Thursday, February 27, 2014

happy thursday.


i admit, i have been slacking on the blog front recently. while i read my standbys everyday, i've been caught up with work and sleep and busy weekends. i'll be back tomorrow with a new post, and will be posting with more regularity, even if it's just an image that inspires me that i want to share with you. 

so here's to thursday, a.k.a. friday eve, a day that will be full of productivity, coffee, trader joe's herb and spices popcorn, homemade chicken paprigash and red wine when i get home. 


how will you fill your day today? 

xx.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

pinspiration.

who doesn't love pinterest? it's my go-to when i'm feeling disorganized, lost for recipe ideas, and uninspired (or bored at work... shhhhhhh). and i am not going to lie... i have spent an inordinate amount of time on my boards this week. i even have a goal to get to 4,000 pins by the end of the day and i am confident that i can accomplish it. 


why the recent spike in my pinning? well, this past week has handed it to me. i don't know if it's my commute, the snow that will.not.stop here in chicago, or the lethargy that a prolonged winter always brings upon me, but i have been feeling uninspired. my purchases and clothes and boxes have been piling up on our dining room table and our bedroom floor. the last thing i've been wanting to do when i see it is actually deal with it, so i've been finding solace on our couch while it stares at me from our dining room.

i'm putting an end to that though. i cleaned off our bedroom floor, did a whole heap of laundry (so that i've stopped selecting each day's outfits from a questionable pile in a laundry basket), tackled grocery shopping for the week after our sunday trip to the auto show, scored some free wood chairs off craigslist (our dining room feels complete now!), and even bought some pink tulips from trader joe's to bring some valentine's day warmth to our living room (they even match the pink walls that i hate a little less):


all that cleaning and getting things together makes me feel like superwoman! and i will tell you, that feeling spreads. i've been early to work, full of more energy and optimism. i'm determined to keep this up and make tidying up and getting things done a daily habit, not a weekend chore. on today's agenda after work: 

1. not sitting down on the couch!
2. putting said laundry away
3. clearing off the dining table
4. finding a home for more things sitting out. the amount of storage space we have in our place is ridiculous, and i am not taking advantage of it.
5. begin to organize my jewelry

i promise, i have a lot of blog posts on the back burner (a restaurant week review of siena tavern, how to's on vegetarian quinoa casserole and slow-cooker-hand-rubbed-pork-shoulder, my recent bar cart and vintage purchases, room-by-room organization tips and photos, etc.), but kicking that lethargic feeling and getting.shit.done has been the #1 goal on my radar lately. i'll share some recent home decor pinspiration below... you can probably tell that my current obsession is adding a gallery wall or two to our home!









all images can be found on my home decor pinterest board. i'd love if you followed me!

on a personal note, i am so excited that today is thursday, which means tomorrow is friday a.k.a. VALENTINE'S DAY. i love holidays and any excuse to celebrate, but i also love all things love. i tell Matt i love him so much he probably finds it annoying. i don't care. i am so excited for tomorrow! maybe this is because this is my first Valentine's Day with Matt (our first date was February 17th of last year) and I am just beyond excited to celebrate us & our love. we have late reservations at Maggiano's tomorrow and i've bought him some small things i think/hope he will love. i also bought the sappiest card i could find and will probably tear up as he opens it. crossing my fingers for flowers delivered to my office, but i will just be happy to share an indulgent Italian meal (stuffed mushroom and wine!) with my better half.

saturday night, we'll be having a "nerdy board game" night with matt's coworkers. i'm thinking of make these homemade pretzel bites. this weekend is shaping up to be l-o-v-e-l-y.

what have you been up to recently? 

xx.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

a month of moderation.

bachelor mondays.

it's no secret that i love kicking back with a glass (or two) of wine after work. every monday, my friend krystal and i share a bottle while we watch the bachelor. on the weekend, i sip while i cook. however (and maybe this is just me getting older? sigh), lately i've noticed that the morning after i have a glass or two with dinner, i feel sluggish and lethargic. i think the holidays make everyone overindulge a little bit, and that overindulging seems to have followed me into 2014. i've made a pact to go for the next 30 days without bringing a bottle home to enjoy with dinner that week, without swinging by trader joe's or whole foods or world market to try a new springy white. 



i'm 2 days sans vino and already i'm feeling like i have much more energy! my goal with this 30 days is to reevaluate what i'm putting into my body as i am a big believer in "you are what you eat"/"put crap in, get crap out". no one ever feels like running a marathon after a rich meal with a cocktail or two on the side. while i am all for indulging, i think it should be done so in moderation. my rich food and drink choices have caught up with me recently, so this month will be all about moderation and reevaluating habits... and maybe shedding a few pounds in the process!



have you ever gone a month without alcohol, sugar, carbs, gluten, meat, or some other favorite indulgence? how did it work out for you? what were your results? 

xx.