Thursday, December 22, 2011

10 THINGS

Poncho & Turtleneck: H&M, Pants: Ann Taylor Loft, Boots: Unity at Famous Footwear, Pin: Much Love Illy
1. Jet Setting to be with family tonight.  Yay, let the holidays begin!  Especially excited for baby's First Christmas!
2. Please love that it's almost 60 degrees out today. Are you kidding me.  It's the middle of December?!?
3. I have not even started my Christmas shopping!!!  Mall, I will be your best friend tonight and all day tomorrow.
4. Coquito!!!  It's a holiday tradition in my family.
5. Road Trip to Rhode Island next week with one of my best girlfriends, her son and mine.  Girl time is the best!  And with babies included...I'm in heaven!
6. Planning a family vacation for New Year's Eve weekend.  Trying to decide...Montreal, Boston, Philly or Washington D.C.
7. The best thing about our tradition of exchanging x-mas p.j.'s...getting to throw out some old ones and finally getting some new ones.
8. Mom just got email.  I know, I know.  It took forever, but it DID happen!
9. Just bought a jacket that was originally $149, on sale for $16.  Booyah!
10. Recently discovered Stephen's hot chocolate..need I say more?!?

RHODE ISLAND ROAD TRIP

I'll be taking a little road trip to Rhode Island (the Ocean State) with one of my girlfriends and our two little boys next week.  Of course shopping will be on the agenda, and next to that, some good eats.  If we make it to Providence, these are the three places I want to try:
(1) Bob and Timmy's: This place is home to a grilled pizza that's supposed to be really good.  There's a location in Providence and one in North Smithfield.  All of Bob and Timmy's pies are amazing from what I've heard (including the Red Pepper Layered Chicken and the Fully Loaded Everything), but the true Rhode Island classic is the Spinach and Mushroom pie.  The pie begins with 9 ounces of homemade dough soaked in olive oil.  After it's grilled, the pie is topped with fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, baby spinach, sautéed mushrooms, crumbled feta and more parmesan.
(2) Haven Brothers Diner:  This is a diner on wheels that's been around since 1888.  This place parks outside of City Hall and is supposed to serve really delicious burgers.  If I go, I have to try the Triple Murder Burger- a three patty burger with cheese, bacon, egg, sautéed onions and mushrooms, mayo, mustard, relish, ketchup, lettuce and tomatoes.
(3) Olneyville N.Y. System:  Since 1946, this place has been home to Rhode Island's best hot wieners.  There are three locations (Providence, North Providence and Cranston).  True Rhodies get the fully loaded with mustard, onions and loads of meat sauce.  The wiener is made with beef, pork and veal, then it's grilled and topped with mustard and meat sauce (which has onion, ground hamburger and spices).  Then it's topped with more onions and celery salt.
Yummo! I can't wait to go!  Got any more good Rhode Island eateries that I should try...let me know!

JET SET STYLE

Jet Set Style


Cape coat
$44 - kohls.com


Vince Camuto buckle shoes
$210 - zappos.com


Hunter wellies boots
$110 - coggles.com


Woven bag
$60 - dsw.com


BCBG Max Azria ribbon hat
$19 - bcbg.com

Monday, December 19, 2011

OUI OUI! IT'S PARIS FOR FREE!

Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world!!!  It is romantic, it has amazing shopping, awesomely delicious food, and it is just gorgeous.  But, all of that great stuff comes with a very expensive price tag- it is one pricey place to jet set to.  The good news is, there is some stuff that you can do in Paris that won't cost you a dime...or make that a euro!  Here they are:

1- Notre Dame: This Parision icon is a must see for every visitor.  It's absolutely beautiful and 100% free to enter.
2- Le Champ de Mars:  If you want to wait in long lines and pay a heavy price for a lift to the top of the Eiffel Tower, then go ahead.  Or instead you can hang out on Le Champ de Mars (the park area below) and glance up and snap all of the pictures you want for free.
3- Sacre Coeur: Located in the Montmarte district (a really interesting part of the city), climb your way to the top of the hill for a look at this stunning church with equally stunning views of Paris.
4- Canal St-Martin: Hang out with the locals and take a little time to enjoy the city, and watch the boats go by while sitting and having a picnic.
5- The Louvre: Home to the Mona Lisa and many more famous pieces of art- this museum is incredible and  if you visit on the first Sunday of the month, entrance is free!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

MEET.PLAY.GRUB.

That's Bumble Cafe's motto... and the idea behind it is Just.Plain.Awesome!  Bumble Cafe, located in Los Altos, California (near San Fransisco) is a new concept cafe and play space for families.  Owner and mom of three, Mary Heffernan, wanted to create a space where parents could enjoy a meal and socialize while their kids have a place to play under the watchful eye of babysitters.  You see Bumble Cafe has an onsite play area, so you can leave the kids there to have a good time while you have breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks and know that they're not too far away and being cared for the entire time.  
So check it out...here is where you MEET...
Now look at the playspace that's JUST FOR KIDS!!!  This is where they could PLAY...
Plus, all of the food at Bumble Cafe is local and farm-to-table fresh.  
Talk about awesome and fresh GRUB.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

FAVORITE NEW YEAR'S DESTINATION

Oh New Year's!  I have mixed feelings about you.  For those of you who love celebrating New Year's in what seems to be the traditional way (i.e: overpriced event fees, crowded bars, freezing cold temperatures in fancy uncomfortable clothes and surrounded by people that have had one too many)...stop reading now.  I have to be honest and say that I am just not much of a New Year's kinda person.  Call me crazy, but I don't love all of the nonsense that usually comes with the holiday.  I would much rather have a bucket of fried chicken and a bottle of champagne with some chocolate covered strawberries on my couch, in the warmth of my home and with my family by my side ANY DAY!
 Next to that, my other favorite thing to do is to jet set somewhere (if its somewhere warm- even better!).  And to-date...my ALL.TIME.FAVORITE.NEW.YEAR'S.DESTINATION. is...EPCOT in Orlando, Florida.
Epcot's World Showcase has pavilions representing eleven different countries (U.S., U.K., Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, Japan Morocco, France and Canada).  So what does this mean?  Well, that on New Year's, each country celebrates (at the time when their country would be ringing in the new year), so you can hop from country to country without getting on a jet, and ring in the new year eleven different times!  How awesome is that?  Yes, the park may be crowded, but not the crowded that you feel like a sardine-in-a-can sort of crowded, it's much warmer than New York City, and you can wear jeans and sneakers.  Plus, you can sample cuisine from around the world!  
Got any other fun New Year's jet setting ideas?  Go ahead and share them in the comments section below.  

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

GUEST POST: THINGS TO DO IN ATX

(We have a guest post to share with ya'll today!  This one comes from Logan Baker from Blog Content Guild.  Logan is from Austin.  He enjoys jet setting, and his favorite trip was when he went to Japan and ate monkfish liver!  Thanks for sharing about your hometown with us Logan!)

This year, Austin, Texas has been on the top of more than a few best cities lists. People who live in Austin have the opportunity to enjoy city life and the outdoors in equal parts. Austin’s growing tech industry has attracted people from all over the world to the city. Austin is not only a great place to live. It’s also a great place to visit. There’s never a shortage of things to do in ATX (as it’s lovingly called by locals). If you’re planning on taking a trip to Austin in the near future, you should check out the following three attractions:

1. Lady Bird Lake – This gorgeous lake is smack dab in the middle of all the action in Austin. If you go canoeing on Lady Bird Lake or hiking around the lake, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of Austin’s beautiful downtown skyline. Here’s one view of Austin’s skyline from Lady Bird Lake:

2. SoCo – SoCo refers to a section of South Congress Avenue in Austin that starts near St. Edward’s University and ends at the Congress Bridge, which connects the SoCo area and downtown. SoCo is famous for its boutique and specialty shops as well as its restaurants. If you want to buy some products or clothing that have a special Austin flair to them, SoCo is the place to go. Here’s what the area looks like from a car:

3. The Food in General – The food in Austin is phenomenal. This is probably because there are so many locally owned eateries in the city that use fresh, delicious ingredients. If you’re in the mood for Mexican food, you have to go to Matt’s El Rancho, one of the city’s most famous Mexican restaurants. If you’re craving some quick food, you can walk up to one of the many food trucks in the city and grab a bite to eat. And if you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, you have to check out Amy’s Ice Creams, a local, independently owned ice cream chain that is well loved for its Mexican vanilla ice cream. Here’s a shot of Amy’s:
There’s a lot to do in Austin, so you definitely won’t be bored when you visit there. Be sure to check out Lady Bird Lake, SoCo, and Amy’s Ice Cream when you get a chance. You’ll be happy you did!

Monday, December 12, 2011

THIS TIME LAST YEAR...

I had jet setted to a cold and snowy, but oh so festive Munich, Germany...
And an equally cold and snowy, but oh so festive Salzburg, Austria...
Where I ate a lot of Bratwurst, Christmas Loaf, Apple Streudel and Sacher Chocolate Cake...
Shopped in many different Christmas Markets...
And watched as everyone else drank German Beer and Gluhwein...
Because I looked like this...
This year it's been about attending local holiday parties...
{Top: Windsor, Blazer: H&M, Jeans: J Brand, Earrings: Remy Dis, Boots: Seychelles}
And jet setting to the mall for this...
It's been a life changing year, in the most sweet and precious way.  Happy Monday Jet Setters!