Ok can you EVEN with these headbands and these sunglasses!? Together!? That is the mood I want to go into summer with, hands down. I really feel like I might need this “bougie” bracelet – hilarious and these styles of bracelets are everywhere for summer.
Over time, I have collected several Monica Vinader friendship bracelets, and I recently got this ring and have loved that it can adjust to be worn on any finger. I love some of their simple pieces like this diamond ring and this bracelet. So beautiful and an unreal price for diamonds.
I also feel like everyone might need to have a leopard swimsuit for summer. They’re so cute, flattering (hello camouflaging pattern!) and way more fun than your classic black suit. I think this suit would look killer with these sunglasses. Grab a black sarong and talk about designer look for less!
Have you snagged anything for summer trips that you can’t get enough of? I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
I’ve made this pasta at least 3x in the past month because it’s quick, easy, inexpensive and tastes great with a protein on top or on its own. I wanted to share the recipe with you guys before our entire apartment was in boxes (which is happening as I type this (!!)).
I usually add seasoned baked or grilled chicken on top for Christian, and I’ll just have mine without. It’s truly delicious either way!
Ingredients:
one package penne or rigatoni pasta
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Boil pasta per directions on package. Add heavy cream and butter to a sauce pan until melted – keep the heat low so it doesn’t boil. Stir in parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Add sauce to the drained pasta and let it sit until the sauce thickens. Top with fresh pepper, serve with your favorite protein or enjoy all by itself!
sweater (no longer available) similar styles from same brand here (on sale) and here (on sale) | pants | lipstick in nearly nude | pasta bowl
Thank you so much for reading, and if you have your own homemade alfredo recipe you know I want to hear! You can find more recipes in the “food & drink” category of CBL. Thank you so much for reading – XO –
– leopard sandals that I can’t wait to wear all summer –
– when you only have random leftovers for lunch but you still try to make it cute (salad recipe here) –
– so excited to try this new Versed Skincare available at Target –
Happy happy Friday! I don’t know the last time I only posted one blog post in a week. I’m honestly a little embarrassed but I appreciate your grace! We have packers and movers coming Monday + Tuesday, and then I’ll be hitting the road to get to Georgia in time to close on our home.
I’ve been working on getting all of our final things done in the city and prepping that it’s been more time consuming than I anticipated. Managing this cross-country move/buying our first home + keeping up with email/deadlines as been busy but so exciting and absolutely worth all the work, no doubt. So I’ve been slacking in creating new content this week, but no fear! I have some things lined up for next week, and I will absolutely be keeping you guys up-to-date in real time on Instagram!
I spent a few days in San Luis Obispo this week gathering some boxes things that my brother let me store in his garage while we’ve been in San Francisco. It was so nice to spend some time with his wife and three kids, including shooting a little mini family session, and it’s going to be so bittersweet leaving that sweet family in California when we head east. It’s been such a blessing to always have them an hour to four hours away.
I’m going to see a SATC drag show this weekend with my friend Sparks which honestly is just the perfect farewell. Can’t wait! Other than that, I’ll be packing up the items that will be traveling with Christian and I in our cars while catching up onHandmaid’s Tale. I also want to watch Always Be My Maybe on Netflix! I’ve been saving it for a good movie night with Christian.
What do you guys have going on this weekend? Thank you so much for reading and checking in! Have a beautiful Friday – XO –
FINALLY SPILLING THE TEA! In January, we visited this location for the first time ever… and since then I’ve visited a total of twice and Christian has still only been once. So my hint of it being a place neither of us had ever visited was true, I promise!
We also… bought our first home! I wanted to finalize housing plans before we shared all of this news, and so here we are – filling you in on everything that has been going on since January.
Thank you so much for being a part of this journey with us! Appreciate all of your encouragement and support more than you guys will ever know. LOVE YOU! XO –
I’ve got dresses on the brain and I wanted to round up some of my favorite summer dress picks that I found online, including some for less from eBay in the thumbnails below!
We’re in the middle of planning some warm weather trips this summer, and I can’t believe how much is about to change. I am so, so, so excited about it.
What do you have on the calendar this summer? Beach trips? Traveling out of the country? Dresses and slides/sneakers are some of my favorite spring/summer travel looks because you can stay both cool and comfortable. Some inspo outfits here, here and here.
I love cucumbers and tomatoes all year round, but they are especially delish when they’re in season… like, right now. I wanted to share a really simple tomato and cucumber salad you can easily make at home for a side dish or even as your main lunch. I’ll eat a bowl of this with some crackers and hummus or cheese and crackers.
Ingredients:
One large cucumber, seeded and diced into half moons
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced thin
handful chopped parsley
2 TB chopped dill (you could use basil or chives also)
4 TB olive oil
2 TB red wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
s&p to taste
Directions:
Combine cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion and herbs in a bowl. Whisk together dressing and pour on top of vegetables.
It’s that easy, so fresh and tastes even better the longer it marinates. For more recipes, including my favorite pimento cheese spread, one of my favorite healthy snacks and some GG cracker recipe ideas. And be sure to check out the food & drink category of CBL! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
A few weeks ago I asked you guys on Instagram Stories if you had previously had a positive experience with a national moving company to please pass on their name/info. And I was floored with the amount of responses I received with unlimited moving advice! I wanted to consolidate it all in one place that would be a resource for all of us moving all over the place!
As for national moving companies, in order by majority recommended:
1. United Van Lines (this is who we ended up selecting)
2. Allied
3. Atlas
4. Mayflower (sister company to United)
5. Two Men and a Truck | They quoted me 2x as much as everyone else, I later was told they’re great for short moves but not necessarily big ones.
6. Armstrong Relocation
7. North American Van Lines
8. National Van Lines | They were pretty pricey for us (about 2/3 more than others).
Packing Tips:
* If you have a summer move, book ahead of time. Preferably at least a month. June is apparently the busiest time for movers (followed by July), so you want to get on their calendars early!
* If you live in a big city, be sure to file for a temporary signage permit so there is somewhere for the moving truck to park. In San Francisco, it’s SFMTA. Does it cost a couple extra hundred dollars? Of course… but that’s city life. And it’s better than getting a crazy expensive ticket for double parking and inconveniencing tons of people!
* If you have the budget to pay someone else to pack for you, it’s worth it. But make sure they don’t charge by the box because sometimes they’ll pack very few things in a ton of boxes.
* If you opt for a partial pack service, know that insurance will not cover the boxes you pack, so it is best to allow the packers to pack all breakable items.
* Many girls recommended organization services like the NEAT Method or Life in Jeneral for packing you up rather than paying for moving companies to pack you. I contacted both of these companies out of my own curiosity and Life in Jeneral requires airfare/lodging/travel fees if you’re outside of Los Angeles… so that could get pricey pretty fast. NEAT Method still recommends you hiring packers after their organization, so it sounds like a great but possibly quite expensive option. It might be best to use their services when you’re unpacking rather than packing.
* If the moving company is packing you, micro-manage to help label everything efficiently and specifically.
* Use different colored post-it notes or duct tape and organize box colors by room.
* Offer drinks/snacks to packers and movers and tip them half of their tip early, can help your stuff be handled better.
* Keep a journal of what’s in each box – you can organize this by numbering the boxes. This also helps with insurance if something is broken or stolen.
* You can sometimes get a better price by giving a window of delivery rather than an exact delivery date.
* If the company packs for you, they will sometimes come back a few days later to gather trash so ask about this service.
* Use the this website to check for complaints for the companies you plan to look into.
* Pack valuables yourself.
* Don’t go with the least expensive option only because they’re least expensive! It can turn into a huge headache, they can hold your stuff hostage (this literally happens) – big fat mess.
* If you’re going the moving van route, Penske (in my opinion) is significantly more reliable than U-Haul. We have had U-Haul not hold our reservation, tell us we need to drive an hour plus outside of town to pick up a vehicle that isn’t even the correct size, you guys have sent me horrible stories of your U-Haul experiences… yowza. I have had and heard much more consistency with Penske.
I had a lot of people also recommend Pods, but I’ve heard some stories about leaks and it’s just not going to work for us for what we’re doing. We are moving from one apartment directly into a house so we’re just looking for traditional movers not necessarily storage. But for others, this might be a good option!
I hope these will be helpful to those of you who also have summer moves ahead of you. I know they were definitely helpful to me! Thanks so much for reading and if you have anything to add, I’d love to hear below! XO –
One of the things I love most about spring and summer is lightening my color palette. I feel like I don’t want to see any more black jeans for a few months and I want to keep things airy, breezy and bright. It’s definitely a little harder to do when the climate is still chilly… but I accept the challenge because it’s time to lighten up any way you can! Even if it just means a sleeveless sweater.
This entire look is from Evereve, and they have so many great staple pieces from all kinds of brands like 7 For All Mankind, Free People, Sanctuary, Agolde, Michael Stars and tons more. Because I’ve owned pieces from these brands, I know exactly what size to order which is so helpful.
We’ve all heard people talk about “self-care” and taking time for yourself. It is important not only for the physical benefits, but also for how it makes you feel on the inside. Taking that time to take care of you and only you is so valuable!
For the past year or two, I’ve chosen Sunday nights as my “me time.” It’s when I’ll use my personal microdermabrasion device, lather on a fabulous face mask, deep condition my hair – all the things.
L’Occitane’s Purifying Mask is a great addition to my Sunday routine, and it feels extra luxe knowing it’s made with freshly-cut organic thyme from Provence. It’s mattifying and has gentle exfoliation, which is great for someone with oily skin like myself. The thyme scent smells so pleasant when you’re wearing it, I may have left mine on for a little longer than 10 minutes (don’t tell)!
Do you set aside time to pamper yourself? L’Occitane has always been my absolute favorite brand for all things hand cream, but they have so many lovely products perfect to #treatyoself with, like this body cream, this shower oil and everything in their Immortelle Divine collection (I’ve used all of mine up but it’s a real GEM).
I’d love to hear how you relax and take a moment to yourself, whether it’s at-home TLC, reading a great book or splurging on a fancy candle. Tell me your go-to relaxation station scene! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
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Madewell | Save 20% on dresses and shoes with code PERFECTMATCH, 20% off tees, tanks, and denim shorts with code SUNNY20
Neiman Marcus | Up to 40% off new sale items and designer brands for men and women
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Old Navy | Take 50% off all tees, tanks, shorts, and swimwear
I hope everyone has some time off this weekend to spend with family and friends and reflect on all of those who have sacrificed so much for our country. Christian is working Monday so I’m back at my desk myself, but I plan to take some time to put myself in the shoes of so many who have lost someone they loved and what that sacrifice and loss must feel like. It’s honestly too much to fully comprehend.
Thank you so much for checking in – hope you get out to enjoy some sunshine today! XO –
– a shirt from my girlfriend’s line Noble 31 that I want to wear pretty much everyday –
– so excited try PMD’s new Clean Pro that is a favorite from the beauty who introduced me to PMD in the first place, Corrine at Mint Arrow –
Happy Friday! I’m writing this post from my desk Thursday morning, and it is truly the most STUNNING day outside. I’m looking out this bay window as I type, feeling very Carrie Bradshaw, and I couldn’t help but wonder, how long will this perfect weather last? I hope through the weekend!
We had a busy, busy week with arranging calls/video tours for moving estimates, dealing with necessary steps for our next location while also keeping up with work deadlines and personal obligations. While we have a little over a month left, there are friends here we have really enjoyed spending time getting to know and it will be bittersweet to bid farewell to those relationships.
I have recently fallen in love with the p448 brand of sneakers that I shared in Monday’s Q&A here. I wear sneakers so often when walking Bailey and running errands, and I sometimes feel like it kills my “outfit.” But their sneakers are so stylish and cool that it feels more like I’m making a statement. I love them!
Southern Charm has returned to my TV and I have somehow managed to convince Christian to watch this season with me, so that’s been a fun return to my week. I’m so glad Thomas is out of the picture but this Eliza gal… I don’t know if I’m going to love her being involved. Do you watch?
We have some work to tackle this weekend, but if the weather remains like this we’re going to have to get outside – it’s too gorgeous not to take advantage of! What are your plans for this holiday weekend? There are always some great Memorial Day sales happening, so I will be posting those when I have the information as well. Thanks so much for reading and sharing and have a beautiful and safe weekend – XO –
Not all trends are for everyone. Dad sneakers and tiny sunglasses? I don’t get it. But the belt bag trend was one that immediately perked my interest. It’s practical, it’s ideal for travel/city living and now that they look so much cuter, it’s stylish!
I’ve been wearing this belt bag all over San Francisco since I bought it gently used, and it’s really been such a practical purchase. If you have your eye on a designer bag, eBay can help you snag not only the bag of your dreams, but also cut you a deal. They also offer brand new pieces, but personally I really love buying gently used. There’s a little less pressure on the wear & tear, and I find myself reaching for those pieces more frequently because of that.
eBay Authenticate helps you find luxury handbags, watches and jewelry certified through a third party, which allows you to shop without worry. And don’t forget that all purchases are backed by the eBay Money Back Guarantee. Knowing that helps me feel confident shopping for a luxury piece, and trust me, I do, girl.
Have you ever bought a luxury item on eBay? I know I’ve told y’all this but I bought a vintage Burberry trench years ago and it was one of the best online scores I’ve ever found.
You can also see how I styled this belt bag here, here and here.
