The Better Homemade Chocolate Syrup

 Ever since I was in pre-school, my drink of choice has always been an ice cold glass of chocolate milk (on the rocks and preferably with a bendy straw). A lot has changed since those days of velcro sneakers and mandated nap times: sandboxes aren’t as appealing, and my pallet may be a tad more refined, but my chocolate-milk love remains. The average Joe may think Hershey’s chocolate syrup and some milk is all you need, but a real connoisseur, like myself, knows that homemade syrup is the way to go.

The Better Book Club: After I Do

For the longest time, I held off of making After I Do a book club choice. For one, I have already chosen a Taylor Reid novel, and secondly, I was worried that some people would think, “Clearly Monique is doing this because she’s a friend of Taylor.” But then I remembered one very crucial fact: this is my blog and I can do whatever the hell I want to! *Throws confetti in the air*

I think I’m so in love with this novel because it’s a more representational of reality than most of the pastel-cover novels on my shelf. As much as I love a good meet-cute and a well-timed declaration of love, After I Do is a romance novel about falling out of love rather than into it. Not even going to lie: it felt nice to read this on Valentine’s day and tell myself “See! Love is terrible!”  But the next day when I picked it up again, I realized that was not the lesson Taylor is trying to teach us. It’s more about committing to the fight for love once the googly eyes you have for someone settles back into your head. Also, I’m a sucker for any book/movie/tv show where the heroine learns she’s stronger than she initially thought (cue girl power music). I highly recommend After I Do, and I’m not one to lie about my opinions of books (just ask my freshman year English teacher who received a detailed essay about my deep hatred for The Odyssey). 

The Better Bedroom Inspiration For My New York Apartment

Lately, I’ve been spending hours on Pinterest and home decor websites lustily eyeing furniture, bedding, and home accents. Both my sister and I are gearing up to move into an apartment together, and I can hardly wait. I’ve spent the last three years in super cramped dorm rooms, and I am just itching to get out and live in a grown-up apartment. I know not to expect opulently spacious quarters since New York real estate is outrageously expensive. But, all the apartments we’ve looked at will give me a bit more room to move and the option to have a queen size bed (what I’m most excited about). Here are some of the rooms that have been providing me with inspiration as I figure out my style and aesthetic.