life lately
[celebrated this || a gorgeous wedding with gorgeous friends!]
[cheered on this || tailgating szn has officially begun]
[hosted this || 4th annual fall party with the best cheese + charcuterie board ever]
[eating this || all the pumpkin flavored things, thanks to the best day trip to Trader Joe’s]
[enjoyed this || work travel from Florida to Canada!
You know what they say – Work Hard, Play Hard ❤️]
xo xo
life lately: summer edition
The blog is back from summer hiatus! Here’s a snapshot of our summer – from NYC to LA to everything in between. ❤
N Y C
[spontaneous meet-up in my favorite city]
[I flew in from phoenix, he flew in from bentonville + after lots of delays and a comedy of errors, we finally found each other at la guardia at 1am]
[found the cutest lunch spot with lobster rolls + aperol spritz]
[the best live DJ ride with robin + DJ john michael
350 rides for me + 400 rides for husband!!]
[mind seriously BLOWN by Dan White, the Magician – highly recommend]
[explored williamsburg: smorgasburg (a foodie’s dream come true), brooklyn brewery + the william vale rooftop]
[sunset sails are my absolutely favorite]
[greenwich village: dinner at palma + snuck in to smalls jazz club]
L A
[labor day weekend]
[soaking up the sun in manhattan beach]
[exploring santa barbara + contemplating how to retire here]
[the national at the greek theatre – 9.2.19]
[room views + hotel pools]
[ended the trip at my favorite places with my favorite people]
E V E R Y T H I N G. I N. B E T W E E N.
[LE event of the SUMMER – Stephen and Jaimie get MARRIED!!!]
[celebrated my favorite guy’s birthday with concert, cake + daquiris]
[celebrated Becky’s 30th on the lake #thirtyAF]
[hosted family + showed them some of our fave spots around town]
[attended my very first national sales meeting with this awesome crew in phoenix]
[dinner + a show with the fam]
[it’s a hard knock life/summer without this squad]
[sunset sails, whether on the hudson river or beaver lake, never disappoint]
Summer was delightful, but now on to my favorite season of all – F A L L !
xo xo
Vacation Picturebook: Reno + Las Vegas
R E N O 
We had the best start to our vacation visiting Kyle’s grandparents in Reno! They took us to Virginia City (old western town), we explored downtown Reno, and we had lots of late night wine in grandma’s gorgeous garden.
Then we took an amazing day trip to Lake Tahoe – one of my favorite places of ever!
L A S V E G A S
Night 1: We love the Cosmopolitan + Absinthe!! If you haven’t seen the show, we highly recommend, but warning it is VERY raunchy.
Pool days are the best days!
Night 2: We still love the Cosmopolitan and didn’t leave – found amazing live music + food at Rose. Rabbit.Lie, the coolest speakeasy behind a barbershop + late night milk bar cake (and secret pizza, obviously).
Another pool day and the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had in my life … also won $$ on my first ever sports bet. Yay Toronto!
Aaand then it was time for brother-sister Leo tattoos!
Fun last night at Container Park + Fremont Street
We had the best vacation spending time with family, and can’t wait to go back! ❤
xo xo
Vacation Picturebook: Philadelphia
W E D N E S D A Y 
[loved our hotel: Kimpton Palomar at Rittenhouse Square!]
[late lunch at Parc – the most adorable Parisian cafe on the square]
[walked around Rittenhouse Square on the most adorable little streets, then wound up in this bookstore that printed classic books right in front of us! We picked up Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – such a cool souvenir]
[one of my favorite things about exploring a new city is the food – I read about this Israeli restaurant Zahav in a magazine and immediately called to get a reservation. 2 months out and all I could get was 9:15pm on Wednesday night, so of course I took it. I didn’t get great pictures, but this was a meal and an evening I’ll never forget! we got seated around 9:30 and didn’t leave until almost midnight. we did the tasting menu and it was such an experience and the food was amazing – especially this hummus! HIGHLY recommend this place if you’re in Philly and can get in!]
T H U R S D A Y
[all the historical things! independence hall where the declaration of independence was signed, snuck a peek at the liberty bell through a window, benjamin franklin museum, and my favorite: elfreth’s alley]
[dinner at buddakkan – the edamame dumplings were the best!]
[the reason for the trip – BON IVER!!! I can’t say enough how magical this show was. the venue was stunning, our seats were incredible and I’ve loved Bon Iver for years. this was a bucket list show for me, and it exceeded all my expectations]
F R I D A Y
[recovery after late night show: donuts + coffee, and not just any donuts, some of the BEST donuts I’ve ever had – made fresh right there. my favorite was the strawberry lavender, and we may or may not have gone back saturday morning….]
[did a lotttt of walking down museum row, but totally worth it, especially to end up here…]
[is the music playing in your head right now?! we had to run the rocky steps, obviously.
and the art museum was also legit]
[y’all, the eastern state penitentiary was crazy cool and crazy creepy – totally recommend this tour. it was seriously fascinating (and did I mention creepy??)]
[drinks + apps with a familiar face!! loved spending time with AMR and hearing about Philly from a “local” ❤️]
[after a long day of walking + drinking, we stumbled upon a ben + jerry’s – it was the perfect late night snack by the fire to end our friday]
S A T U R D A Y
[because saturday morning it was rise + grind for a 60 min soul cycle! not quite peloton, but still fun]
[brunch at the cutest place The Dandelion british pub with the cutest husband. also it was 75 degrees (!!!) and we got to sit in the little balcony and people watch]
[ended the trip the best way we know how – found a local brewery, enjoyed the sunshine and talked about our favorite parts of the trip]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Picturebook: Napa + SF, Picturebook: Girls Weekend in NYC!
Picturebook: Napa + SF
N A P A
[play hard]
F R I D A Y
[arrived at our SUPER ADORABLE boutique hotel, Rancho Caymus Inn
and yes, that is a hummingbird photobombing my picture!]
[no exaggeration, hands down one of the best meals of my life at michelin-star The Charter Oak]
S A T U R D A Y
[bouchon bakery + yountville = adorable pit-stop]
[obviously had to schedule in a stop at the napa sign]
[silver oak 2014 cabernet release day party – so many people, so much rain, so much fun!]
[photoshoot at robert mondavi – and of course, more wine]
[and then somehow we got in CARPOOL KARAOKE! this is the only pic I got (though plenty of ridiculous videos), but it was tricked out with lights, microphones and an iPad to choose a song. why is this not more of a thing?!]
[burger + french dip at Rutherford Grill was exactly what we needed]
[plus a hot tub night, ha!]
[no better way to start Sunday than with a Mumm Napa tour]
[aaand more sparkling wine with our Gott’s, which was DELICIOUS]
[our favorite winery – Bremer! we even signed up for their wine club, and obviously had plenty of fun on our own private tour + tasting]
[well yes, it did rain ALL WEEKEND and we didn’t get to do our hot air balloon ride, but we had some of the most picturesque views and seriously the best 30th birthday celebration!]
S A N F R A N C I S C O
[work hard + some play]
[first can we talk about how gorgeous these views were from our hotel?!]
[wonderful dinner with some of my favorite people at Nopa]
[ate some new food + made some new friends at Burma Love]
[couldn’t have ended the week better than with the best team building at Slide Ranch – we worked, we hiked, we ate amazing farm-to-table food and we honored a lost team member. love this work family so much! <3]
xo xo
Picturebook: Girls Weekend in NYC!
F R I D A Y
[the BEST post-flight stop: jacob’s pickles]
S A T U R D A Y
[Christmas Market Tour: Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Bryant Park, Saks windows, Strand Books, Pete’s Tavern + a ride on the SUBWAY]
[fun night in West Village listening to jazz at the Village Vanguard]
[then stumbled upon this AMAZING french restaurant, Boucherie)
[pictured: french onion soup]
S U N D A Y
[photoshoot in Brooklyn]
[amazing brunch at Cecconi’s Dumbo]
[mid-afternoon snack, obviously]
[rooftop bar (too cold) then dinner at Eataly pop-up Serra Alpina by Birrera – it was MAGICAL]
[MEAN GIRLS! such a cute, funny show!!]
M O N D A Y
[woke up at 5:30am to sneak a ride in at PELOTON before our flight – husband even rode the same ride at home and caught me on camera (getting ready for the ride, ha!]
[until next time, new york! I’m sure it won’t be too long …]
xo xo
life lately: fall party + kc weekend
3 R D A N N U A L F A L L P A R T Y
[wine, appetizers + friends to celebrate the best season of all]
W E E K E N D G E T A W A Y : K A N S A S C I T Y
[fun, albeit rainy, weekend getaway with friends + a concert]
[55 degrees and rainy shopping day on the plaza]
[KC must-eat: bbq!]
[the BEST brunch at the corner restaurant]
[WWI museum and memorial – highly recommend and beautiful views of the city]
[The National at Starlight Theatre – amazing show and we were so close to the stage!!
It did rain the entire show, but we made the best of it!]
[and THEN – Matt Berninger, lead singer of husband’s all-time FAVORITE band, came into the audience RIGHT NEXT TO US and husband sang into the mic with him. You have to trust me because I barely got a pic, but this “after” photo of husband is pretty telling. Life complete.]
xo xo
life lately
[enjoying this || first tailgate of the season – WPS!]
[celebrating this || cheers + beers for 30 years. hbd stephen!]
[arranging this || beautiful flowers with a beautiful team]
MINI DALLAS GETAWAY
[dinner at an incredible steakhouse (Nick and Sam’s) with the best dessert:
salted caramel creme brûlée]
[the reason for the trip – queen bey + jay-z! SUCH an amazing concert!]
xo xo
Weekend Picturebook: Palm Springs
F R I D A Y N I G H T
[delicious steak dinner for Kira’s 30th birthday!]
S A T U R D A Y
[early morning walk + coffee with these balcony views]
[hands down, the best huevos rancheros I’ve ever had
breakfast at Kings Highway + the Amigo Room before pool party at the ACE hotel … ]
[so much fun at ACE pool party! how could we not, with a bubbly bus?!]
[post-pool party burger – the.best.]
[great night at the cougar-town piano bar, where I got asked to be in a “hand dancing” music video ha!!]
S U N D A Y
[more chill pool day, round 2]
[dinner and exploring at The Saguaro – yummy fish tacos + queso]
[love this beautiful friend of mine and so happy I got to spend her 30th birthday with her in California! <3]
xo xo
You might also enjoy my other Summer Weekend Picturebooks: NYC, Chicago
Weekend Picturebook: NYC
T H U R S D A Y
[Gorgeous views flying into the city]
[Late night bite at Jacob’s Pickles, a few blocks from our hotel – the buffalo chicken blue cheese mac and cheese was TDF, and see husband’s chicken and pancakes with bacon in the background – good-ness!!]
F R I D A Y
[First things first – had to get that Peloton ride in! It was seriously such an awesome experience! 90s Pop Ride with Emma Lovewell (Husband’s fave instructor)
(If you don’t know about Peloton, ask me!)]
[Lunch at Momofuku Noodle Bar with birthday boy Mark – pork ramen was delish, and so cool to finally eat at this place!]
[Undoubtedly one of the best parts of the trip – we stumbled upon this freaking amazing rooftop bar with the most delicious frosé I’ve ever had!]
[Next stop – checked something off my NYC bucket list: Top of the Rock! Views were incredible.
And we definitely didn’t *almost* fall off from all that frosé…]
[Cheers to pour decisions! Such a fun night out celebrating one of our dear friends’ 30th birthday!]
S A T U R D A Y
[Explored Upper West Side and found one of my new favorite places – Zabars!
If only I lived here and could shop there every day – speciality cheeses, homemade bread …
at least I got to try a bagel and coffee.]
[Walk along Riverside Park – another gorgeous day in the city.
The locals thought it was too hot, but low 80s felt great to us Southerners!!]
[American Museum of Natural History was amazing! (Night at the Museum, anyone??)
My geologist/developer husband especially loved the rocks]
[Saturday night in Greenwich Village – mine (and T.Swift’s) fave <3]
[Dinner at Emily West Village (aka Pizza Loves Emily) – tried to do a cute blogger pizza photoshoot … total fail haha! But I do have a cute Instagram Husband]
[Found the most adorable Air’s Champagne Parlor – this was the BEST rosé! The quote on the mirror says: “I only drink champagne on two occasions – when I’m in love, and when I’m not.” – Coco Chanel
Amen, Coco!]
[Comedy Cellar! SUCH a cool experience – I would highly recommend!]
S U N D A Y
[Brunch at Jacob’s Pickles before our flight home – we learned our lesson for next time, definitely share!!]
[Cheers to an awesome trip and watching the World Cup final in the airport!]
xo xo
You might also enjoy some of my other NYC picturebooks: Sept. 2017, Aug. 2016, Dec. 2012
Weekend Picturebook: Chicago
T H U R S D A Y
[First stop: Eataly then shopping!]
[The most AMAZING dinner at Girl and The Goat – oysters, goat empanadas + fall off the bone pork shank. Seriously a meal I’ll never forget.]
[We would highly recommend the architectural boat tour – even though we were freezing our booties off! Good thing there was plenty of coffee + baileys.]
[Cliché touristy things: pictures in front of the Bean, chicago dog + Art Institute]
[Cindy’s Rooftop was perfection – and boy do we have a story to share. Ha!]
[HAMILTON! finally! 100% lived up to (or possibly beyond) the hype]
S A T U R D A Y 
[SNL exhibit at the Broadcast Museum was too cool – we could have easily spent all day in there!]
[Walk along the beach + a drink at The Drake – not exactly beach volleyball weather to us Southerners!]
[PIZZA, obviously]
[almost time for TAYLOR ….. !!!]
but first, a little history …
[T.Swift in LA, 2010]
[T.Swift in Nashville, 2013 – 2ND ROW. Don’t even ask how we got those seats.]
[T.Swift in Chicago, 2018!]
and yes, we’re wearing matching touristy sweatshirts because, again, it was freezing
[I swear I’m still on a high from this show. 2 hours of pure adrenaline, singing at the top of my lungs, dancing to my heart’s content. Best part was when she came to the second stage right next to us!!!]
[and then it started pouring, but we were okay with it because, Taylor, duh]
[and then we had to walk 3 miles home, in the pouring rain, couldn’t get an uber, and I was so over it… BUT THE CONCERT WAS AMAZING]
S U N D A Y
[Ended the weekend on a perfect note – brunch at The Hampton Social. Pictured: Frosé, lobster bisque + crab and avocado – all delish!]
What a perfect mother-daughter weekend. I couldn’t have asked for anything more!
xo xo
Aldermans Go Global: Mexico Family Vacation
[champagne toast – WE’RE FINALLY HEREEE!]
[first night mexican fiesta]
A D A Y I N T H E L I F E ….
[step 1: coffee on the balcony]
[step 2: drinks by the pool/in the pool (yes, this was still before noon)]
[step 3: hammock relaxation time]
R E P E A T .
[fun afternoon on the beach + a beautiful butterfly release ceremony husband and I were a part of]
[catamaran ride to isla mujeres – so much fun!]
[loving the coconut water … and this adorable mother/daughter pic!]
[hibachi, sushi + silent dance party!! tori and I were the only ones willing to make a fool of ourselves dancing to our own beat – I would highly recommend this if you ever get the chance!]
[S P A D A Y … ahhhhh]
[family pictures on the beach, kardashian style]
[final night dinner – don’t make us leave!]
[so thankful for marrying into such an amazing family
definitely a family vacation to remember!]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Aldermans Go Global: St. Lucia
Weekend Picturebook: Lake Tahoe
The BEST weekend with LITERALLY everyone.
T H U R S D A Y 
[first stop: truckee! the cutest little town ever.
lunch: bar of america with the best jalapeño poppers on the planet, wine: pour house wine shop]
[first night in the hot tub – complete with snow angels…]
F R I D A Y
[my birthday!]
[could we have asked for better views to wake up to?! all the heart eyes.]
[snowmobiling with these two was so fun! it was seriously a winter wonderland]
[and here’s the rest of our crew skiing/snowboarding at squaw valley!]
[post-snowmobiling bloody mary]
[birthday dinner at bridgetender tavern + a robust discussion on my 30 before 30 (another blog post to come soon)]
S A T U R D A Y 
[shopping in truckee – yes, I came home with both of these purchases (and more!!)]
[met the crew for lunch at Squaw – ate some of the best pizza + tried on literally a million hats]
[final night – dancing + drinks on the patio!]
[sunset in the hot tub …
and not thinking about how rough it will be to come home!]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Weekend Picturebook: NYC
2017: my year in pictures
J A N U A R Y
birthday celebrations in Vegas
F E B R U A R Y
the best tour guides + the best pizza in Chicago
M A R C H
feeling fancy at NWA fashion week + the first of many trips to minneapolis
A P R I L
the month of amazing concerts – radiohead + blink 182
M A Y
always one of my favorite months of the year – mother’s day + weddings + anniversaries + beer festivals
J U N E
BEST VACATION EVER #HotarmansItalianCahoots, Part 1 + Part 2
J U L Y
someone turned 30 (not me) + fun family reunion in portland
A U G U S T
a mother-daughter trip to pioneer woman’s ranch + my favorite puppy turned 5
S E P T E M B E R
labor day weekend NYC fun + polo in the ozarks
O C T O B E R
a work trip to virginia with some pretty sweet views + won halloween (again)
N O V E M B E R
the best girls weekend in LA
D E C E M B E R
celebrating the season’s best with my favorite people
xo xo
[a catalog – my year in pictures] 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010
Weekend Picturebook: NYC
F R I D A Y
[late flight in – so, amazing pizza at our hotel restaurant (you can read more about here), and drinks at our rooftop bar with these views || also, how cute is this little hotel room?]
S A T U R D A Y 
[up and at ’em, ready for shopping! husband’s only request in new york was to go to the nintendo store … just like a kid in a candy store]
[more shopping and central park views]
((not pictured: a glass of pinot by the lake and delicious shake shack lunch after a loooong day of walking))
[ready to brave the weather for our sunset sailboat ride]
[despite the drizzle (then eventual downpour), we had an incredible time on the Hudson in our sailboat. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone!]
[post-dinner jazz session in an underground cafe in greenwich village – perfect end to the evening]
S U N D A Y
[sadly, we woke to more rain so it put a damper on some of our plans, but instead led us to eat an incredible brunch in west village]
[bucket list: walk the brooklyn bridge – check! so much fun!]
[explored dumbo, brooklyn heights + another awesome rooftop bar || next time we’re staying in brooklyn!]
M O N D A Y
[late morning risers – I could not get over this comfy bed and these views || did I mention they also had automated blackout shades?!]
[took a 4-mile stroll for none other than our favorite cookies, then enjoyed them with coffee in central park]
[final hours in the city spent at The Met – who knew this rooftop garden was up here?!]
Until we meet again, NYC.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Weekend Picturebook: Portland
Food Picturebook: Minneapolis + NYC
[ M I N N E A P O L I S ]
B A R L A G R A S S A
This place was PHENOMENAL. I cannot recommend it enough. Top picture is their famous lobster + soft egg bruschetta – I was definitely skeptical, but I will definitely be getting it every time I go back. Next was a mushroom pasta that transported me back to Italy.
Y O U N G J O N I
I read amazing reviews about this place and it was named one of the top 10 restaurants in the country, so you’d say I had pretty high expectations … that were not met. The pizza was very good, but nothing special. However, the place was very cool with a hidden bar and trendy vibe.
P S Y C H O S U Z I E S
Even though this isn’t food, I had to include this one because the cup is cute and the place was so fun. A full-blown tiki bar on the river – how could you go wrong?!
[ N Y C ]
M A S S O N I 
Okay, so this isn’t a food pic either, but the food was SO delicious and we were SO hungry from traveling that I couldn’t get one in time. However, it needs to be accounted for because it was one of our favorite things we ate on the trip – buffalo chicken pizza with blue cheese crumbles. Oh my gosh. This will haunt my dreams.
S O T T O 1 3
Hands down, the best breakfast pizza I’ve ever had. Ever. Ever. This was also a great brunch deal with a lot of food and delicious rose sangria in an adorable location.
M A G N O L I A B A K E R Y 
I’ve always known about this place, but only recently did I learn about their banana pudding. You guys. You think you know banana pudding – or you think you don’t like banana pudding – but you don’t know banana pudding. We literally got one of the last ones and devoured it in minutes.
K E S T E P I Z Z A + V I N O 
Another meal that reminded me of Italy – this pizza was fantastic. The mushrooms and prosciutto were divine and paired with an Italian bottle of wine was exactly what we needed after getting unexpectedly drenched in the rain.
L A E S Q U I N A 
Another one where I did not get a photo of the actual food, but the place must not be forgotten. This was a Mexican speakeasy where you walk through this “Corner Deli”, down the stairs, through the kitchen to get to a dark, loud, trendy bar/restaurant. While it wasn’t conducive to holding a conversation, it had fabulous queso, tacos and the best ever street corn.
I’ll be posting more NYC trip pics soon!
xo xo
Weekend Picturebook: Portland
[A weekend in Portland for a family reunion]
The rest of the family is spending the week in Bend, OR, (which sounded amazing) but we could only come for a long weekend so we rendezvoused in the city for a few days!
[Gorgeous views of snow-capped mountains on our flight in]
[First stop: a brewery, of course! Breakside Brewery was amazing – awesome building, great indoor/outdoor seating and this blood orange IPA was so delicious]
[Incredible meal at The Waiting Room – hush puppies, fried chicken + creamed corn with jalapeños!]
[Early morning walk for coffee + Trader Joe’s in 59 degree weather – I forgot what that felt like! And it was incredible!!]
[The downtown food truck scene was so cool. There were so many unique options to choose from! We chose gyros and again, it was amazing]
[This place has my heart. I could have spent all day in here! I only spent 20 minutes and left with 4 books and a coffee mug, so I can only imagine …]
[Gorgeous morning hike up to the International Rose Test Garden – perfect weather and beautiful flowers]
[10:30am – time for … ice cream? We had been scoping out this popular place and the lines were ridiculously long, so we decided to try it first thing Sunday morning for a little treat. I’m so glad we did because it was definitely some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had and there was no line! Pictured: sea salt with caramel ribbons + coffee]
[Sunday morning farmer’s market was a hit – splash pad for the kids + delicious food for the adults. Unfortunately this was the only picture I got, but it’s okay because these pupusas were out of this world!! I literally watched the lady hand make them out of this tent. I truly feel like I know what real pupusas are now]
[30th Annual Oregon Brewers Festival on the waterfront – lots of beer and lots of fun!] 
[Unfortunately this is the only family photo we got while in town and doesn’t even include the whole gang. (Adorable nephew is cut out purposefully, but he was the cutest part!!)]
I’m so thankful we got to spend even just a few days together exploring this city! It was a wonderful weekend getaway with a wonderful family.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: our last family reunion 5 years ago in Hot Springs
Aldermans Go Global: Italy, Part 2 (Cinque Terre + Venice)
C I N Q U E T E R R E
[First night on the water – delicious dinner of fresh pasta with prawns + refreshing wine]
[Two amazing, relaxing days on the beach – exactly what we needed at this point in the trip!]
[Monterosso – adorable winding streets with beautiful street art]
[The pictures that follow are from our favorite night of the trip, on Angelo’s Sunset Boat Tour. Boat + guide Sammy pictured above. Seriously, if you are ever here, this is absolutely worth every penny!]
[Boat views of the towns = all the praise hands] 
[Stopped for tapas in Vernazza – these mussels + anchovies were TDF … and I don’t eat mussels or anchovies!]
[And this is right before we saw the dolphins and I cried. But for real, this night was so surreal and felt like a dream.]
[Final night in Cinque Terre – Vernazza Wine Experience with sweeping views that I failed to capture, except for the views of the wine + food]
CINQUE TERRE: We love love loved these adorable coastal towns. This was a very close second behind Siena for our favorite place. We actually stayed in a little town called Levanto (not one of the main touristy towns) and it was wonderful. Less touristy, yet still beachy and charming. We also had some super fun, not pictured, patio nights with Limoncello, Despacito + strange Asian men.
V E N I C E 
[Our cute Hotel Flora that took us forever to find, until we finally found it hidden on one of the streets behind Burberry, Ferragamo, Gucci …. ]
[Piazza at night + another delicious dinner – look at those shrimp!!]
[Peggy Guggenheim Museum was phenomenal. We were so excited to see some Modern art at this point after all the Renaissance art. Love this picture of Husband taking a picture of the water with a Jackson Pollock right behind him!]
[SO much fun on our Venetian Pub Tour – we drank so much wine, went to hole-in-the-wall pubs and learned a lot (that we didn’t totally agree with) from our tour guide]
[Day trip to the islands of Burano and Murano were totally worth it. Look how beautiful these colored buildings are! I took the second for my Mom – because I know if she were there, she’d totally be taking an art class like this!]
[Accidentally found this amazing, highly-rated B&B in Murano. My swordfish + tiramisu coffee ice cream were outstanding. I would totally come back and stay here!]
[Perfect final night in Venice with these beautiful people, and very fitting my last meal would be with more TRUFFLE!]
[We loved the bar across from our hotel! We made it a habit to end there every night. They played American Pop hits and served the “best” pina coladas + the best prosecco.]
VENICE: I had a love/hate relationship with Venice. I’m so glad we went, because it is so unique and incredible that there are no cars and the only transportation is by water taxi. (We even got to the airport by water taxi – how cool is that!) However, I’m not sure I’d go back – it was expensive, pigeons were everywhere, and I got eaten alive by mosquitos.
Hope you enjoyed re-living our trip through photos! I certainly did! Now, who’s ready to go back!?
Alderman’s Go Global: Italy, Part 1 (Rome + Tuscany)
xo xo
Aldermans Go Global: Italy, Part 1 (Rome + Tuscany)
R O M E
Day 1
[First stop in Italy – pistachio gelato – amazing, of course]
[Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and a lot of walking around cute streets]
[Incredible first meal at Cul de Sac – voted best lasagna + proscuitto and melon on the trip]
[Stumbled upon the famous Giolitti … so of course we had to have gelato, round 2. Successful first day in Italy!]
Day 2
[A great morning of walking and sightseeing – Ancient Rome was incredible. We definitely needed more time to explore!]
[Lunch stop pre-Vatican: Bonci Pizzarium – highly recommend this place. Tons of unique pizzas to choose from by the slice!]
[Pictures of the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica don’t even do it justice – wow! Unfortunately couldn’t take pictures of the Sistine Chapel, but it was breathtaking – if only there weren’t so many sweaty people crammed into one place!]
[This wine + cheese pairing class was seriously the best – definitely our highlight of Rome. We learned a lot, drank some unique wines, ate some amazing cheeses and even got to see the thousand year old wine cellar, and Handi the sommelier was incredible! If you’re going to Rome you must make time for Vino Roma.]
[Final night in Rome: somehow found Husband’s dad and stepmom at the Spanish Steps, ate some delicious cacio e pepe and went to the best pub in the world (not really … but we did get this awesome picture from a stranger, ha!)]
ROME: we actually really enjoyed this city! For some reason, none of us had very high expectations, but we were all pleasantly surprised. It was very walkable, fun, safe and great food. There is so much history here that we did not get the time to really explore so I could definitely go back.
T U S C A N Y
Our home base was Siena, which we ADORED, then we traveled around a bit from there.
Day 1
[Our first view as we walked into the city after a long day of traveling – how could we not immediately fall in love?!]
[The best pizza I’ve ever had – everything was so incredibly fresh, including the burrata on top. Il Pomodorino was one of our favorite spots with the best views. We actually ate there twice!]
[Drank wine at Bar Il Palio on the Piazza and people watched (including these two cute people above) – exactly as Rick Steves recommended, and it was perfect]
Day 2
[Spent the day exploring Siena – pictured is the Duomo and the crypt below, which was so creepy and so cool]
[Husband and I then walked up 131 tiny, winding steps to see this view. We got some incredible panoramic photos we will definitely print and frame – it was challenging, but so worth it!]
[Our favorite meal of the entire trip! This place was so amazing and romantic. My risotto with FRESHLY GRATED truffles was literally the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life. Truly a remarkable evening.]
Day 3
Day trip to Florence
[Very cool market we stopped in for breakfast – bottom floor was fresh meats, cheeses, veggies and fruits like a farmer’s market; top floor was cafes and restaurants – this cappucino and ham + brie croissant was delicious.]
[David, David, David, you truly are a masterpiece. I cannot get over how surreal and amazing it was to see this work of art. I’m so glad we went to Florence if only for this!]
[And this! Birth of Venus by Botticelli was amazing.]
[Uffizi gallery with these views was fantastic – though by the end of the day, we were so ready to get back home to Siena …]
[and we did eventually make it home, but with a crazy story to tell (best told in person). This was us cheers-ing to Josh making it back alive.]
FLORENCE: in full transparency, we really did not like Florence very much. It was crazy packed with tourists everywhere you turned. Maybe we didn’t go to the right places and should have spent more than a day and done more than just the touristy things, but we were not impressed. (Except for David!)
Day 4
Wine tour to Montalcino + surrounding wineries 
[Montalcino was an adorable little town! We only got 30 minutes in town before heading to the wineries, but could have spent several hours wandering around. Of course, even in those 30 minutes husband found a pair of leather shoes to buy!]
[First winery was a small family-run production – the wine was delicious, we met two adorable dogs and we tried grappa (definitely not for me…)]
[Second stop had the best views by far and incredible lunch + wine in a gorgeous home. I could seriously move there tomorrow!]
[Final stop was definitely the most unique and produced our favorite (albeit most expensive) wine – this winery is super modern, entirely biodynamic, and started by the very wealthy brother of Illy coffee (who we happened to see leaving for holiday in his Porsche while we were there)]
[Finally back home at Hotel La Villa for our final night in Siena – we did not want to leave!]
SIENA: hands down our favorite city. We seriously discussed finding a property to turn into an AirBnB so we could go visit whenever we want. It was charming and beautiful and just felt magical. I could spend so much more time here, using Siena as a home base then traveling to differing wineries and small towns nearby.
Hopefully you enjoyed the first round of pictures! This was only a tiny taste of what we saw, did, ate and drank.
Watch for Part 2 (Cinque Terre + Venice) in the next week!
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Alderman’s Go Global: St. Lucia, London, Paris, Munich
10 Things I Learned in Italy
- Never, ever, ever, hold a wine glass by the top, only by the stem. Or get seriously called out by a sommelier.
- Italians only drink with food. They don’t go out for a drink at happy hour without something to snack on, and they certainly don’t just sit on their couch binge-watching tv shows with wine. Hmm…..
- Ciao is hello, not goodbye. Americans incorrectly turned it into goodbye. (According to our very opinionated bar tour host)
- Under no circumstances should you get off of a train, unless you want to stay off of that train. Not to smoke a cigarette, and certainly not to get a taxi.
- I CAN get sick of pasta + pizza. (Actually surprising) But I can NOT get sick of good wine. (Not really that surprising.)
- And I DO like seafood when it’s extra fresh – like mussels and scampi and anchovies and scallops and swordfish
- Spontaneous tears of joy are a real thing.
- A meal or even just a cappuccino is not something to be rushed through or as “take-away”, but to be enjoyed leisurely. The 3-hour dinner was a common and wonderful occurrence.
- Air conditioning is non-negotiable. Especially when you’re walking 10 miles/day in 90+ degree humid heat.
- Travel can make or break a friendship. Luckily, ours was the former and only made us even closer.
Picturebook posts of our amazing Italian vacation to come soon!
xo xo
Weekend Picturebook: A Little Rock Wedding
S A T U R D A Y
[a beautiful day for margaritas, guac + tacos at The Fold]
[and for sunning with a few beers at Rebel Kettle Brewing]
[wedding time! gorgeous wedding for cousin Olivia + Sam at Trapnall Hall]
[love my handsome dates!]
[and the southern food was ridiculously on point – fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, crawfish + mashed potatoes and a mini mason jar layered with collard greens, beans + corn bread]
[the only pic with the bride + other cousin Blair at the end of the night, which reminded me of another pic 10 years earlier …]
[girls trip to NYC – can’t believe this was 10 YEARS AGO!]
S U N D A Y B R U N C H
Before we headed home, we had one more stop – brunch + beer.
Y’all. Lost Forty Brunch was the best brunch we have ever had in our entire lives. I can’t even begin to describe how incredible every single thing was. I’ll let the pictures do the talking, and let you do the drooling.
[our brunch “appetizer” – fried green tomatoes (yes, again) with jalapeño pimento cheese + skillet cinnamon roll. I’m not a huge cinnamon roll fan, but this was out of this world]
[my dish – biscuits + gravy, which again, were the best biscuits and gravy I’ve ever had. next time I will get a dozen of these biscuits and bring them home with me]
[husband’s dish – a skillet with all kinds of delicious goodness inside]
[WE LOVE YOU LOST FORTY! and yes, of course we got a growler to take home]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Weekend Picturebook: Chicago, Weekend Picturebook: Hermann, Missouri
Food Picturebook: NYC + Houston
[N Y C]
B R O W N ‘ S B A G E L S
Bagel is obviously a must in the city. I only got one, but could have eaten here every day. It was a cute little bakery with amazing coffee.
M A S S O N I
at Arlo Nomad
Unfortunately I started feeling sick about halfway through the trip – cold, allergies, probably both – so one night I grabbed a pizza in the restaurant in my hotel and ate it in bed. How could you not, with these views?? The pizza was not traditional thin crust new york pizza, but it was incredible – pepperoni, jalapeños and honey. Wowww.
L E V A I N B A K E R Y
If you know me at all, you know I have to fit Levain in to any NYC trip. I’m drooling again just thinking about how amazing this cookie was from just last week.
E A T A L Y
Snagged one more pizza before leaving the city in one of my favorite spots – and all I could think about was how I’ll be eating REAL Italian pizza in a MONTH!
A I R P O R T F O O D
Yes, you read that right – airport food. This was basically cheese toast with prosciutto and arugula on top. Did I mention I was stuck in the airport for 7 hours? I should have ordered another one, because this is some of the best airport food I’ve ever had.
[H O U S T O N]
G U R U B U R G E R S + C R E P E S
With a name like that of course we had to get a burger and a crepe! (and shared both!) Burger was delicious, crepe was okay, but beautiful.
N I N F A ‘ S
Okay if you’re ever in Houston this is the MUST-GO place. It is super authentic and absolutely delicious. You see (and smell) them making the tortillas as you walk in. I got Tacos Al Pastor with fresh grilled pineapple and it was the best thing ever.
T O R C H Y ‘ S T A C O S
Does this look familiar from my Austin Food Picturebook? Ha – Torchy’s is officially a favorite! This time I got the Trailer Park “trashy” again and tried The Independent loaded with veggies. Both were amazing as usual, and so was the queso, as usual. Who can I petition to get a Torchy’s in NWA?!
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Food Picturebook: Austin, Food Picturebook: LA
Food Picturebook: Austin
Introducing a new blog series – Food Picturebook. Because I love traveling, I love food, and I love taking pictures of food.
You can see the first food picturebook here when I went to LA a few months ago and ate amaaazing food, and I knew Austin would be just as amazing, if not better. And it was. And I may have a few extra pounds to show for it.
Enjoy the photos, try not to drool and add these restaurants to your must-eat list!
P E R L A ‘ S
To be honest, at first I was a little disappointed that my first meal in Austin was not BBQ or Tacos, but the second I tasted this Shrimp & Grits it was all over. It was some of the best I’ve ever had – and that’s saying something because I’ve had a lot of amazing Shrimp & Grits! It had a cajun kick to it that made it just a little more special than usual and absolutely amazing. Isn’t it also pretty??
T O R C H Y ‘ S T A C O S
This place was exactly like the picture says – DAMN GOOD. This was a quick-serve restaurant, but still had way better tacos than any restaurant we have in NWA. I got The Democrat and The Trailer Park “trashy” – the latter was my favorite of the two. That’s a fried chicken strip in there! Also a must-get is the queso and quac. I can’t wait to go back and try more of the taco’s. And get more queso.
A B O Y O U S S E F
We know Austin is known for their food trucks, but this one seemed a little too authentic at first and was in a random part of town. But, I had heard great reviews from a friend and everyone on Yelp so I decided to try something different. The grilled chicken, rice, tabbouleh and hummus was incredible – perfectly authentic. Definitely not what I expected from Austin, but I’m glad I tried it!
B U R R O
Food truck #2 was a huge success. How can you go wrong with a grilled cheese truck? Specifically when you order the mac and cheese grilled cheese?? This picture does not do it justice at all, but it was so freaking delicious I can even still taste it …
C O O P E R ‘ S B B Q
So this BBQ joint was actually not on the original list of recommendations we received, but, as we checked several of them out (Franklin’s has an 8+ hour wait, Salt Like was a bit of a drive out of town) we needed something different. Luckily, our “Uber” driver gave us this recommendation, and after validating it with a local friend, it was decided. The patio was amazing and the food was just as incredible as I anticipated. Pictured: Brisket, Beef Rib and Jalapeño Mac and Cheese. I may or may not have eaten my cold leftovers before boarding the plane the next morning ….
What’s your favorite restaurant in Austin? I’m already planning my next trip – all about the food!
xo xo
Weekend Picturebook: Chicago
S A T U R D A Y
[lunch at portillo’s + catching up with my favorite walmartian-arkansan-chicagoans!]
[contemporary art museum]
[pre-dinner drinks at Pop’s Champagne (not pictured) then pizza at the famous Lou Malnati’s! it was amaaaazing]
[post-dinner walk along the beach with beautiful views of the skyline]
[the drake! my beautiful, old hotel in a perfect location]
S U N D A Y
[early morning walk on the beach – it was cold, but totally worth it]
[after the cold, long walk, I deserved this, right?? vanilla bean + chocolate old fashioned from glazed and infused]
[art institute of chicago was incredible – saw some of my favorites from renoir + monet. I could have spent all day in here!]
[cliche bean picture + walk through millennium park – then more walking, eating, and shopping before …]
[the big event – oscars war room! we were certainly exhausted by the end of it, but very proud of a successful campaign]
If you didn’t see the Oscars and are interested in learning more about how we played a part in the night, check out these videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs6zAwIMDe3MCfYpFAi2PYe9TtUJC3Ig9
xo xo
m.davis xoxo 