It's the New Post-It

What am I talking about? Pinning, of course! Erika Domesek (the mastermind behind PS-I Made This...) tweeted that exact line earlier today and I happen to be in total agreement. Yes, Pinterest is completely addicting, but it's also a great way of cataloging all of the amazing photos that you see on blogs, recipes you want to try, design inspirations, and wish lists for items you're lusting after around the web. I'm still getting the hang of how to use the site and organize my pin boards, plus finding new people to follow (like Maegan, Taylor, and Emily). You should definitely check it out and give it a try! It's so much fun.

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!

Impulse Buy

I was patiently waiting in the slowest express check-out line ever at Whole Foods earlier when I spotted this chocolate bar. Dark chocolate + tart cherries + roasted almonds sounded pretty tempting. I bought it because it reminded me of my mom. She probably would have bought it, too.

Beach Reads

This has just been added to the list of books I'm planning on reading over the summer.
What's on your summer reading list?

Poker Face

It's another Friday, which means another game of poker here at the apartment. The sound of clinking chips is actually starting to grow on me. I'm busy itinerizing (is that even a word?) the weekend, because that's what I do. I foresee at least one trip to the movies, lots of time spent outside in the sun, morning jogs on the boulevard, some Pinkberry, and maybe the beginning of an herb garden on the porch. Oh, and of course lots of grilling!

What fun things do you have planned for the holiday weekend?

Cue the Weekend

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

After-Dinner Treat

I celebrated the second consecutive day of sunshine and temps in the mid-70s (my plan from earlier this week has paid off!) with a little treat from Eskimo King. I've driven by this place countless times, but never actually stopped to try anything. Boy, have I been missing out. They have over 300 flavors of soft serve! I kind of panicked after reading the first 25 choices, so I stuck with one of my favorites: coffee. It's a good thing this place isn't in my neighborhood.

Food Truckin' PVD Style

I was so excited to open the local paper today and read a whole article dedicated to Providence's food trucks! To my surprise, there are already several hawking their cuisine around Providence, with more to come this summer! I can finally follow in Tiane's foodie footsteps! I think I'm most excited to try the Hewtin's Dogs Mobile, which is conveniently parked every Saturday at the farmer's market right down the street from my apartment.

Have you tried any of your local food trucks recently?

Fighting the Rainy Day Blues

It was chilly and dreary all day today. It's really starting to feel like summer will never come to New England. I've decided that the show must go on! I fought the rainy day blues by grilling up some turkey burgers for dinner. Maybe if we act like it's spring the sun will finally shine for a few consecutive days.

Here's to hoping!

New England Banksy

I've spotted lots of murals around town recently and today I found this little robot while walking down Thayer Street. Is it possible that Rhode Island has its own Banksy running around?

Cocktail Time

'Tis the season for grilling and sipping margaritas!
I love this time of year.

Beauty Loot

I made the mistake of setting foot inside Ulta this afternoon. I seriously forgot how amazing a store it is. It's basically a giant drugstore that only carries hair care, makeup, and beauty products. Anyway, it's great and probably a guy's worst nightmare so I'm glad I didn't drag M with me over the weekend. I managed to make it out with only minor damage. I picked up a bottle of Big Sexy Hair shampoo, which I've never tried but have heard good things about. I also got a new, summery scented Philosophy body wash (coconut frosting), and of course, I had to get a couple of nail-related goodies. I finally found the leopard print Sally Hansen nail strips, so they were a must. They must be the most popular pattern because they're always sold out no matter where I go. Last but now least, I decided on a bottle of Essie's Tart Deco polish, which is a fun orangey-melon hue that I can't wait to try on my toes.

Sometimes a little impromptu shopping trip is the best way to start the weekend!

Bookmarc

I've just been doodling away in my new Bookmarc notebook, courtesy of Tiane. It contains lots of lists, espsecially for places I'd like to visit while I'm in Chicago next month. Let me know of your Chicago must-sees!

Swirl Your Own

The new self-serve froyo spot on Thayer Street might be a little dangerous. You can do everything yourself and they offer 8 flavors at a time, plus over 50 toppings. It's a little overwhelming, but also kind of fun. I've already been three times in the two weeks they've been open.

Can you say froyo addict?

A Wild Discovery

I kind of love that I finally stumbled upon these special edition Barnum's animal crackers today while on a run for groceries. The box is so colorful that it really stood out on the shelf and I couldn't resist buying a couple packages. I can't believe it took me a whole year to find them!

So Fresh

Take a peek at my new favorite tinted lip balm made by fresh. I was first introduced to lip sugar by my sister, Austin, so while I was home I made sure to buy a tube of my own. I've taken it everywhere with me and I really love the sheer color and sweet smell, plus it has SPF 15.
I definitely recommend trying it out!

Weekend Unwind

One of my favorite Sunday rituals is going out for coffee, writing out the grocery list for the week, and doing the crossword puzzle that's part of the Sunday paper. I love a challenge (even when it's against myself) and it helps me stay on top of my Words With Friends games!

Do you have any Sunday rituals?

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.

Let's Play Dress Up

I love any excuse to don a pair of sky-high heels and tonight was no exception. In honor of Glenda's 30th birthday, her boyfriend threw an intimate surprise dinner party at a great Mediterranean restaurant downtown. It was just Glenda and twelve of her girlfriends, which is a nice way to celebrate without going for an over-the-top bash. There was even a fancy cake shaped like an iPad with her blog iced on to it! I had a great time and got to rock my favorite leopard heels. Of course, they paled in comparison to the birthday girl's sexy nude platform sandals.

Happy Birthday, Glenda!

Sweetheart

I feel so spoiled this week! Between visiting home and my flight getting in late, I only had to cook dinner one night this week! Tonight I went out for a little sushi date (again) and discovered that all of the rolls that I'd usually pass up because the nori wraps make me gag (does anyone else have this problem?) are now available with soy paper. This opens up so many doors for me to try lots of tasty new combinations. I tried a sweetheart roll, which was interesting and had lots of tuna (my fav). The presentation was really cute and I'm probably way more excited about this than I should be.

What's your favorite type of sushi?

There's No Place Like Home

I recently returned from a fun-filled four days at home where I celebrated my sister's graduation with family, spent lots of time relaxing, and enjoyed good food and laughs. Long weekends can be perfect for rejuvenating and coming back with a fresh perspective. Check out some of my snapshots from the trip.


Early morning flights are my favorite.


I always do the crossword puzzle while in flight. Thanks to my bf I knew the answer to this Star Wars clue.


Congratulations to my little sister!


I was obsessed with these suede cotton candy pink pumps. I need a pair of my own!


Me in the car on the way to the commencement ceremony.


Cupcakes from Baked and Wired served as the perfect sugary treat.


Baby Jackson joined the festivities and wowed me with some of his new tricks.


My mom had tons of little fresh flower arrangements all over the house. So pretty.


My sister and I shared sushi takeout after her long day of work on Monday.


Some of the first roses to emerge in my grandma's garden.


My favorite fruit in the whole wide world!


On the hunt for the perfect patio set for the porch. These chairs are definitely in the final running.


Perusing the rainbow of zippers at the fabric store for my new clutch.


My mom and I checked out a (new to me) New Orleans-style bakery in the neighborhood.


Cards with regional names were used to call you up when your order was ready.


We shared a French press coffee and a plate of warm beignets. They were amazing.


Enjoying my coffee.


Stained glass window art in the cafe.


I loved the decor, especially the glass window panes and vintage mismatched shutters.


Pretty turquoise necklace on display at my sister's store.


Waiting in the airport to head back up north.

The weekend could not have been more perfect (except for the fact that I lost my voice for 36 hours due to out of control allergies). I enjoyed every minute, especially the sunny, 75 degree weather! This trip really made me miss home. I can't wait to plan my next trip later this summer!

Nail Biter

I'm watching the Celitcs/Heat game and it's intense! I keep covering my eyes. Poor Rondo. He's playing with a dislocated elbow and torn ligaments. Ouch! It's now or never for the Celtics, though. I hope they can pull off a big win.
Fingers crossed.

Breezy Bayou

I spent the morning devouring beignets and French press coffee with my mom at this adorable establishment. Now I'm off to do some retail damage in Georgetown. I kind of don't want to get on my plane tonight.
Can you blame me?

Sew Psyched

I'm beyond that my mom dusted off her sewing machine to make me an American Apparel-inspired clutch. I know I'm going to be carrying it all summer long! Seriously, is there anything this woman can't do (besides spell)?

Love you, Mom!

Cheers to Moms and Grads

I enjoyed a gorgeous day with my family celebrating my youngest sister's graduation from college and of course my amazing momma. My sister requested lobster as a special treat, so we steamed them up and had a lobster and crab picking extravaganza. I'm not a huge lobster fan, but don't worry--I made up for it by eating about 742 peanut m&m's.

Did I mention how much I love coming home?

Lucky Bangles

Stacks of bracelets worn out to dinner with the fam. I almost forgot how much I love visiting home.

Keep It Rolling

Apparently I really don't want Cinco de Mayo celebrations to end! I was planning on posting this cute little guy as my photo of the day, but I got a sudden craving for the Mexican roll from one of my favorite sushi spots. It's yellowtail and sliced jalapeno rolled in soy paper with fresh cilantro leaves layered on the outside. The flavor is spicy and fresh and I could eat one every day. Well, practically every day. And wouldn't you know, it goes perfectly with a margarita!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Fiesta, Fiesta

I love Cinco de Mayo. It's basically just a fun excuse to drink margaritas and have some tasty Mexican food (but do you really need an excuse to do that?!). This year, instead of fighting for a seat at the bar of one of my favorite tacquerias, I opted to throw a little at-home fiesta. It was low-key but delicious and a nice way to kick back after a long week. I made these grapefruit margaritas, which were really refreshing and not at all syrupy sweet, and tried this fajita recipe for the first time (amazing). The pairing was spot-on, especially when some homemade guacamole was added to the mix.

Let's just say we'll be celebrating Cinco de Mayo all summer long at my house!

On Deck

As much as I love my nail effects, I'm thinking I may need a little mimosa in my life this weekend (in the form of Chanel's punchy new polish). The forecast for DC is sunny and warm and I honestly can't wait to celebrate my sister's graduation!

What's your current go-to nail polish shade?

Breakfast for Dinner

I love breakfast, so it's no surprise that I like to cram breakfast foods into other parts of my day as often as possible. Tonight for dinner, I whipped up a frittata with spinach, feta, caramelized onions, red peppers, and sausage. It was so flavorful and incredibly easy to make, plus it's a great way to incorporate a ton of veggies into one dish.