Find of the Day: The Must-Have Mesh Top ($40.50)

Alright guys, if today's find looks familiar, it's because I wore it to Kusama a while back - click here if you missed the post and want to see pics of a kickass art exhibition.  I know it's pricier than my normal find, but it's seriously worth every penny.  For $40 (originally $58), you're getting a bamf top that you'll get crazy wear out of.  It's made of partially-lined mesh so I recommend wearing it with a bralette like I did below.

Another cool feature includes split-sides!  In addition to wearing this with pants, you can pair it with a dress and cuff the sleeves for a cool summery look.  If it's cold where you're at, simply throw on a sweater on top for a badass layering effect.  Made of 100% polyester, this piece fits true to size!  I got a US size 4, and it fits me perfectly.  Available for purchase here online at Asos!

Now onto my bag!  I don't know if you guys remember, but I shared my NY recap with y'all here a few weeks ago - click here for part 1 and here for part 2.  I mentioned that I stopped by Violet Ray's showroom and picked up a few goodies to feature soooo here's bag no. 2!  I styled bag no. 1 here not too long ago.

I'm obsessed with mini-everything right now - the last VR piece I showcased was an adorable backpack as well.  I really can't recommend them enough - their pieces ooze quality, and just LOOK at how adorable the detailing is.  I mean, there's a freakin' hashtag keychain - how cute is that? Available in stores at Ross for those of you interested.

Top:  Asos ($40.50) || Bralette:  Gentle Fawn || Pants:  Kohl's || Bag:  Violet Ray || Shoes:  Guilty Shoes

Photos shot by the amazing Sung Shin.

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The Perfect Top for Summer + Wit & Wisdom's Patio Party Recap

I'm all about pretty tops so this was a done deal right from the getgo.  Marled's been a fave brand of mine for quite some time now so I'm beyond stoked to feature them on SS.  I'm not sure if you guys remember, but I actually styled one of their pieces a while back - clicky here if you missed it!  The brand was founded in 2015 by Reunited Clothing, and I've been obsessed ever since.  Their garb oozes femininity and class so if you're a fan of all things chic and elegant, you'll fall head over heels in love with their designs.

I kept things simple for today's OOTD by pairing my new top with jeans and animal print pumps.  I wanted my sleeves to take centerstage so I skipped jewelry altogether.  I did, however, carry my new YSL crossbody!  I purchased it online at Neiman when they were offering peeps a $600 gift card for spending "x" amount of money. I also had credit + cash saved up so I decided to treat myself since it IS my birthday month, ha. 

If you're a fan of statement sleeves, you'll love...

Top:  Marled || Shoes:  Saks Off 5th (splurge vs. save) || Jeans:  Aeropostale || Bag:  YSL

A HUGE thanks to the amazing Sung Shin for shooting these pics for me!  I seriously don't know what I'd do without him - thank god for creative friends who are all sorts of awesome.  Now onto the food portion of today's latest.  I know this is totally belated, but I just HAD to recap Wit & Wisdom's patio party for y'all.

It was seriously the perfect end to a crazy work day.  I mean, cocktails and crab? What more could a girl want?  I got there with my girl Natalie, and we immediately headed to the bar to grab two glasses of frosé.  We sipped on our drinks while browsing the array of noms available!  Their food was (unsurprisingly) on point as per usual - they had fried softshell crab in a magical sauce, refreshing crab lettuce cups, caesar salad, strawberry tacos (sounds weird but t'was amazeballs), fried chicken in adorbs sugar cones, sliders, killer BBQ pork belly bites, panna cotta, and more!

Don't ask me for my fave dish because I can't choose.  Anywho, I can't wait to come back when it's warm out - I'm going to drink and eat to my heart's content.  In fact, the waitstaff at Wit & Wisdom's gonna have to roll me out the door, ha.  Alright guys, that's a wrap for today!  I hope you enjoyed today's post.  OH, and I almost forget - a HUGE thanks to Chrissie Perry for the invite! 

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Obsessed with Floral Everything + The "Best" Thai Food in the DMV

It's no secret that I have an unnatural obsession with pretty dresses and skirts SO naturally, I'm beyond pumped to tell you guys all about the latest addition to my wardrobe: a deconstructed lace skirt from ASOS - available for $39 here).  This adorable number is perfect for summer with its silky satin-style fabric.  The high-rise waistband is both comfortable AND flattering, and the asymmetric floral panel is ridonkulously cute.  I styled it with a simple white tank and sneakers for a casual everyday ensemble, but you can easily dress it up for date night, a fun night out with frands or even the office if you'd like.  

For today's look, I accessorized with one of my fave chokers from J Wholesale and carried my new Violet Ray mini-backpack around for funsies.  I seriously can't get enough of it!  The floral detailing is to-die-for cute, AND I can fit half my life in there for real!  Yep, that's what I call winning.

Other adorbs mini-backpacks for your browsing pleasure:

A closer look at my choker!  If you're looking to stock up on new summer baubles, definitely check out J Wholesale.  They have the cutest pieces ever, and everything's super affordable so you'll be able to get 10 cute things for the normal price of one.  Take my word for it, y'all! #ImMakingZeroCommisionOffThis and I'm #DoingYouGuysAFavorJustBecause.  Andddd yes, I just used hashtags in my writing.  Don't judge me, ha!

Skirt:  ASOS ($39 - originally $53) || Tank:  Polo Factory (similar) || Shoes:  GREATS || Bag:  Violet Ray ($54) || Necklace:  J Wholesale

A HUGE thanks to Sung Shin for shooting these fabulous pics!  Now, moving onto my latest nom recap.  I visited my cousin recently in Vienna, VA to catch up - we kind of lost touch over the last few months so we decided to meet up and reconnect.  I drove to her house after work because she got a new pup named Linguine and I just HAD to meet her.  Isn't she cute?  She warmed up to me super quickly, and I had SO much fun playing with her.  I can't wait to introduce her to Daisy! I have a feeling they'll become fast friends.

After catching up over Rosé, Kristy and I decided to grab dinner at Thai Basil.  I LOVE thai cuisine, and there aren't many good places in Baltimore so we went there to get our nom on.  We ordered 3 different dishes and shared everything:  Goong Hom Pha (shrimp stuffed with veggies, wrapped in spring roll paper, served with a sweet-spicy dipping sauce), Pad Thai Chicken (rice noodles seasoned with palm sugar, egg, and tamarind sauce), and Pad Kra Praw Chicken (stir-fried with onions, string beans, and mushrooms with thai basil + chilis).  

Thai Basil's famous for their pad thai because the owner of the restaurant, Nongkran Daks, was featured on an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay a while back.  She competed against him AND WON (!!!!) With that said, I obviously had hella high expectations.  The noodles were very good, but they didn't blow my mind like I thought they would.  I guess it was doomed from the start though because I love pretty much everything B. Flay does.  My obsession started at Mesa Grill a few years ago when I was vacationing in the Bahamas.  His food BLEW my mind, and it was easily one of the most amazing meals I've ever had.

Anywho, the entrees here ranged from ok to quite good.  My fave dish was actually the pad ka praw chicken - it had just the right amount of spice, and I enjoyed the flavors very much.  The worst of the bunch was definitely the shrimp app.  I'm not sure how fresh the seafood was? It smelled...extra shrimpy? And not in a good way.  I don't know!  Maybe I got them on an off day? I'd be willing to give them another shot, but they get a 2.5/5 rating from me this time around.

My cousin bought me dinner so I insisted on getting her dessert.  We drove to Reston Town Center and hit up Jackson's Mighty Fine for sweets, and oh man, it was SUCH a good call.  We got the warm flourless chocolate waffle with vanilla ice cream ($8) and the warm white chocolate bread pudding with bourbon custard sauce, vanilla ice cream & caramel ($8).  Holy freaking crap, both of these were straight up obscene, and I mean that in the best way possible.  

The waffle was amazing, but the bread pudding was money.  Firstly, any warm dessert with cold ice cream slays. Secondly, bread pudding can pretty much fix anything and everything wrong with the world.  Combine the two, top it with caramel and you get one extremely happy Kim!  If you live ANYWHERE near Jackson's, go.  If you're having a bad day, go.  If you're having a good day, go. Just go and eat...you can thank me later!

Comment below with your dessert of choice!  Sending hugs and kisses from the DMV.

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Burgundy Silk + Shabu Shabu for the First Time

Sharing shoot 2 from my collab with Rey aka RMCapture with you guys today on SS; also blogging about my first time eating Shabu Shabu in Frisco, BUT first, let's talk fashion.  I'm beyond pumped to tell you all about my new silk dress from Chaser!  This adorable hi-lo mini features a cross over front with a drawstring waist tie to ensure optimal fit.  

Made of 100% silk, this piece is perfect for summer because it oozes steeze.  It was chilly in SF when I shot this, so I styled it with my current fave jacket from BCBG.  If I was wearing this alone, I would've definitely accessorized with a statement necklace, but I kept things simple today because I was sporting embellished outerwear.  To finish things off, I threw on velvet sandals and carried my Chanel boy.

 Other fab silk dresses for your browsing pleasure (splurges included):

Jacket:  BCBG (similar splurge) || Dress:  c/o Chaser || Shoes:  Nine West (splurge vs save) || Bag:  Chanel (look for less)

After shooting with Rey, my bf and I hit up Shabu House in SF for dinner.  I'd never had it before so I insisted on going even though we weren't that hungry.  Robby lives in the Richmond so it was only 5 minutes away.  The interior wasn't particularly impressive, but it was busy nonetheless so I had high hopes for the food.  We ended up ordering all-you-can-eat shabu shabu, and it included a giant platter of veggies, udon, rice, and ice cream.  For those of you interested, there's an all you can eat + drink option as well for an additional $12 per person, and it includes soft drinks, beer, sake, and more.

There were 3 soup bases total (traditional water, spicy miso, and ginger chicken), and the pot was split into two sections so we got to try two.  Traditional water sounded bland to me so we went with the spicy miso and ginger chicken.  Both were really yummy, but I definitely liked the ginger chicken better!  Robby enjoyed the miso more though so it worked out well for us, ha.

Our waitress then brought us a nice assortment of veggies (carrots, napa cabbage, spinach, enoki mushrooms, and udon noodles) and we placed orders for meat, while waiting for our broths to boil. There were three meats available (American Style Kobe Beef, Lamb, and Kurobuta Pork), and since we got AYCE, we decided to try a plate of each.  They were all super delish, but I definitely enjoyed the lamb the most.  

The meat was sliced hella thin so it cooked quickly and was ridiculously tender.  Note: the AYCE special comes with unlimited rice, but I recommend passing on that and saving room for more Shabu. Oh, and out of the aforementioned veggies, the enoki mushrooms and napa cabbage were the best!  I definitely could've done without the spinach and carrots, but that's just me. 

Ice cream was the perfect end to our nomtastic meal!  We got a scoop of green tea and red bean and shared between the two of us.  Both were solid choices - if you want something sweet, go for red bean.  If you prefer something creamier, go for green tea! BTW, gratuity is included so you don't have to worry about tipping unless you want to leave extra $$ for service.  Definitely check this place out if you live in or are visiting the Bay area! You get a lot of bang for your buck, and the quality's really quite good.  Are you guys a fan of hotpot?  Let me know by leaving a comment below.

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Remixing my Current Fave Crop Top

Alright guys, you got a sneak peek at this look on instagram a while back, but I'm sharing the FULL shoot today on SS.  I was in SF a few weeks ago, and while I was there, I linked up with my favorite, Rey aka rmcapture on IG.  I worked with him the last time I was in town for an influencer event (read about it here if you missed it) and loved his work SO much that I hit him up again.

The last time I featured this top, I wore it with track pants - I'm a big fan of the athleisure movement so I had to share my take on it - for a casual, almost tomboyish look. I thought I'd mix it up and do something different for so for my latest, I paired the crop with a flowy floral skirt for a feminine vibe. I wanted to add a bit of edge to it all though so I threw on bamf sandals to take everything up a notch.

 Other fab crop tops (all under $50):

Here's a close-up shot of my shoes!  I scooped these babies up at Last Call Neiman while they were on sale last year, and I'm so beyond stoked to finally wear them out.  I'm completely and utterly obsessed with the ankle detailing.  Isn't the hardware to die for cute?

Other skirts that slay (all under $50):

Skirt:  BCBG Factory Outlet (similar-ish) || Top:  Amiclubwear || Shoes:  Neiman Last Call

Photos by the amazing RMCapture.

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Stepping out in PJs...Kind Of

If you follow me on pinterest, you already know that I have an unnatural obsession with bows.  So, when I stumbled upon this dress on ASOS, it was pretty much a done deal right from the getgo.  A PJ dress with bow sleeves? Um, can we say retail kryptonite?

Although this piece is made of 100% viscose, it looks and feels like silk.  You'll seriously feel like you're wearing PJs out because this dress is SO ridiculously comfy.  It has a v-neckline with piped edging, and the fit's super relaxed so you don't have to worry about sucking anything in post-meals, ha.  Currently on sale at ASOS for $42 (originally $58), I purchased this piece in size 2, and it fits me perfectly. 

TIP:  If you don't have anyone there to help you with your sleeves, tie them before you throw this baby on!  Oh, and I forgot to tell you about my new accessories.  I recently bought this YSL bag online at Neiman as an early birthday gift to myself, ha.  They were having this kickass promo so I thought I'd take advantage.  By purchasing this bag, I earned a $600 gift card (!!!!!) Plus, I already had store credit so I felt OK about splurging!  

Here's a close-up shot of my bag!  Isn't it a beauty? I still can't get over how gorg it is.  I can already tell that I'm going to get hella wear out of it since it goes with pretty much everything and works for any and every occasion.  I think YSL and Chanel are my two favorite bag brands!  What about you guys? Do you have any fave bag designers?

 Dress:  Asos ($42) || Shoes:  Light in the Box (splurge vs save) || Bag: YSL || Choker:  J Wholesale 

Shot by the wonderful Dennis Christians.

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Another $10 Zara Find + Sipping Amazingly Gorg Lattes at Home SF

Featuring yet another $9.99 find from Zara today on SS!  I found this ruffle mini online and just knew I HAD to have it - they have a kickass return policy so I ordered two sizes because I didn't know which one would fit better. Anywho, I styled this baby with a sexy lace-up bodysuit from amiclubwear to dress things up and then wore a faux-leather moto jacket on top to up my layer game! To finish things off, I carried my YSL crossbody and threw on my fave platform heels.  I seriously can't get enough of this skirt's versatility!  Pair it with a graphic tee or tied button front for a chill vibe.  Also, a HUGE thanks to Jared Wolfe for taking these pictures.

 Other fab bodysuits that'll break necks left and right:

Moving on to my latest nom adventure in frisco: coffee + delish munchies at Home.  Guys, I don't even know where to start!  The cafe was super cute, and I still can't get over how great the name is. When I walked in, several friendly faces greeted me and welcomed me "home."  Brilliant, right? Anywho, the boyf and I hit up their cafe at 9:30 on a Monday, and it was BUSTLING.  There were tons of people there already enjoying drinks with friends + getting their hustle on.  I even saw a couple of students rushing to perfect papers, and it made me feel hella nostalgic.  

I've been obsessed with Home for months now! I stumbled upon their instagram and knew I just HAD to try their lattes and toast.  After studying their menu for a while, we decided to get three lattes and two toasts.  I wanted to get insta-worthy shots (obviously) so I went with the more creative concoctions, but everything sounded awesome, and I have no doubt they would've looked just as beautiful.  I was tempted by the lavender and matcha lattes, but I ultimately decided to order the birthday cake, cookie monster, and nutella lattes.

Anddd as you can see, they definitely didn't disappoint.  All three drinks looked AND tasted totally amazing. Although I loved them all, my fave was the birthday cake drank.  At first glance, I thought it'd be too sweet, but it was perfect in every way.  I half expected unicorns to appear and dance around me as I sipped my coffee by the window, ha.

The boyf and I didn't have time to eat breakfast beforehand so we were pretty hungry at that point.  Luckily, their toast was bomb.  They were several delish options available so it was a tough decision, but we decided to try one savory and one sweet.  I can't remember the exact names, but I'll describe 'em to y'all so you know exactly what to get.  And don't worry, there are only 6-7 options listed so it'll be obvious!  

The first one had egg, tomato and pesto and the second was drenched with condensed milk... or should I say magical condensed milk?  I mean, these were ridiculously nomtastic.  I didn't think they could top drinks, but honestly, I think I enjoyed the food even more than the coffee.  The texture of the toast was amazeballs, and both flavor profiles were out of this world.  The condensed milk was weirdly addicting - I could've easily devoured 2 (or maybe 3) of these babies!

Anywho, don't take my word for it, go and try everything yourself!  I have no doubt you'll have an awesome experience so you're welcome in advance.  And of course, my post wouldn't be complete without an obligatory fobby pic of myself shooting a peace sign so here goes, ha.

Alright guys, that's it for today! I hope you enjoyed reading my latest.  If you want to read more about my adventures, stay tuned because I'll be recapping more from my SF & Phoenix trips soon. Also, a huge thanks to Home for hosting me and my boyf.  I can't WAIT to go back!  FYI, they're opening a new location in Richmond, SF so keep your eyes peeled.

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The Perfect Wedding Maxi + Recapping my Poshmark Tour & Noms at Hard Knox Cafe

Soooo much to tell you guys!  As I'm sure you all know, I've been sharing a lot more from my personal life on SS as of late.  However, instead of posting individual blasts filled with errday highlights, I've decided to merge them with my outfit posts to make things a bit more interesting!  For today's featured OOTD, I've shared pics from my 2nd shoot with the fabulous Hana Gonzales.  If you missed our first collab, make sure to click here!

I purchased this gorgeous dress online at ASOS a while back, but it (very unfortunately) sold out.  No worries though b/c I'll be linking fab alternatives for you guys below - just remember get your scroll on.  Anywho, I love wearing goddessy dresses during the summertime.  This piece is a bit too fancy for casual, everyday activities, but I think it's perfect for special occasions like weddings!  I dressed this baby up with a beautiful pearl clutch (courtesy of Jwholesale) and metallic sandals.

For those of you looking for cute but affordable clutches, def. check out Jwholesale.  Not only do they sell kickass jewelry, they carry beautiful bags as well!  I own several, and they all ooze quality - like I may actually prefer their bags to their jewelry, but it's a close call for reals.  I can't recommend them enough, and as a plus, the owner is such a sweetheart.

Anddd as promised, here are other fab maxis for your browsing pleasure!  Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you all about my new braided headband from JustBraydz.  I'm obsessed with it because it elevates any and every style I wear.  It looks awesome with a pony and as you can see below, it works beautifully when I let it down as well!  If you'd like to get one for yourself, you can cop one here.  It only costs $45, and it looks suppppper real.  Chaya knows how to create kickass hairpieces for real - I don't know how it blends so well? It seriously looks like my own mane!

Now, it's time to update you all on my latest shenanigans.  I recently got to tour Poshmark headquarters with my beautiful friend, Amanda Weiss.  We've been virtual friends for years now so I was beyond pumped to finally meet her in person!  Like all bamf offices in SF, posh was super cute - I was stoked to see everyone in action because I've been a fan of the app from the very start.  I sell a TON of stuff on there so make sure you guys browse my closet.  I also wrote an article on how to posh successfully so if you're interested, take a looksie - my post's called "How to Poshmark Like a Pro."  

After the tour, the bf and I grabbed lunch at an awesome restaurant called Hard Knox Cafe.  Located on Clement street in Frisco, they served us some badass soul food.  He lives nearby so we went on his recommendation!  He ordered his longtime fave dish (smothered pork chops with mac 'n cheese + rice & gravy), and I went with a grilled chicken sandwich with collared greens.  I wasn't a huge fan of his dish, but I really enjoyed mine!  The chicken was grilled to perfection (hella juicy on the inside), the homemade honey mustard sauce was on point, and my greens were solid.

My sandwich didn't come with corn muffins, but luckily his did.  I got to try one, and DAMN, I'd come back just to devour these yums.  All in all, a great experience, BUT I found out later on yelp that their health rating was really low? I probably wouldn't have gone if I had known beforehand, but the restaurant looked really clean to me. Maybe they stepped up and took care of everything? They've been around since 1999 - AND they have a second location in the Dog Patch District - so I'm assuming they know how to handle their business.  Well, I'm still alive so it was fine...I hope.

Anywhooo, that's it for today guys! I hope you enjoyed my latest!  What have you all been up to?   Have you tried any new restaurants? If yes, let me know what you had and what you thought of the noms!  I'm always looking to try new places and/or drool over foodporn on yelp so leave me a comment below, frands.

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My $10 Bustier Dress + The Cutest Macarons at Ketsourine

I don't usually like sifting through the clearance racks at F21, but every once in a while, I muster up the patience to fight through and stumble upon a gem.  This $30 dress was on sale for $10 so I scooped it up immediately.  I love bustier-anything so this was a no-brainer in my book!  It's obviously super easy to dress up, but I wanted to wear it casually so I paired it with my fave plaid top and sky-high platform wedges.  A huge thanks to the wonderful Steeze Media for capturing these images! 

Here's a shot of my dress sans top!  Everything here (other than my dress obviously) has been featured on SS before.  I'm the sensible stylista, so I'm all about mixing and matching.  Not all of us have the $$$$ to purchase new stuffs every day so it's important to know how to style various looks with pieces you already own.  In fact, I refuse to buy something if I can't think of at least 3-4 ways to wear it because it'll end up chilling in my closet and gathering dust.  Do you guys have any shopping rules or restrictions?  If yes, what are they?

Shop today's OOTD:

All smiles because life is beautiful, and I'm a giant nerd!  As I'm sure you all know from instastories, I spent a week in frisco with the bf.  He was such a trooper, driving me to all my meetings and helping me take photos of everything.  I'm a lucky girl for sure!  Long distance has been a challenge, but things are SO good.  We had a tough time in the beginning, but we powered through and everything's pretty much perfect now.  When things are right, you just know, and distance seriously means nothing when feelings are strong like this.

ANYWHO, I'm getting off topic - let's tackle noms!  I've wanted to check out Ketsourine Macarons for months now, and I FINALLY got to visit.  I was supposed to come last time, but I was here with Stitch Fix and my schedule was cray so I didn't get to - I'm SO glad things worked out this time around because their store is just as dreamy in real life as it is on instagram.  I remember seeing pictures and thinking, "hm, it can't really be that fab"...BUT IT IS! Everything's on point for reals - the decor's classy + elegant, and the macarons are to die for delish.

A huge thanks to KM for being so kind and welcoming.  There are two cookie sizes available: classic & grande. Classic costs $2.25 and grande's $3.25 a pop.  Classic flavors include pistachio, lemon, raspberry, espresso, strawberry, chocolate, and caramel.  Their signatures are as follows: pecan maple praline, thai tea latte, guava rose, early grey, and more!  

In addition to yum macarons, they sell a ton of nomtastic drinks like teas, coffee, and boba!  Here's a shot of the caramel boba my bf and I tried - we got it with whipped cream and sprinkles for funsies. For those of you interested, they also carry macaron ice creams ($5) so make sure you guys give 'em a try!  I wanted to sample their pistachio flavor, but I was already stuffed from inhaling cookies so I decided to pass.  Oh well, I guess that means I'll just have to come back next time...as if I needed a reason to, ha.

My FAVE yums from my visit though? Their adorable character macaroons.  Omg, I can't even handle how cute they were.  They had a BUNCH of different ones including Pusheen, Pikachu and Jigglypuff.  I seriously spent a good 5 minutes fawning over them through the glass, ha.  

See how excited I am? I couldn't even bring myself to eat them, ha.  I held onto my Pikachu for a good half hour before devouring him - hashtag sorry not sorry buddy!  If you live in the bay area or are visiting, you HAVE to go and try their noms.  Everything tastes just as good as it looks!

Anywho, that's it for today guys!  I hope you enjoyed my latest post.  I'm thinking about starting a new series on here or perhaps on youtube (???) chronicling my weekly adventures!  I compiled and shared a "101 in 1001 days" a while back, but I was really bad about it.  I wrote my bucket list out, but that was the extent of it all, ha.  So, I thought I'd hold myself accountable by possibly vlogging? What do you guys think - is that something you'd be interested in? Let me know by commenting below.

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