1.Jo Malone. Need I say more. The most amazing smelling perfumes/candles/body oil… you name it. You can't go wrong, and the travel perfumes are the perfect size to pop in your purse. I particularly love the 'Peony & Blush Suede" scent.

2. A Seasonal Candle. Mrs. Meyers makes some seriously great stuff for a seriously great price. I am also a huge lover of the 'basil' scented hand soap. Another great place to purchase seasonal candles is Anthropologie. I love the Good Nature Soy Holiday Candle in Balsam and Cedar. 

3. Quality Hand Lotion. Every girl loves a good hand cream. Your hands take such a beating in the winter. The lotion above does wonders for my chapped knuckles. It's such a great winter staple. 

4. A light-hearted read that will make her laugh all winter long. 'Yes Please' is currently on sale at target for 30% off, where I also picked up Orange Is the New Black on paperback. Target's book section is seriously on point. 

5. Minnetonka Slippers to keep her toes cozy and warm. I have two pairs and they don't come off my feet from Fall to Spring. 

6. A Plaid Scarf. They are all the rage this season and Mango has a great selection. I also saw a couple great ones at Target and Forever21 for a steal.

7. Sleepwear. I especially love all the sleepwear at GapBody. Plus they are always offering 30-40% off around the holidays to card holders. You can't beat their deals. 

Happy Shopping! 

A Quick Getaway

This past weekend my parents agreed to watch Alec overnight, so we jumped on the opportunity and headed North to see some old friends from college. It has been over two years since I have had the chance to visit my old pal, Chelsea, who only lives about two hours away in Hoboken, NJ. She is the very best hostess and every visit is full to the brim with adventure. She is one the those people that never lets you down, always ensuring that she shows you the best time possible. Not to mention, that she alone, is such a joy to be around. 

Hoboken itself, is actually a really great time, but this visit Chelsea took us into bustling New York City.  We went to a delicious dinner at Rosemary's, an Italian restaurant in the West Village. We shared small plates, and enjoyed sipping rosemary lemonade and Prosecco cocktails. After dinner we ventured to the Biergarten at The Standard Hotel for a drink while we waited to hear from friends. Once we got in touch, we jumped on the subway and headed into Williamsburg, Brooklyn. There, we went to Kinfolk and Black Bear Bar. We had an absolute blast boozing, dancing, and just catching up on old times. We ended the night at a lock pizza shop, and each enjoyed a slice or two. Mmm, so good. I only wish we had more time the following morning to do brunch with everyone, but unfortunately, we had to be on the road by noon. 

The lifestyle up there is so incredibly foreign to me…. tiny little apartments that cost a fortune, subways and taxis, and a melting pot of all different people from all over the globe. In my early twenties, I always thought that I would enjoy the whole 'city living' experience. I thought that maybe I'd regret not jumping at the chance to live somewhere other than 'home'. But now that I see myself more clearly, I know that a big city would swallow me whole and I am surely a small town girl at heart. But that doesn't mean that I don't love a weekend city adventure, because I surely do. Thanks for a great time old pal, til next time friend. 

Firefly Festival 2013

Firefly was three times what is was in 2012. Last year, the total crowd per day consisted of about 15-20,000 people... this year that number tripled at around 60,000 people per day. It was not what I expected in the least, and being that I am over seven months pregnant I was a bit overwhelmed. Kiel and I bought three day passes, but unfortunately only made it to two of the days. My pregnant body just wasn't having it on Sunday. Despite the fact that we couldn't get to enjoy the entire event, we did catch some incredible bands consisting of: Atlas Genius, Dr. Dog, Avett Brothers, Alabama Shakes, Last Royals acoustic set, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Not to mention, that we got to spend some time with many of our long distance pals spread across the east coast. Overall, the weekend was a total success. It took about two days to recover from the intense heat, and all the walking, but I think it was well worth the effort. I'm thinking maybe just one day next year.. if we can find a babysitter.

Happy New Year to You and Yours!

 xo the drakes.

 All jazzed up!

 Host with the most.

 Recapping the night over mimosas.

My man and a ridiculous stack of pancakes.

Breakfast with Bruce. 

Life Lately: Holiday Edition

Mrs. and Mr. 

Work Holiday Party

Christmas Party with some of my Favorite Friends

Table is set for our Holiday Dinner

Christmas in the City 

@ Rockefeller

Congratulations to our amazing friends, Danielle and Chris Morley! They had a beautiful wedding on the beach yesterday in Long Beach Island, NJ and it could not have been more perfect! The love was palpable. 

(Check out my handsome man playing some acoustic jams in the background)

Life lately...

 Some photos from our trip to Austin.

 Lounging poolside, taking a dip in Barton Springs, and living it up on 6th Street. 

Girls Weekend in Stone Harbor

Owen C. O'Brien. The cutest baby ever.

friends.

You will fall in love with your friends. Deep, passionate love. You will create a second family with them, a kind of tribe that makes you feel less vulnerable. Sometimes our families can’t love us all the time. Sometimes we’re born into families who don’t know how to love us properly. They do as much as they can but the rest is up to our friends. They can love you all the time, without judgement. At least the good ones can. 

from The Types of People You Will Fall in Love With In Your 20s by Ryan O’Connell  (via remnant)

Kiel and I just spent a long weekend in Austin, TX. Ross and Amber showed us a great time and were more than accommodating. We ate tons of tex-mex, rode a mechanical bull, and lounged pool-side as much as possible. It was the perfect mix of fun and relaxation. After a wonderful weekend away, I ventured off to Stone Harbor, NJ to spend the day with some of my favorite gal pals. We ate, we drank, we laughed. It was just what I needed. Now, I have two shifts standing between me and a visit from my best bud (who is currently residing in L.A.). She is flying in on Friday and I absolutely cannot wait to see her! The countdown is on :)

Over the Weekend

@ Firefly Festival July 20th-22nd 2012

 

 @ The Flanigan-Olive Wedding July 27th 2012

Firefly

So incredibly excited to spend a weekend full of live music, catching up with friends, dogfish firefly ale, and sunshine.

What to Wear/Bring?

via pinterest

Might be smart to bring a blanket/tapestry to lounge on and a durable ziplock bag in case of rain. Kiel's phone was totally destroyed last year at Lollapalooza. Also, you can check out my previous post on Festival Style, or go to Free People's Online Festival Shop for more ideas on what to wear and bring!

FOMS

FOMS = Fear of Missing Something

I suffer from this condition.

Be with the friends who are here.

Do you ever look around the table at happy hour and realize that every single person your with has their phone sitting directly in front of them in hopes of not missing a single text or update on Facebook. Well I'm finding that I am definitely one of those people... and I am tired of it. I thought this was such a clever idea for the next girls get-together I have... Leave your phones at the door and actually converse with those around you because honestly you're probably not missing a thing.

Memorial Day Weekend Fun

Headed down with Momma on Thursday afternoon and got some outlet shopping in! Kiel and I headed into Dewey Beach for some dinner and cocktails on the bay at Que Pasa.

 Friday and Saturday were spent celebrating at Danielle's Bachelorette Party! So fun spending time with all my best gal pals!

We headed home on Sunday evening, but we were lucky to spend most of the day in the sunshine with my adorable nieces.

LYLAS

I recently went to Los Angeles with a few of my gal pals to visit my long-distance love, Christie Sophia. She moved out West in August 2011. After six long months of missing my bestie, I decided it was officially time to round up the troops and pay her a well-needed visit. 

We boozed on rooftops, visited Jimmy Kimmel Live, hiked to the Hollywood sign, chilled in Venice Beach, and spent an afternoon limo cruising and lounging at the Malibu Winery. Our long weekend was perfection and our hostess showed us an incredible time.

 From Left: Danielle, Christie, Me, and Chelsea


Early Morning Hike

Drinks with Friends

 Strolling through Venice Beach

Malibu Winery

I miss all my gal pals like crazy when we aren't together, but I look forward to our next reunion. Danielle is getting married in September, so we have lots to do before then... bachelorette party,  bridal shower.. etc. All great excuses to get all of us together again in one place.