Friday Favorites

It's been a busy week but I've been focusing on some fun projects so I'm not complaining. Yesterday I went to Tampa for a work event and didn't get home until almost midnight so today better go by quickly. A weekend of pure relaxation is in order!

Today I'm linking up with Amanda sharing some favorites and things I've been up to recently.

Watching
Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath

I already read and enjoyed her book Troublemaker since I knew very little about Scientology. The show sheds additional light on the church of Scientology from different ex-members and the stories are shocking.

Reading
The CEO of my company put the Hug Your Haters book on my desk and asked me to report back with an overview of how we can apply the strategies taught in this book to our company. It's not a bad read considering my marketing career and I feel like I've been getting some great insight on how to properly deal with customer complaints online and offline.

Planning 
Trips, trips, and more trips! I shared my 2017 Travel Plans earlier this week and I'm really excited that Europe is on the radar.

Cooking

K cooked up this Ribeye with Herb Butter recipe over the weekend except cooked it on the grill instead of pan searing and it was to die for.

Shopping
Well more like lusting at all the pretty home decor at Target on sale for 30% off.

That wraps up some of my favorites for this week.

Have a great weekend!

2017 Travel Planning

The only trip we have booked, signed, and sealed is Boston in May but otherwise K and I have just started planning our one big trip of the year and some smaller trips to cities around the US.

2016 was a year filled with lots of travel adventures from Jamaica to Nashville and Canada to the Bahamas plus a few other fun places in between (recaps one / two / three) so I plan to check off a few more of my bucket list travel destinations this year. These are the places on my radar for 2017...

Boston

The trip is booked and accommodations are confirmed but I've yet to start researching things to do or planning any sort of itinerary.

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Ft Lauderdale Beach

This is not a new destination for us but we're thinking of returning to enjoy the beaches for our anniversary this summer.
Most recent trip to Ft Lauderdale.

Europe
This is a vague one because we're still figuring out what countries/cities to visit but the travel dates have been decided on so far.

Houston
One of my close girl friends is moving to Houston this year so I'm hoping to visit her but this is not a definite travel plan so far.
 

Chicago
Another city we've already been to but K wants to return for his birthday and to visit a friend.

Chicago 2014 Trip Recap
 

Austin

Austin is the other option for K's birthday which falls on a long weekend and is my personal preference since it's a new city to the both of us.

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Charleston

I have my heart set on Charleston for my birthday weekend but this could change between now and December, although I highly doubt it will.

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Happy Love Day

Just popping in today to say Happy Valentine's Day, Galentine's day, or Valium-Times Day as some like to call it!

It's a "school night" so we don't have any plans but K and I had a great time together on Saturday at Universal Studios.

On Sunday night, K cooked an amazing Rib-eye dinner for us paired with red wine.... so I think we inadvertently got the Valentine's celebrations out of the way before the crazy work week begins.

I'll be back tomorrow sharing some travel plans I have lined up for 2017!

xo Emily

The Weekend with Amazing Weather

 
Did anyone catch the solar eclipse on Friday night? We were looking out for it but didn't see anything spectacular.

The weekend started with some happy hour and hanging out on our patio since the weather is back to being warm again. K just returned from a work trip so it was a perfect night to catch up and watch some movies at home. If you follow me on Instagram (emilyalisonb) you might have seen that Lola joined us sitting on a patio chair like the human she thinks she is.

On Saturday the weather was absolutely gorgeous so we headed to Universal Studios to make use of our annual passes. We went on some of the simulated rides, checked out Harry Potter's Diagon Alley, and saw the show Fear Factor Live where people eat bugs and all sorts of creepy things. K went on a couple of the huge rollercoasters while I sat back and watched.

  

We ended the night with some dinner at Cowfish Sushi & Burger Bar which sounds like a weird concept for a restaurant but has some really delicious food.

Sunday was all about relaxing and getting stuff done around the house. We also watched Dirty Grandpa this weekend which was quite funny.

Joining the lovely Biana for her Weekend linkup.

Oh The Sunsets

The sunsets this week have been amazing driving home from work with vibrant orange, pink and purple colors tie-dying the sky and then last night those colors turned into pastel tones. Nature's beauty made my, otherwise boring commute, so much better.

Friday's are for sharing some favorite things and happenings around here so let's get right into that.

Colorful Accessories

These pretty infinity scarfs are perfect to brighten up a neutral outfit especially for Valentine's day.

one  / two

If you're looking for some unique and trendy gifts for Valentine's Day, check out the Guide for Her and Gift Guide for Him that I recently shared.

Herbal Remedies
I've been fighting a lingering cough and head cold for over a week now and I found this Herbal Immune Booster with Vitamin C on Amazon to help fight it off.

SkinnyGirl Products

I'm a big fan of SkinnyGirl products and love to see that their product line is expanding. I just purchased some of their salad dressings over the weekend (for only around $2) and I'm loving the Raspberry Vinaigrette so far.
 

Salad Dressings / White Cherry Vodka / Organic Stevia / Workout Plan

Winter Soups

I've always been a fan of Butternut Squash Soup and this recipe has me craving it just in time for the weekend.

Travel Plans

We just got some exciting news that K has a company meeting in Germany this summer. Neither of us have been across the pond to Europe so this is the perfect opportunity to plan a trip to explore before he goes off to work. I don't even know where to begin with planning this trip but I'm excited to figure out the details over the next few months.

image via

Have a wonderful weekend and I'd love to hear your advice or recommendations for country hopping in Europe that can be accomplished in a week or so.

Valentine's Gift Ideas for Him

Last week I shared a Valentine's Gift Guide for Her so today let's talk about some unique and thoughtful gifts for the guys in your life whether it's for your husband, boyfriend, or father.

Not to sound stereotypical but some men (especially my husband) are infamous for misplacing things like their wallets and keys so this bluetooth-powered rosewood tag and companion app seems like a great solution to that problem.


For the tech guys, these USB drive silver cufflinks are definitely a unique and handy gift.

For the men that like to cook, this Himalayan pink salt plank is a great addition to the kitchen (and for the women to enjoy too).

This water bottle holds your iPhone 5, 6 or 7 and other essentials and is perfect for the gym or traveling.

For the businessman, this revolutionary tie marries the Founding Fathers with style which honors America's history.

For the golf lovers, these stainless steel BBQ tools have handles that look just like golf grips definitely handy for grilling season.

This wooden watch is a fashionable blend of modern technology and the great outdoors.

For the bourbon or beer lovers, this handcrafted mug brings joy by the barrel.

For the handy guy, this streamlined pen keeps five necessary tools together in one place.

All of these items are sold by UncommonGoods which operates out of the historic Brooklyn Army Terminal. Their mission is to support and provide a platform for artists and designers; giving great respect for the integrity of the creative individual and offering products that impact the world in a positive way.