The Little Black Dress w. Pink Suede Heels

I've been clearing out some digital clutter on my end and organizing my past photos when I realized... I never actually did a style post on this look... AND that my sister still hasn't returned my favorite little black dress.

Well, looks like I'll be paying her a visit real soon. In the meantime, let's chat summer weddings and platforms heels that are meant to be seen.

As much as we try to avoid the cost of attending one (local or abroad) it's the memories that make it so worth it. In fact, I'm currently in the throes of planning one to Norway next month. It's a new-to-me country in every sense of the phrase so I'm staying positive about not knowing the language.

I haven't looked into the weather but have a feeling it's nothing like NYC's hot and humid hell. With that being said, this little black dress might be perfect for the ceremony or any of the pre-wedding festivities. It's also a pretty easy piece to layer with as well.

But for the sake of my Northeastern babes, I'm going to prep as if a muggy day awaits me. In that case, I would wear the bare minimum and 1-2 statement pieces. (Cause this girl CAN sweat). In this case, my go-to conversation starters are my heart-shaped purse and my sky-high platform heels.

Now being as tall as I am, I tend to shy away from heels. But what's the point of collecting drool-worthy pairs that go unworn? So, in the past few years, I made it a point to wear my fanciest heels to anything that requires a RSVP & gift.

Weddings, bridal + baby showers, holiday parties - the list goes on and these heels are coming with.

"But how do you stay in them all day long?"

Um... I don't. I have yet to find an ultra comfortable pair for my flat feet so my purse du jour always stores a pair of foldable flats. But, the day this becomes unnecessary I'll make sure to spread the good news on the shoes all over Facebook, Instagram, Twitter... EVERYTHING.

Dress: Ramy Brook (similar style)  Heels: Banana Republic (similar & under $40)  Necklace: La Soula  Purse: Ora Delphine  Lipgloss: 22 via Kylie Cosmetics

As for the dress, it's from a brand called Ramy Brook. The line is incredibly luxe and lightweight making it the perfect choice for any summer wedding or date. It's on the pricier side, so if you're on a budget or looking to save I highly recommend setting up eBay alerts or ShopStyle notifications on the brand because everything they make is so good! Plus, if you can save a few dollars why not?

The Norway wedding is in about five weeks so if you've been to Olso before please share tips and recommendations on what to do or expect. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram before I take off on my adventure too!

Photos by Lydia Hudgens.

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The Fourth Wall

This past Sunday I had an overwhelming sense of guilt for… Get this… Not working more. As I complained on my new couch, my new roommate (yep, lots has happened on my end) huffed at me and told me all I do is work. That’s when it hit me.

Our interactions over the course of the last three weeks consisted of him, my work laptop, and me. Plugged in and working.

I racked my brain and asked myself when was the last time I went out carefree. Instead, I only remember abruptly leaving my friends so I could make a deadline. This happens quite a lot honestly.

Now I don’t have to ask myself am I doing more harm than good. I am. Will I look back on my 30s and hate myself for becoming so busy that I forget to live that I forget to make a life.

Most definitely.

So I closed my laptop, cracked open a delicious Grimm beer and asked my roommate to hang out with me.

We as a collective need to stop glamorizing the state of “busy” and I for sure need to stop neglecting myself before having another anxiety attack from overloading my body with stress. It’s time to wash away the guilt, realize that I’m only human and can’t do everything under the sun.

I can, however, make daily improvements (like meditating or saying yes to happy hour with friends) to make sure I’m putting in a little me time every single day.

Phew! Writing this down and putting it out in the open makes me feel loads better and more committed to bettering myself. And if you guys catch me slipping, send me a ping and remind me to live more, stress less.

Photos by John Gianniny.

Hustle Hard but Relax Harder | The Perfect Recipe for Binge-Watching the Queen of the South

I have a confession to make. Every Thursday night I toss aside any work or blog obligations, prep my favorite drink, make my lazy-girl snack, and bring over a few masks and hunker down on my couch. Okay, so maybe not such a huge confession but with the amount of hustling that happens behind the scenes here I can at times feel guilty for treating myself to a Queen of the South on USA Network.

I was first drawn to the series because of its Latina heroine and the healthy dose of spoken Spanish throughout. But my favorite thing about the show is how there’s an underlying message coming from the heroine, Teresa Mendoza – she chooses to never play the victim and refuses to let her gender tell her what she can and can’t do. The action-packed crime drama makes for a good binge watching too!

See the trailer for yourself!

Now if you haven’t started watching, stop what you’re doing and let’s make that a thing of the past. You won’t be able to stop at one episode so let’s get you situated with my no-fail (extremely easy) recipes for the binge-watching Queen of the South.

Lemonade-Pom Spritzer
This sweet mocktail is perfect for those that want to unwind without a glass of wine. But, it’s also great if you prefer something with a kick, simply add in your preferred amount of vodka and voila! This recipe makes about 8-12 servings.

You'll Need

1 8oz. bottle of pomegranate juice
1 can of frozen lemonade concentrate
1 two liter bottle of gingerale (you can substitute seltzer too)
1 lemon for garnishing

In one large pitcher, pour in the pomegranate juice. Add in the lemonade concentrate. Next pour in half of the gingerale, and mix all of the ingredients. Continue to pour in the remaining gingerale and mix. Serve over ice and garnish with a lemon slice. 

Savory Rosemary and Parmesan Popcorn
When it’s too hot to bake my tried and true chickpea recipe I turn to the next (and adequately) healthy lazy-girl snack. Don’t worry, you won’t burn the popcorn but you will find yourself garnishing popcorn from now on.

You'll Need

½ cup of kernels
¼ cup of olive oil
crushed rosemary
1 large garlic clove, smashed
garlic salt (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
¼ cup of parmesan cheese

In a medium size saucepan, add 1 teaspoon of rosemary and smashed garlic. Add in the olive oil and set to low heat. Add in garlic salt and black pepper to taste – don’t go overboard because you’ll be able to season your popcorn later on too.

After 15 minutes add the kernels. Monitor the kernels and once the popping starts to slow down turn off the heat. Once the last kernel has popped or popping has halted, remove from the saucepan and transfer to a large bowl. Garnish popcorn with a sprinkling of more crushed rosemary, garlic salt, black pepper, and the Parmesan cheese. Mix the contents and enjoy!

If popcorn isn’t enough, then keep the popcorn for dessert and choose from a great selection of frozen Mexican dinners. Easy and quick to cook, it’s a great cuisine to enjoy for a night in front of the TV.

Now that we have the food and drinks covered, it’s time to move onto the masking portion of the night. Lately, my winning combination has been a clay mask followed by a moisturizing one. The key here is making commercials work for you – slather on and wash off when the commercials hit the screen. You’ll finish each episode with gorgeous skin and ammo to take on the next day.

There you have my no-fail recipe for binge watching or simply unwinding with my favorite on-screen hustler. And if you end up falling asleep on the couch… I won’t judge you. Just don’t spoil any episodes and we’re good.

Watch USA Network’s Queen of the South, every Thursday at 10/9 central.