Friday Faves

This week was a crazy busy one but thankfully Friday has finally made her appearance. I can't wait to exhale all the stress and hopefully get a good night's sleep. Moving on to some faves for the week.

The Beauty Department

This box of goodies from Amanda's giveaway arrived earlier this week and I was so excited to see the Pixi Rose Oil staring at me. I've read so many amazing reviews about rose oil from other bloggers so I've been dying to try it out. I've applied it to my face every night this week after showering and my face feels incredibly soft.

Fave Fashion Finds

I talked about my love for mid-rise jeans yesterday in my Spring Fashion post. They are seriously the perfect fit for my body type. After figuring that out, I purchased a couple more styles including these Distressed Black Mid Rise Jean Leggings which are so comfortable and have a nice stretch to fit different body types.

Healthy Eating Ideas

I've been eating all the salads recently. I shared some delish Spring Salad Recipes earlier this week which are perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. I just found this Skinny BBQ Chicken Flatbread recipe which I have to try asap.

Good To Know
I think this article about 10 Ways to Lose Weight is mainly common sense but the question is, do we actually do them? I know I don't so it's a great guide to get a reality check and get back on track.

Puppy Snuggles
I woke up on Thursday morning to Lola being "sick" all over our bed. My poor baby girl + mattress and sheets!! The details are too gruesome to share but it was a nightmare to clean up. Thankfully I was able to pinpoint what gave her the upset stomach. Wheat flour is a definite NO for English bulldogs. #lessonlearned  We tossed those treats in the trash and she's been feeling better since then.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Spring Casual

When I think of Spring fashion, comfortable florals and colorful outfits come to mind. My closet once used to be very black and white but I've been adding lots of colorful tops and accessories over the past few years. I don't however own many floral pieces probably because I'm very picky with florals as they can't be too "flowery". Does that even make sense? I guess I don't like too much noise in my outfits. This cute yet subtle floral top from Forever 21 has been in my closet for over 7 years and I still love it! It's has a super comfortable elastic waist and is light and airy for Spring and Summer in Florida.

 

We took these photos while exploring the historic district in St. Augustine over Easter weekend. One of my favorite (and must-have) accessories for traveling is a good size cross body purse that can fit more that just a couple credit cards and a lipstick. My pink Kate Spade cross body purse is the perfect travel companion (this particular one is sold out but they do have similar cross body purses in a variety of colors).

I don't consider myself a fashion blogger and I don't have a professional photographer sidekick so these photos come to you as they are - unedited and imperfect. I love fashion and will share some favorite outfits from time to time.

Has anyone tried mid-rise jeans as yet? They are life-changing!! At least they are a life-changer for me and my particular body type. Express has a good variety of styles and after wearing my first pair for a few weeks (the Dark Wash Mid Rise Supersoft Jean Legging that I'm wearing in these photos), I've gone back and purchased two more styles.



Mac's Flat Out Fabulous matte lipstick is still one of my prettiest lip colors and it was the perfect touch for this spring-inspired outfit.

While we were exploring downtown St. Augustine, we had to make a stop at one of my favorite spots,  Sangria's Wine & Piano Bar to cool down and have a refreshing glass of fruity sangria.



I bought these adorable Purple Flash Mirror Aviators in Las Vegas last year from the Michael Kors store with some winnings from the Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Purple is my favorite color so I couldn't resist but they definitely don't go with just any outfit. Luckily I was able to wear them out that weekend with the outfits I packed.



My latest Kendra Scott addition (purchased from Rocksbox) is this adjustable Jamie Bracelet in Platinum Drusy which I love because it sparkles in the light. Rocksbox just sent me the matching necklace and earrings so temptation is running high to purchase those as well. I mean they're meant to be worn together, right?

Shop The Look

Express Mid Rise Jeans * Michael Kors Watch * Kendra Scott Jamie Bracelet * Kendra Scott Elisa Necklace * Kate Spade Cross Body Purse * Michael Kors Chelsea Aviators * MAC Flat Out Fabulous Lipstick


What do you love about Spring fashion?

Sweet & Savory Spring Salads

I've been looking for new ways to get those healthy greens in and Pinterest is always to the rescue for some inspiration and adventure, so to speak. I recently started pinning different salad recipes since the two that I have on rotation are getting a little old.

Let's look at some delicious salads that are perfect for the warmer days ahead. The titles are clickable if you want to venture over to get the recipe.

Arugula Salad with Strawberries, Pistachios & Goat Cheese

 

Turmeric-Garlic Shrimp with Cabbage-Mango Slaw

 

Avocado and Grilled Chicken Chopped Salad

Blueberry Feta Salad

     

Asparagus, Goat Cheese, Lemon and Hazelnuts 

Apple, Almond, Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Salad

 

Greek Salad

 

Chinese Chicken Salad

If you happen to try any of these recipes please let me know your thoughts or feedback.

Enjoy!

PS: I incorrectly announced on Friday that our Wanderlust Wednesday link up was tomorrow. It's not. The link up is actually next week Wednesday (April 13th). Can you say hot mess express over here or what! Sorry if I misguided anyone but I do hope you'll link up your favor wanderlust adventures or dream destinations next week.

Miami Weekend Getaway

On Friday I got out of work a little early to beat rush hour traffic and head to Miami. Of course we still got stuck in traffic but made it there in 4 hours. K had to work a convention on Saturday and Sunday so I decided to tag along to relax and enjoy some down time. As much as I love my own bed, there's something about comfy hotel beds, where you can lower the AC, close the blackout curtains, and have a good night's sleep.

We stayed in Coral Gables which is just a few miles west of Miami and we could see the Miami skyline from our hotel balcony.







We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables which is a beautiful hotel with lovely staff and a comfortable bed. Just the way I like it! By the time we checked in it was already 8 pm so we were starving. Thankfully on the four hour drive I had lots of time to read reviews of restaurants in the area. I chose POC American Fusion Buffet & Sushi which did not disappoint! For $25 we got all-you-can-eat sushi, raw bar (crab legs, oysters, etc), carving station, different ceviches, and a variety of salads, soups, and desserts. It was one hell of a feast and just what our starving bodies needed plus I'd say my sushi fix will be satisfied for a few weeks.

On Saturday morning, I had breakfast in bed while catching up on some blogging and clearing through my inboxes. I got dressed and headed out to Miracle Mile to explore the strip, do some shopping, and get a pedicure at Evolution Salon.

After hours of walking around and exploring I went back to the hotel to relax before getting dressed for dinner. We decided to go to Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grill which had amazing seafood and live music.

On Sunday morning, I checked out of the hotel and went to Cherry Blow Dry Bar in Coral Gables to get my hair washed and styled. I figured it was a good weekend for some pampering while K was working.

After K got out of work, we hit the road to head back home. Luckily there was no traffic and we made in back in good timing. It was a lovely little weekend getaway.

Joining the lovely Biana for her Weekending link up.

Friday Faves

I lost my blogging mojo the past few days. Honestly my energy was spent helping a friend in need and that's all I could handle on top of work and life in general. I almost didn't post anything today but the crisis has been averted, so to speak. Having said that my Friday Faves are going to be short and sweet. I do hope each and every one of you have a fabulous weekend!

I thought this photo was cute but I'm neither here or there about April Fool's day. Probably because I usually forget it's approaching and don't care about freaking people out.

Some things I do love and happenings from this week:

Autism Awareness
Today we're wearing blue at work in honor of World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD). WAAD was started by the United Nations in 2007 to shed a light on autism as a growing global health priority. This photo is from last year.

Favorite Beauty Purchase
I can't say enough good things about Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara. It does wonders for volumizing and lengthening eyelashes. I actually don't wear it to work because it works too well and I prefer natural looking eyelashes for everyday wear.

Healthy Recipe Alternative
I haven't had lasagna in ages but I'm determined to try out this delicious looking Zucchini Lasagna recipe from Skinny Taste.
 

Good To Know
After the holidays and then Easter tacked on to that, I found this article really helpful to get back on track and cut out some food and drinks that may cause bloating.

Favorite Photo
Only a year late but I finally got my hands on this photo of us taken on the Orlando Magic basketball court. I'm looking forward to going to another game this month even though they absolutely suck. I'll still show my face to support my city even if it's only once.



I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend!

Don't forget to link up your travel related posts for our Wanderlust Wednesday linkup next week. It can be anything from a quick day trip to a winery/national park/museum to national and international travels. We love learning about your travel adventures!

Linking up with Amanda from Meet at the Barre.

Easter Entertaining & Favorite Recipes

On Sunday I hosted our annual Easter party for friends who don't have family in the area to come and enjoy a nice meal plus it gives me an excuse to dust off my entertaining ware that never gets used. K likes to cook a turkey in the oil-free turkey fryer we got as a wedding gift and I bake a ham which both take around 2 hours to cook each.



I usually try to host Easter dinner on a Saturday so we have Sunday to clean up and relax but since we already had plans to go to St. Augustine, we had no choice to host it on Sunday but luckily a few friends were able to make it while many others already had plans.

Since it was a small group I kept the appetizers minimal and served mini chicken pot pies from Trader Joe's and Andrea's amazing Slow Cooker Island Kielbasa recipe, which is so easy to whip together with only 4 ingredients (I used pineapple juice but not the chunks). Everyone raved about how good the kielbasa was!

For Easter decorations, I kept it simple and put together some Pinterest-inspired mason jar flower arrangements and added slices of lemon to the water.

Easter Dinner Menu:

Cajun injected roasted turkey

Cranberry orange relish

Maple glazed ham with pineapple & cherries

Pan-seared brussels sprouts

Cheesy corn casserole

Garlic mashed potatoes 

Turkey Gravy

Garlic mashed potatoes and gravy were pre-made from the store because I was worried about not having enough time to cook all of this on Sunday morning so decided to take a couple shortcuts.

For dessert, Kate made some amazing Pistachio cupcakes and another friend made some S'mores Rice Krispies Treats Pinwheels. Both desserts were incredible and we have tons leftover which is slightly dangerous. 

Finally, K concocted some Moscow Mules for a refreshing evening cocktail.

I'd say the Easter dinner party was a success this year spent with good friends and a delicious spread. Lola also enjoyed all of the attention!