Valentine's Day in La Jolla

I can't believe how quickly my week in California passed by! I got back to Providence last night and am definitely still on west coast time. Here are some snapshots from last Tuesday, which was spent exploring la Jolla. I think this was definitely one of my favorite days of the entire vacation. La Jolla is so picturesque and the weather that day was nearly perfect. I enjoyed spending the entire day with M, something that we haven't been able to do in past years.


I started off my morning with a blowout at the Drybar in Del Mar.


The perfect beachy cosmo-tai, which made me feel like a celeb!


We found out what all the hype was about at In-N-Out (so good!).


Lots of pretty Valentine's flowers for sale in La Jolla.


Clear blue skies and an intricate mosaic on the front of a church.


Hearts decorated all of the boutique windows.


Arcade building at sunset.


Gazing out at the Pacific in my favorite scalloped blazer.


La Jolla cove and Torrey Pines in the background.


A breathtaking California sunset and red + pink balloons.

The day could not have been more perfect and relaxing!

Welcome, Weekend!

Is it just me, or did this week inch by at the slowest possible pace? Don't get me wrong, I was still super busy, but the pile of paperwork on my desk never seemed to get any smaller. Nevertheless, it's Friday and I couldn't be happier. On deck this weekend: lots of cleaning in preparation for my mom, aunt, and sister coming to visit next weekend! I've already spent tonight reorganizing the kitchen cabinets and purging my fridge of expired take out. I'm hoping to get lots done tomorrow morning so I can treat myself to one of these polish jobs before a sushi double date night (my fav)! Sunday is going to be spent getting M fitted for a tux for his sister's upcoming nuptials, meal planning and grocery shopping, and hopefully some leisurely coffee and lounge time.
What are your fun plans for this weekend?

images via tumblr and we heart it

Brûléed Baubles

Currently in love with my newest J. Crew bracelet seen here in rose dust. I love how sparkly it is when paired with my prized '3' bracelet and ombre link one. There's no such thing as too many bracelets, right?

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

I just got home from the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, an annual event that takes place at Providence's Roger Williams Park Zoo. It was amazing, to say the least. There are over 5,000 hand-carved pumpkins scattered throughout a trail with themes and music playing throughout. This is the third year in a row that I've gone and it seems to get better each year!

One of my favorites this year was this beautiful dragon that represented the Chinese New Year as part of the "Around the World" section of the show. First of all, it was huge and so detailed. I feel like the picture doesn't even look like a real pumpkin! It was a fun way to get into the Halloween spirit and now I can't wait to carve a pumpkin this weekend. Read more about the exhibit and check out lots of photos here.

A Day Spent Downcity

Today was pretty much the perfect fall day. We kicked it off with brunch at one of our favorite restaurants downtown (that also served the best coffee drinks), hit some of the local boutiques, and ran errands in preparation for football watching on Sunday. The sun was shining, the air was crisp, and it felt like autumn once again.

My Kind of Equipment

I debuted my very first Equipment blouse out to dinner tonight! Now I really feel like a grown up. I can't wait to collect more colors (like poppy). They are such a splurge, but definitely luxurious and a great investment piece.

Wonders of WaterFire

One of the best parts about summers in Providence (in my opinion) is WaterFire. It's a unique, free event that takes place in Waterplace park with lots of local food vendors and live entertainment. We walked around for a while tonight, and my favorite part by far was the park decorated with illuminated blue stars. They were so magical and looked like they were suspended in midair. I can't wait to go again next month!

Cuban Revolution

Tonight was double date night with M and his little brother! It was spent at one of our favorite Cuban restaurants and we were finally introduced to his new girlfriend. It was a great way to spend the eve of his birthday and I can't wait to continue the celebration tomorrow.

Weekend Snapshots: Newport

New favorite snack: Trader Joe's organic gummy bears.


Morning mani with Essie's Borrowed + Blue.


Breakfast lately: cinnamon raison Ezekiel toast + fresh blueberries.


Toll booth before crossing into Newport.


Gorgeous sunset over the bay.


Twinkling bridge lights at dusk.


Blood orange margarita at Perro Salado.


My favorite piece of jewelry--a diamond Greek key ring I bought myself eight years ago.


Flower arrangements outside at Asterisk.


Mango Pinkberry, courtesy of Tiane's groupie pass!

This weekend was spent meeting a friend's adorable new baby boy, trying a new Mexican restaurant in Newport, shopping the Nordstrom anniversary sale, and watching more of Gossip Girl (season two). M and I kicked off a week full of his birthday celebrations starting with dinner and drinks outside in Newport. I just have to get through another week and a half of work before a week of vacation, too!

Adventures in Newport

Crossing the Newport bridge en route to a fun-filled date night!

It All Ends

I just got home from watching the final installment of the Harry Potter series. Although I'm sad that there won't be any more books or films (for now), I appreciate how well the final cut turned out. I think the ending was satisfying and definitely did the book justice. What do you think? If you've read the Harry Potter series, were you pleased with the ending?

A Bit of Bubbly

I just got back from a lovely date night downtown. M and I visited Tazza and sampled their restaurant week menu. Highlights for me included a seared tuna dish served on top of crispy rice and wilted greens and a homemade linguine with clams and pesto. Everything was delicious and we had fun catching up with one of our favorite bartenders in the city. I think sparkling cava is my new favorite summer drink: crisp and refreshing, but not overly sweet. I'm also enamored by their stemless champagne flutes.
What have you been up to this weekend?

Al Fresco Dining in My Neighborhood

When it's 75 degrees with zero humidity in the middle of July, dining al fresco is pretty much the only way to go. That's exactly how I spent tonight out on Hope Street. It was the perfect temperature for sitting outside, enjoying a glass of wine and a Greek salad, and of course chatting up my company. I hope the weather holds like this through the weekend. I'm really enjoying summertime!

Weekend Snapshots: Around Town

Lots of fresh flowers spotted at the farmer's market.


DIY supplies: colorful clay + embroidery thread.


Neon clay bangles worn to a backyard bbq.


Early stages of a teeny friendship bracelet.


Homemade zucchini bread.


Date night on Thayer Street. Go see this movie if you haven't already. Seriously, go. It made me miss Paris.


Long line during the grand opening weekend at Pinkberry in Garden City.


My watermelon + original swirl.


Sunset and illuminated clouds.

Another great summer weekend is in the books! I'm looking forward to lots more in the next few weeks (including a beach day!) and tons of visitors coming in August.

I love summer.

Sushi Date (Yes, Again)

I spy a rainbow roll, a jalapeno yummy roll, some sashimi, and tuna nigiri. At the end of this whole 365 days of photos, I'm going to go back and count how many photos are of sushi. Probably too many. It's just so good, I can't resist!

Mosaic

Just got home from an amazing date night at Mosaic Latin American Bistro. We managed to be the only table sitting outside on the patio, surrounded by strings of Christmas lights. Not to mention, the food was outstanding and my champagne cocktail was light and refreshing. It really was a perfect (and romantic) summer evening. And now I'm off to watch more Gossip Girl. Can every weekend be like this, pretty please?

Strawberry Fields

A sweet after-dinner treat enjoyed on the second day of summer. Strawberry swirl might be the perfect summer flavor.

Must See

This weekend was so relaxing and gave me plenty of time to recharge. It's felt even longer than three days, which is such a treat! I went to the movies twice and saw the Hangover Two and Bridesmaids. Both were hysterical and I definitely recommend checking them out. I also caught up on some DVR'd shows, including last weekend's SNL with Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga. They're quite a funny pair and the "Liquor World" jingle has been stuck in my head all day! The grill saw a lot of work, as did the margarita maker, which always equals a good time. I'm heading out for a sushi date with M and I honestly can't think of a better way to close out the long weekend.
Hope you all enjoyed yours!

P.S. Make this smoothie. I did. You won't regret it!

Cue the Weekend

Kicking off the long weekend with a glass of wine, sushi, and great company.
Perfection!

Sublime Saturday

Any day that involves a walk around the neighborhood and a chocolate fro-yo cone is a-ok in my book. Throw in bento boxes for lunch and an afternoon of Gossip Girl on dvd (how cute is Dan?!) and I'm pretty much in heaven.

Hope your Saturday was just as relaxing and low-key as mine.