Shutdown and a New Reality!

 The entire world shutdown at the end of March, as I am sure you are aware. At first we were all in disbelief and fear of the unknown, then we moved into boredom and depression. This blog fell by the wayside as well, since there was no where I was going and nothing exciting I was doing. Now mind you, I cannot truly say I have in fact been locked down entirely for the past 3 months because if you think a true Italian family is still not seeing each other regardless what any governor says, then you just don't know...

If you had told me earlier this year that I would spend a months watching a documentary about a gay man who raised tigers and setting my phone to remind me of governor updates daily, I would've absolutely thought you were insane though. That is exactly where it went at first though....

Dante started taking extra naps with less to bark at....

Coco got to the point she was so tired of Netflix that she took over the remote....

It wasn't all just "Tiger King" and "Wine with Dewine" though... I also learned the luxury of deliveries! What a time saver this proved to be... and it may just be something that stays long after the pandemic is gone. Groceries now came right to the door, as well as, all those heavy items from Sam's Club through Instacart (use link or code: ASTONE3B41DC to sign up and save $10) and dinner could arrive in minutes from Door Dash (use link to get $10 off each of your first 3 orders). Even the wine began to be delivered right to my door to make those governor updates more tolerable.... Splash wines never let me down and was not a monthly club... you order as you want with fast delivery.

It wasn't just food items though. I decided to branch out even more and try a stylist service and some makeup subscriptions as well as a cleaning supply services. So first I tried StitchFix (use link for a $25 credit) looking for more stylish clothes to lounge in. I absolutely fell in love with this service and was amazed how well the clothes actually fit. How is it that I could actually be in a store and find nothing that fir but someone who never saw me could ship something to me that fit like a glove?

I also fell in love with Mrs. Meyers cleaning products and how the scents changed from season to season. I signed up for Grove.co (use link to get a free starter set with order) and never looked back. I found many other wonderful products through them as well that became household staples such as the Paw Sense Pet Deodorizer and their wrinkle release spray. 

From there I moved on to also trying some make up subscription boxes as well... well actually, I think I tried them all if I am being honest. Ipsy proved to be too much with its small samples and a new makeup bag every month. Really how many cosmetic bags does a gal need and if you did like the product, you had to track it down elsewhere to get a full size. I also tried Birch Box, which proved a little better. The sample were more like travel sized and if you like the product it could be bought from their site. If you are looking for more of a full-sized subscription, Boxy Charm (use link for credits towards your order) is a good subscription with an online store as well. My favorite of all I tried though actually was a lesser known box called Singles Swag (use link for $15 off). I think the best part about Singles Swag is that it is not just limited to makeup. The monthly box typically includes a mix of makeup, an inspirational book, and a trial snack. Having these books in hand, I did read more the past few months despite the overuse of Netflix. And with all those makeup trials, I think I may also have finally captured the perfect "relaxed on the couch natural look" selfie!

What have you discovered so far in this pandemic lockdown? What is getting you through it?