Friday Favorites: Home, car and fitness finds

Happy Friday! It’s been one week since moving day, and I’m so happy to be in my new place. As you can imagine, there’s been a lot of rearranging, decorating and some shopping involved to get set up. For the next few weeks, as I continue to work on each room, I’ll probably be talking about home stuff a lot. In fact, it’s much (but not all) of the focus of today’s weekly “Friday Favorites.” 

I’m trying to do things little-by-little so as not to break the bank. And I still have quite a bit to buy. Here’s my current shopping list:

  • Area rug for the living room 
  • Small table for the entryway 
  • Bathmat, towels and decor for the guest bathroom 
  • Desk, shelves, pull-out couch and decor for the office/guest bedroom
  • Grill for the patio (Dave gets to pick that one out)
  • Various trinkets and wall hangings 

That being said, if you have any recommendations for great places to shop for any of the above, feel free to leave them in the comments. Dave and I ended up buying a couch from La-Z-Boy after searching far and wide, and we’re very happy with the purchase.

Now let’s get to business …

My latest “Friday Favorites”

Because it’s the last day of the work-week for many, I like to spend time showcasing a few little things that have been making me smile, to keep it easy and light around here. And as you’ve guessed, most of this is related to my recent move. 

My favorite new pillow

When Dave came home and saw this one, he laughed at the addition. He also remarked at how heavy it is. But I’m a firm believer that even a unisex bedroom can use a little sparkle, so this baby is on our bed.

Sparkly pillowDoes anyone else turn their pillows on the diagonal like I do?

I got this Calvin Klein pillow from HomeGoods on clearance, after finding it tucked in the back of a display. Yes, I take the throw pillows off the bed each night, placing them neatly on the floor. Then, in the morning, I make the bed as soon as I’ve gotten up, rearranging the pillows just as I’ve shown above. It’s a bit of an obsession.

My favorite new activity 

My true number-one favorite of the week is my new car. I love every single thing about it, and I especially love that it gives me the freedom to go where I please and enjoy something pretty ordinary …

Radio in the carCruising with tunes is good stuff. Good stuff.

I am so in happy to be able to listen to music while driving in the car. I know, how sad, right? But I was a pedestrian in San Francisco for so long that I didn’t ever get the chance to indulge in this little luxury except for the few times I used Dave’s car on the weekends without him. My current favorite tune, shown above, is Pitbull and Ne-Yo’s “Time Of Our Lives.” Outside of jamming to that, I’ve been listening to Hits 1 and Y2Kountry on Sirius. And yes, I turn it up very, very loud.

My favorite at-home workout

The new place where Dave and I are living is a three-story townhome. The bottom level has a garage and some closet space, the second level has a very small patio, kitchen and living room, and the top level has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. That being said, there are many stairs in this house. 

Stairs in the housePlenty of stairs, but not a lot of natural light among them. So I apologize for the dreary photos.

Each flight has 17 stairs, so if you go from the bottom to the top, you’ve gotten in 34. After moving day, my calves were incredibly sore from all of the ups-and-downs. Even though we had to take a few flights of stairs to get into our last apartment in the city, once we were inside our home, the space was small and that was it for movement. So I really like having this little in-home workout. And I just may create a fun routine to share with you, in case you’ve got some stairs around as well.

My favorite find from moving

If you’ve been reading A Lady Goes West for a while, you know that I used to wear an UP24 band to track my steps and sleep. Well back in the fall, I thought I had lost the band at the gym while teaching a class. Lo and behold, guess what showed up during our move? It must have been lodged in between drawers in my dresser somehow, because it reappeared magically.

Jawbone UP bandShe was a little dusty at first, but I used a baby wipe on her, and she’s as good as new.

Nonetheless, I charged up this little beauty and popped it back on my arm. It’s fun to be back to tracking how far I walk and how long I’ve been sleeping. I find this tracker completely accurate. Yay for an old gift being new again!

My favorite new outdoor piece

This is my first time in many years living in a place that can have a welcome mat. After being in city apartments for a very long time, in which residents were not allowed to have anything outside of their doors, I was so excited to be able to put something down in front of the front door. 

DoormatNo this isn’t a Valentine’s Day themed doormat, it’s going to be around for the long haul.

I bought this welcome doormat from Target on sale for $10. Once again, I don’t think Dave is thrilled with this fairly feminine choice. But a happy heart seems very welcoming to me. Wouldn’t you agree?

My favorite reads of the week

In case you haven’t been around this week, here is some of the good stuff that appeared on A Lady Goes West, including the following:

And check out my advice and quote in this article on Fitness Republic, “Work Out In As Little 20 Minutes — No Gym Required.”

That’s it for today!

Ready for the weekend 

Today, I’m teaching an early morning BODYATTACK at a new gym, getting some work done and looking forward to a relaxing weekend. We don’t have too many plans, outside of Dave golfing in a tournament tomorrow and going to a Grammy-watching party on Sunday night. I’m pretty sure we’ll also be getting sushi at one point too. But hey, you never know. TGIF, party people. Enjoy yourselves!

Read more Friday Favorites

If you’ve enjoyed browsing through this post, see below for previous editions or visit the the link-up hostesses, Heather, Katie and Clare

  1. A snack, a purse and a ritual
  2. A delivery, a bra and a guy
  3. A sweet, a wine and a read
  4. A drink, a gadget and a plan 
  5. A time, a bottle and a powder
  6. San Francisco edition
  7. Beauty edition
  8. Beach vacation edition
  9. Hidden meanings
  10. Kicks, a book and a bowl
  11. The very best sweatshirts
  12. Party hosting and froyo
  13. Fourth of July daytime activity
  14. Beauty basics edition
  15. Workplace edition
  16. Shopping, sales and a show
  17. The foods I always buy
  18. Sushi, a game and pants
  19. Fitness apps
  20. Delicious and healthy products
  21. Comfort, fitness and function
  22. Beauty, buddha and blog events
  23. Dining, the city and gift ideas
  24. POPSUGAR, sweets and such
  25. A bunch of fun stuff
  26. e-book, food, picnic and tunes
  27. A link, a superfood and a mask
  28. Pants, shoes, food and links
  29. Dining, protein and goodies
  30. Shopping, events and a book
  31. A gym bag, pumpkin and juices 
  32. Workout gear, a top and a massage
  33. prAna, a watch, tea and more
  34. Tasty stuff and gift sales
  35. Decor, bars, boots and a drink
  36. Flowers, music and more
  37. Coqueta, a brush and food
  38. My people and the holidays
  39. Beauty, bling and entertainment
  40. A hodge-podge of goodies
  41. Just a few special things
  42. Tasty food, drinks and moving
  43. A bunch of feel-good stuff

Questions of the day

What are you planning to do this weekend? Where do you get your decorating inspiration? If you have Sirius radio, what are your favorite stations?

Ashley signature

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63 Comments

  1. i have the Fitbit but I would love to try out that tracker too! Just thinking about the stairs you have made my calves want to burn haha! I love the touches you’re adding to the home!!

  2. Love that door mat! And the pillow. I too turn the pillow on its side 🙂 Oh and I love listening to music in a car – it is the simple things. Not having a car here when I am in one it is so exciting. This week I rented a zip car and it was so nice to belt out while the radio was on! Happy Friday!

    1. Hi Sara! Yes, Zip Car is an easy option that a lot of my friends in the city would use. Singing by yourself in the car is the best!! And I’m glad you turn your pillows too hehehe. Hope you have a fun weekend!

  3. Super cute doormat! Most of the stuff we bought for the house was from Target or Home Goods….I’ve heard that Marshall’s has some good stuff as well, just never made it there! Good luck!

    1. Hi Cassie! I know, but it’s hard not to want everything there, so maybe it’s a good thing you have to go far to get to one! Hope you have a fun weekend, friend! 🙂

    1. Hi Kelly! Oh yes, well sometimes a new place calls for fresh stuff. We sold a couple of our items we had in our little city apartment because we just didn’t want them coming with us hehehe. Hope you have a great weekend!

    1. Thanks, Lauren! It’s fun to decorate, that’s for sure. Glad you’re a HomeGoods fan. But that place can be dangerous – I tend to want EVERYTHING hehehe. Have a great weekend!

  4. Happy Friday Ashley! Sounds like you have some big lifestyle changes with the big move – how exciting! I honestly miss driving, just not around the inner city. It gives you so much freedom! you must also be totally loving the extra space…though moving ALWAYS seems to require home goods shopping! We went from one cutting knife in NYC (bf never ate at home and worked round the clock), and now he can’t stop shopping and stuffing the kitchen full of Williams Sonoma. Enjoy!! 🙂

    1. Hi Jill! Well, yes, driving inside SF downtown was NOT fun. I’m glad I rarely had to do it. And that’s funny that your BF likes Williams Sonoma now — there’s some good stuff there for sure. I’m loving all this space and all the new goodies. It’s fun. Hope you have a great weekend! 🙂

    1. Hi Brittany! Thanks! Me too. Especially after sitting hunched over at the computer for far too long, I make myself go up to the top floor for some random chore! 🙂 hehehe Hope you have a great weekend. Stay dry and warm!

  5. I really need to go to Home Goods but I know I’d spend a ton of of money there! My bf just got a new car with the fancy screen in it and I love shuffling through the music!

    1. Hi Lauren! HomeGoods is dangerous — I had to be VERY careful not to get too much. I wanted everything. 🙂 And enjoy your bf’s ride … hope he lets you take it out sometimes too. Have a great weekend!

  6. The layout of your new place is exactly like mine! Literally, exactly the same. I like getting in the extra steps too but unfortunately my 12 yr old dog isn’t as happy about it. Poor thing. I would love to see a stair workout though! That sounds fun!

    And I will definitely make it to that Body Attack class one day soon! I have to leave work early one day in a few weeks for a dentist appt in San Ramon so I’m going to try to make it to your Pump class at 5:15 too. As long as you don’t laugh at how weak I am. 😉

    1. Hi Sarah! I would LOVE to have you in class, and I’m sure you’re stronger than you think. How funny that we have the same layout — your poor old pooch. But the stairs are sure good for us. Hope you have a lovely Friday, neighbor! 🙂

  7. I love your new home decor! That welcome mat is adorable! And love that clearance pillow find! So cute and I totally agree about having something girly and sparkly!

  8. Pretty sure your set of stairs is EXACTLY like mine. We’re also in a 3 story townhome (I guess since California doesn’t have basements I can call it that). So moving our brand new king sized mattress was a feat in itself – especially with the fire sprinklers set on the cieilng in the most high traffic area for moving. It was scary seeing the movers try to not hit them!

    1. Hi Nancy! How funny, there must be a lot of these townhome communities around the Bay Area. My movers were lucky because our bed is only a queen ehhehe!! Rock those stairs though, it’s good for you!! 🙂 Have a great weekend!

    1. Hi Sue! Thanks for the tips, I’ve never looked at either of those online spots before. Hope you get a little relaxing in after your night shift!!

  9. I’ve been doing a lot of stairs in my house lately trying to reach my daily step goal from my Jawbone. I didn’t wear mine for a long time either. But I’m motivated to reach a goal now so that helps. And pillows always belong diagonally!

    1. Hi Jen! Good luck with that! Stairs will definitely help with the steps goal. Hope you have a good weekend. And I’m glad you turn your pillows too! 🙂

  10. Decorating an new home is always fun! And a lot of work 🙂 I am actually going to be moving to a place with stairs soon too, right now I have none, but I am looking forward to running some stairs, jumping stairs, lunging on stairs, side squats on stairs… 🙂 Have a good weekend!

  11. For furniture (reasonably priced and good quality) I like CB2, and there was a shop somewhere on 9th st. In SF that sold solid wood furniture for such a good deal- I wish I remembered the name! Crate &Barrel has an outlet store on 4th St in Berkeley that often has awesome deals, but things go quick there. And I agree that for all the fun accessories Home goods is where it’s at! Hope you show us a little home tour when you’re done, have fun!

    1. Hi Anne! Hope you’ve been having a great weekend! Thanks so much for the suggestions. I almost forgot about the CB outlet in Berkeley, but will definitely check that out. And yes, HomeGoods has so much. Shopping for house stuff is very fun. I’ll definitely do a home tour soon. Have a good rest of the day! 🙂

  12. Yay for finding your Jawbone! It’s always the best when you give up hope after losing something and then end up finding it! 🙂

    For home stuff in the Bay, I love HomeGoods, West Elm, Crate and Barrel (outlet in Berkeley!), and Anthropologie for smaller items. Good luck!

    1. Hi Annie! I know! Finding something you thought you lost is pretty exciting. And thanks for the shopping suggestions, I had forgotten totally about Anthropologie. I’ll get on that. Have a happy Monday! 🙂

  13. The doormat is ADORABLE. And that pillow is neutral enough 😉

    I second the CB outlet idea, it’s such a great place for cheap home furnishings.

  14. I’m so far behind in all my blog reading that I didn’t even realize you’d moved!! Congrats on the move and awesome (last) Friday favorites! Love the doormat and the pillow (and yes, totally turn pillows diagonal!)!

    1. Hi Breanne! It’s easy to get behind on blogs! Thanks for the congrats — we are loving our new bigger place. Space is good! Hope you’re having a great week! 🙂

  15. So nice! It’s great that you are doing so great after the move! Getting excited to decorate and shop for the new place! Lovely post! Greets!

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