Plane Wear

I just have to make it through this 8 hour work day and then I will be Chicago bound for a long weekend. Chicago is one of my favorite places to visit and I'm really looking forward to spending the next couple days with my cousins. One thing I'm not looking forward to is the plane ride. I get a little anxious flying and although I've definitely gotten better since I've been traveling a lot more these past few years, I still will feel better when my feet are planted firmly on the ground. On the plus side it's a quick 2 hour ride to Chi-Town so i will arrive just in time for a late dinner in the city!

When traveling by plane it is all about comfort for me. I never understood those celebrities wearing their stilettos on a flight, that just seems so uncomfortable. That's why I will be going for a more laid back look today. I plan on wearing my black maxi skirt, mainly because I get so cold on the plane along with a comfortable pair of sandals since we have some subways to navigate before I get to my cousins townhouse. Finally, I will be bringing plenty of magazines in my carry-on to keep my mind off the fact that I will be flying through the air.

What do you wear when you travel by plane?

French Connection Black Maxi (more affordable version here) // Grey Tank

Gladiator Sandal // Hat // Skull Ring // Longchamp

xoxo

Wednesday Wish List: Technology Edition

Confession: I spend most of my free money on updating my wardrobe (not shocked are you?) and I rarely tend to buy new technology. It's one of those things that slip in the back of my mind and is never a priority but lately I noticed how desperately I need a technology upgrade. I've had my iPhone 4 for 5 years now and it's definitely on it's way out. There have been numerous occasions where my phone suddenly decides that it will no longer accept text messages and I will only notice when I get a snapchat from a friend asking me why I'm ignoring them (thanks Meg!). So lets just say an iPhone 5 will be in my possession in the near future (although I'm trying to hold out because I hear rumors that the iPhone 6 is going to get released in October). It will be nice to have a phone that works at an appropriate speed and no longer closes apps on a whim. New phones also mean new phone cases. Most places have officially stopped selling iPhone 4 cases so I always miss out on the cute new case arrivals in all the stores... I've had my eye on the gold polka dot Kate Spade one for quite some time now.

In addition to a new iPhone/case I really want to invest my money in getting a new camera. I currently have a great digital camera that I've had for probably 5-6 years that is perfect when I go on vacation or to different events. However, it really lacks what I need when it comes to taking photos for my blog and I find myself being somewhat disappointed in the pictures I use for my Weekly Outfit Recaps. I definitely need to look into buying a new camera that better suits my needs but I want to make sure I do my research before making the purchase. 

Fellow bloggers/readers-- do you have a camera you would recommend to me?

Polka Dot iPhone Case

xoxo

New Recipe: Pasta Fagioli

Happy Tasty Tuesday!

I grew up with so many delicious authentic Italian recipes from my grandparents that I consider good old fashion comfort food. I'm so lucky that I still have so many of these recipes to carry on the tradition many years to come. One of my favorite family recipes is pasta fagioli. It's a quick and easy meal to make and it brings back plenty of wonderful family memories for me. It's also a great alternative to a traditional spaghetti or ziti dinner!

**THIS RECIPE HAS TO BE MADE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO SERVING**

Ingredients:

• 1/4 olive oil
• 1 cup diced red onion (if you have a food processor--- use it).
• 1 small pkg of pancetta diced
• 2 large tsp of garlic
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can plum tomatoes diced (take the stems out)
• 1 large jar of Ragu sauce (or red pasta sauce of your choice)
• 1 large can of cannallini beans 
• 1 lb of ditalini pasta 

Directions:

• Saute onion, pancetta garlic on low heat in a pan with the olive oil (be sure not to burn the garlic) for 4-5 minutes
• Add chicken broth and beans (don't drain the bean juice) and bring to a boil
• Lower heat and add tomatoes, let simmer for 8-10 minutes
• While chicken broth mixture is simmering, cook pasta according to directions in a separate pasta pot.
• When pasta is cooked, drain the water and add the pasta to the chicken broth mixture.
• Turn stove top off, add jar of Ragu and stir until everything is completely combined.
• Cover pot of pasta fagioli and refrigerate for 24 hours so that flavor is allowed to soak into the pasta.
• Reheat on the stove top the next day on low/medium heat.
• Serve and enjoy!

xoxo

Weekend Wear

My weekend wear consists mainly of shorts and tanks during the daylight hours but at night if I'm going out with friends I do try and pull on a comfortable skirt or dress. One thing I can say for myself is that I definitely do not fall into a specific category style-wise. I'm basically willing to try everything and anything as long as I feel good about myself in it. If someone was looking at this weekends outfit decisions, they would definitely say I was eclectic because I go from "preppy" on Friday night to a faux leather skirt on Saturday. I definitely like to mix up my style depending on my mood and it's always fun to experiment with different pieces and branch out of my comfort zone every once in awhile and take a fashion risk. 

Friday Night Dinner and Drinks

Skirt J Crew Factory // Lace Top Abercrombie (old) // Necklace J Crew Factory (old)

Crossbody Kate Spade Outlet // Bracelet Target (old) // Ring Kate Spade similar

Saturday Night On The Town

Crop Top Express (old) similar // Leather Skirt Ann Taylor

I have no idea why my camera kept turning my skin red in this photo.... might have been the reflection from the clutch.

Clutch H&M (old) // Bow Tie Bangle Kate Spade // Gold Bangle Kate Spade similar // Gold Stackables Wantables

What do you wear when going out with friends?

xoxo

Sunday Thought + A Weekend Recap

These weekends just fly by don't they? The countdown is on and I officially have 4 days before I leave for Chicago which means I need to start to pack and get myself together! This weekend (despite the cloudy weather) was a lot of fun.  There is just more exciting things to do in the 518 in the summertime which keeps me busy.

Here is a quick recap:

• Friday night I got dinner with my friend Meg. It was a beautiful night so we were anxious to sit outside and people watch (our favorite pastime in the summer).
• Saturday afternoon I played chauffeur to my aunt and uncle, and drove them up to Saratoga Race Track. It was a cloudy day so post travels I ended up going to the mall for some retail therapy. There has been some amazing sales, I ended up getting this skirt for $19.50!
• Saturday night we went out to celebrate my friend Nicole's 25th birthday. Birthday celebrations are always an experience with my friends, we always end up going a little crazier than we normally do and we were out quite late (and I'm paying for it this morning!).
• Today I'm anxiously hoping the sun decides to make an appearance so I can go to the pool, but if it doesn't it will most likely be a Netflix in bed kind of afternoon.

What did you do this weekend?

xoxo

Weekly Outfit Recap

This week was a tough one for me- clothing-wise. We had a heat wave in the 518 and the days were HOT! Unfortunately, my office thinks that because its 90 degrees outside they need to blast the AC so its 50 degrees inside. So basically when I walked to my car and sat outside for lunch I was sweating but when inside my cubicle I was wrapped tightly in the blanket that I keep at my desk, ugh.

Dress J Crew (on super sale!) // Necklace/Bracelet Ann Taylor

Dress Lacoste (old) // Necklace Macy's (old) // Bracelet Target (old) // Sandals Sperry

Finally got my hair cut!!

Skirt Ann Taylor (old) // Necklace Macys (old)

Skirt J Crew (on sale!) // Lace Top Express (on sale!) // Necklace ? (old) // Bracelet Kate Spade (old)

Dress Banana Republic (old) // Belt Chicago (old) // Bracelets Kate Spade (old)

What are you up to today?

xoxo

Four

TGIF!

We made it through another work week friends, congrats to all of you! I'm looking forward to a mixture of relaxation and fun this weekend. It's supposed to be a beautiful day in the 518 tomorrow and I will be going out to celebrate a friends birthday. 

Here is what I'm loving this week:

Anthropologie Amory Tank

I fell in love with this glasses top a couple weeks ago. You know when you find something you love and you keep going back to the website to see if it's still there. I know this is eventually going to end up in my closet, I just wish it would go on sale first.

Disney Dining

We booked our dining reservations for our upcoming November trip to Disney World. I was honestly shocked at the number of restaurants that were already booked, especially because we are going in the off season. However, I'm really happy with what we ended up with and I'm looking forward to several of the restaurants including dinner in Mexico and Japan. Do you have any Disney restaurant recommendations for me?

Warby Parker Baxter Glasses

Lately I've been craving a new pair of glasses. Since I wear my glasses every single day I like to have the option of switching them up. My newest pair that I love are the Baxter by Warby Parker. I think the blue frames would add a fun twist to any outfit.

Dooney & Bourke Chelsea Nubuck Leather Bag

As mentioned previously in my Who Wears Short Shorts post, I stumbled upon this bag when online shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary sale and instantly fell in love. I think it's important to invest in quality brown and black leather bags that you will have forever (and will never go out of style). This bag is the perfect example of a classic piece that would be a great addition to anyones wardrobe.

What are you loving this week?

xoxo

Packing Tips From A Recovering Overpacker

Hello. 

My name is Alex and I'm a recovering "over-packer."

Since I'm flying out to Chicago next week, I've already started thinking about what I need to pack for my trip. Traveling makes me very nervous in general (something I'm really trying to work on) and having to pack always adds an extra stress. Something about not having access to home essentials makes me worry, which in the past caused me to pack wayyy to much in my luggage. I've come a long way in my tendencies to overpack and it's definitely a work in progress but I came up with 5 tips that helped me when packing that I wanted to share with all of you.

1. Pick a theme: I now try and pack pieces that I can easily mix and match depending on my mood, this way I don't have to pack different outfits for every day I'm traveling. For example I may go with a navy color scheme and pack classic jewelry that will go with any outfit I wear, rather than statement necklaces that won't match everything. 
2. Be practical: I may have a new pair of shoes that I'm dying to wear but it doesn't make sense to pack them if I'm going to need to break them in before use. It's important that I remind myself where I'm headed when deciding what to throw in my suitcase. For example, if I'm headed to Disney World I need to remind myself that I don't need to pack a pretty dress because I'm most likely going to end up in shorts and tank tops.
3. Check the weather: Just because it's warm where you are now, doesn't mean it will be warm where you're going. I always check the weather multiple times the week I'm supposed to go somewhere so I can decide if I need to pack things like a rain coat, jacket or extra pair of shoes.
4. Brainstorm outfit ideas in advance: The week before I leave I always make a list of possible things I want to bring with me. By writing it down on paper it's easy to visualize a theme. I also recommend investing in a packing list (I love this one) so you won't forget to pack necessities.
5. Don't wait till the last minute: I have started to pack a little bit each day so I'm not overwhelmed the day before I travel. It helps keeps me organized and less likely to tear my bedroom apart looking for specific items.

What are your travel tips?

Are you guilty of overpacking for a trip?

xoxo

Bring Your Beau To Work

When my fellow blogger-friend Meggie from Meggie July contacted me about doing a collaboration regarding our Kate Spade 2 Park Avenue Beau bags I couldn't possibly turn her down. The plan was to come up with a workplace style that revolved around our Beaus. I purchased my Beau last October after much hemming and hawing. It was definitely a big investment and I wanted to be a smart shopper but I eventually convinced myself knowing that the classic black leather bag would never go out of style. I've definitely gotten my money worth since I made the purchase and I was excited to feature it in this collaboration.

Now onto the styling of the bag. Black isn't necessarily something you would associate with the summer months so I knew that I wanted to add a pop of color with this fun Vince Camuto skirt. It was very hot the week I wore this outfit so despite my office being freezing, I had to be sleeveless. Luckily I always keep a blanket and a jean jacket in my office in case I get a chill. I tend to gravitate towards outfits that transition well from out of the office to after-work drinks. It's important that I buy pieces that are versatile so I can mix and match.

Beau Bag Kate Spade // Skirt Vince Camuto // Tank Forever 21 (old) // Glasses Bangle Kate Spade //

 Ooh La La Bangle Kate Spade // Gold Stackable Bracelet Wantable Box // Sandals Chinese Laundry (old) 

Necklace Ralph Lauren (similar) // Sunglasses Ray-Ban

Here is a sneak peek of how Meggie incorporated her Beau bag into a work outfit, be sure to check out Meggie's blog to see how she styled her gorgeous cream Beau bag. I'm not going to lie, when I saw that she purchased the ostrich egg and cream version of my bag, I contemplated buying a second one for myself because they bag is so pretty and perfect for summer.

Do you own the Beau?

How do you style it? 

xoxo

New Recipe: Cheeseburger Pie

Happy Tasty Tuesday Friends!

 Lately I've been contacting friends and family and asking them to share some of their favorite recipes they make. Not only does it give me plenty of ideas that I can use at home, but it inspires me to be a little more creative and reinvent recipes that I already have. My friend Emily makes a fabulous cheeseburger pie (made with ground turkey!) that she's been telling me that I have to try so I wanted to share it all with you today!

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground turkey
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper chopped
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup bisquick
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Cook ground turkey, peppers, and onion in a pan until meat is fully cooked. 
• Spread ground turkey mixture into the bottom of a glass pie baking pan and sprinkle cheddar cheese and chopped tomatoes on top.
• In a separate bowl, mix together Bisquick, milk and eggs and pour mixture over the meat and cheese (FYI the Bisquick mixture will be runny... don't panic).
• Top with remaining cheese and bake in oven for 25-30 minutes.
• Enjoy!

**Thanks Em for sharing another great recipe**

xoxo

Who Wears Short Shorts?

Despite that fact that all my Weekly Outfit Recaps consist mainly of dresses and skirts, my go-to weekend wear is always a pair of shorts. Trust me, if I had the option to wear shorts to work I totally would. To me, summer time is all about relaxing and spending time outside so it's key that my outfit choices are not only stylish but comfortable as well, which is why I tend to gravitate towards a comfy pair of shorts. The good news is that there are so many short options out there, that we have the option to dress them up or down depending on the occasion and still look put together. 

Today I put together four different short options for different summer events that vary in "dressiness." Side note: can we take a moment and swoon over that gorgeous Dooney and Bourke Bag under the "Daytime Weekend Wear" look? It's currently on sale at Nordstrom and it's something I could definitely see making an appearance in my wardrobe sometime soon...

Post-Work Cocktails

C Wonder Print Shorts // Zara Cropped Sleeve Blouse // Sandals // Ring // Cuff // Tote

Daytime Weekend Wear

Chino Short // Stripe Tee // Sunnies // Necklace // D&B Leather Tote  // Rope Sandals

Baseball Game

Madewell Boyfriend Shorts // Gap Baseball Tee // Hat // Converse // Musical Note Necklace

Sunday Brunch

ASOS Scalloped Shorts //  Top //  Espadrilles // Longchamp // Bangle

Do you prefer shorts or dresses in the summer?

xoxo

Sunday Thought + Weekend Recap

Happy Sunday!

Yesterday I spent a lot of my afternoon checking out Pinterest for some inspiration. I stumbled across this quote and I loved it. The past few years I've gotten more and more comfortable in my own skin and I no longer compromise who I am as a person. I have some exciting things coming up that I will be sharing with you guys in the near future and they involve taking risks, trying new things and trusting my gut, which is why I thought this quote was fitting for todays post.

Here is a quick recap of my weekend:

• Friday night I went out to dinner with my mom. Typically once Saratoga Race Track opens my dad is at the races every weekend, so me and my mom plan plenty of dinner dates while he's out with friends.
• Post dinner I met three of my girlfriends at Browns Brewing Co for drinks. Browns is one of my favorite places to go in the summer because they have an amazing deck that overlooks the Hudson River. I make any excuse to sit outside in the summer.
• Saturday caught me off guard. My summer weekends are always spent by the pool, it may sound boring but it's my absolute favorite thing to do. It allows me to chill out, read my books and spend time with family, but this Saturday was unexpectedly cloudy. I was really proud of myself because normally on a cloudy day I would immediately think to go shopping, instead I caught up on my blogging, wrote some posts for the upcoming week and went through my DVR which was full from taped recordings while I was on vacation. I do think Misa liked the company though.
• Saturday night I went over to my cousins house to play some games and hang out. We have this Marvel Super Heroes board game that my grandma bought for us when we were children. It was made in 1991 and it's very old school but we always love to play it when we're all together, brings back good memories.brings back good memories.

• Today is finally sunny so I will be headed to my uncles for some pool/family time. These weekends really do fly by, I'm so not ready to head back to work tomorrow.

What did you do this weekend?

xoxo

Cape May Outfit Recap

Hope you guys are having a super weekend so far. I'm finally starting to get my blogging act together. These past three days have been crazy trying to play catch up on what I missed while I was gone and still attempt to put out decent blog posts for all of you. Not going to lie though, it was really nice to step away from a laptop for a few days. I've even stepped up my OOTD pictures up and managed to get some accessory shots as well! Today I'm sharing with you my nighttime Cape May outfits since my daytime outfit consisted only of a bathing suit and a good book!

Skirt J Crew Factory // Tank Forever 21 // Sunglasses Ray Ban // Necklace J Crew Factory

Bangle Kate Spade (old) // Bag Kate Spade (old)

Ughhh those tan lines! 

Dress J Crew Factory // Necklace Kate Spade

Anchor Bracelet Kate Spade // Bag J Crew (old) // Emoticon Bracelet Kate Spade (old)

It was sooo windy this night, my hair was uncontrollable. 

Dress Michael Kors (old) // Sandals Tommy Hilfiger // Sunglasses Ray-Ban

Handbag Michael Kors (old) // Coral Bracelet Chloe + Isabel // Bracelet J Crew Factory (old)

Skirt J Crew (on sale) // Top Express // Sunglasses Ray-Ban

Cheers Bangle C Wonder (old) // Striped Bangle Kate Spade (old) // Bag Kate Spade (old)

xoxo

Friday Four

TGIF!

I only had to work two days this week but I'm already glad the weekend is upon us. You know that saying "I need a vacation from my vacation"? Well that is my exact thought right now, wishing I had a few days off after I returned home from Cape May. This month has been super hectic and it won't be slowing down any time soon, two weeks from now I'll be in Chicago! Traveling more was something on my goal list-- and I'll definitely been meeting that goal this month.

Here is what I'm loving this week:

Pina Coladas

Vacation meant plenty of tropical drinks and my favorite by far is the pina colada. Since calories you consume on vacation don't count, I definitely made sure to indulge.

Skull Ring

I always love walking in the small boutiques in Cape May. They have their usual touristy shops but if I look hard enough I find some great shops that have beautiful pieces. On this trip I picked up this awesome skull ring that I instantly knew I had to own. It's definitely a unique piece I'm happy to add to my accessories.

I Like You Just The Way I Am- Jenny Mollen

So I've been obsessed with Jenny Mollen, writer wife of actor Jason Biggs for sometime now. While in Cape May I finally got to read her new book, "i like you just the way i am" which I eagerly finished in one day. I highly recommend checking out this fun read, but ONLY if you have a crude sense of humor. I laughed out loud on so many occasions and this book only reaffirmed that Jenny and I would be the best of friends if we met in real life. 

The Pink Paddock

Next week they're finally opening up a Pink Paddock in Albany, meaning I will finally have access to a Lilly Pulitzer store only 10 minutes from my house! I see these shorts finding their way to my closet in the near future.

What are you loving this week?

xoxo

Cape May Recap

Hey there!

I'm officially back from Cape May but I think I left my heart at the ocean. Being back to work today is a real bummer, I'm a firm believer that everyone deserves a vacation after their vacation but alas I have to suffer through two days of work before the weekend. I had a wonderful five days in Cape May NJ with my family. Not going to lie, it was nice to step away from the computer and have some serious rest and relaxation (as well as plenty of family time). I wanted to share a few photos with you and talk a little about my trip. Hopefully after this I will be back on blogging track by the weekend with plenty of OOTDs from my trip.

My days were spent at the beach. I wish I could come back from this trip and tell you all the crazy adventures I went on but really I spent most of my time catching rays and reading books by the water. We lucked out again and had wonderful weather, it was a little windier than we are used to (I'm pretty sure this is the first time I wasn't sweating all afternoon in the sun). I could spend every day of my life sitting on the beach, I'm actually quite jealous of those who have access to the ocean every day because if I had the option to come home from work and unwind by the water I would do it in a heartbeat.

It's tradition that every year we stay at The Grand Hotel. They have a beautiful view that overlooks the ocean and an amazing breakfast buffet that keeps us coming every July. I like the Grand because it's only a short walk (or trolley ride) into town but it's still a little farther away from the crowds. It allows for plenty of room on the beach without having to be on top of your neighbors. 

Our nights are just as laid back as our afternoons. We normally walk into town and grab a bite to eat followed by some shopping in the town mall. They have some great little shops as well as plenty of places to stop and grab ice cream along the way. One of my favorite things to do though is to walk along the side streets and admire all the Victorian homes. They all have the prettiest colors and themes. Most of them have been turned into Bed and Breakfasts but I would love to own one and make it into a family home where my entire family could come visit and hang out by the beach. 

Overall, it was a wonderful vacation but it was nice to come home and see Misa who I missed terribly while I was gone. Hope you all have been having a wonderful week so far! Once I unpack and settle in I can get back into the swing of things on this blog of mine, thanks for letting me take a little five day hiatus.

Where is your favorite family vacation spot?

xoxo