Email theblondeprep@gmail.com with questions, comments, or concerns. Powered by Blogger.

National Plan Your Vacation Day

National Plan Your Vacation Day: Fran Acciardo at the Baccarat Hotel New York


I’m excited to be partnering with WeKnowHotels.com for today’s blog post! I’ve spent a lot of this month planning my travel for 2023, and today, January 31st, is National Plan Your Vacation Day! From Telluride in February to Palm Beach in March, Italy in May, and hopefully even more fun plans in the second half of the year for me, 2023 is going to be amazing, and I’m excited to share how WeKnowHotels.com can help you plan your next trip as well! 

January 31st is the day when the US Travel Association encourages us to plan our 2023 getaways before the year gets away from us. It’s also launch day for WeKnowHotels.com, which pairs consumers with travel experts to book hotel experiences that were once beyond the reach of most people.

For me, the past couple of years as I’ve graduated from college and started my job, I’ve had a smaller budget for a lot of my travel. Usually, I’m staying at friends’ places, friends parent's second homes, or Air BNB’s split with my friends when I travel. I’m really excited about WeKnowHotels.com because it provides access to a team of seasoned travel experts with an intimate knowledge of hotels and resorts, to give people like me an opportunity to stay at hotels and resorts that previously would have been out of reach!

WeKnowHotels.com plans and recommends accommodations based on specific needs and wants and secures desirable destinations and rooms (even ones with limited availability). Their service ensures that each traveler receives the best possible value, as well as free amenities and perks without any additional cost! WeKnowHotels.com provides expert counsel for planning, along with 24/7 support to make sure everything is perfect during your stay!

Sunday Diary + My 10 Favorite Songs Today

Sunday Diary + My 10 Favorite Songs Today

Hello from my brain! A little Sunday night post -- it's been a really, really long time since I did this. Actually, I don't know if I have ever done this, but it felt right?


One of my goals this year is to journal more. As I've gotten older, I've gotten really in touch with myself and my emotions. I feel like I have a lot of thoughts and my internal dialogue has developed to a point where I need to actually write down what I'm thinking to fully comprehend everything. Plus, I want to remember the things going on in my brain to look back on.

I also think this newfound mindset connection and intention with myself has been incredibly healthy for me, and I like the idea of working through and documenting the things in my brain. It sounds so obvious, but actually acknowledging my thoughts, and taking a second to think about how I feel about people, things, situations, etc, has allowed me to simply understand myself better. As a result, I have become a really happy, positive person. I literally started noticing that I don't complain as much, I don't really talk badly about people anymore, and I don't do things I don't really want to do or things that make me feel regretful or crazy. 

But not every day is perfect. In fact, some days I get so, so stuck in my head, and today was one of those. And for some reason, tonight, I wanted to share my thoughts here!

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas Fran Acciardo
image via pinterest

Hellooo! Hope everyone is having a great week. I've been spending a lot of time this month planning out my 2023, and my next upcoming trip is to Dallas for Valentine's Day! I actually wasn't planning to back to Dallas in February, but I was planning a trip to Telluride, CO at the end of Feb, and it made much more sense for flights to go to Telluride from Dallas instead of from New York.

Anyway- all of that to say that I'm excited to visit Joe for V-day... we're still debating a few different plans (cooking class, couples massages, or make sushi at home), but I'm sure we'll have a great time no matter what we do! I've always said this, but I really love Valentine's Day. I just think it's cute! It's positive, it's pink, there's chocolate involved, and honestly (honestly!!) you don't need to be in a romantic relationship to enjoy the holiday. I was single most of college and always had such fun times with my girlfriends celebrating galentine's day and treating myself to chocolates and wine and usually a little gift to myself.


Valentine's Day Gift Ideas Fran Acciardo Pink Pieces

No matter how you're celebrating this year, I've rounded up some pretty pink pieces that you can gift to yourself or a friend, or simply share this post or any of the below with your lover for them to buy for you ;)

Every Book I Read in 2022, Ranked

Every Book I Read in 2022, Ranked


I read 32 books in 2022, my best reading year yet! 


Although we are already a couple of weeks into the New Year, I wrote this same post last year, and I really wanted to do it again. Ranking every book I read in the previous year feels like a great way to share book recommendations because usually, it's only in hindsight that I realize how much I actually loved (or didn't love) a book. Personally, I tend to think the latest book I've finished is my favorite book ever, but then a month later I can't even remember what it's about! So, I think this retrospective approach is a bit more critical. Hope you find some reading inspiration here!


Last year I ranked my books by rating, so I am going to do that again!

2022 Recap & Highlights

Fran Acciardo. 2022 Recap & Highlights

I'm looking forward to recapping my highlights from 2022 and some thoughts on the year! I do a post like this every single year, and I feel like it's a really great exercise for me mentally. It always reminds me how much I have to be grateful for, and where I want to make changes in my life going forward!


Overall, 2022 was a really, really great year. From a handful of big moments (like four weddings and a couple international trips) to the everyday moments (like making new friends, reading great books, and feeling more settled in NYC), there was so much throughout the year to be grateful for. I feel like it was one of the first years of my life that I really felt like my life was completely up to me; I moved to NYC in 2021, and it was just a big adjustment time. I also was still getting used to working and post-grad life. This past year, however, was much more settling. I made handfuls of friends, strengthened new & old friendships, said no to things I didn't feel like doing anymore (basically, I went out less and stayed in more which turns out is way more my speed), and felt just really happy and content with where I'm at in my life. I read a lot of great books, traveled out of the country to places I'd never been before, and felt very secure and happy in my relationship... just a lot of positive things! As much as 2022 was a great year, of course, there were also challenges, But for the most part, I'll remember it very fondly.


I'm looking forward to even more fun in 2023. So far I have a couple of trips lined up and milestones to look forward to, like my 25th birthday, my 2-year anniversary of living in NYC, my 3-year anniversary with Joe, and more. Before I get ahead of myself, though, let's recap 2022! 

January Moodboard (Desktop & iPhone Wallpaper Downloads)

fran acciardo January 2023 mood board winter desktop wallpaper iphone wallpaper aesthetic download blue cream white fresh start new year goals pilates health


 Happy, happy New Year!!! I hope you all had a lovely New Year's Eve celebration last night! I am in Dallas visiting Joe and we had a really relaxing night just enjoying a couple of cocktails, making a board, and playing Rummikub!


I am so excited for another year of mood-boarding for you all. I feel like the mood boards really grew traction last year, and I'm looking forward to continuing to create them every month in 2023 for you! As always, there are both desktop and iPhone-sized wallpapers below.


I hope you love this month's mood board as much as I do. Please tag me on IG if you download the new mood board- I absolutely love to see the board on your screens!! 

In the coming days, I also plan to share a 2022 recap and some 2023 goals on the blog as well.