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Into the Week 2.26.18

When your week starts out anxious, it’s hard to imagine it will get any better. You kinda just see everyday as a never-ending marathon and you’re just working to make it through. While the week started off bumpy and definitely got even bumpier in the middle. It took only a few key moments to turn it on its head. I finished the week feeling both accomplished and inspired and happy to tackle more.

Something that definitely kept me going through the bumpy parts of the week was the brand NEW puppy that’s been hanging around our office. We actually always have a few office dogs running around, but lately we’ve had this influx of puppies and I ain’t mad at it. This little guy’s name is Mamba, he’s 10 weeks old and he’s so freaking adorable that you just can’t even. His favorite pastime is crawling up into your loop and passing out in the crook of your arm so you see why he’s an 11 on the cutie scale. It makes it hard to get work done one-handed, but oh so worth the effort.

So there are always some key indicators of when I’m having my toughest days and one of them is to throw on a pair of onesie pajamas because you just don’t care. They’re comfy, warm, it’s basically like a hug in clothing form. I came home one particularly tough day this week and it was pretty much no shame as I threw these on and ordered way too much food from one of my favorite spots. If you don’t own a pair, I think you’re crazy and I suggest you go out immediately and find the perfect ones. DO IT.

Another momentary perk-up in my week was my first trip to Mr. Holmes Bakehouse. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve definitely eaten by fair share of pastries from this local gem, I just never had been inside the VERY instagrammable storefront. I mean, neon signs, crazy cruffins and shoefie gold floors, how could you not go in person? I was clearly missing out. If you’re looking for a top shop that will give you some IG gold and crazy delicious creations, you should stop by… like immediately.

When your week starts off stressy and has some super stressy bits in the middle, it’s hard to think that anything will really turn it around. My coworker and I had been butting heads lately, more than usual and way more than I think either of us would have liked. Having been homies pretty much since I started, it sucked that in a few weeks, it felt like we were in this powder keg that was about to explode. So what did we do as bad-ass female career gals? We took the time out of our crazy busy schedules to sit down and figure things out during a long working lunch. We both came to the table ready to talk out all the issues and we came up with the perfect solutions for each problem along the way. It pretty much made my week 10 million times better.

I’ve been spending the past few weekends on the hunt for as many outdoor adventures as I can find. After a few too many weekends spent either drinking in a bar with friends or napping out on the couch, I just couldn’t shake the icky feeling that I was wasting time. Now, I’m not every against a midday siesta or a glass (or bottle(s)) of rosé with friends, it just felt like time to switch it up. This week, my boyfriend J.P. and I hiked our way to the German Tourist Club. We, of course, took this ambitious and intense route up to the club called the Dipsea Trail. After climbing up 1 BILLION stairs (actuality 680 steps) and hiking through the woods a bit, you arrive at this giant Austrian cabin in the middle of nowhere. It’s worth the trek just for the tree-filled view. Also, there’s a biergarten waiting for you when you arrive sooo… there’s something for everyone. 😉

After hiking, I had all this energy and excitement to go somewhere! Opting to skip a lot of our usual lunch spots in the city, we drove north even further to hit up a personal favorite spot in Inverness. Basically a 5 minute drive from Point Reyes, it’s home to the infamous Point Reyes Shipwreck and some REALLY awesome restaurants that feature a lot of fresh local ingredients from nearby farms.

One of my absolute favorites in the area is Saltwater. Being that close to the water, the seafood and oysters are pretty much unparalleled and I literally haven’t had a meal there that I didn’t really enjoy. Since we’re spending next weekend staying in Inverness, I fully expect to be eating more, if not every, meal at this spot. It was the perfect way to end the weekend.

Here’s hoping you go into the week thinking up a few of your own adventures!

lifestyle

Into the Week 2.20.18

Long weekends are good for many things and one of them is introspection. I had been so swept in my everyday that I think I couldn’t see much else. For President’s Day weekend, I was busy in the best way. I had a planned trip to see my parents, a lunch with my former work-wife and a day of urban hiking with my best friend, a.k.a. my boyfriend. All proved to be exactly what I needed to take the time to think inwardly about myself.

My parents live in Marin so our halfway point is usually Larkspur. It’s a 30-45 minute ferry ride across the bay with views of Golden Gate and the Bay Bride along with Alcatraz. Since I’m immensely spoiled and see those beautiful landmarks so often that I was more engrossed with the final book in the series I was reading than I was in anything else. I have a love/hate relationship when I’m reading the last book in a series. I’m desperate to see how it ends, but I’m terrified of the ACTUAL end. I’m pretty much like that about all things though. My boyfriend makes fun of me that I never watch the last season of a show because I don’t want it to end in my mind. Obviously, Friends is still on air in my head.

When you’re having one of those spans of time where it feels like you can’t see outside your tiny sphere of the everyday, go somewhere else. See people who aren’t necessarily a part of it, who might be able to give you some sound advice. Enter the parents. Even a call with them can be the perfect reminder of who you are at the core and what you want to be doing. Serious props to those who can tell it to you straight.

With a day off for a Monday (woot woot), I took the opportunity to catch up with my old work wife! She and I are basically two parts of the same Disney-loving soul. Being so swept in all my work the past two months, this was a really great chance to reconnect and talk about basically everything. It was a purely joyous feeling to just spends hours going over every bit. If you venture to San Francisco, lunch at Pizzeria Delfina is a must. The pizzas are amazing, it is walking distance to Dolores Park, Bi-Rite Creamery AND Tartine Bakery! If you live in San Francisco, this is a reminder that you need to stop by soon. Grab someone you want to talk  for hours with and just go!

And this a reminder to always eat multiple desserts because one is just never enough.

We’re huge Disney nerds so we ended our President’s Day hang out watching Cinderella with a huge bowl of popcorn and a couple scoops of Bi-Rite Creamery Ice Cream. It really put me in such a positive mood after such a moody couple of weeks. It was a reminder to myself to always do more of what makes me happy.

Here’s hoping you go into the week with courage and kindness! (Cinderella reference FTW!)

Style

Yumi Kim Floral Romper

When you open the window and feel the air is DEFINITELY warm and the sun is shining, there is nothing to do but throw on a colorful floral romper and head to a brunch spot with outdoor seating. That’s one woman’s opinion at least.
This Yumi Kim Liz silk romper has been showing up a lot in my what to wear this weekend outfits. I wear a romper at least once a week and this one pops into the rotation fairly often. I mean, it’s the perfect romper to don for Floral Fridays at our office. It gets special consideration since it can easily be dressed up or down AND has pockets too (pockets are so necessary). I’ve definitely had to resist picking up a romper in every single print.

 

I paired the dress with suede sandals that I picked from the J.Crew Factory website last year. They required no breaking in which is always a good sign for shoes and the slight twist in design this year is super cute, with the addition of a little top knot over the toes.

 

I also decided to pull out this foldover clutch that I picked up from the Who What Wear Target collection. This little color-blocked clutch with a tassel detail is great for throwing in a bigger purse to keep yourself a touch more organized, but it also works on its own. It’s roomy enough for all of your brunch essentials, including a small wallet, compact, lipstick, hand cream, sunscreen, chapstick and a reusable bag to pull out if you’re planning to do some extra shopping.

 

Romper // Shoes (old, similar) // Purse

 

Style

Lilly Pulitzer in Palm Springs

I feel like summer is the perfect time to take a load off, take a long vacation and just REALLY relax. At least for me, it seems to be one of the only times in the year where I force myself to disconnect a bit from my ‘always at my side’ phone and ‘never be more than a few hours without’ laptop. While I rarely take more than two-three days off at a time (hi, my name is brenda + I’m a workaholic), even disconnecting for two or three days is the perfect opportunity for me to just zen out and think about nothing.
For me, summer always starts Memorial Day weekend when my boyfriend and I head to Palm Springs for the long weekend to sit poolside at the Ace Hotel. It’s the perfect place to sit, do absolutely NOTHING and enjoy tropical drinks and tasty snacks while you flip through that stack of magazines you’ve been meaning to go through for months now.
The 90 degree weather gave me the best opportunity to pull out a new Lilly Pulitzer favorite. Lilly and summer seem to go together hand in hand and whenever I’m in a Lilly dress, no matter where I am, it makes me feel as if I was sitting in an adirondack chair in Nantucket enjoying the summer sun. Now that’s a bit of magic, especially if I’m sitting in an overly air-conditioned desk chair in my office.
The Ace is perfect for those looking to spend a few days doing absolutely nothing. With amazing room service, a gym, a spa, a puppy park and two different pools you’re pretty much set for everything you might need. We always go for a room with a small private deck with a fireplace so we can eat room service on our little patio, enjoying the warm air.
Seriously, I never wanted to leave.

 

 

The Valli Printed Shift Dress in Resort White La Via Loca was the perfect dress to wear to brunch on our last day in Palm Springs. I was worried that the 4 might not fit over my kinda large chest, but as I put it on, any worries were erased. It did a great job of hugging my body and the slight v-neck showed a hint of cleavage without showing too much.

Like so many Lilly dresses, I just couldn’t get over how much I love the print. That, and the fact that it was a seersucker like fabric had me sold the minute I slipped it on.

beauty

Take it Off Makeup Remover

I feel like there are a million and one new makeup removing wipes available now than the last time I looked. When I first discovered them, it just seemed like the best ‘lazy girl’ way to remove ALL of your makeup without having to go through 25 cotton pads at once. Now they have different scents, hydrating one, gentle ones, even biodegradable ones! I recently went out and bought a bunch of different makeup remover wipe backs from different brands to test out which ones would become my new go to. Check out some of the ones I’m trying below!

 

Style

Seersucker Dress

Once May finally hits, I feel like I can start storing all my winter clothes and start to pull out all of my warm weather favorites. I’ve definitely been online shopping like it’s the middle of Summer so my sundresses are in huge supply right now.
I think one of my newest favorite dresses is from this designer that I just discovered called Southern fRock. Their style totally reminds me of Lilly Pulitzer and it just makes me love that much more. I’ve never owned a seersucker dress before and now I can’t imagine life without at least one. It’s so light and breathable that it makes it perfect for any super hot day where you feel like you might get a little bit sweaty.

I loved the vertical stripes and the fit and flare style was perfect for brunching about town.

I think another reason I’ve been in love with this dress is the pockets! YES, how do dresses exist today that don’t have pockets. It makes it so much easier to carry my phone and favorite lip color of the moment when I have a small pocket to throw it into.

 

Dress (1, 2, 3, 4) // Kate Spade Purse // Tieks // Sunnies
lifestyle

Winetasting in Sonoma

With the weather feeling more like a chilly February instead of mid May (WHICH IT IS),  I’ve been taking any excuse I can find to get out of the city and warm up my bones somewhere with a few more rays of sunshine.
Enter Sonoma. My sister, ever the fan of her red wines, has joined a couple wine clubs in the area and needed a partner in crime to head up there to pick up her seasonal shipment. So obviously, I pulled out my best wine-tasting dress, wedges and fav. pair of sunnies, ready to sip some vino and soak up some sun.

 

Because it was so sunny and warm at the vineyard, I didn’t really need a heavy jacket so I opted for a light jean jacket from Old Navy. I paired it with a dress that is from one of my new favorite brands, Mink Pink. This wrap up front dress was light and airy, making it perfect for the sunny weather, and has a snap front closure so I didn’t need to worry about showing off too much.

The vineyard we ended up at was Trattore Farms. Not only do they have a  beautiful space and yummy wines, but they also make some BOMB olive oil. I’m not kidding, they’re ridiculously good and they have a million different combinations. My two favorite are the blood orange olive oil and the jalapeño infused olive oil. It was a great opportunity to restock my supply.

 

Style

MinkPink Striped Romper

Now that the weather is getting warmer, I’ve definitely been stocking up some warm weather essentials for my spring/summer closet. And this weekend’s 70+ weather gave me the perfect excuse to pull out one of my new favorite pieces and parade around. Stripes, blue and pockets, oh my!


When it comes to all things striped, my closet is chock full and I can never seem to get enough. Add a little bit of my favorite color (BLUE) and a few pockets and I can tell that this romper will definitely be a part of my daily uniform.

beauty

Spring Lipsticks

When the weather starts to get warm or, in San Francisco, less cold, I find myself itching to switch up every item in my makeup bag. I opt for brighter blushes, fun new shadows and a slew of new lip colors. Wallet, beware. I’m going for bolder, brighter, longer lasting shades that can work a full day and still look amazing. 
I could tell I had been on a major lipstick splurging kick recently when I found myself desperately needing an organizer in which I could stack and see (finally!) all the new shades I had. I went for this inexpensive option on Amazon and I’m already loving it. I finally can see all of my lip colors, have space for a few of my favorite skincare items and can also store a few of my favorite eyeshadow palettes in one place. I find that I’m actually going for more and more diversity in my daily looks because I can finally see more of what I own, including a million and one different and new lipstick shades. I’ve definitely been opting more to pinker shades, both bright and muted, transitioning to darker berry for nights out and long lasting tints for days that I already know are going to be long with little to no chance for a lipstick touchup. 
Check out a few lipstick shades that I have been using and loving lately while I celebrate all things Spring:

Style

Blue Spotted Romper

I think I may have gone a little romper crazy lately, but when it comes to a comfy look that’s also got some serious style, they’re my easiest go to look. Rue La La has become my new go to for all things online shopping. When it comes to spiffing up my wardrobe, with a full time and crazy work schedule, it’s almost impossible for me to find the time to set aside to hit the mall and scour through the racks for some one of a kind finds, but Rue La La has been making it so easy for me. I already have my sizes saved in the app which seriously cuts down on the time it takes for me to find an item I like and quickly get it before it’s gone. One of my first and favorite finds was this Eight Sixty Surplice Romper. 
The long sleeves make it totally work appropriate (yay for start up life!) and it even has a snap button closure to keep my cleavage in check. It also gets serious bonus points for having pockets to stash my phone and lipstick in. The fun polka dot print just makes it so much more vibrant and a serious mix up from my usual striped dresses or solid prints. 

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