Social Dieting

You've all heard of happy accidents, and boy did I come across one the other day. I have been completely unmotivated in getting into shape, but at the same time find myself more and more unhappy with my body. Cue the violins. I know that if I want to see change I have to make change. So I was really happy when I came across DietBet. DietBet is a a 4 week social dieting game where you have 4 weeks to lose 4% of your starting body weight. Each player adds the designated buy in to the pot, and whoever reaches their goal gets to split the pot. Sounds fun right?

I did a bunch of research after I initially browsed the site. What's to keep people from cheating and what not? Well they have people that check the starting and finishing pictures, algorithms that detect unusual activity, and randomly audit players for additional proof. Basically if you hit your goal of 4% you win back your buy in and then some. Did I mention there is also a free app? You can do everything you need from your phone which for me is another reason I can't say no.

I signed up for Blogilates Sweatember DietBet for $25 and the pot has grown to close to $7,000! There are also fun giveaways that they are doing besides the money for some added fun. I start September 3rd and am really looking forward to jumpstarting a healthy lifestyle. If you are interested in joining click here. 

Images from DietBet

End of Summer Wedding

I said I would never do it again, but I did... I'm using Rent the Runway again after a pretty horrible go at it back in October (the day before I needed the dress they called to let me know they no longer had it). They did their best to help last minute, but it was really thanks to my mom's handy Macgyver'ing that we were able to make a dress two sizes too big work. Needless to say, I swore off the service.

Fast forward ten months later and I'm in desperate need of a dress for a Labor Day weekend wedding. The thought of dress shopping right now is vomit-inducing and clicking through countless pages online to find something wasn't appealing either. So I did what I said I would never do and I am trusting/hoping/begging the universe that it goes well. I have a backup that I plan to wear to a September wedding and that is really the only reason I am trusting RTR again. 

I found this fun little number two weeks ago, and as soon as I realized the flowers at the top were just a necklace they styled with it, I was sold. I'm pairing it with a rented necklace for some fun contrast and nude Zara sandals. I have a lighter colored pashmina that I'll keep with me and top it all off with some simple studs. I'm surprisingly relaxed about this all coming together so keep your fingers crossed and send out those good vibes my way that we don't have another repeat of last year!

Weekly Wants: Home Organization

I have a confession: my apartment is a disaster. It's not messy, but there is no organization to it right now. I moved at the end of June and the slew of summer activities and weekend getaways got the best of me. My room and closet were downsized substantially and now I need to get creative to find a place for everything and keep it looking tidy.

1. I'm a firm believer that you can never have too many baskets or fabric bins. It keeps everything looking neat and uniform while hiding the clutter.

2. Did you know keeping you makeup brushes in a bag is a great way to keep bacteria on them? Yuck! I'm in the market for a non-bulky way to store my brushes, but keep them readily accessible in the process.

3. I like the idea of displaying my jewelry like a boutique or store would with acrylic stands. This way I can display my pieces in an organized way and keep things from getting tangled.

4. A blow dryer, straightener, and curling iron take up a lot of space in my tiny bathroom vanity. This caddie is not only heat proof for the hot items, but can slip onto a towel rod or over a cabinet door to create previously unusable space. Genius.

5. Blankets, throws, pillows, you name it they all need a place to go. This crushable fabric bin will fit perfectly in a closet, but it pretty enough to leave in plain site.

6. I was spoiled in my last apartment with an extra closet just for shoes and accessories. I had three hanging organizers full of shoes, but now I need all my hanging space for clothes and my shoes don't have a home. This floor shoe rack has three levels for shoes and is non slip so they'll stay put. 

Wardrobe Staples: Jewelry

You may be noticing that I have a theme lately when it comes to my wardrobe: staple pieces. I am really into building my wardrobe around key pieces that are really versatile and timeless. With clothes, I've stepped up the quality of what I'm purchasing because it's right for me, but when it comes to accessorizing the budget-friendly possibilities are endless. 

I spent a few months gathering accessories to create my day and night time looks that I can really wear with anything and on any occasion. For day I like a nice watch, small studs, one small ring, perhaps a bracelet, and small necklace. At night if I am feeling more adventurous I tend to pair a bigger necklace with fancier studs, a fun bracelet, and a cocktail ring.

Jewelry is a really personal thing, and there isn't a wrong way to wear it. My philosophy is "keep it simple," but I do envy people who can pull off more elaborate looks. What are your go to pieces when it comes to jewelry?

Cookbook Love

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It's no secret that I love cookbooks. I could literally sit for hours and fawn over the glossy pages. Cookbooks put me in a good mood and relax me however silly it may sound. Unfortunately I lost a box with all my cookbooks in it, and I have been meaning to build up another collection .

In all reality I would take any cookbook I could get my hand on, but I thought maybe I should start with some that are either about topics I am interested in (whole foods cooking/lifestyle cooking ), or doable meals that lean less on gourmet and more on practical.  Future posts on attempts from new cookbooks coming in the near future!

What are your favorite cookbooks? Any must haves out there?

Weekly Wants: Fall Fitness

Bottle/Hat/Top/Shoes/Crops/Jacket/Top/Jacket/Bra

I've never been big on putting anytime into what I wear while being active, but since I have moved to Arlington active wear is a staple when romping around town. Brunch: active wear. Errands: active wear. Sunday Funday: active wear. Since this seems to be the uniform for weekends, I need to upgrade my wardrobe ASAP. I don't know about you but I need fun colors to help keep me motivated to do any sort of working out. My current gym shoes are an electric coral and just looking at them makes me happy so I'll keep going with the brights for the time being.

Have a great weekend everyone!

White Walls

Did you ever make a promise to your self that at one point (or when you reached a certain age) you would be an adult and spend the time and money to decorate your home? Well I was supposed to do that last year, and never got around to it. I am guilty of being that person that lives in a white shoe box with next to nothing on the walls. It's not that I don't want to liven it up, but I am really picky about what I want to put up.

I've put some thought into it, and have rounded up some pieces that I would happily call my own. There really isn't too much cohesion as to why I picked what I did other than each piece speaks to me. Do you have any favorite wall decor you're willing to share with me? I would love some more ideas of how to work more personality into my apartment.

Vintage Travel Poster (I think adding two more would make a great series for over the couch)

Vintage Map of New Orleans. It's my favorite city, and I have such great memories of living there.

One of my favorite lyrics from my favorite band (I found it on Tumblr, but I WILL track it down).

Who doesn't love a little bit of gold foil? This perfectly pretty piece would be great to lean on my dresser or book case.

When in doubt... Charleston (my second favorite city)!

I've never been to Paris, but this playful print has such a great color scheme going on that I could put it anywhere.

Travel Poster/ Map/ Gold Print/ Charleston/ Paris

Goal: Drink More Water

I have a confession: I am almost always dehydrated (according to the medical diagnosis that is). I am not super thirsty by any means, but I don't drink nearly enough fluids as I should be. I don't mind the taste of water, but there is nothing exciting about it at all. Luckily I gave up on juice and soda a while ago, but I know that plain old water being my go to drink has halted my consumption drastically.

I, like everyone else out there, want to get healthier and the first thing I always read is to drink more water. I've tried fun water bottles, keeping track, and even keeping straws handy but nothing has stuck. What I have found is that I love coconut water, sparkling water with lime, and any other flavored water concoction. In the spirit of keeping things healthy on the cheap, I did some research on water infusion and am sharing my three favorite thus far. 

You don't need a fancy bottle like the one pictured, but I like keeping the flavor ingredients and the water separate so I get used to seeing plain water. Sometimes we have to trick our minds to get things done! Whatever method works for you, do it! If you don't need variety that is awesome and I am jealous that you are so level-headed. I have the attention span of a two year old so I need to keep it exciting, even if it's just water. Do you have any fun tricks or ways to keep yourself hydrated and consuming more water? I'd love to hear them!

Happy Weekend!

Happy Friday! Pardon my post today but I'm in Charlotte, NC for my sister's grad school graduation. 

I decided to post one of my favorite pictures from photographer Gray Malin. He did an tire series called "La Dolce Vita" in Europe and is currently doing a giveaway via Instagram. Check out the rest of his photographic series on his fantastic website!

I'll be back Monday, but until then have a lovely weekend!

Write This Down

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Yesterday was a pretty frustrating day. We realized a vacation we were planning to take would have to be pushed back because of a wedding we both had totally forgotten about. From there, the afternoon spiraled into the realization that more coming events were conflicting with other things we had planned to do. UGH!!!

I'm no dummy when it comes to using my iPhone, but I really don't use the calendar as much as I should. I guess I'm still a pen and paper kind of gal and should have taken that into account a while ago. In high school and college I carried a Filofax planner with me and literally wrote everything down in there. I think it has something to do with remembering more of what I actually write, but I never used to forget about important dates or events when I did this. So I'm reverting to my old school ways and purchasing a planner (or agenda whatever you like to call it) to make sure I never plan a vacation during an unavailable time ever again!

How do you keep your hectic schedule organized? Any tips you care to throw my way?

Weekend in Review

Ah Monday, we meet again. It's funny how two and a half days during the work week can seem like a literal eternity, but when it comes to the weekend time passes in the blink of an eye. Even though there was so much going on this weekend I still feel like it went by way way too fast. 

I had my first Junior League event as a new member and it was literally all the same feelings I had when I rushed in college. They really don't enjoy the comparison to sororities, but that was exactly what it felt like. People were really nice, but you can tell everyone is trying to find a friendly face so they aren't milling around awkwardly trying to interject into conversations. Apparently most events start with wine so that's a plus!

Sunday was a freakishly gorgeous day and we decided to trek out to Leesburg to hit up the J.Crew Factory sale (also Virginia tax free weekend woohoo!) and park at a vineyard for a laid back Sunday funday. The vineyard had a banjo player on the patio as well so we laid back and enjoyed our picnic lunch and a few bottles of wine. We ended the day by visiting the moms and grilling. The only way I can think of to describe Sunday is perfection. How was your weekend?

Had to share what came to live with me from the sale. I cleaned house. Between 40% off everything, and extra 15% off using my student ID, and no sales tax (an additional 6%) I really made out like a bandit! They have the same stuff that the retail store has, and have awesome sales every few weeks. Do yourself a favor and sign up for their emails so you can get in on the awesome sales too!

Weekly Wants

It's funny what we justify expensive purchases for, and those other things that you always buy on the cheap. I have always been an on the cheap girl when it came to skincare. I have done ok with that in my twenty seven years, but lately I have been thinking that if I am going to make investment purchases shouldn't I include my skin in the scenario too? It's the largest organ we have, and as we get older we have to take better care of it.

I'm pretty lucky I have always been a big SPF advocate so my fine lines and wrinkles are minimal, but I'm not going to have youthful looking skin forever. Today I wanted to share my lust list for skincare products. What's on your list of splurge-worthy products to keep that mug of yours looking good?

1. Mario Badescu Cucumber Lotion

2. La Mer Soft Cream

3. Retinoid Pads

4. Dr. Jart Beauty Balm

5. Skinceuticals Phloretin