Lately it's been random.

Hello my sweet friends!! First of all, let me state for the record: I am so sorry I've been neglecting my blog this summer. I am trying to get better, starting TODAY! :) I've been traveling a ton, working, and planning a wedding - which is like having two full-time jobs! That's no excuse though, because I do love blogging. Also, a lot of bloggers have boyfriends/husbands that take their pictures. Well, my little honey is all over the country - and never here -  so that makes it hard to get daily outfit pictures. His off-season starts in October, so I hope to do many many more outfit posts once he's back in Nashville! I promise!

Enough of that...

Been gone a lot lately, so I wanted to share some of the randomness with you all. Do you ever have those random weeks that's busy but not really? Well, I have, and I am about to share some of it with you! Many of the pictures were taken with my iPhone, so sorry if the quality isn't up to par! I am doing a post on my wedding shoes in the next couple of days! I am SO excited to share them! Stay tuned!

My favorite candle right now!

Two things you need to know:

1. That wine from Bin 36 in Chicago is AMAZING! Had it on my first trip there last year

and had to stop in to buy another bottle when I was there in June!

2. Cooking with that habanero infused oil makes everything SO much better!
Get it at Whole Foods.

Stayed in one night last week and whipped this up.

This is what happens when you try and cook a meal with little

planning and nothing in your fridge...

Sushi at one of my fave Nashville places &

then went to see "Inception." Crazy!

Vintage Whiting & Davis snake bracelet - I collect these!

Shorts: J Crew; Tank: Bebe; Wedges: Juicy Couture

My fave jewelry combo lately.

Best mojito I've ever had:
Strawberry mojito at Z Grille in St. Petersburg, FL

2004 Cosentino Winery Legends Cab

This wine was created in conjunction with basketball

great, Larry Bird. It was surprisingly really, really good!

Lavender infused macaroon... so unique and yummy!

My new favorite snack!

Cute, hand painted bangles, a gift from my good friend Deanna!

While home this past weekend, my grandmother and I went wine tasting

at a local winery. I usually don't like sweet wines, but this

Strawberry Strut wine from Crown Winery was my fave!

Cocktail pics were a gift from my grandmother.

iPhone picture of some of the china I registered for!
I am mixing and matching a couple of patterns...

Yall know I had to add leopard print in there somewhere!
(Even though my little honey isn't a huge fan, haha)

My parents have a lake house on the KY lake/TN river.

My whole family goes up every weekend during the summer!
This is the view from their dock...I adore this place!

Copycat.

Have you ever seen an editorial or single picture that inspires you so much that you want to recreate every aspect of that look? While browsing some of my favorite blogs and fashion sites, I came across this picture for the Roberto Cavalli Fall campaign that makes me want to do just that. I was instantly smitten with the rich, bold feel of the whole picture! First of all, anything leopard print is at the top of my list anytime, any day. So that fact that there was a huge, bold leopard print purse AND sexy leggings in a similar pattern just made me fall that much harder! That lush, red brocade pattern on the coat just tops it all off...and the shoes are amazing too! Having Gisele Bundchen as the model only adds fuel to the fire! Check it out...

Here are a couple others from the same campaign that I liked...

Love the all-black ensemble made interesting by combining

different patterns. Adding the leopard print purse tops it all off :)

Dress and shoes are perfect for now and the Fall!

What do you think about the RC Campaign? What are some of your most inspiring fashion pictures or editorials? I'd love to know! xx

source

Flordia Hot.

Florida hot is different (and worse) than any other hot. I'm from Tennessee, so I can say that because it's pretty darn hot here. My little honey has been in FL lately, trying to recoup from a baseball injury, so I've been down several times to visit him. Don't get me wrong...I love Florida. Being hot doesn't really bother me. I'd much rather be hot than cold, and I adore the beach :) Staying cool is my top priority when I'm down there - whether it's going out for sushi with my honey or browsing the shops by the beach. Here's a few examples of how I kept cool...

Paper-thin tanks are a must when the humidity is high!

BCBG bandage skirt; Bebe wedges; House of Harlow bracelet

YSL 'Arty' Ring; HOH bracelet (gift from my brother)
What can I say? The man has great taste :)

Proof what humidity can do to hair.

Was trying to jump up on the ledge...

but someone caught me in the act...

White accessories against a tan...love it!

Toy Watch; white/gold Coach bracelet; Winifred Grace bracelet

Also, this , this, and this made a lot of appearances during my quick trip to FL.

What do you wear when the temp is sky-high?

Be Still My Heart.

The past 2-3 weeks I've already started seeing fall-themed posts on people's blogs, and just recently the August magazines have hit shelves. I'll be honest... I am not ok with that. Where I live, it's still the middle of summer and temperatures are never below 80 degrees. I cannot see the point in already looking at fall stuff yet, when just the thought of a coat makes me sweat. Until last night. I was browsing some of my favorite sites, and I was captivated by some pieces that can be worn in just a few short weeks. (Ugh - how quickly the summer goes by!) I was so struck by these pieces, that I just had to do a post on them. So I guess now I am one of those bloggers that is jumping ahead to fall. For those of you who feel like I do and don't want to see a coat or boots just yet... I am sorry. Just humour me.

Maison Martin Margiela Python Leather Ankle Boots

Zero + Maria Cornejo "Tate" Sandal

Alexander Wang "Devon" Ankle Bootie

D&G Rabbit Collarless Jacket

Emilio Pucci Eagle beaded jersey top

I just died and went to heaven....

Aurélie Bidermann 18 karat gold-dipped lace cuff.

 

I just had to show a picture of what it looks like on the arm!!
I DIE. This is jewelry PERFECTION.

Please let me win the lottery so I can buy this.

Philippe Audibert Mitaine Swarovski crystal silver glove

Michael Jackson meets high-fashion. Love it.

Chicago Eating Adventures.

Happy Friday everyone! While in Chicago, we ate at several wonderful places that I am excited to share with you. We ate at one place called Graham Elliot that didn't live up to all the hype, but the atmosphere & cocktails were great! And the popcorn they serve before dinner....OUT OF THIS WORLD! We had 4 full baskets! If you've been there and loved it, please let me know. Maybe I just went when the menu was having an "off" night. Little bit of explanation about the trip...Each year, my mom & her two best friends from college take a couple of trips. Several years ago, they started inviting me. I've been to Vegas, NYC, and no Chicago with them...it's a blast traveling with those ladies! Plus I get to spend time with my mom, which is always a fun time since we like to do a lot of the same things. Here's a yummy post to start your weekend off right!

Our first stop once we got to Chicago - Landmark.

This restaurant was my favorite of the whole trip...nice, classy, yet unpretentious.

The food is made with fresh, in-season ingredients, and the chef is creative and inventive!

For appetizer, I got one of the best summer salads I've ever had!

{Red and golden beets, chioggia-frisee salad, balsamic emulsion, walnuts, fingerling chips.}

This isn't the best picture, but it shows how BIG the entree was...

See the pork chop in the backgroud? My mom and I shared this entree.

THAT is how HUGE it was! However, I cannot convey in words

how tasty this meal was! Every element of it came together so well.

You must get this if you go to Landmark!
{Barbeque glazed heirloom pork chop, bacon spaetzle, sweet onion marmalade}

We met and bonded with the chef, so he brought us out some new

sorbet flavors he was about to start serving.

{Fresh raspberry & Pineapple ginger}

After Landmark, we went to have drinks & watch the sun set at The Signature

Room on top of the John Hancock Building. Had to include this pic :)

Champagne & sunsets are  perfect combo.

Beautiful view.

The menus at Graham Elliot were on old record sleeves! So creative and vibey!

The famous truffle oil infused popcorn w/Parmesan cheese, sea salt, and chives!

 

My cocktail was the Eliot Spritzer...loved it!

{Pear essence, orange bitters, something with a long name, and champagne}

We had afternoon tea at The Drake Hotel, such a fun thing to do!

So elegant inside!

Our tower of treats! Sorry the pics are a little blurry..

Don't know what happened!

I chose the Pear Caramel Tea, which was amazing!

Sweets.

We had drinks at on the rooftop of The Wit.

This is a place you must go as well...

Great views, fun crowd, and good cocktails & small plates!

Loved the decor at The Wit. Look at the light fixtures!

View from atop the ferris wheel at Navy Pier.

We also ate at Gino's Pizza, which is the best pizza in Chicago in my opinion! Before seeing "Million Dollar Quartet," we had dinner at a small Italian restaurant called Sapori Trattoria. Loved the intimate atmosphere and fresh pasta! We stayed at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, right off Michigan Ave. I absolutely loved stay here! It was so classy and conveniently located. They also had a breakfast menu to-die-for in the restaurant attached! We had huge, fresh yogurt parfaits, whole grain orange granola pancakes, and belgian waffles topped with caramelized bananas! If you're on Michigan Ave. stop by this place for breakfast. You won't be disappointed! What are your fave Chicago places?