Tuesday, July 25, 2017

City Guide: Girls' Night Out

WELL, it felt good to get back into normal clothes yesterday after Sunday's "octogenarian" bash! I'm all for a theme party—and bingo—but I'll pass forever on the double-wide, elastic-waist shorts (pants?) I pulled off a Goodwill rack to wear to the occasion. Skinny jeans have never felt better! 

Today's post is a little different! Bea, who blogs at ExploreMPLS, is sharing five fun spots for your next girls' night. Having good girlfriends is so important, and I love that her ideas prioritize that relationship. I had never heard of Gyst (which has been open for over two years, where have I been?) until reading her recs and had to try a wine flight for myself at the quaint fermentation bar right off Eat Street (see below! Lol to my friend Jackie quietly admiring the spread in the last photo. We were kind of dying over the butcher block tables, Olivia Pope wine glasses—even the glowy, pinkish light pouring into the windows). Scroll for all of Bea's picks. And cheers to girlfriends.



THE DAY TRIP
Wedge & Wheel | Stillwater
Go for the cheese. 

This cute cheese shop curates the best cheeses and meats of the moment—a great way to try new flavors you might otherwise skip over. I recommend the Big Board to share as a meal. My favorite part is you can buy and bring home anything you like.

THE NEW HOT SPOT
Lynhall | Lynlake
Go for the community. 

With long tables and high ceilings, this welcoming and charming spot has a modern cafeteria feel. Walking in for the first time, I was immediately greeted by a server who explained how to order. Some of my favorites are the Steamed Bun, Beet Farro Salad and French Silk Pie. 

THE ACTIVITY
Lab Mpls | Loring Park
Go to get your hands dirty. 

This requires some planning ahead because you need to purchase tickets and some classes sell out fast! My sister and I did the Cocktail Lab for my birthday and it was so fun! We learned how to make 3 different kinds of cocktails and the supplies were set up in the most Instagram-worthy way. 

THE CLASSIC
Café Lurcat | Loring Park
Go for the ambiance. 

This is one of the prettiest restaurants in the city—I love it because I feel like I'm in a different city. In the summer the patio is filled with white furniture and umbrellas and twinkling lights in the evening. My favorites on the menu are the Pot Roast, the Apple, Cheese & Chive Salad, and—of course—the Cinnamon Sugar Donuts. 

THE ADVENTURE
Gyst | Eat Street 
Go for the wine flights. 

With Kombucha on tap and a drink called Brine & Soda, there is something new to try every time. I tried a sparkling wine flight, the Motherboard and Grilled Cheese and all were delicious—plus, they serve extra bread so you don't have to ration your bites! They also focus on sustainable farming, which is just one more thing to love.

Thanks, Bea! 

Friday, July 21, 2017

3 Wedding Guest Dresses

Shockingly, Chris and I only have two fall weddings to attend this year, which is just fine because summer is flying by fast enough without every weekend pre-booked. Still, I thought it would be fun to create a few wedding guest looks since it is the season for ceremonies! Even if you aren't RSVPing "yes," having one or two cocktail dresses for unexpected occasions (a nice dinner, a baby shower) is a good plan. Like having wine on hand for spontaneous guests, it's refreshing not to have to race to the mall every time an event pops up.

We're sticking around Minneapolis this weekend for the first time since June! We're going to a friend's surprise party at a brewery tonight, possibly hitting the driving range tomorrow to put my golf lessons to the test, and doing a meat raffle and bingo at a couple of dive bars for another birthday on Sunday—the theme is "Midwestern Octogenarian" (cringe face). Hope you have a great weekend! 

LOOK 1
Sunglasses | Studs | Nail Polish in Splish Splash

LOOK 2 

LOOK 3 
Clutch | Hoops | Nail Polish in Madame

Friday, July 14, 2017

My Summer Playlist

Happy Friday! I'm feeling the relief in a different way this week. I really like my job—but working at a smaller company has its pains. Processes are mushy, roles are blurry. I came home last night and just cried. The cure for a rough week? Good music and fun clothes. I've been blasting my summer playlist as I work from home today and it's definitely helping. (Lots of Francis and the Lights—we saw them in March and it was so.good.—and new Haim. Scroll down to listen!) And I bought this lavender peplum top before all the drama went down, but it's still cheering me up to know I get to wear it this weekend. The color is to-die. We'll be up north-ish again for Chris's family's annual summer Lake Day and I plan to pull it out for the birthday party happening on Saturday. I'll be posting pics and stories so follow the fun on Instagram!


Thursday, July 13, 2017

Trend Alert: Yellow

Yellow is a tricky color to pull off, but it's all the rage right now so I'm giving it a shot! I don't really have a favorite color—maybe poppy or chartreuse or cerulean—but I remember it being yellow at one point because the walls of my childhood bedroom were a soft buttery chiffon with flowers sprouting up from the molding. One thing's for sure, it makes you feel seriously sunshine-y, and there's no better way to feel in the summer.

I scoured my favorite sites to find the most flattering ways to wear the trendy color and decided on this citrusy one-shoulder top. I'd pair it with light-wash jeans and a straw hat for a typical summer Saturday in the city—running to the farmers' market in the morning (which I have yet to do WHERE is July going?!), grabbing lunch and shopping in Wayzata, and hanging at a few breweries back in Minneapolis. It'd be great for Rock the Garden and the Walker Wide Open party (happening tonight!), too—are you going? Also, these sandals are a celeb fave (and 30% off!), and a large leather tote is my next splurge purchase—perfect for work and weekends!




Friday, July 7, 2017

Statement Earrings + Tees 3 Ways

What day is it? Does anyone even know? The holiday falling in the middle of this week is totally throwing me off. After hanging on the North Shore last weekend (and bringing home a zillion mosquito bites), we spent Monday through Wednesday in Big Lake for the Fourth. Thursday was a chance to hit the gym, eat some veggies and relax before we head to a friend's cabin this afternoon. In addition to all the snacks and all the bug spray, here's what I'm packing!

It feels like overkill to wear anything dressier than shorts and tees at the lake, but throwing on a pair of statement earrings is a quick way to give a casual outfit some flair if you go out for dinner or just want to turn it up a bit after spending all day in a swimsuit. Until recently I wore delicate gold jewelry pretty much exclusively, but I've really been getting back into oversized danglers and hoops, especially when paired with easy tees like these—the contrast is really fun and feels effortlessly glam. I'll be pulling out this little trick for weekends at the cabin and hot days in the city all summer long.