Every once in a while, I find a piece that’s so comfy that I literally want to wear it every single day.  This dress is such a perfect fit, and the extra long zipper in the back makes it so incredibly easy to wear.  The mini length gives it a little edge, and I love the bright pop of red for spring and summer! 

And the perfect accessory to pair is this adorable FEED bag designed by Rachel Roy!  Tons of celebs have already been spotted wearing it, and I’m in love with the gorgeous pattern and lightweight fabric.  For each bag sold, 100 school meals will be provided to children in India.  What’s more fashionable than that?

Gifted Twenty dress, gifted FEED x Rachel Roy bag, gifted Shoemint heels, gifted NANNIS and Alex and Ani bracelets (similar).

You guys, Chad has been out of town for the last four days, and I have been absolutely bouncing off the walls!  As much as I love Calvin and Coco, being sick and housebound without anyone around has been SO. Incredibly. Dull.  It wasn’t so bad when I was basically just sleeping all day, but now that I’m back on my feet, I’m bored to death!

He finally gets back tonight, so I’m looking forward to some quiet nights in our neighborhood this weekend — morning walks to Starbucks, a glass of wine by the pool, and low-key dinners!  As much as I love a fun night out, I think my favorite moments are our simple, everyday staples. 

And this is the perfect outfit for a low-key, easygoing weekend!  I’ve probably worn this Mark. tank top a dozen times since getting it a few weeks ago — it’s the perfect blend of casual and sparkle!  And this skirt is a serious gem — it’s from Chaps and a mega-bargain!  I love all their summer stuff, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for fall!

Mark. Tank You Knit top, Chaps skirt, Samantha Wills bracelets, gifted NANNIS bracelet, gifted Shoemint heels, Kendra Scott earrings.

One thing that continually astounds me about Texas is how much space there is here.  Growing up in the Northeast and spending most of my adult life in Manhattan, it was crazy to picture how spread out and huge things are in this state.  When people say ‘everything’s bigger in Texas,’ it’s really true — the grocery stores here take up a full Manhattan city block.

But what that means, sometimes, is that about 30 minutes outside a city of two million people, you can have huge expanses that are nothing but wide open fields and a few hardly-trafficked country roads.  And when you stumble across one of those pretty little enclaves, you obviously have to get a couple of photos.

This dress is from the adorable online boutique Social Dress Stop, and they’ve generously offered a giveaway for you guys!  To enter to win a $50 gift certificate to their store, like Social Dress Shop and Sugarlaws on Facebook, and leave a comment below!  I’ll announce the winner next week, but if you find something you love and can’t wait to see if you’ve won, use the coupon code SUGARLAWS for 20% off your purchase!

Gifted Leona dress from Social Dress Shop, Jimmy Choo heels, gifted By Boe anklet.

Summer in Texas gets hot hot hot, and I’m really excited to spend a lot more time out by the pool in the coming months!  The first thing we did when we bought our house was to figure out putting in a swimming pool, but by the time everything was finished and working, it was already getting a little too chilly to use it!  So now, six months later, we’re finally ready to soak it up!

I wore this MIKOH coverup constantly when we were in Mexico, but it’s so cute that I kind of want to make it into a summer staple.  What a perfect easy, breezy piece for pool parties this summer! 

And as much as I love the sun and the water, I always try to be extra careful about sunscreen and protecting my skin.  A wide-brimmed hat is the perfect stylish accessory that still protects your face from harsh UV rays!

Gifted MIKOH swim coverup (it comes in so many different colors but I love the pink print!), gifted Mark. hat, gifted Samantha Wills bangles, Coach sunglasses, gifted Maya Brenner necklace, Forever 21 earrings.

You guys, when I found this vest at Marshalls, I knew I had to have it. And then I got distracted by these amazing shoes… but I still kept the vest in my cart. And even after going way over budget, I looked back at that cute little vest… and just had to have it.

And now I’m so glad that I did! I LOVE this cute little piece, and it’s such a fun way to incorporate denim without always going to jeans and shorts. Polka dots are super feminine, but the torn sleeves make it a little edgy too. Perfect with leggings or a neon skirt!

Marshalls polka dot top, Sabo Skirt miniskirt, Forever 21 bracelet, gifted NANNIS Italian Jewelry bracelet.

I wanted to let you guys know about an awesome new feature on the Simple Skincare website — Simple Sense, an outlet that gives you personalized recommendations for healthier skin! I just took it this weekend and was really impressed — their recommendations weren’t just generic “Hey, buy our products!” and they gave me some easy lifestyle tips that I plan to incorporate into my skincare routine!

One of my favorites: did you guys know that wearing makeup prevents your skin from absorbing as much oxygen? That’s one of the (many) reasons that it’s so important to take off all your makeup before you go to bed — to give your skin a break and allow it to soak up oxygen while you’re sleeping. I’m occasionally guilty of falling asleep with my makeup on (rarely, but… it happens) so this was an extra reminder for me to at least use a Simple Skincare facial wipe before going to bed!

Watch the video for some more about my results (and the places where I could use some improvement), and definitely go take Simple Sense and see what it says for you!

Spring has definitely sprung in Houston, and after a brief chilly weekend, we’re heading straight into summer.  Since I’ve been in Houston for over a year and a half now, I’ve been trying to explore the city a little bit more.  There have been so many articles about fun things to do in Houston, and I haven’t even done some of them yet!  So I decided to check out the Museum of Fine Arts’ Bayou Bend Gardens (and to take some outfit photos, if you have to know the truth).

But when I got there?  Closed!

Yes, seriously.  I couldn’t get into the garden because of a big, locked gate.  So, after wailing in disappointment, I decided to get a few shots of me at the entrance to the gardens, which is also quite pretty on its own.  Someday I’ll make it inside!

Zara dress (old), gifted NANNIS bracelet, Jimmy Choo heels, gifted Beso Beso ring. 

Once a year, everyone thinks about roasting a turkey — but what about the other 52 weeks? 

I love turkey, don’t get me wrong.  It’s delicious, it’s impressive, and it’s actually pretty darn healthy.  But you know how often you’re going to buy and roast an 18-pound turkey?  Once a year.  Exactly that much.

But the same techniques can be used on smaller birds, and they’re just as delicious!  (Ok, maybe not “just as” delicious, but also very delicious!) A perfect roast chicken only takes an hour and a half, and it’s SO much better than the boneless, skinless chicken breasts you buy at the store. 

My secret trick?  Start the chicken upside down!  That way, as you cook, all the delicious moist juices run over the breast and not just into the bottom of the pan.  An added bonus?  No basting!  Easy, simple and super delicious.

Perfect Roast Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 5-6 pound roasting chicken
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Wash the chicken and dry it with paper towels.  Rub olive oil under the skin gently with your hands, and then over the skin.  Season the entire chicken with garlic powder, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  Place the chicken in a roasting pan upside down (breast side down) and cook for about 60 minutes.  After 60 minutes, flip the chicken over so that the breasts are facing up, and cook for an additional 30 minutes until the breast temperature is 180 degrees and the thigh is 190 degrees. 

Let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes before cutting into it.  Serve in large portions with a simple side salad or roasted vegetables. 

So, let me tell you a story about this weekend: we experienced our first Houston flood.

Chad and I had a busy day on Saturday — we had a friend’s daughter’s birthday party, and on the way home, it was raining extremely hard (like, scary to drive in) but we made it home and were getting ready to go out to a charity ball that I’ve been working on for the past YEAR.

And about half an hour before we were going to leave, we look outside at our street, and… flooded.  Like, water coming up our (thankfully elevated) driveway, about 12 inches from getting into our house.  The pool was filled up to ground level, but thankfully, it was draining well and not coming into the house.  But the street had probably two and a half feet of sitting water.

Obviously, we couldn’t drive in it, so we wound up having to miss the whole event — a major disappointment that was obviously necessary but still kind of sad.  The next morning, I was still a little bummed out, so what I really wanted was an outfit that said “comfy” as much as it said “stylish.”

But fortunately, my closet has tons of options for a Sunday morning pity party. I fell in love with MIH jeans last year, and this new pair is living up to that very high standard!  I love that they’re a little cropped so they didn’t even need tailoring — a big plus when you’re 5’2″!  And Nine West has always been my secret for cute heels that are actually comfortable — I have pairs that I’ve worn 100+ times!  When I reach for shoes for a busy day, comfort is usually the most important factor.

The good news: Chad and I are hosting another charity event this weekend!  If you’re in Houston, come join us for a Kentucky Derby Party (invite with details is here)!  I’ll be breaking out the cute outfit I couldn’t wear this past weekend! :-/

Gifted MIH jeans (“Paris” style in “Gidget” wash!), Sabo Skirt top, gifted Nine West sandals, gifted By Boe necklace and anklet.

You guys have already seen my love of spring florals — and let me tell you, it’s not going away anytime soon.  Once I got into these bold, bright patterns, the next step was obvious: mixing them.

I’m excited to be home for a while after a crazy April!  I loved getting away for a little bit — it’s amazing how recharged you feel when you get back!  I’m looking forward to a really productive summer this year, and it’s nice to face it with some energy and motivation!

Sabo Skirt blazer and dress, Kate Spade clutch, gifted George Gina and Lucy tote (similar).