New year, new me, eh?  Well, yes and no.  In my post on New Year’s Resolutions, I focus on the point that personal growth can’t be measured in tangible increments.  And looking forward for Round Trip this year, I’ll be doing a roundup of new things I’ve tried during the month.  So, yes, new things, but I’m still Kristin.  And we’re taking it one day at a time.  As for January, here are some of my favorite things:

1. Ban.do Luggage Tag and Passport Cover – Feeling glamorous when you travel isn’t a given.  Long flights mean dry skin and wailing children, and endless car rides mean cramped legs and fast food stops.  But this Christmas I received an adorable luggage tag and passport cover that make traveling much more glamorous.  I’m so excited to use these on my trip to Europe this summer!!
2. Mastermind Escape Room-With one completed escape room under my belt, I was ready to take on Round 2.  While in downtown St. Louis with my family, we completed an Elf-themed escape room, which was fantastic.  The room was challenging but not to the point of frustrating defeat.  The worker who assisted us was upbeat and knowledgeable.  He told us St. Louis has 15 escape rooms, making it the city with the most escape rooms in terms of population density.  
3. My Paris Dream by Kate Betts-On a Saturday morning, I laid in my bed scrolling through Facebook and stumbled across Darling‘s “10 Books to Fuel Your Wanderlust While You’re Curled Up In Bed.”  And after reading the description for My Paris Dream, I requested this autobiography and picked up that day.  Kate’s intense desire for the City of Light and her journalism background resonated with me.  While Kate will draw you into her world of fashion journalism, her honesty sheds light on the not-so-glamorous parts of Paris and a demanding job.  Although I love looking fabulous and enjoy sales, I’m no fashion guru because sometimes runway attire is just weird to me.  But Kate heightened my appreciation for fashion and its place in the world.  (She ended up becoming the editor-in-chief at Harper’s Bazaar.)  Join Kate on her journey to master fashion journalism and to find herself in the process.  “I had been trying for so many months to calibrate my position in that city, to stake my identity on something that made sense, to say, ‘This is who I am.’  But I was so naïve and unformed, so unsure of who I was and who I wanted to become.  That day, looking at my reflection in the mirror, I began to visualize her, the person I wanted to become.  I saw the story I wanted to tell.” – Kate Betts
4. Spotify Premium-This is nothing new.  But ya girl listened to over 18,586 minutes of music in 2016.  And that means a lot of commercials, which I absolutely hate.  So, naturally, I put Spotify Premium at the very top of my Christmas list because I’m too poor to pay for a subscription myself (sorry, coffee takes precedence).  And it’s overwhelmingly fabulous; I don’t know how I could ever go back.  Whether I’m walking around town or working on my next blog post, Spotify Premium has and will continue to serve me well.  (Currently obsessed with “Paris” by the Chainsmokers, and thanks to Spotify Premium, I can play it on repeat!)
5. Mon Paris by Yves Saint Laurent-I’m a purist.  My scent is Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture and has been for years.  I don’t really even use Bath and Body fragrances; it’s Viva La Juicy or nothing.  But for Christmas, Riley bought me Mon Paris by Yves Saint Laurent, and I’m hooked.  This sensual fragrance smells better the longer I wear it, and I feel so haute couture.

January saw an ice storm, lots of hours at the office, early nights to bed (bless up!) and plenty of reflection.  Out of all of these, I’m patting myself on the back for reading a book of my choosing because that’s, unfortunately, a rarity.  And hey, it’s only the beginning of this year…

Bises,

Kristin

{What new things did you try this month?}