Hello all and happy *almost* Halloween!!
Since tomorrow is Halloween and I’ll be busy between work and birthday festivities, I wanted to share 24 things that make me smile in honor of my 24th birthday! It’s the perfect time to focus on the positive and allows you all to get to know me better. Here are 24 things that bring me joy:
- Planning – I’m obsessed with planning out fun activities and things to do weeks or months in advance. There’s nothing I love more than looking forward to the future!
- Spending quality time – no matter how brief – with my family and close friends. It could be as simple as sitting by a fireplace drinking tea and catching up, but hanging out with my loved ones is so incredibly rejuvenating and always brings a smile to my face.
- Seeing a new museum exhibit – I’m a huge museum nerd, so I get so excited about new exhibits opening and showcases of my favorite artists. I’m also always open to discovering new artists I’ve never heard of before by wandering through larger museums – I never know what I’ll find!
- Surprise Treats – nothing beats your friend bringing you an extra cupcake or snagging some homemade cookies a coworker baked on a whim. Sweet, savory, salty, I love all delicious surprises!
- Puppies, kittens, bunnies, piglets, chinchillas, etc…basically any animal makes me smile (bonus points if it’s a baby or elderly one!)
- Starting a new project I feel drawn to and passionate about. The excitement and anticipation for starting something new is such a beautiful feeling.
- Receiving that “your package has been delivered” email.
- Girl power and bonding – women supporting women always gives me the warm and fuzzies. I went to an all girls school, so I love being surrounded by strong women and inspired by the work they do.
- Successfully completing a task early and to the best of your abilities – so satisfying!
- Cheese and Pasta – I could probably eat this for dinner every night and be perfectly content.
- Any form of Italian or French food – my family’s favorites!
- Traveling to new places – wanderlust has been hitting me hard these past few years. This may be a product of going to a remote, small college in upstate New York for four years where I barely left campus. Now, I’m trying to take advantage of living in a city with easy access to so many states I’ve never been to!
- Visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art (my absolute fave) – I would live there if I could!
- Getting hooked on a new book immediately
- Trying out a new restaurant
- Going to the movies by myself (I’m a “no interruptions” movie watcher)
- Visiting the Renwick Gallery (my DC fave)
- Red velvet cupcakes – I do love cupcakes in general, but there’s some about a perfectly done red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting that gets me every time.
- Completing a hard workout #strongisbeautiful
- Reading my horoscope at the end of the day and finding out it aligned exactly ( for more about my zodiac sign and what it means to me, check out this blog post!)
- Truffle mac n cheese…and truffle risotto…and really anything infused with truffles
- Drawing and painting (I miss taking art classes) – I love a creative release.
- Getting gifts for my family and friends (I tend to shop months in advance)
- Making someone else smile – nothing beats brightening someone’s day, whether they’re a stranger or your best friend! I don’t care how cheesy it is, for me it’s true!
Top: Similar, same brand // Skirt: Modcloth // Pumpkin: Yayoi Kusama at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
I hope that reading through this list has given you all better insight into who I am and what I love. I want to get better at connecting through this platform, so thank you for being a part of this journey!
XOXO
Parisa
Opals & Obsessions 