Quirky, Hilarious Holiday Cards by Julie Ann Art

Guys - if you aren't familiar with Julie Ann Art, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU.

I've been following Julie Ann's work for years. It was the first Christmas card I bought my husband, and I've been cracking up over her stationary ever since. To be honest, I've felt like a *whee bit* of a stalker at times - liking all her Instagram photos, giggling at her blog posts, and admiring her major girl boss-ness. I wish you could have seen my face when I learned she was moving East to the DC area...and then when she reached out to grab drinks - I was in girl crush heaven over here. (PS she's just as cool and funny and incredible in person as I'd hoped!)

Anyway - I thought it'd be super fun to share a few of my favorite holiday cards she makes. This is in no way sponsored...I just dig her work. So without further ado, a collection of my favorite cards and things...

SHOP ALL OF JULIE ANN ART'S CARDS + FUNNY STATIONARY HERE

Escaping Town with Getaround

As many of you know, I live out in wine country…yes, I commute daily into the city and yes, it’s a nightmare. However, I truly love where we live and to me, it’s worth it…especially this time of year. 

While we’re only about a 5-10 minute drive to many of Loudoun’s top wineries, pumpkin patches and apple orchards, it’s about an hour for my friends who live in Arlington or DC. And many of them don’t own a car - they just take the metro or uber everywhere they need to go. However, this time of year, everyone’s itching to get out of the city and truly get into the Fall spirit! 

Now even the saviest of my city friends can explore everything Fall has to offer outside the city with Getaround, a rent-a-car on-demand service that let’s you borrow people’s cars by the hour. They’ve just arrived in Washington, D.C. so when they offered to let me take a spin in the new Tesla Model X (available to rent here!), I couldn’t miss the opportunity! 

We picked up the car at the owner’s property in DC after seeing The Head and The Heart in concert (one of the best shows I’ve ever been to.) Using Getaround was quite easy actually - although I wasn’t initially so familiar with how a Tesla operates, the owner was so helpful in helping out, texting me as I picked it up and even unlocked it for me from the house. 

Gonna take a quick detour to talk about this car for a moment. I’m not a “car girl” per se, however, this was definitely the coolest car I’ve ever driven. I felt like I was on an episode of Top Gear, driving down the road talking about all the cool features I had never experienced before…and it’s SO quiet and the extended windshield made me feel like I was driving a convertible without all the wind in my face. 

The next morning, we woke up bright and early to visit Great Country Farms to really get a feel for Fall. I’d read about their apple cider donuts and wanted to make sure I’d be first in line. Let me just say - they’re SO worth the hype. I ate a few before realizing MAYBE I should slow down a bit. They’re that good. 

I remember visiting Great Country Farms when I was younger, but now that I’m an adult, I had no idea there were so many things to do there. First, there’s the cutest market ever right inside the barn with kettle corn, hot apple cider and lots of cute old timey treats. Before be-lining straight to donuts, we passed a few of the super adorable farm animals (this is why I’m a vegetarian, friends!) 

After picking the perfect pumpkin and getting a few dozen apple cider donuts, we admired the foliage as we drove back into DC for brunch. Returning the car was as seamless as picking it up. We had our scheduled time to drop off, and the owner even came outside to chat with us about the experience driving the Model X (which was, of course, phenomenal!)

If you’re interested in getting out of the city to explore all things Fall in the country or perhaps wanting to go home for the holidays and looking for an affordable solution, definitely check out Getaround. From $5/hour, you can choose form thousands of cars nearby. I’ll be honest - at first I was nervous about the insurance portion - what if someone rear ended me? Would I be liable for that? Luckily - their coverage includes primary liability, collision, comprehensive, theft, and uninsured motorist protection…so you can rent without worrying.

Maybe you’re interested in earning a little extra money instead of having your car sit idle while you’re at work? Check out their article on the benefits of car sharing here. For more questions, be sure to check out their FAQ page online. 

This post was done in partnership with Getaround. All opinions are my own.

My Favorite Taco Spot - Chaia

In honor of Taco Tuesday, I'm excited to share one of my favorite food spots with you. Friends, I'm not going to beat around the bush today - I'm gonna give it to you straight. As one should when it comes to tacos and saying things like "the best tacos I've ever had." Because I don't use that term lightly. Insert Chaia.

Chaia is still a relatively new restaurant located right off Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown, but has already gained a cult following. Its beautiful instagram-worthy diggs will have even the pickiest food poster snapping multiple photos before consuming the delectable dishes.

They pride themselves in being farm-to-taco, offering plant-based quick eats that support local farmers and utilizes what's in season. You'll be surprised to learn that the entire menu is vegetarian. PLEASE DON'T STOP READING. Washingtonian Magazine said, “Chaia's vegetarian fare bests even the most flavorful fish or steak tacos." And I might be biased, being I'm vegetarian and all, but these tacos will give any meaty tacos a run for their money.

But listen, don't take my word for it. See for yourself. You won't regret it. 

Chaia is located at 3207 Grace Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20007 and open from 11-9 during the week and 10-9 on the weekends.

Favorite Finds: SoulCycle's August Collection

On my journey to a healthier lifestyle over the past year, I’ve realized there are a few things that are essential for my well-being: Eating clean, building relationships, and working out.

But with the late summer nights and countless events to attend (and also when Netflix has been ON POINT), I tend to let my physical fitness slide by the wayside.

So when I’ve been bad about working out (guuuillttyyyy), nothing gets my back to the gym faster than some new workout clothes. Well that and seeing photos of Gigi Hadid because that girl can rock a swimsuit like no one’s business.

SoulCycle, one of my favorite ways to workout, just launched their latest clothing line collection! In case you’re not familiar with SoulCycle, it’s a stationary bike studio where riders engage in high intensity cardio (burning between 500-700 calories in 45-minutes), while also toning their upper bodies using hand weights and core-engaging choreography. The exercise program focuses on rhythm and the “energy of the pack,” which creates a strong bond between riders. Ever since my first class, I’ve been hooked. (PS have you been before? They have 5 studios in the area - Georgetown, West End, Bethesda, 14th Street and Mount Vernon area) so if you haven’t definitely check them out!)

Now that you have a little history on one of DC’s favorite ways to work out, let’s talk a bit about the fitness fashion that Soul Cycle just launched. Friends, IT’S GOOD. REALLY, REALLY, GOOD. I have one of their hoodies and wear it all the time. And with my birthday week just beginning (yes, my official birthday was yesterday but we like to keep birthdays going for a couple weeks around these parts), I’m feeling like I need a bit of a stylish push in the fitness direction.

Check out a few of my favorite styles below from their latest collection. You can shop their pieces in-store or online here. Which ones are your favorite?! (Photos via SoulCycle)

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Father's Day Gifts That Aren't Lame

I’m always late to the game. Whether it’s jumping on a particular trend or picking up a last-minute present for a bridal shower, I can never seem to get my act together. But if you’re also a last-minute gifter like me, you know it’s the literal worst. After one too many sloppily-written birthday cards in the car, I’m done. This year, I’m going to make a very concerted effort to get ahead of the game.

But here's the thing - I'm a very picky gift-giver. I want my gifts to be thoughtful. My issue is that I'm always searching a thousand different stores to find just the right item. Luckily, I recently discovering Uncommon Goods. They have SO MANY amazing gift ideas for every occasion imaginable. Let them do the hard work for you - I certainly did! They offer graduation gifts (they offer tons of personalization!), presents for baby showers (how is that EVERYONE AND THEIR MOMS are having babies right now?), anniversary gifts for friends (can someone please forward THIS to my husband?!) and then of course, special ideas for your man.

As Father’s Day is coming up next month (June 17), I’m starting to look for gifts NOW. Plus, Father’s Day is kind-of hard for me. Mother’s Day? Easy peasy. I know my mom, her style, the accessories she likes and the flowers that look best on her kitchen table. My dad is another story.

My dad, a photographer, nature lover, food inventor and garden grower, is not as easy to buy for. He has every cookbook imaginable, is not into wearing ties and also has an overflowing collection of Hawaiian shirts (much to the chagrin of my step-mom!) So what does one get the hard-to-shop-for-dad? Check out a few of these cool gift ideas for Dad I found on Uncommon Goods below!

For the Foodie:
Steampunk Coffee Grinder • Himalayan Salt Tequila Glasses • Foodie Dice • Beer and Food Pairing Guide Towel • Beer Pop Chart

For the Sports Obsessed:
Golfers BBQ Set • Tabletop Cornhole • The Mug with a Glove • Desktop Golf • Baseball Stadiums Tie

For the DIY Dad:
Handy Dad Book • Dear Dad Arts and Crafts Book • Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit • Old Fashioned Carry-On Cocktail Kit

This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods. All opinions are my own.