Black and Blush

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It’s no surprise as we head full force into Spring that I find myself being SO drawn to blush tones.

Sound familiar? Maybe because I’ve said it for the past four seasons and I’m saying it again - pink knows where its at.

Two tones I’m particularly loving this season are light blush (see bag) and dusty rose (see coat!) You remember last week when I rented this coat? Well I wasn’t joking when I told you I’d worn it every day of the rental period. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

I wore this look to work on one of the cooler Spring mornings. Of course, it became *quite* the issue when it got warmer later that afternoon but I was going to get my money’s worth. So off-the-shoulder it became.

Also want to take a moment and talk about this bag. Number 1. It’s from Cuyana, who is one of my top 5 favorite brands of all time. 2. It’s pebbled leather meaning if I run into something (highly likely), it won’t get ruined. 3. It holds a LOT. I packed a spare change of clothes for later in this bad boy, but you wouldn’t be able to tell it by just glancing at it. 

I had originally rented another LBD from Rent the Runway for a work event, but the customer service notified me that it had been returned from a previous renter in poor condition. I was bummed, but couldn’t be too upset when they sent this gorgeous Jason Wu frock in its place! The Rent the Runway team definitely went above and beyond to make sure I ended up with something I loved. (Just one of the many reasons why I love the service!)

Wearing Theory coat, Jason Wu dress and Oscar de la Renta earrings via Rent the Runway, Cuyana backpack, M.Gemi boots 

Thanks to Natalie for the photos!

Sale e Pepe - Marco Island

If you missed it, last week we went to Florida to visit my grandfather! He just turned 96 (96!!!) so we always make a point to visit him for a long weekend (which turned into a week thanks to a little unexpected weather) each year. 

For the past few years, I’d been dying to visit this one restaurant down the strip from where we stay - Sale e Pepe. I’d only seen photos online, but it looked SO dreamy. 

But a pretty Italian oasis comes at a pretty penny. It was definitely more than we’re used to spending, but for me, when it comes to GOOD food, there is no price too high. (KIDDING, of course. But I certainly don’t mind paying a little more if the food and environment are top notch.)

Somehow, I was able to convince the two money-saving men (my hubby and grandfather) that this was a good idea, that I had rented a dress JUST FOR THIS SPECIFIC OCCASION and that we essentially HAD to go. (Still can’t believe it worked!)

We arrived and I *actually* felt as if we were back in Italy on our honeymoon. I made a bee-line for the romantic terrace overlooking the ocean (even though my poor grandfather tried to sway us to eat inside instead - PAPOU, YOU CAN’T INSTAGRAM WHERE THERE IS NO NATURAL LIGHT, SILLY!)

Besides the swarms of people covering the picturesk sunset, it was perfect in every way. Wonderful wine selection, a plethora of dishes for me to choose from (ME! THE VEGETARIAN!) I ended up with the black truffle risotto (still can’t believe I actually said YOLO after ordering as I handed the menu back to our waiter.) $200 later, we all left with happy tummies and of course, a few photos to mark the occasion. 

About the dress: This gorgeous Line + Dot maxi dress from Rent the Runway was everything I had dreamed of and more. It was lightweight and romantic - the hubs even asked how much it would cost to keep it. Even though RTR doesn’t work that way, I know I’ll be keeping an eye out during their next Clearance sale!

Wearing Line + Dot maxi dress and Lovers + Friends jacket via Rent the Runway, Maumero sandals c/o, HOBO the Original bag c/o, Cuyana belt.

How We Celebrate Valentine’s Day

Let me just preface this post by saying the insanely gorgeous dress shown here is not what I’ll be wearing for Valentine’s Day (sadly.) I borrowed it from Rent the Runway for a shoot with my dear friend Leah Beilhart (check out her gorgeous photos on Insta) at the Sweet Root Village studio a few months back! I'm holding their stunning flowers here and if you're in the market for wedding or event flowers, THESE ARE YOUR GIRLS. 

It was a fun, spontaneous project we all worked on together - simply for the joy of collaborating with other women, supporting our passions and enjoying each other’s company.

So - Valentine’s Day. I know the feelings on this holiday run the gamete - from loathing the expectations surrounding this one day to baking heart shaped cupcakes for everyone in their office. I lie somewhere in the middle.

In our early dating years, I put the most unrealistic expectations on Valentine’s Day. You want everything to go JUST RIGHT, conversations to go swimmingly, the bubbly and laughter overflowing. 

And after years of finding the right balance for us as a couple, we’ve come up with what seems to be a tradition for Valentine’s Day.

First off - we don’t really do gifts (minus the bouquet of flowers my hubby loves to send!) It’s so close to the holidays, hubby’s birthday just ended a couple weeks prior, it’s too much. Instead, we pick out a meaningful card for each other. I prefer a handwritten card over gifts any day.

When we get home from work, we turn on the tunes (John Legend is our fave) and cook dinner together. Usually we’ll pick a recipe from our Positano cook book (where we honeymoon’ed) the night before. Almost always, it involves a fresh French baguette and some sort of delicious cheese, usually eaten while cooking. It’s a relaxing way to wind down from a busy day and really focus on each other.

Before dinner, we’ll take turns getting ready. We’re usually pretty casual - jeans and a cute top or sweater usually win out for me. I have an abundance of cute little candles from our wedding 5 years ago so I’ll usually light a few of those around the table, pop open a bottle of wine and we’ll spend a quiet evening together. A little old-lady like, but it’s just the way I like it.

Now I’m SO curious - how to you celebrate Valentine’s Day?! 

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