It's That Time Again: N SALE

So if y'all read any of the blogs (the many fashun influencer blogs) you know it's Nordstrom Anniversary sale time. People legit go bonkers over this sale. There's all kinds of fun stuff marked down, they do it in two waves basically, the "Early Access" sale for Nordstrom cardholders starts today - then all of the commoners get access on July 20th. So I'll be breaking out some of my faves in different sections. Like this post, this post right here is the "FITNESS" post. I'll have a beauty post, some fashun posts. Maybe a post for men. We'll see. It's an overwhelming sale to slog through but ideally I'm showing y'all some of the real gems. Anyway. You can shop by clicking the products above, or with the little carousel thing below. And I'll describe some faves below as well! xo and namaste and Godspeed with your sale shopping. 

Just going to highlight my faves and some other pieces not shown here!

*I personally think everyone needs either the Nike or adidas tank. I don't always love big branded stuff, but these are such iconic fitness brands that I'll allow it. These are especially great to have if you do anything like hot yoga. They're easy breezy beautiful. 

*I can't get over how cute these pants are. I also really like these running tights -- they're shiny but I kinda feel it. 

*I have the baby pink suede Gazelles, I highly recommend these guys (similar look) - comfortable and you will love them. Great to throw on for casual wear or even with a simple little dress. 

*I know it's silly but I love these socks. And my dogs eat them. So I'm constantly looking for more socks. 

Good Eats: Vefa's Kitchen

Are you into cookbooks? I love the ones that feel like an experience - do you know what I mean? I have had Garden & Gun's The Southerner's Cookbook for a few years now and I feel like it is sort of part-cookbook, part-storybook. From the cover to the images and anecdotes it paints a fuller picture than just a book of recipes. My latest acquisition Vefa's Kitchen (also known as Greece: The Cookbook) is same same. I'm obsessed with the chic Mediterranean blue cover, and it's recipes are punctuated throughout with pretty pics of Greek classics. So many of the recipes are healthy and not terribly challenging but the book is huge - like 703 pages HUGE, so I can spend literally years working my way through it! I snagged my copy locally but you can shop it here. I think there's a lot of value in learning about the food traditions of other cultures, and I also have this one on my list, I've flipped through it before and it's both visually pleasing and mouthwatering. Perhaps my next culinary adventure. 

TABLECLOTH // VEFA'S KITCHEN // SERVING SET (Similar) // MIXING BOWLS

Ice Cream Dreams

It's hot AF around here now, so hot in fact, that I'll consider a delicious strawberry ice cream cone. My sprinkle cone is a quick and easy DIY - lightly ice the rim of your cone with whatever icing flavor is your fave and roll it around in sprinkles! You can also toss them in the fridge to firm them up as well. Makes for a cuter cone doesn't it? I have been loving these shorts - they're shorter than I usually prefer these days, but they're high-waisted and "loose fit" so they're quite pleasant to wear. I also want to direct y'all to my FAV-O-RITE summer pedicure polish pick, I seriously wear it almost all summer. It goes with everything and looks great when you have a little tan. Also my Ray-Bans >> the aviators are my favorite sunnies style, but this pair I'm sporting now has a pink sheen to them and I absolutely love them. As always, I'd direct you to PAINTBASE for all of your mani-pedi needs >> my mani was done by Patricia + nail design by Khameo at the Glenwood South location. Also, stop by my IG for some Yanni-Laurel style controversy if you're bored. 😑

Swim Season

The annual swimwear assessment is upon us. It's almost Memorial Day, which is the semi-official start to bathing suit season. It's the time of year to assess how those #beachbod goals are actually going and which suits are going to "cover your needs" currently. This is my latest acquisition from my perma-fave Marysia. Here's what I want you to know about this line: 

1. Yes, it's expensive. If you are looking for more affordable try this, this or this. But Marysia is worth the investment.
2. Their signature fabric is the most forgiving swim material I've ever encountered.
3. Yes, figuring out the right size or style can be tricky, but once you do you'll be forever loyal.

Here's what I'd say about the sizing - generally speaking it all runs kinda small. I get M or L in everything. Some styles are definitely skimpier and less supportive than others, but there are some fabulous options if you're looking for more coverage. I'll highlight some styles below for different tastes/body shapes, and I've got my seasonal faves in the little gallery below the post. 

Maillots

1. Pallisades Ruffle Maillot - the ruffle is perfect for a little added camo, and you get good bahonkus coverage, but the lower neckline and crossback straps add some jazz. Totally wearable for medium activity. Be aware that the lighter colors will not give you as much privacy! Works with both boobs or no boobs.

2. Palm Springs Maillot - one of their classic shapes, it's made in the amazing fabric I mentioned earlier which gives you a little structure and compression without digging into any of your softer spots. Great coverage, and a good option for active peoples - like moms chasing kids. Works with both boobs or no boobs.

3. Venice Maillot - I love this style because it makes you feel like you're wrapped up like a present. It is good for sunbathing/lounging/pool sitting but not heavy activity. There is very little support, but it does give good coverage and it's adorable. Same advice as above on the lighter colors - I think the terracotta would be fine. I'd recommend for small or medium boobs. There's also a bikini version which is adorbs.

Bikinis

1. Antibes Top - classic, cute, only recommend for smaller boobs. No support so don't go jogging!

2. Palm Springs Top - great coverage, a bit more supportive than the others since the back is more substantial. You can move around well in this one. Recommend for any bust, but it's a great option for bigger boobs!

3. Mott Bikini Top - This is another one that's good for all boobs. Good coverage and relative support. 

4. Antibes Bottom - same as the top, cute and classic. It's a skimpy bottom, but like I said before, the amazing material and the way they stitch the seams mean that it won't cut into your squishy bits. Take note - the Broadway bottom is similar coverage but it has a solid seam at the waist ( so no scalloping ) which means that it's slightly less forgiving. But similar look. 

5. Santa Monica Bottom - much more coverage and super comfy if you're active or self-conscious. Love the high waist look. A classic. If you want something in between Antibes and Santa Monica try the Spring bottom. It's a nice blend of the two. 

6. Piana Peplum - cute peplum bottom and lots of coverage, so it's very forgiving. Nice high waist too! 

As always, shoot me an email if you have any fit or color questions! Don't forget to sign up for the Marysia emails - they send you a 10% off code!

Breakfast Nooking

If you saw my recent post you'll know we've moved into a new home and I'm in the process of getting our sh*! together - and trying to do as much of the design work as I'm able on my own. So our living and breakfast rooms open into each other which I like, I'm ok with a little bit of open floor plan but I'm not about that full on open floor plan life. We've got a little separation (and we do have a separate dining room which I really wanted) but the spaces still need to have cohesion, so I'm pulling from some of the green notes in the living room into the breakfast nook. The crown jewel of this whole space is the painting by Raven Roxanne Wilson, titled "Silence After The Rain" - it's not the exact one in this image but it's similar. I felt like I won the lottery when we snagged this piece, I'd been a fan of her work for years but her Bird series spoke to me so deeply that I was moved to get aggressive about getting one. (Her releases sell out in a blink so I had to be on top of things!) It's dictating a lot of the accents etc. An amazing el cheapo find I've been using as a temporary solution for dining chairs are THESE bad boys. You will not believe what a big bang for the buck you'll get out of these, and they're super versatile. When we finally pull the trigger on these chairs I'll be keeping the folding chairs for entertaining etc. Everyone - including the hubs - loves the barstools, they're beautiful, obvi, but they're also super comfortable. The vinyl upholstery cleans off super easily. There are several color and finish combos in this chair (and they come in a dining chair height too). In other news, our couch should be here next week which I think will be life changing, and I've got some accent pillows in the works. I'll have pics once everything is perfecto-ish, I'm also planning on posting about our bedroom which I'm OBSESSED with now that it's like 85% done. As always email me with any sources questions!

Run Like The Wind

So what started out as a search for new fitness shoes inevitably turned into fashun shoes. I found these sick Nike + A.L.C. sneakers and just gave up on the fitness thing. These are Nike's classic Cortez style with some tricked out details like gold tipped laces and snake skin accents. They're super comfy and great for adding a little extra to a basic look. Shop them here + check out the gallery below for some other faves!

Manis + Margs!

Hey guys! One of the fun things about owning a nail salon is that you occasionally have a built-in theme for nail design! Cinco De Mayo is an excellent opportunity to let our nail stylists show off their talent - and it's a good excuse to invite some friends over and fire up the blender. We are celebrating this festive day with some Manis + Margs (and tacos)! 

I want to share my very favorite margarita recipe - it's super easy and EXTREMELY crowd-pleasing!

Party Margs:

1 Can Minute Maid frozen Limeade

1 can or bottle of (light) Mexican beer

Tequila of your choice

(we use Patrón or Casamigos)

Ice Ice Baby

Grand Marnier

In the blender:

1 can of Limeade

1 bottle of light Mexican beer

fill empty Limeade can at least halfway with tequila, add to mix

fill with ice

BLEND

add a splash of Grand Marnier right before serving for added deliciousness!

The Patron Mini Margs are a bit of work (I mean obvi worth it, but def plan on the struggle being real). If you want pointers feel free to shoot me an email!

All of our manis + nail designs are c/o PAINTBASE North Hills

with work by Anna, Cameron, Deja and Nelci

Tablecloth // Margarita Glasses // Serving Tray // Pitcher (similar) or this // Cobalt Dress (same style)