Friday Five: Planners, Mirrors and New Tricks

So glad it's Friday! Evan better, so glad a three day weekend is upon us! Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Evan and I do not have any major plans this weekend, which I am actually thrilled about. My plan is to hopefully hit some sales this weekend: specifically visit the new Charlotte Premium Outlets and also the new Lush store at South Park Mall.  

Today's Friday five are quite random as it the norm. A little of this a little of that... 

{ONE} Bella's New Trick, Playing Dead

Not sure if others will find this as entertaining as Evan and I do, however I was amazed at how quickly and easily we taught Bella this. Bella already knows roll over, so we basically would say "bang bang," wait for her to begin rolling over and give her the treat once she was on her back. Within five minutes, she had learned the new trick!

{TWO} Mirror Image Wall Mirror

Okay, this may be a little vain, but while we were in Atlanta for a Braves game two weeks ago, I kept raving over this 3 times magnification mirror that they had in the bathroom at the Westin we stayed at. It picked up on a lot of little hairs, etc., that I could not see with a normal mirror.  Let's just say we were delayed in leaving for the game, due to some serious plucking action that went on. I just hope others couldn't see all those stray hairs before! I loved this mirror so much, that I took pictures of it and googled it that evening. It it a little over $130; pretty pricey for a mirror in my opinion, however, I loved it so much, I had to have it. You can find it here on Amazon. It is great to use when plucking and to more precisely apply makeup in the mornings. I highly recommend!

{Three} Knot Bathroom Doorstop

Evan decided several months ago to use WD40 on the downstairs bathroom door and now it unfortunately swings closed without something to prop it open {fail!}.  I found this knot doorstop on Amazon.com and love it. It goes perfectly with the nautical theme that I am building on  in our guest bathroom. I hope to post pictures of the finished bathroom once we get around to painting. More to come soon!

{Four} Pumpkin Spice Coffee and My K-Cup

I apologize in advance, y'all are probably going to get sick of me talking about all things Pumpkin. I LOVE anything Pumpkin this time of year. I love our Keurig and I have started using "My K-Cup" on the weekends. You can fill it with any ground coffee of your choice and then use your Keurig to brew a cup of coffee just like you would with a regular K-Cup. I think it's pretty nifty and it cuts down of the cost of constantly using regular K-Cups.

{FIVE} My New 2015 Day Planner

Finally, I went ahead and purchased my new 2015 day planner after a co-worker showed me the adorable one she recently purchased. Last year I purchased a Lilly Pulitzer planner and really liked it; however, I decided that I wanted something a little more compact and mature looking. I finally decided on this very simple monthly planner from Gallery Leather in a salmon color. I love the simplicity of it and love that it can be personalized. They have a ton of classic, timeless options to choose from and they are reasonably priced.

Linking up with: Karli & Amy with Oh Hey Friday,

 Lauren for Fab Friday

 and

 Lauren with  High Five for Friday.

Hope everyone has a great Labor Day Weekend!

Thoughts on Thursday: Update on Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Such

Linking up with Annie from Home of the Malones and Natalie from East Coast Chic again for Thoughts on Thursday.

I promised y'all an update on the Pumpkin Spice Latte situation at Starbucks.

I mentioned last week that I found an article claiming that if you followed @TheRealPSL on Twitter, you should be able to get PSLs one week early (August 25th).  I got got on Twitter and followed @TheRealPSL and tried to play the numerous games to be able to earn access; however, after trying for twenty minutes or so, I gave up.  Maybe this works, but it looked like it was going to be time consuming and I am at work, so I can't devote a lot of time to such things. Oh well, I tried. 

The good news is that PSLs will be available to all this coming Tuesday, September 2nd!!

Anyone else as crazy about PSLs as me? Did the Twitter method work for anyone?

 

  

Fahrenheit Restaurant and What I Wore

We met one of our good friends, Dale, at Fahrenheit Restaurant  in Uptown Charlotte after work last week after he raved about how great the place is.  The restaurant is located on top of the Hyatt Place, which is part condominiums and part hotel. We arrived in style with Dale valeting his car and being greeted by everyone in the place, apparently Dale knows everyone!? Evan and I felt like celebrities {which is a rare occasion for us}.  After ordering a drink and several appetizers, Dale insisted that we needed to venture on to the balcony to check out the view. It was pretty amazing. I am kicking myself for not taking pictures of the outdoor seating area and view; however believe me when I say it is an impressive view from up there. It is such a great place to come for an after work cocktail and appetizer. We also liked that the clientele appears to be a little more mature; business people in their thirties and forties.  

 

Sorry for the fuzzy pictures; apparently Evan had something on his phone camera lense when these were taken!

 

Dale insisted on getting a couple pictures of the Hubby and I.

Jcrew Factory Printed Sun Shift {old, same style}// Clare Cardigan in White// Bracelets: Jcrew Gold and Crystal Link Bracelet// Jcrew Gemstone Bracelet {old, similar here}// Kate Spade 12K Gold Plated Skinny Mini Rope Bow Bangle Bracelet {sold out, however found it on Ebay here}//shoes from Ivy and Leo {sold out} //Jcrew Factory Sipper Satchel

 

 

Dale and I before leaving Fahrenheit.

 

 

This gives you a small idea of the impressive view from the top of the restaurant.

 

Evan and I shared the "Charlotte Nachos" and as you can see, they were huge!  Dale ordered the "Vietnamese Chicken Spring Rolls," which were also delicious.

 

 

 

 Linking up with :

Because Shanna Said So for Random Wednesday

The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore &

 Morgan and Annie for Mid Week Muse.
 

Happy Hump Day!

Trending Tuesday: Variation on a Classic: Polka Dots and Tortoise Shell

Happy Tuesday to all! I am linking up with Amanda, Katie, Zelle, and Kristina for Trending Tuesday!

 Polka dots are not so much a trend for me, but rather a staple.  I have more polka dot dresses, shirts, shorts, you name it...than I can count. This post is more of a variation on a classic. Oddly enough, basically the whole ensemble is from Jcrew. I wore this for my first low country boil this weekend. It's a super casual, comfortable weekend look that still has a bit of class.

.

Factory Pull-On Short //Jcrew Factory Sleeveless Shirt {old, similar here}//Jcrew Clare Cardigan //Tortoise Shell Flip Flops {old, similar here}//Michael Kors Tortoise Shell Watch

Ray Ban Original Wayfarers //Kate Spade Small Square Studs {in Tortoise Shell}//Bag: Jcrew Market Tote {old, this year's version}

Thoughts on Thursday: Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice is Back!!

Linking up with Annie from Home of the Malones and Natalie from East Coast Chic again for Thoughts on Thursday.

 

A heads up to all Pumpkin Spice Latte fans, it will be available  at Starbuck's to the masses on September 2nd, however, for some people, it will be available this coming Monday, August 25th! Apparently according to this article if you join @TheRealPSL on Twitter, you should be able to get PSLs on the August 25th date. I have downloaded the Twitter application on my iphone and added the above-mentioned group in an effort to hopefully be part of the early access. I will let you know if it works!    

 

 

 

 

 

Another hint that Fall is right around the corner, are all of the Fall magazines.  My favorite are always the Pottery Barn magazines. I already have my eye on some Fall decor for the home. More to come as I make some decisions in this area...

  

 

Hurry up Fall and get here already!

Weekend Recap: Mingling on the Green, Braves, and Streaking

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Ours was a lot of driving with our trip to Atlanta on Saturday; however the drive wasn't too onerous thankfully.

 

Friday Evan was able to work from home (I was so jealous). Apparently according to Evan, Bella spent the day sleeping by the door; waiting for me to get home. So sweet!

 

 

Friday evening I was not feeling that well due to a sinus headache; however being that it was Friday night and Evan was done with his busy working period; I wanted to get out and do something. We ended up going to Mingling on the Green at Birkdale Village to hear some live music. A lot of the outdoor patio areas at Birkdale are dog friendly, so we took Bella as well. 

 

Bella and I before heading to Birkdale.

 

Saturday midday we drove to Atlanta, checked into our hotel for the evening, and then met two of our friends for the Braves' game. We have stayed in various parts of Atlanta for Braves' games in the past; but I think we found "our hotel" for all future games. The view from our room was pretty awesome (we were on the 37th floor). The hotel has a Starbucks, gift shop, cafe, bar and restaurant. In short, I highly recommend the Westin in Downtown Atlanta.

 

 
We tailgated for several hours before the game with our friends (ugh...it was soo hot)! Once at the game however, it managed to cool off a good bit and the seats we had were pretty darn good.

 

Somewhere around the sixth inning or so...a guy ran from the back of the stands to the front of the dugout (right in front of me as I was sitting on the end seat immediately in front of the dugout). The guy proceeded to drop his pants, boxers and his shirt, jumped over the dugout onto the field,  and proceeded to begin running! I was in shock! It was one of those experiences where my brain did not really process what I was seeing. We had a streaker and I was front and center to witness it. Evan at that point grasped what was happening and started screaming for the camera! Although blurry, Evan managed to capture the following shots of the incident.  You can see the natural progression of security going after the guy below.

 

It was quite entertaining!

 

 

 

 

 

Us at the end of the 9th inning. The Braves won!

 

Linking up with Biana for Weekending

Mingle Monday with Meg

 Lisa and Bella for Weekend Recap.

 

Oh Hey Friday

Linking up with the lovely ladies, Karli and Amy again for Oh hey, Friday.  I have a very random five for this Friday.

{ONE} Bella, our Mini Goldendoodle

 I never get enough of our little snuggle bug!

{TWO} Another Braves game this weekend

Generous friends of ours got free tickets through work {five rows behind the Braves Dugout!!} and asked if we wanted to go with them; Evan couldn't say no. We decided to make a quick weekend trip out of it!

 This is a picture of us early this summer at another Braves game.

{THREE} This recipe for Cheesy Chicken Taco Rice. 

It is cheap, easy, healthy, and DELICIOUS. I have had the leftovers numerous different ways this week: in a whole wheat wrap, by itself heated up, and with blue corn tortilla chips. WARNING: you will be eating the leftovers for a week; this makes a lot.  

{FOUR} Yes to Blueberries Age Refresh Facial Towelettes

I don't know if anyone else is as tired lazy as I am some most evenings, but I hate having to wash my face at night. Something about the water splashing everywhere, etc...I just dread doing it every night! These towelettes work really well at removing all of my makeup/dirt from my face without having to use water and I do not dread doing this every night. I know that there are many similar products out there; however, this is the first product I have found that does not make me break out {I am allergic to Aloe and most towelettes contain Aloe}. I also tried the Grapefruit Exfoliating wipes and so far I am a fan of those as well. For anyone who has sensitive skin or who is allergic to Aloe, I highly recommend these! You can find these here at Target.

{FIVE} My recent purchase from Jcrew.

After seeing Natalie from East Coast Chic's recent post regarding the Jcrew Swing Sweater, I ventured over the their website to check it out. I just purchased the heather grey color. I think it is going to be an extremely comfortable, versatile sweater that I can layer with lots of colorful scarves this fall. I will let you know what I think once it arrives! Thanks Natalie for the recommendation!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Local Restaurant Recommendation: Fork

About  a month ago {clearly I am a bit delayed, sorry}, we ventured to Fork, a fairly new restaurant located near us in Cornelius, North Carolina.  I have been meaning to mention how much we enjoyed this meal and I definitely recommend it to others. Fork specialize in local farm to table fare.  Since the weather was relatively cool, we choose to sit outside on their quaint patio area. The menu is a bit pricey for our everyday; however not so extravagant to have to save it for an anniversary, birthday, etc. It also would be a great place to grab a couple of drinks after work or on the weekend.

 

A view from our patio table.

 

 

I had the scallops. They were perfectly cooked.

 

One thing I really liked about this place, is that the sides are meant to be shared. Accordingly, Evan and I each ordered a side, which was plenty for two to three people. We chose the Parmesan fries and the green beans.

Evan had the beef tenderloin medallions, which were also heavenly.

 

All in all, a great meal. We are fortunate to have so many great restaurants in Lake Norman!

DIY Pedicure

Linking up with Annie from Home of the Malones and Natalie from East Coast Chic again for Thoughts on Thursday!

Today is not so much about my thoughts per say, as about  a great recent discovery I have made.  Really effective and easy do it yourself pedicures. Sorry, I do not have any pictures today, however, I promise this post is definitely worth your while!

I am a runner and also like to wear a lot of heels/platform sandals, so my feet quickly get calluses, etc.  If I had the time and funds I feel like I should probably be getting a pedicure at least every two weeks all year round. Unfortunately, I do not have the time or funds to be getting pedicures that frequently and recently found this pin on Pinterest from Truly Charlee for DIY pedicures. I have tried several of these at home remedies before with less than impressive results, however, this one really does work well.

Combine :

1/2 Cup Vinegar

1/2 Cup Listerine

1 Cup hot water

I combined these three ingredients in a Tupperware container that was just big enough for my feet, so that I could sit on the couch and watch tv/use my ipad while I waited for the ingredients to work their magic.  I let my feet soak for approximately 30 minutes, but longer definitely wouldn't hurt. You can use a foot sanding block to sand your feet after to get rid of the dead skin or you could use your fingers {some might find that gross}. This as results as good as if I went to the nail salon!

ENJOY!

Weekend Recap

I am a little late on my "weekend recap," however I figured better late than never.  Evan has this quarterly busy cycle where he works longer hours than his typical 9-5. This quarterly cycle began on July 23rd and should be over sometime next week. During this time, Evan generally has to work several weekends; meaning we can't go on weekend trips, restaurants, etc. during that time. Generally, I am okay with this as I spend the time: catching up on shows that have been recorded on our DVR for the past six months, cleaning the house, cooking, and overall just catching up on things i haven't had time to do previously. Here some of the random things I cooked/discovered this weekend:

 

 

 

Astoria Primo Rosso Red Blend. This was featured during a wine tasting at World Market recently and I think it's pretty darn good and bought a bottle.  I cannot find it on World Market's website; however they do currently sell it at the Mooresville, NC location.

 

Found this tank at Target this weekend for $10. They only have X-Large left online; however, they had all sizes in the store. Love anything pineapple right now!

 

Evan and I made dinner Sunday evening: Turkey Burgers {pretzel buns, cheddar cheese and ground turkey from Trader Joe's} and three cheese risotto that I made for the first time. The risotto was absolutely delicious and I highly recommend this recipe I found on Pinterest.

 

 

 

This is completely random...but here is taste of the shenanigans that go on in our house. I may have mentioned it before, but Bella rarely barks. She communicates sometimes through various grunts {ha!} but she rarely barks. She barks more in this video than I think she has done in her entire life. We found it pretty hilarious!

My father-in-law, Paul, spent the night with us this Saturday as Evan and Paul went to the Liverpool FC v. AC Milan Soccer Cup Saturday evening. I wanted to whip up something for breakfast Sunday morning and found this easy breakfast casserole on Pinterest and it was a hit.

As much as I enjoy some down time, I am ready to have my husband back soon!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!