Friday Five: Book Edition

TGIF!

Does anyone else feel like the work week drags when you have something that you're looking forward to? This weekend my cousin Josh comes home for the week and over the course of next week plenty of friends from Costa Rica will also be coming into town to spend the long weekend together, so of course this week went by so slow in anticipation for the weekend. I'm hoping for beautiful weather because we have a cousins dinner planned with my aunt on Sunday and I would like to go somewhere with a patio so we can sit outside.

As a change up from the typical 'Friday Favorites' I do which highlights my favorite things in the week, I decided to do a post on 5 of my favorite books instead. During the summer I get a lot of reading done because I'm spending plenty of time sitting by the pool. Plus I always have a book at my desk at work during downtime and breaks. I used to hate to read as a kid but as I grew up and was no longer forced to read certain books by teachers, I definitely grew to love it. I tend to gravitate towards books that have television series or movies based off of them but I'm guilty of picking up fun reads from my favorite celebrities as well.

A Song of Ice and Fire Series AKA Game of Thrones - By George RR Martin

I can't recommend this series enough. I started reading them when the first season of the HBO show premiered and I was adamant about finishing book 1 before I watched the show so I wouldn't be spoiled and I instantly became obsessed. The books are definitely for the brave because each book dabbles around 1,000 pages and there are so many characters it is easy to get confused but the end game is so worth it. There are still 2 more books coming that I am patiently waiting for because I am now so invested in these characters and I'm dying to know how it ends. Fair warning-- don't get too attached to the characters you're reading about, Martin is famous for killing off characters!

Most Talkative by Andy Cohen

I love Andy Cohen. He is probably best know as the creator of the Real Housewives franchise on Bravo and the host of Watch What Happens Live and when he came out with a book over a year ago I knew I had to read it. The book chronicles Andy's journey from dorky child to successful television creator and host. If you're a fan of the housewife's you will love the inside dirt he gives! It's definitely a fun summer read.

Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

After instantly becoming obsessed with the Orange is the New Black series when it was released on Netflix in 2013 I knew I wanted to read the book that the story was based on. It tells the true story of Piper Kerman who was sentenced to 15 months in prison for money laundering and drug trafficking, a crime she committed over 6 years earlier. Her journey at the women's prison has its ups and downs but it's a fascinating look into the life women in prison deal with.

The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris

This book series, inspired the television show True Blood on HBO, was originally recommended to me by my aunt. She told me they were a quick but fun read and since I'm a sucker for a good series I borrowed the first book from her and flew through it. There are 13 books in this series and they tell the adventures of Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress and telepath living in Louisiana. She gets into all sorts of supernatural hijinks after she comes into contact with a vampire. The book series is nothing like the television show even though they share the same characters, but if you're looking for a fun supernatural lead with a likable main character, I definitely recommend these.

i like you just the way i am by Jenny Mollen

I picked up this book right before I left for Cape May last month and had the book finished in two days. Jenny Mollen (wife of actor Jason Biggs) is hilarious and totally relatable with her crazy antics. Although she can be quite inappropriate during 95% of the book, I found myself laughing out loud reading her adventures. If you're a fan of women like Chelsea Handler or Kathy Griffin you will definitely appreciate this book.

Now it's your turn--- what are some of your favorite books of all time?

xoxo

Weekend Wear

So when I post my outfit recaps on Saturdays, you never get to see my actual 'weekend wear' because I basically only take pictures of what I wear to work each day. This means you get a lot of pencil skirts but no shorts. The real deal is, once Friday arrives I can't wait to peel off my work clothes and spanx (the worst) and put on a comfy pair of shorts and a comfy tee.  If it was warm enough to wear shorts all year round, I would. Pair that with a cross body bag and a pair of converse and I'm ready to conquer the weekend. I've never been the kind of girl that can wear heels, I end up walking like a baby deer with my ankles wobbling so my shoe collection tends to be made up of sandals, flats and sneakers. I can't recommend a pair of converse enough, they come in so many colors and are classically cool. 

Tee J Crew Factory (25% off with the code EXTRA25) //  Wishbone Necklace C Wonder

As I've grown up I have moved away from the graphic tee shirts, remember the middle school days when all that mattered was a brand name plastered on the front of your tee? But lately the graphic tee has made a huge comeback! I spotted this fun number at the J Crew Factory store a couple weeks ago and thought it would be versatile enough to pair with a pair of shorts/jeans or a skirt. 

Bag Kate Spade Outlet // Bracelet Banana Republic (old)

Quilted Shorts J Crew (Extra 30% with code SHOPSALE) // White Converse

Finally, I can't get enough of these quilted J Crew shorts. I picked them up in the J Crew store a couple weeks ago when they were incorrectly marked down to $14. Apparently they we're still supposed to be full priced but one of the workers had made a mistake and put them on the clearance rack with a marked down sales ticket, when I went to check out they charged me the price of the sale (score!). They are pull on with an elastic waist but the tiny detail of the material gives them a dressier look that can easily be paired with a button up. 

What do you wear on the weekends?

xoxo

Smart Shopping, The Lilly Sale That Wasn't

As I'm sure many of you all heard, the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale started last Monday. It's a HUGE once a year sale where you can find $300 Lilly dresses for $50 and it's something that I have been looking forward to. However, it's definitely one of those sales that you can easily get caught up in mainly because so many people are shopping the sale at once and it's somewhat of a mad dash to get the items you want before they sell out. The pressure to purchase things quickly, knowing that they are final sale and can't be returned is not something I enjoy. I'm not someone who likes to rush into a fashion purchase, mainly because I'm trying to be more conscious with my money and not just buy things because they're on sale. 

Another thing weighing heaving on my mind? The fact that their is only 2 more weeks until Labor Day and I should really be focusing my attention on the new fall arrivals rather than continuing to buy summer things that won't even get worn until next year. So despite this amazing Lilly sale, I only ended up buying a Shell Clasp Belt (which, I am quite excited about) and instead I'm going to save my money so I can invest in some quality fall purchases. I felt like this was a huge step for me becoming more of a smart shopper.

Here are some other tips for 'smart shopping':

• Coupons & Sales: So many stores offer discounts and coupons so if you see something you like, wait for a deal! I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I get bombarded daily by stores emailing me offering coupon codes or advertising big sales. So unless an item is in real risk of selling out, I recommend waiting for a deal to come along. Also, take advantage of your student/work ID, so many places offer 15-20% off, don't be afraid to ask!
• Focus on the future, forget about the past: So many summer clothes are going on sale right now, and although these clearance sales can be alluring it's important that you're not tempted to buy non-quality items just because they are on super sale. Before purchasing, ask yourself whether this item would positively contribute to your closet or if you're buying just because you think you're getting a deal. This was a big factor for me this week, deciding to focus on the upcoming season instead of buying more summer clothes.
• Spend $ on classic pieces, not trends: Fashion trends come and go, but there are a few things that will never go out of style. I've gotten better about focusing my purchases on items I will have forever, but it's still something I need to improve on. Even I'm guilty of jumping on the latest trends but I've become smarter-- making sure these trend purchases don't break the bank because you never know when the latest trend will quickly turn into a fad. Instead, I recommend putting the extra cash into 'forever things' like jeans, cashmere and leather handbags.

What are your smart shopping tips?

xoxo

New Recipe: Penne with Vodka Tomato Cream Sauce

Happy Tasty Tuesday!

As previously mentioned, I was in the process of experimenting with different ingredients in hope to recreate the amazing dish I had while vacationing in Chicago and I believe I came pretty close to the original masterpiece. The finished product was super delicious and it took no more than 20 minutes to prepare (score!). FYI: I usually don't buy raw chicken since I really hate to touch it and usually substitute a rotisserie chicken for most of my recipes, however, I decided to buy raw chicken strips for this recipe and it really paid off.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of penne pasta
• 1 package chicken breast strips
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 4 whole mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp vodka --- For those of you without vodka in the house, I bought a little nip at the liquor store for $1.50
• Red pepper flakes & parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes. Drain water from pasta and set pasta aside.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. While that heats up, cut chicken strips into smaller pieces and add to skillet. Cook chicken strips completely until they start to brown up a bit. 
• Add garlic, mushrooms and peas to skillet and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add crushed tomatoes and salt, bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Add vodka and cream and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low and add cooked pasta, toss until pasta is completely covered.
• Garnish with red pepper flakes (if you like a little spice) and parmesan cheese.
• Enjoy!

xoxo

Transitioning Your Summer Dresses for Fall

This past weekend was a real wake up call for me. It was in the low 70s and dipped to the 60s at night and suddenly I realized that I can no longer walk outside in shorts and a tank top and feel comfortable. However, just because it was a little chilly outside didn't mean I was ready to pack away my summer attire in favor of a winter coat. Instead, I found myself brainstorming how I could add layers to my summer dresses to make them last way into September. 

1. Blazers- Now I'm not saying it's okay to bring out the wool blazers just yet, but a lighter blazer over a sundress can be a laid back look that will keep you warm when the sun goes down.
2. Leather Jacket- This will work better for post-Labor Day outfits but I love the way a leather jacket looks over a floral dress or maxi. It's the perfect mix of masculine and feminine.
3. Chambray Shirt- My favorite thing about incorporating a chambray shirt into your wardrobe is that it literally works with everything and can be worn so many ways. I suggest switching it up,  by wearing it over a dress one day by tying it in a knot at the bottom and then try wearing it under a sleeveless dress the next day.
4. Sweatshirts- Embellished sweatshirts have been everywhere these days. Long gone are the basic hoodie and instead sweatshirts have become more fashion forward. Invest in a short sleeved sweatshirt for those early September days and wear them with a shorter skirt and sneakers for the perfect weekend wear!
5. Open Toe Booties- This is one summer-to-fall trend I really want to invest in. It may start to get too cold for sandals but a peek-a-boo toe shows the perfect amount of skin without turning your toes blue from the cold!

How do you transition your dresses from summer to fall?

Leather Jacket // Open Toe Bootie // Chambray Shirt // Blazer // Paneled Sweatshirt

xoxo

Sunday Thoughts + Weekend Recap

Happy Sunday!

First of all I have to give credit to my friend Nicole who posted this quote on her Instagram. I immediately became obsessed with it and made it the background on my phone. For my fellow Game of Thrones fans, it made me think of the Mother of Dragons. Anyways, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. These past two days have been a little out of the ordinary for me because it was chilly in the 518, staying in the low 70's with many clouds and scattered showers. I suddenly become lost when the weather is not so nice in the summer, here's hoping next weekend is better.

Here is a quick recap of my weekend:

• Friday night I headed out to the Lee Outlets in MA with my mom. We had to return a couple purchases we made at Ralph Lauren and since it's only a 45 minute drive to Lee we decided to make a night of it. I'm still not in fall clothing purchase-mode mainly because all the new items are just being released and there aren't too many good sales yet. I figured if I wait until after Labor Day, the good deals will be all over. I did however pick up this J Crew Factory Field Jacket for $60---- a serious steal!
• Saturday was an awesome catch up day. In the early afternoon I was able to get some blog posts done for the week and work on an exciting project I will be revealing to you all soon. The end of summer/early fall is shaping up to be a busy time so any free moment I have will be used to check a few things off my list.
• After getting my errands done I went to my friend Dana's house for a outside bash. She has this amazing backyard and her family always throws the craziest parties. The only downside was it rained towards the end of the night, yuck!
• Today is another sunless day (sigh), so instead I'm going to spend my day in the kitchen. I'm going to make steak fajitas in the crock pot for tonight, a lasagna for tomorrow and some macaroni salad! I'm a huge fan of making meals in advance so when I get home from work all I have to do is pop it in the oven!

What did you do this weekend?

xoxo

Weekly Outfit Recap

I have a hard time dressing for rainy weather in the summer. For the most part it's still warm and muggy but the downpours we have had this week really put a wrench in my outfits. The beginning of the week started out nice (hence the sun dresses), but as we moved into the latter part of the week I was forced to wear (gasp!) longer sleeves, something I tend to shy away from in the summer months. 

Dress ? (so old!)

Bracelet Charming Charlies // Ring Kate Spade (old)

Dress Michael Kors

Coral Branch Cuff Chloe and Isabel // Anchor Bracelet Kate Spade

Dress Michael Kors (old) // Belt J Crew Factory

Evil Eye Bangle C Wonder (old) Similar // Gem Cuff Kate Spade (old)

Top Vince Camuto // Skirt J Crew Factory

Blue Bangle Talbots (old) // Giraffe Bracelet Target (old) similar

Dress Banana Republic (old) // Necklace New York and Co (old)

Bracelet Kate Spade

Top Express Similar // Skirt Banana Republic (old)

Color block Bracelet J Crew (old) // Gold Charm Bracelet Alex and Ani

What was your favorite outfit YOU wore this week?

xoxo