spring 2014 wishlist

 teal blazer, block heel sandals, pink skinny jeans, crossover ring, rebecca minkoff mini mac, target sandals

this spring, i'm really into pastel printed/colored pants - i mean, when haven't i been? but specifically, i'd really like to add some coral pink/teal skinnies to my collection. chunky wedges/sandals are also on my radar! i love these snakeskin heels, they're perfect for daytime. i've also wanted the david yurman crossover ring for a while now - hmmmmm. and of course, the rebecca minkoff mini mac is always on my wishlist; maybe i can snag it in a pretty pop of color this year.

what are you craving for spring?

a new series: post-grad tales

how did this not occur to me sooner?!

having graduated in may of 2013, i've spent (almost) a year on the post grad grind - working my first "real" job, balancing finances, doing my own thing and squeezing in as much fun as possible. (almost) a year is a pretty solid amount of time to learn a thing or two. and while i don't have it all down perfectly (who does?), i've got some tips & tricks to offer those in the same boat as me, or those graduating in may 2014, december 2014 and beyond!

each post will be themed - topics from cooking, finances, etc. - look for them on wednesdays in the next few months! i will come back to this post to link up all future posts in the series. i can't wait to start this series - enjoy!

instagram diary - a fairhope weekend

2014 has been off to a roaring start. i've got so much going on in the next few months, and honestly january & february felt like 6 months of my life for so many reasons. whew!

i just returned from fairhope, where i spent a weekend with friends and my parents. it was so refreshing to get out of town for a minute and enjoy the weather by the bay. we attended the KOER mardi gras ball and parade, which was a total freakin' success and amazing time. downtown fairhope was gorgeous, as always. we lunched at windmill market to live music, partied at mcsharry's & my place, sat on the pier at night and enjoyed downtown during the day. i loved getting to show my friends my hometown.

march is gonna be insane y'all. SO MUCH GOING ON! and i can't wait!

oh, tableaux!

proof of my mardi gras veteranhood - and what i wish i could wear to the ball instead.

if you aren't from the south, maybe you've never heard of mardi gras. and even if you are from the south, maybe you aren't lucky enough to live in a part of the south that celebrates.

as you can see, mardi gras was a routine part of my life growing up. my aunt and many of my family's friends were in some of the societies. my dad and his band used to play on a trailer in the parade, and i'd sit on the back. we'd catch moonpies, fight other parade-goers for stuffed animals... there were many times i got hit in the face with beads so hard it bruised.

as i got older, the mardi gras experience changed. i went to new orleans (not home to the original mardi gras, mind you - that's mobile!) and sat wedged between thousands of people on bourbon street, unable to move, for a solid two hours before giving up and leaving. how can you party when you can't extend your arms to hold a hand grenade?

i prefer my home state for an authentic mardi gras experience. this weekend, i'm off to fairhope with three of my good friends to attend some parades, and a ball of course! getting ready is a lot of the fun, but the actual festivities themselves are awesome. if you ever have the opportunity to go to mardi gras, even if it isn't in alabama, GO! it's a totally "norm" thing for me since i grew up with it, but i haven't met anyone who doesn't enjoy the experience. and while this year i won't be donning an awesome purple mardi gras sweatshirt to the parades (i wish i was, honestly), it's going to be a blast.

insta-style {volume 1}

it's no secret that i'm obsessed with instagram. not only is it a seamless & beautiful way to share photos, it has become a fantastic style resource for me. i follow way too many people and i feel like i find new accounts to follow every day! i'm contemplating whipping up a post listing my favorites.

these are a few of my favorites outfits i've posted as of late. as you can see, i'm smitten with my herringbone vest that i got for christmas. i've also gotten really into plaid! i need more of it! and of course, my absolute favorite flats aside from my revas, my j. crew emery bow flats. love it!

4 loves + a recipe! {happy valentine's day!}

 of course i made mini strawberry heart cheesecakes for work this week :) click here for the recipe!

happy valentine's day! as i mentioned in my valentine trinkets post last week, i adore this holiday. it's more so about love and pink things in general for me, and always has been. and y'all know i don't need an excuse to buy pink stuff and eat chocolate. every year since i was 14, i've had a boyfriend for valentine's day (yep, you read that correctly) and this is the first year i haven't. and you know what? i'm stoked about it.

so while i often make posts about my "current obsessions", here is what i'm really loving right now. in the spirit of valentine's day, my true 4 loves:

01. i love my amazing family. my parents are my best friends and my brother makes me laugh like no other human can. i love that they support me. i love cooking with them. i love returning to fairhope, even if it's just for a weekend, and listening to music at restaurants on the bay or visiting the ducks at the pier.

02. i love the most incredible and compassionate friends i have been blessed with. this is the first time in my life i can honestly say i have friends who would do anything for me, who are 100% true and genuine and always have been. quality over quantity. these are people i'd give my life for.

03. i love birmingham! i've written about this so much, and i still feel i haven't found all the right words to say. every day i feel so lucky that i live where i do, that i'm surrounded by a rampant foodie culture, music, art and beauty. oh, and i'm less than a mile from my office.

04. i love my health. it's been a difficult lesson to learn that nothing in life is guaranteed, and that includes your health. i am so grateful for mine. i love that i have the ability to run the color me rad 5k in april, i love that i can wake up every morning and practice yoga with a healthy, able body.

what are your loves? how do you celebrate valentine's day?

valentine raspberry fizz

throw raspberry into anything and i'm a fan. and prosecco too, of course. instead of wine or basic prosecco on valentine's day, throw a raspberry twist in for a delightful pink drink!

• 2-3 raspberries (optional)
• 1 ounce raspberry liquer/chambord
• 2 ounces prosecco or champagne

drop your raspberries gently in the bottom of your champagne flute. pop your prosecco/champagne and pour on top, then drop your chambord. quick & simple! yum!

valentine's day trinkets

fuzzy valentine socks, tiffany bow mug, kate spade ipad case, kate spade knot bracelet, vinturi wine aerator, 'love' pave baublebar ring, dior creme de rose lipbalm, 'vintage handbags' coffee table book.

i love valentine's day. it's so much fun! it really boggles my mind when people take this holiday too seriously, getting upset about being single, moaning about hallmark cards, etc. who wouldn't enjoy a day about pink and hearts? and an excuse to eat chocolate or have some champagne, whether its with friends or a significant other? plus, valentine's desserts are gorgeous.

here are some little valentine trinkets to get someone special in your life. i really enjoyed putting this list together! and let's be honest, these are mostly things i'd love to receive or would give a girlfriend. i love the boyfriend/husband gift guides too and they are SO helpful. but why not grab some little things for the other loves in your life? (hey, the wine aerator is unisex!)

banana nut bread

is there a photography method that makes banana bread look glamorous? because i can't find it.

had to photograph on a stormy day. we're workin' with it here. banana bread probably doesn't look sexy under a vibrant sunset either.

everyone has a good banana bread recipe on hand, right? well, this is mine. and never fear if you don't have any super ripe bananas on hand, just pop them in the oven on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees for 40 minutes to an hour. they'll come out totally black, but sugary and sweet on the inside.

this recipe is moist, light and will make your house smell divine!

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 very ripe bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (or a little more if you're like me)
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on your preference
• 1/8 (just a dash!) teaspoon nutmeg
• chopped pecans/walnuts (optional)
• chocolate chips (optional)

preheat your oven to 350 degrees. grease two loaf pans (depending on the size, you might end up with just one loaf!).

mix your butter, sugar and bananas until light and fluffy. add eggs and vanilla. in a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, and be sure not to overbeat. when the mixture is just incorporated, add nuts or chocolate chips if you desire. i added pecans to mine.

bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

recipe adapted from food.com.

current obsessions {volume 5}

01. my sugar paper 2014 planner. i haven't kept a planner for a year or two, but i'm excited to get back in the swing of it with this one. i love my moleskins, but this was too cute to pass up. checking off my little checkmarks i create is so satisfying. these are still at target i believe, so go check them out!

 02. gigi new york clutch - i can't stop staring at this thing. my mother got this for me for christmas (monogrammed, of course) and it is so beautiful in person that i can't even deal. it's large enough to hold a regular sized wallet, but chic enough for night time. totally. obsesssed.

03. yoga studio app - would it be too cheesy if i said this has totally changed my life? the classes offered on this app are simple to follow. i can pick beginner, intermediate and advanced classes that last 15, 30 or 60 minutes. recently i've even come home to do the 15 minute classes on my lunch break!