Weekend Highlights – October 31st, 2016

brooklyn-bridge-park

Happy Halloween! While I am not dressing up this year, I can’t wait for this evening’s Halloween festivities. Our neighborhood, Carroll Gardens, takes Halloween very seriously! Last year we had over 500 kids come by our house. This year, our entire building is going to hang out on the front stoop for an evening of Fall fun while giving out candy. Once we’re done handing out candy my sister-in-law, Meg, is going to hang out while we cook dinner and watch Hocus Pocus together. Since I’m not in an office setting this year, it’s easier to resist the Halloween candy but I am looking forward to a few handfuls of my favorite candy tonight – Reese’s Cups, Candy Corn and Twix! What is your favorite candy? 

Unfortunately, this morning I slept through my alarm. I evidently turned it off at 5:45 when it went off but have no recollection of this. Oops.  Clearly my body needed more sleep after an exhausting work week and an equally exhausting, but fun weekend.

Speaking of the weekend, here are a few highlights from our busy weekend.

Ten Over Ten– By the end of last week, my nails were in horrible condition. I knew I wanted to get a manicure before the wedding festivities started Friday evening but didn’t know when I could squeeze it into the schedule since my meetings ended on Friday just before my hair appointment. Luckily, I found out from a friend that Ten Over Ten Financial District location opens at 8 AM on weekdays. I was able to enjoy a 20-minute manicure including their more natural nail polish lines, TenOverTen and RGB.

Drybar Boerum Hill You may have seen that I had a less than stellar experience at Drybar Greenwich Village on Friday night. I didn’t get seated until an hour after my appointment and ended up running late for the rehearsal dinner. Since the wedding on Saturday night was black tie, I wanted to have my hair blown out. After exchanging emails with the Drybar team, I gave their new Brooklyn location a try on Saturday. Luckily, Saturday’s experience at Drybar Brooklyn was wonderful! I was seated exactly at my appointment time and my stylist was able to bring my vision to life in just 45-minutes. The new space is bright, airy and as cute and fun as the rest of their locations.

Rent the Runway Success – After years of buying dresses for cocktail and black tie events, I’ve switched to exclusively using RTR for these events. This weekend I rented a knee length, black and gold Shoshanna dress for the rehearsal dinner and then a floor length, black and blue one shoulder Slate & Willow gown for the wedding.  The black and gold dress required a stick on bra which was less than ideal, but I still loved the dress and the fun details. I paired it with nude hose and my favorite black heels.  The floor length gown was one of the most comfortable gowns I’ve worn complete with pockets, side zipper and boning that helped it maintain shape.

rent the runway greta-dress slate-willow-gown

Wedding Festivities – We were lucky to celebrate our friends Scott and Liz this weekend during their rehearsal dinner at Saxon+Parole and then the wedding at La Sirena at the Maritime Hotel. Even though we’ve lived in New York for years, this was actually our first local NYC wedding. After a long work week I was thankful that we didn’t have to travel for the wedding and it was fun to try two new restaurants as part of the celebration. The food at both locations exceeded our expectations! I especially loved La Sirena as a wedding venue since the split room allowed for the ceremony and cocktail hour to take place in one area before the group moved to the family style reception and dancing. They didn’t forget a single detail including a fun photo booth, oyster shucking hostesses during cocktail hour, great music for hours of dancing and even masks and props to transition the party from wedding to Halloween theme at midnight!  It was a glamorous affair as you can tell from these few pictures – such a fun night!

scott-and-liz me-and-bo guys-in-tux

Long Walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park – Even though I slept nine hours Saturday night, I woke up yesterday feeling less than stellar after the wedding festivities. I was craving a run or other sweaty workout, but I knew that due to the humid weather and a nagging hamstring, I should choose another workout or rest. Instead of skipping my workout, I decided to head out for a long walk to enjoy the gorgeous 70 degree NYC weather. I listened to two podcasts while power walking through Brooklyn Heights and through Brooklyn Bridge Park.  I was wearing a giddy smile on my face the entire time. While I wished I could have been running, similar to the other people who were out completing their final long run before the marathon but due to the gorgeous weather and podcast, I still found myself enjoying the power walk.

How was your weekend? 

Share Button
Follow:

Instagram Fashion: April 2016

Insta Fashion April“Where can I buy that shirt? Who makes those shoes? Those tights are awesome, who makes them?” 

It’s time for this month’s edition of Instagram Fashion workout gear round up! This month I mixed things up a bit by sharing items beyond workout gear. April’s weather was far different than I expected – chilly and rainy, which therefore limited the amount of fun, new workout gear I could wear. The forecast for the next few days is warm and sunny so I’m sure that May will bring the beginning of Summer’s heat and humidity.

  1. An athleisure moto jacket that combines fashion with the technical details you’d expect from an athletic brand sounds too good to be true, right? This New Balance Shadow jacket is a favorite of mine as I dash home after a sweaty workout since it’s breathable and made of sweat-wicking material. Anytime I wear the moto jacket people are in shock when they hear it is New Balance.
  2. Is there a more fun combination than stripes and pom-pom details on a shirt? I love pairing this navy and white striped top with jeans or white shorts for a casual, yet fun weekend look. Since buying it last month I’ve worn it five times AND bought it for two friends. It’s on super sale right now, so snag it before they sell out.
  3. I’ve worn this outfit combination a few times this month as it’s perfect for the transitional weather. The Sweaty Betty Zero Gravity tights are lightweight while still providing compression and fun details, while the Brooks Ghost tank is so light I forget I’m wearing it. While I’ll probably not use the tights for Summer workouts, this tank will be a staple for the next few months as I run through the heat and humidity.
  4. I wore this same outfit on three different flights this month as it is comfortable and keeps me warm during chilly flights. The Patagonia Nano Puff  is compact and lightweight so you can easily stuff it into your suitcase if you don’t need it.  Available in 30 different color combination, the Brooks Chariot Heritage shoe is a great everyday shoe that provides great foot support while still being fun and colorful. Last but not least, the Timex Ironman Sleek 150 is a great update to their classic sports watch, allowing me to keep track of time and my workouts with a pop of neon.
  5. There is no question about it, the Brooks LSD Running Jacket was my single favorite item of clothing in April! It’s available in 7 different colors but I love pairing the neon yellow with solid crops or shorts for wet or windy runs.
  6. I wore this vibrant, flattering Jill Stuart dress to a beach wedding down in Avalon last month and loved it so much that I was tempted to buy it after my great Rent the Runway experience. The fun open back and high neck flattered my shoulders and back, two areas I love to highlight.
  7. As soon as I saw this tank in Target I knew I had to buy it! This fun, flowy and inspirational muscle tank has been the perfect top for barre classes and HIIT classes alike since it has side vents and is lightweight.
  8. I’ve owned this Athleta bikini (top and bottom) for four years and it is constantly my favorite for everything from laying out to riding the waves.  The halter top is adjustable and has removable cups – making it a great option for those of us who want just a little bit of padding.

Your turn: What was your favorite item of clothing last month? 

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!

Share Button
Follow:

Friday Favorites – February 26, 2016

nyc

 

Friday has arrived and it’s sunny in NYC! To say I am excited is a bit of an understatement. Things have been crazy over here as Bo started a new job this week, immediately upon our return from Tahoe. The house needs cleaning, our Fairway shopping list is longer than I’d like to admit and I still have 10-miles to run at some point today. This evening Bo is hanging out with a friend while I indulge in a relaxing Friday night – hair cut, manicure, pedicure and a glass of wine while watching last night’s Scandal.  How about you? What is on your agenda this weekend? 

This is my fifth Friday Favorite post in a row and I this my blogging mojo is finally right where I want it! I’ve had a blast blogging this week and am excited about the content I have lined up for next week.  As promised, in regular Friday fashion, here is this week’s version of Friday Favorites. So, as you count down the hours until the weekend begins, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

Do you work from home? How many of these awful realities of working from home resonate with you? Number two, three and five hit home for me especially yesterday when I only left the house to buy a salad from our corner bodega because the only food we have is apples, almond butter and bananas.

Props to the Charles Schwab CEO, Walt Bettinger, for testing a job candidate’s character by putting them in a very typical, but stressful situation. After reading this, take a moment to think how you react when a restaurant or other service industry makes a mistake.

Just in time for Sunday night’s movie fest, this homemade popcorn recipe looks deliciously indulgent. How can you go wrong when something includes three of my favorite things – popcorn, peanut butter and chocolate? I think I’ll have to make some before Bo and I catch up on a few more Oscar-nominated films this weekend. Which one has your vote?

Thanks to Kristine, and the crazy work week, Bo and I jumped on the Munchery wagon last night. We ordered the pan seared albacore rice bowl which was delicious and reasonably priced. Having a healthy, delicious and filling dinner option delivered to our doorstep was the perfect way to end a 14-hour work day! Want to try it for yourself? Use this code  (HEALTHYHAP) to save $10 on your first order!

munchery

We brew our own coffee each morning and while we’ve tried a number of different blends and roasts over the past six months, I’ve finally found my favorite – Stumptown House Blend. It’s robust enough to wake me up in the morning but smooth and balanced enough to enjoy throughout the day.

Today’s windy weather really makes me wish I had an insulated running vest. I found this Brooks vest on sale! Since it’s insulated, wind resistant and water resistant it’d make the perfect Spring layer.

If you’ve followed this blog or my Instagram feed for a while, you’ll hopefully know that I’m very focused on improving my photography and content this year.  This helpful post from Paula provides inexpensive and easy tips to improve your photos. I just ordered the Lack side table since we have a convenient place to store it when I’m not using it for photos and props.

Last week’s ski trip left my lips seriously wind burnt. I have a tendency to lick my lips when I’m nervous which means that I spent half the time licking my lips on the slopes, only to have them battered and chapped from the wind and conditions. I’ve been layering on the new to me Sierra Sage lip balm multiple times a day this week to help with the damage. The refreshing mint flavor is relaxing while the vitamin E and natural oils have quickly repaired my lips.

How can I not include Fuller House on this week’s Friday Favorites! I remember watching Full House along with Step By Step, Boy Meets World, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Family Matters on Friday nights with friends while we played Girl Talk and ate pizza.

We have a black tie optional wedding in Stone Habor, New Jersey this April which means it’s time to figure out a dress option. My amazing friend Theodora has offered her favorite Lilly Pulitzer dress but if that doesn’t fit, I’m eyeing this one and this one on Rent the Runway and this one at Nordstrom. Thoughts? Since it’s only $150 to buy a dress from Nordstrom, I can’t decide whether I should buy or rent. But when would I wear it again?

nordstrom dress

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!

Share Button
Follow: