One really cold evening last winter, I snuggled up with a blanket and a space heater and dove into the debut novel by an author I’d never heard of: Sarah Addison Allen. I devoured the book, Garden Spells, in a matter of hours; it captivated me from page one. Allen’s writing is somewhat similar to that of Alice Hoffman; her characters and settings are real, but her novels contain just the slightest touch of magic. In Garden Spells, two sisters reunite at their childhood home, and find both their gifts and their paths in life. Allen’s second novel, The Sugar Queen, is the story of Josey, a young woman who has lived her entire life under her mother’s thumb. With the help of the mysterious Della Lee, Josey finally begins to blossom into her own woman, finding love and friendship along the way. 

These books are great; everyone who reads them ends up loving them. I highly recommend that you pick one up today!

After having blond hair all summer (and hair above my shoulders for nearly 3 years), I’m ready for a change. My hair is naturally wavy, so I want to let it grow long and just curl a little bit. It’s all part of my new hippie aesthetic. As for color, I want something pretty low maintenance, so I’m thinking a nice, rich brown. Kate Beckinsale and Rachel Bilson both have shiny brown locks with a little bit of wave, so this is what I’m aiming for.

I really think that nose studs are cute. They’re not as out there as lip piercing, but they’re just a little bit rebellious. My yoga teacher has one, my cousin has one, and my friend Lauren has a cute silver ring (normally I prefer studs over rings, but hers is adorable). I really, really wanted to get one, but research on the internet made me hesitate. Half of the people out there said that it’s not that painful, heals in a month, and is great. The other half describe it as excruciating, prone to infection, and can even lead to getting staph in your brain.

So, I did the smart thing: I went and talked to a piercer. After getting the reassurance that I needed, I went for it! And here’s the deal: basically, the piercer pulls the nostril taut with forceps, then puts the needle through (it’s a corkscrew-ish piercing needle, and because it’s your nose, you can see it go in) and then pops in the stud. I have a decent pain threshold, so it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t painless either. It’s more of a burning sensation, and you’ll definitely bleed. For me, the pain dulled to an ache, and the area around the stud swelled a little. My friend Lindsay thought it was cute, and her husband Brian agreed that it suited my “spunky” personality. My husband hates body piercing (“why pay someone to hurt and mutilate you?” is his theory), but he was resigned to the fact that I was going for it. It was totally exciting…

AND THEN

The excitement wore off. The frustration of having to sleep with a band-aid on my nose and stay off my left side kicked in. I realized that I wouldn’t be able to swim on my beach vacation next month. Make-up becomes an issue. You have to be really careful anytime you wipe or dry your face. Was it possible? Had I made a mistake? Was my husband, gasp!, actually right?

In a word, yes. The stud ended up being bigger than I wanted. It sat funny on my nose (although I think this was more a result of the swelling than any sort of piercing error). It hurt. It bled. It was too much work. But most of all, it set off a compelling inner voice I didn’t even know I had. Something inside of me was insisting that I had made a mistake, had ruined my face, that I looked wrong, that I needed to take it out RIGHT NOW! So I did. I had a nose stud for about 12 hours. In the end, I basically paid for a bloody nose, and now I’m left with a healing scab. But at least I went for it, and now I know for sure that it’s not for me.

I love this Sunshine suitcase from Radley. The cure floral print makes it easily recognizable, and the design helps keep your stuff organized. It comes with a padded laptop compartment; a zippered area for cables and electronic equipment; several mesh compartment for unmentionables, sunglasses, and accessories; two shoe storage bags; and a laundry bag. It also has wheels and a collapsible, soft-grip handle. It’s on the pricey side ($315), but I think the extra cost it worth it for good luggage.

Chewylou Designs has a collection of adorable, inspiring shirts that are great for yoga. They’re also available in long-sleeved, men’s, children’s, and dog sizes. I want one (or 4)!