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This Week's Top 10


1. Wish me luck on my AP exam this morning! I spent a few hours at Starbucks studying last night, and I still feel so unprepared. Ugh, it's the senioritis, I swear. Focus is just no longer in my vocabulary!

2. Prom is one week away and I am beyond stressed trying to find a dress!!! If you have any long dress suggestions, I'm begging you to send them my way!

3. I love this outfit on Mackenzie.

4. I think I need these shorts for summer.


6. I shared part one of my latest vacation recap right here.

7. Mother's day is coming up quickly. I'm trying to figure out what to get my mom, and Mark and Graham definitely has some great options.

8. I'm so excited to submit my housing contract next week! My roomie and I are having a ton of fun planning and getting inspired for our dorm designing.

9. Help me hit 5K followers on Insta! I'm getting close, and there might be a little surprise when I reach it!

10. I'm excited for brunch tomorrow with my boyfriend, one of my best friends and her boyfriend, Caroline, and one of her friends, too. It should be super fun because it's a random mix of people I love :) What are your weekend plans? I have service all day Sunday morning but I'm hoping to spend the afternoon with another one of my BFF's who's birthday is today!

xoxo

NYC Recap: Part 1

Hi everyone! First off, my apologies for being MIA all week thus far. It's been a crazy hectic week to say the least, starting off with retreat on Sunday, meaning I missed school Monday, and the amount of make-up work I already had from this vacation I'm about to share with you had been piling up like crazy. But seriously, this trip was worth every extra assignment! I had an incredible time in New York, the Hamptons, at Lehigh, and in Rhode Island two weeks ago and I enjoyed each minute of it tremendously.

I arrived in Manhattan on Friday, after quite the fiasco with my flights. I was scheduled to fly MKE to Chicago, stop for a short layover, and then fly to LaGuardia. The first flight went just as planned, and then I boarded my second flight just like we were supposed to. Only after we were all boarded, the pilot announced the plane would not be usable, and it wasn't until three hours after we were scheduled to take off, and we had unbounded that plane and re-boarded a new one, were we on our way to NYC.

Traveling annoyances aside, I arrived in New York and my dad picked me up at the airport. We went straight to my aunt's apartment on the Upper East Side where we made homemade spaghetti and meatballs (my dad's specialty) and some fun appetizers to complete the little dinner party with her friends. 

I made that salad! It was so good and filled with all of my faves: arugula, pistachios, beets, feta, and balsamic!

Saturday morning I woke up and ran my favorite run in Central Park, the Jackie O Reservoir loop with my dad. The weather in New York was absolutely gorgeous that weekend. Following, I went back to the apartment, cleaned up and changed, and met Sloane for breakfast!



We went to By Chloe in the West Village where I had avocado toast and a chocolate raspberry smoothie. By Chloe is all vegan, which I was at first a little skeptical about, but the food was amazing. Not to mention, the location was ideal and the ambience was fabulous. Sloane and I wandered around Soho and the West Village for about an hour or two before she left and I spent more time exploring Soho on my own.



Around 4 PM, my dad texted me and told me I needed to be back at the apartment immediately, which set off a slight panic for me considering 1. I was in Soho and "immediately" doesn't exactly translate well in terms of travel from Soho all the way to the Upper East Side, and 2. I was starving.

I hopped on a Subway and got off at the Plaza, sprinting into the food hall where I ordered the most delicious crepe from Vive La Crepe that I'd been craving since I'd arrived in New York. I took my crepe to go and managed to eat and run simultaneously for four blocks until I was back on another subway to my aunt's.


Stressful as it was, I arrived only approximately, like, um, 45 (??) minutes after I was supposed to, crepe in hand, and officially en route to the Hamptons!

Head back for part 2 of my trip coming soon!
xoxo

Saturday Sales

Happy Saturday! There are a ton of incredible sales going on this weekend, and I know I'll definitely be shopping them, so you should too :)


See the sales below:

J. Crew: 40% off sale and 30% off everything else with code: SCORE
Bloomingdale's: $25 off every $100 with code: SHOP25
Alice and Olivia // 25% off with code: FRIEND2016 (definitely worth shopping if you're in the market for a prom dress or something to wear to a wedding this summer! The dresses are all incredible)
Tory Burch // up to 30% off with code: BLOOM
Kate Spade // 30% off with code: SMILE
Club Monaco // 30% off with code: TAKE30
Splendid // 25% off with code: FF16
Old Navy // 30% off with code: THANK YOU
Madewell // 30% off spring essentials with code: ASAP30

Shop some of my favorites from a few of the sales:


Tory Burch

Club Monaco's new arrivals are really outstanding.

Madewell


xoxo

This Week's Top 10



2. Speaking of this weekend, meeting KJP was definitely a highlight!

3. I also picked up the perfect pair of sneaks.

4. Pretty baby blue gingham. A spring essential!



7. It doesn't get better than this pale pink off the shoulder dress.

8. Speaking of dresses, I'm in major need of a long dress for prom! I can't see to find one anywhere... Any suggestions?!

9. This airy farmhouse takes interior beauty to another level.

10. On Sunday I will leave for the last retreat (optional senior retreat) at my school. Retreats are just one night, so roughly 24 hours, but they are so much fun and always offer the most incredible bonding experiences as a class. I always feel so loved and grateful afterwards, so I am really going to try and be present every minute of it!

xoxo

Weekend Photo Diary

This weekend was insane. Like, one of the best weekends I have probably ever had! I was in NYC from Friday to Sunday with a little detour to the Hamptons, then I visited Lehigh (in PA) on Monday, and finished off my trip on Tuesday in Rhode Island. I had an incredibly fun time with my dad, and I always cherish the time we get to spend together because ever since he moved to Rhode Island, I obviously don't get to see him as much.

 I will definitely do a full recap or two coming soon just like I did for my spring break trip, but today I wanted to similarly post a few extra pictures in advance just to highlight some of the fun things I did this weekend while the full details are still in progress.






xoxo

This Week's Top 10


1. By the time you're reading this I will be up in the air en route to NYC! I am so excited for this weekend and all of the fun plans my dad and I have made. 

2. Everyone knows breakfast is my favorite meal of the day... and I'm dying to try this recipe.



My wishlist right now...
7. This funky top and dress (they would be so perfect for Summerfest or even Lollapalooza if I end up going!)


9. Bloomingdale's is having a huge sale right now through Sunday... so many good deals you won't want to miss!

10. I hope you all have a great weekend and I can't wait to share the details of my trip when I return! In light of my travels as of late, you can read the final recap of my vacation to New Orleans right here.

xoxo

New Orleans Recap: Part 2

Today is the second and final recap of my trip to New Orleans! I feel like I have been dragging this vacation on and on, partially because it was so much fun and I wish I was still devouring beignets and wandering Magazine Street with my mom, but I promise today is the last installment of NOLA content.

At first I was a little apprehensive that only having four days in NOLA would not give my mom and I nearly enough time to do and see everything we wanted to, but it actually ended up being the perfect length trip. Most of our days were just spent wandering the city, and we hit everything in four days without feeling bored or, on the other hand, like we were leaving having missed out on something.

Wednesday was definitely my favorite day in the city, so without further adieu, here is a recap of Wednesday and Thursday, the final two days of my trip!



We started our day on Wednesday by heading down to District Handpies and Coffee Bar. I'd heard of District Donuts being super amazing and famous in New Orleans, but my mom and I were both a little more intrigued by "handpies", and we were also curious to hit up that part of town as well. Oh, my gosh, we could not have made a better choice for a quick breakfast. I ordered the Vietnamese iced coffee and a Nutella hand pie and I honestly don't think I've ever had a breakfast I enjoyed more. I'm pretty sure I consumed more sugar in that one sitting than is good for anyone over a period of 20 minutes, but I will never regret those beautiful moments.

Following breakfast, we walked up Magazine Street for about an hour before taking a detour to explore another part of town. We pretty much wound up in the middle of nowhere, but it was worth it and pretty cool! I think we walked for three or four hours before making our way back to Magazine Street to do a little more shopping. Around one, we stopped for a little lunch at Arana, a delicious mexican spot on Magazine. The tacos were so good.



Baja taco and Chipotle Shrimp taco at Arana


We wandered around town for a few more hours before walking pretty much back towards our hotel in the French quarter where we took a little nap and relaxed before heading back out. Our waitress at one of the restaurants the day before had told us about "Wednesday at the square", so we went out around 7 to hear a little music and hang out before our dinner reservation.


We must've walked past these two guys selling oysters on the curb at least twice everyday... Only in NOLA!


How cute are my mom's earrings?! We snapped this selfie on our way out of the hotel before Wednesday at the Square.


Wednesday night we had a reservation at Peche, which I had been anticipating all week. All of the locals seemed to know and love the restaurant and I was so excited. Of course, it did not disappoint. I had the catfish and beets with feta and pistachios and I was blown away. Ugh, the food in New Orleans was seriously all so good... I am a huge fan of beets and I probably would be content eating those beets from Peche everyday for the rest of my life.

After dinner, we walked off a little of our food and then stopped at the Ace Hotel because it looked cool and they had live music (lol, that's honestly just the truth!). Let me just say, this hotel was sweet. If I were in my twenties and vacationing in NOLA with friends, this would definitely be the place to stay. Of course, following, we hopped on a streetcar back to Canal and went to sleep at our hotel for the night!

Thursday morning, I woke up craving another fabulous iced coffee and set out alone determined to find something pleasing. I walked a few blocks and wound up at Addiction Coffee where I ordered an Iced "Miss Tracy's Addiction", which is the "signature creation, beloved by the eponymous Miss Tracy. Espresso, steamed coconut milk, steamed milk, warm honey and a dash of Cayenne. Bold, exotic, creamy, sweet and warm. A habit worth cultivating." Of course, it was nothing less than phenomenal. I returned to my hotel, grabbed my mom, and we set off walking toward Decatur where we finally had beignets at Cafe du Monde!



The line outside Cafe du Monde was surprisingly quick and we were seated in 10-15 minutes. I definitely enjoyed going, as it's an essential part of any New Orleans travel experience, but I think it was one of those things that now that I've done it, I'm pretty content and I don't think I need to go back. Don't get me wrong, the beignets were delicious, but the dough felt like a bomb in my stomach! The four hours of walking down Decatur, up Canal, and another round of Magazine Street still left me feeling a little bloated, but despite that, it was still a fun stop.



My mom and I did a little antique shopping on Thursday at some of the cutest stores where we actually met a few poodles in one! Ugh, Southern people are so cute. Around four we returned to Arana and enjoyed some queso with chorizo (delish) and different tacos than the day before. Following, we took a final stroll down Bourbon St and Royal Street, and then picked up our bags from our hotel. We took a taxi to the hotel near the airport where we were staying for our last night given our early flight home on Friday. The weather Thursday night was fairly nice so we took advantage of the outdoor pool and warm temps before heading home.



Balzac, the poodle. Not pictured: Theo, the other poodle!


Royal Street

Overall, it was a fabulous vacation and one I will remember forever! You can read part one here.
xoxo

Currently Loving: Espadrille Wedges

In New Orleans, I rediscovered my love for my Soludos when I realized that espadrilles are seriously the most comfortable shoes, even if you plan to walk 20,000 steps a day in them! I wore my Soludos almost everyday in Europe last summer too, and that says a lot given how much the average tourist walks on a European vacation!

For summer, I absolutely love wearing wedges with skirts and dresses, white jeans, and the occasional cute pair of shorts, and I am lusting over all of the espadrille wedge options! As I mentioned, espadrilles are amazingly comfortable, so I'm sure in a wedge pair you wouldn't feel any of that horrible "I hate wearing heels" pain at all! This pair is under $70 and I personally think it's one of the cutest in this bunch. Also, most pairs come in multiple colors including navy (#navyornothing!) and a solid neutral option... winners!

What are your thoughts on espadrille wedges? Do you have a pair?
xoxo

3 Blogger Outfit Posts I'm Loving







Considering the weather in Wisconsin as of late has consisted of snow in April, I've relied on some of my favorite bloggers to provide me with sunny, spring style inspiration, and I have been loving some of the looks that people have been wearing lately! Distressed denim, fun espadrilles (I'm really loving this pair... they're only $70!), flowy dresses, and the list goes on.

Hopefully the weather warms up a little by the end of the week as I'll be heading to New York on Friday and I would love to spend a weekend in the city when it actually feels like spring! Have a great Monday ;)
xoxo

This Week's Top 10


1. Prom season is here! One of my guilty pleasures is definitely stalking twitter and pinterest and seeing all of the cute ways people get asked, so I especially loved reading this round up of creative ways.


3. I want to wear this outfit every single night this summer...


5. Those dining room chairs. That dog! The bedding! The closet. Talk about serious home tour inspiration.

6. I'm loving this ruffled romper.

7. This scalloped bed tray has me craving a little breakfast in bed...



10. I am so excited to go to dinner with Carin and another one of our friends tonight! We're heading to the cutest little Mexican place (I love Mexican food!) that I haven't been to in forever. Do you have any fun plans?

xoxo

Steal Her Style


I've been loving off-shoulder pieces lately, and I fell in love with this look when I saw Bradley in this blue top over on Luella and June. I got so excited when I found a very similar top for only a fraction of the price of hers! Don't you love when that happens?! She also has me dying to try a fun statement earring with a simple outfit, and I'm now even more eager for the weather to warm up so I can pull out my white jeans.

White jeans (I'm also into this distressed pair for a similar great price) // Tan sandals

xoxo

New Orleans Recap: Part 1

As I mentioned in my first little post about NOLA, my trip was a wonderful way to spend my senior spring break. My mom and I got to spend time together having a ton of fun and we were so lucky with the weather; Monday when we arrived was probably the nicest day! I was so surprised and amused by the fact we got to hop on a streetcar right away and ride around the city, which is actually fairly compact, on this cute method of transportation for the week.


Our flight was Monday morning at 10:30 out of Chicago, so we drove my brother back down to school and then had breakfast before boarding. Already the trip was off to a good start given that the line for security was huge and we were lucky enough to score TSA precheck (the best).

Right when we arrived in NOLA we were greeted by 80 degrees and sunshine, so we dropped off our bags at the hotel, quick changed, and hopped on the streetcar to Tulane University! The campus was beautiful and I'm definitely jealous of the outdoor pool and the fact that students were tanning in March. We walked around the surrounding neighborhoods of Tulane for a few hours before hopping on a streetcar back to the hotel and getting ready for dinner. The houses up and down St. Charles Street and all around the Garden District are simply gorgeous.



 We went to Atchafalaya on Monday night for dinner, and the food was fabulous. Our waiter was a gem, and I loved everything we ordered! I started with the seafood and andouille gumbo, had the swordfish for dinner, and tried the dark chocolate crepes for dessert. 


Tuesday was our first full day in New Orleans and it was a ton of fun. We spent a lot of time walking around on Magazine Street for the whole trip, starting on Tuesday. However, we actually kicked off the morning walking down Bourbon and stopping at a Cafe on our way to Decatur. I had a delicious iced coffee and then saw the St. Louis Cathedral and Cafe du Monde (we ended up going on Thursday, though!).

After walking around the French Quarter, we walked to Marigny because I was itching to explore the St. Roch Market. We just browsed, but the building was gorgeous! 



Walking to the St. Roch Market




St. Roch Market

After, went to the Garden District via another streetcar and walked around a little on Magazine Street before stopping for the best lunch. Tuesday's midday meal might've been my favorite of the whole trip! We went to Basin on Magazine Street and had the crab and crawfish beignets and the mushroom and grits. The food was outstanding. I wanted to try everything on the menu!



Shopping on Magazine St.


Crab and crawfish beignets


Mushroom and grits

We shopped for a few hours before a late happy hour/early dinner at Balise. My mom and I shared a few oysters, both on the half shell and broiled jalapeño (so good!) before going back to our hotel to take a nap and shower. Tuesday night we explored Bourbon Street and had so much fun listening to the music and people watching.




Balise



Bourbon Street

Stay tuned for the second half of my trip!
xoxo