It feels like there are a million reasons to love fall, but for me, a great season tablescape is definitely one of them. I’ve never had the opportunity to host Thanksgiving, BUT one of these days when I have a real dining room, I love the thought of decorating a table for our family and friends.
Or maybe I’m saying this as I continue to binge-watch Parenthood (I just started season 5)? Looks like I’ll need to move back to the South or have a ton of children if I’m going to compete with the Bravermans!
Some of my essentials for hosting are great candles (I have inexpensive Big Lots candles for everyday and my fancy Diptyque for guests, are y’all like that?), linen napkins and pretty wine glasses. I love the thought of adding these placemats, and anything antler is right up my alley.
Have you hosted your family for a holiday meal? Was it a fun experience or stressful? For the past two years we’ve spent Thanksgiving in LA with my brother’s family, and the second year went way smoother than the first. I think sometimes it just takes a little practice! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
I have to admit, Amsterdam has never really been on my travel bucket list. I’ve heard it’s really fun and a great place to go for a short excursion, but I didn’t know much about it. SO, when Haley, Marissa and I opted to visit the Netherlands instead of Paris, we were all thinking, “we’ll see how this goes!”
I was completely blown away by the charm of Amsterdam. We stayed in the recently renovated Pulitzer Hotel, and the decor was incredible. Bicycles are such a huge method of transportation in this city (as in there are over 800,000 bikes in the city), and I love how they incorporated them into the design – we even had one hanging from the ceiling in our room!
The hotel is beautiful, has great food and the staff is so helpful. I even left my sunglasses in one room of the hotel and realized the following day. I asked the front desk and within minutes, they had handed me my sunglasses.
SO, I will break down our trip the same way I did with yesterday’s London guide!
Sightseeing:
Bicycle Rental: I am thankful beyond words that we chose to rent bikes for our two days in Amsterdam. This is how everyone gets around here, and you can see so much more when you’re traveling by bike! We used Green Budget Bikes and had a great experience.
Anne Frank House: I would really encourage you to buy tickets in advance so you can avoid the lines, but this is an absolute must. I was moved to tears walking through the attic where Anne Frank wrote in her diary and hid with her family for years during World War II. The audio tour is incredibly moving, and now I want to reread the book!
Van Gogh Museum: I confess, we ended up biking around the Van Gogh museum but decided not to pay for tickets and I regret it. I’ve heard this museum is amazing, and my mom is such a fan of Van Gogh. It’s probably my biggest regret from the trip!
Canal Tour: There are more canals in Amsterdam than Venice, Italy… who knew!? We took a boat tour through the canals and it was breathtaking. Some boat tours even offer dinner – I think that would be so fun!
Red Light District: So this area is definitely the sketchy part of town… but we felt like we had to see it… right? We biked through and didn’t spend much time here. It almost reminded me of an even more amped up version of Bourbon Street in NOLA. So I’d recommend briskly walking through to check it off your list – but it’s not going to change your life.
Eating:
Pause: We ended up eating at our hotel restaurant twice because it was so good. Maybe the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had!
The Pancake Bakery: You can expect lines out the door – everyone recommends this place!
SkyLounge: we had dinner and drinks here and you can see the most insane view of the city. If you can get here for sunset, all the better!
Shopping:
The Nines: there are 9 narrow streets together in Amsterdam with lines of shops, hot chocolate and the best of window shopping. We had so much fun walking around the area!
Consignment Shops: while biking around, we popped into a few designer consignment shops that had Hermés scarves, Chanel boy bags and plenty of vintage Burberry coats. There scattered throughout the main town, so if you see them while perusing, you should definitely pop in!
Do you have any favorite spots in Amsterdam? We were only there for a little over two days, so I know there is so much more we could have seen if we had stayed longer. Ultimately, it was such a surprise little city, and between you and me, I think I may have even enjoyed it more than London. Who knew!?
I spent the first two weeks of October exploring London and Amsterdam, so I’m really excited to hit the ground running with my favorite things that we did (while it’s still fresh in my memory!). Thanks for being patient with my lesser posting last week. I almost stayed up into the wee hours of the morning putting together a Friday post, but I knew you guys would give me grace if I chose to sleep instead!
I had so much fun soaking in all the history of England, and Marissa and I stayed with the oh-so-sweet Haley of Sequins and Things. She has been living in London for several months now, and thanks to her knowledge and advice of the city, we were able to zip around pretty quickly. She was the most gracious host and is truly a beauty inside and out!
This post is just photos I took with my camera. If you guys are interested – I’d be happy to do an Instagram roundup from this trip. My camera is pretty heavy, so I chose to ditch it on many days and just document with my phone.
Some of my favorite things we did –
Sightseeing:
Big Ben, Westminster Abbey (take the tour if you want some history – it is pretty amazing), London Eye: they’re all together so you can hit the trio on foot!
Tower of London + the Crown Jewels: purchase the headset tour. SO fascinating! You could easily wander through this for several hours, so allot your morning or afternoon to it.
View from The Shard: go for a cocktail or dinner. You have to be dressed (as in no tennis shoes, no hats, etc.), but the view of the entire city is magical!
Notting Hill: I mean… the cutest area ever. There is also a great shopping area over here as well!
Buckingham Palace: the Queen is in Scotland from mid July to early October, and during this time you can pay to tour 19 of the rooms of the Palace. Unfortunately for us she came back the day before we arrived in London, so while we were unable to go inside the Palace, we opted to go on the carriage tour which was also fascinating! If you are in London during the July to October stretch, I hear the tour is incredible.
Kensington Palace + Hyde Park: this is where Will & Kate reside, and it’s quite beautiful nestled by Hyde Park. We walked around the property and then had afternoon tea at The Orangery – where the light poured in from the windows. Gorgeous!
Eating:
Farm Girl (Notting Hill): healthy and delicious if you’re looking for some avocado toast, gluten-free pancakes and so on. Was a nice break from fish & chips and pub food!
The Orangery (Hyde Park): I mentioned this above, but it was absolutely gorgeous and if you’re looking for that perfect photo of afternoon tea in London, you’ll find it here with the white tablecloths and natural light pouring in from gigantic windows.
Sketch: we also had afternoon tea here and it was the most unique atmosphere. After all the social media hype, I couldn’t wait to check out Sketch for myself. I thought the atmosphere exceeded my expectations, but as for taste, it wasn’t my favorite.
The Dorchester: we all agreed that The Dorchester tea was our absolute favorite. We were nestled in a table in the back right next to a woman playing the piano, and we lingered there for hours. We had two gals with us that were gluten-free, and they were amazed at how delicious the GF tea options were (they said they were far better than the other alternatives they had). The ambiance and the tea selection was top notch, and the piano was just the cherry on top. If you only have one afternoon tea in London – this is the place to do it!
Sticks & Sushi: very cool sushi spot in Covent Garden. I’ve never seen a sushi menu presented like a tiny coffee table book – just as pretty as it was tasty!
Churchill Arms: the London restaurant that has been pinned on Pinterest over and over again. For a spot this iconic, you’d think it was traditional English food, right? It’s actually Thai food!
Busaba Eathai Soho: this place is right off Oxford Street, and if you’re looking for amazing Thai food – it’s your spot. Perfect place to settle in after shopping at Selfridge’s!
Borough Market: a foodie’s heaven. This food market closes at 5PM, so plan on brunching big by hitting several different booths!
Shopping:
Harrod’s: Oh. My. Gosh. I had NO IDEA that this department store is not just a store… it’s like a small village. It’s enormous! I’m talking multiple floors and over 20 restaurants huge (we ate at a Lebanese restaurant here and it was phenomenal). They have an entire section dedicated to Christmas, and I could have spent hours here.
Oxford Street: this kind of felt like the Times Square of London, but the really fab stores are actually on a few streets off of this main shopping hub. Dior, Chanel, Fendi Louis Vuitton – your designer window-shopping dreams will be made here!
Covent Garden: my favorite shopping day. There are all kinds of markets selling art, jewelry, etc., and there are several streets of shopping. It’s were I bought my Burberry poncho/scarf!
I’m sure there’s MUCH more to London – and if you have any recommendations of your own, I’d love to here! These are the things we touched on while we were there, and if you would like to see an Instagram roundup as well, please let me know! I plan on sharing my Amsterdam tips as well – so more to come.
Thanks so much for reading – XO –
PS – THANK YOU to those of you who have alerted me that my email subscription has been a little sporadic and wonky. Something was acting up and WordPress has helped me fix it, SO you should be receiving CBL emails again if you’re subscribed. And if you were previously subscribed and didn’t see today’s post, let me know and I can look into it. Thank you so so much!
This is my last set (I know, finally!) from NYFW, and while I don’t usually go for embroidered tops, I think this one might be changing my mind. I love the flirty hem, and while I think the go-to choice would be to pair it with skinny jeans, I like the contrast with the casual boyfriend jeans. You guys know I am all about a great pair of boyfriend jeans, and the key is finding a “slim” pair.
Because this outfit is from a month ago (whoopsies), I have found really similar items of this exact look that are ALL a part of the huge fall sale going on right now at Shopbop (did you guys see yesterday’s post?)! Like this top? I need. Scroll on down to see the pieces I think should be on your radar, and don’t forget to scroll down to yesterday’s sale post for some of my favorite picks.
1 | 2 | 3 – comes in 3 colors! | 4 | 5 – also love this one | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 – comes in two colors! | 11 | 12
Oh snap! Shopbop is having an amazing sale, and this is a great chance to score some amazing deals on those fall pieces you have your eye on (of all price points)! I can’t even begin to share all the pieces I love from this sale (some higher end brands are excluded – so just a heads up), but for starters, this jacket is a great style similar to the suede moto I wore in this post that you guys loved!
I think there are so many great scarves to take your outfit into fall, and sweaters galore. I included some additional pieces I love as well in the thumbnail above!
SO, the deal is:
For THREE DAYS only, spend up to $500 and get 25% off your entire order OR spend over $500 and get 30% off your entire order with code MAINEVENT16.
Happy shopping – and thanks so much for reading – XO –
I’m finally sharing another look from NYFW, and I mean… it was definitely one of my favorites (PS – it’s on sale not one, but two places – here and here)! You can see another post from New York here. I am having a major navy moment (flashback to last week’s navy turtleneck), and even better when it combines navy and black.
It would have been predictable to pair this with a nude lip, so I thought, let’s kick this up a notch. I wore this lipstick (in Blackmail) here, but sometimes it can been really fun to play with a super bold lip. And you know what else I found? It was a serious conversation starter! I mean, sure perhaps some people walked away thinking I was the latest member of The Craft, but I’m fine with that.
– filling up the house with the smell of pumpkin bread –
– a beautiful surprise delivery of flowers from the amazing team at Fashion Island –
– adding a new classic bag to my collection from Luisa Via Roma – more on this soon! –
– arriving in London (it’s my first time here!) and having my breath taken away by Buckingham Palace –
– and visiting Westminster Abbey… I want to go back for the tour! –
Happy Friday! This week is a little different than the past few… we arrived in London this week, and I’m exploring the city for the first time. It is every bit as beautiful as I imagined, and much more spread out than I anticipated! But I’m learning the tube (their subway), and learning to embrace the culture like a true Englishwoman. Is that a word? If not, let’s make it one.
I am getting caught up with my jetlag, and this crisp fall weather is certainly helping. I left Orange County during the Santa Ana heat/wind storm, so having a cool breeze here is seriously refreshing.
Not going to lie – I am seriously missing C and the pets already, but thankfully I am staying a few nights with the sweetest of the sweet Haley of Sequins and Things, and she has the cutest mini dachshund rescue named Fish. I’ve found that when I’m traveling and can love on someone else’s pet, it helps to make me miss mine less. Anyone else that way? Ssshhh… don’t tell Bailey and Lu!
I have another week in Europe with a weekend trip to Amstersdam this weekend, so there will be more to come – including photos of travels and what we did (and recommend)! If you have any London or Amerstam favorites, I’d love to hear.
Thanks so much for reading and for the love! You can follow my Euro adventures (like eating beans for a traditional English breakfast and tryin’ to drink pints at the pub) on Instagram here. Have a beautiful weekend – XO –
I shared this last week here, but when I was in New York, my girlfriend Jenn of Haute off the Rack had the cutestsandals on. Because she’s the shoe queen, I had to know where they were from instantly, and it was no surprise to me that they were the Steve Madden Ava Sandal from Nordstrom. I went home and ordered them instantly!
Let’s be serious, we know the shoe selection at Nordstrom is hard to beat. From the best sandals (both high-end and more affordable) to over-the-knee boots, there’s a little bit of everything. AND knowing that they are super quick to price-match anything that is reduced in price elsewhere is a major bonus! I love knowing that not only am I getting the best deal of what’s online, but also that the return policy is insanely good.
And I can’t go without talking about this fringe sweater. I mean… it’s real fun. Almost like a sweater and scarf in one!
It’s no secret that I’m usually traveling solo or with girlfriends because Christian’s work schedule is brutal, but every now and then an opportunity comes up that he can come with. We look forward to it for weeks, and then it’s like a mini-honeymoon!
When the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage invited us to stay the weekend, it was a no brainer. I’ve stayed at the Puerto Rico and Buckhead, GA properties, and it’s always a fabulous experience. We get to the desert fairly often, but usually it’s related to one of our jobs (so it’s not completely relaxing). This time we had the vacation-mindset, and it was definitely a different experience. Fun fact: Trista and Ryan from The Bachelorette actually got married here in 2003!
When we travel, we usually try to go 50/50 exploring and laying low. This weekend we had one thing in mind: unwind. The Rancho Mirage property is so beautiful, with multiple restaurants and pools, I knew we had no reason to leave.
Christian’s favorite parts were probably the incredible breakfast at State Fare Kitchen, the lawn of games (cornhole, bocce ball, etc.) and the fire pits at night – we had one right outside our room. It was so cozy! My favorite parts were the mouthwatering dinner at The Edge (the view is as incredible as the food), the spa morning and of course… the daily candy bar in the lobby from 12-5PM.
My breakfast date (above), watching the Ole Miss game at the table.
Shop my outfits from this trip above or by clicking on the thumbnail images here!
Do you have a favorite resort where you like to stay and completely disconnect? I’d love to hear. If you have any plans to visit the California desert, I would highly recommend camping up at the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage. As Christian and I played bocce ball under bistro lights while listening to live music while we waited for our dinner reservation, and I literally thought – I am never leaving this place.
Big sweaters, stretchy leggings that look like faux leather and the cutest teeny tiny crossbody bag ever – hey October! I like you… a lot. Who doesn’t love a roomy, soft sweater? I snagged this one at Nordstrom and it comes in six colors – I love the olive!
But I can’t go without talking about this military jacket from Nordstrom for the millionth time. I’ve worn it here and here, and I’ve taken it on every trip I’ve gone on since I got it. For under $70, I’ve already gotten a ton of wear out of it, and I think it’s the piece that can help transition outfits not only for fall, but also for spring.
Last but certainly not least, Spanx leggings. I’ve shared my love of their leggings before, but if you don’t have a pair, you’re missing out. I don’t wear my actual Spanx Spanx that often, but the leggings are so smoothing and have the awesome control top – it’s undeniable that they are magic. Nordstrom has an amazing selection!
Lately I’ve been toying with navy and black, and I gotta say – I kinda love it. In years past, I wouldn’t even think to pair this combo. But just like wearing white denim year-round, things change and sometimes you find yourself putting things together with an entirely different perspective.
Now – let’s talk about my fall essentials right now – sleeveless sweaters and leather shorts (!!). As much as I love a pair of leather pants, there’s like, a maybe two-week window where I can actually wear them in California without repeating the Ross scene from Friends. So when it comes to leather (or faux leather), shorts and skirts are definitely my preferred way to go (like this skirt).
This post is sponsored by Revlon through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsored content that make this blog possible!
I’ve always told you guys that my makeup routine is pretty simple. I’ve always believed that makeup is wonderful to enhance your features, and a great highlighter does just that! Revlon’s PhotoReady Insta-Fix™ Highlighting Stick is so easy to drop in your purse, and it comes in two shades – Gold Light and Pink Light (swatches below). I like the peachy-gold shade to accentuate my olive complexion, and I think the pink would look fab on fairer skin tones.
With a highlighting stick, I like to swipe across my cheekbones, below the arch of my brows, my cupid’s bow and sometimes the inner corner of my eye to illuminate and enhance the features that draw the eye. If you’re looking for a more visual guide I think this is great for showing contouring vs. highlighting. With this product you can also highlight your collarbones if you’re wearing something slinky or strapless! Blend it in with a brush or even just your fingers, and it takes seconds. Voila! You’re freshened up from the desk to drinks in no time.
Revlon’s formula actually has light-filtering technology that creates a re-touched look. Another thing I really love about highlighters is that you can add just a little for a natural, luminous touch or you can layer it for a more dramatic, strobed look. It’s simple and quick, and you can toss this beauty in your bag for a quick touch of glow on the go!
