Lyon + Post

People always love to ask how you’re doing. “Great!” is my typical response, quickly followed by, “Work has been so busy lately!” Do you know the story? 

Busyness.

If you live in the DC area or if you’re a human being, you’ve grown to know and accept this as part of LIFE as we know it. Too busy to go to the mall, and when you do, it’s a hot mess. So busy that most days, I don’t have time to get to the mall before it closes. And I’m not a huge fan of ordering things online because when it doesn’t fit, I hate my card being charged, getting the item, hating it, having to return it, and wait for those funds to be put back into my account. It’s truly exhausting, no?

What if there were a service that let you try on clothes, that you pick - for free? WHAT? That’s insane, Julien. BUT WHAT IF IT’S NOT?

Allow me to introduce you to my latest obsession: Lyon + Post. They’re into the ‘try before you buy’ method and unlike other subscription boxes, they let you choose the items you’re trying. You can try four items at a time, view the prices beforehand and you have 7 days to decide if you’re keeping anything. I mean, hi. Where have you been all my life?! Oh and did I mention they price match? I scored a sweet pair of Cameo culottes $20 off because I did a little research. BAM. 

But wait! There’s more! (Please please tell me you read this in the Rom Popeil infomercial voice.) Not only is it free to try on clothes, but I have a special link for $30 off if you find something you love! They have all the best brands like Cameo and Bec+Bridge (my favorite Australian brands you can't find anywhere), Joie, Greylin, Paige Denim, Vince, and more.

You can use this link when registering and $30 will be applied to your account! You can thank me later. ;)

Cava

I’ve mentioned this before, but I don’t really go out to eat all that often. So when I do go out, it’s kind of important that the food and atmosphere are above and beyond. I want great food, great atmosphere, great service, the works! Unapologetically, I really want it all.

And we got it ALL when I went to Cava Mezze with some of my best gal pals. I’d been to their famous Cava Grill a zillion times (it’s like a mediterranean Chipotle for those who haven’t been) and their fancier locations (Cava Mezze - more tapas style) are perfect for intimate dinners with people you love. Honestly, some of my very best memories and friendships were made at Cava.

This time, we tried their Clarendon location and it didn’t disappoint (note: not surprised.) And let me JUST say - I’m also Greek…so I’m very picky when it comes to Mediterranean food. I had the spanakopita (MY FAVE), beet salad and the brussels sprouts. It’s literally all I can do not to eat there every single day.

ANYWHO - enough talking, let’s get to the pics. Special thanks to John Robinson who joined us in our girls night to snap these super lovely photos! And see the full outfit I wore here! (And scroll to the bottom to see a very behind-the-scenes pic of us shooting ha!)

He even caught us in the act...of SHOOTING OUR LOOKS! He he. So embarrassing ;)

Wander

Wanderlust has taken over my life. From seeing friends on vacation to my favorite bloggers in exotic corners of the world, I’ve been in a major state of envy. All I want to do is travel the world and explore. We endure the daily grind so that one day, when we save enough, we too can explore the world.

This summer, we’ve taken to exploring the things around us. We’ve cut back in other areas for our upcoming trip to St. Lucia (!!!) so it's been a whole 'lotta hanging out around home. But it’s been kind of wonderful - exploring the things in our own backyard…discovering a new wine bar just down the street…finding the tastiest cheese at our local farmer’s market. It’s really, truly the little things in life.

A few weeks ago (before the big chop) we drove past a flower farm and I insisted the hubby make the nearest U-turn so we could check it out! It was kind of a magical. Flowers surrounding us, butterflies everywhere - I never wanted to leave.

As the summer slowly comes to a close, I’d like to challenge each of you to make your own adventures. Craving some sunshine and sea? Make a day trip to Virginia Beach! Hate the traffic? Get a pass at a rooftop pool in DC and live out all your happy feels while you pretend you're in Bali. Anything, anywhere, can become an adventure if you make it one.

On Julien: GAP jumpsuit c/o, H&M bag, Free People espadrilles via South Moon Under, Hanuel and Trina Turk bracelets, and GAP scarf. Hair courtesy of Hair Cuttery in Purcellville.

Collide

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to say it, but thank you soo much for the sweet as pie birthday messages, comments, texts, snapchats and IRL bday love. Special shout out to my babe Casey who brought me the yummiest chocolate chip cookies (sprinkled with sea salt!) as a special birthday treat. 

We celebrated the night by going to hear Howie Day at a super small venue near our house! We’d seen him at The Hamilton years ago and were so impressed we wanted to see him again! He does his smaller shows as a one man band - he’ll record sounds with his guitar live on stage, play them back, and create this incredibly dynamic music with it. We even got to meet him after the show! I blabbered on about how Shawn played “Collide” for our high school talent show and we shared our mutual love for Ben Folds. It was pretty epic.

So what did I wear to meet Howie? I wore my favorite sundress from Goodnight Macaroon, the cutest little online boutique. I’ve been leaning towards neutrals lately, so it was fun to pop on something a bit more colorful to celebrate! I topped off the look with my new rose gold Sophie Blake necklace (an early birthday gift from the honey!)

Be sure to check out Howie’s music if you’re not familiar with him - I garuntee you’ll find yourself binge-listening to his new tunes.

On Julien: Goodnight Macaroon dress, Sophie Blake necklace, H&M bag (old), Coach shoes (similar.)

Fenway Park

We’re big fans of the Redsox. But we’re even bigger fans of my grandfather. 

A few weeks ago, he was honored for his service in front of 40,000 fans at Fenway Park. Of course, we flew up to Boston for the occasion and got to spend a long weekend with my family.

Seeing my 94-year old grandfather wave to the thousands of people from the field was one of the most awesome moments of my life. He sacrificed so much - for our country and for our family. I loved being able to witness other people seeing what an incredible man he is…an ex-POW that has a purple heart medal in his living room and happens to be the best grandfather of all time.

When he went back to his seat, the crowds stood and cheered, “USA! USA!” People took photos with him afterward and thanked him for his service. I couldn’t have kept my eyes dry if I tried.

I wanted to share a few photos from that very special day - you can watch the videos below if you’d like too! Just beware, waterworks may or may not come forth upon viewing. 

Video credit to the Boston Redsox

What I wore: Redsox hat (similar), J.Crew jacket, GAP top (similar) c/o, J.Crew shorts, GAP scarf c/o