My Everyday Wears

We all have those everyday items we wear, out of necessity or pure joy - sometimes both! Here is a compilation of my everyday items that I just love, love, love. Some, are items that I need, like body lotion for example. Others, are constant reminders of the people, places, and things I cherish most. What are your everyday wears? Click all images below to shop direct. xo RCN

One piece of jewelry that I wear everyday, brings a constant reminder of how lucky I am to have such a wonderful husband. Zach gifted me this beautiful pair of diamond stud earrings on the morning of our wedding day. I will never forget when Z's cousin, Caleigh, popped into the hair salon and handed me a beautiful little bag topped with a fresh cut lily. Inside, were these stunning diamonds. I have been wearing them as my go to earring everyday, ever since.

I wear lipstick, if not every day, almost every day. I do not wear it to the beach, the gym, or if I wake up and have absolutely no-one to see or nowhere to go that day. Otherwise, I wear it A LOT! My most favorite brand is Chanel. My favorite color is rouge red. I am known to fall asleep with lipstick on and I usually spread it on the pillow case, whoops! For the times I do not wear lipstick, I am always wearing Sun Bum lip balm. 

I am a huge fan of new trendy and/or vintage gold costume jewelry. For Christmas Z gave me a "Z" initial ring from Chloe, which ironically doubles as an "N". I had been wanting a "Z" or "Zachary" ring ever since I was forced to destroy a similar ring, years ago. I had an allergic reaction to a spider bite in the middle of the night and had to cut my Zachary ring off with pliers! This one is just as great and I have been wearing it every day since December 25th.

I am not big on concealer, but I do like the outcome of the natural look I achieve by using Bare Minerals bronzer. Most days I apply a minimum amount of bronzer, only on my cheeks and a bit down my nose and across my forehead/hairline. When dressing for formal occasions I apply the foundation, then bronzer, and finish with the finishing powder for a more professional and complete look. This is the only face makeup I have ever used and it gives a wonderful, natural glow, without a thick application or unfortunate breakout results. You can shop online direct or stop in Ulta to get the perfect match for your skin color.

True story: I have lost a pair of Raybans in Paris, the first day I wore them (pink lenses). I found a pair in Berlin (solid black). I lost a pair in South Africa, I think? (green lenses). I left a pair in Big Sur (the ones I found in Berlin). I am 1-3. Luckily, I still own and possess three more pairs. I wear them often and currently my favorite pair is the classic Aviator, gold frames with orange flash lenses. They sit in a NYC dish besides our front door, where I put them on most mornings before walking Ethel. Wish me luck. My goal is to never lose a pair again.

One of the best trips Z and I ever went on, was a safari trip in South Africa. I have always had a passion for wildlife, but this trip made my heart love even more. Adventuring in a private game reserve and a National park opened my eyes and taught me even more about conservation efforts, contributing to research, and providing support for many endangered species. Though, a small and affordable item, these bead coalition bracelets are a wonderful piece I wear daily that often brings about conversation with other people. It has been a great way to spread awareness about the animals we love and how they need our help the most.

I have mentioned Sun Bum before, and that is because I use it everyday. Not only do I use the aloe lotion with cocoa butter after every shower, but I use the hair shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen (spray & lotion) as well as the many flavors of lip balm - Key Lime is my newest. I am a huge fan of coconut scents. If you also like coconut, then I recommend Sun Bum become part of your beauty regime, like mine!

For my 30th birthday my Mom and Dad gave me a Pisces necklace. It is very dainty and small and is a perfect backdrop to other jewelry I wear upon occasion. The necklace is from Anthropologie, same as the Cancer necklace pictured above, but it is no longer available. Asos.com has many horoscope and zodiac necklaces that are quite similar. Link will bring you there!

Nike Tempo running shorts are the one and only type of shorts I wear to run and go to the gym. I also wear them to bed most nights and wake up in them, brush my teeth and take Ethel outside for a walk every morning. If you live in Miami Beach, and see a blonde in bright Nike shorts, every morning, walking with a very loud dachshund, that's me! I have many pairs, in many patterns and color combinations. All have been purchased from the Nike store, Nike Outlet, or Dick's Sporting Goods. The built in underwear is my favorite feature - sooo comfortable! ;)

Homesick

I often get texts and messages mentioning how amazing it must be to live in Miami and how wonderful my life appears. True: the appearance is an accurate representation of my life. Everything I post is real and beautiful. I have many blessings, but after all, no one has a perfect life. Of course, there is always a behind the scenes. Even though my palm tree picture may look gorgeous, it doesn't mean that day was nearly close to being one of the best days of my life. Quite frankly, it may have been closer to the worst day.

Sometimes, I get pretty lonely being in Miami Beach. When I think about all my family and friends in NY, NJ and elsewhere, it can be tough. When I want to see my sisters or parents, not just talk over the phone, it really bums me out. Especially, when things aren't going quite so great and I need a hug or a shoulder to cry on. When things aren't going so hot for my loved ones, I want to be the shoulder to cry on. The simple every day things or weekly things that I often never thought twice about, have now left a vacancy in my life that is evident now that they are gone. Man, I even just really miss going to Wednesday Wing Night at our favorite NYC bar with our double date besties. I hate feeling left out of parties and other life events that Zach and I just can't make it to, either because it's tough getting a dog watcher or it's too last minute to hop on a plane. It can get expensive going back and forth a lot.

However, I will say, that if you ever do leave your hometown, count on lots of visitors if you move to a sunny beach town, like Miami. That is the bonus in all of this. We may not make it back to the city or Jersey as often as we would like, but we have had lots of visitors since we moved last April. It keeps us busy on the weekends and keeps me happy enough to not want to move back to NY, just yet ;) We enjoy exploring with family and friends when they come to visit us, or stop through town on business and other trips. This past week alone, we have had multiple visitors. It means the world to me that so many people have kept us company and taken the trip down, just to spend time with us in our new home.

Though, come Thursday, when the last visitor leaves and my only bestie that lives in Miami will head out of town to visit her family back in California, I can't help, but know I will likely have a pang of loneliness again, because I have the homesick bug. Who can relate, any tips to help? xo RCN

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

Zach loves chicken pot pie, so I figured since yesterday was my food shopping day, I would get the ingredients to make the latest and greatest pot pie recipe I have seen. That would be Kate Lee's recipe I discovered in the Food Network magazine a couple months ago. I was a little nervous at first to undertake this recipe for dinner last night - as it was only yesterday afternoon I decided to make it. It turned out to not be too difficult and nothing super fancy involved ingredient or direction wise. The recipe notes it takes 2 hours and 10 minutes...took me more like 2 hours and 40 minutes, but I was Insta snapping all along the way, which added some time. After all, I am not an expert, but with following directions I completed this recipe and both Zach and I loved it. Two thumbs up! xo RCN

Ingredients: Recipe yields 4

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 sheet puff pastry (I used Pillsbury), thawed as the label directs

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

3 sprigs thyme, plus 1 tablespoon chopped leaves

2 bay leaves

1 large onion, quartered

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed (I used frozen thawed chopped onion)

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 cup sliced white mushrooms

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup milk

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

FOR CRUST & CHICKEN: Sprinkle a little flour on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Roll out crust on parchment paper to about 12 inches square. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to prep for baking.

Combine the chicken broth, peppercorns, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and quartered onion in a large pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Then add the chicken breasts to the pot.

Increase the heat and return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve. You'll need 2 1/2 cups for the filling; reserve the rest for another use. When the chicken is cool to the touch, cut it into bite-size chunks and set aside.

FILLING: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pearl onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes then add peas and mushrooms, cook for another five minutes. Stir in 5 tablespoons flour and cook, stirring, 1 more minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the chicken and chopped thyme; season with salt and pepper.

FORM PIES: Set out four 2-cup ovenproof bowls or ramekins. Transfer the pastry to a floured surface. Using a paring knife, cut out 4 rounds of dough that are slightly larger than the mouth of the bowls.

Place the bowls on a baking sheet and spoon in the filling. Place 1 dough round on each pot pie, pressing the pastry against the side of the bowl to seal. Brush the dough with the beaten egg. Cut a slit or X across the center of the dough to vent. Bake until the pastry is puffed and dark golden brown, about 35 minutes.