Friday Favorites!

Lordy, lordy how is it already April?!  The month has come in with its usual showers and strange temperature patterns as always.  Have I mentioned I am excited for some REAL spring weather??

It's Friday, so time for another edition of my five favorites from the week.  

{One}

Ruffle-Overlay Bikini Top from Old Navy.  Who knew to shop at Old Navy for swimsuits??  I saw this top in a magazine a few days ago and decided to order it online and give it a try. Only $17 -- how could I resist?

{Two}

A lunch date with my mom at Red Red Wine Bar in Annapolis.  A week from hell = much needed "mommy & me" time on Tuesday.  She's always the best to talk to, and it doesn't hurt that I got a great meal out of it too!  I ordered the steak salad (sub champagne vinaigrette for the raspberry dressing) and it was delicious.

{Three}

Ahh, yes.  "Not Giving in" by Rudimental -- an oldie but goodie.  SO appropriate for my life this week.  Give it a listen. 

{Four}

"Georgica" Jelly Sandals.  Loveeee me some Jack Rogers.  I've been eyeing these for a few weeks now online at Nordstrom and the only reason I haven't purchased them yet is because I want to go into the store and try them on first.  At first, I assumed these would be pretty uncomfortable, but after talking to a friend who has a pair she said they are not at all -- great news!  Who knows what color I will decide on, but for under $50 maybe I'll snag two ;-)

{Five}

Picture of me and my main man from a few months ago in Baltimore.  I stumbled upon this article earlier today and absolutely loved it.  If you have ever met me and/or my dad, then I don't need to tell you how much of a sucker I am for my dad.  Even though this article is a little bit past due (considering the fact that I am 25 years old), I still love to read things like this.  Obviously passed it along to my dad as soon as I read it.  Read it, and then go ahead and give your dad a call just to say hey and that you love him. :)

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Easter this weekend.  I know I said I'm giving it up soon, but I'll be the blacked out family member at our Easter dinner on Sunday.  Cheers!

Wants: Lilly Pulitzer for Target

As I mentioned in my last post, I typically do not wear Lilly Pulitzer clothes, but man oh man am I excited for the upcoming release of the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collection!! SO many cute things at such affordable prices.  Dresses for under $40 -- seriously??  And so many cute accessories!

Here are some of the things I'm currently eyeing ... Come on April 19th!!

Life is a party, dress like it. 

~Lilly Pulitzer

Friday Favorites

Oh my I have been slacking big time lately with my Friday posts.  Remember when Fridays used to be pretty laid back days where you could just sorta chill and not feel too terrible about it?!  It seems to have been the opposite for me lately!  Anyways, I am excited to get back into sharing some of my favorite things from the week -- here are this week's five favorites:

One

Loving my batch of new workout clothes I bought this week.  Something I definitely do not need, but decided to treat myself to anyways.  I have felt like I've needed to spice up my workouts a bit and new clothes is the perfect way to do it -- I find working out is way more fun when you have new clothes to do it in :).  I picked up all of these items (two pairs of leggings, one pullover, one tank top, and an Under Armour headband) from Marshall's for only $43!

Two

"Bloodstream" by Ed Sheeran and Rudimental.  Trust me, you will want to add this to your listening stream.  

Three

Eliza J Print Jersey A-Line Dress from Nordstrom.  Welp, this is freaking adorable and perfect for a spring shower of any kind.  It comes in two colors/prints, but my favorite is the "multi" color.  Definitely will be getting this!

Four

Deep-Fried Sriracha Balls.  Enough said.  Seriously.  Found this recipe earlier in the week and cannot wait to try it for the next party I go to or host.  It's pretty hard not to like something that is deep-fried, and the fact that it's sriracha sounds all too good. 

Five

Lilly Pulitzer for Target Lookbook.  Mark your calendars -- April 19, 2015!  I've never been hugely into Lilly Pulitzer (it's a little too preppy for me), but after viewing the lookbook just released on Target's website I am totally swooning over some of the clothes.  I can't even begin to pick my favorites, but I love some of the accessories and maxi dresses.  I think there are a lot of people hugely anticipating this date!

Under $25

It FINALLY has been feeling like spring around here lately, so the hunt.is.on. for some new spring clothes & accessories.  There's only one small problem: that whole money thing ...yeah (sigh).  I promised myself I would do better with saving money this year (ugh, damn you adulthood!).  I love a good bargain (don't we all), but don't want to look like what I am wearing is cheap.  Who is with me?!

I'm not nearly fashionable enough to put together entire outfits, but here are a few of my favorite finds -- all of which are less than $25 each!

1.   Abstract Tribal Print Romper // Forever 21 // $15

2.   Teardrop Fan Stud Earrings // Nordstrom // $12

3.   BKE Cuff Bracelet // Buckle // $13

4.   American Flag Knitted Wraparound Infinity Scarf // Soho Girl // $15

5.   Long-sleeved Blouse // H&M // $22

6.   Metallic Strap Sandals // Forever 21 // $13

7.   Leaf-shaped Earrings // H&M // $9

8.   Jersey Shift Dress // Old Navy // $15

9.   "TURN" Vintage Levi High-waisted Denim Shorts // Etsy // $25

10.   Sleeveless Peplum Top // Forever 21 // $15

11.   Small Shoulder Bag // H&M // $12

12.   Tula Tribe Pendant Necklace // Prima donna // $20

13.   Striped Loafers // H&M // $15

Happy Shopping! :)

ClassPass

Have you heard about it?  Seems to be the latest fitness craze for cities across the U.S., and I think the "founders" are on to something.  I must admit, I have not signed up for ClassPass myself, but I have been reading up on it a bunch and am intrigued by the concept.  

Here is how it works: for $79-$99/month (varies by city) you can enjoy unlimited fitness classes at participating studios in your area.  From my research, it looks like most of the classes include pilates, yoga, cycling, and barre.  Sounds pretty great in theory, right?  It's not quite as glamorous as it sounds (in my opinion).  The catch: you can only visit each particular studio up to three (3) times per month.  Even if one group/studio has multiple locations throughout your area -- too bad.  Still can only attend three in a month across all locations.  So, if you love love loooove that one spin studio, you're kinda SOL when you use ClassPass because you can't visit it more than three times in a given month.  Now, it's great if you are up for trying different classes and studios and like the ones in your area -- there's no limit on the number of classes you take each month (subject to the previously-mentioned caveat, of course).  Another bonus: you can sign-up/register for most of the class(es) you want to take about a week in advance, so it's great for planning purposes.  Find answers to many more questions on their FAQ page.  

If you are a fitness junkie and there are several participating studios in your area/city, then I think it's probably a pretty good deal for you.  Presently, Baltimore/Annapolis has four participating studios: Rev Cycle, Pop Physique, Charm City Yoga, and Pure Barre.  Practically speaking, this gets me (at most) 12 classes per month.  Considering a single class at any one of these studios will cost me anywhere between $12-$22, financially, it is worth it for me to sign up for the Pass.  However, I hate yoga, cry in anguish every time I take a barre class, and I teach spin ...so, you can do the math.  

If you are interested in giving ClassPass a shot, you can sign up here.  If you are in the Baltimore/Annapolis area, find more information about the participating studios on the ClassPass blog, which I find very helpful for keeping up with what's going on and any new locations that are added.  If you do give it a try, please report back and share your thoughts/experiences!

Cheers to fitness!

Papi's Taco Joint: A Must Try

Papi's Taco Joint in Fells Point is a must try for anyone around the Baltimore area.  It is a casual and fun establishment with superb specials on any day of the week.  Even on a Monday night, Papi's knows how to attract a crowd.  I went for Margarita Monday, where all of their signature margaritas are just $3 all day!  Normally $7, this is a deal that you cannot pass up.  If you make it in time for happy hour, you can enjoy sangria, draft beers, tequila shots, and a few other speciality drinks all for only $3 each, and $1 tacos.  

The menu is huge (almost overwhelming) and has just about any Mexican-inspired dish you can imagine.  I had the Rajas con Nopales, which I still don't quite know what that is.  Based on the description ("roasted mild poblana chiles sauteed with cactus leaf, queso de Oaxaca, crema Mexicana, white onions, corn, and fire salt"), I was expecting something like a chile relleno -- wrong (but not necessarily in a bad way).  The dish was more like a Chipotle rice bowl.... without the rice.  I thought it was delicious and way more than I could eat in one sitting, so I brought the rest home and will have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.  Per usual, I filled up on way too many chips and salsa before the meal came out.  We also ordered the guacamole, which is about as fresh as you can imagine.  It allegedly is "prepared table-side," but it pretty much comes out fully prepared and the only thing that is done table-side is a final stir and some garnishing.  Didn't bother me -- the guac was fantastic.  The menu claims the guac is for two, but four of us munched on it and polished off almost an entire basket of chips, so I think it's safe to say it is a portion large enough for at least 2-4 people.  

I did not sample the tacos, but you have the option to customize your own from several choices.  Don't let the options fool you, though -- the tacos are pretty small but appropriately priced at $5 or $6 for an order (two tacos in one order).  I've heard the chorizo and the carnitas ones are good!

Didn't document too much of the meal tonight because I was more focused on catching up with some friends, but here are a few pictures from my meal.  I highly recommend Papi's!

           

                   

 

Chocolate Chip Scones

What is a scone, anyway?  Some sort of muffin / biscuit / cookie hybrid - that's the best way I can describe a scone.  For whatever reason, I was inspired last night to bake some chocolate chip scones (gluten free, of course).  I pretty much used the first recipe I found on a simple google search and tweaked it juuuust a bit (I won't tell you how!).  They are d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s.  A little more dense than I maybe would have preferred, but I blame that on the gluten free aspect rather than the character of an actual scone.  They were very quick and easy to make and I encourage you to give them a try!  Here is the recipe:

First, you will need ...

• 1 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces (I cut it into large cubes)
• 1 C milk
• 1/2-3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (depending on how sweet you want to make them)

Then, you will need to ...

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together your dry ingredients first: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Then, add the cold pieces/cubes of butter and "rub" them into the mixture.
• Once the mixture is combined so that it feels like wet sand (I know this is not the most appetizing way to describe a treat you're about to bake, but it is the best I could do), and the cubes of butter are coarsely coated, add the milk, stirring gently as you pour.  
• Stir until the mixture is completely combined - it will be thick.  Fold in the desired amount of chocolate chips.
• Scoop batter in large spoonfuls and place about an inch apart on the baking sheet.  I chose to keep things extra simple and just dropped the batter in circles (more like blobs), but feel free to get as creative and fancy as you would like with shapes!
• Bake for about 23-25 minutes, or until the tops and edges of the scones are lightly browned.  Remove from oven and place scones on cooling rack for about five minutes.  They taste best when served warm :)