Little Thrills

In 2007, I received the September issue of Vogue in the mail. The fall fashion issue. I noticed how the cover boasted the record-breaking 840 pages so I kept it for about a year, stored in a trunk after I finished reading it. When my mom was helping me move the following summer, she convinced me to throw it away.

Then they made a movie about all the awesomeness of the September 2007 issue of Vogue... The issue I threw away.

Five years later, I finally have redemption! We are now looking at 916 pages of the fashion feast that is the September 2012 issue. I'm going to be buried with this magazine.

Follow me on Instagram to see even more of my little thrills!

A Vineyard Vacation in Instagrams

The weekend before last, my fella/fiance and I took a weekend trip to the Texas wine country. Long story short, I drank too much wine during the weekend and fell asleep when I was supposed to be posting these photos. I took some outfit photos from that weekend, as well, but I am destroying all of them because I look drowsy and have purple teeth in each one.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
1) The Hilmy Cellars porch is built almost entirely from cedar
2) A vineyard view at Hilmy Cellars
3) Unpasteurized cheese and cured meats, yum
4) The William Chris tasting room is actually a converted 100-year-old house
5) The fiance enjoying a syrah
6) Label from the William Chris Vineyard

A Shopping Trip in Instagrams

My friend, Margaret, and I took a trip to J.Crew last week to develop her spring wardrobe. Margaret has great instinct about what pieces will work with those she already owns and new trends she wants to incorporate. Another great habit she keeps is walking in the door with her budget already set, in order to make better decisions and not overspend.

One hour, two bottles of water, and a dozen outfits in the fitting room later, Margaret was done! I think Efficient is her middle name. My favorite items she ended with were the No. 2 pencil skirt in citron and a plaid perfect shirt. (And I took these home to play!) Check out some Instagrams I took of the fun evening.

1) Margaret in the Dolores dress in prospect purple
2) Before trying on the clothes
3) Items purchased
4) Margaret in a winning outfit, including the Minnie pants and Rainy Day Bow Ballet Flats in blue grotto

Little Thrills

I like the idea of highlighting little treasures I pick up or discover throughout the week, so I'm planning to make this "Little Thrills"  post a weekly one...

This week I bring you my new favorite (read: my only) lipstick. Normally, I stick to lip balm, or -- if things are getting really wild -- slightly pink-tinted lip gloss. But, I was flipping through a magazine last week and was uncharacteristically drawn to an ad for Maybelline SuperStay 14HR Lipstick. Hours later, during a (very characteristic) trip to Target, I spotted the Maybelline display and selected the perfect shade of beige.

Maybelline SuperStay 14HR Lipstick in Beige ForGood

I can't say this lipstick lasts 14 hours, but when I apply it diligently, it definitely lasts all through the workday. It's the one thing I haven't taken off all week!

The Texas Style Council in Instagrams

Much of the weekend was wet and rainy, but Sunday afternoon brought sunny skies and the Texas Style Council conference. This was my second year to attend, and just like last year, the symposium did not disappoint.

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1/2) The front and back of my DIY business card (I stained the paper in black tea)

3) View of the crowd before Kendi's keynote

4) The conference schedule and my manicure -- OPI's "Cajun Shrimp" and Essie's "Absolutely Shore"

5) Stripes side-by-side with Jennifer, my blogger AND real-life friend

6) A panel featuring J, Jen, Elizabeth, and Kyla, and moderated by Molly

Napa and San Francisco in Instagrams

The fella and I spent a long weekend in California, exploring Napa and San Francisco, for no good reason other than we like eachother a lot. I returned to Austin about 20 lbs heavier, and only 10 of those were from bringing back  bottles of wine.

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1/2) Our B&B in Napa

3/4) Waiting for lunch at Rutherford Grille and wine tasting at Peju

5/6) The cave underneath the Far Niente winery

7/8) A picnic lunch at Rutherford and the lawn at Frog's Leap
9/10) Pretty vineyard "weeds" and the Stag's Leap entrance 

11/12) Driving into San Francisco and my first clam-chowder-in-a-breadbowl

13/14) Watching the seals at sunset on Pier 34 and dessert at Ghirardelli Square

15/16) Two different views of San Fransciso from our boat out to Alcatraz

17/18) Alcatraz Island and our farewell sub sandwich lunch at Little Luca's

My Weekend in Instagrams

This weekend provided a healthy mix of relaxation, productivity, and fun times. Friday night was extremely low key, meaning the sweatpants came on early. Saturday, however, started with a run at Town Lake and ended with a friend's birthday party, of which I unfortunately took no photos. And on Sunday, the fella helped me make a few updates on my blog and made chili and cornbread for dinner. It's like a have some dirt on him, but I don't! 

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1) Getting a lot of use out of my Starbucks refillable mug... all coffee is free when I take this to a Starbucks anytime in January :)
2) Shopping trip to the J.Crew Factory Store with my discount before I work my last shift as an employee
3) Cooper taking one of 17 naps during the weekend
4) The fella helping me with the blog
5) Homemade chili for dinner

My Weekend in Instagrams

The cedar allergies that tore me up last weekend reared their ugly head again on Friday, and I spent the day recovering from the effects. Luckily, the next day, the fella and I took a quick road trip to Houston to watch both the Olympic trials for the marathon event and the Houston Marathon. Not only did we get to see some amazing athletes, I was able to flee cedar season for a couple of days. Here are a few Instagram photos I took during my weekend retreat:

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1) After a day of living off orange juice and soup, I was ravenous for Indian food (my favorite!) on Friday evening

2) Packing for the quick trip to Houston

3) Setting up our chairs to watch the Olympic trial qualifiers whiz by

4) Hanging out with Gadget, the fella's dog, at mile 7 of the Houston Marathon

5) Enjoying a glass of vino and admiring my new manicure (Essie's "Cocktail Bling") on Sunday night

Stay tuned for some more posts this week!

My Weekend in Instagrams

This weekend, I survived the epic battle of Cedar Allergies versus Jenn. Cedar nearly won, so besides venturing out for a couple meals with friends, I remained a homebody. Here are a few Instagram photos I took during my low-key weekend.

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1) Ordering a Tom Collins at dinner on Friday

2) Trying out my lovely new candle stands, a Christmas gift from the fella's family

3) A forgotten surprise, the American Apparel circle scarf, arrived after being on backorder for weeks

4) My new (teen fiction) book for an upcoming book club meeting

5) Baking peanut butter cupcakes from this book, another Christmas gift from my aunt

Stay tuned for some more posts this week!