Remember the Cosmo

What a difference a year makes...they say time heals all...

2017-11-10T14:49:00.002-06:00

I've been going back and forth on posting this for a few weeks, so here goes nothing.

And just like that, it's been over a year since I've last posted. The past year (give or take) has been such a whirl wind...SO MUCH has happened. I've had some really high highs, but definitely some very low lows.

So, let's rewind and start with my 30th birthday. It was SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN! I wanted to do it up big for the big 3-0. Since New Orleans is one of my fave places, I thought it would be the perfect place to spend my birthday with my friends. It was a blast, and even a few of my friends flew in from Michigan! The next weekend, my Auntie Pat took me, Nicky, and Mumsie to Orlando! We had a blast experiencing Universal Studios (my first Halloween Horror Nights), as well as Disney World! The most amazing thing was after they gave me a birthday button at Universal, me and the other ladies got the VIP treatment! I got so many "happy birthday" wishes from everyone! We got placed in the fast pass line for just about every ride, so we were able to make more than the most out of our time...even being able to go on our favorite rides more than once! It was great being able to spend a milestone birthday with so many close friends and family!

Right before my birthday, I started a new route in my old division at work. It was great being closer to home, as well as having buyers that I got along with (with the exception of the one). As difficult as it was to spend hours upon hours putting up displays and working crazy back stock until the wee hours of the morning during the holidays, I grew as a person and started to better figure out what I wanted in a career.

Houston hosted the Super Bowl this year in February, so of course I had to take part in the local events! There was an awesome set up in Discovery Green, and the overall weekend was deemed a great success!

Ok, so here's the tough part. A few weeks before Halloween last year, I started dating someone I had kind of been acquaintances with for a while. With all of the hurt and deceit I have been through in past relationships, it was refreshing to be with someone I just meshed with so well (from the outside we looked like COMPLETE polar opposites, but after getting to know each other, it turned out we actually had a lot in common)...where things just were so natural and I was finally on the same page as the person I was with. Or so I thought...while I fell pretty damn hard for him, he apparently did not so much for me as I had thought. I know, I know, it's been over a half year since we broke up (and from what I've heard, he's moved on with someone else), but, even after all of the time spent overanalyzing things, replaying the last couple weeks of our relationship in my head over and over again, receiving some misinformation, and talking to friends about what could have been done differently, it's the best feeling to just write my feelings out. Honestly, it's still a struggle for me because I never got the closure I needed and deserved. I have no regrets about telling him I fell in love with him, but I'm not going to lie, I do have some regrets about cutting off contact with him. Maybe it would have helped me get into a better spot, maybe it would have been worse. But hey, I guess I'll never know. I should have written this a lot sooner...and I do feel like I've lifted a weight off my chest. And to my ex: I highly doubt you will ever read this, but if you do - I don't hold any ill will towards you, and will always care for you. Me removing you from social media was not maliciously intended..it was something I had to do for myself to work on moving past this. Even if we never speak to or see each other again, I still gravely miss my best friend and will always cherish our time together. You deserve nothing but happiness, as do I.

On top of other not so positive things going on in my life, I found out I got screwed over by a loan company I was working with to pay off some debt I owed. Let me rephrase. MAJORLY SCREWED. Like, my plans to become a fully functional adult had been completely blown up and presented to me in one huge ugly platter. It is like they say...you never think something like that would happen to you, but then it does. You just sit there wondering how such horrible things happen to you after you think you've done everything to make sure you have dotted all your I's and crossed all of your T's. I really needed a serious pick me up at this point.

Now that I have those things off my chest, let's move on to happier things. I got hired into a new division in my company back in February, but for whatever reasons, my old division wouldn't let me start until April. After some set backs with my old division, I finally felt like I could breathe. It was such a good change for me..not as much stress, an amazing boss and management team, and just an overall better environment. I represent two suppliers whose products I actually finally enjoy being around, so if you're in the North Houston area, basically everywhere between 249 and West Lake Houston, from the Beltway up to 2920 (with a few accounts above that), please make sure you are getting your drink on with Diageo products (Crown Royal, Captain Morgan, Smirnoff, Ketel One, Tanqueray, the list goes on!) and Moet Hennessy products! I'm looking forward to see what the future holds!

My bae Marcella and I!

In May, I took a long needed vacation with my friend Mary Eileen to Los Angeles! We had a blast! It was so neat to see all these places I've seen on TV since I was very little, and soak up the craziness and brightness that is La La Land. We saw the Hollywood sign, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Strip, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Dolby, and many other famous landmarks! My favorites were Universal Studios, WB Studios, and DISNEYLAND! We just had the best time, and even got to attend a big Hollywood premiere for the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie! It was amazing to see Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp right there in person! I was also happy we got to connect with our friend, Teri, who was living in Hermosa Beach! It was cool for three Michigan girls to hang out and catch up on the other side of the country! I just LOVED La La Land!

I'll be there for you...

Brunching at The Ivy

Urban Lights at LACMA

Walking the beach in Santa Monica

Santa Monica beach

Santa Monica

Disney's California Adventure

California Screamin'

Original Disneyland entrance

Try the grey stuff, it's delicious

it's a small world

Sleeping Beauty's Castle

Pirates of the Caribbean

Orlando Bloom was truly this close!

Johnny Depp!

Summer was pretty much just finding my footing in my new position at work, with lots of Texas heat.

At the end of August, I unfortunately got to experience my first hurricane, and boy was it a doozy. In matter of fact, the biggest hurricane Texas has ever had, and one of the worst in history. Most of my friends and family were lucky enough to not have suffered any huge losses, thank goodness. It's been pretty difficult with work though, since losing about a quarter of my accounts due to flooding. It's so sad to see people I've become pretty close to struggling to get back on their feet. Everyone has been in good spirits, and keeping strong.

Just the beginning

This wasn't even the deepest part by us!

Minnie assessing the flooding

My friend Jasna and I took a mini weekend in New Orleans post flood, and we had a very good time. Very whirlwind, but good! It was fun going back with the first friend I had been to NOLA with. especially since she couldn't make my 30th birthday bash last year!

Mary Eileen and I took a pretty impromptu trip to Orlando back in October, visiting Disney World and Universal Studios. It was a short trip, but a good trip filled with Halloween fun!

Cinderella's Castle

Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights

And now I find myself back in autumn. Another birthday. Weather transitioning. I've started dating again, and am getting to be in a pretty good place with the pending holiday season. I'm still more than ready to say adios to this utter dumpster fire of a year, with high hopes for 2018.

I wanted to make sure I added in the fact that the Houston Astros are MLB World Champions! Yes, they won the World Series! I had the best time with Morgan and Courtney at Minute Maid taking in the celebratory atmosphere with all the other fans!

With Morgan and Courtney

I've missed blogging a lot, and really do want to start turning this back into a regular thing. I've always been a writer at heart and it's where my true passion lies. Thank you so much for all of your support, and I hope everyone has had a good 2017!

Stay Tuned!

- L

My how time marches on...

2015-11-24T00:38:00.000-06:00

Damn. A little over two months since I've posted anything. I wanted to post to make sure everyone knows I'm still alive and what not.

I guess there's been a lot happening in my life lately...got laid off, got new job (start date delayed due to some changes, therefore putting me at the 16th of December), best friend visiting, ongoing personal life business, the list goes on. I lead such an exhilarating life.

I've been toying around with the idea of adding a new angle to the blog (just as a little side edition), but we shall see if it materializes.

Again, I'm going to try be better at posting and what not, but I'm not keeping any promises ;)

I leave you all with a quote:

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness.”

Thanks for reading!

Coverage of my Dallas trip!

2015-09-10T22:31:00.002-05:00

I was finally able to make my way back up to Dallas to visit my friend Kristi, after what seemed like forever.

I was really excited for this trip, since we were only there for a hot second to attend the Cotton Bowl last time. I LOVE how much there is to do there. There are endless brunch places, bars, shopping areas, and well landscaped parks. The best part is that almost everything is walk able... at worst you can take the free trolley or even hire a cheap Uber ride.

It was actually Kristi's birthday the weekend I visited, so we were extra excited and ready to party! For my first night's dinner (and Kristi's birthday dinner), we went to an excellent Mexican restaurant named Gloria's. The drinks were unique (I had a spicy pineapple margarita), food was the bomb, and the free bean dip is to die for!

Spicy pineapple margarita (and a few concoctions the bartender made up that we tried)

Enchiladas Gloria (you can see the bean dip by the chips!)

After dinner, we headed out to the bar, and ended up at British Beverage Company. They had a band playing (which I normally DON'T like in a bar setting since they're usually annoying), which was actually really good! I got to try a Dallas-based wheat beer, which was quite good, and danced my bum off. It also turned out to be the night of my favorite outfit of the whole trip...head to toe in blush pink!

My all blush outfit

Kristi and I out for her birthday!

We started out my second day in Dallas with brunch at Taco Diner, which is right across the street from Kristi's place. It was really good, complete with fresh-squeezed orange juice.

Brunch at Taco Diner

After brunch, we went to a pool party at one of the many nice apartment complexes in the city. It was really nice to just sit and soak up the sun while wading in the water.

Pool day!

For the evening, we attended a Dallas Mavericks event at the zoo. It was the first time I had been to any zoo in forever, and we had a lot of fun! Mavericks owner (and Shark Tank "shark") Mark Cuban even attended. We tried to find him and take a picture, but couldn't keep up with him (I think we may have seen him from afar in a golf cart?). :(

Flamingos

Ocelots

We ended up eating dinner at the zoo, and made our way back to Uptown for the night out. After walking around to check out a few places, we decided to try out So & So's. Everyone had a good time and enjoyed the company and drinks.

So & So's

For my final day in Dallas, we went to brunch at the most popular brunch spot in the city, Breadwinners. I absolutely ADORED the place! The food was awesome, the atmosphere was so cozy, and you can't beat having the ability to grab a pre-brunch mimosa at the connecting bar, The Quarter, while you wait for your table to be ready.

The Quarter

Brunch-ready outfit

Croque madame

We then walked around and shopped for a bit before I headed back to Houston. Another successful trip in the books!

Dealey Plaza where JFK was shot

Peace out, Dallas

That's all for now! Thanks for reading!

It's almost my favorite time of the year!

2015-08-27T19:40:00.000-05:00

AUTUMN!!!!!!

Why? Because I LOVE fall clothes collections/colors, FOOTBALL is back, cider mill visits are abounding (I guess not so much here in Texas), Halloween is right around the corner, and cooler weather is on the way!

I'm absolutely loving what they're doing with the fall lines this year...it's an eclectic mixture of bohemian and western design. At least in Texas, they have incorporated a lot of blush pink in with the rich autumn palette, creating some of my favorite looks like this:

My new favorite outfit for the summer to autumn transition

It's still going to be pretty hot down here for another couple of months, so I'm sad I don't get to wear my boots as of yet :( Maybe it will finally be cool enough in December?

Joie boots

Also, let me just say how excited I am for football this year...especially SPARTAN football!! With Coach Dantonio constantly doing work...you know...only recruiting some really awesome players and getting the team to big time Bowl games...no big deal, it's a great time to be a Spartan fan! I'm looking forward to the upcoming season, and would love to attend another Bowl game (hopefully they won't give me a heart attack/make me feel like my stomach is going to fall out of my butt out of nervousness this time around!).

Cotton Bowl 2015

One of the things I miss most about Michigan is hanging out with my friends at the cider mill (for those unfamiliar, a cider mill is a sort of "apple factory" where they produce the most fantastic apple cider and make freshly baked donuts/caramel apples). You can walk nature trails while eating donuts and drinking cider, or even bring your pet to enjoy the area. I've heard through the grapevine that Austin has a cider mill, but have yet to find it. This may be the year I will finally track down the place...

Franklin Cider Mill - Bloomfield Hills

One of my favorite "holidays" has always been Halloween. I love the atmosphere and dressing up as something different from day to day life. I have a bad habit of leaving my costume decision until the last minute, and of course I get stuck either making something makeshift at home, or whatever is left at the costume shop. I was Elsa from Frozen last year (which turned out the best out of any of my costumes and was a big hit!), but this year I have no clue what I want to do. I need to be deciding soon though!

I could go on and on about my love for autumn, but I will stop myself here. I'm hoping to make a big announcement here shortly in a couple of days, so stay tuned!

My beauty arsenal...

2015-07-07T21:34:00.002-05:00

So I promised a blog on my beauty essentials a few months ago...and here it is. I always get asked about products/tools I use in my daily routine. For certain items (mainly mascara), I have done SO MUCH LEG WORK trying out different brands and types. I am quite content with my menagerie at this point, and have even found a mascara I love as well.

Here is a breakdown:

Tangle Teezer brush - I have been reading so many hair care articles, and each one of them stresses how bad it is for your hair to be brushed while wet. Because of how porous and elastic your hair is while wet, brushing it can be very damaging. However the geniuses at Tangle Teezer created a fine bristle brush that is safe to use on BOTH dry and wet hair! Because it doesn't have a handle on it, the brush travels very well too. It fits right into the palm of your hand, so you're not tugging and pulling your hair. I have seen such a great improvement in my hair health since making a few changes, but I think a great deal of it is due to this brush.

Living Proof Hair Care - For the longest time I have been trying product after product, without finding anything that would be a long term solution for my struggle to keep my hair healthy. Between my natural hair structure, and dying my hair blonde, I really put my hair through the ringer. One day while I was in Target, I noticed they started to carry Living Proof (yep, Jennifer Aniston is part owner of the brand, and she has FABULOUS hair), and decided to purchase a couple of items from their PHD (Perfect Hair Day) line. All I can say is WOW! I immediately noticed a difference in my hair. It was bouncier, shinier, and my color was not affected like it so often is if I'm not using a "violet" shampoo (like Shimmer Lights). As time goes by, it has gotten easier and easier to style my hair...it even takes a shorter amount of time to dry and straighten. Before I use any other styling products, I start with their primer. It basically sets up a canvas on your hair to block out dirt and harsh UV rays. As far as my ends specifically go, I use a couple products from the restore line...bye bye fried ends, hello smoothness!

GHD flat iron - another constant struggle has been finding the perfect flat iron. I've tried all brands and types...ceramic, steam, titanium, the list goes on. I started doing some research here and there for a couple months on what other people with similar hair issues were using. I used Chi for the longest time, which was ok (I didn't have their top of the line iron). GHD seemed to have glowing reviews from just about everyone who submitted a review on any site I went on. It's a little pricier than other irons I've had in the past, but with the coupon I had from Ulta, I was able to get it for around the same price I got my Chi 4 years back. It's still not PERFECT, but it comes damn close. I have never had such smooth, healthy looking hair in my life!

Bling ultrasonic toothbrush - I tried the whole "electric" toothbrush deal a few years ago with a battery operated version. I have to say, I wasn't too impressed. It was a tad better than my regular toothbrush, but not worth the extra money and batteries. About a month ago, I saw a Groupon for a real steal (not to mention a handful of different colors to choose from!), so I decided to give it a try since it had a wall charger base with a built-in UV sanitizer, and Manfriend says how much he likes his (he has a different brand though). Turns out, it was a good buy! I like it a lot, it has done a great job keeping my teeth clean and white, and you can't beat the price ($22.99 with a coupon!)!

Bliss skincare - the Fabulous Foaming Face Wash is awesome! It deep cleans, exfoliates, and smells great! Another great thing is that it's not drying, yet doesn't leave a gross film on my face. I also like their Lid + Lash wash. It does a good job removing my eye-makeup, and doesn't leave any film behind either. It's pretty neat how you can use it as a sort of little eye mask as well if you put the bottle in the refrigerator. It has an amazing de-puffing effect!

It Cosmetics - I've read a lot of good things from fellow bloggers about this line of cosmetics. There are tons of benefits to using this line, with a lot of the products being "CC" (color correcting) and prevents signs of aging. Honestly, I've never thought too much about age prevention being in my 20s. I like the idea that not only does this line have what I refer to as "beginner" age-combating nutrients, but it also has color-correcting properties of course, and is super light weight. Their brushes are amazing too - they give an airbrushed look without looking fake or overdone. They're super soft and help me apply my makeup in a flash.

Younique 3D Fiber Mascara - this stuff is crazy! I cannot believe how long and voluptuous my lashes are! No need for the painstaking bother of false lashes anymore!

Smashbox Photo Angle Pure Pigment Gel Liner - this eyeliner is great for someone, like me, who has issues keeping makeup fresh throughout the day.

NARS cosmetics - blush/bronzer combo: I love having both a bronzer and blush in the same compact. It's super convenient, and the colors complement each other very well; eyeshadow: my favorite duo is called Charade, it's a pretty icy purple with light pink highlight; love how they make my green eyes pop.

Bobbi Brown eyeshadows - I love the beautiful neutral colors offered. My favorites are Hot Stone and Steel.

Shisedo eyelash curler - I chose this one over the famous Shu Uemura curler a good ten years ago, and I still love it.

That wraps up my beauty essentials...I'm so glad I've finally found reliable products which actually do what they say they will do! I'm definitely a happy camper!

Enjoy!

L

Current favorite things...

2015-06-18T13:31:00.001-05:00

It's been pretty crazy around work lately, with the expectation of "Tropical Storm Bill" coming through the city (yeah, turns out it bypassed us, and we only got a tiny bit of rain). Work put us up at the Lancaster Hotel kiddie-corner to our building, so I've had some time to myself to put together a new post.

About a week ago, I started thinking about some things that I've really gotten attached to in the past few months, and how much I like learning about other people's favorite things (you never know when something could become one of your own favorite things!). Therefore, I've decided to compile and share a list of my current obsessions - in fashion, beauty, entertainment, and refreshment.

FASHION

Any kimono - I really like this one from Zara

Basic tunic tank from Target - perfect for layering

Vegan leather bag from Nasty Gal

Olson pointed toe flat in blush from Halogen (I have them in black too)

Skylar earring in iridescent from Kendra Scott (fun take on neutral coloring, so they go with everything)

Gold Elea crisscross ring from Gorjana

Chlose Together sandal from Aerosoles - I always thought of them having strictly orthopedic shoes, but boy these babies are super cute, and comfortable (I feel like I'm walking on little clouds)! I have them in both rose gold and black.

Bradshaw over-sized watch from Michael Kors - I LOVE black and gold together, saw this one on a fellow blogger's page, and it's perfect

Mirrored aviators from Ray-Ban - absolutely my go-to sunglasses over the past month or two with the strong Texas sun

BEAUTY

PHD line from Living Proof - I am constantly looking for new hair products to tame my frizz ball of a head. This stuff is like a miracle. I cannot believe how good my hair looks!

ENTERTAINMENT

ALL of Lana Del Rey's music - her voice is enchanting

Sundance Cinemas downtown - comfy seats and really good menu

REFRESHMENT

Mambo Taxi from Mi Cocina in The Woodlands

Tortilla soup from El Rey - best tortilla soup EVER made...you can argue all you want with me about this one - this is THE tortilla soup...no one else holds a candle.

Strawberry Lager from Abita Brewery

Anything Starbucks - I've always been a fan of their coffee and what not, but I just started really doing their rewards program a couple of months ago, and it's pretty cool; I'm already at gold status!

Enjoy!

- L

Playing catch-up...

2015-06-12T14:17:00.002-05:00

Wow! It's been a looooooong time since I last wrote a blog! I've been good about Instagram-ing lately, but not so much on the writing end (which kinda defeats the purpose of calling yourself a blogger, haha).

Let me catch you up to speed with my life since my last post (back in January!) quickly...

Work has been the same ol', same ol', like always. I've been keeping really busy with the constant scheduling changes, and all the extra stuff we take care of (which is WELL ABOVE my pay-grade!). Anyways, enough about that...

First off, I'm pretty sure I haven't blogged about it, but I attended the Cotton Bowl this year to see my Spartans play the local Baylor Bears, and we WON! It was so incredibly nerve-wracking since there were so many Baylor fans in the AT&T Center, with Dallas being a hop, skip, and a jump from Waco. It wasn't looking too good for my boys up until the last three minutes of the game, when they started their semi-ugly, yet beautiful come-from-behind win. I literally paced the walkways of the arena, and couldn't bear to watch! I was so overcome with happiness as the final moments counted down, that I started to cry - I'm such a big baby! =) Great win, and I had a wonderful NYE with two of my best girlfriends the evening prior!

Spartan Marching Band

Kristi and I turnt up for New Year's!

Bubbly!

Late January, I turned in my beloved Hyundai, Duchess, for a new sassy red Mazda3! I'm just that creative, where I named my new car "Duchess II" (I'm awful at picking out names - I can never decide on names, even for super trivial things; it took me weeks to finally name Minnie, and she's a cat!). February was pretty uneventful, besides going to San Antonio early in the month. Mary and I had a fantastic time, soaking up the history and culture of the city. I was planning on going to Mardi Gras in NOLA this year finally, but plans fell through. Still enjoyed some spirits and friends' company.

Duchess II

Mardi Gras time!

King Cake!

The Alamo by night

Mary's first time to the Alamo

Mardi Gras beads from Pat O's San Antonio!

In March, I went on a cruise with my mom, dad, sister, aunt, and two very good friends, which is always a blast! We did some pretty cool stuff, including rock jumping in Jamaica, swimming with sting-rays in Grand Cayman (hello gorgeous sparkly aqua water!), and enjoyed an all-inclusive party place in Cozumel. Time always flies while you're having fun! When we got back, it was right in the middle of March Madness, so we made the trek down to Sage County in Midtown (where all the cool MSU alums hang for games) a few times. My Spartans made it a lot farther than they were "supposed" to...so even though they didn't make it to the final game, I'm still SUPER proud of my boys :) The end of March also brought a bit of sadness, because Mary moved back to Michigan :( I miss our weekends out and Saucer Mondays! However, life always a way of throwing you something positive to balance out the negative...I met my man-friend right around that same time, and I can say I'm quite happy and content..so I guess he's ok ;) Haha, I kid, I kid. (If you're reading this, I adore spending time with you! :) )

Ship selfie

Favorite place - the dining room

Mumsie and I by the atrium

Picture perfect.

Pano of our port in Jamaica

Red Stripe beer, straight from the source

Beautiful aqua water!

Beach resort in Mexico

Fast-forward to April, and it was time for two of my other really good friends' wedding in Fredericksburg (that's hill country, a.k.a. wine country!). Even though it down-poured for a majority of our time there, we still had a blast! My sister and I ended up making the trip down to San Antonio the day after the wedding (and stopped to take pictures with bluebonnets!), which is always fun.

Congrats Adam and Hallie!

Gorgeous Bluebonnet

Bluebonnet selfie

Bluebonnet field!

Horse all dressed for Fiesta

Classic Riverwalk

Hopping over to May, not much was really going on until the storms from hell hit Texas on Memorial Day, and Duchess II got 3 inches of water in her floors :( Luckily, my man-friend was nice enough to take some Tupperware and scooped the majority of the water out. We were switching out sopping wet towels just about every hour or so, to keep Duchess II from molding. I'm happy to report she is completely clean now, and just needs to be repaired from when I was hit by a cop earlier in the month.

Poor Duchess II :(

The flood water was so deep - almost came right up to my knees!

A shot of poor Duchess II drowning

Finally, coming into June, my sister and I started it off with a bang! We trekked over to NOLA (it was my sister's real first time there), and had an absolute spectacular time! It's the perfect place for anyone who likes to chill and enjoy good food, drinks, and entertainment. I was able to see my friend I met one LATE night out a year ago in NOLA (I love the randomness of the city!), and he was able to meet my sister (we sat and visited with him at his work (not complaining - he works at a daiquiri shop!). It was really great catching up with him! We also explored Abita Brewery (just north of the city), and attended the New Orleans International Beer Festival later on that day. As they say over there (I'm guilty of over-using this!), "Laissez les bon temps rouler!"

Nicky and I on the streetcar - finally rode one!

St. Charles streetcar

Classic daiquiri from Fat Tuesday

Channing Tatum's bar - quelle surprise there's a stripper pole inside!

Crescent City Connection in the background over the Mississippi River

St. Louis Cathedral

Night view of the French Quarter architecture

Abita Brewery!

Me and Kairo!

Jackson Square selfie

Mime as Drew Brees (complete with cigarette, lol)

Another Jackson Square shot

French Quarter carriage

Royal Street musicians

Brunch at Tableau

The Swamp - I was devastated they didn't have any baby alligators to hold :(

Royal House Oyster Bar

New Orleans International Beer Festival

Taps at Abita Brewery

Lake Ponchartrain Causeway

Lafayette Square

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Voodoo daiquiri

Jackson Square at night

Bourbon Street

Nicky and I on the Tropical Isle balcony

Well, now you're all caught up on my life over the past half year or so...stay tuned for my new post on my current favorite things!

- L

It's a neutral time of year...

2015-01-28T23:34:00.003-06:00

So, if you have been following my Instagram or Facebook, you may have noticed a trend in my clothing choices as of late - NEUTRALS TO THE MAX! Honestly, when it gets cooler outside, I really have no desire to take the time to put together crazy colors, without looking like something straight out of AHS: Freak Show. Neutrals are amazing in that aspect. It seems like no matter what I throw together, my outfit ALWAYS works when sticking to basics. Heck, I've even taken more of a liking to neutral (mainly nude) nail colors. If I'm feeling a bit sassy on any given day, I may throw in a colorful pair of shoes or a handbag to spice things up.

Here are a few of my favorite neutral outfits I've worn over the past few weeks...

It's nice to mix things up a bit with fun prints in neutral colors, like a plaid shirt or animal print scarf. I love how interchangeable all my pieces are. My staples are black skinny jeans, black and nude flats, black tote, and gray fur vest.

The jewelry I have from Kendra Scott has been great to alternate with my outfits as well. I bought an all black version of the "Rayne" necklace to go along with everything. Another staple of my in jewelry is the Gorjana "Elea" ring. It's somewhat convertible, so there are a few ways you can wear the ring (bonus: it is also adjustable, so you can size it to whatever finger you want to wear it on).

I look forward to incorporating neutrals into my clothing choices straight through spring, even into summer. They are a classic look to keep in every wardrobe!

Until next time!

Happy New Year!

2014-12-31T17:58:00.002-06:00

As 2014 winds down, boy has it been a whirlwind of a year. New job (blargh), yet another failed relationship, going out on dates, friends' weddings and babies, a best friend moving down to Houston (woot!), my dear puppy having to be put to sleep (miss you Hershey), trying to make an effort to keep up my blog (more successful this year than any other), and all around attempting to just get happy.

I always make resolutions every year, but, like most everyone else, fail to keep them. I really want to make changes for 2015, and focus on getting everything together for myself, in both the job and personal life realms. The biggest thing is losing weight. Cliche, I know, but it really has knocked down my self esteem.

I hope 2015 has big things in store for me, because I sure as hell have earned it! :)

Cheers!

New glassware obsession

2014-12-05T18:07:00.001-06:00

As a lot of my friends know, I'm obsessed with glassware. I cannot resist buying at least one set of glasses any time I step into a home goods store, and you bet your bottom dollar I snag a pint glass from every brewery I go to as well..

Lately, I've really been into collecting wine glasses. Crate and Barrel is definitely my go-to. Come to think about it, a majority of my glass collection came from there. They have every kind of wine glass imaginable (and every other type of glass, really), from vintage style to contemporary.

My new go to for wine is Crate and Barrel's "Camille" glasses, in the red wine size. Made popular by Kerry Washington's character, Olivia Pope, on Scandal, these babies have taken on a celebrity persona of their own.

I feel so elegant whilst drinking my vino from these glasses! At 14.95 a pop, I really only could budget for a set, so I'm lusting after the whit wine set from afar (Christmas?).

One sip from these, and you will be in love :)

Autumn 2014!

2014-09-01T08:14:00.002-05:00

Autumn has always been my favorite time of the year for many reasons - that crisp feel in the air (not so much in Houston), the fashion, the colors (again, not so much in Houston), college football, and there is pumpkin scented/flavored everything. I miss Michigan in autumn. You can't beat the colors driving up north, or the feeling of walking on campus at Michigan State University in September.

I don't think I've been so excited for Spartan football season before - under Coach Dantonio's lead, the boys get better and better every year, and are still fresh off a big Rose Bowl win! I see wonderful things in the future, and am so proud of our young team!

I wish so badly I could make it back for a game this year (haven't been since the year after I graduated), but alas, with my job, I'm very limited on time I can take off. If they make it to a bowl game somewhere around Texas or Louisiana this year, I definitely want to make it a point to go.

While I can't make it to East Lansing this year, I did discover (after three and a half years) there is a large Spartan population down here, resulting in Blackfinn of Midtown being the "MSU bar". It was so awesome going in there, and seeing so many other Spartan fans. Gave me hope of possibly being able to still marry a fellow Spartan, even being in the South! Haha!

On another note, the other fall events I'm excited for are the haunted houses to open (I LOVE Halloween!), Ren Fest to start, hunting for good donuts and cider (they have no clue what cider mills are down here, WTH?), and, most importantly, introducing gem tones back into our wardrobes.

Oh, there is so much more I could go on about Fall and all of it's goodness! I'm working on compiling a list a fall-centric drinks, so be on the lookout for that post to roll out!

'Til next time! :)

Big announcement!

2014-08-19T15:27:00.002-05:00

After much contemplation, I have decided to change things up with Clothes, Cats, and Cosmos. I plan on renaming my blog "Remember the Cosmo" (an ode to my favorite cocktail, as well as my love of history), as a play on the famous historical saying "Remember the Alamo".

I'm also contemplating moving my posts and future shenanigans over to Tumblr, on a professional recommendation. BIG changes are coming your way, so get ready!

Here is a teaser for the new logo:

Til' next time!

Craft Beer of the Week

2014-08-15T18:04:00.002-05:00

It's been a long time since I've posted a craft beer of the week! I've spent so much time working on the two long blogs covering my week long vacation with Jasna, resulting in the other parts of my blog lacking! Sorry!

My sister and I recently made a trip down to Central Market (you can find ANYTHING there), which is our favorite grocer in Houston. They have a ginormous selection of meat, cheese, seafood, organic foods, and, most importantly, spirits! They always have a few taste testing options for different wine and beer. That day, they were offering a fruit beer called Melonhead by Shipyard Brewing Company. I LOVE fruit beer, so I thought it was fantastic. My sister liked it too, even though she's not the biggest fan of fruitier beers. It has a lot of flavor to it, and almost had a hint of a Bubble-liscious bubblegum taste! The company describes it as "a crisp, quenching wheat ale with a refreshing essence of fresh watermelon." You can find out where you can locate Melonhead, or any other Shipyard beer, by going to their website here.

Cheers!

Part Deux of Laura and Jasna's Excellent Adventure!

2014-08-10T21:30:00.001-05:00

For the last leg of mine and Jasna's trip, we decided to take the five and a half hour car ride to New Orleans and party it up. We were originally set to make a stop in Lake Charles to gamble a bit (my friend Kristi was going to meet us for our overnight in Lake Charles, but sadly, couldn't join us all the way in New Orleans) and take advantage of the resort at L'Auberge, but it ended down pouring the entire day we were supposed to be there. Luckily, I was able to cancel our reservation, and book an extra night in New Orleans.

Louisiana is one of the few states I actually don't mind driving through. The drive was a bit lengthy, but definitely not terrible. We kept ourselves occupied with impromptu sing-a-longs, boy gossip, and scenery. Speaking of scenery, for a good portion of the trek down I-10, the road is full of bayous and greenery (and, if you're lucky, a tiger!). Yep, you heard me correctly. Believe it or not, one of the gas stations located just west of Baton Rouge (home of the LSU Tigers) does house a real life tiger. I was so excited Tony was there, as the last time I had driven through Louisiana (back in September), the state had confiscated him.

Tony!

Moving on, it had been twelve years since I had been to New Orleans, and that was only for a half of a day (we took a cruise where that was one of our stops). Even when I was way under age, I enjoyed the city's atmosphere. I couldn't wait to go back when I WAS of age! I also can't believe it it took me nearly three and a half years of living only five and a half hours away, to finally make it over.

Classic New Orleans balcony lit up in Mardi Gras colors

We arrived at our first hotel (the very cute and very "old New Orleans" hotel, Bienvielle House) of the weekend shortly after dinner time, so we took an hour or so to get settled and freshen up from our car ride before heading out to explore. Since we walked a very limited amount the first time I had been there, it was amazing to see how different the area was from what I remembered. We were so mesmerized by the French Quarter and surrounding area. I liked how they kept a lot of the old gas lamp street/house lights. It adds so much character and old world charm to the city!

Gas lamp street lights

After walking around for nearly two hours, we decided to have our first taste of creole cuisine. We checked out a few different places, but ultimately decided upon Pere Antoine, located on Royal Street. Both Jasna and I decided to have po-boys for dinner (I had shrimp, Jasna catfish). They were fantastic, and we were delighted to be able to wash them down with Abita Strawberry lager (my all-time favorite beer!). Anyone who reads my blog knows how obsessed I am with any Abita beer, and could understand how thrilled I was when I saw it all over the city (like it was Budweiser or Miller)!

Pere Antoine

When we finished eating, it was time to hit up Bourbon Street! I was the biggest dork, and compiled a list on my iPhone of different bars (which a majority are open until 3-5am) and drinks to try. Question was, where do we start? After a little walk down Bourbon, we decided to pop into Tropical Isle to get one of their Hand Grenades (which can be served on the rocks or frozen). Oh. Girl. I can definitely see why they are so popular! They hardly taste like alcohol, and are very delicious. Beware: they DO consist of pretty much just booze, so they are extremely potent. Both Jasna and I were feeling pretty tipsy by the time we finished those (I know, old ladies getting schwastey after one drink), so we decided to take it easy with a daiquiri - or so we thought. We didn't know which daiquiri shop to go to since there were so many, so in typical Laura and Jasna fashion, we chose based on the cute/creepy little Jester glasses from Jester Daqs. Next question was what flavor to get, so we went with the obvious choice - the house special (labelled "strongest drink in the world"). Neither of us thought too much of their "claim", as most places that say they have "the best this, or the strongest that" are completely bogus. Not the case here. Whoa!!!! Jasna and I went from 40 to 150 mph in a matter of minutes. These, too, went down quite easily. I couldn't believe it was so easy to drink Everclear (word on the street is that most signature "Bourbon Street" drinks include it as one of their ingredients)! After half a Jester, Jasna and I headed into a club called "Bourbon Heat", where the bouncer was nice enough to let us sit with our outside drinks (it was, after all, around 3:30am). We decided to finally call it a night around 4:30am, but happened to meet some cool friends randomly on our way back to the hotel. So, of course, we ended staying out an extra hour!

Bourbon Street

Tropical Isle Hand Grenade

Inside Tropical Isle

Tropical Isle

Jester Daiquiri

After a good night of sleep (and shockingly, no hangovers), we were ready for our full day in the city. We decided to start with breakfast at Cafe du Monde, which is famous for its' beignets and cafe au laits. They were so good, even though we ended up in a big powder sugar mess! We decided to do a little shopping in the little one of a kind shops mainly on Chartres Street, and a few other random stores in that area after breakfast. There were so many cute, eclectic stores (why am I acting surprised?)! A few of my favorites were Hemline and Fleurty Girl (not on Chartes Street), as well as the vast array of antique shops (even though I have a tiny dislike for them, I can still appreciate their history). At Fleurty Girl, I ended up getting hooked on their signature super soft t-shirts, as well as a local headband brand, Haybands. I ended up buying two shirts (one with traditional Mardi Gras colors on a crown, and the other featuring the Hurricane drink), as well as a couple Haybands (followed by a plethora of other colors when I got home!). We hit the French Market after wrapping things up on on Chartres Street, which was the main thing I remember from my first trip there. You can find just about anything there - food, drinks, clothing, trinkets, flowers, decor, the list goes on! It's a great place to people watch and check out local vendors.

Cafe du Monde

Entrance to French Market

Jackson Square

Once we finished our shopping excursion, Jasna and I hopped into the car and took a drive to Uptown and the Garden District, to see what other parts of the city had to offer. We took Magazine Street over that way, and stumbled upon a ton of cute little shops, restaurants, and bars. After popping into a handful of little shops, we decided it was time to feed our faces again. After reading a few menus, we again chose creole - dining at Ignatius Eatery. Both Jasna and I feasted on red beans and rice, and all I have to say is yum! I've been hooked on red beans and rice ever since! We, of course, paired our red beans and rice with more Abita beer (since the plan was to go to the brewery, but you can only fit so much into a weekend). Upon finishing our dinner (way earlier than the previous day), we took a drive down St. Charles Street (one of the main streetcar lines, hello "A Streetcar Named Desire!"), and couldn't believe how many beads were still hanging in the trees from Mardi Gras! We lastly passed by one of the Garden District mansions used in American Horror Story: Coven, which was really cool since it was so heavily featured in the season.

Beads in the trees!

"Coven" mansion

Since it was our last night in New Orleans, we decided to do it up big and stay out super late again. To get mentally and physically prepared, Jasna and I napped for a half hour, and both polished off a Monster Ultra Blue (my daily life line). We were ready to party again! We headed back to Bourbon Street to begin our night at Pat O'Brien's for some real Hurricanes. MUCH better experience this time around. The bartender actually mixed our drinks, and they were fantastic! We even got the hurricane glasses we had missed in San Antonio!

Hurricane

Pat O'Brien's selfie

Balcony view

We headed back to Tropical Isle for another Hand Grenade after Pat O's, because we were in the mood for something sweet after our Hurricanes. We ended up at one of the other three locations (from what we gathered, was the original). We sat and people watched for a bit again, enjoyed another live band, and then it was on to the next bar. First, we made a pit stop - to pick me out a tutu!! I saw a number of girls with them throughout the course of our time there, and I thought it would be fun to get one and reminisce of my days as a ballerina! :) I picked out one in the traditional Mardi Gras colors, with glitter in it. I love it, and received tons of compliments! Jasna and I started to get hungry again, so we popped over to Willie's Chicken Shop, where we had chicken strips and daiquiris. I don't know if it was because we were tipsy or if the food was that good, but we thoroughly enjoyed our chicken (and the sauce is amazing!). Once we polished off our food and daqs at Willie's, we trekked over to Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, which happens to be the oldest bar in America (est. in the 1700s). Great way to end our night, and wonderful atmosphere.

For our last half day in New Orleans, we wanted to do brunch on a balcony. We were trying to pick a place with a cool view, so we ended up at Tableau, which is right off of Jackson Square. Jasna and I both went with mimosas and Croque Madames for our brunch. Everything was fantastic, and the view was so nice! I will definitely go back, maybe even for supper, since they offer a dinner menu as well.

Mimosas!

Jackson Square

Croque Madame

We took one last stroll around the French Quarter, went into a few more stores, then headed back to Houston. I must say, we had an amazing time in New Orleans, and I cannot wait to go back!

Bourbon during the day

Streetcar on Canal

Finally a New Post!

2014-07-06T10:43:00.001-05:00

After another month of not writing, I'm back with a new blog post! Things have been sooooo busy at work (thanks, Spurs!), I've had zero downtime. When I get home for the day, I'm so exhausted that I only want to cuddle up on the couch with a glass of some sort of booze, my cat Minnie, and the tube (does anyone actually use that word anymore? I'm such an old soul!, haha).

I wanted to take a little time to tell everyone about my trip with one of my best friends, Jasna, to San Antonio, Austin, and New Orleans.

Let me say, that time flew by like no other! We had SO much fun over the course of the week, and packed a bunch of activities into that time.

Jasna arrived to Houston Sunday afternoon. I picked her up from the Amtrak station, and she was a bit overwhelmed by the heat at first! I just said, "welcome to the south!" This was really the only laid back day of our week - spent having dinner, and Jasna catching up with my parents and sister. We left for San Antonio the next day, and even made a stop to pop Jasna's Buc-ee's cherry! She loved it, and affectionately calls the beaver "Bup-ee". I was pleasantly surprised we only made one pit stop the whole drive, with two ladies who have bladders comparable of a 95 year old woman's traveling together.

Jasna with Buc-ee

We arrived in San Antonio sometime between lunch and dinner, which gave us enough time to settle into our hotel, get gussied up, and head out for the night. Usually when I stay in San Antonio, we always get a hotel right on the Riverwalk. This time, I ended up booking a hotel a little off the Riverwalk, which was a hop, skip, and a jump to the Alamo, and only cost $89 for the night! Very spacious and modern - awesome deal. As it was Jasna's first trip to Texas, I wanted to take her to America's first Tex-Mex restaurant, Casa Rio. For those of you have have not been to San Antonio, you would definitely recognize the brightly-colored umbrellas of the restaurant, as they grace most of the pictures you would have seen of San Antonio in magazines, postcards, etc. The location is great, food delicious, and for being such a popular restaurant, the wait for a table was not bad at all (we sat on the bar patio with a couple margaritas whilst waiting). With being in a prime location, there is plenty of people watching to do. I will never forget this one guy, who we couldn't tell was a bum or not. He passed by the restaurant a number of times - wearing army boots, ripped jeans, an oddly neatly pressed shirt, while polishing off his look with his chosen accessory of a tall-boy of Busch Light. He kept stopping at tables asking people questions, but not for money like you would expect. It was almost like he was just some lonely drunk guy looking for company, but then he would go up to random vacated tables and pick at the food, so, I don't know. Very interesting character.

The city view from our hotel

Casa Rio riverside

Continuing our night, we decided to first stop in a little convenience store right across from the Alamo, pick up a couple energy drinks (fuel!), and snap a few evening pictures in front of the iconic Texas (and for that matter, American) landmark.

The Alamo at night!

After a little photo session, we first stopped at Esquire for a drink, then headed back towards the Riverwalk and surrounding bars. We decided to go to Pat O'Brien's, which always has a good crowd and live music. After debating on what drink to get, we both decided on getting Hurricanes (the drink Pat O's is famous for). I was quite excited to finally try their classic drink, but ended up semi-disappointed as the bartender just pulled a couple of plastic cups and filled them with a pre-mixed drink from the well. It was still pretty good, and I understand why they would do a pre-mix with it being their signature.

Pat O'Brien's

An hour or so later of enjoying the band and chatting, we decided to head to a different bar. As we were checking out a few different places, a cheeky bouncer starting talking to us and subsequently persuaded us to come into his bar, Club Sirius. Boy, was this a good decision! There were just enough people there, the music was fantastic, and the bartender was the best! Nate did a great job taking care of us. He created special drinks for us with the bar's signature "Sirius Salt" (a mixture of spices and salt), gave us multiple free shots, and only billed us $8 each! Oh, I was in love. Who wouldn't like a hottie bartender that treats you well, and is so sweet on top of that?!? Needless to say, we ended up spending the rest of the night there. After all the fantastic drinks and shots, Nate even accompanied us as we walked out of the bar. We talked with him for about a half hour after bar close, and when were finally saying our goodbyes, he seemed so disappointed we were only there for one night! :( We were disappointed as well, but he sent us each off with a big bear hug - lifted off the ground and all! Can you tell I was a bit smitten? haha

The beautiful light up horse-drawn carriage

We began our next day in San Antonio with a trip over to the Alamo to soak up some history. I know it sounds corny and nerdy, but I always spend some time at the Alamo every visit I make to San Antonio. It's amazing to think such a huge important battle was fought on the grounds where high rises, hotels, and restaurants now stand. My first trip over that way, we were all shocked to see this famous landmark standing right in the middle of the city, and not in some field 20 miles off the beaten path. Definitely a must see!

The Alamo in all of its glory

We then decided to do "linner", and went with Buckhorn Saloon. The atmosphere exudes old west, with the building having been built sometime in the earlier 1800s, and cowboys walking around greeting guests. If you're looking for some great southern food and sandwiches, this is the place. We even did their museum tour (you can even grab a beer from the bar to take with you while on the tour!), which included an exhibit on Texas Ranger history, different stuffed animals (eek), a special Bonnie and Clyde exhibit, and a full sized replica of an old west San Antonio street! Very cool and worth the money!

Jasna with her huge beer

Me with my huge beer

My employer back in the day

Old west

Bad girls go to jail!

Buckhorn Saloon

After finishing up at Buckhorn, we made the short drive up to Austin for our next stop. We were stuck in a bit of traffic, so we didn't make as good of timing as I would have liked. But hey, we were in no rush, we were on vacation! :) We got to our hotel right around dinnertime, so after we settled in again and freshened up, it was time to feed our faces again (you're starting to see a trend here on this trip, right?!). On the recommendation of my friend Kristi, Jasna and I trekked over to this French restaurant called Peche. It was fantastic! We had some absinthe-based drinks (I tried "Death in the Afternoon" - absinthe mixed with champagne), as well as grilled cheese with gouda and apple butter, and, of course, escargot (which I tried relentlessly to get Jasna to try, but she wasn't having it)!

Death in the Afternoon

Fancy pants grilled cheese

My favorite - escargot!

After dinner, we took the city in at dusk, and continued the night on 6th Street. We went to a handful of places, but didn't do anything too crazy. Another fun night all around.

After a restful night's sleep, we decided to take a walking tour around the city by day. We had lunch at Second Bar + Kitchen (tried Austin's own Eastciders Gold Top cider, yum!), spent an hour in a perfumery, where we gained our "life coach" George, popped by the Capital Building, and ended our time in Austin around the University of Texas campus. It's still one of the most beautiful campuses I've ever been to (my alma mater is still my favorite!).

Before we headed back to Houston, we made the pit stop to the flagship Kendra Scott store, and Jasna made her very first purchase! She's hooked! :)

For our day of exploring Houston on Thursday, we decided to take advantage of the spectacular lunch Saint Arnold Brewery hosts during the week. That day's lunch consisted of a root beer-rubbed pork loin, grilled veggies, a blue cheese crumble salad, and unlimited beer (I usually only make it to two or three beers).

Boileroom Berliner Weisse

While we were so full from lunch, Jasna and I still craved something sweet. No trip downtown/uptown would be complete without a trek to Sprinkles for one of their phenomenal cupcakes. I tried a new one that I had never seen before - orange cake with strawberry frosting.

Orange cake with strawberry frosting!

I really wanted to show Jasna the Houston night life, so we met up with my friends Michelle and Nate at Boheme (for their very different drink menu), followed by The Dogwood, both in the Midtown area. Right near the end of the night, we joined my sister, and one of our other favorite couples, Glenn and Kasey, for the tail end of Meteor's Drag Show. Very talented ladies and gentlemen! Wrapping up our night on the town in Houston, we made a stop at House of Pies to split a slice of banana cream pie. Delish!

Jasna and I with Coffee!

Stay tuned for part two of our adventure - Laura and Jasna do New Orleans!!

I'm back with the Craft Beer of the Week!

2014-06-02T18:06:00.005-05:00

Man, things have been super crazy at work lately! I couldn't even imagine having a family right now plus work. Kudos to those who do it! :) I have finally had time to sit and write a new blog post, featuring my latest craft favorite. Summer seems to inspire TONS of refreshing light beers, which are perfect for sitting out on a patio and soaking up the sun (unless you're in Texas like me, where you literally fry being outside). Anywho, I have recently taken a liking to St. Arnold's Summer Pilsner. It's super crisp, and the packaging screams summertime!

Here is it's description on the Saint Arnold website: Summer Pils has a delicate, sweet malt taste complemented by an abundant hop aroma and flavor. This beer is brewed with fine German malt, and a copious quantity of "noble" hops imported from the Czech Republic.

Woohoo summer!!!!

Food Truck Friday!!!!

2014-05-16T19:00:00.001-05:00

I was first introduced to the Houston food truck scene back on New Year's Eve (they had a TON of different food trucks in Sam Houston Park for the NYE event I attended this past year). I have been OBSESSED ever since, with my favorite being the gourmet grilled cheese truck, The Golden Grill. Luckily, my employer is kind enough to bring 2-3 trucks in by our loading dock every Friday! I really enjoy how each week makes for a different set of trucks, so you get to try a little variety.

Side note: make sure you bring cash, as a majority of the trucks take that as the only type of payment.

Here is my favorite item from any food truck I've ever patronized:

The Golden Grill pizza sandwich! Bomb.com!!!!!!!!!

And yes, food trucks are such a popular thing, that the city puts on an annual Food Truck Festival! Yum!

My Review of the Royal Tour!

2014-05-11T14:25:00.003-05:00

First of all, Happy Mother's Day! I appreciate all you do, Mumsie! :)

Here it is! My biggest post yet! As most everyone knows, I have a slight addiction of keeping up with the British royals. I think the Duchess of Cambridge is one of the most stylish women in the world today, mixing couture with high street, classic with fashion-forward. She always has the look of perfection (I'm convinced she could totally rock a potato sack, and even THOSE would fly off the shelves if she wore them), and has already cemented herself as a fashion icon.

I have loved her tour looks so far - each one better than the next. The Royal Tour was in New Zealand/Australia this year, and the couple have even brought little Prince George with them! He is way too cute for his own good - probably one of the cutest babies I've ever seen.

After fawning over Georgie, on to my favorite part of any royal tour - the fashion!

The first leg of the tour kicked off on April 7th, beginning in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Duchess started off the tour deplaning in a chic red Catherine Walker coat dress (many will note it may have been a nod to Diana's first trip to Australia). She topped off her look with a pillbox hat from Gina Foster, matching brown suede heels and clutch from Emmy, a diamond fern brooch on loan from HM, white topaz Kiki McDonough earrings, and, of course, Prince George!

The Cambidges took the next day off to get on the correct time zone, so they would be well rested for Prince George's first official royal engagement on April 9th, a play date!

For the play date, the Duchess chose a black and white printed knit dress from Tory Burch (yep, it was one of those crazy sell-out-in-8-minutes type of deals). She paired the dress with a black suede pair of Jimmy Choo's and Annoushka pearl drop earrings.

The next day, the royal couple had an appearance at the Blenheim War Memorial to lay a wreath down in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the First World War.

For this appearance, the Duchess donned a periwinkle Alexander McQueen suit coat most likely bespoke, accessorized with blue suede McQueen pumps, blue suede Stuart Weitzman clutch, and sapphire/diamond earrings (thought to be a re-done pair from Diana). Chic, yet, somber ensemble for the event.

Now, as far as this tour goes, there weren't very many "fancy" receptions scheduled (aka, no tiaras or fabulous evening gowns to be seen :( ). The one fancier event was the State reception at Government House.

For this reception, the Duchess wore a bespoke (for those of you not familiar with the term, it means customized) black Jenny Packham dress, complete with the New Zealand fern. She completed her look with black Jimmy Choo pumps, a black suede Mulberry clutch, and diamond earrings with matching bracelet.

The next day of the tour called for more relaxed Will and Kate looks, with their day spent greeting base personnel and their families at Whenuapai Air Force Base, followed by a friendly "race" with members of team New Zealand yacht racers.

For the first leg of the day, Kate wore a new navy Zara blazer, paired with Zara jeans, breton top by Me + Em, blue suede wedges by Stuart Weitzman, and her white topaz earrings from Kiki Mcdonough.

For the transition to the yachting portion of the day, she made a couple modifications to her outfit, removing the blazer and wedges, and putting on her taupe Sebago boat shoes. Kate even broke out a pair of brown folding Ray Ban Wayfarers for the occasion!

I just LOVE her nautical style! And for the record, Kate's team beat Will's in the race! :)

For their engagements in Hamilton (Children's Hospice visit and Cycling Center opening), the Duchess wore an emerald green Erdem dress coat (with a green and white flowery Suzannah dress underneath). I love the vibrancy of this jacket! Prince William begged to differ apparently, calling the coat "too bright".

As far as accessories go, she chose to wear her black suede Episode pumps, black suede Mulberry clutch, and emerald/diamond earrings.

The next day held three outfit changes for the Duchess, beginning with her ensemble for Palm Sunday service.

This teal dress is by designer Emilia Wickstead, a designer heavily favored by the Duchess for many bespoke creations. She completed her look with matching grey suede Emmy shoes and clutch, the diamond fern brooch, green amethyst Kiki Mcdonough earrings, and teal Jane Taylor fascinator.

For the coaching event at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium, Kate wore a relaxed look consisting of a super comfy looking cream Jonathan Saunders sweater, blue Zara skinny jeans, and grey Mint Velvet plimsolls.

The royal couple next took a tour of a vineyard, which led the Duchess to wear another casual outfit. She brought back her navy Zara blazer and skinnies, as well as the Stuart Weitzman Corkswoon wedges, but this time paired them with a white and navy blue check blouse from the GAP! For jewelry, she chose to wear her green amethyst Kiki earrings.

During her visit to the earthquake-devastated area of Christchurch, Kate chose a red Luisa Spagnoli skirt suit (which she had previously worn on one of her first official outings being engaged). She made a very conscious decision with choosing red with black accents, as those are the official colors for the town. With this beautiful Italian suit, she wore her Annoushka pearl dangle earrings, black suede Episode pumps, and black suede Mulberry clutch.

For their last day in New Zealand visiting the police college, the Duchess decided to bring back another recycled outfit. This time it was her navy tweed Rebecca Taylor suit, which she paired with her sapphire/diamond earrings, blue suede Stuart Weitzman clutch, and blue suede Alexander McQueen pumps. I love the floral detailing on this suit! It was quite the rainy day, which means bad news bears for suede!

NOW STARTS THE AUSTRALIAN LEG OF ROYAL TOUR 2014!

For their arrival in Sydney for the reception held at the Opera House, Kate deplaned in a yellow Ryedale Roksanda Ilincic dress and her Annoushka pearl earrings. Also, for the first time on this tour, she brought back her nude L.K. Bennett clutch and Sledge shoes! The yellow is fantastic homage to the Australian colors!

The next day, for the couple's tour of the Blue Mountains, the Duchess donned a gorgeous blue batik print Diane Von Furstenberg Patrice wrap dress (yet another one of those few minute sell outs!), with her navy suede Stuart Weitzman clutch and wedges, and sapphire earrings. Beautiful and breezy!

This weekend also ended up being Easter weekend, which brought on an Easter show for the royals to attend, which, in a way, almost reminded me of the Houston Livestock Show! Apparently Will and Kate visited with different farmers' exhibitions of sheep, lamb, and chickens! For this event, Kate went with Australian designer Zimmermann (famous for their bathing suits, especially), choosing a Summer 2014 white lace dress. She completed her look with Annoushka pearl drops, L.K. Bennett straw Natalie clutch, and Stuart Weitzman Minx sandals. Simple and understated, which took her into the next events for the day, being a children's hospice visit and trip to Manly Beach (where George received his first surfboard!).

The next day brought the Duke and Duchess to RNZAF Amberley base to view fighter jets, and their Brisbane reception. For both of these events, Kate went to trusty L.K. Bennett for her dress, being the blue Lasa Poppy! If you're a fan of The Mindy Project, you may remember Mindy wearing the same dress on an episode. So elegant, especially paired with her Mappin necklace and sapphire earrings, Australian designer Oroton blue box clutch (not one of my favorites, I must admit), and blue suede McQueen pumps (back from being water-logged?).

In attending Easter Sunday services, the Duchess went with a fabulous dove grey McQueen coat dress. She topped the look off with a grey fascinator from Jane Taylor, diamond and blue topaz earrings, a taupe McQueen clutch, and taupe suede L.K. Bennett Harper pumps. Very subdued, and quite elegant!

The next day's activities for the royals held a trip to the Taronga Zoo. I really enjoyed seeing all the pictures of Prince George with all the cute animals, and the little prince even had an exhibit named after him! Kate chose another repeat outfit for the day, this time being her supposedly self-designed yellow eyelet dress she wore back on the couple's trip out to the South Pacific. She accessorized with citrine drop earrings from Kiki Mcdonough, Asprey charm necklace, and Stuart Weitzman Minx sandals.

Also to note: apparently little George was not a fan of his bilby stuffy he received, because he threw it straight to the ground when William gave it to him! Haha

That same day, the Cambridges departed Sydney for Canberra. For their arrival, the Duchess wore yet another repeat outfit, this time being her cobalt blue Stella McCartney Ridley dress. She paired her Kiki citrine drops, Asprey charm necklace, and blue suede McQueen pumps with her Ridley dress.

The royal couple attended an "Indigenous Training Academy" graduation ceremony, for which Kate chose another Roksanda Ilincic piece, which is noted as being very similar to her light blue/purple dress she has worn multiple times. This time, the color chosen was a muted taupe, almost purple, which she accessorized with her nude L.K. Bennett Sledge pumps, Catherine Zoraida double leaf earrings, and Asprey charm necklace.

The very same day, on their way to the Uluru Cultural Center and Ayer's Rock (where Charles and Diana had visited almost exactly 30 years prior), the Duchess changed into a less "formal" dress. It was another repeat outfit - her Hobbs Wessex check dress and white braided belt, accented with taupe linen Pied A Terre wedges. The couple stayed at a super neat "glamping" site overnight.

On a quick few hour trip to Elizabeth and Adelaide the next day, Kate wore a bespoke powder pink two piece McQueen peplum shirt/skirt combo. She accessorized the look with her trusty taupe L.K. Bennett Sledge pumps and Natalie clutch, Asprey charm necklace, and Annoushka pearl drops. The couple toured a skate park, and learned how to DJ on this day trip.

The last couple days of the tour were very busy ones, making six appearances. On the second to last day, the first engagement was a trip to the Arboretum, which the Duchess appropriately wore green to. Specifically, she chose a bespoke emerald green coat dress by Catherine Walker, accented with her emerald earrings and taupe L.K. Bennett Sledges. I love that she brought so many brightly colored clothes with her this trip!

There was no change for the trip to Parliament for a meet and greet, or the outing to the Portrait Gallery. Later that day, attending a going away reception at Government House, Kate chose another American designer, this time a white sheath dress by Lela Rose. I like how different this dress is from a lot of her other outfits. It's very youthful and fresh. I'm also glad she went with an up-do, accented with diamond earrings and matching bracelet, black suede Jimmy Choo Cosmic pumps, and black suede Mulberry clutch. Stunning.

Early in the morning of their departure, the couple made a surprise appearance at the ANZAC Day (memorial for all who have perished during war) dawn service. It was quite dark, so it was a bit difficult to see Kate's outfit choice, but it was determined she chose her black Temperley London Noa coat. It looks like she accessorized with a cream wrap scarf and her black suede Episode Angel pumps.

For her last appearance of the tour, visiting the actual ANZAC memorial, the Duchess chose a beautiful blue twill Michael Kors coat. She paired it with a navy blue hat by Australian milliner Jonathan Harris, sapphire/diamond earrings, Asprey charm necklace, blue suede Stuart Weitzman clutch, and blue suede McQueen pumps.

Shortly after the visit to the memorial, it was time for the Cambridges' return back to London. This was a very fun trip to follow, and the family made a fantastic impression on New Zealand and Australia! Cannot wait for the next one! :)

Outfit of the Day

2014-05-09T18:05:00.004-05:00

I also wanted to post my outfit today, since I received my Roksanda Ilincic dress yesterday! I couldn't wait to wear it, so I had to put together an outfit that included this dress. I paired my navy dress with a red Zara blazer, and red suede French Sole ballet flats (since my toe is still out of comission :( )

(Of course, wore this dress without the orange belt, and left it solid navy.)

This will definitely be a repeat outfit in the future!

- L

Craft Beer of the Week!

2014-05-09T17:53:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the delay in posting a craft beer the past couple of weeks! I've been busy with a desk move and other craziness, while still working on my ginormous blog post! So, I've decided to highlight a whole brewery with my favorite beers from there, this time being Abita in Abita Springs, LA. I actually plan on making a pilgrimage there in June, when a few friends are due in town. I'm BEYOND excited!

The first Abita beer I ever tried was Purple Haze, which is described as "a lager brewed with real raspberries added after filtration. It is brewed with pilsner and wheat malts and Vanguard hops. The berries add a fruity aroma, tartly sweet taste and a subtle purple color and haze...you may see fruit pulp in the beer."

Good news to any non-Southerners - I have had multiple people tell me they have found this tasty treat (at only 128 calories per bottle) at a few different Northern joints! Woohoo!

Now my other two favorites are only seasonals:

The first being their Grapefruit Harvest IPA, which is described as "a brilliant golden IPA with a subtle zest of grapefruit flavor and aroma that enhances the strong hop character. This bright, snappy brew is made with real Louisiana Ruby-Red grapefruits, pale, pilsner and caramel malts and cascade hops."

And without further adieu, my favorite Abita beer - scratch that - favorite beer of all time, clocking in at only 128 calories as well, is their Strawberry Harvest Lager. It is the lightest, tastiest beer I have ever introduced to my body! Beyond delicious! I hate this is only sold in springtime! :( This one is described as "a lager brewed with pilsner and wheat malts and Vanguard hops. Real Louisiana strawberry juice is added after filtration resulting in a crisp lager with a sweet strawberry flavor, aroma and haze."

Delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Til' my next post! :)

- L

Outfit of the Day!

2014-04-23T13:12:00.002-05:00

I was very excited about my outfit for work today, so I decided to share it! It's mainly Topshop, with a plain black skater dress paired with my pink blazer I posted a couple weeks ago. I finished my look with black arrowhead Kendra Scott earrings, and black Pied A Terre wedges.

Pink crepe Topshop blazer

Black crepe Topshop dress

Black Pied a Terre wedge

Black arrowhead Kendra Scott earrings

Now all I need is a tan. While I was in the bathroom washing my hands at work, I saw how ghostly pale my legs were. I'm especially ashamed because I live in Texas, land of eternal sunshine! :)

Latest designer obsession...

2014-04-23T00:30:00.002-05:00

My current fashion obsession would definitely be Serbian-born Roksanda Ilincic. Her designs are almost always bright, bold, and cheery, with asymmetrical cuts. Here are a few of my standouts!

I have been slaving over a VERY long post as of late, so I apologize for this short one today! :)

Hashtag of the day...

2014-04-15T13:22:00.002-05:00

I've come to the conclusion that some guys are simply #lapdogs.

Topshop Thursday

2014-04-10T16:22:00.002-05:00

I wanted to quickly share my newest acquisition from one of my favorite retailers, Topshop. I first saw this blazer on an episode of Pretty Little Liars (who is A already?!?!), and have been searching for it since. They just reissued it for Spring 2014, and of course I had to have one. The jacket's material is crepe, so it makes for a lightweight office option (especially in the Houston heat!).

I'm excited to have a second pink blazer!

Outfit of the Day/Drink of the Week!

2014-04-09T17:01:00.003-05:00

I have decided to post an outfit of the today! I was in an especially "pink" mood today. Here is what my outfit consists of:

Zara pink linen blazer - I actually got this on sale around a year ago. Believe it or not, this is my first solid pink blazer! I was so happy when I happened to pop into the Zara Houston store, and saw this beauty for $25! I know Zara is very quick to turnover clothes for new styles, but they almost always have pink blazers in stock.

Paige Denim Skyline Ankle Peg in Beechwood jeans - These are probably my favorite pair of jeans, currently. They have just enough stretch to accommodate my larger than normal behind, yet don't stretch out where they become uncomfortably baggy. Very comfortable, and quite figure-flattering.

Zara gray beaded butterfly top - I know this is the wrong top, but it was the most similar one to my actual top. Mine is gray with a beaded butterfly. Very nice for summer, as the top is very breathable.

Charlotte Olympia fuchsia kitty flats - these are my favorite part of my outfit today. They are super comfortable, and the stitching is an exact color match for my blazer!

Onto another part of this post - the drink of the week! I have opted for a dessert martini, which is the Peninsula (of Chicago) S'Mores Martini.

1.5 oz Maker's Mark

1.5 oz Butterscotch Schnapps

1 oz Godiva chocolate liqueur

Dash of cream

Rim: Melted marshmallow fluff, sprinkled with graham cracker

I cannot WAIT to try this one! Yummo!

Have a great day everyone! :)