Visit to National Gallery of Art

Sometimes I forget how lucky we are to live in such an incredible city. Politics aside, there is culture ALL around us. And it's more accessible than ever. 

Last week, I met up with Brooklyn/DC photographer A.J. Fergus for a little hang sesh and photoshoot at the National Gallery of Art. We had such a great time chatting with the docents and security guards about their favorite paintings and passions. 

I'll keep it short today (it is Friday after all!) and let the photos speak for themselves. Be sure to give AJ a follow over on Instagram and check out his website here!

---

What's Inside a FabFitFun box?

There’s something magical about getting stuff in the mail. The anticipation of its arrival…the rush home when you get that delivery notification…the butterflies you feel when walking up to the door…ripping open the box as soon as you step in the door…pausing life to try out ALL the contents right then and there. 

This was precisely what happened when my FabFitFun box arrived earlier this month. Much to my hubby’s chagrin, I put him to dinner duties while I thoroughly dived through the box. Now, this isn’t your typical ‘try-out-some-samples’ scenario. These are full-sized products, friends.

Another bonus? FabFitFun boxes aren't hyper-focused, meaning that I got a few beauty products, some stationary and jewelry in the same box! And not just like, some jewelry. GORJANA. Friends, one of her necklaces costs more THAN THIS ENTIRE BOX TOTAL. Like, that’s crazy. Crazy awesome.

So what was inside this month’s FabFitFun box?

Thank You Notes from Marie Mae: THANK GOODNESS these were in here because my stack full of holiday cards aren’t cutting it in January. These say, CHEERS, and I got the greatest kick mailing these out to clients and friends!

Butter "Iconoclast" Mascara: You know that glorious moment when you run out of mascara then ONE ARRIVES MYSTERIOUSLY ON YOUR DOORSTEP? That just happened. I love how smoothly this applies on my eyelashes. It’s the perfect size for keeping in my tote and purse when I’m out too.

Moleskin Agenda: This agenda is the perfect way to start a new year on an organized note! I was thrilled to see how small it is too - 

Gorjana Necklace: I never buy myself silver jewelry, so it was so fun to find this in my box. I’ve worn this so much since receiving it…although it’s no surprise - Gorjana can make one heck of a necklace.

D.L. & Co. Candle: Is there such a thing as too many candles? No, there is not. And I loved getting this one in a surprise package - I can get a bit of scensory overload when trying to find candles I like. Plus, candles are the fundamental backbone behind Hygge.

Anderson Lilley "Winter in Manhattan Beach" Lotion: THIS SCENT. Ugh! It’s so good. I’ve been using this nightly and it’s become the perfect way to wind down after a stressful day. The scent is called Winter in Manhattan Beach, which has a special sentimental meaning for me because I have family who lives on Manhattan Beach…visiting that area was always a major highlight of my summers growing up.

ORG Skincare Mineral Peel Face: I’ve been on the hunt for a non-abrasive face peel for months now - but haven’t really gotten around to TRYING any. This one got fantastic reviews and contains lots of natural ingredients like aloe, Jojoba oil and Mugwort exact. Plus it’s quick and makes your skin REALLY glow. This is definitely coming with me to FL next weekend.

Star Pin: This was the most unexpected, yet favorite item in the box. Not only are stars EVERYTHING right now, but it’s been adding a fun little touch to my work blazers. Even better, the sales from these go towards the Starlight Children’s Foundation, whose mission is to brighten the lives of very ill children. 

I don’t like to play favorites here, but this is definitely one of the best boxes I’ve tried out. If you’re looking for a birthday gift that continues to remind the recipient how awesome you are, this should do the trick. ;)

Use code "JULIEN" for $10 off your first FabFitFun box!

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

Black Cropped Trench

In honor of this incredibly dreary weather, I thought it would be oh-so-appropo to share one of my favorite “new-to-me” items in my closet…this Club Monaco cropped trench. 

I didn’t really know I needed a cropped trench until I spotted this one during an event hosted by my friend Natalie at one of my favorite local consignment shops, Current Boutique. Everyone was scouring through the racks, truing to find “it girl” items at “still gotta pay the bills” prices. Nicole found a velvet blazer, another friend found the cutest embroidered sweater…and I spotted this jacket, I knew I was stick-a-fork-in-me done. 

Here was a $300+ jacket that I somehow walked away with for only $60. The way it lays, the cut, everything is perfection to me. I love pairing it with my high-waisted jeans (seen here) on the weekend and with my high-waisted midi skirts/culottes to work.

Buying consigned clothing is a great way to start building your dream closet. For example, did you know I got this Sandro blouse, this Clare V. clutch and these Matt Bernson sneakers on consignment? I’m just over here trying to LIVE MY BEST LIFE and sometimes, it seems like budgets can ruin all the fun. But not if you don’t let them. ;)

Wearing Club Monaco cropped trench (similar here), 7 for All Mankind jeans (on sale!), Fossil Tailor Q Smartwatch c/o, Mejuri rings c/o, Chloe sunnies, Urban Outfitters belt

---

Cozy Winter Scarf by DeNada

Winter has descended upon us and with it, bitterly cold temps and blustery winds to boot. While this is usually my least favorite season, there’s something I truly love about this time of year – the coziness factor. Let me explain – in the summer, we may feel carefree without all those layers, but it quickly becomes a hassle trying to find ways to keep cool. You can only remove SO many layers, after all. But in winter, you can add as many layers as you’d like! Each year, I like to find a few cozy staples that last me through the season. And my first stop is always DeNada...read more on the DeNada blog!

Wearing: 
DeNada scarf c/o, Uniqlo turtleneck (on sale!), 7FAM Denim (on sale!), UO belt, M.Gemi boots, Cuyana coat, Fossil watch c/o

Beauty Essentials with Maybelline

Growing up, my younger sister was always ahead of me when it came to beauty products. She was the first to point out, upon my first attempt at makeup in the 4th grade, “blue eye shadow and brown lipstick? REALLY?” Really. She mastered the winged eye-liner at a young age, and taught me how to contour. I never really understood what made it so easy for her, until I was looking at her makeup collection one day. It suddenly became clear to me - she had ALL the right tools.

Thus began my journey to collect ‘the right tools’ too. Truly, it’s been in the past five years that I’ve really honed in on finding the best products for my face, which were worth spending a little extra on, and which ones I could pick up at my grocery store. And since I typically travel with my makeup to work (trying to do my makeup at 5 AM would be a disaster for sure) I try to make the process as seamless as possible.

When Maybelline offered to send me a few of their latest and greatest, I was thrilled to see how they’d fit into my morning routine. 

First up - the Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Mascara. This is probably my favorite of the three products they sent. I had recently run out of mascara, so I was eager to try something new! I love voluminous, wispy eyelashes, and this mascara is all about the WISP. It applies smoothly, and I only really need one coat to get the romantic look I want. At $8.50, it’s a no brainer.

The second product I tried was Maybelline's new “The 24karat Blushed Nudes” eyeshadow palette. I love experimenting with new eyeshadows, and this has just the right amount. I really love the shimmer in the tones. Plus - it’s small enough to fit in my makeup bag, and super travel-friendly. I also like how tight the eyeshadow is packed in - often times, my eyeshadow is so loose that it ends in more places than just my eyes. Thankfully, that’s not the case with this palette.

Lastly, I tried out their Master Precise Liquid Liner. I was using another more expensive brand before, but this works just as well. It’s SO easy to use (my favorite feature, of course) and lasted all day. Not to mention it's 1/3 of the price that I usually pay - hello, new $7.99 obsession.

Have you tried out any of Maybelline's most recent line of products? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

This post was sponsored by Maybelline. All options are my own.

---