challenging myself to experiment with ingredients like wild mushrooms, chickpeas, and tofu!
Enjoy a spa night in. Make self-care a priority and gift yourself time to relax. For my at-home spa nights, I love to pick up bath bombs, a face mask, and some of my favorite snacks. Sometimes I’ll even rent a movie to enjoy.
Commit to a journaling challenge. You can find tons of journaling prompts and 30-day challenges on Pinterest. Sometimes I prefer a quote or question to respond to while journaling rather than just freestyling. Also, I think prompts are really helpful if you are new to journaling.
Buy yourself flowers. Here’s the perfect excuse to do something nice for yourself and support your local florist.
Go on a day trip (big or small). Plan a little adventure for yourself and maybe even take a few friends along! You could visit a new hiking trail, coffee shop, or beach that’s outside of your city. Whether it’s 30 minutes away or a few hours away from home, enjoy the mini getaway!
What else is on your summer bucket list? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!
Racquel Goldy and Natasha Salehi are the entertaining and relatable duo known as the Millennial Girls. On their podcast, they share personal stories and behind-the-scenes fun from their experiences as Miami radio personalities. I am excited to have them on the blog to share their opinions and insights as millennials and women who work in media.
I asked them questions all about podcasting, millennial stereotypes, working in radio, and personal branding. We also discussed the topic of imposter syndrome. I hope you can learn something from my Q&A with the Millennial Girls; I know I did!
Let’s get into it, and let me introduce you to Racquel and Natasha!
About the Girls
Racquel hosted the afternoon drive-time radio show for Revolution 93.5 FM. In addition, she has covered red carpets as a correspondent for events like the Billboard Music Awards, iHeart Fiesta, and the Creative Arts Emmys. Her second passion project is creating Kpop Reaction Videos on YouTube.
Natasha graduated with a BA in Advertising. She started out managing social media for Revolution 93.5 FM. Then, she moved into a co-host spot on the morning show. Most recently, she was in the solo midday slot. Her second passion project is cooking live and sharing recipes on Instagram.
Q: Why did you start a podcast together?
A: Both being radio personalities in Miami, magic would happen when we would do things together, like getting featured in Billboard for our exclusive with Martin Garrix. We considered starting our own podcast on the side to “keep the dream alive”, so to speak, then the pandemic hit and we were let go from our jobs. We really had no other option but to create our own brand!
With the podcast world booming, we felt this was the right place to keep ourselves relevant but also niche. As a radio personality, you are really only showing 20% of your “real” personality on-air. We knew this was a place to not take ourselves so seriously, and we wanted to be as real and relatable as possible.
We’re both experienced in public speaking, Natasha is the master editor for all things video/audio/social, and Racquel is the Queen of PR. So what better partnership right? That’s how the Millennial Girls Podcast was born.
Q: What inspired you to choose the name “Millennial Girls”?
A: Natasha woke up in the middle of her sleep one night at 3 am and texted Racquel “MILLENNIAL GIRLS”. Both being millennials, we felt it was broad enough to create a brand name as well as title our community made up of millennial females.
Q: What millennial stereotypes do you disagree with?
A: People think our generation is lazy and entitled, but in reality, we bust our butts to do what makes us happy, and that doesn’t necessarily mean a large paycheck! Not to mention we are the guinea pigs of social media which leads us to comparison culture.
Q: What millennial stereotypes do you agree with?
A: Having the confidence to question authority, achievement-oriented, and obsessed with technology. I mean we did create social media… Mark Zuckerberg, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger are all millennials.
Q: What has been your favorite opportunity that you’ve had through working in media?
A: Our greatest accomplishment was when we were given the opportunity to interview Martin Garrix shortly before Ultra and Miami Music Week. Our goal was to get an exclusive, and we did! The interview went viral on all EDM platforms including Billboard.
Q: How do you view social media and personal branding in your field?
A: Social media and personal branding are part of your resume. Especially being in entertainment and radio, everything is based on how much engagement and how many followers you have across all platforms from YouTube to TikTok. If you don’t post on all platforms or don’t consistently post, unfortunately, you become “irrelevant”.
Q: Do you ever deal with imposter syndrome or comparison? How do you overcome it?
A: All the time. When you know you have to continuously post on social media, not only post, but also post great content, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of insecurity and comparison culture.
We overcome it by not concerning ourselves with other people and “cleaning out our social media closet” by unfollowing profiles that don’t motivate or inspire us. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, we compare our own content to our past content and ask ourselves if it’s better and more creative. If it’s not, we go back to the drawing board and improve ourselves.
Q: What advice would you give to others who want to start a podcast?
A: Starting a podcast that you want to ultimately build as a brand on your own is a lot of work and takes a lot of time. First and foremost, the podcast has to be entertaining and bring value.
You have to have the right equipment, acoustics, editing software/tools, decide where to host your podcast, outreach to potential sponsors, outreach to potential guests, get your audience to share, consistent social media promotion, weekly episodes, keep your numbers up and growing, find ways to start making an income whether it be through retail sales or collabs… it’s not easy.
If you’re in it for the long haul, have patience, are consistent, and are ok with not being an overnight success, then get on that microphone and start podcasting!
Q: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
A: Sharing, following, liking, commenting, reviewing, and subscribing are all ways you can support our podcast! We know it’s a lot to ask, but it’s a simple click, right?
Who knew that mushrooms and coffee could mix? I didn’t believe it until I tried the Reishi Maple Cold Brew from one of my favorite local shops, Bona Fide Juicery.
Upon the first sip, the drink was extremely smooth and delicious. It was the perfect mix of cold brew, coconut creamer, maple syrup, reishi powder, and cinnamon. If you are in the area, I highly recommend going to Bona Fide and trying it out! It has become one of my go-to orders there.
If you are not in the area or if you want an at-home option, this drink is pretty easy to replicate. All you need are a few ingredients and a touch of barista technique. A hand frother is also very helpful to have, but in a pinch, a whisk can work too.
To get started on my at-home Reishi Maple Cold Brew, I collected my pre-made Krum cold brew, Om Mushroom hot chocolate blend, Nut Pods original creamer, store-brand cinnamon powder, store-brand sugar-free maple syrup, and ice.
I used some Om Mushroom hot chocolate blend instead of reishi powder to give it a mocha taste. If you prefer, you can definitely use regular reishi powder!
The first step is to combine the reishi powder, creamer, cinnamon, and maple syrup. How much of each ingredient you use is really up to you and your taste buds. Personally, I used about a teaspoon of reishi powder, two tablespoons of creamer, a couple of shakes of cinnamon, and a teaspoon of maple syrup. I used my hand frother to mix everything up until I had a nice amount of froth and dissolved powders.
The next step is just adding your ice and cold brew to the mug you used to combine everything. If you want to get a little fancy you can also add a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, but that’s optional.
Last step: enjoy!
What did your taste buds think of this drink? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!
If you’ve been following along for a while, you already know that I adore pre-loved fashion. In fact, many of my fashion blog posts feature items that I got from my local Goodwill.
There are so many reasons why I’m a proponent of thrift shopping, so I wanted to share a few of them with you. I hope that this resonates with you or motivates you to give thrifting a try.
I love thrift shopping because:
It’s fun. Simply put, I enjoy the hunt. I love looking through the racks and finding new favorites.
It’s affordable. The price of brand-name items is significantly less at the thrift store. In fact, I’ve found full outfits thrifting for the same price as one piece of clothing from the mall.
It’s better for the environment. Thrifting keeps items out of landfills and gives them a new life! We’ve all been hearing how bad fast fashion is for the environment, so thrifting is a better alternative.
It supports great causes. When I shop at Goodwill, I know that my dollars are going towards job training and opportunities. I also know that what I spend stays in my community, and that feels good.
It allows me to experiment with my style. When I thrift, I find cute pieces that I would’ve never even thought to look for. Thrifting helps me to learn more about what I like and what I don’t when it comes to my personal style. It has helped me to curate a functional and unique wardrobe.
Overall, second hand is grand!
What do you love about thrift shopping? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!
I don’t know about you, but I love to enjoy iced coffee year-round. I start most of my days with a cup and occasionally have another in the afternoon. Of course, I drink it to help with alertness, but I also view it as a daily treat to enjoy.
I have been seriously missing sitting in cafes to read and write during these times. In an attempt to bring the cafe to me, I decided to make some scones that I can enjoy with espresso at home. I followed a scone recipe from The Faux Martha, but I made it my own with a few additions and substitutions.
Before baking, I always like to measure out everything that I need. Recycled Yoplait Oui jars come in handy for this. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also super convenient.
I gathered 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of applesauce, 1/3 cup of sugar, 6 tablespoons of butter, 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips, and my Cacao Copina Co powder. I also had 2 cups of oat flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoons of salt nearby.
Step 1. To begin, I whisked together heavy cream and applesauce in a mug. In a large bowl, I combined all of the dry ingredients.
Step 2. Once the dry mixture was well stirred, I added butter. My hand mixer worked perfectly to combine it. I mixed until I ended up with a crummy yet moist consistency.
Step 3. Next, I threw in chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. I simply stirred with a spoon to combine these ingredients.
Step 4. I packed down the dry mixture to make a well for the wet ingredients, and I poured them in.
Step 5. In a jar, I combined a splash of water and 4 teaspoons of cacao powder. I used my hand frother to mix it. Then, I poured it in the middle of the other wet ingredients.
Step 6. I mixed everything up with a large spoon. It didn’t take long for everything to combine and for a cacao aroma to spread across my kitchen.
Step 7. I put some parchment paper down on my baking sheet (yes, it’s Hello Kitty shaped), scooped out the batter, and plopped it on the sheet. I tried to create triangle-like shapes.
If you repeat this recipe, feel free to create whatever shapes you like! The batter was pretty easy to move around with a spoon. Also, feel free to lick off any batter left on your spoon. I used applesauce instead of eggs, so it’s safe to eat raw!
Step 8. I put the Hello Kitty baking sheet along with an additional sheet full of scones in the freezer. I also set the oven to preheat at 425 degrees.
Step 9. Once the oven was ready, I baked the scones for 15 minutes. After this, they were done and ready to enjoy!
What is your favorite treat to bake? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat! P.S. Use code “Roshak10” for 10% off at Copina Co.
Megan Burton 