BACK TO BLOGGING

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Wow, it has been quite some time since I've even logged into my blogger account, let alone drafted and published a post. Why the silence? Well, two reasons. I couldn't find my computer charger despite thinking I knew where it was, so I finally ordered one from Amazon. Except when that arrived, there was a little twist in my family's life.

Almost 6 weeks ago now, I got a text from my mom while I was at work that my sister's NYC apartment was on fire. She was safe since she was at work, but immediately I started freaking out when I started watching videos online and checking Twitter. Of all the people and all the apartments in New York, it was my sister and her apartment building in the East Village explosion late March. She and her roommates, and two other buildings of people lost absolutely everything.

Needless to say, blogging wasn't exactly a priority from that point on. My focus was on Jane and making sure that she was going to get back on her feet as quickly and smoothly as possible. Writing posts about fun summer clothes or coffee table books just seemed so unimportant and insensitive when Jane had pretty much nothing and was starting from zero.

It's been a pretty emotional whirlwind for my family, and even more so for Jane, of course. I mean, what are the chances? And the feeling of losing everything... it's maddening and overwhelming and I can't imagine. It takes time - especially as a girl - to accumulate the perfect pair of jeans, a great LBD, jewelry, bags, home decor... oh my gosh it's never ending! But in the grand scheme of things, it's not the things that even matter. What matters far, far more are the people in your life, and this was so apparent after the blast. I am so incredibly thankful that blast took place when Jane was at work and not when she was at home in the evening or in the middle of the night. I'm so grateful for the generous love and support she has received from family, friends, and even strangers. It's an understatement to say how blessed and loved she is - and that's what counts at the end of the day.

It's so easy to get caught up in the materialistic world we live in, especially with blogging and social media. Moving forward, I'm still going to write and share plenty about clothing and shoes and jewelry, but I also want to focus on the lifestyle part of this blog as well. Material things are great, but it's also the day to day and people and events in between that make life so special and unique. I can't promise I won't take another blogging hiatus, or that I'll be on here every day, but I hope that what I post is worthwhile and makes you want to continue to read and follow along. Thanks for joining me on this lovely little journey of life.

- xoxo - 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Has everyone recovered from their Labor Day weekend festivities? I think it took me all of yesterday to remember what working was.... yikes. But that just means my weekend felt super long and relaxing! Ready for a weekend recap?! This is going to be long, and I really apologize in advance... but too much good stuff not to share!

 

THURSDAY

Meet two friends for dinner at Tacombi. Have the crispy fish and pork belly tacos - yum. Highly recommend. Follow up with dessert at Milk. Hi, cracked pie and cereal milk ice cream and cake truffles. You were amazing. 

FRIDAY

Jane works till 2:00, so I wander down to SoHo and aimlessly shop. Literally the most perfect weather ever - 70s and NO humidity. Have a yummy smoothie at The Bean. Decide at 12:30 to slowly make my way to meet Jane for work. Walk through NYC up 5th Ave to the Flatiron building. Walk in Eataly, realize there are way too many people to handle, leave after approximately 30 seconds. Meet Jane. Go back to Madison Square Park for Shake Shack. 45 minute wait = worth it. Subway to Central Park to row boats in the reservoir but decide against it after seeing another really long line. Lay in the park, enjoying the weather and talk to my Grandma. Decide to get a macaroon at Laduree because even though we are stuffed we want one #yolo. Take subway back to East Village. Drink wine on Dorothy's rooftop, eat yummy pasta and cheese, go to Destinations for a couple beers. Sleep. WHEW!

 

SATURDAY

It's gameday!!! Wake up weirdly early - attempt to rent Citi Bikes to go to the Brooklyn Bridge and fail miserably. Try to take the subway to Brooklyn Bridge and it's out of service for the weekend - another fail. Fill our sadness with an amazing donut from Gasoline Alley. Go to brunch a couple hours later at Fonda - cheers to the Dawgs and bottomless margaritas! Find some street merch on the way back to Jane's apt, hooray for a desk chair! Go to American Whiskey (UGA bar), watch Todd Gurly and crew crush Clemon #gurleyforheisman. Sleep.

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY

Yet again wake up strangely early. Decide to seize the day, eat amazing avocado toast and ricotta toast at Two Hands. Walk through parts of Chinatown and Little Italy. Make it to the World Trade Center / Freedom Tower. So pretty. Continue walking through the financial district (we're explorers!) and see Stone Street - such a cool street with lots of restaurants and bars and open air seating. Have a late lunch at Chelsea Market with Kaitlyn who is visiting from DC! Nap because it's pouring rain. Meet Natalie for dinner at Keste and celebrate her engagement (yayyy!!!!!!) and eat more delicious food - this time, pizza! Sit in Washington Square Park and enjoy each other's presence.

 

 

 

MONDAY

Ate NYC bagels from Tompkins Square, walked to find a book for me to read on the plane, and off I was to JFK. I had the best weekend in NYC visiting Jane and I'm so glad I took Friday off so I got an extra day. I'm not kidding when I say I think I gained 10 pounds on the trip and walked all of Manhattan, but it was all worth it. Thanks Janie!!! I will be back soon :)

 

 

WEEKEND

Hello chickadees! Did everyone have a great weekend/Monday? I was home this weekend for my best friend's wedding shower (October 18th is so close!!!) and while it felt like a really quick trip, it was perfect and much needed.

I'm always happy to be at home and spend time with my family and friends from growing up, but this weekend in particular reminded me just how lucky I am to have them in my life. My friends and I don't live in the same city, and we typically only see each other a couple times a year, but when we are together, we pick up right where we left off. Saturday was one of those perfect days, and with the exception of all the summer shandys I drank, it felt like we were back to age 12, jumping off the diving boards and spending all day and all night at the pool. I cherish these friends of mine - we've been together since age 8 or before - and when you have friends for that long, you just get each other.

It's rare, I think, to have friends that are considered family, and family that is considered friends. I feel very blessed to say I have both. :)

TO DA CITAY

In just 8 days (!!!!!!!) I'm heading to New York City for Labor Day, visiting my favorite (and only) sister in the world, Jane!!! Reasons this makes me excited:

1. I love my sister

2. I love New York City

3. Sister snuggles

4. Aimless wandering and delicious foods

5. I can't wait to see Jane's apartment - she moved to the East Village August 1!

6. I get to see two of my besties

I visited last summer and we had the best time, doing non-touristy things (my favorite, to feel like a local). We went to the Standard for rooftop drinks, ate at Rosemary's, Jack's Wife Freda, Smorgasburg in Brooklyn, and Pastis, and wandered through Central Park, the Brooklyn Flea Market, and the Highline. I loved every second my visit and seriously am on the edge of my seat waiting for next Thursday.

Anything that we must do? We are planning on going to Eataly one night - because pasta, duh - but other than that, my trip is an open book. Would love y'alls feedback!

xoxoxo

A HAPPY WEEKEND

Hello Monday, you have come way too soon once again! 

I had a great weekend and I hope you all did too! I made a very last minute decision on Friday afternoon to drive home. My sister is home before making an official move to NYC (!!!!!!!) and any excuse I have to see her is a good one. Plus my dad and brothers are hiking somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains, so it was a total girls weekend. So perfect! 

We spent Saturday morning at the Farmers Market and got delicious gourmet donuts (blueberry lemon, chocolate crumble, carrot cake, and birthday cake, YUM). My mom stocked up on fresh produce and my sister and I admired the flowers. That afternoon we met a good friend for birthday drinks and the went to see the movie Begin Again. So good y'all!!! I'm listening to the soundtrack nonstop and if you haven't seen it - make it a priority. I think I smiled through the whole thing. Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo are charming, and Adam Levine's voice is, well, beautiful.

On Sunday we went to church and then had lunch and got good sunshine at the pool - a typical Sunday when I'm home in the summer. It was so relaxing and fun to be with my mom and sister and now it's so rare that it's ever just us three, so that was an extra special treat! 

What did you all do this weekend? Anything new or exciting?

WEEKEND

Happy 4th of July week and hooray for 4 day weeks!! Those are just the best, and the 4th of July is probably my favorite holiday (so American of me, I know) so it's a great, great week!

Hope you all had a fun weekend. My weekend was pretty fabulous because I got to spend it with my mom, and in my opinion, there's not a ton that is better than that. Aren't moms just the best?! She got here on Thursday night and we had a great time catching up over dinner at Burger Up. On Friday we met for lunch, then went to J.Crew after work and scored some awesome deals, which put us in an even happier mood than we already were! That night we went to Pinewood Social for a drink, and then had a late dinner at Rolf and Daughters, which was fabulous as always. If you are visiting Nashville, these places are musts in my book, and I think my mom agrees!

On Saturday morning we went to downtown Franklin for the weekly Farmers Market which was awesome. I can't believe I've been in Nashville this long and just went for the first time! We got so many fresh goodies, like lemon pepper pasta, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, bread, peaches, a candle... just really fun. My friend Mary Jeanne met us for lunch at Meridee's and we explored the cute shops in Franklin - one of my recommendations when visiting!

Saturday night we relaxed, drank some wine, and went to Martin's BBQ (more great food!) Sunday brought church, errands, relaxing, and Mellow Mushroom take out to cap it off. It was such a perfect weekend and I'm so glad my mom made the trip. Now it's just 4 days until I head home for the 4th and a family friend's wedding! 

Have a great Monday!

LOVE, ACTUALLY, IS ALL AROUND

 

 

 






Pretty sure I post on this same topic each Valentine's Day, but I think it's a good reminder, no matter what holiday it is. 

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There's a lot of hate around Valentine's Day. Girls are depressed because they are single, guys are annoyed that this commercial holiday forces them to spend money because if they don't, they're in trouble. The thing is, though, the heart of the holiday (see what I did there?!) is supposed to be about love, and it's just kind of silly that so many people put so many negative feelings out into the world on this day, and that so much of it is centered around a relationship status.

The world can be a sad enough place - I mean just read the comments on any news article and you'll get instantly depressed - so why can't we just celebrate a day about love? It's not just about you and your significant other or lack there of, but about all the people in your life who you love and love you back. I feel so lucky and blessed to be surrounded by so much love in my life - from my family, my friends, my coworkers, and yes, my boyfriend.

It's all of these relationships that make life wonderful and worthwhile. The ones that make you smile, laugh uncontrollably, feel happy, feel loved. Take a minute today to let everyone important in your life know how much you love them, and not to do it just today, but every day.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone <3 :)

ATHENS WEEKEND

Any weekend I can spend with someone in my family automatically puts the weekend in the amazing category. This past weekend my parents and I went down to Athens, GA for my sister's fabric design exit show. I'm planning on doing a full recap - but you can see a little preview of her work in the above picture. It was so special and touching to see how many of her friends and our family friends drove from Atlanta, Illinois, and Tuscaloosa to see her work on display. Girl has talent, y'all.

From the exit show we headed to downtown Athens for great food and drinks and celebrating Jane. The rest of the weekend consisted of quality family time meandering through Athens, watching football games at Pauley's and dinner at The Globe, and trying to track down a hot dog vendor. Family is just the best and I'm so glad we got to spend Jane's last official weekend as an undergrad in Athens with her. Proud of you Janie!

A WEEKEND AT HOME

I just love being home. After living in Atlanta and being a plane ride away from my family, I absolutely love, love, love that I am only a drive away. This past weekend was the Illinois-Miami of Ohio game and since a ton of my Champaign friends went to Miami, it was an obvious time for a reunion. It was such a short trip, but as always it was wonderful being with my friends. We are in Nashville, DC, Cincinnati, and Chicago, so reunions are few and hard to come by. We had a great day tailgating with our families and friends, watching Illinois crush Miami and then the Dawgs take on the Tigers (Go Georgia!). We played beersbie at the Hobbs, scarfed down Monicals pizza and Custard Cup, and fell asleep way earlier than planned. Sunday brought church and relaxation with my family, and it went by all too fast! I headed back to Nashville sad to be leaving such wonderful people, but very blessed to have them all in my life.

Happy Tuesday!

WEEKEND IN REVIEW: ATHENS, GA

I love when I get to spend the weekend with my family. Being spread slightly across the country (or Midwest/Southeast), we don't get to spend tons of time together, but when we do, it's oh-so special. This weekend I made it down to Athens, GA for the UGA vs. South Carolina game - a little sibling school rivalry. My dad flew in as well, which made it even more fun.We had a great day in Athens, and much to Jane's happiness and Peter's disappointment, the Dawgs came out on top. A great weekend with an even greater family - my only complaint is that the weekend wasn't long enough!

Happy Monday!

LIFE LATELY PART TWO: FOURTH OF JULY

Without a doubt, one of my favorite holidays is the Fourth of July. I love grilling out, summertime, and fireworks, so it's an obvious match. It's always been a holiday that I spend with my family and friends, and I have so many fond memories of watching the parade, greased watermelon and coin dives at the pool, and scrambling to make it to the big pine tree in front of Memorial Stadium to watch the fireworks. I also love the Fourth due to growing up going to our country club's 3rd of July party which is always a guaranteed good time of fireworks, live music, and non stop dancing. Being in Hilton Head and Atlanta for the past 4 summers, I've missed out on these good times at home (although I always made up for it - not to worry) but this year, my five best friends and I finally managed to get to Champaign for the holiday. It. Was. The. Best. Since the Fourth falls on a Friday next year, I think we are going to have to make a repeat performance.


 We all got into Champaign by Wednesday so we didn't miss the 3rd party. So much fun being with our families and family friends!

A highlight of the night might have been when the band finished playing (last song was questionable) and we broke out in Camp Tecumseh flag pole songs. Completely normal. And no night in Champaign is complete without a stop to Steak N Shake, which we totally did. Double steakburger, please!


For the Fourth, we drove down to Southern Illinois to spend a couple days at the Sullivan's lake house on Lake of Egypt. It was so relaxing and just what I needed for a mid-summer vacation!

 

Years ago, Kaitlyn and I stayed up till 3:00 AM to finish a clock puzzle. We didn't see it anywhere in the house (completed puzzles typically get framed) until we played some beer pong and Kaitlyn started screaming. It was such a joyous moment!

We were also lucky that more family friends from Champaign were at the lake at the same time, so we had a great time having happy hours with them and playing on the water trampoline with the kids. Eight year olds at heart, I'm telling you!

It was such a great extended weekend and holiday - but I'm definitely ready for another vacay soon. Luckily I'm heading to Hilton Head with my family in 2 short weeks. Cannot wait!

On more happy news, it's Friday!! I have a few fun plans for the weekend and I hope you all do too! 

Hooray weekend!