Maptotes

With more and more people going green by carrying reusable totes for groceries and other shopping excursions, it's hard to stand out in the crowd. That's why I love these canvas totes from Maptotes. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and you can choose from over 40 locales, from Nantucket to Tokyo and lots of places in between. I'm partial to Washington DC and all of the New England totes, especially Martha's Vineyard! Not in the market for canvas totes? No problem! They also have notepads, onesies, and wine carriers. Cute + good for the environment = two green thumbs up!

Which city would you represent?

Fabricated Nicely

While visiting home a couple weeks ago, Tiane and I had the chance to browse through newly opened Madewell, a sister store of J. Crew. I really liked their products, but things were a little pricier than I had anticipated. I love that the brand started out as a workwear factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts (a short distance from where I live now). Nowadays, they carry a lot of casual clothes (think slouchy tees and tanks, lots of denim, and vintage-inspired accessories) but also had some nice classic blazers and cashmere sweaters. The following are my favorite finds from the store. If you haven't been, I definitely recommend trying to find a shop near you!

Colorful braided bracelet

Pointilist cardigan (I first learned about pointilism in Montessori school!)

Romantic ruffle dress-so simple & chic

Acid green multi-strand necklace

Breton summer staple tee


Which Madewell piece is your favorite?

Beach Beauty

There's nothing better than sun kissed skin and effortless wavy hair after a day spent at the beach. Fortunately, there are a lot of products out there nowadays to help you fake the look. Last summer I invested in a bottle of Bumble & Bumble's surf spray, but wasn't completely satisfied. The spray smelled good, but was made my hair sticky like hairspray instead of flowy and wavy. This year, I'd like to be able to jump out of bed and have gorgeous waves like the model above. That's not too much to ask, right?! I'm thinking of trying the Fekkai line of summer products. Have any of you used them before? What did you think? I need your opinions!

Do you know of a product that works better?

Guilty Pleasure

I cannot even deny how addicted I am to this show. It's such a train wreck and I love it. I'm totally waiting for Danielle to absolutely lose it. Even her poor daughters know how crazy she is. In my opinion, it's the most volatile housewives cast yet. I can't wait for the DC ladies to premiere later this summer.

Who are your favorite Housewives?

Head Turner

These gorgeous Michael Kors platform sandals are the newest edition to my shoe collection, and easily one of the sexiest pairs I've ever owned. I had been lusting over the Brian Atwood pumps for a while now, but these had a much more summery feel and I just couldn't resist. Ankle straps are typically my mortal enemy, but once I tried these on I was sold. I love the zipper detail, the geometric shaped heel, and the fact that the neutral color can be paired with everything. Now I just have to find the perfect outfit to debut them out on the town!

Do you like?

Date Night

I've had such a fun weekend & hope you have too! It seems like the past couple days have been packed with fun events, warm weather, and lots of laughs. The highlight of the weekend for me was seeing Toy Story 3 earlier today. I don't want to give anything away, but it was amazing! It definitely surpassed my expectations and had me in hysterics multiple times. I recommend that everyone go out and see what appears to be the last of the Toy Story adventures. Be sure to look out for cameos from other Pixar movies, like the Cars poster on Andy's bedroom wall and a Nemo toy in the daycare's toy box. There's also a really cute animated short after the previews. It was such a fun way to end an amazing weekend.

What was your favorite part of this weekend?

Freshly Baked

I'm really loving the new releases from Johnny Cupcakes that popped up in the bake shop yesterday. He is one amazingly talented entrepreneur. The tank combines two of my favorite things: anchors & neon! If you aren't familiar with Johnny's story, I highly recommend reading through some of his blog and background info. He basically started selling shirts out of his car and now he has slowly made his way to the top and has stores on both coasts and a very famous brand. I love that he still takes time to interact with his fans and travel around the country to speak at colleges and universities. If you're ever on Newbury Street in Boston, be sure to check out his shop! It's very cool (but sadly doesn't sell any actual cupcakes).

Which tees are your fav?

Calling All Princesses

My friend Karen informed me that there exists a magical athletic event specifically for princesses. Yes, that's right, Disney (who else?!) hosts an annual Princess Half Marathon and Fit for a Princess expo. I seriously can't believe I've only come across this event today. Is it sad that it takes a princess theme to get me thinking about training for a half marathon? Don't answer that. Anyway, since I've been on such a health kick lately, I'm seriously considering signing up for this event, which is taking place next February. That means I have at least 8 months to get myself in gear and train for said race.

Imagine being cheered on by all of the Disney characters and running through the Magic Kingdom! Sounds like fun to me! The best part of the whole thing is planning what to wear for the actual race. Check out the photo gallery from the previous race to get some inspiration. I doubt this is the place for the Ariel costume I never had. Maybe Snow White would be a safer bet!

Let's dust off those glass running shoes and get busy!

Office Space

Lately, I've found myself daydreaming about having a more well-defined work area for my laptop, stationery, and inspiration board. Right now I rely primarily on the couch and miniature coffee table for blogging and e-mailing and it's getting old. I've had my eye on the following items to spruce up my boring spare room. Let me know what you think!


A sleek and simple Parsons desk with lots of space to spread out



An antique-inspired swivel chair



A stylish and glossy table lamp to provide ample lighting



A pretty metallic vase because fresh flowers are so uplifting



Magnetic strips for snapshots, ticket stubs, and other little goodies

A bright and cheery print to add lots of color and inspiration to the room

What are your home office essentials?

Swoon

I love this photo. It combines two of my favorite things: My Little Pony and Chanel nail polish. When I was a kid, I used to paint the toes (hooves?) of my own Little Ponies. Seriously. I was obsessed. This photo brought me right back to sitting on the porch at the beach house and giving my pony a pedi.

Image seen on The Cherry Blossom Girl. I love the girly feel to all of her photos. So pretty.

Hip Hop 101

Do yourselves a favor and go out and buy (or download) the new Roots album that came out today, How I Got Over. They never disappoint. Ever. Need proof? This is their eleventh album. Groups that lack talent don't continue to produce that many albums. They are also one of the best live acts I've experienced. Their success is well-deserved.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

A Bad Case of the Mondays

Today was not a good day. It was tough for me to get back into my routine after having such a hectic vacation week. I just didn't feel prepared or organized like I usually am, and it was frustrating. The good news is, my new summery Toms were waiting for me when I got home and tomorrow is a new day! I can't wait to wear my new shoes. It feels good to know that I've helped another child just by my footwear purchase.

Cute, right?

Nautical Delight

I'm in love with this cardigan. Doesn't is just scream New England summer? I may just have to snatch this up before my Vineyard getaway.

Stripes are addicting.

Ciao Bella

I'm a sucker for pretty packaging. Big time. This can make going almost anywhere dangerous because I can suddenly "need" things that I'll never really use, but that are colorful and eye-catching. Today, I caved into temptation at the grocery store and bought a pint of sorbet by Ciao Bella. Their bright, bold packaging jumped out at me in the frozen section and before I knew it, I was deciding between blood orange and blackberry cabernet (both fat free-yay!). After spending most of the day cleaning and getting ready to go back to work tomorrow, a refreshing scoop of blood orange sorbet sounded like the perfect way to end my vacation. I just hope I can finish my dinner before digging in!

Never Say Never

I had a really enjoyable, albeit brief, visit home last week. One of the perks of going home is experiencing a lot better more (and better) shopping options. Even stores that we have here in Providence seem better stocked in the DC area. I'm not sure if that's just my perception or it's actually true. Anyways, I tried to take advantage of my limited time and decided to take a giant step outside of my comfort zone and try on a few items I would normally breeze right by.

One of these trends is open toe booties. I've seen them popping up in stores, magazines, and fashion blogs everywhere, but would never think about trying them on myself. They just don't seem very practical or versatile. Boy, was I wrong. I spotted these Steven by Steve Madden booties and had to try them. They were incredibly flattering and elongating (the 5 inch heel helps), and I had a hard time taking them off. It really made a difference seeing them on as opposed to just seeing them. They would look great with jeans or leggings, or a combo (aka jeggings). This brings me to my next unconventional item.



A few days prior to seeing the shoes, I actually convinced myself to try on a pair of jean leggings. I spotted a pair of Joe's Jeans jeggings while browsing at Anthropologie and gave them a whirl. Surprisingly, they were really cute and incredibly comfortable. They felt like an old pair of lounge pj's or yoga pants. Plus, I liked that they had actual pockets and a zip fly. I couldn't believe it! I actually put them back on the shelf because I was so shocked at how much I liked them (crazy, I know). I'm hoping both of these items go on sale in the next month or so and I can snag them while the stores are making room for all of their fall merchandise. Bottom line, sometimes it's fun to try something you wouldn't normally choose for yourself. You might just be very pleasantly surprised!

Which trends are you weary of?

Run, Forrest

I'm not the type of person who needs to know all of the features of a running shoe, such as the sole has compressed air that helps cushion the foot or gel beads massage the arch and achilles. That's all nonsense to me. I can tell whether or not I want a shoe within the first minute of putting it on. Enter Nike's Air Max+ 2009. It is seriously like walking on a cloud (or what I imagine that would feel like). I know a lot of people are not big Nike fans, but I've always had luck with their running shoes and cross trainers. The minute I slipped this on, I felt like I was wearing a cushiony, supportive slipper. I was ready to go! I just have to decide on a. the color and b. if the $160 price tag is justifiable. I'm partial to the neon orange. Surprising, no?!

Thoughts?

Blurry

I seriously don't know where this week went. I've been on vacation (which always flies by) and had to make a (quick) unexpected trip home for a few days. The weather down in the DC area has been uncharacteristically gorgeous, but I'm definitely looking forward to heading back up north this afternoon. I managed to squeeze in lots of family time this week, as well as my first cal gel mani, several frozen yogurt runs, and some little shopping excursions. Somehow in the process I also managed to stay on track with my heathy eating and exercising, which is a huge relief. Now, I'm off to lounge by the pool for a couple hours before my flight. Not bad, right?!

What are you up to this weekend?

Caffeine Fix

A few months ago I realized that I was starting to look tired all the time. I was getting plenty of water and (almost) enough sleep, but I still couldn't combat the dark circles under my eyes. Fortunately, I heard about an amazing under eye cream made by Origins and decided to give it a try. I'm a fairly skeptical consumer, especially when it comes to beauty products, but I decided to shell out $29.50 for a three month supply of GinZing, a refreshing eye cream that promised to "brighten and depuff."

Well, it's been about six weeks of using the product almost every morning, and I have to say I've had noticeable results. My under eye area is definitely brighter and firmer and I barely need any concealer. The cream is very soothing and I'm going to start keeping it in the fridge to add to the cooling effect. I'm planning on continuing to use the cream until it runs out and then deciding whether or not to buy more. I'm pleasantly surprised that it's worked this well so far!

What's been your experience with beauty remedies?

Lustworthy

I've had my eye on these staple pieces recently. They're somewhat pricey, but I think that I would get a lot of use out of them.

J. Crew leather moccasins in a fun color


J. Crew Fenton/Fallon chain necklace



Cute new Lululemon workout clothes


Marc by Marc Jacobs cinched hobo (love the stud embellishments and buttery soft texture)

Vince cowl neck leather jacket (tried this on and didn't want to take it off!)

What's on your current wish list?

Providence Art Festival

Rise and shine! It's Saturday morning and time for me to grab a coffee and head down to the Providence Art Festival. I've been looking forward to this for the past few weeks and the weather this morning is just perfect. I can't wait to stroll around and pick up some goodies. I've already stalked most of the vendors' Etsy shops so I have an idea of what I'm going to get! I love outdoor street fairs like this. They're such a fun way to enjoy a city and mingle with the locals.

What are you up to on this gorgeous morning?

Turtle Power

Three Baking Sheets to the Wind is quickly becoming one of my favorite cooking blogs, and not just because it has a fabulous name! Ali is an incredibly talented and creative baker who also has a soft spot for unique craft beers. I heard about her blog when I was reading an article about a DC cupcake design contest. She came up with the amazing metro map cupcake (pictured above) and I was mesmerized! I loved her idea and immediately Googled her blog.

I've been happily going through the archives over the past couple days. Ali's ability to write as if she's having a conversation with the reader is sheer talent and she's very relatable (important in the blogosphere). Anyways, I wanted to share this with you so you can check out her blog and see some of her fun projects yourself. I am absolutely smitten with those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle caramel pretzel bites. Too clever!

Do you have a favorite foodie blog?