Friday, February 28, 2014

Andora Pittsburgh

If you are hungry, then you should probably stop reading because I'm talking about the wonderful wine tasting event I attended at Andora. It was a 4-course dinner and each course was paired with a South African wine. I had never been to Andora before and I am now their newest fan. We were seated in the private room, but the entire restaurant was beautiful. I can't wait until warm weather arrives so I can sit outside on their pretty patio-- they have a fun happy hour! 

Each course was beautifully presented and so delicious. It was really neat to have the chef talk about the food and then the sommelier tell us more about the wine. Harissa, in the third course, was the red sauce that is the South African version of ketchup. It was beyond fabulous-- I really like spicy foods and this had a nice kick to it! And pinotage was by far my favorite wine from the dinner. It's apparently a hybrid red wine created in South Africa. It's like a bolder pinot noir. Yum




On me: TopSkirt/ Tights/ Shoes/ Coat (similar)/ Scarf
My bff, Dana, and I had to go straight from work to dinner so we dressed work appropriate but still dressed up! It was such a fun night and we were SO full and very happy after all of that wine :) Doesn't Dana look adorable? She is dating a boy from England so she always finds the cutest things across the pond (like her cute green bag)! Andora does these wine dinners once a month, but space is limited, so make reservations quickly! I can't wait to attend another one! Have a fabulous day! 
Andora on Urbanspoon
Yours, 

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Blue and White Chinoiserie

Are these not the prettiest napkins (and under $15!)? They also have them in place mat form. Except I would totally pair hot pink napkins with the place mats! They have me dying for warm weather and dining al fresco! I never thought I'd see the day where I would get excited about... napkins. I'm cringing already.. what's next, a KitchenAid mixer?! Whew, don't hold your breath!! Have a fabulous day! 

Yours

Little Black Skirt



Top (similar here, here)/ Skirt (similar here)/ Clutch (similar here)/ 
Pearls (similar here, here)/ Sunglasses/ Belt (similar here)/ Pumps (similar here)

Sometimes you've just got to wear all black, right? Today's post totally reminds me of one ofmy favorite One Direction songs, Little Black Dress (ohhhh Harry).  Remember this skirt? I changed up the look just by changing my top. So easy. This is another great work-to-event type outfit. Make it season-less by adding tights for colder days and choose a sleeveless top for warmer days. Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Cute Little Skirt

This skirt is drenched in a Halloween color combo, but for some reason I love it. I picture it now with a black turtleneck, tights and black flats and then come summer, I picture a cute black (or white), sleeveless top and black heels! Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Interior Design

I recently redecorated my entire bedroom. I completely changed the layout and color scheme. I went from pink and green to navy and white. I feel that the navy and white is cleaner, more versatile and a little more grown up. 

I am always keeping my eyes peeled for great navy and white pieces to add to my bedroom when I came across these adorable gingham sheets from Serena and Lily and just had to share my find. I love crisp, white sheets, but these are just such a fun change-up! What are your favorite sites to shop for home decor? Do you have any interior decorating tips and tricks? I am always pinning fabulous spaces, but I most definitely am no pro at this, so I need all the help I can get! 

Some of my favorite interior design related things? Carrara marble, leather tufted furniture, Georgian style homes, subway tile, Oriental rugs, Hollywood Regency style, brass fixtures and striped wallpaper, Dorothy Draper and Kelly Proxmire.... whew.. that was a long list, but I am learning!

Have a fabulous day! 

Yours,

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day

I have been looking for a great pair of over-sized sunglasses. I have a great Lilly Pulitzer tortoiseshell pair that I have had for years, but I really wanted something with a dark frame and lens (you know... to hide my under-eye bags from not following through with my sleeping goal...)

Isn't it the truth that you always stumble across something great when you least expect it? I was browsing through Saks and came across this pretty pair of sunglasses... who makes them? David Yurman. I had no idea DY even made sunnies! I am a big sucker for David Yurman jewelry... I would stack the cable bangles up both of my arms and still never tire of them (I can just feel my parents' eyes rolling as I type this, ha!), so picking these was a total no-brainer. 

Scroll through to see some of my favorites-- the one's I am wearing are not online, but there are a few similar pairs. 


And wouldn't you know, two weeks after I found 'the one', I found 'the other one'...umm... I hope this only happens with sunglasses and not in other areas of life... They are Ralph Lauren and I think I love them even more than the Yurman pair! I didn't know this, but RL's sunglasses are made by Luxottica, which is the company that manufactures Ray-Ban's, too. So needless to say, these are excellent quality. Not to mention they came in super luxe packaging (and my pair were on big sale... hellooo, meant to be, right?). 

Scroll through to see my favorite Ralph Lauren pairs! Now, here is my only dilemma: I can never decide which sunglasses I want to wear and sometimes I end up with like 5 pairs of sunglasses in my bag. It's got to stop because my bag is getting so heavy. Gosh, life is just so hard sometimes isn't it ;) ?! Who makes your favorite pair of sunglasses? Have a fabulous day! 

Yours,

Monday, February 24, 2014

Tipped Blazer

I am not a huge J. Crew factory shopper because 99% of the time, the quality is so poor, but this blazer is just one of those things I am absolutely coveting for spring/summer. Have you found some pretty, quality pieces at J. Crew factory? Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Men's Shirts and Messy Hair




Between my job + blog + social life, I am always on my iPhone so these photos are pretty darn accurate. I also feel that I have become a lot more relaxed in my dress in the past year. A year ago I would have never seen myself wearing a pair of ripped jeans. I know, such a huge step, right (can you sense the sarcasm?), but really, I am trying to become more relaxed in aspects of my life, including my dress. 

Whenever I come home from work, I put on the comfiest clothing I can find. I have been living in the above outfit lately. It is just so relaxed and comfortable, but I am not embarrassed to run over to a friend's or make a pit stop at Starbucks (let's be honest, though, I'd go to Starbucks in my jammies if I was out of coffee at home). What do you wear when you relax? Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Friday, February 21, 2014

Liz James






 

 
Jamie Pope, jewelry designer behind Liz James, knows the way to my heart: pearls. She sent me some pretty pieces as a fun surprise and this is most definitely a designer you need to know about! 

First up is the Caroline bracelet, which is compromised of 6 Baroque pearls on a 14kt gold filled chain. I love that that the chain is simple and dainty because it makes the pearls really pop! I really like wearing this bracelet with other bracelets, but it also looks really nice on its' own.... especially with LBD's! 

Jamie also sent me the Faith earrings, which 'match' the Caroline bracelet. These are so simple but also elegant! I cannot wait to wear them to a more formal event. I am thinking they will look fab against tan skin come summertime. 


My other two favorites? The Allie and Julie. I would totally rock the Allie (necklace...that Carrie Underwood wore!!) with a casual white button down and then the Julie? Hello, it just screams summer (so do these stunners)! 

So what do you think? Are you as in love with Liz James as I am? I'm also pretty fond of her branding and pretty packaging! Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Help!

Help. Seriously, I need help on how to go to bed. I sound like a 5 year old, I know.

I am actually very good at sleeping... If there was an Olympic event in sleeping, I'd take gold for sure. I am totally one of those people that needs all the sleep they can get... or else I'm not very nice. At all. Same with food; if I am starving, I get mean. Hangry is a real thing, people. Maybe I should start calling myself Tangry (tired angry) when I'm lacking sleep... anyways... 

But I always find myself with so much to do after work. From running errands, to eating dinner with my family, to socializing with friends, to blogging and even to getting ready for the following day, I always hit my bed when I am at the point where I can't keep my eyes open any longer... aka 1:30am. It's such an issue when I wake up at 6:45am.

Even when I get ahead of my to-do list, I still find myself not going to bed until midnight... you know, because I end up watching Netflix, texting/chatting with friends or scrolling through all of the social media platforms, etc. It catches up with me by Friday and instead of having fun and enjoying my weekend, all I want to do is sleep. Ohhh life is hard ;).

Ok, so what I want from you, is to tell me how you force yourself to shut down your phone/ipad/tv/close your book/stop saying prayers/etc. and go to bed. Like the people that go to bed at 9pm, HOW DO YOU DO IT?!

I want to be a morning person so badly... I am always waking up at the last possible second and I just want to wake up on weekdays early enough to get ready leisurely... maybe even read a few pages in a book, cook a real breakfast or gasp, workout! 

It is my small goal to go to bed before 11pm for a week straight. This has been my goal for weeks and it hasn't happened. Literally as I look at the clock, it is 11:08pm and I just got off the phone with one of my bff's and am now writing this post. UGH! I know, I'm totally doing it to myself. 

Tell me.. what are your secrets?! Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Lately

I've been so bundled recently, I think my scarf collection has grown 10 fold this winter. I found the one in this photo from Gap for just $12!

Besides scarves, I've been living in cable knit sweaters. This one I stole borrowed from my dad. It's super cozy and I love the bright pink color. 

Fresh blonde highlights and a cut have never felt so good... now I just need a nice bronze glow and I'd be set. I've also been loving this lip color

I was at Trader Joe's the other day and picked up this Dynamo juice. I'm not a juice drinker really.. every once in a while I'll drink orange juice (you know, when it has champagne in it), but other than that, I don't really like to 'drink my calories'.. if that makes any sense. Anyways, this juice is so good that it's worth every calorie. It apparently has a lot of vitamins and minerals, too, so it totally counts as 'healthy' in my book.

I may be biased but Mac is totally the cutest dog in the entire world. I took him for a walk in a blizzard last weekend and he loved it. He loves the hot summer weather, but he also loves rolling around in the snow, too! 
I cannot sing enough praises for these jeans. I wear them every chance I get. I am going back for the non-distressed pair, too. They are so darn comfortable. Seriously, get yourself a pair (they're true to size).

I got a fun surprise package from Liz James. Ummm gorgeous jewelry. Definitely a blog post coming up soon on the brand! 

A bunch of friends and I got together for happy hour at a new restaurant, Ten Penny! It was a really neat atmosphere. Can't wait to go back and try the food! 

Oh and also? I've been on a Wonder Years binge. It's on Netflix right now and I forgot how good it was! Definitely recommend it. I also just watched Baby Boom starring Diane Keaton. Super cheesy but a good story line. Definitely worth a watch. 

What have you been up to lately? Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Monday, February 17, 2014

Spring/Summer Must-Haves

Bikini top + bottom/ White tennies/ Turquoise Statement Necklace (similar here)
Scalloped Dot Shorts/ Scarf/ Shift Dress 

With the seemingly never ending winter, it's hard to think about the warmer weather ahead. I've decided to pull a few things that I am loving for the spring/summer season... I'm starting to wonder if my spring wish list length is directly related to the number of inches we get in snow... In that case, for my wallet's sake, I hope the snow stops soon. 


Breton Striped Shirt/ Sunnies/ Cocktail Dress
Silk Belt/ Wedges/ Pretty Pink Boxes

What's on your spring list? Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 
 

© Summer Wind Blog 2017 / site design by kiki and co. / disclosure