My Winter Weather Essentials

Syracuse is really, really cold. The current temperature is -6 degrees Fahrenheit, but -22 degrees if you include the windchill. Students jokingly refer to Syracuse as the "tundra," but I don't think the reference is much of a joke. Going to school in the cold can be a struggle. But no matter how numb my legs get walking across campus, or how many times I bruise my butt by tripping on the ice-covered sidewalks (true story), I really do love my school and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Here are a few of my cold weather essentials to get me through the frigid Syracuse winter:

Warm clothes

I practically live in my obnoxiously chunky knee-length jacket, snow boots, and chunky scarves. If I don't bundle up to an absurd degree, my body literally stings from the cold. A closet full of oversized sweaters and cardigans doesn't hurt either.

(Here are similar pieces to my winter ensemble in the pictures: jacket, scarf, boots. I'm also obsessed with my warm knit hat.)

Soothing moisturizers

Face lotion, hand lotion, body lotion... you can never have enough moisturizer to fight the dry, flaky, itchy skin that inevitably accompanies cold weather and overpowered heaters. My lotions of choice are Suave Smoothing with Cocoa Butter & Shea Body Lotion for my body and Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture with sunscreen SPF15 for my face. I love the luxurious scents of the Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works lotions, but the additives for the scents make my dry skin burn. I also always have a Burt's Bees lip balm on hand.

Hydrating hair products

To bring back some moisture and shine to dry hair, I use Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner. OGX Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum is also incredible – it creates shine that doesn't look oily.

Relaxing candles

I know a lot of bloggers and YouTubers swear by the Bath & Body Works candles, but I prefer Yankee Candle. I find that the scent is stronger and the candle burns for a longer time. My favorite scents this winter are Cinnamon Stick and Vanilla Cupcake.

A hearty supply of coffee and tea

As a caffeine addict, trust me when I say cup of joe is always ten times more tempting in chilly weather. This year, I've been loving Tim Hortons K-Cups for my Keurig. I also like Donut-Shop Coffee. Tea isn't my caffeinated drink of choice, but I'll occasionally opt for a mug of English Breakfast tea with almond milk.

Netflix, books, magazines, and anything else that will keep you occupied inside

When I don't have class, I sometimes can't bring myself to brace the negative temperatures outside. My lazy days are spent catching up on TV shows (The Vampire Diaries and Grey's Anatomy), working on my blog, and reading my favorite magazines.

What are your winter weather essentials?

Three Years My Valentine

Valentine's Day may be a cheesy holiday made for consumer purposes, but I'm admittedly a sucker for the cheesiness. Dates just seem so much more special and romantic when they have a purpose.

This year was my third Valentine's Day with Jake, and although the night had some delays, I couldn't have been happier. Syracuse naturally had a huge snow storm right before we left for dinner, so it took us a half hour instead of 10 minutes to get to the restaurant. My poor car isn't made for the Syracuse snow – the wheels kept skidding across the road and the brakes were practically useless. More than once we got stuck on a snow-covered hill and had to reverse back down and try another route. Let me tell you, reversing down a snowy, hilly road lined with cars while your own car won't get traction isn't fun.

Our dinner, though, was pretty awesome. Jake and I went to the Cheesecake Factory two years in a row now; we love the tasty dinner and relatively cheap prices. I got the popular Chicken Madeira and Jake got a burger. Of course, we had to get cheesecake for dessert, which we finished off for breakfast the next morning. No shame! I got caramel cheesecake and Jake chose Oreo.

After dinner, we went to a grocery store and bought a shovel because my puny car couldn't conjure enough power to get up my driveway, even with revving the engine on full force. Luckily Jake was a good sport and shoveled the driveway in his dress shoes and pants. The rest of the night, we did what we do best: Netflix!

Here's what I've learned after three Valentine's Day celebrations with Jake:

1. Don't go to to Cheesecake Factory at 6 p.m. on Valentine's Day or you'll wait four hours for a table. If you go at 10 p.m., you'll still have a half hour wait. Apparently everyone's hungry for some cheesecake.
2. If you DO decide to go somewhere with a line, bring a snack so you don't get hangry. Trust me on this one. Nothing ruins the mood like a crazy hangry girlfriend.
3. Leftover cheesecake makes a great breakfast.
4. Chocolate is a sweet gift, but not as thoughtful as popcorn and a movie.
5. If a boy shovels your driveway in a suit coat and dress shoes, he's a keeper.
6. Take lots of pictures, and dress up if you want. Valentine's Day rolls around once a year.

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!

What I'm Loving

College has taken control of my life. Classes, homework, extracurriculars, campus magazines, job applications, social life... I've been stretched thin over the last few weeks. I decided to start a series here on Meet Me in Midtown in order to motivate myself to post more, in spite of my hectic schedule. The series is called "What I'm Loving" and will basically showcase my favorite finds every two weeks. Let's get started...

What I'm Loving

Avocados: Of course I have to become obsessed with avocados when they aren't even in season, but the fruit really adds to a lot of my favorite dishes. I've been making guacamole and even putting avocado on grilled chicken.

Podcasts: I just discovered podcasts and I'm hooked. After a friends' recommendation, I started listening to Serial, which is a crime story told through 12 different episodes. The podcast really grabbed my attention and keeps me entertain during my brutal walk to class, which leaves me to...

Snow (kind of): Living in Central New York has its downfalls, like today's predicted temperature of -22 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrr. My legs get numb just walking to class. However, if it's going to be -22 degrees, there might as well be a pretty layer of snow on the ground, right?

Chunky scarfs: Chunky scarfs are functional in Syracuse's freezing temperatures but they also look cute with a sweater and jeans or leggings.

Valentine's Day: Jake and I are going to the Cheesecake Factory!

Here are some links from around the web:

My Favorite Links:

I'm making this Philly Cheese Steak recipe for dinner tonight.

Not all advertisements are evil. These are some of the most powerful I've seen. 

Love this black and brown purse from Tignanello.

An interesting and well-written article from The New Yorker about life in the nineties.

Have you seen pictures of the Kanye West x adidas fashion show? Or Anna Wintour's reaction to a crying North West?

I need a good pair of snow boots, like these from the North Face

A dupe for Panera mac n' cheese? Yes, please!


Have a great weekend and a nice Valentine's Day, filled with chocolate and love!