Daily Read: House of Turquoise

Cape Cod, MA

Great Island, RI

Great Island, RI

Great Island, RI

Portland, ME

Portland, ME

SC

SC

SC

CC, MA

CC, MA

CC, MA

I have been waiting in anticipation for a while to post about one of my favorite daily reads, House of Turquoise, by turquoise-lover Erin Moser out of Minnesota.  As a fellow admirer of home decor and also one somewhat turquoise-obsessed, I am constantly bookmarking Erin's posts that feature various homes and design projects across the globe.  She offers some serious inspiration and the oceanic theme is one that always draws me in.  Too much of a good thing is a great thing in this case!

It sure doesn't hurt that a good amount of posts are in New England and/or have that New England influence.  Call me sheltered (no pun intended), but I will swoon over shingled siding any day!  To boot, Erin's Pinterest page welcomes countless visual candy, with a full dose of turquoise, just the way I prefer it to be!

- Meredith

Daily Read: Tuula Vintage

No, Jessica Stein is not a model.  She is a mid-twenties beauty from Australia with a serious case of wanderlust and someone with the best. job. ever.  She left the real estate world in 2010 and started an online visual diary, easy to see why she has built a solid following over the past four years!

Jess travels the world for fashion shoots and documents everything for her blog, Tuula Vintage.  The title was chosen based on the word "wind" in Finnish, which describes her lifestyle as a traveling fashionista.  Her statement is made in designer pieces, and she keeps accessories to a minimum.  I love seeing the various cities and landscapes that she visits. 

 Tuula Vintage feeds my daily case of wanderlust!

- Meredith

all photos from Tuula Vintage

Local Gem: Assembly Row, Somerville

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Boston is a-changin', gals!  As someone who loves watching real estate developments, I find the Assembly Row project in Somerville especially exciting.  Somerville has generally been a place for Bostonians to dabble in trendy restaurants, bars and the arts, but it will soon be a shopping destination!  Avalon Bay Communities has created a "minicity" of sorts for housing, too, complete with an AMC theater steps away from shops and eateries.  I'll be honest, I'm most looking forward to hitting up J.Crew, LOFT, Nike and Saks outlets.  A few years ago, it was just a pipe dream to be able to visit outlet stores without use of a car, but now we have Assembly Row right in our backyard, soon-to-be accessible by T (the efficient Orange Line)!   Store openings are happening this weekend through fall 2014.  Which spot are you most looking forward to visiting?

- Meredith

Walls of Wanderlust

I am always on the hunt for personalized gifts.  Now that wedding season is upon us, I wanted to share one from my list of bookmarked sources.  Today, we spotlight the Etsy storefront, An Inspired Image, out of New Orleans, LA.  The prints offer hundreds of destinations around the globe, both familiar and fantasia. They would be great to highlight one's home town, favorite past travel spot, or a mix of both!  Perfect for a gallery wall, in a collage or standing alone.  Which would you pick?

- Meredith

Boston-Area Whiskey Tastings

Bully Boy // Boston Wine School // Saloon // BCAE

Beer, wine, vodka, we all pick our poison.  Mine is often whiskey.  When Cameron, Suzanne and I saw an invite to a whiskey tasting hosted by a few of our favorite gals (thanks again, Alison and Kate!), we locked down tickets real fast.  The 101 guide by Davis Square's own speakeasy, Saloon, was a great refresher and education.  As lucky as we were to attend this, there are plenty of opportunities to attend something similar in Boston!  

Now, go have a neat time and report back which whiskey is your favorite!

- Meredith

Earn $$$ by Sharing Your Local Gems

Until April 2, Bostonians can earn a $20 credit to Peek by uploading their favorite local destinations onto Triplespot!

Learn more about JUGs approved local gems by following us on Triplespot!

- Cameron

Local Gem: Sweetgreen

If you've ventured down Boylston over the past couple of months, you may have noticed the new lunch spot, Sweetgreen. Sweetgreen is a revolutionary take on fast food - healthy, local, and environmentally friendly. This unique salad spot was started by young entrepreneurs in Washington D.C. and quickly spread up the coast. Sweetgreen is already looking to open its second Boston location (Fort Point District)! And, being the treehugger that I am, I had to check this place out see what all the fuss is about. First, I need to mention, I am not a huge salad person. When it comes down to it, at a typical restaurant I'm always going to order the pizza instead, but the December Salad I got at Sweetgreen is a total GAME CHANGER. I loved it! It was rich, flavorful and filling. 

Unfortunately, it is no longer December, so this salad has already retired. But, I am pumped to try the January Salad:

• organic mesclun 
• shredded kale 
• kimchi 
• apples
• organic carrots
• sesame seeds
•  raw beets
• cucumbers
• topped with miso sesame ginger vinaigrette

Um, yum! I'm also itching to try their take on the cobb salad. In addition to salads, they have some awesome organic iced tea options, which are always changing. And, most importantly, after visiting Sweetgreen, I can confirm that they are really living up to their sustainability commitment. Everything they give customers is compostable. The "landfill" trash receptacle indicates that nothing from Sweetgreen should be placed in there (aka it is for the polystyrene cups from your last Dunkin run).  

Sweetgreen undoubtedly earns our "JUGs Approved" stamp!

- Cameron

JUGs 101 in 1001: Writer's Resolutions for 2014 and beyond

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Yikes, 2014?!  In honor of the new year, we wanted to share our goals with y-o-u!  Once we read Mackenzie's list of 101 goals in 1001 days (almost 3 years), we decided to follow suit in creating our own lists but of course putting a JUGs-like spin on it.  Since there are three of us who make this blog possible, we'll be presenting a list from each of us over the next three days, starting with our collective goals and those from your truly.

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JUGs goals:

• host a party
• obtain a sponsor
• collaborate with at least one of our favorite blogs
• attend another conference (ALT SLC/SF or BlogHer)
• steadily build readership by being on the cutting edge of both design and content
• meet more of Boston's movers and shakers, young entrepreneurs, etc. and feature them in our "Who's That Gal?" column
• feature more guest authors
• take more of our own photography
• become a leading resource for women in Boston
• co-host interesting cultural events around the city
• get to know more of Boston's blogging community

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Personal goals:

• attend a concert at Red Rocks
• take at least two cooking classes
• throw a dinner party (once I learn how to cook!)
• start & maintain a gratitude journal
• "do" Vegas
• make monthly charity donation (January, February)
• purge & donate clothes to fine-tune wardrobe
• be a better listener
• get personal numerology reading (February 2014)
• treat my grandmother to a complimentary day out
• rent a summer house with friends
• throw a surprise party for family member or friend
• vacation in Europe for at least one week
• learn how to curl my hair
• take self-defense class
• celebrate St. Patrick's Day in city other than Boston (March 2014, Chicago!)
• visit a whiskey/bourbon distillery
• attend the Kentucky Derby
• take interior design class
• invest in timeless handbag
• solidify budget I can stick to
• organize childhood photos/keepsakes
• take a trip to the west coast (CA/CO/WA)
• learn how to golf
• become better versed in adobe photoshop
• maintain vacation fund for ongoing wanderlust
• invest in DSLR camera (and learn how to use it!)
• read more often
• continue with real estate classes to complete certificate program
• join at least 2 professional groups to better network with others in my field

- Meredith

Local Gem: Follain

some images courtesy of Boston Eco & Jute Marketing

On Thursday I attended a night of eco beauty hosted by Follain, a new all natural healthy skin care shop in the south end.  Follain recently opened and I've been meaning to check it out for a while, so the eco beauty event was the perfect excuse to finally see what Follain is all about!  Let me tell you, I am OBSESSED! The products are highly curated, non-toxic, locally made cosmetics and toiletries. Plus, the event was a blast, bringing together women from Silent Spring Institute, Sustainable Business Network, Urbanity Dance Studio, The Compact for Safe Cosmetics, Practically Green, and more. We nibbled on bites from Root while discussing toxins found in traditional body washes and lotions. We also had fun sampling Follain's products; I ended up purchasing an aluminum free deodorant. If your beauty routine needs a revamp, I highly suggest checking out Follain, trust me, you'll fall in love. 

- Cameron

Boston Gals Love San Francisco

I've always heard that Bostonians love San Francisco (and vis versa) - so I had to go there myself to check it out. Here are my favorite shots of our Pacific side sister city!

- Cameron

Treasure Hunting at Brimfield Flea Market

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You heard right - the gals who brought you Craigslist Hidden Treasures are currently on the ultimate treasure hunt. We're spending the day scouring for the best vintage finds at Brimfield Flea Market! Keep tuned to see what we end up with.

- Cameron

Local Gem: Wingaersheek Beach

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One of the reasons we love living in Boston is that we have our pick of hundreds of gorgeous beaches at our finger tips. Revere Beach and the M Street Beach in Southie are just a few minutes away, and more glamorous destinations like Block Island,  Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard are only a matter of hours (and more accessible than ever before via the Cape Flyer). But what about something in between - less than an hour away but quieter and cleaner than the T-accessible beaches? My pick is Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester, MA. 

1. Wingaersheek is a perfect getaway since it is less crowded than nearby Good Harbor Beach. Even in 80 degree weather this past Sunday, we got parking at noon with no problem! (Which certainly can't be done at all North Shore beaches).

2. This beach is in a protected inlet, which allows the water to get warm - well, almost warm. 

3. The rocky shore makes for some gorgeous scenery. Don't worry - the beach is covered in super soft sand, the rocks are just pretty to look at and/or climb on. Plus the horizon is framed with the cutest little New England lighthouse. 

4. Got a boat? Or, even better, got a friend with a boat? Boaters can pull right up to the beach and tailgate. fun!

5. The water gets so far out at low tide that sandbars are revealed. Between climbing the rocks, partying with boaters, snapping instagrams of the lighthouse, and swimming out to the sandbar, you'll be able to fill the whole day up without even cracking the spine of your book club book!

6. Have some free time before/after the beach? Downtown Gloucester is an easy 10 minute drive away. I highly suggest going to Sugar Mags for the BEST brunch of your life. 

There are only a few summer weekends left, so pack a beach bag with all necessary beach hair products and go explore the North Shore! (Then you have full permission to watch The Perfect Storm and shout "I've been there!" at every scene.)

- Cameron

Week of June 24

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Good morning gals! Meredith, Suz and I are back in Boston after a  whirlwind weekend in NYC to attend the ALT Summit (lots more on that to come). Now that we've recovered from the weekend, its time to see what's up for the rest of the week.

S T A Y C A T I O N

The forecast is looking hazy, hot, and humid. To avoid my 5th floor sauna of an apartment, I'm considering a few post-work respites including the Mirabella Pool (which opened on Saturday), Singing Beach, or the movies (I'm dying to see This is the End).

N E T W O R K

If you want to do something with a little more substance this week, check out Boston Green Drinks at Pasta Beach on Tuesday evening for some eco-savvy discussion. Or, if environmental awareness isn't quite your cup of tea, maybe you'd be interested in Savvy Social Engage, a lecture and networking event on social media marketing.

N O M , N O M , N O M

Slowly but surely the North End is becoming the coffee capital of Massachusetts. Earlier this year The Thinking Cup opened, then Cobblestone Café, and just a few weeks ago, Bread + Butter opened its doors. I have yet to try the latter, but I've heard their truffles are TDF (to die for).

P O P   C U L T U R E

North West. Ummm....what?!!!!

- Cameron



Night at the Museum: Omni Theater

As a Boston-area kid, I grew up going to the Museum of Science at least once a year. But, as a twenty-something, I realized that somehow it had been about 10 years since I last saw a show at the Mugar Omni Theater! So on Wednesday, a group of gal-friends and I went to see "The Last Reef." In the midst of the Boston Marathon Tragedy investigation, the museum was eerily empty, but it felt good to be out with friends supporting such a great Boston institution.

The Last Reef was fantastic! It featured some truly breathtaking images of the Bikini coral reefs and the odd creatures that live there (our favorites were the sea slugs...so cool!). After learning some fun facts about reef creatures, the movie highlighted some of the major threats to the future of the world's coral reefs - but no worries, it ended with an uplifting message. The best part, Omni tickets are about the same price as a regular movie theater!