Out of the office

Good afternoon, dear friends!

I can't believe it--my beach trip is finally upon us! I feel as though I've been counting down for ages and ages. I just have to make it through another hour or two, and then I'm home free for 5 straight days. Hooray!

I hope you all have a fun filled holiday weekend! Enjoy yourselves & I'll see you back here next week! xoxo

And in the mean time, enjoy some photos of a variety of summer fun activities:

Hammock lounging.

Sailboats.

An ice cold Coke (especially in ATL!).


Margaritas (especially anywhere, anytime :)

A nice Braves baseball game.

New look

I hope y'all enjoy the new look of the blog :) I decided to go a little simpler for summer, and focus on the most important part of the season: the beach, of course.

The photo is mine, taken from Alcatraz Island in San Francisco this March.

Enjoy xoxo

Travel Bug (almost fulfilled!)

In my travel-filled life, its pretty unusual when I don't go anywhere for an entire month. Okay, okay, I realize that I went to North Carolina for the weekend at the end of April, but that seems like ages ago. No long distance trips for work this month either. Its actually sort of an odd feeling to be in Atlanta for a whole month at a time. Lately I've really been feeling the bug to go back to Winston-Salem (probably because Sarina and I reminisce too much on the phone) or New Orleans. I made the mistake of looking at the pictures from the NOLDA trip Kristin and I took last Feburary, and now I want to be there so badly! Maybe I can sneak in a little vacay in the fall?

Long story short, its a good thing I'll be at the beach in a mere 2 days! I am unbelievably ready to escape the city for a little while and to see the ocean again! Its been too long. Yay beach!

Too Excited.

I am getting way way too excited about the SATC2 premiere! The only thing that makes me sad is the fact that it comes out this weekend, and I will surely not be dragging the BF to see this one while we're at the beach. I guess I'll just have to wait until next week! PS. Didn't all of the girls look fabulous at the premiere last night? Love it!

Busy. Busy. Weekend.

So many things happened (pretty much all good) this weekend, I'm not sure where to start. I went to the Emily Giffin book signing in Buckhead Friday night. Even though she was late because she was in a slight car accidne ton the way over (eek), she was fabulous. And her books are fabulous. I cannot recommend her highly enough: start with Something Borrowed and Something Blue if you are new to her writing. I was also reminded of how much I love Jason's Deli and Lauren and I had a late dinner there.

Saturday started off with a trip to the new Nordstrom Rack in Buckhead (love). I got a Trina Turk very cute (and very beachy) dress for $60! I think the retail was $200. Can't wait to debut it this weekend at le beach. I followed that up with a lovely massage and an afternoon hanging out with the bf. We managed to squeeze in dinner at Six Feet Under (one of my faves in Atlanta, also highly recommended if you love seafood and great views and alcoholic blueberry lemonade!), an appearance at Claire's birthday party, and the hilarious Avenue Q broadway show. Very, very fun.

Sunday was more low key because, frankly, it was too hot to enjoy much of anything. I think this summer is going to be a rough one. John was amazing and installed my new ceiling fan for me (YAY), then we drove to Midtown to visit the High Museum--second weekend in a row for me. Its only a short 5 or 6 block walk there from my office, but it seemed like forever in the 90something degree heat! We made a pit stop at Panera and Target, and then lounged around until it was finally time to get ready for the week ahead. Sigh.

At least this week is only 4 (hopefully) short days! And then its time for...the BEACH! I'm obviously thrilled and cannot wait to go! There's lots of packing and organizing and grocery shopping to do between now and then. Can't wait for Friday!

I hope you all had a great weekend. Is anything fun happening this week?

Fabulous rainy day

I woke up this morning to thunderstorms! I love storms and rainy weather in general, and I submit that waking up to a summer thunderstorm on a Friday (when you get to leave work a little early:) is the very best way to wake up. I know, its even better on a Saturday with no where to go and nothing to do...but an early afternoon is the closest I can get today.

I'm very excited about going to the Emily Giffin book signing tonight with my friend Lauren. Ms. Giffin is one of my favorite authors, and she's also a WFU alum! There's going to be a meet and greet for all the Deacs, followed by the signing of her new book in the Buckhead Borders tonight. Any friends in Atlanta, you should stop by!

Otherwise, I think this weekend will be a busy, but good one. John and I are attending my friend Claire's birthday dinner party on Saturday, and then heading to Avenue Q. I'm so excited to see what the funny Tony-winning musical is all about. I think we'll also visit the High this weekend so he can check out the Automobile exhibit that I saw last weekend. I'm almost ashamed to admit that my most favorite part of the weekend will probably be when J installs my new ceiling fan for me! Heaven!

What are y'all up to this weekend? Something fabulous, I hope :)

Art heists

Read this article, following the huge $100M+ Picasso and Matisee theft from the Paris Museum of Modern Art this morning. Such a shame...stupid theives!

Gorgeous jewels

There is a Stella & Dot jewelry trunk show tonight at my apartment complex (I know, you are jealous), and I'm pretty seriously considering purchasing one of these gorgeous necklaces from the Palm Beach collection:

What do you all think? Gorgeous? Which one should I get?!

Lists

Love:
-Sunrise Earth (seriously..watch it.)
-Sunny days
-J. Crew cardigans
-Big jewelry trunk shows
-Book signings (Emily Giffin will be in Buckhead on Friday night--and a special WFU meet and greet!)
-Hump day

Can't wait for:
-Beach
-BSB
-Avenue Q
-Claire's birthday party
-Bojangles

Need to:
-Work out more
-Eat better
-Grocery shop
-Clean up my apartment
-Return books to library
-Upload new music to iTunes

Graduation Day 2010

I can't believe I can say that I graduated from Wake Forest 2 years ago today (actually two years ago on the 19th, but it was a Monday). I feel old! But I want to offer my congratulations to all the new Deacon alums. My graduation day was so special and great--I actually felt like I had achieved something that day. And then I cried all the way home. :) I love and miss WF, but I hope everyone is having a fabulous grad day today!

Take a breather

Rough, long, tiresome week at work. Tuesday was especially long, but yesterday was actually a great day. I was extra motivated and actually feel like I accomplished many things! Does it matter that they weren't necessarily things I was supposed to be doing that day? Oops!

Anyway, its been a lovely week in ATL so far. Gorgeous weather for the most part, and a nice spring rain on Monday (my favorite). I've been lazy in the evenings, but last night I finally carried over some workday motivation. I finally bought groceries and cleaned up a little around the house. Now I just need my walking/exercising/good eating motivation back...thats been a little lost this week. Oops again!

I'm excited that my parents are coming for a visit tomorrow. I'm crossing fingers that I won't have to come into the office...doesn't look like it as of right now. Hooray! I think we're planning a trip to the High to see the antique car exhibition, perhaps a trip down to Warm Springs, GA to see FDR's Little White House (Mike loves presidential history, of course), and I'm sure we'll hit up a good restaurant or two while they're here. I'm also looking forward to getting my hair cut tomorrow! I say this in italics because I haven't had it cut since Christmas. Yes, Christmas...5 months ago. Eek! Its in decent shape, but so long I can't even describe it to you. Definitely even longer than I had it at my college graduation, and thats saying a lot. I'm so excited about getting it a little shorter for summer!

And in an update of other excitements:

-BEACH!--15 days!
-BSB concert--21 days
-Sarina comes--July 8th

I am so looking forward to having a good, relaxing summer--and to actually enjoy it this time. Re-do summer 2009!

Happy Birthday John!

Happy birthday to my dear boyfriend, who is luckily just as weird as I am. xoxo

California (finally!)

Me at the Pebble Beach Golf Club

Beautiful Pebble Beach

Hilly San Francisco

San Francisco Bay, from Alcatraz

Alcatraz Island

Rodeo Drive. Heaven.

Welcome to Hollywood

Kodak Theater, Hollywood

Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood


Hollywood Walk of Fame

Smoggy Los Angeles (from the Getty Center)

Beautiful Beverly Hills

Photo flood-life lately

Erin and Tiff out in downtown Raleigh!

At the Georgia Renaissance Festival

Amazing hammock chairs at the RF

A Renaissance couple..teehee

Excitement for today:

-Long overdue oil change appointment made.
-LONG overdue hair cut appointment made (my first time in Atlanta...baby steps).
-Long overdue hanging out with NOA (North of Atlanta) friends.

Are you noticing a pattern here? I do love checking things off my list.

Also looking forward to:
-mustache party on Saturday
-meeting more of John's family on Sunday
-weekend in general
-cosying up with my new library book (as if I don't have enough new books in my life already..)
-21 days until beach
-26 days until BSB

Back from the dead!

I'm finally back to feeling like myself after a bout with something terrible from Sunday to Tuesday. I even missed two days of work in a row. That never happens!

I had a fabulous weekend in Raleigh. Saw Be and Erin and Tiffany and Sara. All of the above visits were wonderful. I loved going out to the Hive in downtown with the Wake girls, I loved shopping at Swoozie's (even though its closing!) with SCD, and I loved catching up over coffee with Brittany--even though I was completely devastated to have received a speeding ticket on Six Forks Rd. within sight of North Hills. Side note for any of you Raleigh friends: if you had to guess what the speed limit is on SF Rd. near North Hills, what would you guess? I would guess 45mph. So would my mom and dad. And if you did too, you can join the WRONG club. It's 35mph. That sucks. But anyway, a great weekend with my parents and grandparents and friends and the WF town booksale(!) made it all better.

Speaking of the booksale, you all will be very jealous of the books I got for a mere $6. I purchased the following: Eat, Pray, Love, which Sara tells me I must read; The Sweet Potato Queens Big Ass Cookbook and Financial Planner (I cannot recommend the Sweet Potato Queen books enough...they are hilarious and make me proud to be a Southern woman, and they can brighten up even the absolute worst of days); Alphabet Weekends (know nothing about it, but the cover was cute, and that goes a long way with me); Isle of Palms (just read a recommendation for it in Real Simple magazine); and last but not least, Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook Deceptively Delicious. I can't wait to dive into all this great stuff. What a steal!

This weekend I am really excited about celebrating John's birthday. I got him a new charcoal grill (really, this is a gift for me too :), some lovely grill tools (another amazing bargain from Homegoods) and tickets to see Avenue Q in a couple of weekends. I'm not really concerned about spilling the beans early, because I know he would never read this anyway :) Happy Birthday to my favorite on Monday!

I'm also excited about hopefully seeing my Marietta friends on Friday night (especially since I was sick and missed the Cinco de Mayo party...), going to a moustache party on Saturday night, and perhaps even some strawberry picking at some point. What are you all looking forward to? Happy almost weekend!