1 – under $30, also have and love these | 2 | 3 – 40% off in 3 colors | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 – 40% off in 4 colors | 9 – major designer bag sale here, more of my picks below! | 10 – under $60 in 2 colors | 11, styled here
West Elm | extra 20% off select items with code BYE2017
Raising my glass to 2017, bring it on 2018! Thanks so much for your support and encouragement over the past year. Each of you have been a part of this journey, and I can’t thank you enough for taking the time out of your lives to check in here. Means more to me than I can even put into words.
I am a HUGE podcast-lover, and I get so many questions from you guys about my favorites that last year I shared this post rounding up some of CBL’s fave listens of 2016.
Since then, I’ve discovered even more gems! So I wanted to round up another post including new finds. I still love the original ones I shared last year, these are just some new additions worth sharing.
COMEDY:
Watch What Happens Live – Obviously, when this became a podcast it was like the best thing that ever happened to me. I no longer watch the show as much and just listen while I’m cooking, driving or cleaning.
Watch What Crappens – The parody podcast that reenacts and makes fun of all things Bravo! related. Ben and Ronnie are a RIOT. Christian can’t handle it though – he’s like, “first you watch these women fight on TV and then you listen to these two guys mimic their fight!? I can’t listen to this.” But it’s like liquid gold in my ears. No shame.
PaleOMG Uncensored – I think Julie is hysterical and I was honored to actually be on her podcast earlier this year (you can listen here)! She is totally raw, honest and unfiltered, and I love listening to her discuss her dog, hilarious neighborhood situations and overall stories.
TRUE CRIME:
Casefile – I love these because they’re quick bites of true crime stories that usually have full circle endings.
Cold Case Files – Addicting with new stories for every episode. This is A&E’s podcast, so you know it’s going to be good.
True Crime Garage – Love these guys and how they have a beer of the week, discuss different popular true crime stories and always honor the victim.
Up & Vanished – I’ve never listened to a podcast like this before. It starts off sharing the story of missing woman in Georgia and then by the end of the podcast someone is arrested and charged with her murder. INSANITY, but also kind of amazing that by bringing up an old case and digging into it, it actually helped solve a murder mystery and give the victim and her family justice.
Dirty John: Mind-blowing that this entire story took place about 20 minutes from me in Orange County. A captivating story about a real relationship built on a nightmare.
S-Town: The sister podcast to Serial. Binged it when I was traveling and kept calling my sister because I couldn’t believe this story was less than an hour from where she lives in Alabama. Bananas!
PERSONAL and/or BUSINESS:
Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations – Obsessed. Oprah is my Queen, and I love everything she does. Now that I can listen to her interview all kinds of people on my phone!? It’s like winning the lottery.
Dear Sugars – I heard about this podcast from Oprah’s podcast, and it’s amazing. It’s almost like a more polished Dear Abby, produced by the New York Times. One of the hosts is the author of the book Wild (you might remember the movie with Reese Witherspoon), and both hosts are incredibly wise with their thought-provoking replies to readers letters.
The Skinny Confidential: Him & Her Podcast – I love listening to Lauryn and Michael share their opinions on relationships and business. It’s always interesting hearing both a female and male perspective on marketing, branding and marriage.
Where Should We Begin – I recently started listening to this podcast when I heard it mentioned on another podcast. It’s almost like eavesdropping on a couples therapy session… except they know they’re being anonymously recorded for a podcast so you don’t have to feel guilty about it. Fascinating!
Women of the Hour – I love pretty much love everything Lena Dunham creates, so when I heard she had a podcast I was all in. She treats it almost like a show with seasons, but it’s a great listen.
Did I miss anything that you love? Tell me your favorite podcasts! And don’t forget to check out last year’s favorites here. Thank you so much for reading! XO –
I’ve been wanting to share a post about styling slip dresses in the winter. So today I’m excited to share one of my favorite ways to make one of my favorite dress trends a year-round must have!
Y’all know I love a slip dress. I’ve styled them on CBL here, here, here and here, and one of the reasons I love them so much is that they are sleek and sophisticated while still leaving tons of options for layering. This allows you to create so many looks from one slip dress (and you guys know I’m all about some versatility).
When layering sweaters over dresses, where the sweater hits is really important. I like to either layer a cropped sweater or one that hits right around the top of my legs. You can drape it off one shoulder like I have in some of these photos or even belt it at the waist if you want to create more of an hourglass shape.
You can also layer a longer, boyfriend fit cardigan sweater with a slip dress and and heels.
So not only do they have a huge selection, but also a lot of handy tools to make your life a little easier. And that’s something I can always get onboard with.
Thanks so much for reading, and I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend! XO –
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem Come, and behold Him, born the King of angels!
O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation; sing, all ye citizens of heaven above Glory to God, all glory in the highest!
O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory given Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing
O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
Merry Christmas Eve to you and yours! And thank you so much for giving me the best gift – your continued encouragement and support over the past year. I hope you are having a beautiful holiday weekend with the ones you love most. XOXO –
– the holiday item from Trader Joe’s I cannot resist (and I’m not even a sweets person!) –
– new lippies from Drew Barrymore’s Flower Beauty that I can’t wait to start wearing –
Last Friday before Christmas – can’t believe we’re already here! It’s been so nice to be home this week, enjoying our tree, letting Lula sit in my lap to keep me warm and cooking crockpot meals. I’ve spent the last two weeks traveling so I have really soaked up sleeping (and working from) my own bed. I think because I decorated our bedroom this year (post here), I’ve been lingering in the mornings because it’s so cozy!
We are heading to the mountains again for the holiday weekend this year, and I’ll be bringing some ski gear with in hopes of some good snow. Last year we got several feet! I don’t know that we’ll be that lucky this year, but I’m trying to stay positive and manifest another white Christmas. We’ll see!
I also wanted to share some sales happening over the weekend in case you have some lingering sweatpants/sofa time and are looking for some deals:
What are your holiday plans? Are you done shopping? Are you in charge of cooking? Gimme the scoop. And if you’re looking for some holiday movies to watch with the fam, I shared some of my favorites in this post! Hope all of you have a beautiful weekend – full of hot chocolate (fave recipe here), cozy fires and fuzzy slippers! Thanks so much for reading a sharing a little bit of your day each day with me. Truly means so much – XO –
I can barely wrap my mind around the fact that Christmas is only a few days away, BUT so is New Year’s Eve! I wanted to share 15 looks from this past year that I thought could totally work for a NYE party.
These are a little more appropriate for a night on the town or party with friends, but head to toe sweats and a bowl of popcorn is perfectly acceptable in my book. You do you!
Christian has worked every New Year’s Eve during his residency, so we usually take it easy. Last year I did convince him to stay up until midnight to watch Mariah Carey’s epic performance which did not disappoint. I’m 100% sure I was smiling ear to ear the entire time.
Here’s to hoping for something equally amazing this year! I want to hear your plans and traditions. Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
We all have holiday parties, weddings and festivities this time of year. It’s easy to pull out something red or a classic LBD (like this one). But sometimes, if you feel like getting a little creative, there are ways to amp up your holiday look to create something that is fun and unique!
I talked about how fun this sheer bodysuit is in this post, but I wanted to try to style it in other ways. I’ve seen some girls wear tees under spaghetti strap dresses, but why not a bodysuit? I thought some sheer sleeves and booties were a fun way to take this classic lace dress to something a little more “styled.”
Of course it would also look fabulous on its own with simple strappy heels. But when you can maximize the pieces you have and try to challenge yourself to wear them different ways, you can really get so much more out of your purchase!
There’s a week until Christmas and I can’t be the only one who still has some things that need to be bought and wrapped. I think all the December travel that’s been on the calendar has me more behind than usual, so I have some catching up to do!
These candles and mugs are some items I have that always make me happy. A few years ago I got my first silpat sheet for baking and it’s a game-changer. An Alexa or Google Home is on my wish list this year, and one time C got me a ton of glass food storage containers for my birthday. It might sound kind of lame lame but it was the gift that keeps on giving! I love that our fridge stays tidy and I can see what items are stored in each container.
For the girly-girl, who doesn’t like some cute fuzzy socks? Super soft pajamas are always well-received, and I love this silk eye mask.
And last but certainly not least, one of my favorite gifts for the person who has everything: a donation to a charity in their honor. Personally, I love our local Blind Children’s Learning Center, The Her Initiative and the ASPCA. Beginning last year, I started asking for donations and it makes my heart so happy to know that instead of another candle or coffee mug, someone (or an animal) who truly needed help got some. It really is the best gift I could receive.
Do any of you have last-minute gifts to take care of this week? I’d love to hear who you’re shopping for! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
If you’ve followed CBL for a little bit, you might remember my summer collection that was launched with Morning Lavender last summer (shared here and here). I’ve loved this boutique for years, and the couple behind the brand is not only incredibly talented but also great people and great to work with.
SO, when they opened there first store in San Francisco, I was super excited for them. And then we found out we are moving there this summer so I knew I’d have to pop in! And NOW, they’ve opened a store in Orange County! They have opened a boutique and tea salon in Tustin. It is so darling and I can’t wait to have tea and shop with some girlfriends. Such a fun experience!
I shared a holiday look with them last year here, so we got together again to share a fun holiday/NYE outfit this year! I fell in love with this faux fur wrap. You can wear it as a scarf or with a dress as a wrap, and it’s the absolute perfect length. I brought it with me to New York over the weekend and it was so warm while still feeling luxe and soft. Faux fur has gotten so much better over the years and this wrap is under $55! It has a little slit in one end of the wrap so you can pull one end through the other to allow it to stay in place.
Are you into faux fur? Surely I’m not the only one who can’t get enough! I know I already said this… but I really can’t believe much higher quality they’ve become. So much so that I actually had someone yell out the window to me “fur is murder!!” when I was in London a few months ago. And I was wearing faux fur!
To join last week’s gift guide for the gals under $50 and dudes, I wanted to share some inspo for hostess gifts, coworker gifts and just overall ideas for the home decor lover in your life.
I think for the workaholic (and I can say that because I’m in this category), this chic glass dry erase board is a super cool idea for the office. I also love the idea of pairing one of these tea and coffee presses with some delish tea or coffee. On that note of pairing, a wine trinket and bottle of wine is always a great gift, and I also love the idea of a beautiful vase with flowers for a hostess. So simple yet practical.
We have this record player and love it for cozy nights at home, and you guys have heard me share here and here that our Nespresso is one of our most-loved and used kitchen appliances.
I recently got a wooden salad bowl from my mother-in-law and have already used it for almost every salad I’ve made since it was given to me. Such a pretty serving piece and appropriate for almost any occasion.
And just a reminder that you can see all my holiday-related content at the top of this site under the “holiday” tab. Thanks so much for reading and have a beautiful weekend! XO –
We spent four days at Blancaneaux Lodge on our own before meeting up with the Coppola Winery team and other press outlets at Turtle Inn, a little less than four hours away.
What I loved is that even though we were moving properties, we knew the same management team was overseeing each location. This meant we knew the quality and service that was waiting for us. Each property also had tons of books and board games to borrow and play, which I found so family-friendly and charming. So while we were sad to leave the gorgeous tropical jungle of Blancaneaux, we looked forward to swimming in the Caribbean at Turtle Inn!
I knew I was in good hands when I was greeted with a dog upon my arrival. Ocho is a part of the security team of the resort, which means she sleeps during the day and walks around the property at night. A four-legged friend (no offense Lula, we love your three legs too) is my kind of greeting!
Our cottage was so beautiful and spacious. We had a huge bathroom and both an indoor and outdoor shower, several sitting areas and tons of windows, letting that ocean breeze in throughout the space.
Again, excellent wifi! I was able to work for 20-30 minutes a day to keep from getting too behind (I’m actually on a flight to NYC as I type this post, it never stops!), and that was a huge help to me.
The main restaurant has an incredible wine selection (all stored in the wine aquarium which is such a beautiful display of all of the Coppola Wines), and it’s also where we had breakfast each morning. They had my beloved burrito and Marie Sharp’s hot sauce – so all was well in the world!
My favorite meal was the first night when we had Indonesian rijsttafel. I’d never had a meal like this before and it’s one of those experiences I’ll remember forever. Delicious!
We also tried traditional Belizean food which was rice and beans with seafood, vegetables, cole slaw and potato salad. SO good! It was definitely a Creole-style meal, and as a Southerner you know I was game.
I loved that desserts were typically fresh gelato (mango, passionfruit, etc.) or local fresh fruit. The coffee and wine was always a-flowing. My kinda party!
ACTIVITIES:
There are lots of water-based activities on the property or you can go into the Placencia town for market items. Kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, diving, snorkeling – it’s all here. The reef off of Belize is one of the largest in the world which is why it’s so well known for incredible snorkeling and diving.
We lounged in hammocks, read by the pool and had incredible wine tastings, learning more about the different Coppola wines. You guys know I’m a huge wine-lover, so it was an honor to listen to Coppola’s winemaker, Sandy, share different stories about not only Coppola’s labels but also a recently acquired vineyard in Sonoma County named Virginia Dare.
CORAL CAYE:
On our last full day at Turtle Inn, we took a short boat ride to a private island named Coral Caye. When we were pulling up to the dock, the most darling white shepherd named Goldie. You’ll see her cozying up to Christian below. She was so friendly and they say the island is hers. She’s queen of the island! She also helps the security team on the property and has caretakers that look after her every day.
I LOVE snorkeling and couldn’t wait to jump in the warm waters to see what we would discover. Our guide was pulling crabs and all kinds of things out of the sea to show us. The vibrant colors underwater were breathtaking.
We had a Belizean lunch at Coral Caye with huge lobster tails and mango cheesecake that I think I’ll be dreaming of forever. Christian was in heaven – I think this tiny yet stunning island was his favorite day of the entire vacation.
While we were at the island (which you can absolutely stay overnight at – what a DREAM!), we sipped on Sofia bubbles and Coppola’s Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio – which I didn’t even know came in cans now! I also didn’t realize that Sofia sparkling wine was the first canned wine on the market. I found this kind of incredible and learned is was Francis’s idea. No big surprise there. I continued to be amazed at his brilliant mind while hearing of all of his interests, projects and passions.
Truly, I was so sad to wrap up this trip. We have been looking forward to this time in Belize together for so long, and it really proved to be an adventure of a lifetime. I didn’t even realize how much C and I needed some time away until we arrived. I’d forgotten that while I’ve been traveling all over the world for work, C hasn’t taken vacation in almost two years. He saved all of his vacation days for his fellowship interviews. So if anyone was ready to unwind, it was him!
Let me know if I missed any of your questions, don’t forget to check out yesterdays review of Blancaneaux Lodge, and thanks so much for reading! Would love to hear if you’ve tried any of the Coppola wines, your favorite in the collections, etc. XO –
When Christian and I went on our honeymoon five years ago (some photos and details here), we made a pact that we would go on another “honeymoon” adventure for our five-year anniversary.
Not only would it celebrate five years of marriage, but it would also celebrate the soon-to-be-finale of five years of residency for Christian.
So when the opportunity to spend a week in Belize at three at of Francis Ford Coppola’s resort properties came along with Coppola Wine – it felt serendipitous. The trip fell around two weeks after our actual anniversary, and we knew about it far enough in advance that Christian could request time off of work. Neither of us had ever visited Belize, so we couldn’t wait to explore the beautiful country for the first time!
We started the week off at Blancaneaux Lodge. This property is on the forest/jungle side of Belize, and it felt so romantic and secluded. No AC, no TV (there was wifi… which I was grateful for!), no problem. There are a little over 20 cottages throughout the property, and they all have balconies overlooking a waterfall and river. Nature’s sound machine is on another level! Blissful.
Something that really stood out to me about this property was how friendly and helpful the staff was. They always called us by our names and in turn, we learned theirs (we loved Marlon at the bar!). We asked them questions about the Coppola family, the winery and their films, and I was so amazed that all of the staff was so well versed on the history. Every piece of furniture, menu, and light fixtures – they all have a story. When you think about it, of course it does. The family who owns the property are famous story-tellers!
There are three restaurants on the property and each have their own unique feel and menu. The main restaurant has Coppola Italian family recipes (even a dish from Martin Scorcese’s mother’s recipe box!). We had breakfast each day here which is where I fell in love with their breakfast burrito and Marie Sharp’s hot sauce. I bought some to bring home but you can also grab it here!
The Guatemalan restaurant on the property may have been my favorite. The black bean soup appetizer was so delicious we ordered a second!
The food at Blancaneaux is mostly sourced from the on-site garden. You’ll see photos of it above – it is gorgeous! We had dinner here one night after a garden tour and the freshness of the vegetables was just incredible. So much flavor! There are also horse stables alongside the garden. You know I had to visit the horses (the one photographed below was named Smoky!).
Christian and I love the Diamond, Director’s Cut and Inglenook Coppola Wines, but we really loved trying new collections. Turns out the Sauvignon Blanc is one of my new favorites – so crisp and delicious.
As for cocktails – if you go to Blancaneaux, please try the Sorrel Dacquiri (a local flower). The Sangria was also incredible – all made with local, fresh ingredients. And trust – you can taste it.
ACTIVITIES:
Blancaneaux offers tons of activities during your stay. You can bike, hike or ride horseback to the waterfall nearby. You can take a canoe tour through caves or visit Mayan ruins. You can visit the spa – we got Thai massages right next to sound of the rushing river. Amazing! They also offer cooking classes!
They have both a regular pool and heated pool on the property, and Christian and I loved reading by the water. I shared the book I was reading,My Husband’s Wife, and then once the video expired in 24 hours I continued to get questions about the book so I wanted to share it here! I also have some of my favorite books I put together in a post here. If you guys like that kind of content let me know and I’ll do another one!
I was not surprised when several of you told me on Instagram that you honeymooned here – I thought it was such a romantic and private resort. One thing I must mention: bug spray and treatment for itching MUST be packed. I sprayed myself every single day and still got too many bites to count. Oddly enough, you can’t feel the bug when it bites you but within 24 hours there’s a swollen bug bit to prove it. So do yourself a favor and pack accordingly!
Tomorrow I’ll be sharing more of our experience at Turtle Inn. Thank you so much for reading! Have any of you visited Belize before? I’d love to hear! XO –
