My RI Life: Fab Lifestyle Blogger & Instagramer Meg Mattera
My name is Meg and I am currently a student at the University of Rhode Island, an aspiring lifestyle blogger at youngmadonna.com, and a major Instagram guru (handle: @meg_era)! I’ve lived in Rhode Island since I was 13 years old and haven’t missed a single opportunity to explore. I’ve made it my mission to appreciate where I am in life and find excitement in the smallest things (and state).
My Favs
Restaurants:
Living in Southern Rhode Island has definitely kept me out of the Providence hype and forced me to find trendy, affordable, and insta-worthy local places. Here are my top 3:
Shayna’s Place: Over this past summer, a new little cafe opened up in Wickford called Shayna’s Place. They have great options for fresh juices, smoothies, salads, and wraps. Lately I’ve been loving their avocado toast (Such a quick, healthy snack!) and their cucumber mint lemonade.
Smoothy Booty Cafe: This is my go-to juice bar. I always order the “What’s Up Doc” for my juice and add lemon and ginger to it (soooo delicious over ice). If I’m in the mood for a smoothie though, I love the “Suck It Up Princess”. I sometimes add spinach to my smoothie, and this one is my favorite because they add hemp protein. If you stop in, be sure to ask for Vinny - He’s a good friend and the ultimate drink master!
Diego’s: Diego’s is a west coast styled Mexican restaurant and it is one of the coolest places I’ve been to eat. A must? Their gazpacho this past summer was to die for, and being a tequila lover, I’m obsessed with their blood orange margaritas. Diego’s is the kind of place to go, grab a drink with a friend, and chat over chips and guac while just relaxing. Totally my go to when I’m in Newport.
Shopping:
I try and try and try to be an online shopper because it would seriously make my life so much easier but, no dice. I can’t do it. I like to be hands on and play with my clothes before I buy them. That being said, I work in retail and it has been an awesome experience for me. I love styling people, which is something I’m looking to incorporate on my blog. Currently, I’m lucky enough to work at my favorite place to shop Crosswynds Traders in Narragansett, RI. We’re a small store that follows the TJ Maxx/Marshall’s concept... But better. My boss has owned the store for over 20 years now and has made it THE place to shop in Narragansett. Right now we carry a ton of Free People and Anthropoologie which are my personal favorites! I like finding interesting and one of a kind pieces, so since our products come (mostly) in assorted boxes, its the absolute perfect place for me. You can always find me there on weekends, and I am happy to shop with any reader, so just say hello!
My Top Tips:
- I absolutely swear by Activated Charcoal. I pop those things like they’re going out of style because they are so perfect. You know those mornings when you had one too many glasses of wine and now you have to be at an 8am meeting? Activated charcoal. Like a thousand times over. Activated charcoal binds itself to toxins in your digestive system and carries them out of the body. I have a more than slight intolerance to gluten that I like to forget about when I’m out at dinner and the bread arrives, and I cannot tell you how many times these little capsules have saved me from bloat and feeling gross (just being real). They are so easy to find on Amazon, or even Whole Foods, so first chance you get, grab em. ** More to come on youngmadonna.com ASAP, follow along on Instagram @meg_era for more updates.
- The last time I washed my hair... 2 weeks ago, and I would put money on that if I didn’t tell you, you’d have NO idea. My secret? Rinsing it... Like it's that simple. I rinse my hair and condition it every other day and it is my softest, most prized possession. Every two weeks I do a full shampoo and conditioner and then go back to my rinse condition routine. My hair is so damaged from dye and bleach that this has honestly become a saving grace. I would NOT recommend jumping right into it though. It's taken me a year to get to this point. I started by conditioning every two or three days and then worked my way up. Right now is also the perfect time to start because its getting colder, AKA less sweating and less of a need to wash to begin with! Any questions, email me: meg_mattera@my.uri.edu.
- My final tip is the perfect detox, and it's a Rhode Island hidden gem, so I obviously had to share: It's called Urban Sweat at Raffa Yoga in Cranston. I’m currently searching for the perfect day to dedicate an afternoon to sweating out all the toxins in my body and just relaxing. Urban Sweat is made up of 8 rooms, that are each designed to benefit your body and mind in a different way. Before I went for the first time, I was definitely a little panicked that I would be too hot and pass out, but that is so not the case. In a weird way, each room felt comfortable and natural. I left feeling lighter, more centered, and calmer. Next time you are in the area be sure to visit Urban Sweat, and as always, if you are looking for more info, feel free to contact me!
*Note: Meg's blog is being redesigned and will be back up and running soon. In the meantime, be sure to follow her on Instagram.
Photo Credits: All photos courtesy of Meg Mattera, except the images for Activated Charcoal and Raffa Yoga which were found via Google Images.