Author

Ashli

MY LETTER TO MOMMA DEBS

hey pretty lady! can you believe you just put up with me in a foreign country for 10 days? you deserve a medal! in fact, you deserve a medal for far more than that. it always blows my mind (and everyone else’s!) that we have the same exact birthday – wild right? i know i wasn’t in your original life plan – and call me biased – but i’m pretty happy you decided to keep me around 😉

we’ve had quite the standard mother-daughter relationship where it makes me want to have some little girls of my own to cuddle up to and relate to and be bffs with but also makes me want to only have boys after what i put you through growing up! girls in their teens, man. i was no exception!

it was really when i went away to college that we became so close – you always made sure that we could talk to you about anything without judgment, and it’s pretty awesome to know we can. whether its about dating, or work, or friends, you’ve been the coolest mom making it possible for us to talk about anything with you – even things you “aren’t supposed to tell your mom”. that doesn’t exist here, and i love that about us! sometimes it surprises my friends what i tell you and what i can share with you, but i feel like, if you can’t tell your mom – who can you tell!?! what happens when you try something weird at a party?! or freak out like a psycho on your ex in public!??! you call yo’ mama, thats what! (i haven’t done those things though they’re just like…examples…anyway….)

the past couple years have been the definition of the quote “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making plans” and although life plans have shifted and changed, you’ve been more of a trooper rolling with the punches than i could be, that’s for sure. to be honest, i was nervous but curious to see how you would take so many changes but you do so with a smile on your face and an optimistic attitude! it shows us kids (who are hardly kids anymore!) that no matter what happens, no matter when in you’re life, all you can control is yourself. and moreso- all that matters is that you keep laughing!

every community you’ve been in feels your overwhelming giving spirit – whether its the parish you’re involved in, the professional environment you work in or your social group, throughout my whole life i’ve had people pulling me aside and telling me how much my mom has done for them. the best part is knowing you don’t do these things for accolades, you do it because you feel for others in a way i wish i had in me, but i hope i’ve picked up on.

you are adventure, you are optimism, and you are giving – and for all of that, i’m so happy i could show my thankfulness to you by taking you on this trip with me for my 30th birthday, making you laugh hysterically and seeing the wonder in your eyes as you touch another part of this world. you’re like a little kid with your curiosity (and obsession with trees!!!!), wanting to know and touch and learn about everything you see and this trip has been an absolute blast!!!

if someone had told me when i was younger that we would be on this trip together and that our lives would look like they do now, i wouldn’t believe them, but i wouldn’t change any of it at all. i’m so lucky to have you as a Mom …and all my friends are lucky to have you as their Momma Debs! thank you for letting me continually embarrass you through life, and i promise never to let you down.

not even now.

because i know all the times you peed your pants in public. don’t forget that.

LOVE YOU BYEEEEEE

April 15, 2018 0 comment

DEEP-ish THOUGHTS

30 Flirty and Thriving

it has arrived. the apparently “dreaded” end of my 20’s. the decade where i had my first legal drink, my first serious relationships, my first serious heartbreak, interned in NYC, graduated from college, moved to NYC, moved into my apartment, got a job, got a boyfriend, switched jobs, ….switched boyfriends, switched hair colors to brown, switched it back to blonde, welcomed two nephews and a niece into my life, watched my sister get married, saw my team win the world series, visited a massive list of cities and countries, started a blog, started a podcast, stopped a podcast, restarted the blog…and here we are!

please enjoy this collage of memories, bad hair styles, poor fashion choices and 20 pounds lighter.

i am honestly the last person to be turned off by this next decade, honestly. think of all that happened in the past 10 years of your own life and how much more great there is to come! this decade is going to be a huge one. who knows? maybe i leave New York – i’ve always said i won’t be here forever. maybe i have babies. maybe i don’t. maybe i have 14.35 more relationships. maybe i have 1. i love not knowing whats coming, but still having a say in how your life goes.

i’ll always be the one who chooses something that is a little less comfortable so it teaches me a lesson.

i love being someone who wants to be put outside her comfort zone to see a different way of life.

i enjoy traveling and trying new foods and living new places and meeting new people and i know there’s only more of that to come in my 30s. what better way to prove all of this than by looking around Rome with my mom (WHO HAS THE SAME BIRTHDAY – HAPPY BDAY MOMMAASIIITTTAAAA) on a crazy trip meeting insanely cool and different people …. and already planning the next adventure?

BRING IT ON 30

i’m ready for ya. kinda need a nap, but ready nonetheless.

here’s to the best decade yet xx

cheers friends, and thank you so much for your support! i love you all, except my cousin Melissa.

April 14, 2018 0 comment

EUROPE TRAVEL

Packing List: 10 Days in Italy!

AHHH i can’t believe my trip to Italy is NEXT WEEK!!! for those of you who know me, i started planning this trip a YEAR ago to surprise my mom. little background – my mom and i have the same birthday (i know, crazy) and this year is my 30th birthday! and it is…not her 30th 🙂 (got you mom). i knew last year that i wanted to do something awesome with my main gal so i told her that i wanted to SURPRISE her with a trip ANYWHERE in the world. she was hesitant and honestly…not feelin my fun spontaneous idea. i love the excitement of the unknown so this was right up my alley, but to each their own and she didn’t like the idea of being surprised.
SO. i told her i would compromise. she could choose 3 locations in the world, and of those 3, i would surprise her with one! that works right? that way she could be involved in the decision making, she would know that it’s a place she truly wants to see as well, and also i got to have the fun of surprising her.

the next task was figuring out which 3 locations she wanted to narrow down to. my sweet precious tiny little fit-in-your-pocket goofy little mommasita didn’t think so internationally as i was hoping and chose 3 places within the 50 states that i felt were…meh. OK THEY WERE FINE and great places to visit but cmon woman i gave you the WORLD to choose from! and this is my 30th! “let’s think bigger!!!” i said to her. and her response (knowing this was my treat to her) was “well i’d love to go to Italy but i’m not going to do that because it’d be so expensive!!” and she completely forgot about it. my brain instantly thought – oh i’m making this work.

i allowed her to keep thinking it might be a cruise or whatever else she selected and didn’t tell ANYONE what the surprise destination was so it would be kept sacred. the only one i told was my sister who is an iron safe for secrets, she’s amazing. i told good ol Momma Debs (as she’s known by my friends) to mark her calender for 11 days a year later in April because i was taking us somewhere special.and guess what? ….she didn’t believe me. she didnt think we were really going anywhere REGARDLESS of the fact that i consistently reminded her that something amazing was coming and to keep saving for it! (i’ll write a whole post about planning a big trip, how to afford it, etc. so don’t worry!!)long story short, come Christmas, i surprised her with a gift and a letter and a full itinerary showing her that we were going to Italy for our birthday and she was SHOCKED. i’ve never seen someone that surprised before! i think she still doesnt believe me to be honest…

ALL OF THIS TO SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN PLANNING THIS TRIP FOR A YEAR AND I CAN’T BELIEVE ITS FINALLY NEXT WEEK LIKE WHAT OMG DO I HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.if you saw this itinerary, or if you know me, you’d know i’m a straight up…psycho path. i’m a type A planner to the absolute maximum and have every day planned, even if we’re doing nothing at all that day. if i’m that crazy about my itinerary, you can bet i’m a crazy person about my wardrobe too! i’m so not a typical fashion gal when it comes to packing – i HATE over packing. i want to only bring exactly what i’m wearing. if you, like me, have a big trip coming up and want some tips on how to make it easier, look no further! i got you boo.

This is literally what I’m packing for Italy!! Only a few things are different because the one’s I have are old and not available to purchase anymore, but you can trust me here since these are literally going into my suitcase. Hope this helps!

1. Pick a color scheme

You’ll see below that I have a very clear “color scheme” – blue, light pink and white. These are the colors I just naturally gravitate towards anyway – plus, there were pieces i specifically want to wear in Italy so maybe that helped me make my decision. Everything can be interchangeable too – the sweater with any of the bottoms (jeans, pants, skirt – even over a sweater!), my jacket will go with any option, the shoes are interchangeable with any dress, part of pants – its all about mixing and matching!!

2. No more than 2 of something

You’ll notice – 2 pants, 2 tops, two shoes – i do have three dresses but one is fancy, one is casual and one kinda swings both ways so that’s how i justify that 😉 do i want to bring my ripped jeans? sure! but it’s excessive and unnecessary. If i were to add to this at all, I may add a second tee shirt in maybe a grey, a more dressy blouse/shirt option, and for any other place (that isn’t entirely made up of cobblestone!) i’d definitely have a pair of basic tan heels too. Maybe a crossbody option… again necessary? Maybe not. A lot of this can fluctuate based on your plans though!

3. Prep to be warm + cold

I’m planning for 60 degree weather with chilly mornings in some locales and highs of 72 in other cities (since we are going to multiple stops!). I’ll probably always keep the sweater with me to throw on with any of these outfits, even the dresses! it will just look like a pretty skirt 😉 My point is, make sure you’re ready for anything, even a beach vacay needs a warm cozy top just in case!!!

4. Consider your destination

A little bit different than the weather, I say “consider your destination” more so for reasons of the demographics you’ll be around, the culture you’re visiting, etc. so you’re remaining respectful of another culture. For example, Italy is covered with incredibly beautiful cathedrals, churches, holy places, etc. and my mom wants to see them all – rightfully so! This is how i made the decision between my true blue jeans and my ripped jeans – I can’t wear the ripped jeans into any of the churches, so what’s the point? Also, if you visit places like the UAE, it’s offensive for women not to cover from their shoulders to knees. Make America Great Again hats aren’t the biggest hit in NYC. Family cruises may not be the place for a thong swimsuit. Things to consider, ya know?

5. Comfort + style

Finally, make sure you like what you’re packing!! That’s the biggest key to packing small – if you like everything you are packing, you can mix and match it and you like what you packed, you’ll have no problem making it work perfectly. Plus you don’t want to be tugging on your tops or making weird faces because your jeans are uncomfortable in all your travel pics, right?! Right. Definitely don’t risk comfort for fashion and i know this is coming from me, but you’ll remember the vacation for longer than you’ll live it so keep that in mind. You don’t want to remember the first time you saw Vatican City as the time you had to leave because you had blisters that made you cry. (thus, my Keds!!!)

DID THIS HELP?? I sure hope so. Bookmark this page, email it to yourself, print it and put it in your filing cabinet (hahaha) and enjoy for your next trip abroad. Follow along with me starting next Friday for my trip updates!!

Love you all

xx Ashli

March 28, 2018 0 comment

MUST HAVE

Getting into the #SpiritofSummer w/ Malibu Rum

**this post was sponsored, but please know that i only partner with brands that i support, i personally like and truly believe you would enjoy as well. the last thing you can expect me to be is fake, ain’t nobody got time fo’that xx like – the snow? again? really? it’s a bit much at this point considering its March and almost April and the snow is RILLY comin down outside. no its fine really we’ll just live in continous winter for the rest of our lives.

OKAY I’M BEING RUDE but i’m just so excited for warmer weather and sun and rooftops and delicious cocktails, etc. but thankfully, we can bring summer cocktails TO US! Malibu Rum reached out about their new campaign celebrating the Spirit of Summer and what better way to describe Malibu Rum right? because of bad immature decisions of my past, Malibu normally just reminds me of sophomore year in college and kool aid but i said – ya know what? i’m a big girl ish now, maybe it’s time to class it up with the ol ‘Bu (yes thats short for Malibu in my mind) and make a big girl cocktail right?

well what did i have around? almond milk, maple syrup, and my Malibu Rum and the inner chef i have made me feel like this truly could go one of two ways – either just horrifically gross, or splendidly beautiful. and HOLYYYYY wow the cocktail i conjured up was DELICIOUS. i wish i had this through the winter so i could have a little fun indoor summery cocktail to make it through the frigid cold.

*NOTE: if you added kahlua, baileys, disaronno- one of those – to this drink, that would be such a killer addition. in case this wasnt ENOUGH alcohol, ya know. ENJOY BABES.

COCONUT ALMOND COCKTAIL

Print This

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 2 mins Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

2 cups Almond Milk (unsweetened)
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
6 oz (6 shots) Malibu Original Coconut Rum
*Optional* Honey + Shredded Coconut

Instructions

First and foremost, take a shot with yourself of the Malbu Original Coconut Rum to put yourself in the #spiritofsummer
If you have time, freeze some almond milk ice cubes so that when your ice melts, your drink isn’t as watery! i love doing this (especially for coffee – best way to amp up some iced coffee – but we’re neither here nor there right now)
Put your ice cubes – boring or flavored – into a pitcher of your choosing and add in your ingredients all at once (no particular order).
Mix to your hearts content!
Dip the rim of your glasses in honey and then dip them into the shredded coconut. You can also use corn syrup to dip, but I always like the idea of using honey a little more…
Pour your new delicious cocktail into the glasses and enjoy the EVERLASTING LONGEST countdown to spring that i’ve ever experienced!!

We will get there -but until then, i’ll be mixing up summer drinks with Malibu Rum to keep me in the #spiritofsummer !! loveyoumeanitkbyeletsalltakeanap

March 22, 2018 0 comment

DEEP-ish THOUGHTS FASHION PERSONAL STYLE

Make Knoxville an Adventure

HAPPY THURSDAYYYYYYYY ish. Is it? I hope so. Anyway, if you follow me on any social media, you know that it took me 900,000 hours and a couple glasses of wine to get from NYC to Atlanta last weekend – what should normally be a simple 3+ hour direct flight, ya know? so what happened you ask? WELL LET ME TELL YOU because it was an adventure, it taught me things, and better than anything else, brought me to new places, like the beloved and faraway place of Knoxville Tennessee.

we’ll get there. first things first. I had this trip planned since January – it was a “reward trip” lets call it that I had planned with someone else as a congrats for us making it through sober January … even though I wasn’t perfect (don’t worry I made up for the lost days in Feb!!). Why Atlanta? I still don’t know to be honest – could’ve been that I love the city, that it’s equidistant to us both, that the fried chicken is just that good that I would for shurrr get on a plane for it any point, but all of that to say – I was SO EXCITED FOR THIS TRIP. so there I am, Thursday in my office, the day before I leave for Atlanta counting down til 7am when my plane would take off – when everyone started getting Emergency Weather Alert emails, including mine from Delta. nothing says “panic mode” like receiving an email from your airline that you can change your flight for free due to “inclement weather”. JOY. if I were going anywhere else at any other time with any other person, I would’ve said “mehhhh, i’ll chance it and if I have to cancel, I cancel”. WASNT HAPPENING THIS TIME. did I mention the fried chicken?!?!so I had to make a game time decision, with the help of my Delta Customer Service Rep Gary of course – do I fly out Thursday night to some surrounding random city but dodge the storm –or– keep my Friday morning flight, chance it and potentially risk my weekend cancelled. WELL I DECIDED ADVENTURE WAS CALLING so I ran out of work immediately, showered and packed a bag and went straight to the airport because I booked the next flight out to the closest possible city I could find to Atlanta = Knoxville TN. of…all…places….

the original plan was to fly out of NYC, land in Knoxville around 11pm and take a 4-hour 6am bus to Atlanta. but then the question was, what do I do between 11pm and 6am!?!? well – I put out some feelers and lo’ and behold, my sister had a friend who lived in Knoxville who GRACIOUSLY let me crash on her blow up mattress for the few hours I was in town WITH HER DOGS SLEEPING WITH ME. I MEAN CAN YOU THINK OF A BETTER OPTION!! I almost slept on the floor of an AIRPORT for goodness sake!

so fly to Knoxville I did, I slept (ish) and went directly to ATL first thing in the morning, and the rest is history … or a future blog post (minus the bus breaking down but it was so traumatizing i just have to tell myself it didnt happen). what I loved is that the whole situation was HYSTERICAL to me and felt really fun. there was something about navigating the twists of turns that made it exciting and great and honestly — who am I to complain about cancelled flights and a place to sleep in a city I’ve never been to all while heading to another great city with an awesome person?! it was worth the hassle and remembering that everything can be an adventure was the most perfect lesson and reminder that i needed. also, now I need to really visit Knoxville. anyone want to join?

xx Ashli

March 8, 2018 0 comment

DEEP-ish THOUGHTS PERSONAL STYLE

Roots

“roots” = a scary word for a blonde inciting the nervousness that is having a pay a few hundred dollars every 6-8 weeks to keep up the appearance that you’re not a brunette. why do I do this to myself? sorry this is not the point of this blog.

i moved to NYC with a life i very strongly felt rooted in:

I was a Pollard, which meant i had a close knit massive family of inviting warm hysterical aunts/uncles/cousins/siblings etc. with parents and a family home i grew up in and that was who i was – a Pollard.
I was also an Ajemian, my mom’s family with strong and proud Armenian roots that I’ve always felt passionately connected to – as the Armenians are a people with a history i cherish, especially as close to home as it is.
I was an ambitious and hard worker – always having multiple jobs through college as well as an internship and full time student hours, involved in community organizations and social groups. I loved being busy, I knew my career path and I was laser focused on making My DrEaMs CoMe TruE. moving to New York was a clear part of that plan.

once i moved here, my life took on other “branches” let’s say, just for the sake of this metaphor:

I met someone and we fell in love and were together for a few years, 3 i guess. He taught me so much about myself (being older than me…much older actually), about experiences he’d had, about what i wanted, how to communicate, how to be in a strong happy relationship. We had our ups and downs but we were a place that felt stable and consistent and lucky.
I met new friends, my city friends, and we became inseparable – always at happy hour, brunch, and any free event we could find in the city to maximize our dwindling bank accounts. We were our home away from home, each others “rock”. Accepting, loving, and I was thankful for that.

then 2015 happened and decided to punch me in the face. not metaphorically, literally. ok fine metaphorically…nobody punched me in the face, don’t worry.

i woke up January 1st with all of the above perfectly in place and tucked away in it’s neat little compartments exactly as they should be. Come April, every one of those identifying factors would have changed in my life.

I lost my job – the fashion industry is a tough place right now and it’s impossible to know if you have job stability anymore. being on of the most recent hires, I was one of the 20 people who sadly had to go. No more job.

My close sister-like friend and I had a falling out over what we deemed as necessary or good in regards to how people treat each other in a friendship. She felt I should be acting a certain way, I completely disagree. We went our separate ways. No more close friend.

My then-boyfriend had moved to Philly for family reasons and it made us have difficult talks about us and our future together, one that didn’t seem so sure anymore as I wanted “kids” to be an option in my future whereas for him it was a hard no. So we ended abruptly and didn’t speak again for years. No more boyfriend.

The biggest one was the announcement that my parents separated, or announced a divorce, i don’t remember the process to be honest.. In order to spare their personal lives on the internet, I won’t get into the details. But this one tore me apart the most, and quite honestly was most shocking. Seeing other friends’ parents getting divorced, I had thought about what I would do in the same situation and I always came back to the thought of “well if they want to be happy, they should have that right” – a thought that still rings true in my mind, but that doesn’t always ring the same in how someone feels. and I felt shattered. Maybe it was how it all went down or maybe it was the fact that it actually did that changed my perspective on it , but I felt like I lost a major part of my life. I felt like I had “no more family”.

All of this loss and change happening in a 3 month period to someone nearing their 27th birthday can really rock someone to their core. I needed to catch a break, I needed something stable. I had my apartment and quite honestly, probably became the homebody I now am because it was my consistent in this whole transition. A proverbial tornado had come through my little world and uprooted all the anchors that I had in my life.

I couldn’t classify myself as part of the unit that was our little family because it didn’t exist anymore. I didn’t have my job. I lost one of my best friends. I wasn’t “his” girlfriend anymore. What are you when you lose all of the things in life that you feel all of your connection to? I have never felt so lost in my life, so confused, so alone. Thankfully never suicidal, but definitely depressed. And I was always the stable unemotional one so I didn’t feel like I was allowed to be anything strong and unaffected, but whattttt a façade that was. Simply, I was a fucking mess.

I didn’t resort to drugs, or sleeping around, i probably drank a little more than i should but to be honest i still do that and i’m a happy functioning adult so that’s probably never going to change much sorry mom. I don’t think I really did this because I knew at the time that I needed to re-create my own foundation, but moreso that I needed a distraction, but that’s when I really threw myself back into work ( i thankfully found a job very quickly) and soon later this blog/my podcast (RIP). Looking back, it was the best coping mechanism – the creation of my own outlet. First it started as social media where I found i’m fascinated by how people interact on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter, the differentiations of them all, how to create engaging content and creative stories and I found that i love that tool of marketing – and still do. I love to share, I love to create, both things that have made my blog and podcast so successful.

Throwing myself into these channels after losing the “tree” of what I once was allowed me to re-plant and re-grow. I was forced to ask myself “who is Ashli when she’s not a part of this family unit, when she’s not his girlfriend, when her friends change, and when she isn’t defined by her career?” A necessary question and one that maybe we should all ask ourselves to get to the core of you’re TrUe SeLf. God I hate corny things like that. but really, i challenge you to ask the same things. Who are you if you woke up tomorrow and lost everything external you tie yourself to?I am a goofball. I’m an oversharer. I love connecting with people. I like to hear peoples stories. I LOVE FOOD. Cooking is my happy place. I live in organized chaos. I would eat carnitas tacos and cinnamon sugar donuts every day for the rest of my life if i had to pick one thing..or i guess two. I truly believe you can laugh your way through everything. Communication is key for me. I believe genuine apologies show strength and character, never weakness. I am sooo in love with my college friends. Travel is vital to my happiness. and sometimes it’s better for everything to rain at once than to sprinkle it through a lifetime. Losing it all felt horrific and … honestly i can’t put it into words. But i’m thankful for the opportunity it gave me to figure out who i am without those things, because who knows if i would have otherwise.

Love you all

xx Ashli

March 1, 2018 0 comment

FASHION PERSONAL STYLE

A Lesson on Control

If you had asked me a year ago about what I viewed were my strengths and weaknesses in a relationship, I would’ve easily and openly said one of my weaknesses is that I tend to be controlling. Or attempt to be controlling that is – if you think about it, a person labelled as “controlling” isn’t necessarily successful with their attempt to dictate a situation; they’re moreso attempting to do so. For instance, I’m someone who feels passionately about people that i fall for and when that (rarely) happens, I’ll do a lot to make something work.

Now there’s nothing wrong with working on or fighting to make a relationship work but a fine line exists between believing and supporting something and attempting to manipulate the situation as a whole– a line I only learned existed last year.

As with most things, I was in a relationship that strictly didn’t work for a number of reasons, mainly that he wasn’t someone who was able to give to a relationship what you should. Call it timing, call it differences, I didn’t care and I was determined not to let it go, and this is where control comes in. The honest truth (that I knew deep down) was that we were two puzzle pieces that just didn’t fit, and instead of gracefully accepting that and moving forward with my life to find a different puzzle piece, I wanted to curve my edges and bend him so that we could fit together. This is not “working through a relationship” – this is forcing one to work that doesn’t. We all do this with something in our lives, it’s inevitable I think because it’s an important lesson to learn.

A year ish later, and as life will have it, I find myself in a situation where I feel that same strong passionate excited feeling as I’ve felt before, but thankfully without the need to dictate the future and a better sense of how to let go of what I cant control. I’ll be honest, I’ve continually been surprised at myself with my ability to step back and say to myself “that’s out of my hands”. The obsessing has stopped, the worry has stopped, the need to have an OVERLY active hand in my life dissipated. Being someone who is so type A as I am, I like to think I am able to say “this is how this should be and this is how I want it to be and I will make it happen because that’s what I do”. This works very well professionally, not so much in relationships – of any kind.

I’ve learned my lesson. I’ve learned that sometimes if you let things pass or let something you’re CoNviNcEd is the “RIGHT” thing unfold naturally, you’re most often brought to something better and more fulfilling. I’m happy I learned this lesson, not all lessons stick … at least with me… but it’s a good one, guys. Sometimes we all just need a reminder – the best things often come out of nowhere and when/where you least expect them. Let things happen, let jobs/people/opportunities come and go as they do and focus on the only thing that you CAN control: yourself.

I pride myself on being an eternal optimist but what’s funny is that a little pessimism actually helped me out in this lesson: no matter what you do, whether you let life happen or try to play puppeteer in your life, people leave or hurt you or things fall apart or they don’t and people stay and they love you and your relationships grow and grow. Knowing that either will happen – and no matter the outcome you’ll be totally fine, is (I think) what helped this settle in my head. Whatever choices, whatever actions another human being chooses or does is actually totally out of our control.

So be you, react to situations in a way of “is this who I want to be?” and know that regardless of what comes into your life, you’ll be just fine. Let life or God or the universe or whatever you believe/don’t believe in happen and guide you. You’re awesome and you’re doing just fine.

Thanks for reading, love you all, except my cousin Melissa cause she thinks my little cousins like her more than me which is clearly not the case but follow her on twitter cause she’s funny. K BYE.

xx Ashli

February 16, 2018 0 comment

MUST HAVE PERSONAL STYLE

Borrowed from the Boys | Wooden Watches

as i look around my apartment, with my floor lamp in the kitchen area because my ceiling light burnt out and i cant reach to change the light bulbs, i realize there are clearly many plus sides to having a man around in life. sure, my toilet seat is always down and i can get dressed in the morning without any side eye glances from someone who just doesn’t *get* fashion, but there are parts to a serious committed relationship that aren’t lost on me – parts i do love. the two that stand out the most? making memories with someone and -of course- stealing their closet 😉 the fun part of a true and serious relationship is building up the “us” bond – checking off destinations on a bucket list, trying things for the first time together, meshing lives…it’s exciting! and if you’re a gift giver like i am, i love to document these moments and chronicle them with a little special something. it could be a memento from a gift shop that made us laugh that you sneak away to buy and remember. it could be collecting all the wine corks of nights that mean something special and writing the date on the end to hold on for a long time. maybe it’s as simple as treating them to a nice gift with some engraving on the back for Valentines Day, like with this gorgeous dark wooden watch from Jord – a way to elevate your mans style while leaving a romantic little note engraved on the back.not only is a nice sleek watch something that your man should own and love, but supporting Jord watches also supports small business – which means a lot to me coming from a small business family myself (my parents owned their own company for 25 years!). they reached out to me with a great Valentines Day opportunity AND A CONNNTTTEEESSSSTTTTT (that says contest)(more on that later) and i thought – what a cool way to support a small business from the city of St Louis where i’m from? the wooden watch i got was this gorgeous men’s watch and i can’t wait to gift this baby to a particular love interest in the life of Ashli Pollard 🙂ok. back to the discounts and fun stuff!! it’s actually easy thank goodness, because what’s worse than a contest that has you flyin all over the internet? well the people at Jord Watches are gems and made this easy. click here, fill out the form and BOOM – yer done. just for entering you get a 10% off code so i guess we’re all winners here! my Valentines Day contest ends Feb 19th, if your name is chosen you get $100 off the watch of your choice – which to me, just means $100 for you to go shopping with and you buy your man a new watch! or buy yourself a new watch and spend the $100 at Sephora like a real grown up.

enjoy your Valentine’s Day week (i’m convinced it’s a thing!) and buy something for you boo that says “i’d like to pinch your butt for a few more years” and is also something you can steal for yourself because this one’s definitely a keeper…and by that, i mean the watch *wink*

ALRIGHT. i’m off to buy light bulbs. BYE.

Luxury Wooden Watch

February 12, 2018 0 comment

FASHION PERSONAL STYLE

My Take on Valentine’s Day

WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR FINE ASS SELF. my guy can sit his ass at home while i go out, to dinner or to cocktails with my fave gal pals because – let’s be honest – we see our partners eNOUGH as it is and i really would love to spend some more quality time with my girlfriends, preferably ending the night with a slurry speech along the lines of “IJUSTLUVYOULIKESOMUCHHHHH” and then falling. can we say ADIOS sober January or what?

no really, i get that sometimes someone needs a date night out with their man, especially if you have kids or have gotten into a funk of some sort. i just feel like…and i’m sorry guys…but its so CLICHE to do it on Valentines Day!!! and if you need a night with your man, I’m sure you DEFINITELY need a night with your girls.

so here you go with 3 different ideas, scenarios and outfits for you to CELEBRATE and then take your man out next week because everyone needs a gal pal laugh fest infused with too much wine and a little bit of gossip. get yourself some, lady.

SCENARIO 1: JUST ONE DRINK GUYS, IT’S WEDNESDAY AND I HAVE A 5AM WORKOUT

we all have been there or know the gal who works toooo hard. WELL KNOCK IT OFF, FRIEND and go have an Old Fashioned or a tequila+soda or a Riesling for all i care (please don’t have a Riesling) and kick your stiletto heels up for a second to laugh with your friends and share stories to remind yourself you’re a real person. give YO’SELF some of that self love and big hugs to your friends who miss you.

and fine, maybe one drink will turn into that typical “5 drinks later” kind of night where your snapchat needs to be FULLY deleted in the morning, but whatever. skip the gym for once, you deserve a fun night out. plus there might be a cute guy out – get his number, get your flirt on, have some fun!

SCENARIO 2: THE KIND OF GIRL’S DINNER WHERE YOU ORDER 2 OF WHATEVER THE F***YOU WANT

you know the dinners. truffle fries? 2 please. oysters? make it 24. white or red? why not both! brussel sprouts? pancetta mac n cheese? tuna tartare? CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. the reservations for 6:30 but you’re crazy to believe you’ll be outta there by 11pm. you need the full scoop on your friends crazy dating life, your friend needs to vent about her insane boss, you need to over analyze your exes new girlfriend on social media together (that’s what friends are for right?) and laugh about all the fun you’ve had together as friends.

who says you have to look cute for a guy?! put on your flirty skirt, your pretty in pink sweater, and doll yourself up for your lady friends because isn’t date night just an excuse to wear a cute outfit anyway?….plus then you can post an outfit pic together on Instagram and get a flirtatious text from that guy you’re talking to that he hopes you’re having a great night and you think “i totally am!” and you realize you have the best of both worlds.

SCENARIO 3: TWO SHOTS OF JAMESON AND LET’S TURN UP THE SELENA GOMEZ

…whatever, pick your poison, i’m a j-mo girl myself. WE ALL NEED A RANDOM WEDNESDAY YOU KNOW. okay maybe you save it for Saturday, but why not have a Galentines Day celebration by shakin your patootie on a dancefloor somewhere, holdin hands w your bestie, shouting absurdly loud to Chainsmokers like the basic ass betch you are, and having a night where you really just don’t give an eff about anything, but laughing to good music with your friends.

couple things here:

1 please remember to drink water in between each of those shots (i’m talkin to you, self).

2 TURN. OFF. YOUR. CELL. exes stay in the past, not your inbox.

3 punch anyone in the face says Selena Gomez doesn’t make a top notch hit cause you know you love her too

THOSE ARE THE ONLY RULES. also, these aren’t normally the nights you want to meet a guy, lets be honest. i don’t know about you but when i’m out with my friends, i am NOT to be bothered by some guy who wants to interrupt my PRECIOUS girl time by trying to ease in and chat. ALSO 3 shots deep isn’t necessarily the best decision making state of mind SO let’s stay in the dance circle or by the bar with your gal pals ordering another round w credit card roulette.

MY POINT IS, my friends, that if you want a special night with yo’ boo, save it. i just can’t with the cliché valentines days anymore. go see your girlfriends, which we all need just as much in life and maybe kick out the trifecta: go after work for “just one drink” then enjoy hours of dinner and laughing which HAPPENS to end up being a many-shots kind of night out dancing. ALL IN ONE. YOU CAN DO IT.

just don’t blame your hangover Thursday on me, i’ll probably be ordering in Chinese food watching movies with my besties anyway, in which case, just wear this.

xx love you mean it

February 10, 2018 0 comment

DEEP-ish THOUGHTS

My Month of Self Love

is it me or does December feel like it’s 4 seconds long and January feels like it’s 19 weeks? so here we are, 19 weeks later and we’ve got FEBRUARRYYYY. THE MONTH OF LOVE. of VALENTINE’s DAY CARDS. and CHOCOLATE. and DINNER DATES.

……and pressure. and fights. and gross names like smoochybearloverkins. okay fine, Valentine’s Day is pretty much the worst but i still feel like there are ways we can celebrate some looooove in the air. why not spend some extra time this month giving you some solid self love? i assure you that you need it. know how i know? cause you’re human. and we’re all overworked and somewhat in debt and never really doing everything right. WHICH IS FINE. so let’s make this the month we go back to basics and give ourselves some hugs for once.

i mean, cmon, we just came off of the holiday season when we all spend a littttttle too much time with family, a littttle too much time justifying our life choices, and sometimes a litttttle too much time feeling lonely. what better time than grand ol February to remind yourself that *also* are super deserving of some TLC too, right? i mean look at you, you’re the coolest??

and noooo this isn’t some single girls plea to tell you that you DoOoOnT nEeD a MaN to love yourself. self love needs to be practiced by all – i would say ESPECIALLY those in long term serious relationships or marriages because it’s so easy to forget to take time for yourself. so no matter your relationship status, sexual orientation, or dollar amount in your bank account, i love you all the same. so stay tuned for some of my favorites way of #selflove and make sure to incorporate some of these into your life.

CAUSE YOU DESERVE IT BOO.

just remember, we’re all just doin the best we can.

love you all

xx Ashli

February 4, 2018 0 comment

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