Dec 13

Dec 13 All the Ways, in 8 Days, to Treat YoShelf on Hanukkah

Hi Shelfie Friends! Happy Hanukkah & Holidays! How is the season treating you? Is your level of enthusiasm most like Elf when he sees Santa at the mall? Or do you identify more with Clark Griswold when he receives his Jelly of the Month club membership? No matter your mood, it's never too late to treat yourself or yourShelf. With a list of my favorite things going live during Hanukkah, I'm providing you with ways to waste time alone on the internet discovering new Instagram feeds, source gift ideas for you and your loved ones and even learn all about Shelfie's Guilty Pleasures.

Read on!

DAYS 1 & 2: Discover New Instagram Feeds

*Photos used in this post came directly from each user's IG account*

Dec 13, 2017

@dripaffogatobar

Dec 13, 2017

Beautiful design and coffee with ice-cream. Is there more to life? No. There is not. This is the only place I cared about visiting when I went to New Orleans in 2016. The girls who own the place are super friendly & humble which was helpful when I came in like a kid in a candy shop ready to eat everything and take photos for hours.

Dec 13, 2017

@karst.stonepaper

Dec 13, 2017

Waterproof paper made from stone paper. Environmentally friendly paper and aesthetically pleasing feed.

Dec 13, 2017

@regularvisitors

Dec 13, 2017

In Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, Regular Visitors is part coffee shop, part homewares store, part newsstand and 100% beautiful. I stumbled on this place when leaving a client's home one day and now am a regular visitor ;)

Dec 13, 2017

@foreignrooftops

Dec 13, 2017

Stunning pics of decor and travel.

Dec 13, 2017

@usedyorkcity

Dec 13, 2017

Jessica is the NYC blogger and author responsible for this eclectic feed. Basically, she trollops around the city with her family discovering all the awesome things to do and then writes about it. She's cool.

Dec 13, 2017

@fromtheathleteskitchen

Dec 13, 2017

Allison is one of the editors for the Instagram account @thefeedfeed and also an "amateur athlete" so she says, but whatever, I've seen that girl run. She's an outstanding cook (I know this from experience) and her feed provides you with stunning photos of her creations alongside delicious and healthy recipes.

Dec 13, 2017

@street_art_nation

Dec 13, 2017

A very creative Detroit native with a beautiful mind (and face, might I add) takes photos of street art mainly in Detroit, Miami, New York & Israel - and she nails it.

Dec 13, 2017

@turquoisejeepmusic

Dec 13, 2017

I once went out with a guy obsessed with this band. He was not wrong for it. This group makes hilarious rap songs and @realflyntfloss has sweet dance moves.

Dec 13, 2017

@laurasumrak

Dec 13, 2017

Mom & photographer with cozy pics for days.

Dec 13, 2017

@designhistory

Dec 13, 2017

Clothing brand specializing in effortless cashmere.

Dec 13, 2017

@fisher.graphicartist

Dec 13, 2017

This New Yorker has insane drawing skills.

Dec 13, 2017

DAYS 3 & 4: Get YourShelf a Life...Plant life!

Treat Yoshelf to flowers!

Get YourShelf a Life...Plant Life!

I LOVE flowers and plants! And lucky me, I can grab them right downstairs at the bodega anytime I want. And while people generally get in the plant spirit during the summer months, I like to make sure I continue doing so well into the freezing below freezing weather. It helps keep my apartment bright and literally, full of life.

For plants - my favorite is called Mother-in-Law's Tongue (aka the Snake plant) and is very easy to care for. I water it twice a month and keep it in indirect sunlight. If I can keep it alive, anyone can! Tomorrow, take a moment and stop off at any market, bodega or flower shop and pick-up a bouquet for yourself! I PROMISE it will make you feel good!

Go On! Get yourShelf a life...get it?!

Holiday Decor

This is the extent of my holiday decor. Simple, elegant and full of life! Yay for flowers!

Plant Life

Sharing a little more plant life love from Shelfie Headquarters. I love this kind of succulent - it is super easy to take care of.

DAYS 5 & 6: Treat YoShelf to "Gelty" Pleasures

Guilty Pleasures

Dec 16, 2017

Shelfie's "Gelty" Pleasures

Dec 16, 2017

Whether you love watching a trashy show on Bravo or divulging into some serious cheese, make sure you embrace your guilty pleasures often. Those are the little things in life that make us feel good and in today’s world, we need a whole lot of it. Read on to learn about Shelfie’s Gelty pleasures.

Dec 16, 2017

Cheese Samples at the Amish Market

Dec 16, 2017

I live above a food market that provides an endless amount of cheese samples daily. I spend more time than what you might consider appropriate in the aisle, sampling. While some people find food samples that sit out all day long disgusting, I'm a big fan for a few reasons. 1) I'm going out on a limb here but no one ever died from sampling food. Sure, people get sick from germs but I ride the subway multiple times a day so my immune system can handle a few cheese samples. 2) I’m being economical here. Why would I pay for one type of cheese when I can have multiple kinds for free? It’s a no brainer. 3) I visit the Amish Market at least 4-6 times a week . I’ve earned as many samples as I damn well please. They should be paying me to eat those samples. Go out and treat yoshelf to some free food samples at your favorite market. Those samples were meant to be eaten.

*UPDATE*

THE AMISH MARKET DID AWAY WITH CHEESE SAMPLES AND I’D BET MY MONEY IT’S BECAUSE I WAS EATING ALL OF THEM. NO SHAME. NO REGRETS. YOLO.

Dec 16, 2017

Let Loose - Create a Homemade Music Video

Dec 16, 2017

Creating a music video is one of my favorite ways to let loose and release any built up stress I might have. In general, listening to music and dancing around the home is a fun and free way to squeeze in some exercise but recording myself means I can share it with my friends and family and make them laugh. Most of the time, my music videos are unplanned. When I hear a good song, it gives me a burst of energy and in no time, my phone is set-up in video mode, I’ve got on an old Halloween wig and I’m having the time of my life. Try it out and watch mine here. This is a video I created for my friend on her birthday and she returned the favor!

Dec 16, 2017

Too Old to Date Podcast

Dec 16, 2017

The Too Old to Date podcast is basically spoken chick-lit in short story form told from the male perspective. The scripted show dives deep into the world of online dating and takes you on little dating “field trips” with two single guys in their thirties living in New York City. The two main characters, Brad and Mike (also the founders of the show), get into sticky situations, some, if not all of which, are based on real life stories - either their own or stories told to them. The show also has a quirky narrator whose voice I quite enjoy. Too Old to Date is funny and highly entertaining. The acting is mostly terrible but if you can stand it, I recommend taking a listen. Fun fact, I went to Hebrew School with Brad which makes the podcast that much more hilarious for me. In any case, I find that podcasts help me turn my brain off at night when trying to fall asleep. Too Old to Date is less than 25 minutes long and knocks me out before the end each time ;) Take a listen!

Dec 16, 2017

Ali Wong on Repeat

Dec 16, 2017

If you haven’t watched Ali Wong Baby Cobra on Netflix, you haven’t lived. I was basically finishing her sentences the very first time I saw it. And now, she is mostly on my TV at all hours of the day when I am home. If I am in the apartment, so is Ali Wong.

Dec 16, 2017

The Free Form Channel

Dec 16, 2017

Formerly known as ABC Family. The Fosters. Done and Done. (You can watch on Netflix)

Dec 16, 2017

DAYS 7 & 8: Treat YoShelf to Shelfie's Favorite Home Decor Products!

All the ways, Home Decor, hanukkah

Leather Mouse Pad from Koncept

Handmade from real Italian leather, this simple mouse pad is ergonomic so I avoid hand cramping on days when I sit at my desk for hours. The color is chic and subtle and of course my favorite part about this is that the seller engraves it for you!

BONUS! GET 10% OFF YOUR PURCHASE WHEN YOU BUY ONE OF THESE AWESOME MOUSE PADS WITH CODE: shelfie

-Good thru 1/20/18

-one use per customer

-10% off mouse pads in 6 colors

Matchbox from The Granite

This little guy is one of my favorite purchases this year. I’d been looking for a sleek matchbox for a few months so when I came across this beauty in a boutique in Williamsburg, I knew I had to have it. Black & White always wins for home decor in my book. Make sure you buy strike anywhere matches (not strike on box).

Buy it here.

Socks Slippers from Costco

My toes get real cold, real fast in the winter but thanks to my Lamb Chop's Play Along Socks/Slippers hybrid from Costco (that’s what I call them, anyway), frozen toes begone! The slippers keep my feet warmer than any other pair of thick socks I own and have non-slip grippers on the bottom. Genius. For $13, you get a pack of two (the other pair are solid pink). The moment I posted this image to Instagram, I received several messages about how adorable they are and a few of my friends (and their moms) went to Costco right away to purchase their own pair. These slippers are absolutely my favorite purchase this season.

Mug from Perks of Aurora

I’m a huge advocate for humor in the home and Perks of Aurora nails it. She places the most hilarious and memorable quotes from movies, television shows and pop culture onto mugs and other products. My Jimmy Fallon Mug is my favorite piece of glassware I own.

Buy it here.

Pottery from Franca NYC

Once you click over to this website, you’ll be down the rabbit hole because Franca NYC’s pottery is mesmerizing. The sleek pots and vases are so minimal & modern. I love using them as storage for small items. Score! I keep change in the bowl shaped piece pictured in the first photo in this line -up. I must mention these pieces are also quite durable! I accidentally knocked the black vase off a shelf and it fell 8ft and only a tiny piece chipped! Well made wins in my book! I met this designer at the Renegade Craft Fair a few years back and have been following her products ever since. I am a HUGE FAN.

Buy it here.

Cozy Blankets by Mayamueble

While I don’t own one of these bad boys (yet), I am completely obsessed with the wool blankets from Mayamueble. Each one is handmade in Guatemala and El Salvador making every item one-of-a-kind. This brand stands out to me because they go beyond the typical chunky knit blanket I see everywhere. Simple & stylish patterns keep each blanket modern and clean looking. And of course, neutral colors ( Black, White, Gray) match my apartment’s color scheme so I can keep it on my couch all year round.

Buy it here.

Candles by Square Trade Goods

Every holiday season without fail, I’m on the hunt for the coziest scents around. Luckily, the Renegade Craft Fair takes place just before Thanksgiving here in NYC and I always find high-quality, hand crafted candles that last me for months on end. This year, the brands Square Trade Goods & Falling Into Place exceeded my expectations. The candles burn for hours on end and smell orgasmic. Another plus, they actually fill the room with their aromas. Nothing worse than spending money on a candle that can fill the rooms with its scent! My favorites are Big Sur from Square Trade Goods and Mistletoe & Vanilla Amber from Falling into Place.