August 8

Happy Birthday to my handsome, compassionate, charming, and all-around extraordinary boyfriend. You have brought the utmost happiness to my life, inspire me in every way possible and believe in me no matter what. Words can't describe what a truly incredible person you are. I love you so much! 

SUPing with Dolphins

Check this out! This past weekend we were out in the ocean SUPing and a pod of 20+ dophins surrounded us. Truly one of the most surreal experiences I have ever had! Of course, the only decent shot was of Grant, and it still doesn't explain how spectacular this moment was. I must say, thank goodness 'Shark Week' started AFTER this!

Take Note

I am extremely picky when it comes to cards, and must admit, I take a lot of pride in the ones I send. I probably average about 30 minutes in the card aisle per visit to Papyrus, Kate's Paperie or Target, opening each and every one that looks decent until I find the perfect (non-cheesy) message.  I genuinely love giving personal, handwritten notes to the people I love. Whether it's Grant, family or friends, I always like to let them know how much I care and how incredible I think they are (in the chicest possible way, of course!)


A few cards/notes that I am currently loving are:

{Sweet Nothing notes}

{Colorful Pantone note cards}

{Polaroid note cards}

{Kate Spade 'All Occasion' notes (so organized!)}

{Kate Spade stationary (all of it!)}

{New York themed stationary}

Vacationland

Recaps of my weekends away have been a majority of the content you have read on my blog  these past couple of months. Reason being is that I have been on the road each weekend, traveling to some, what I would describe as, desirable destinations that I find worth sharing with you! While I hope you have enjoyed the ride (no pun intended!), plan on seeing much more fashion, food, decor, and more as we move into Fall - but for now - here's to Vacationland.


I grew up camping in Maine (the states slogan is Vacationland) every summer and it's always been a special place from which I have many fond memories. Canoeing to uninhabited islands, watching sunsets from Cadillac Mountain, fresh lobsters, pristine (freezing cold!) water, seals hanging out on the rocks and the L.L. Bean Flagship store in Freeport are some of the things about this state that make it one of a kind. My family and I (including Grant) visited my brother in Portland, Maine a few weekends ago (my first time to this particular city), and once again, the state proved to be one of the most naturally gorgeous places on the east coast, complete with great food, music and art!


CHECK OUT MY PHOTO TOUR (including the G. Love concert, sunset sail, organic pizza, lobsters, and my amazing family!):

Designer Dreaming

During a recent trip to Bloomingdales, I, per usual, acted as though I was some wealthy upper east sider, browsing through the sections that I frankly, just can't afford. Haute Hippie, Elizabeth & James, Madison Marcus (I just LOVE that name!), Vince and Joie are just some of the brands that I leave the store dreaming about (literally). Recently, the #1 item that I am dying to add to my wardrobe is a chic tan leather jacket, and today, I found 'it'! This Joie piece is fitted and has just the right amount of feminine touch, without the frill.

Now more importantly, how do I (Queen of justifying everything I spend) rationalize this purchase? The NYC heat, again? I am moving to Hoboken and this is my last big purchase as a New Yorker? It's my Christmas + Birthday presents combined for the next 2 years? I don't have a car in the city, meaning I am SAVING all that money on insurance and gas?

Hmmmmmmmm?????

Loving Lately

I hope you all survived the heat wave this past weekend! In an effort to escape the unbearable temperatures, I spent my days hopping around from one air conditioned building to the next - my apartment, Bloomys, Pottery Barn, Urban Outfitters, Gina La Fornarina. Not only is the heat causing bad hair days, cranky New Yorkers (some lovely lady screamed at me on the street today for accidentally bumping into her), and shiny skin - it's costing me money! (although, I do LOVE my new pair of Ralph Lauren stilettos).


As yet another summer weekend comes to an end and a busy work week begins, I leave you with a few things I am loving lately...

Eye Mask
{Yes, you may laugh, but I have the BEST nights sleep when I have my eye mask on, especially on summer mornings when the light shines in my window at 6 a.m. Trust me - you have to try it! You can get one here!}

eos lip balm
{95% organic, cute packaging and easy to apply! What's not to love? Purchase here!}

Hoboken Movie Night
Each Wednesday, for the duration of the summer, there is a FREE (yes, FREE!) outdoor movie screening on Pier A Park in Hoboken. With the Manhattan skyline in the background, a blanket and a bottle of wine, it's a perfect date night (with a special someone or with some friends!) Check out the schedule here.}

Stevia-Sweetened Ice Tea
{My friend's mom grows the stevia plant in her backyard. This natural sweetener is the most tasty and healthy alternative to sugar, Sweet N' Lo and any other artificial sweetener. If you don't have a garden like me, you can buy it pre-packaged at your local grocery store. It certainly doesn't look as organic in your iced tea, but it still tastes great!}

Clever Luggage Tags

{I love these personalized luggage tags with copy reading 'Not Worth Taking,' 'Not Your Bag,' 'Not Worth Stealing,' 'Hands Off,' 'Dirty Clothes Inside,' and 'My Clothes Won't Fit You.' Adorable! You can create your own here!}

Happy Eating!

Each summer, for the past 4 years that I have worked in publishing, I have anxiously awaited for the Vanity Fair Summer Guide to circulate through the email chain, from magazine to magazine. It was my go-to bible, providing the hottest events, outdoor bars and restaurants, concerts and more that the city had to offer, along with the ultimate summer playlist (I admit - I always need a little help in this department!)

While VF has noticeably taken a year off (not really sure why?!), Food Network Magazine has come to the rescue! Check out this insanely detailed (and thankfully very organized) guide to the best dining and drinking that NYC has to offer.

Click here: NYC Dining Guide 

P.S. Your welcome!

It's A Shore Thing

The Jersey Shore certainly has plenty of negative stereotypes and based on the content of the reality show, all for good reason. For those of you who think blow-outs, tans and constant confrontational 'situations', you are in for a treat. My experience in LBI (Long Beach Island, NJ) this past weekend far surpassed all of my expectations and rather than feeling like I was in guido/guidette-ville, I felt like I was in laid-back SoCal in a land of sun, sand and surfers. Life doesn't get much better than that!

Here are a few things about LBI that made me happy:

{Lifeguards (of course!)}

{Colorful plastic shades. I love Knockaround's and you can get them here.}

{Surf shops. Fun fact: LBI is the home of the first Ron Jon}

{Beach cruisers as a means of transportation EVERYWHERE!}

{Salt Water Taffy. A Jersey Shore staple! Learn how to make it yourself here}

{Quality beach time}

{Root Beer Floats}

{Vibrant surf suits and a beach brim}

{Ferris wheels}