Basic Sober Weekend

Hey Babes! I hope your weekends were filled with apple picking, hayrides, and spiced everything. My friends and I did something drastic this weekend. We made a group decision to have a sober (ish) weekend- It's officially fall ladies, having a pumpkin beer or two is a must. 

I have to say, as fun as it is to go to West End Johnnies on a Saturday to hear some live music and dance up a storm, it was AMAZING to wake up on both Saturday and Sunday morning without a hangover. I have found that there are some definite perks to waking up hangover and regret free on the weekends:  

1. I was able to go for a morning run on BOTH Saturday and Sunday - Not that it matters now  that I will be living in cardigans and large sweaters. MUCH LOVE AUTUMN.
2. The brunch waiter's opening line wasn't "Rough night, ladies?"
3. An alcoholic beverage at brunch was merely an option and not a necessity.  
4. Sunglasses were only necessary when I was actually outside in the sunlight. No offense MK and Ashley but sunglasses in the dark just isn't my style. 
5. There wasn't a single sent imessage on my phone that made me wish I had Kris Jenner's PR skills. 

Since we weren't spending our time drinking at night and curing a hangover with a strong dose of Netflix and whining, we had time to do so much! Our Friday night consisted of going to see Black Mass at the Boston Common Movie Theater. FYI, I loved seeing a movie on a Friday night. It was so nice to come home from work and just have to touch up the makeup and leave. Normally, I am in a mad rush to do my hair, pick out an outfit, and put my basic babe face on (I'm in a never ending war with liquid eyeliner- Just once I would love for my eyes to match, ONE TIME!). 

After the movie, a couple of my friends and I went out and had a drink - just one, I promise- at Meadhall in Kendall Square for someone's birthday. BABES, this place was great for a late night drink without the typical bar/party atmosphere. It was super easy to just grab a table and relax. There were lots of food and drink options and lots of young professionals. I highly recommend it.

On Saturday, my girlfriends went apple picking at Cider Hill Farm. I could not attend because I had a family party. However, I have been there before and this orchard has everything you could ask for! If you are looking for a place for some Basic Babe fall activities (and Instagram opportunities), THIS IS THE SPOT. 

The family birthday party I attended was down at Lewis Wharf. So I went down a little early and walked along the water and laid out in the sun at Christopher Columbus Park. This is my FAVORITE park in Boston because you have the Harbor right in front of you and a beautiful view of downtown right behind you. The SnapChat opportunities are endless; I'm talking Snap Story worthy. Please, go down there, take a walk and appreciate the city you live in. It is absolutely stunning.

Sunday, one of my roomies and I had a perfect Boston day. We went to the last home game of the season at Fenway. We could not have asked for better weather and we had such good seats we actually sat and watched the entire game (I'm talking no selfies ladies).  Most importantly, we got our last hot dogs of the season - I'll see ya next year Frank! 

After we were done being sporty and cute at the game, we went to Primark downtown. Being the Boston Basic Babes you are, I am sure most of you are familiar with this new store at Downtown Crossing. If you aren't GO CHECK IT OUT NOW! - You don't even need to finish reading this post, just go.

They have great staple clothes and sweaters for SUPER cheap. I was able to get three pairs of pants, three tanks, and four sweaters for just around $100. A lot of their stuff isn't exactly my style but for the must have basics, this place is great.

The moral of the story - go out and drink your vodka sodas as much as your basic heart desires. When that rare weekend comes along that you are not feeling that scene, take advantage of your energy. Remember Babes, this city has way more to offer than booze and bars. I suggest you go out and have yourself a day (or two!). If nothing else, do it for the gram :) Until next time Babes.


Xo Whitney

Hump Day

Hey Babes- Happy Hump Day! I know, the past two days have been rough and, if you are anything like me, they went something like this: 

• You spent Monday recovering from the weekend whilst day dreaming about being Amy Schumer’s BFF. I like to think we would spend the day together walking and gossiping along the Esplanade and then she would tell me jokes as I drift into peaceful sleep.
• Then on Tuesday, you woke up and thought it was Thursday: until you got to work, found out it was Tuesday, and became overwhelmed by a feeling of disappointment that you haven’t experienced since finding out that Jen and Ben are no more (I mean, it’s the end of an era).

To be fair, I was feeling a little under the weather on Monday so day dreaming and losing all sense of time is acceptable. So I spent the night on the couch watching Real Housewives of Orange County - Tamra, you are a POET- and reading Mindy Kaling's new book Why Not Me? 

I highly recommend this book. It is hilarious and Mindy is such a BABE. She is the perfect example of a woman who is unique and successful with just the right amount of basic woven in there to make her relatable to all of us Triple B's. It is a must read. So take some advice from Nike and Just Do It!

OH! For those of you who asked, this nail polish is OPI Magala Wine (Mmm, Pinot Noir please). It is the perfect color for the beginning of fall, a nice dark burgundy to wrap around that latte. PSA: This was three coats of polish. One is way too light, two will do, but three is as perfect as well-timed Clueless reference.

ANYWHO. Yesterday I woke up and felt 100x better so I decided to take my own advice and not just come home and sit in the apartment after work. I ran some errands and stopped in Second TIme Around in Coolidge Corner to look for some fall booties. Babes- they have some great designer shoes for CHEAP. I do not have too much pride to save a buck or two on cute shoes and neither should you. After a bit more shopping, I took myself out to dinner.   

And by take myself out to dinner, I went to Clover in Kendall Square (if you want to find someone to buy me a thirty dollar dinner, by all means, do it) and got a delicious eggplant and egg sandwich and hibiscus ice tea (mostly because it matched my wine nails). Clover is amazing because all the ingredients are super fresh, it is a healthy option, and it is SO fast. Clover knows that Basic Babes love good food but we have places places to go and things to do. RESPECT. Seriously though, go there, it's delicious when you need some quick fuel. 


After dinner, I went home and filtered the above picture- what else would a Basic Babe do while digesting her healthy meal? And then, like a good Babe, I went for a nighttime run along the Charles. I know, running is hard and you can't take selfies while you do it (trust me, I have tried) but staying active is so essential for a happy body and mind. FYI- there will be many blog posts in the future about being happy and healthy. Honestly though, who could not want to run into this view?

Until next time Babes,

Xo Whitney

The Basic Babe

Hey Babes! Welcome to the Boston Basic, where you can learn how to really do Boston. This city has so much to offer, especially for the 20 something ladies who are looking to have the time of their lives.

As you may have noticed (because you are observant AF), this blog is for my Triple B's, the Basic Boston Babes. ATTENTION: WE ARE NOT BASIC BITCHES..most of the time. Yes, we do possess many of the classic "basic bitch" qualities:

• Brunch is an essential ritual for even the most uneventful of weekends: Do you really need an excuse to build your own Bloody Mary at Met Back Bay? No you don’t, I’ll take a tiny cheeseburger on top of mine. PLEASE & THANKS.
• Starbucks consumption will dramatically increase in the Fall: I don’t know why a Starbucks cup compliments my infinity scarf so well, but it does.
• Leggings are as essential to an oversized sweater as vodka is to soda (Can I get an extra lime PLEASE?).

But we are not Basic Bitches, we are Basic Babes. What's the difference? Let's distinguish:

1.     First and foremost, we are not bitches. 

Just because we enjoy the Real Housewives of.. well anywhere, taking selfies while pretending to watch the sox game at Fenway Park, and the other popular trends of our generation doesn't mean we have to accept this term. We are classy and sassy women who know what they like. Confidence, intelligence, and decisiveness are qualities of a BABE. Some may accept the Basic Bitch label, but a true Babe knows better.

2.     A Basic Bitch accepts being common; A Basic Babe embraces the qualities that make her unique.

Everyone has special qualities that set them apart from other people. Those are the qualities that will get you places in life. Whether we are talking school, work, or relationships - your uniqueness is only a GOOD thing. If you embrace it, so will others.

3.     A Basic Bitch is predictable; A Basic Babe mixes it up. DISCLAIMER: This is something I am working on myself; it is hard to snap out of the comfortable routine.

Most of us get stuck in the Monday through Friday wake up and grab a caffeinated beverage, complain about work/school for eight hours, go home, force yourself to go for that run along the Charles, go to bed routine. This generally ends with slipping on a pair wedges for a night (or two) out on the weekends (MORE LIME PLEASE) and ending up with a moral hangover on Sunday - we will talk about the Sunday Senti's at a later date. A Basic Bitch might accept this as her fate but a Basic Babe will do what she can to mix it up. There is too much to enjoy in Boston and the world to settle for the same scene week after week.

OK so I will get off my soapbox now and I promise the rest of these posts won't be preachy. We are going to enjoy Boston together and embrace our inner Triple B.  Until next time Babes.

Xo Whitney