1 – have read and LOVED | 2 – have read and was up until like, 2AM finishing – addicting! | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 – have read and was a really intriguing | 7 | 8
I have always loved reading for pleasure, but in college some of that faded because I had to read so many schoolbooks (like finance, marketing and business management… much less fun), so my love for the library faded. It was on my bucket list for 2016 to pick up a library card because my bookshelf at home is full, and now I can ride my bike to pick up a new read – it is much fun! Let’s say it’s the Carrie Bradshaw in me… but I love a good visit to the public library.
A few months ago I asked you guys for help on Snapchat (CBLied) about good books, and I was amazed with all of the incredible suggestions all of you had. I kept a note on my phone with all of the ones that I wanted to read, and some of them I’ve worked through while others are next up on my list. Since this brief discussion, I’ve received direct messages, emails and comments about book recommendations, so I wanted to share a roundup of my top summer reads for this year, some that I’ve already picked up since I snagged my library card!
If you have any great books that you would suggest on top of this, spill it – we’d all love to hear! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
We recently spent Memorial Day weekend in a little town outside of Santa Barbara called Los Olivos. Christian and I love this town and have visited quite a few times, walking from tasting room to tasting room, listening to music on the patios under palm trees and tasting wine. This would most definitely be my happy place.
So when Christian suggested renting a house with a pool for the long weekend and bringing my brother, his amazing wife Anna and their two littles, Edie and Rowan (and one on the way!) – of course I was onboard. We actually managed not to get in the pool, yet we all took full advantage of the surprise massage chair in the house – go figure!
Because we’ve been so many times, I thought I would share again some of my favorite spots (I also shared some two years ago in this post) –
Tasting Rooms
Saarloos & Sons (kid-friendly) – we will sit around here for hours. Sometimes they’ll open the backyard, which is usually reserved for club members, and there’s cornhole and picnic tables around this beautiful wine barrels with succulents (pictured above). It’s so fun!
Stolpman
Tercero (kid-friendly)
Coquelicot Estate (kid friendly) – they have bocce ball and an awesome patio area to hang out!
Carhartt
Epiphany (kid friendly) – they have a gorgeous patio with a huge palm tree that decorates it. You can often spot really cute dogs here too – and you know I love that. This is Christian’s favorite spot!
Daniel Gehrs (kid-friendly)
Vineyards
Fess Parker (kid friendly) – huge picnic area and grass lawn where you can bring your own lunch and watch kids run around, really fun spot!
Firestone Vineyard
Demetria
Zaca Mesa Vineyard (kid friendly) – live music and a giant chess board!
Food
Los Olivos Grocery – they have an awesome deli and tons of great pick-up items if you want to picnic at a vineyard.
Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe – featured in Sideways, lots of delicious items on this menu. My brother and his wife love the black and bleu salad, their pizzas are also really good!
Sides Hardware and Shoes – awesome lunch menu! Their fried chicken with polenta and kale is seriously delicious.
The mattress. Le sigh. Truth be told, I never really thought twice about a mattress until we got married almost four years ago. Luckily I can sleep on almost anything, and it was usually a queen size. I sleep like a mummy while Christian flops around, so a king mattress was a non-negotiable when we got married! We were a given a brand new king mattress, and like always – I sleep fine on it. But, Christian has said he feels like it wasn’t great on his back and he felt like his side of the mattress had sunken, so we rotated it. Even then – he wasn’t thrilled.
So when Tuft & Needle reached out about collaborating, I was all ears! Christian and I both read the story behind the company (not too different from ours), along with all of the reviews on Amazon. And they’re made in the US – the cherry on top! I super love how lightweight this mattress is compared to our old one, and it was incredibly easy to swap out (although I do think it requires two people).
When I first pulled out the mattress I was like… hold up, is this a twin!? Once we rolled it out and cut off the plastic, I was shocked to watch the foam mattress grow like one of those foam capsule toys you used to play with in the bathtub! Sure enough, this baby stretched right out and just like that, Lula LaShonda hobbled in on her three legs and got comfortable. Actually, she plopped herself right down before Christian or myself even sat on it – no surprise there.
We’ve been sleeping on this mattress for a full week now, and per usual, I’m sleeping great. Christian’s review is actually much more helpful than mine as he’s the picky one. He says he thinks he’s sleeping well because “he doesn’t remember it at all.” That’s a direct quote, which actually tells you he’s not helpful at all.
But seriously – he says that it must be great because I’ve been sick all week, he’s been on-call (he never sleeps great when there’s a pager on the nightstand), the temperature has risen and we’ve still tried to manage without the AC – with all of that – we’re both still sleeping. Well put!
They have a 100 night trial period, and if you don’t love it – you can send it back for a 100% refund. And there’s a 10-year warranty… that’s confidence, if you ask me, and I don’t see us having any reason to send this baby back. Have you switched up your mattress lately or shopped for a mattress? I’d love to hear how you chose yours!
– a new collection of liquid lipstick I can’t wait to dig into! –
– taking a little souvenir from the Solage, the prettiest glass water bottle! –
I think all of my recent travels caught up with me – I spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday in pajamas in bed! I picked up a seriously sore throat which triggered the cloudy headaches and coughing, but I’m feeling more like myself just in time for the weekend, so cheers to that!
I am really excited to be home for a few weeks before a mid-week June trip to Seattle, but until then I’ll be soaking up my time here in Orange County and being a homebody as much as I can. I do love to travel, but it’s always nice to come back. With my two jobs I’ve had in California, I travel much more than I did in Mississippi. I do enjoy it, but I’m usually finding almost any reason to stay home! The older I’ve gotten the more of a homebody I’ve become. Who knew!?
I managed to put on actual clothes to hit the grocery store and plan to cook these chimichurri steak kabobs and this chia fresca drink. I’ve been eating this, that and everything and need to try to cook at home and clean out my body. Summer is here and I’m not feeling my bikini best, if you know what I mean.
What are your plans this weekend? Cooking anything delicious!? Don’t you like how I took that bikini conversation straight back to food? Thanks so much for reading! XO –
Oh what a start to this trip we had! To try to make a long story short – I miswrote the day we were departing OC for Napa in my planner (which is like my guide map to my life). I thought we were leaving on Wednesday… turns out we were actually booked on a 12:15PM flight on Tuesday!! Thank God for my amazing girlfriend Miriam. She called me around 9:15AM to ask what time I was getting to the airport… while I was sipping coffee in my robe, answering emails.
I threw some outfits in my carryon, hoped for the best and hopped in an uber to head to the airport! My incredibly sweet and positive uber driver was determined to get me to the airport in time and he did!!! I did manage to leave behind my wedding rings and camera (which is clearly very important when you are a blogger, #fail), but I managed to actually bring everything else! A huge thank you to Miriam and Danielle Navratil Photography for providing the majority of the images in this post!
Two beautiful spots and really different – Miriam and I spent one night at Meritage and then met up with Erika for two nights at Solage. We had an incredible view of the vineyards at Meritage, and we had our own rooms with a private spa-like patio at the Solage. The meals at both resorts where absolutely delicious (the Solage brunch empanada alone – pictured below – was worth flying back to Napa for, seriously!), and the ambiance was the kind of romantic wine country setting you dream of.
The rooms in Calistoga are like individual cottages (you’ll see me in front of #48 below!), which were so spacious and lovely. I felt so spoiled hogging my cottage all to myself… it really made it so hard to leave!
I’ve visited Napa and Sonoma before, but this trip was extra special because we spent a lot of time at each vineyard, touring the property, tasting from barrels and meeting with the owners. It was such a privilege to get to know more about each vineyard, and these two spots were incredibly beautiful and totally different. The Solage arranged our visits for us, and they didn’t miss a single detail.
I always find the food in Northern California to be exceptionally great, but my favorite dishes would have to be the etouffee at Evangeline, the empanada at Solbar and the queso at Crush because… you know I love queso.
We all wanted to try a hot air balloon ride for the first time, so we woke up at 4:30AM to catch a ride with Calistoga Balloons. WOW – what an experience! We were in a group balloon basket, and it was so fun getting to know the other people in your group. We were all new to the balloon, and we had quite a few who were afraid of heights. If you’re that way – trust me, it’s the smoothest ride, smoother than any airplane I’ve ever been on. If I wasn’t looking around, I wouldn’t have even known we left the ground! There aren’t many things I wake up before sunrise for, but this is a bucket list experience that I would totally recommend if you’re planning a long weekend in wine country.
We visited the spa at the Solage, and it was absolutely stunning. I could honestly just hang at the spa lounge all day – so gorgeous and peaceful! The hotel has multiple pools at different temperatures, and the service was top notch. I kept joking that I felt like I was on a honeymoon with girlfriends – walking around the property in robes with champagne. Is this real life!?
Thank you for all of your tips and recommendations while we were there! Each time I’ve visited Napa it’s only been for about two days… which is great because it always gives me a reason to go back, right!?
120% off in 8 colors | 240% off | 3marked down $700 | 440% off | 5under $30 | 630% off | 740% off | 815% off in 7 colors | 940% off | 1040% off
A few days ago I shared some of my picks from all of the holiday sales going on here, BUT there are still some amazing sales happening! Nordstrom’s Half-Annual Yearly Sale is still in full effect, and Net-A-Porter is offering up to 50% off on some major designer sales.
When you can get everything from a phone case to a designer handbag or pair of sunglasses at a discount!? #score. If you snagged anything fab over the weekend, I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
I love a home refresh, especially at the start of a new season! So when I was introduced to Marks & Spencer, it was the perfect time to select a few items that brightened up our townhouse as summer begins. When I find a site that offers clothing, home decor, men, kids items… it’s like hitting the jackpot!
I chose three light blue, plush velvet pillows, the cutest pom pom throw blanket and a teacup candle that smells like white jasmine – you catch its scent even when it’s not lit. I also added a lightweight and crisp white quilt to the foot of our bed (replacing a fur throw from earlier this year), in addition to the softest 100% cotton mattress topper for our new mattress!
I snagged the sweetest floral china plates (that are actually mega lightweight and plastic, so I’ll be adding those to my picnic basket!) and picked up a new baking sheet that is nonstick with a lip on the edges. It’s much needed in our house – we roast vegetables almost every night. For our patio we chose a distressed wooden lantern with a large pillar candle that now hangs above our patio table and adds such a dreamy ambiance. Just in time for patio barbecues – I’m ready!
Now… who’s coming over for some coffee and cookies!?
Thank you so much for reading! I love inviting you guys into our home. Feel free to see more in the “home” category of CBL, including links to other items in our townhouse! XO –
OLD NAVY | Extra 50% Off Select Styles (Tanks, Tees, Shorts & Swim) | ends 5/30
POTTERY BARN | Up to 25% Off | CODE(S): SAVEMORE | ends 5/30
SAM EDELMAN | 30% Off Sitewide | CODE(S): VIPSUMMER | ends MAY 30
SERENA AND LILY | Save 20% Off Serena and Lily’s Memorial Day Sale | CODE(S): HEREWEGO | ends 5/31
SOLE SOCIETY| 50% Off Select Styles on SoleSociety.com | ends 5/30
Splendid | 30% OFF Everything include SALE | code: MEMDAY16
URBAN OUTFITTERS| Long Weekend Sale – 25% Off Shorts + 25% Off Graphic Tees | end 5/30
World Market| Take Extra 15% OFF entire purchase + FREE Shipping on $150+ | code: WORLD15
Yumi Kim | Take 20% OFF site wide | code: BBQ20 | ends 5/31
Hope you guys have a fun and safe weekend planned! And an enormous and endless thank you to everyone who has served for this country and dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom.
Rompers are a summer favorite of mine, and this pretty blue number is no exception. The tie waist gives it some shape, and I think a boyfriend blazer adds some nice coverage for those May gray days! AND Lilly Pulitzer is having an amazing sale for the holiday weekend and offering so many fun gifts with purchase this weekend that you definitely don’t want to miss! I’m sharing more info at the bottom of the post (and my favorite Lilly pieces for summer)!
My Dad snapped these photos for me when he and my mom were in town visiting last week, and I love having them in town for a hundred more reasons than just putting them to work when I need their help – ha! They honestly have so much fun together traveling and taking fun trips now that all of their kids are off of their hands and having their own kids, and it’s really fun to watch your parents in that phase of life. Kudos to them – they more than deserve it! But let’s be real… how great is my Dad with the camera?
Lilly Pulitzer’s holiday sale including multiple gifts with purchase – including beach balls, bracelets, beach towels and umbrellas and even beach chairs and hammocks! And yes, I said hammocks – and yes, I really, really want one.
Yumi Kim is also having a great sale this weekend and offering 20% off site-wide with code BBQ20! The Nordstrom half-yearly sale is still going on and it’s no joke, so put your shopping hat on, park it by the pool and #treatyoself.
Thanks for reading! I hope all of you have a beautiful and safe weekend. We’ll be in Los Olivos with my brother’s family in a super fun rental house – so follow along on Snapchat (CBLied) and Instagram if you’d like to see more of that! XO –
I might be from Mississippi… but I can’t resist a California Republic tee, and when it’s a crop top? Game over.
When I worked in marketing for a bank in Mississippi (best job ever, and I’m not kidding – I freaking loved that place), my coworker was always snagging cute things for her daughters on Zazzle. Well now that I realize how much I was missing out because there are custom tees and all kinds of amazing pieces that vary in multiple types of cuts – tank top, crop top, tee, sweatshirt… your tee is your oyster.
Not only that – there are phone cases, posters, mugs, doormats, cards, pillows… basically everything. How have I missed this for so long? I can think of 198743478 bachelorette parties that I could have been #1 bridesmaid in if I had known about this place, so it’s not fair if I don’t spread the word! Let’s be real.
So I need to know, if you were to get your own custom tee – what would be? Luckily for you all purchases are 25% off right now, so I say #liveyourdream.
1 comes in 6 shades| 2 | 33x award-winning | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 has four shades | 8 comes in 10 finishes | 9 comes in 4 shades | 10 | 11 | 12
I knew I had to share a beauty post with you guys because I’ve been trying out so many new things and have some serious favorites, just in time for a summer beauty roundup!
As for skincare, oh em geeeeeee – this Goop Beauty loot is no joke. I do have a lot of respect for Gwyneth Paltrow, but I’m going to be honest, I kind of thought this stuff would be so-so. All the contrary. It’s organic (more about that here), and honestly it makes your skin feel like butter. I can’t say enough good stuff about it. I linked my favorite two products I’ve tried so far above!
First Aid Beauty has been a favorite of mine for quite time, and the eye oil and night cream linked above are pretty amazing. I’ve been using them regularly and definitely packed them with me on this week’s trip to Napa! This face oil is perfect for mixing with your daytime moisturizer, not too much but just enough.
As for makeup, some of the items above I’ve talked about before, but please check them out because seriously – you won’t be disappointed.
A few great designer sales to know about –
NORDSTROM – half yearly sale and up to 40% off on like… all the good stuff (insert happy dance)
Serena & Lily – offering $25 off $100 or more with code SSTYLE25
Barneys – major sale on designer items, up to 40% off
We just arrived in Napa yesterday (if you follow along on Snapchat: CBLied or Instagram, you saw I nearly missed my flight because I thought it was today and not yesterday, #whoops), and it’s just breathtaking. The weather is beautiful, the vines are full, and I’m just trying to take it all in. Thankfully I’m with my girlfriend Miriam, and she is so calm, cool and collected that after a few hours of chaos her amazing attitude has made the trip hilarious and so much fun already! I’ll be sharing our Napa and Sonoma experience on the blog soon, but feel free to follow along on Instagram and Snapchat if you want to see what we’re sipping and up to!
If you have any wine country recommendations, we’d love to hear. Thanks so much for reading! XO –
Last week I shared my experience on my first cruise here, but I wanted to share a second post with more details on our two days spent docked in Bermuda, what we did, what we ate and what I would recommend to anyone making the trip!
One of my readers shared with me her awesome blog post here, which we all appreciated when we discovered Jobson’s Cove. I mean… beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe this gorgeous and private beach. We held the pink sand and wandered into all the private nooks of the beach… it reminded me of our recent trip to Hawaii!
We walked over to Horseshoe Bay as well, which was also beautiful but a little bit more crowded. We had lunch at Bonefish that day and some grabbed a drink at Calico Jack’s – a bar on a boat, how cute is that?
The next day we all hopped on a ferry to Hamilton, the area of Bermuda with many shops, colorful buildings and restaurants. We had so much fun walking around and checking out all of the cheerful architecture – it is such a happy vacation spot! I can’t for the life of me remember where we had lunch that second day (I even tried to find the receipt before paying in cash!), but I had fish tacos and Corona Lights, which is pretty much my dream lunch.
I wish we had more time to play in Bermuda, but we had so much fun wandering the beaches and town village – and you know I always love a good reason to return!
Thank you so much for reading! And if you’ve been to Bermuda and have any spots I missed, I’d love to hear. I so appreciate all of y’alls advice, you have no idea how much I really do use all of your tips and recs! XO –
