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!
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
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: 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
2016: my year in pictures
J A N U A R Y
bought a new car + celebrated my birthday at downstream casino #BettingOnAMILLEon
F E B R U A R Y
first of (several) work trips to NYC + got pulled on stage during spamalot on our valentine’s day date at the rogers little theatre
M A R C H
a work conference with some pretty decent views
A P R I L
welcomed becky to america with the best party ever + celebrated a beautiful bride at mount magazine
M A Y
(best month ever)
bentonville film festival, fayetteville foam fest + 5-year anniversary in St. Lucia
J U N E
sister-in-law got married + traipsed around california with these people
J U L Y
celebrated husband’s birthday in denver
A U G U S T
mother daughter weekend in NYC + too much fun at a wedding #travkeg2k16
S E P T E M B E R
best labor day weekend ever #tracytrap
O C T O B E R
squad goals at a stranger halloween
N O V E M B E R
an amazing weekend getaway in missouri + a fun week in LA
D E C E M B E R
birthday celebrations with the sistahs + christmas in DC
[a catalog – my year in pictures] 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010
Food Picturebook: LA
Typically when I go on a trip, I follow up with a Picturebook blog post sharing all my photos and trip highlights.
Since I just did an LA Picturebook in July after my last work trip, I decided to switch this one up a bit. I ate some amaaaazing food on this trip at some amaaaazing restaurants and I just had to share so you can enjoy them too (and so I can remember these places for trips to come!)
Enjoy a look at my latest LA trip via my delicious meals. #FoodPorn
S U G A R F I S H
My coworker would not stop talking about this place since the second we learned we were traveling to LA. “We HAVE to go to Sugarfish in Santa Monica.” So we did, straight from the airport. It was packed and a 45 min. wait (the perfect amount of time to get some shopping in), but it was totally worth it. I’m not an adventurous sushi eater, but oh my gosh it was divine. It was easily the freshest sushi I’ve ever had; I had a blue crab roll and a cucumber roll. Most people get the “Trust Me”, where they bring you all different kinds of sushi and you just, well, trust them it will be delicious. Next time, I think I’ll go for it.
Oh, and did I mention this place is a celebrity hot spot?? So you know that makes me like it even more ….
S W E E T B U T T E R
Okay, so this was another one my coworker kept going on and on about, and guess what, it was amazing. She definitely has good taste. This was an adorable breakfast and lunch spot in Sherman Oaks. We sat outside and enjoyed the Cali weather, a cappuccino, avocado toast and pumpkin pancakes. Is that perfect, or what?! They also had a mega drool-worthy dessert case. (I might have purchased a few things for later … and yes, they were delicious.)
M A L I B U F A R M
I stayed an extra day after my work trip to hang out with one of my high school besties, who now lives in LA. She took me to this incredible lunch spot in Malibu. It sits on the new Malibu pier with absolutely stunning views. We had the perfect seat, on little couches overlooking the pier and sea. We drank mimosas, ate nachos and chatted just like we were back in high school. Unfortunately it was pretty chilly and overcast while we were there, but I will definitely be back and if it’s sunny, you might have to pry me from this place, mimosa in hand.
J O N & V I N N Y ‘ S
So this one has quite an interesting story and is my favorite on the list. About 3 years ago, I read an article in GQ about this new LA restaurant Jon & Vinny’s. Something about the article captivated me – maybe the fact that they deliver pizza AND wine?? Regardless, I sent it to my friend and asked her to please go for me. Well, here we were 3 years later trying to decide on dinner and we remembered the article. We had to go. It was a Sunday night around 6pm, so we didn’t think it would be too busy. HA. Little did we know, they are full with reservations every.single.night. Like, always full. The only way we would be able to get in is if we waited and someone didn’t show up for their reservation. We decided to take our chances.
In the back of the restaurant is this adorable, tiny little wine store called Helen’s with bottles ranging from $15 to $800. We made our way back there to get a glass of wine while we waited and hoped for a table. We stood back there for over an hour and met two of the most interesting, talkative people. It was amazing and fascinating and felt so LA. Just as we were finishing up our convo with the ex-pro golfer who was trying to hide from his family, the hostess told us she could seat us if we could be in and out in 40 minutes.
So we took the challenge, ordered a salad, a pasta and a pizza to share and never looked back. Words can’t even describe how amazing all three were. Sadly this was the only photo I took before inhaling it all, but take my word for it – if you are in LA, you have to go to this place! Just don’t forget to make a reservation!
I N – N – O U T
And of course, I would be remiss if while talking about food I didn’t share my food porn, drool-worthy photo of a California staple – animal style cheeseburger from In-N-Out.
‘Ya hungry yet?
xo xo
Weekend Picturebook: Denver
[first stop – husband’s favorite brewery!]
[great tour + great beer – blood orange IPA]
[did some shopping on Pearl Street in Boulder]
[perfect date night at Larimer Square – it was so picturesque and adorable!]
[dinner on the patio at Osteria Marco]
[after-dinner champagne flights at Corridor 44 champagne bar]
[sunday morning brunch at Curtis Club – yes we will have all the champagne, please]
[coffee + exploring at Union Station]
[the most amazing tacos + churros I’ve ever had at Pinche Taqueria – we went here 3 years ago and had to fit it in again. it will always be a go-to every time we’re in Denver!]
[and finally, the main event – The National at Red Rocks!]
[such an amazing show in the most amazing venue – check out the Denver city lights in the background. these pictures don’t do it justice, but you must put Red Rocks on your bucket list!]
We had such an incredible time in one of our favorite cities to celebrate Husband’s 29th birthday. Unfortunately didn’t get a photo with our generous hosts – cousin Ellen and husband Lanny, but so wonderful spending time with family! ❤
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Picturebook: California Dreaming’, Aldermans Go Global: St. Lucia
Aldermans Go Global: Munich
D A Y 1 – O K T O B E R F E S T
[Wilkommen to Deutschland! What an amazing surprise from my friend Bobbi Joe, waiting for me at our hotel. Dirndl and all here we come, Oktoberfest!]
[I can’t even describe how amazing of an experience this was!! Something we will never forget!]
[So much food! Pretzels, two hens, pork knuckle and the best potato salad I’ve ever eaten!]
[We were in the Augustiner beer tent for 5 1/2 hours, and by the end, everyone was standing on their tables dancing and singing, without a care in the world.]
D A Y 2
[Beautiful day exploring the city – Glockenspiel and Marienplatz]
[Viktualienmarkt – basically a huge amazing farmers market! And I just wanted to buy all the flowers all the time!]
[Michael Jackson memorial outside the Bayerischer Hof Hotel, where he stayed several times and other celebrities stay in Munich.]
[When in Munich … eat pizza? Strange I know, but it was incredible because the meat is just so good on anything you put it on.]
[Early night in after a late night previously and a long day of walking. But of course, still laying in bed drinking beer.]
D A Y 3
[Lunch at Hofbrau Haus!]
[Another beautiful day walking around the city and enjoying beautiful gardens.]
[Delicious meal at Cafe Tambosi – pumpkin and brown sugar ravioli in a honey truffle sauce and dessert: fresh pineapple with pistachio ice cream and real cream. Drooling now just thinking about it.]
D A Y 4
(We were supposed to take a trip to Austria our last two days of vacation, but unfortunately trains were suspended due to migrants, so we made the best of our extra time in Munich!)
[Rainy days are for museums – first up, Museum Brandhorst with an amaaaazing Warhol exhibit!]
[Next museum, Pinakothek der Moderne filled with everything you could imagine such as furniture, the first Apple computer and Dali’s!]
[The BMW Museum was so cool, inside and out! And of course the MINI exhibition was my favorite.]
[We were looking for a place to eat dinner, and we just couldn’t pass up the meat cooking in the window. It was seriously the best thing we ate in Munich (and as you saw, we ate some great food). The pork knuckle and sauerkraut was incredible, and the flaming apple fritters were awesome.]
D A Y 5 – Last day in Munich
[Our last day in Munich we spent shopping in the morning, and then relaxing and drinking beer all afternoon at our now favorite beer garden Augustiner-Keller.
Then back to the hotel, watching the Scream Queens pilot on the iPad and figuring out how to pack everything to take it home…]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Aldermans Go Global: London, Aldermans Go Global: Paris
Aldermans Go Global: Paris
D A Y 1
[Arrived in Paris to a beautiful day and another adorable (Rick Steve’s recommended) hotel – Hotel Des Grandes Ecoles. This was the cobblestone pathway that led to the hotel behind closed doors from the street, and the adorable patio/garden where everyone sat and drank wine every afternoon. To say I could get use to this would be an understatement.]
[6-course French wine + champagne tasting]
[Dinner at Louvre Ripaille – mushroom risotto + beef bourguignon (and a creepy husband)]
[Moonlit stroll home with Notre Dame + Love Locks]
D A Y 2
[Musee d’Orsay was incredible – highly recommend it! And the special exhibition was amazing. Pictured: At the Moulin Rouge by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec]
[Our favorite thing about Paris was just walking around, exploring and these gorgeous views.]
[One of the last remaining original metro signs]
[We didn’t go in the Louvre, but we did stop by for some photos]
[Wine in our hotel patio/garden. Like I said before, I could get use to this.]
[It was a looooong walk to the Eiffel Tower after an already long day of walking, but these views sure were worth it. <3]
D A Y 3
[Cappuccinos + croque monsieur at Le Descartes]
[Strolled through the gorgeous Jardin du Luxembourg]
[Laduree was a dream! And the macarons were amazing! From L to R: Iced Mint, Salted Caramel, Pistachio, Coffee (our favorite!), Rose Petal, Marie Antoinette]
[We stumbled upon this pop-up art museum and had to go in. Turns out it was an Hermes exhibition that was one of the coolest things we saw in Paris. We felt like we were in Alice in Wonderland!]
[This hole-in-the-wall bar in Montmarte served us the best duck we have ever tasted. It seriously melted in my mouth, and was my favorite thing we ate on the trip.]
[Loved seeing a show at the Moulin Rouge! So much fun!]
D A Y 4 – Last day in Paris
[The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles was stunning!]
[And so were the grounds – wow! Versailles was so impressive. There aren’t even words to describe it.]
[Another adorable side street with Shakespeare and Co. bookstore + take-away crepes. It doesn’t get more French than walking the streets with a crepe.]
[Dinner on Ile Saint-Louie was so romantic! A perfect end to our Parisian adventure.]
[We loved you, Paris! We will definitely be back!]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Aldermans Go Global: London
Aldermans Go Global: London
D A Y 1
[First impression of London – I mean, WHY can’t our taxis be this adorable?! I already love this city.]
[Kensington Palace and Gardens was huge and gorgeous. We spent our first afternoon strolling the park, people and swan-watching, and finding the Peter Pan statue! #NeverGrowUp]
[Then, the unthinkable happened. I took this picture literally minutes before a drunk homeless guy came over and spilled his alcohol all over my pants. Like, I’m not kidding you when I say I reeked of alcohol and my pants were drenched. Long story short, it led to new pants from Zara and … ]
[… finding this place, The Cockpit. We ended up missing our pub tour we’d booked, but instead we found this pub that was so quintessentially English it was amazing. There were no tourists, Rugby World Cup was on the TV and most importantly, the beer was flowing. Probably our favorite place from the entire trip.]
[Pub stop #2. We just decided to make our own pub tour.]
[After a few beers, we were more than happy to take these cliche pics.]
D A Y 2
[Our Rick Steve’s recommended hotel was so adorable. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Not to mention we had a full, traditional English breakfast every morning. Not pictured: The baked beans that came with this and were SO good. (For breakfast! IKR!) Pictured: The most amazing bacon and grilled tomatoes you’ve ever had.]
[Tower of London, Crown Jewels and adorable husband – check!]
[And awesome views of the Tower Bridge – check!]
[My favorite thing we did in London was the Sunday afternoon church service at Westminster Abby. The choir was PHENOMENAL. I’ve never heard anything like it before in my life. Also, I couldn’t stop thinking about how Will + Kate got married here, sooooo that was pretty cool.]
[Favorite photo from the trip! Thanks random strangers from Chicago. <3]
[Next up – The London Eye. Which I did not like. So I promptly rewarded myself with ice cream. And as mom later reminded me, she always use to reward me with ice cream too.]
[After a loooooong day of walking, we decided to stick near our hotel for dinner. Come to find out the restaurant literally right next door was highly rated on Yelp. We both had great meals, but it was the dessert that left an impression. This orange creme brulee was TDF. Tiny, but TDF.]
D A Y 3
[Waiting with thousands of other people for the changing of the guards!]
[And the wait was totally worth it. Next time I have to go in Buckingham Palace!]
[Churchill War Rooms was Kyle’s favorite thing from London. It was literally the secret, underground bunker Churchill used during WW2, and it was fascinating.]
[Not Pictured: The National Gallery museum – highly recommend!]
[Lunch at Red Lion Pub and our first fish and chips, which we LOVED.]
[Tower Bridge selfie on our hop-on, hop-off tour bus! We loved this. It was a great way to see the city and fun to sit on top!]
[Dinner: The Thomas Cubitt
This may sound crazy, but this was the best soup I’ve ever had in my life – white onion + thyme with wilshire truffles and croutons. Like, I can still remember exactly what it tastes like, and I’m not even a soup person. Also, our appetizer got messed up and instead we got smoked quail, and surprisingly it was delicious.]
D A Y 4 – L A S T D A Y I N L O N D O N
[Kew Gardens was just gorgeous, and the weather was so perfect. My pictures don’t do it justice (and of course I took like a million.) But I had to share this one of the peacock that just walked right in front of me on the path – it was incredible! We were like, where are we?!]
[Mid-morning cake + cappuccinos.]
[Not Pictured: Victoria + Albert Museum – also highly recommend!]
[One thing we did not get to do that I really wanted to was go to Notting Hill (I will just have to re-watch the movie and go back!). This was the closest we got – Churchill Arms, a famous pub full of flowers and plants inside and out that also served delicious Indian food.]
But before we headed to Paris, there was one more thing we HAD to do …
[JK, we’re not going to Paris, we’re headed to Hogwarts!!]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Aldermans Go Global: There’s No Place Like Home
Aldermans Go Global: There’s No Place Like Home
We’ve been home from vacation for approximately 72 hours, and I would already take the next plane back if it was offered to me.
Ever since we got married (4 1/2 years ago), we’ve talked about a two-week vacation to Europe just the two of us. It finally happened, and it was even more amazing than I could have even dreamed.
I’ll be doing a series of blog posts over the next week or so, sharing photos and details about our trip. (In case you just didn’t get enough following me on Instagram. 🙂 )
But first, a few thoughts after re-entry:
[FROM EUROPE] I M I S S …
Full English breakfasts served steps from our room.
Staying out until midnight, and sleeping in until 10am.
Being fully present in the moment because our phones weren’t pinging us with texts, emails, notifications, etc.
Mine and husband’s squabbling over maps and which direction to go.
Stopping at a cafe for a glass of wine (or two) at 2pm, because we can.
Walking everywhere.
The laid-back dining culture, where waiters don’t harass you and you can properly enjoy a meal.
European cappuccinos.
(with full-fat milk! and if you asked otherwise they looked at you like you were crazy)
Being around so many different cultures with different stories, and meeting new people.
Learning something new every day.
The laissez-faire attitude.
Quality time with just husband, every single day, learning more about him and enjoying him.
[FROM HOME] I M I S S E D …
Ice water. Seriously. Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Snuggling with my fur-baby, Olli.
Understanding everyone, and all menus, at all times.
My mom. No matter how old I get, she’ll always be my Lorelei.
My TV shows.
(I’m sure that sounds lame, but we did leave as Fall TV started back, and we know how much I love my Fall TV…)
Mexican Food. Give me some chips and guac and queso and margs, please.
Group texts. I have two groups I communicate with on a daily basis, and I missed my dear ones.
My own bed, with my own pillows, and a FAN.
The indescribable feeling of being home.
xo xo
Weekend in Vegas: Wardrobe Prep
I’m headed to Vegas this weekend with the sistahs (mom and two new sisters, read more on that here) and I’m so excited!
I love traveling, but I’m the worst at packing. I usually just throw a bunch of clothes in a bag, with ideas of outfits in my head, but I never really plan it out. So, in an effort to save space (to of course make room for NEW clothes) and be less stressed deciding what to wear, I’m planning out my outfits for the weekend. What’s funny is for someone who’s such a planner, this actually kind of stresses me out – realizing I can’t change my mind at the last minute about what to wear!
F R I D A Y N I G H T
[comfortable for the plane, but cute enough to step into vegas || t-shirt, Forever 21; jeans, BlankNYC, booties + cardigan, Elysian Boutique]
S A T U R D A Y
[focus on comfortable shoes for walking and quick dress changes for shopping || dress, Elysian Boutique; shoes, DSW]
[dinner reservations at Nobu calls for fur + bling || dress, necklace + fur vest, Riffraff; shoes, BCBG]
S U N D A Y
Day outfit: I will be spontaneous and purchase something Saturday to wear for Sunday! Eeek!
[sunday afternoon show + evening drinks overlooking the strip || jacket, H&M; dress, Elysian Boutique; clutch, Ann Taylor Loft]
M O N D A Y
[after a weekend in vegas, it’s time for comfort and casual heading home || boyfriend jeans, J. Crew]
Come back next week to see our Weekend Picturebook from Vegas. Hope you have a wonderful weekend wherever you are!
xo xo
Vacation Picturebook: Aldermans in Alabama
{first stop – after 12 hours of driving, who doesn’t want a cold beer and HUGE nachos at a bar with the coolest name ever}
{before there was the beach, there was the pool … well, in this case there was, and it was just so peaceful}
{after-dinner bushwackers at LuLu’s – Jimmy Buffett’s sister’s restaurant}
{the best breakfast everrrr – bananas in pajamas + mimosa flight}
{day at the beach with these cuties – isn’t he going to make the best dad??}
{view from our balcony and view of our beach towels}
{LOVED this restaurant in Orange Beach; also LOVED meeting up with some beautiful girls I haven’t seen in 3 years!}
{final meal – shrimp and grits perfectly peppery shrimp and amazingly cheesy grits}
{let the wedding festivities begin!}
{stunning wedding, venue and bride – what more do you need?}
{yep, we did the sprinklr down the aisle}
{love this lady so much and was so excited to be part of this special day – can’t wait to visit them in Austin!}
{what an amazing week with delicious food, quality time with husband, beautiful beaches and … }
{… the perfect car ride home with this guy. yep, we stole him from his mother}
xo xo
Beach or Bust
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmer of water, or watching the clouds float across the blue sky, is by no means waste of time.”
I haven’t been to the beach since our honeymoon. In 3 years. That’s practically blasphemous, y’all. The beach is my safe haven. I can never get enough of the sweet, salty air, sand between my toes and sultry sun beating on my sweat-stained skin. Give me a book and am margarita and I could sit outside all day. And that I will, starting Monday.
We leave tomorrow for the 12-hour drive to Gulf Shores, AL (my home state!). The purpose of the trip is ultimately for a best friend’s beach wedding, but we decided to turn it into a week-long vacation with a cozy condo overlooking the gulf.
Usually I plan every second of our trip from the restaurants we eat at to the activities we have to pack in, but this trip I have nothing – I repeat, NOTHING – planned. Except of course sleeping in and laying on the beach. It makes me a little anxious, but I’m also so excited to just relax and be spontaneous with our week. Who knows where it will take us?!
Follow our travels on Instagram @milledavis and through our hashtag #AldermansInAlabama.
I hope you have a good week. See you when we get back (very tan and very relaxed).
xo xo
Weekend Picturebook: Hot Springs
{started the weekend off right with margaritas!}
{then back to the house for pool and beer … among other things}
{love this pic – as someone said, it either looks like a rom-com or a psa for underage drinking}
{beautiful home we were so fortunate to stay in}
{day at the races!}
{dinner at backporch grill}
{downtown hot springs – superior bathouse and brewery}
{sunday morning mimosas}
{brunch at fisherman’s wharf before heading home}
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Weekend Picturebook: Cabin in the Woods, Weekend Picturebook: Little Rock
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
Now that our party is over, I can focus on our next big thing. We’re heading to Seattle and Canada in T minus 8 days – eek! I love traveling, but I also love planning the trips almost as much. The excitement and anticipation is sometimes better than the actual trip.
One of my dream jobs is to be a travel planner (not a party planner as I learned this weekend). I absolutely love exploring new cities, researching where to stay, what restaurants to eat at, the hottest bars, the trendiest boutiques. Of course, the downside to planning other people’s trips is you wouldn’t actually get to experience any of the things you planned, which would definitely be hard for me.
As I’ve been planning our trip to Seattle and Canada, I thought I’d share with you some of my top tips for travel planning. {First, you should read my post from several years ago about how to dress while traveling: Travel Chic.}
And if you ever want any help planning (or need a trip buddy) I’m your girl.
Enjoy! xo
1. Set up price notifications to places you’re planning on visiting, or want to visit, so you can see how and when the prices change to ensure you get the best deal. (I currently use the Kayak iPhone app to do so.) However, be prepared to book quickly if you see a dramatic decrease in price because they go fast.
2. Decide if you really need a rental car. If you’re staying in a big city, it might be cheaper to use public transportation and/or walk. Don’t forget to take into account overnight parking rates at your hotel and public parking costs. For people like us in small towns like Bentonville, we don’t think about these things.
3. Crowdsource. Crowdsource. Crowdsource. The best recommendations are from other people. Post a status on Facebook and Twitter asking for recommendations. Ask your co-workers. You will most likely get inundated with tons of reccos, which is where the fourth tip comes in.
4. After getting recommendations, do your own homework. Don’t assume everyone likes the same things you do or eats at the same types of restaurants you like. Visit the website, look at the menu and look at reviews on Yelp.
5. When looking up reviews (for a restaurant, hotel, museum, etc.) always read the worst rated reviews. You can see if the bad things people are saying are legitimately bad, or just nonsense that’s dragging the ratings down.
6. Make your list of a couple things you must-do on the vacation (like for us in Seattle – visit the first Starbucks location, duh) but also leave time for wiggle room, whether for a nap or for that cute boutique you saw down the corner.
7. Once you get to your location, ask the locals their favorite places to go. We did this in New York last year and found the most amazing bar ever (Beauty & Essex) that we might not have ever found otherwise.
8. Eat local. I’m a huge proponent of no chain restaurants while on vacation. A huge part of a city’s culture is it’s food, so you need to get a true taste!
9. Pack comfortable shoes and basics you can accessorize with. Overpacking is never a good thing. It’s stressful because you can’t find what you need. It doesn’t really matter what you wear on vacation anyway (who’s going to know if you wore the same thing twice?!) AND you can fill your bag with stuff you buy shopping!
10. If at all possible, only pack a carry-on. You’ll save money and time. If you have to check a bag and you’re traveling with others, pack one big back and put several people’s stuff in it, then each pack small carry-ons too.
11. Lastly, plan things that you want to do. It’s your vacation! If you don’t normally like to go to museums, don’t assume you’ll enjoy museums just because you’re in another city.
{Alderman Music Tour} Part 2: Nashville
Yesterday I shared highlights from the first part of our vacation in Denver. Now for the last leg of the tour – Part 2: Nashville.
Enjoy! xo
{dinner night 1: family-style good ol’ southern cooking}
{honky tonkin’ at Robert’s Western World}
{enjoyed delicious lunch + coffee at T.Swift’s favorite coffeehouse in Hillsoboro Village}
{pretending like we were in Greece at the full-scale parthenon replica}
{the BEST sandwich followed by the BEST ice cream – YUM!}
{great live show at Two Old Hippies}
{brunch – the best meal of the day}
{tour of the historic Ryman Auditorium}
{TAYLOR SWIFT – IN SECOND ROW SEATS !! I was literally dying. Greatest show ever!}
{Alderman Music Tour} Part 1: Denver
We’re officially home sweet home from our #AldermanMusicTour. We had a wonderful, relaxing vacation. Today I’ll share some photos from Part 1: Denver and tomorrow will be Part 2: Nashville.
Hope you all had a wonderful week! xo
{beautiful walks in the morning to get coffee + enjoy the gorgeous, old homes}
{new favorite beer – Breckenridge Agave Wheat, and the fries were pretty good too}
{one of our three wonderful hosts – cousin + husband not pictured}
{brunch! bottomless mimosas + chicken and waffles is always a good thing}
{“Come quickly. I’m drinking the stars!” – Dom Perignon)
{day trip to Colorado Springs – Garden of the Gods was amazing}
{stunning Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel}
{the BEST tacos I’ve ever eaten in my life and the best churros – ate them too quickly to get a picture!}
{first leg of the Alderman Music Tour – The National at Red Rocks Amphitheater!}
life lately + blogging hiatus
Life lately has been busy, busy, busy. Along with moving and getting settled in I’ve had some big projects going on at work that have been taking up a lot of time (hint, hint: follow @Walmart on Instagram). I’ve had hardly any time to blog and when I have had the time, spending more time on a computer did not sound appealing.
Other than moving and working, see a few life lately highlights below.
{Jersey Boys at the WAC}
{Sidecars at Club Frisco}
{several evenings in downtown Bentonville, pictured – Tusk & Trotter}
{Calling the Hogs with these fun guys}
Saturday we head off on our next adventure to Denver and Nashville. One day while drinking mimosas on a patio, husband and I dreamed a dream that we could see his favorite band (The National) in concert and mine (Taylor Swift) in the same week, despite the shows being across country. That dream has officially turned into reality.
We will see The National at the breathtaking Red Rocks Amphitheater outside of Denver and spend a few days in the city with my cousin and her husband. We then head to Nashville where we will meet up with my parents, and Mom and I will see T. Swift (for the second time because she’s amaaaaaazing). I am BEYOND excited and so ready for a week-long vacation.
21st birthday trip – Taylor Swift in LA!
See you in a few weeks! xo
Weekend Picturebook: Little Rock
{T-Dub, aka Theo Wiley, is the cutest}
{lunch + shopping at The Promenade at Chenal}
{lounging with family + pups}
{sushi at RJ Tao}
{SO glad we got to spend time with this guy}
{had to stop by for a whatta-burger on the way home}
xo
You might also enjoy: Weekend Picturebook: Kansas City, Weekend Picturebook: Las Vegas
Weekend Picturebook: Kansas City
{Drinks on the patio, Country Club Plaza}
{Shop. Relax. Repeat.}
{2nd anniversary dinner where we dreamed about where we’ll be in another year}
{Sunday brunch, Westport Cafe and Bar}
{Star Trek: Into Darkness, Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet}
{beer flights + pizza, Flying Saucer}
{fireworks show from our hotel balcony}
{parting lunch, blanc burgers + bottles}
{rainy Memorial day – until next time KC}
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Weekend Picturebook: St. Louis, Weekend Picturebook: Las Vegas
Weekend Picturebook: St. Louis
{wine + brie waiting for us at our midnight arrival, followed by a 3 1/2 hour catch up session}
{Pioneer Woman breakfast}
{beautiful, cold day}
{beer tasting, Schlafly Bottleworks}
{restaurant from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
my entree: Schnitzel + Spaetzel, husband’s: off the menu Oak Roasted Pork = delish}
{chocolate martinis + banana split, Bailey’s Chocolate Bar}
{Sunday brunching + house coveting}
{such a WONDERFUL host for the weekend}
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Weekend Picturebook: Las Vegas, Weekend Picturebook: New York City
The Three Week Cooking Challenge // Conclusion
WHEW. It was a long three weeks. In part because we were cooking every single night (a rarity in the Alderman home), but also in part because I was so eager to get to my birthday weekend in Vegas! In all honesty, I have no clue what we ate for Week 3 of the challenge, but we held on strong and ate in every night.
By the end of the three weeks, we were craving eating out (are we the only ones like that?? is that strange??) and luckily we were headed to a city with some of the finest and most diverse food you can find within a 2 mile radius. As I ate other people’s creations, I was reminded how much I love food and why I love eating out so much. It’s not the fact that cooking is difficult (sometimes it is) or that you have a lot to clean afterwards (usually it is) or that you have to plan ahead every single day what you’re going to cook (yes it is), but the fact that my cooking isn’t nearly as good as others. There’s not much fun in my cooking or much “brava.” It’s just food. But aren’t we supposed to really enjoy food? Well, I really enjoy food when it’s cooked by someone else.
All that to say, I don’t think I’ll ever be a master chef, but I have realized it’s not as difficult as I thought it was and it’s doable to cook every night. It also helps that I got a PERFECT new cookbook for my birthday from a dear friend – Robin Takes 5: 500 recipes, 5 ingredients or less, 500 calories or less, 5 nights a week at 5:00 pm – I mean, is there a more perfect cookbook for me?!
* * *
Now, enjoy some food porn from our Las Vegas vacation …
{sausage balls, XNA}
{vanilla + nutella creme puffs with banana gelato, Scarpetto}
{arugula + parmigiano reggiano salad, sausage + peppers pizza, Otto Enoteco – Mario Batali}
{housemade beer brat, Public House}
{brunch, The Wicked Spoon}
{decadence, Jean Phillipe Patisserie}
xo xo
You might also enjoy: The Three Week Cooking Challenge // Week 1, The Three Week Cooking Challenge // Week 2
m.davis xoxo 
