Friday Favorites – September 7th, 2018

Sunrise on Brooklyn Bridge

Happy Friday!

Did this “short” work week feel like an extra-long one for anyone else?  I am so happy it’s finally the weekend. My long run was finished bright and early this morning so the only thing that I have to look forward to is a deep tissues massage tonight, quality time with Bo and Katie, enjoying cooler temperatures, and heading into the city for Evann’s bachelorette festivities tomorrow.   It is going to be a fun day with some lovely ladies while we relax and celebrate doing some of Evann’s favorite things – a sweaty workout, some fun pampering and enjoy delicious cocktails and food. After so much travel recently, I’m thankful that Evann chose to have a NYC bachelorette instead of a destination.  Do you have any fun plans this weekend?

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • When I was at Target last week I discovered Peanut Butter & Jelly Kids RX Bars. These 130 calorie bars have 7 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber which make them the perfect morning or afternoon snack. I find the texture to be a lot softer than the larger RX bars and the PB&J flavor is DELICIOUS!
  • As I jumped back into half marathon training this week after a few weeks of travel, my three runs were definitely not easy but enjoying an amazing pair of new shoes and sunrise views made them a bit more bearable. I’ve now worn the new Brooks Levitate 2 on four runs and am IN LOVE! My feet felt cushioned while also enjoying some extra spring and energy due to the shoe’s responsive nature. The heel collar allowed me to sweat and run without any blisters or rubbing and the bright color is an added bonus!
  • After seeing this shower blue tooth speaker on a friend’s wedding registry, Bo and I immediately ordered it ourselves. Does anyone else ever do that?  Since attaching it to our shower wall I’ve enjoyed listening to podcasts each morning during my shower. The music and sound is very clear and it was very easy to mount.
  • For some reason, Bo and I rarely cook cauliflower. After feeling burnt out on our usual vegetables we made this new-to-us cumin & turmeric cauliflower recipe on Monday and immediately marked it a WINNER! It is a little spicy but oh-so-delicious!
  • Who else has been watching the new Tom Clancy Jack Ryan series on Amazon? I’ve always liked John Krasinski, but wasn’t sure how he’d transition into this role which is very different than his Office character. Needless to say Bo and I loved the show and quickly watched all eight episodes in just five evenings. I like that the season is a self-contained story so there weren’t any dramatic cliff-hangers at the end of the season. They’ve already started filming season 2 and I’m thrilled to read that the three main characters will continue in the next season.
  • Earlier this week, a reader asked me what I’d recommend buying during the Fall Jcrew 40% off sale. Below are the items I recommended to her since they are my closet staples. The only item on this list that I don’t own is the tie waist dress which I just ordered!
    • Tippi Sweater – I own this sweater in six different colors and tend to buy a new one each year. It’s a perfect weight for fall and I tend to wear it with a skirt and necklace during the work week and pair it with jeans on the weekend.
    • Martie Slim Pant  – These pants come in three lengths and are so flattering that I just ordered a 3rd pair!
    • Going Out Blazer  – The perfect way to transition your summer dresses or silk tanks to fall is by throwing on this tailored blazer. I wore it earlier this week with a summer dress to keep me warm in a chilly office.
    • Wrap Tie Jumpsuit –  I’ve worn this once a week since adding it to my wardrobe earlier this summer. It is so versatile and fun! Tomorrow I’m wearing it for Evann’s bachelorette and pairing it with bright, strappy sandals and statement jewelry.
    • Tie Waist Shirtdress – If this is as flattering as it looks in the pictures or based on the reviews, then I’ll be wearing this non-stop. When I travel I prefer to take dresses since they are simpler and this one will be perfect with my gold, chunky necklace and dark tan heels.
    • Leopard Skirt  – My favorite way to wear this skirt is with a chambray shirt and black heels. It’s a classic that can live in your closet for years and be worn many different ways, depending the occasion.
    • High Rise Toothpick Jean  – I’ve embraced the high waist jean style and don’t think I’ll be going back to anything else in the near future. These are flattering yet comfortable and the long length is appreciated since I have a short torso and long legs.

 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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Friday Favorites – August 3rd, 2018

Brooks Mesh Ghost Leggings

Happy Friday! I hope you all have had a wonderful week. After lots of travel the past two weeks, it has been so refreshing to be home this week. I’ve focused on spending time with Bo and Katie, getting lots of sleep and catching up on errands and work.  Other than a long run date with Melissa, we don’t have any plans this weekend. Since Katie loved our bike ride adventure so much, I think we may ride to Prospect Park Zoo. Do you have any fun plans this weekend? Also, in other news, it’s no surprise but I’m already down looking forward to fall weather. The August heat and humidity is not my favorite time of year in New York City. In fact, I took two showers today just to rinse of the sweat and stickiness.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • Okay guys, the hype is real. I am so impressed with the Beautycounter Overnight Resurfacing Peel.  I’ve only been using it nightly for a week so I can’t tell you whether it has help improved my melasma, but I can tell you that I wake up each morning with brighter, smoother skin without the sting and chemicals of other options. The name is a bit confusing as it does not peel your skin nor do you peel it off. Instead, it “peels” off dead skin by dissolving dead skin cells which helps resurface skin to reduce dryness, dullness and discoloration. Once it absorbs, I apply the their No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil and Countermatch Eye Rescue  cream. As I mentioned last week on Instagram, I know that chemicals may be required to truly improve my melasma, but my dermatologist recommended that I come in for a follow-up visit in late September, after summer, to assess next steps. If you want to see more of my favorite Beautycounter products, check out these this post.
  • Over the past month, I finished Educated, The Identicals and When Life Gives You Lululemons. This week I picked up Marriage Vacation, The Perfect Couple and The Wedding Date from the library. Once I make it through those books I’m going to switch back to one of the memoirs or historical novels on my reading list.  I’m hoping to do a full review of last month’s books in an upcoming book review post. Until then, what’s on your reading list?
  • During the summer months, we tend to get fruit flies in our house when we have floral bouquets or fresh fruit on the counter. I finally made some of this apple cider and soap concoction to put on the counter in hopes of killing the annoying little guys. Guess what!? It worked and after just 24-hours we had over 15 of them captured!
  • Bo and I have been doing a great job of cooking during the week, due in part to making sure we have a well-stocked pantry, freezer and fridge each week. I owe you guys a full post with more details, but a few of the items we have been consistently loving are Banza, Rao’s Homemade Sauceperfect roasted green beans, homemade turkey burgers, and frozen shrimp from Costco.
  • I was so surprised to slide my feet into these adorable, block heels and realize that they are not only comfortable but also very cute! For $24.99 you can’t beat these tan block heels as a staple for weekends, business and weddings alike. I’ll be wearing these for both of the upcoming weddings I’m in this fall as well as pairing them with jeans and fun skirts or dresses in between. I recommend ordering the wide if your feet tend to be wide as they run pretty narrow but otherwise, they’re great!
  • Recently, I feel like Brooks gear has become so fun! While it’s always been a great, reliable brand especially for running gear, their colors and cuts have taken a step towards being more on trend and fun while still delivering the quality you’d expect. I ordered these mesh leggings after seeing them on a few of my fellow ambassadors when we were in Seattle and have quickly FALLEN IN LOVE with them. The mesh makes them the perfect weight for summer running, walking or Pilates classes as well as more fun that my usual black legging. Unlike a few of the mesh leggings on the market, the mesh on these leggings is flattering.
  • I realized last month that my wardrobe was missing two staples – a blazer and a pair of flattering work pants. I’ve worn the few business dresses or skirts that I have on repeat for customer and team meetings over the past couple of months and was craving a change. I ordered this flattering, updated blazer to add a bit of polish to my dresses and jeans. I knew I wanted to get a pair of pants that I could wear year-round so I opted for these slimming crops, which are perfect paired with nude heels and a bright top in summer or a sweater and flats in the cooler months. I hope that J.Crew continues to offer so may Tall styles on their site!

 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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Friday Favorites – June 29th, 2018

A picture of the Brooks Run Happy Ambassador crew from last year’s trip to New Mexico!

Happy Friday! Greetings from Seattle. I flew out here yesterday, spending seven hours on the flight from New York City to Seattle working. It was a ridiculously productive flight as I made my way through hundreds of work emails, tackled a few things that have been on my work to-do list for ages, wrote a few thank you notes for Katie’s first birthday presents, and published a blog post.  I headed out to Seattle a day early so I could spend some time with my good friend Amy, who just moved here from Cincinnati. After a few snafus, we were able to relax and enjoy the gorgeous weather and catch up while hanging with her husband and two children. We ate sushi, hung out in their hot tub and then went for an early morning walk together this morning. The time together looked a lot different than our impromptu visits but I am so appreciative of the way our relationship continues to evolve, depending on our life stage. I’m getting ready to hop in a Lyft and head over to the Brooks HQ to meet the rest of the Run Happy ambassadors who are in town for a weekend of running, exploration and fun. This is my third year working with Brooks and while every year is an honor and joy, I couldn’t be more excited that this year’s trip includes cheering on the athletes at the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • After being awake for almost 20 hours yesterday, I looked pretty rough when I woke up this morning. While I blow dried my hair and got ready for the day, I let these magical Grace & Stella eye patches work magic on the lines and eye puffiness. I discovered them a few months ago via another blogger and have since been buying them once a month. When I’m not traveling, I keep them in our refrigerator as the cold helps them work even faster and more effectively. Unlike other eye patches, I find that my makeup still goes on smoothly and easily after the application!
  • When I cleaned out my closet earlier this year, I kept two shirts that I loved even though they didn’t fit at the time. As of last week, I’m finally able to wear them again and LOVED packing them for Seattle’s cooler temperatures this weekend. I own the slim, flattering v-neck in black and hunter green and find myself wearing it almost year-round. Today I’m wearing the black one with jeans and sandals but back in New York, I wore the green one with jean shorts earlier this week. At $15, you can’t beat them for the softness and fit!
  • A few people sent me DM the other day when I shared a picture of me in my favorite dress and jean jacket. While I’ve raved about the dress, I’ve somehow never shared that my favorite jean jacket is one that I’ve had for four years. Believe it or not, J.Crew still has it online and the style hasn’t changed very much since I bought mine. While I found it on sale, the amount of times that I’ve worn it over the years makes the price seam like a steal. It has a relaxed fit, so I recommend ordering a size smaller than normal.
  • This morning during our walk, Amy raved about a few podcasts she’s enjoying these days, including Oprah’s SuperSoul conversations which feature inspiring conversations with a range of personalities including Maria Shriver, Deepak Chopra, and Brene Brown.
  • Earlier this week, Brooks launched a huge end-of-season sale which includes many of my current favorites. I’ve been wearing these bright, patterned shorts on runs when the weather is especially humid and find them to be comfortable and the wide leg means no chafing. This tank is loose, bright and breathable, perfect for the humid weather and bringing some fun to early morning workouts.

Okay friends, it’s time to head out but I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and follow my adventures with Brooks on Instagram this weekend. I’ll be sharing sneak peeks of their Fall gear, workout tips and gorgeous Pacific Northwest views.

 

 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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