Showing posts with label happy heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label happy heart. Show all posts

Friday, December 5, 2014

fabby friday.


"When did we forget that we are human beings, not human doings?"

I know I am totally late to this bandwagon, but if you're not listening to the Serial podcast, you're doing it wrong.

The Theory of Everything, which I saw over Thanksgiving weekend and can't quit thinking about.

This. Is. Awesome. I love Top 40 hits, y'all.

The 2015 Pantone Color of the Year! I am totally on board.


You'll have to forgive my relative silence over the next few weeks. The holidays + moving + planning a wedding are taking up quite a bit of my time if you can imagine that!
-e.

Friday, November 28, 2014

fabby friday.

Mmm! Happy day after Thanksgiving! I hope yours was full of family and food like mine was.
Colorado has long been my happy place and this trip has been no different!
Enjoy some link love and try not to punch anyone over that thing you must have on Black Friday.

This story (+ short video) of a sweet Pittsburgh detective is utterly heart-warming.

Kinfolk has guides for lots of cities around the world.
Planning a trip? Check here first for the best places to eat, drink, and visit!
So glad I found this before my trip to Seattle/Portland next summer!

This planner! I want! It would be the perfect accompaniment to me getting rid of my smart phone which is something I have been seriously, actually contemplating.

On that same note, the coolest girl you know probably uses a flip phone. Hilarious read.

This is of course overpriced because it's Anthropologie, but that doesn't mean I don't LOVE it and want all my gifts wrapped in this.

Just...so perfect.

Are you a Black Friday participant?
I enjoy it from the comfort of my own home with a computer in my lap.
-e.

Friday, November 21, 2014

fabby friday.

Happy Friday! I hope y'all have a fabby weekend.
This week has been nuts and I expect that's how they'll all be until the wedding!
Sorry for the lack of posts. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some more cranked out over the next few weeks. For now, some links:

The sort of friendship I yearn for

Hah! Portrait of a dog.

It's like someone read my mind. The 10 Best Restaurants in the Bishop Arts District.

Image inspired by this article - The Cult of Busy.

I just love that last article. It's really very interesting.
In the grand scheme of things, we choose how we spend our time. We choose to make ourselves busy or not. Which are you going to choose?
-e.

Friday, November 14, 2014

fabby friday.

Every other blogger does this, so why not me?
(In all honesty, I've just been reading some great things lately. Maybe this will become a thing. There you have it.)

I've been saying this for years. Taylor Swift is becoming my spirit animal and I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT IT.

If my heart were an article, it would probably read something like this.
Or this, which is a much more serious article shedding light on human trafficking in India. Vote for the story to give the journalist more access to bring this issue to light.

And if my heart were a graphic, it would definitely be this:

Happy Friday!
I have a hot date planned for my man tonight and he has no idea what we're doing! ;)
What are your plans??
-e.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

do you have FOMO?

I assume we've all heard of FOMO before - the "fear of missing out".
I have self-diagnosed FOMO and my poor fiance is all too familiar with it. He's even gotten in the habit of asking whether we can have a weekend where nothing is planned. I tend to pack things in because what if that thing I say "no" to ends up being awesome and we didn't go??
Then, okay. You didn't go.
Enter JOMO - the joy of missing out. Instead of being so focused on what you might be missing if you say "no" to that social engagement; instead of scrolling through your facebook newsfeed to see what all your friends are up to while you're not there; instead of being everywhere else except for where you actually, physically are - why not try being perfectly content in your present situation?

Randi Zuckerberg (yes, that's Mark's sister) promotes this theory of JOMO, summarizing it as “there is nowhere I’d rather be than exactly where I am.” Yes! I need this to be my new mantra

This has apparently been around for a while, but I hadn't heard of it til this month because - *gasp* - I guess I missed out on it.
I'm determined to really start living this out. I'm not sure exactly how it will look, but I know I need to make a game plan or I'll just fall back into my phone-checking-during-dinner, wasting-precious-daytime-hours-on-Pinterest lifestyle.

Do you have FOMO?
How do you combat it?
-e.

Friday, November 7, 2014

happy mail.

Okay. File this under: things I wish I'd thought of.

A Beautiful Mess blog just lauched a subscription box similar to the ever-popular birchbox, stichfix, etc. However, this particular monthly box is filled with $50 worth of stationery, cards, stickers, and notepads (and for a price tag of way less than $50!). It's the gift that keeps giving! I get a box filled with adorable paper goodies and someone else is gets a sweet, handwritten piece of snail mail from yours truly!

You'd better believe I've already pre-ordered mine and cannot wait for the first box to come mid-November! I am forever looking for sweet cards to send to people I love, so this makes my heart (and my mail!) especially happy.

Raise your hands - who wants some snail mail??
-e.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

european beauty.

There are some things in life that are so beautiful you want to bottle them up, make them available for future use when you can't remember what beauty looks like in the world. This morning was one of those moments for me:

I walked alone through the cobblestone streets that line the Trastevere neighborhood in which I'm staying during my time in Rome. I headed towards a small coffee shop and bakery, I dolci di checco, while the morning sun bounced off the walls of the neighboring buildings. I stepped inside, ordered "un cappuccino" and the man behind the counter asked if I wanted anything to "mangiare", pantomiming eating. I shook my head "no", accepted my drink, and sat down to enjoy it. I could still feel the sleep fogging my eyes, felt the weight of my freshly washed hair piled on top of my head in a bun, knowing I probably looked very much like a tourist, but not caring one bit.
I have felt few more perfect moments than in the 10 minutes I say enjoying my coffee. Leaving tomorrow is incredibly bittersweet for me. This trip has been many things for me including breathtaking and stressful, jaw-dropping and frustrating. I met new people, made new friends, strengthened the friendship between Jamie and I, and discovered that I actually can read a map if need be. Hah.
I'm so glad and so lucky to have experienced a trip like this in my lifetime. I hope it's not the last.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting highlights of each city: Amsterdam, London, Paris, Barcelona, and Rome. I kept excellent records while I was here, but was unable to attach pictures to the posts so they had to wait.

See you soon, America.
-e.

Monday, July 21, 2014

happy monday! [final week]

Phew. Ya'll. I am finished with my #100happydays challenge!
Some of ya'll are probably thinking, "ohmuhguh, finally". Some of ya'll might be kinda bummed out.
I sympathize with both sides, ha.
Ultimately, I enjoyed see if I could find the small things to be thankful for every day. Some days it was a bit tedious, but most of the time I appreciated the way I was challenged to see something beautiful in the simple everyday.
For alllll the other weeks, click here.
Now read on for the final 3 days of the challenge!

 Day 98 - Okay, this is something I cannot wait for. Restaurant Week in DFW actually spans 3 weeks during which several (usually pretty expensive) restaurants offer a fixed 3 to 4-course menu at a certain price - either $35 or $45. Proceeds go towards North Texas Food Bank and those who participate get to stuff their faces with gourmet food for much cheaper than they normally would. We already have plans to go to Tei-An and Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse and I. Am. Stoked.
 Day 99 - I snapped this beautiful sunrise as I headed home one Sunday morning from work. It's never fun to work Saturday night, but there's something so refreshing about driving home the next morning when no one else is on the road. It also helped that lately it's been 70* when I get off work. In July! Get outta here.
Day 100 - This day was particularly special because I finished 2 major important events. One, obviously, was the challenge. But the other was Merge - something I regard as incredibly important in today's divorce-obsessed world. I highly recommend this class if you plan to get married anytime soon or think that could be in the plans for you and your significant other. It made us bring up hard topics and, yeah, sometimes it brought up arguments, but these conversations were so important to have before we get married and they only served to make us stronger as a couple.

Okay. Off my soapbox.
Happy days, y'all. I hope you're having a fabby one.
-e.

Monday, July 14, 2014

happy mondays! [week 14]

Oooh, so much goodness from this week.
For more from the challenge, click here.

 Day 91 - My favorite photo from my sweet White Rock date with Peter. Whee!
 Day 92 - Ahhh! Ya'll! It's finally happening! My roommate and I are taking Europe by storm beginning August 28th. Get ready, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Barcelona, and Rome! We are MORE than ready.
 Day 93 - There's something so refreshing about late night chips and queso with a side of girl talk (okay, and maybe a margarita, too) with a sweet girlfriend.
 Day 94 - I just love bringing sweet treats to work. Simple joys.
 Day 95 - Oh. My. Word. You guys. I have the absolute sweetest wedding photographer ever. I am so so glad to have found her and could not be more excited to work with her. This welcome package came from her in the mail and completely made my week. Kate Spade gift card?? What!
 Day 96 - Have ya'll tried the s'mores calzone at Il Cane Rosso? Eeek. Guilty pleasure, ya'll.
Day 97 - I would blame it a bit on night shift, but there's really no excuse. I haven't gone to church or the Porch nearly as much as I would like lately. Yesterday really hit the spot and really spoke into my life to wake me up. Thank you, Lord! He knows exactly what we need.

3 days left! What!
-e.

Monday, July 7, 2014

happy mondays! [week 13]

I can't believe I've made it so close to the end of my #100happydays challenge and have legitimately not forgotten to do a single day! What!
Check out other weeks here.

 Day 84 - I finally got to check out The Wild Detectives, a new coffee shop that recently opened in the Bishop Arts District. It was cute and quaint and you can expect a post about it soon. ;)
 Day 85 - the weather has been so mild this summer and my pup and I have really been enjoying our evening walks as a result. I love stopping to chat with neighbors in my sweet neighborhood!
 Day 86 - Yes, yes, I'm 26 and still chew my nails. Hopefully this gel manicure (so sparkly!) will help once and for all to break the habit.
 Day 87 - few things make me happier than bing cherry season.
 Day 88 - Ohhh, you guys. I've just discovered the beauty of small-batch cookie recipes. What's better than only making 4 cookies at a time?? That way I don't have to feel guilty when I eat them all!
 Day 89 - can you tell how excited I am that we're having such a mild summer?? *knock on wood* It makes getting off work so much nicer.
Day 90 - Delicious soppressata garlic knots from Zoli's. 'Nuff said.

Any suggestions about what I should do when I reach the end?
-e.

Monday, June 30, 2014

happy monday! [week 12]

Y'all. My birthweek was one of the best I've had. So much good stuff going on.
I am one happy and utterly blessed girl. Thanks to all who made this week amazing and who celebrated me.

 Day 77 - Efficiency is key when mailing Save the Dates. I felt pretty silly standing in the post office like this, but it sure made things happen faster!
 Day 78 - I am totally the dog mom who takes her pup to doggy daycare. And they are great because they send me pictures of Penny having a good time during the day. Love!
 Day 79 - I made this cake batter puppy chow to take to Merge and - full disclosure - it went stale immediately, which is why there was no blog post with the recipe. It tasted awesome and seriously just like birthday cake, but the butter in the recipe caused it to get almost soggy. Gross!
 Day 80 - Have ya'll been to the FOE pool yet? You need to go. This day was perfect for sunbathing. Also, it was my actual birthday! Hurray!
 Day 81 - Every year for our family's birthdays, my mom makes whatever meal we want. I almost always choose this homemade pizza. It's juuust the best.
 Day 82 - Some friends and I went to Mesa for my birthday dinner on Saturday night. I got this drink made with horchata and we had a seriously great time. The executive chef came out and serenaded us with Spanish ballads! Definitely an unforgettable birthday.
Day 83 - This dessert was part of the birthday dinner my mom made for me. I requested "anything funfetti" because I am a child and I love sprinkles. She did not disappoint with these sugar cookie cheesecake bars! Sooo yummy.


For more good stuff, check it out here.
-e.

Monday, June 23, 2014

happy monday! [week 11]

I am so excited about this coming week -- my BIRTHWEEK, ya'll.
It will be all happy, all week! In fact, Peter ensured that my birthday celebrations started a bit early by taking me on a hot date this past weekend. So glad I have a man that understands that birthweeks are a thing. YES.

On to this past week! (And previous weeks, here!)

Day 70 - My Save the Dates came in! Eeeep! So excited to get things rolling, ya'll.
Day 71 - Hah, sometimes I struggle on days I work to come up with happy things. Sometimes all it takes to make me happy is coffee. And hospital coffee at that!
 
Day 72 - Wednesday nights are quickly becoming my favorite night of the week because they mean a) Merge!, and b) I get to see my man on night I normally wouldn't get to. Awesome. Side note: if you're engaged or seriously dating, I could not recommend Merge more. It has been awesome for our relationship. 
Day 73 - For some reason, I was hell-bent on having a rubber stamp for my Save the Dates. Turns out Deep Ellum has a custom stamp shop because OF COURSE they do. Loved supporting such a cute local business.
 
Day 74 - My sweet friend Rachel came into town and we squeeeezed in some time before I went to work to have a (very) early dinner. We are grannies.
Day 75 - Happy Summer Solstice! We used the longest day of the year to eat on a patio and drink on a rooftop. Not a bad way to spend the first day of summer! I've mentioned it before, but this is (so far) my favorite drink in Dallas. It may lose that title after I eat at Gemma on Thursday. I hear their blood orange margarita is to die for.
Day 76 - Sometimes I take making lunch at home very seriously. Got this flank steak with chimichurri sauce recipe from Epicurious. So quick, so easy, so impressive.


So excited for festivities to commence! To keep track, follow me on instagram - @em_andthecity!
-e.

Monday, June 16, 2014

happy monday! [week 10]

My favorite part of the #100happydays are the moments that you want to capture because they would totally fit into the challenge, but they're simply not captureable: the neck snuggles my pup gives me, waking up in the morning to a dark room and the sound of a steady rain outside, the warm spot left behind on my bed by my Penny girl, the smell of smoke and grills as I walk the neighborhood during the summer.
The project has certainly made me appreciate much more around me.

 Day 63 - I will never find better nighttime driving music. Ya'll. Try it.
 Day 64 - sometimes when you get home from the hospital, all you want is Trix cereal and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Sometimes your fiance goes to the grocery store to get precisely those things.
 Day 65 - hah, this was the weirdest thing. I went to get my oil changed and my car inspected and I made an immediate best friend. She would not lay off. Here, she's kneading my stomach. Oof.
 Day 66 - ohhh my word, I finally got back on my yoga game after about a month away. Sometimes you just need to work out. That was definitely this. It kicked my tail in the best way possible.
 Day 67 - everytime I get this snugglebug groomed, she comes back with more and more speckles. It kills me. Her little cow spots make me happy. 
Day 68 - this is my true happy place: butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla. Nothing makes me happier.
Day 69 - my dad is simply the best. Nuff said.

For more from this challenge, look here.
-e.

Monday, June 9, 2014

happy monday! [week 9}

I'll admit, this week was a little tougher than most. I spent 3 and a half days in the hospital and - believe it or not - it's not exactly the happiest of places. My friends and family were totally incredible, though. I did not at all mind the stream of visitors and well-wishes. You guys love me so well. Thank you!

 Day 56 - new shoe debut! These sweet sandals are from a great little boutique in Bishop Arts called Strut.
Day 57 - I spent almost all day in bed this day with what I thought was food poisoning. So, you know, content for my #100happydays was a bit limited. I'd been trying to beat this game forever, though, haha.
 Day 58 - woke up in unbelievable pain. Headed for the ER and was admitted to a suite (!!!) since I'm a nurse at UTSW. Pretty sweet digs.
 Day 59 - this poor, sweet man has now learned more about my sickly body than he probably ever needed to know, yet he still stayed the night by my side. He's a keeper.
 Day 60 - my friend, Maggie, so thoughtfully brought me excellent reading material. This was actually from the night before, but I hadn't had a chance to look at it until this day. I sat in the bed grinning stupidly. Some things just really make your day. This was one of them.
 Day 61 - finally home bound with no definitive diagnosis except maybe just severe gastritis/food poisoning. Such a strange hospital stay. Huge puffy clouds on the ride home made it that much better.
Day 62 - the 2nd season of this Netflix show was released during my hospital stay. It's so nice to be able to lay low and binge-watch as I finish recuperating.

I hope you're having a fabulous start to your week!
-e.