Homemade Happy Hour

Last week, I was off work for most of the week (trying to use up the rest of my vacation/sick time before I finish internship), and I texted my friend Kathy to see if she and her husband wanted to get together with Matt and me at some point.  I was excited when she suggested happy hour, but when she suggested happy hour on their back deck, I was extra excited!  They have a gorgeous backyard, and with a sudden dip in the temperature, it was the perfect way to spend a Saturday evening.  Here are a few pictures from the night, including my outfit, which I must admit, I was pretty in love with :)

I snagged this floral caftan from Gap Body last week during their 40% off sale items.  On the hanger, the caftan was oversized, shapeless, and a bit see through (hence being a caftan).  But something about it spoke to me!  So I grabbed it and tried it on in the fitting room.  Once I got it on, I realized it wasn't see through when you put it close to your body, and I also realized that belted, it had a super cute and unique shape.  And the floral print...hello summer!  Perfect proof that you never know how things will wear.  If you like something but aren't sure how it will work, try it on!

Caftan: Gap Body {on sale here}
Leopard scarf, worn as a belt: thrifted
Fedora: Target (old)
Earrings: a honeymoon gift from my mom
Nails: Orly "Gumdrop" 

Kathy's husband, Chuck, made the most incredible margaritas.  Fresh, light, and perfectly cool for our happy hour on the deck!

We also snacked on a super fresh shrimp and crab appetizer.  I had to keep myself from hoarding the shrimp, because they were so good!  I have literally thought about this appetizer two or three times since Saturday.  Perhaps I need to get out more :)

Love me some sassy Kathy!

After we said our goodbyes, Matt and I headed to the park near our house to spread out our picnic blanket and relax.  And we may have taken a red cup or two with us to continue the homemade happy hour :)  As I looked up, this was the pretty view I got.  Much appreciated after the crazy heatwave Chicago had last week!

A better shot of Orly's "Gumdrop," a great summer color.  Not too minty, not too bright, I really like it.  And I must say, I have been crazy impressed with how long Orly polish lasts.  I've been wearing an Orly neon pink on my toes, and they are looking pretty good after a decent amount of time.

And because I am so proud of my creative shopping/styling, I'm finishing this post with another outfit shot.  Do you ever have outfits that you just feel great in and look forward to wearing over and over again?  This is just one of those outfits for me!

Thanks Kathy and Chuck for hosting us; I've decided homemade happy hours should be an official summer tradition!

Moments

{via pinterest}

Sometimes there are moments where I find myself overwhelmed by warmth and love, wrapped in gratefulness for the blessings around me.  This morning, is one of those mornings, one of those moments.  As I sit in our living room, sipping coffee, readings blogs, and vaguely listening to the documentary Matt is watching, I can't help but think how blessed I am.  So many people go without, and yet I need for nothing.  So often I get caught up in what I don't have, what I want to buy, and what I think would make me happier.  But sometimes, I love remembering that I have everything I need, right here, right now, right around me.

Cheers to a fabulous weekend of small moments and bursting gratitude.

Allerton Park

A few weeks ago, we had a work retreat at Allerton Park.  Prior to the retreat, I hadn't heard of Allerton, and the description of "beautiful and woodsy" by my boss didn't exactly sell me.  But as we drove through Midwest backroads for a few hours, I became more hopeful.  And when drove up, the four of us let out a collective, "Oh my goodness, this place is gorgeous!"  Located in Monticello, Illinois, Allerton offers more than 1,500 acres of formal gardens, hiking trails, outdoor sculptures, and a breathtaking century old Georgian-style mansion.  Though I chuckled a bit when I read it was on the "Seven Wonders of Illinois" list, (honestly, who knew there was such a thing?), I can't argue with how beautiful it was!

Thankfully, the tone of the retreat was super-laid back, as it was intended for the interns to have a chance to relax and reflect on our crazy year together.  We spent a few hours in seminars/meetings, and the rest of our time exploring Allerton's beautiful, laughing with each other, and noting how grateful we are to have had each other this year.  I forgot to bring my camera, but thankfully I had my iPhone to capture most of the moments...

Driving up to Allerton, we were greeted by this gorgeous entrance.  Tall trees, stone pillars, and a tucked away gazebo.  Suddenly, my boss' descsription of "beautiful and woodsy" didn't seem so bad :)

The main house boasted grand staircases, hardwood floors, originals rugs and furniture, and tons of natural light.  Rooms were scattered throughout the mansion, and as we went exploring to find our rooms, we couldn't help but compare the long hallways to the hotel from the Shining.  Thankfully, we didn't see any tricycles or big wheels laying around :)

We spent most of our meeting time in the library, which was floor to ceiling old books.  Something about floor to ceiling books is super delightful to me.  I guess it appeals to my inner nerd :)

All smiles and ready to explore.  First stop, Allerton's amazing koi pond.  I have literally never seen such huge koi!

Remember my summer bucket list item about embracing shorts?  Here is living proof that I am checking that item off big time!  (I have had multiple friends comment on how they've ever seen me in shorts till this summer, and I must admit, I'm quickly getting over my shorts phobia!)

Button up: LOFT
Shorts: Gap {available here}
Sequin tank: Talbots
Sandals: Target
Sunnies: Nordstrom BP
Earrings, Necklace: M2 Boutique
Cuff: Ann Taylor
Ring: David Yurman 

We spent most of our time after dinner exploring the grounds and seeing all of the beautiful sculptures.  There was a ton to see!

We went back to explore the gazebo we saw when we drove in.  We climbed to the top and were in awe of this incredible view!  Who knew these things existed in the middle of nowhere Illinois?

More gazebo view photos and some Spiceworld photo action :)

The organizers of the retreat said to dress "comfy and casual."  Coral, mint, and gold sequins is as casual and comfy as I get :)

More gardens, sunlight, and hidden nooks.

We snuck in a few drinks to the retreat and enjoyed a "cheers" while walking around after the day's meetings.  Such rebels :)

Day 2 "comfy and casual" outfit, which caused another girl at the retreat to ask me why I was "so dressed up."  I'm always curious why people don't realize that it takes just as much effort to pull on a maxi skirt and a button up as it does denim shorts and a t-shirt.

Jersey maxi skirt: Forever 21
Chambray shirt: Target boys section
Turquoise earrings: a birthday present from my parents
Sandals: Rampage, Macys
Sunnies: Nordstrom BP 

Christine and Alex posing at Allerton's famous wedding backdrop.  With cooler temperatures, Allerton would be a gorgeous place to tie the knot!

The dang centaur statue that we walked 30 minutes to see, because someone in our group had to see it :)  Also posing with my wonderful training director/boss!

Our time at Allerton ended up being a ton of fun!  I wasn't thrilled about going, but once we got there, I was so grateful for the break in our crazy work schedule and a chance to reflect on this past year of internship.  It's hard to believe its almost over (two more weeks to go!), but I'm thankful for all I've learned and the relationships I've developed this year.

If you're in the Chicago area and want a little weekend adventure/outdoor getaway, I definitely recommend Allerton.  They have several bed and breakfast weekends throughout the year, and Matt and I are thinking about heading up there at some point in the near future.  Hope everyone's Fourth was wonderful; happy weekend!

Thrifted Green

Thrifting season is in full swing, and I can't get enough of neighborhood garage sales and overflowing thrift stores.  We have gotten lots of goodies lately, and I'm trying to piece together a post of some of my favorite thrift finds.  But until then, I thought I'd show you a few recent thrift finds that have one little thing in common...green!  Green hasn't been a major staple in my closet, but lately the thrift stars have aligned to introduce more of the bright and classic color into my life.  Here are a few of my recent thrifted green lovelies...

Green blazer with gold buttons...garage sale find from a sweet white haired lady who didn't mind when I talked her down a bit on price :)

From top to bottom: passed down from my great aunt Bunny, recent estate sale find, old garage sale find (though I have one similar from my grandma), gifted from my Namaw

Green and white striped blazer...garage sale find from a woman who had an incredible stash of vintage clothes!  Most of them were a little over the top 60's gogo girl for me, but this blazer wasn't quite as old and still had the original 1980's department store tags!  I also snagged my brother an awesome vintage Lacoste jacket for his birthday.  (I'm pretty sure he doesn't read my blog regularly, so shhh, don't tell him!)

Green pencil skirt (which I clearly needed to steam lol)...thrifted at Savers' recent 50% sale.  This skirt still had the original Lord and Taylor tags attached!  Did I mention I got it for less than $5?  Score!

Green and gold brooch...thrifted at Savers.  It's kind of hard to see the detail on this brooch, so I'll try to snap a better picture at some point, but I'd never seen a brooch like, and I couldn't pass it up!

I'm not sure what's been in the thrifting waters lately, but whatever it is, its got me finding (and loving) green!  I'm curious how many of my readers thrift and if so, what's been your favorite thrift find as of late?  PS: I have been posting more frequent outfit snaps and detail shots on my Facebook page, so if you want more frequent updates/posts, head over and follow me there!

Anniversary Dinner at Saigon Sisters

Last Saturday Matt and I snuck in an early anniversary celebration with dinner at Saigon Sisters.  I first heard about the downtown hotspot through Gilt City, and given that Matt and I had several special occasions coming up (both of our birthdays, anniversary, graduation, etc.), I figured we could spend one of them celebrating at Saigon Sisters.  I wasn't in the mood to lug Cameron around, so instead, I snapped pictures with the oh so adored Instagram.  Here is a peek into our fun night!

All smiles and ready to celebrate!

The restaurant itself was pretty small, with about ten tables total.  With tall ceilings, a chalkboard wall menu, and fabulous bar pendant lights, it was the perfect atmosphere.  Simple and special, yet not overdone.  A definite win for ambiance!

We did the chef's four course tasting menu, which was over the top delicious.  I felt a tad bit gluttonous, but looking back, I'm glad we were able to try a little of everything, since we don't eat Vietnamese food very often.  The first course was a green papaya salad with citrus shrimp, homemade five spice jerky, pork belly, fried shallots, peanuts, and thai basil.  The second course was pan-seared walleye over mustard greens and forbidden rice in a Kimchi butter broth.  So so good!

The third course was duck ramen soup with duck breast, poached eggs, bok choy, and eryngi mushrooms with a spicy sauce and lime on the side.  This was Matt's favorite course, though we were both so stuffed at this point, neither of us could finish our bowl!  The fourth course was chocolate ganache with a black pepper funnel cake and a housemade tea ice cream.  And though I was stuffed, you better believe I ate all of this last course :)

Our conversation at dinner might have been one of my most favorite conversations of ours.  It was just us two, thinking about where we've been and where we're going.  There was lots of talk of the future, which is always exciting!

And for those of you wanting outfit details...

Dress: Rebecca Taylor
Blazer: Tahari
Necklaces: Ann Taylor
Bracelet: Ann Taylor
Ring: David Yurman 

It was such a fun night and probably my favorite anniversary celebration yet!  I'm so very blessed to share my life with such an incredible and supportive guy, and I am so grateful that God brought us together.  (PS: if you're new to the blog or curious about how Matt and I met, you can read about that here.)  A big thanks to all you sweet readers who wished us happy anniversary on Tuesday; each and every wish brought a smile my face!  Happy almost Friday, everyone!

Three Years

Today Matt and I are celebrating our anniversary, three years to be exact.  It's weird, because in some ways it seems like yesterday that we got married and were celebrating with friends and family, but in other ways, it feels like we've been married forever.  I'm sure that sounds super cliche, but like many cliches, it rings fairly true.  Three years doesn't seem like a long time, but a lot has happened during that time.  Matt and I both wrapped up our doctoral coursework, left Texas, and moved to Chicago.  Matt completed his Ph.D and got a sweet job; I got a great internship, moved two hours away, and am less than one month away from finishing my Ph.D.  That seems like a lot for three years, especially when I think about how stable our lives have remained.

Last year on our anniversary, I used the word "adventure" to describe our second year of marriage.  And though I don't want the pressure of always having to "name" each year of our marriage, I can't help but enjoy the opportunity to reflect on this year, noting threads that ran through it.  So as I think about this past year for Matt and me, I can't help but notice how much the word "partnership" keeps surfacing in my brain.  Matt is truly my partner in life, and I think we both learned a great deal this year about truly working together.  We made some big life decisions, and through all the stress and uncertainty, I always knew Matt was there.  Steady and constant, offering support and encouragement, as we worked together to make things happen.  One of the best things about a partnership is having someone who can help balance you out when you need it, and this year, more than ever, I felt that balancing act happen.  I feel so very blessed to have such a wonderful and true partner in this life, someone who loves me for my good and bad, someone who helps me find my center when I get off balance.  Three years ago today, we started this journey together, and three years later, I still wonder what I did to deserve such an amazing blessing and an amazing partner.  Cheers to three years...and many more!

PS: If you want to see more wedding pictures, you can find those here.

Summer Bucket List Check: Early Morning Breakfast

After posting my summer bucket list a few weeks ago, I can officially cross something off my list.  Though Matt and I brunch fairly often (it's a sport in Chicago, after all), we rarely make it there before 10:00 am.  This means we typically wait for a while and then feel semi-rushed through the meal, wanting to turn over our table to the sweet waitresses at our favorite spot.  So one of my summer bucket list items was so get up super early, head to breakfast, and enjoy a quiet, leisurely meal together, just the two of us.  And two Saturdays ago, that's just what we did!

Every good breakfast starts with a hot cup of coffee, especially if the breakfast involved a 6:00 am wake up call.

Who says breakfast dates aren't sexy? :)

Though I love a fancy pants brunch as much as the next person, sometimes it's nice to just cut the fuss and have a true breakfast.  Whole wheat pancakes with fresh fruit, scrambled egg whites, and turkey sausage.  Not the least bit fancy, but oh so perfect!

Also mandatory for early morning breakfasts...ponytails, bare minimum makeup, and a morning full of garage sales.  Check, check, and check!

One item done, eighteen to go!  I can already tell it's gonna be a great summer :)  PS: Congrats to the winner of my Misikko giveaway...Shana Russell!  Shoot me an email, and I'll get you connected with the team at Misikko!

Getting Back on the Health Wagon: Five Ways to Drink More Water

{via pinterest}

In January, I made a focused effort to get back on the health wagon, and as part of that effort, I really wanted to drink more water.  I have had a terrible lifelong habit of going days without drinking water.  No joke.  Days.  I would alternate between coffee, coke, juice, and maybe in the morning, a glass of milk.  But water, nope, nada.  Once it became a joke among my friends that I literally never drank water, I flirted with the concept, drinking one or two glasses a day.  (Hardly impressive, I realize.)  But in January, I realized that water is a miracle worker.  When you ask a doctor how to be healthier, they tell you to drink water.  If you ask your trainer to lose weight faster, they tell you to drink water.  If you ask your dermatologist how to improve your skin, or if you ask your dentist how to improve your teeth, the answer will still be water.  So after 27 years of leaving every fiber of my body dehydrated, I decided to get my stuff together and start drinking enough water.  But creating new, healthy habits is easier said than done.  So if you're one of the millions of people out there (like me) who have trouble getting the recommended 8 glasses of water a day, here's how I've been able to fully embrace the habit.

Have water with you.  Earthshattering, I know.  But if you want to drink water, you've got to actually have it with you at all times.  At work, in the car, next to the couch while you're watching tv.  I've taken this a step further by always having water visible.  Seeing my giant water bottle on my desk reminds me to take a drink.  Seeing it in the passenger seat reminds me to take a gulp while running errands.  Don't let your thirst be your cue to get some water, let seeing your water bottle be the cue to drink up.

Measure your bottle.  Find a water bottle that works for you, know how many ounces the bottle holds, and aim to drink the bottle as many times necessary to hit 64 ounces.  For example, my water bottle holds 33 ounces, so I know to drink one bottle in the morning and one bottle at night.  If it's 1:00 and I haven't made it through a full bottle, I know I need to get drinking.

Embrace the gulp.  You know those cute, perky women who seem to just sip water all day long from their pretty little water cup?  Well that's not me.  I don't sip water.  I tend to realize about once every hour that I haven't had a drink in a while.  (I typically realize this when I see my water bottle sitting on my desk: see point #1).  So I grab my bottle and take several long gulps.  It's not the least bit graceful, but it gets the job done.  If the sip doesn't work for you, just embrace the gulp.  This has helped my water intake tremendously.

Drop in a piece of fruit.  Once in a while, I want a little oomph in my water, and rather than reach for a sugary substitute, I just plop in a piece of fruit.  Whatever I have laying around the house works.  I keep bags of frozen fruit in my freezer for smoothies, so typically I'll pop open one of these bags, and drop in whatever my fingers find first.  Frozen strawberries, peaches, blueberries, pineapple, raspberries...literally, any fruit will work.  This helps break things up and add a little pizzazz to my water gulping.

Drink before you eat.  Water is one of the best ways to feel full, so before every meal and snack, I take several gulps of water.  It helps cleanse my mind a bit before eating, and of course, it has lots of health benefits.  So before you chow down on your veggie wrap or sandwich, have several gulps of water.  This is especially important if you're dining out, as portion sizes these days are huge.  Don't let your brain fool you into think it's starving when in reality, you're moderately hungry + really thirsty.

So there you have it, five ways to increase your daily water intake.  Surprisingly, since January, I've stayed on the bandwagon with this goal.  (Working out not so much, but that's another story.)  For those of yall who are regular water drinkers and read and this said, "Umm, duh Allison," excuse my ignorance and keep on rocking on with your water drinking.  But for those of you who are like me, I promise, these simple tips work!  And for an added bonus, I've found that the more water I drink, the less of the sugary stuff I crave.  Score!

Since January, I have noticed major differences, just from upping my water intake.  My skin is better, I have more energy, I feel fuller throughout the day, I have less headaches, and my overall mood is better.  So I guess all those people are right, water really is the miracle drug! :)

*I am not a medical doctor, so with anything health related, consult your physician before making major life changes.

New Beauty Favorites

I'm not usually one to try a million different beauty products.  I'm a MAC girl through and through, and whenever I venture out to try one of the latest "it" products, I always find myself slightly disappointed, coming back to my favorites, and wondering why I every strayed in the first place.  However, in the past month I've stumbled upon two products that I've really, really loved!  And shockingly, neither of them are MAC products!

 

Maybelline Studio New York Master Precise Ink Pen Eyeliner: I have been wanting to get on the cat eye trend for ages, but everytime I attempted them, I looked like a five year old who got caught playing in her mom's make up.  Seriously, not pretty.  But when I read this post and heard this liner was perfect for cat eyes newbies, I knew I had to try it.  And guess what?  It is perfect for cat eye newbies!  The tip is more like a pen, as opposed to a brush, so there is less room for veering off of the eyeline.  (Read: there is less of a chance of looking like that overambitious five year old.)  I have also figured out another really important tip for mastering the cat eye.  Don't try to create the cat eye in one straight swoop.  Instead, use shorter, overlapping strokes of eyeliner to create the look, especially on the inner half of your eye.  It seems counterintuitive that multiple short strokes would create a smoother line, but that tip definitely helped me!  I have especially been loving the cat eye trend when paired with bright, summer lips!  (My new favorite, MAC Impassioned, seen here.)

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer: I've tried a primer before and wasn't particularly crazy with the results.  Instead of helping my foundation last, I found that it just made me shinier sooner.  But when I got this Smashbox primer as a part of a free gift with purchase, I thought I might as well give it a go.  And oh my goodness, I love it!  It gives me a nice extra glow, and overall really helps my makeup last throughout a long day at work.  I'll never forgot the first day I wore it.  I applied it early in the morning and came home ten hours later, after a long day at the work.  As I stood at the sick washing my hands, I caught a glimpse of myself, and did a double take.  My makeup looked just as it had ten hours earlier!  Rather than applying the primer prior to my foundation, I actually mix the two together, adding a pea sized amount of primer in with a dime sized amount of foundation.  I apply the combo using a MAC 187 brush.  After having such great luck with this primer, I thought about trying out the MAC equivalent, but then I realized, why mess with a good thing?

PS: In other news, I cleaned out my bathroom cabinets this weekend, which included a serious makeup purge.  I am ashamed to say that I filled an entire Quaker Oats container with old MAC products.  I had a ridiculous amount of old and stashed away products that seriously needed to go.  I felt pretty guilt looking at all those products and thinking about how much money was spent them, but then I realized that with the MAC recycling program, the old products won't go completely to waste.  Every six will be a new MAC eyeshadow or lipstick, which means I'm set for the next nine seasons :)  PS: Wondering why I have a Quaker Oats container in my bathroom?  Click here to find out!

Anyone else have any new favorite beauty products to share?

Summer Bucket List

{via pinterest}

Now that June is officially here, my mind is in full blown summer mode.  Perhaps it's a side effect of being a lifetime student, but come late May/early June, my brain switches to summertime.  And to help myself embrace the season to its fullest, I decided to create a Summer Bucket List, aka a few things I'm hoping to enjoy before Labor Day :)

Picnic with friends...
Hike through a local nature preserve...
Make fresh sangria...
Enjoy a day at the beach...
Embrace wearing shorts...
Go cherry picking...
Host a garage sale...
Make homemade ice cream...
Rock some bright lips...
Visit my grandparents in Ohio...
Take a jewelry making class...
Grill something delicious using foil packets...
Wear all white...
Keep up with my summer workout plan...
Send a postcard...
Rock a braid...
Wake up ridiculously early on a Saturday to dine at our favorite breakfast spot fairly undisturbed...
Roadtrip with my little brother...
Drink a Coke float...

I hope you'll notice that this list isn't extravagant or fancy, few things cost more than a few dollars, and few things require me traveling outside of a five mile home radius.  I wanted to keep this list simple and sweet, focusing on having moments and experiences, rather than having money or things.  I'm hopeful that list will encourage me to seize the beauty of summer, savoring the simplicity and joy of such a lovely season.

If people are interested, I'm happy to update you as I check things off my summer bucket list.  After all, the only thing better than making fabulous moments, is sharing them with fabulous people!

So now it's your turn, what's on your summer bucket list?