I wore this last month for a drive up to Litchfield and Torrington. Christian was helping a friend get some drone shots of an event in the evening in Torrington so we used it as an opportunity to finally explore Litchfield like we've been meaning to do for a few years. We'd love to move up there one day, but it's a little out of our budget when we look at the acreage we want.
For the Litchfield portion of the day we started off at White Flower Farm followed by the White Memorial Conservation Center and finally Topsmead State Forest. We also finally went to Pizzeria Marzano in Torrington. I've had them on my list for a while thanks to Instagram. The pizza was so delicious, I can't wait until we take a trip back up there again! We hope to spend a weekend up in the area to see how it feels for locals and find other fun places to visit.
For the occasion I decided on elevated basics - jeans with gold embellished leopard and a gold sweater tank full of sparkle! Even my sandals were sparkly gold. I've had this sweater for a looooong time and it doesn't get as much wear as it should for being such a simple piece. I used to wear it a lot for work, but not as much for casual outfits. I think that may be changing now! It first appeared on the blog in a January 2012 "This Week in Fashion" post, so I assume I got it for Christmas? It's first full outfit post was with a gorgeous velvet blazer.
We were too busy having fun so we forgot about outfit pictures until it was too late, so I rewore it for these photos, ha ha!
Gold Sweater Tank: Willi Smith (TJ Maxx)
Jeans: Stella McCartney Wild Cat Skinny Ankle Jeans (eBay - linked pair is more of a straight leg)
Bag: Purple Prada Cahier in Viola (Rebag via Vestiaire Collective)
Sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals 'Kore of Berlin' Embroidery Sandal - 10th Anniversary Collection (Shopbop)
Another month, another roundup. (I feel like I always start these recaps in the same way, ha ha) We've mix of purchases and gifted items this month. I won a giveaway and got a new Aurate necklace and received a bag from a brand I am now an affiliate for. I also fell victim to the Marshalls clearance section when my mom wanted to quickly stop in. Grabbed a couple pairs of shorts for $10. I wore one pair this past weekend and the other pair is coming with me to Disney!
THE (modified) RULES
- Be mindful of purchases
- Quality over quantity
- Basics are best
MY PROGRESS
Clothes:
- VERMONT Sweatshirt in light gray via the Weston Village Store ($20, retail $50)
- *NEW!* Nicole Miller abstract floral print shorts ($4 via Marshalls, retail $30?)
Basics:
- *NEW!* C&C California Grey Shorts ($6 via Marshalls, retail $30?)
Shoes:
- None yet
Handbags:
- None yet
Accessories:
- Apple Watch 8 Midnight Aluminum Case with Elderberry Sport Band (gift from Christian)
- *NEW!* Aurate Pearl Lariat Necklace (won a gift card on Instagram)
Activewear/Swimwear:
- None yet
Gifted from Brands:
- Aetrex Maui Orthotic Flip Flops in Matte Black
- Aurate Crossover Ring in Yellow Gold
- Aurate Toi et Moi Gemstone Mini Vintage Ring in Yellow Gold with Amethyst and Citrine
- Aurate Birthstone Baguette Studs in London Blue Topaz
- *NEW!* Day Owl "The Backpack" in Jam Red
- *NEW!* Day Owl "The Cord Pouch" in Nocturnal Black
Spent in August: $10
Spent in 2023: $30
Spent in 2023 - counting ad money: $30
If I ever get to go on my dream African safari this shirt will definitely be in my suitcase. I'll probably look like a stupid tourist but I can't resist wearing leopards while keeping my eyes peeled for them on the horizon. Neutrals (khaki, brown, green) are the recommended colors for safaris, so this could potentially be a bit too bright, but if so I'll just wear it while we're not on a vehicle. Even these shorts will work, but I don't like how they look with this shirt and they always get super wrinkly. Struggles. (Look at me planning for a trip that probably won't happen for 10+ years, if ever, ha ha!)
I wore this for a day driving all over Connecticut with Christian, ha ha. We started by going to a couple bike stores (one in Milford where we took these photos) so he could see a few he's interested in in person. After that we headed to Marijane Boutique to see Lydia because it was only 10 minutes from one of the bike shops. It started to rain just as we were leaving so we didn't make any other stops.
Leopard Print Blouse: Equipment 'Reese' in Almond Floating Cheetah Print (eBay)
Shorts: Splendid Arabesque Cargo Short in Antique Military Olive (Marshalls)
Leopard Print Sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals 'Clio' leopard-print (Net-a-Porter Sale)
Italian Leather Bag: Bought in Venice
Sunglasses: Gucci Aviators (bought in Rome)
I was recently introduced to Day Owl, a sustainable company that makes bags out of recycled plastic bottles and other landfill-bound materials. In each product description you can see what sustainable materials were used to create it. Christian has been really into backpacks lately, researching pros and cons for hours, so he was excited to be able to test this out as well!
They sent me "The Backpack" which is made from waxed canvas made from 25 recycled post-consumer plastic bottles, plus 100% recycled polyester lining and trim, algae based foam, water repellent neoprene, and conflict-free metal YKK zippers. It has 18L of space, can fit up to a 16in laptop and a 750mL water bottle in a side pocket. There's even a pocket on top where you can store your phone or keys for easy access. (They also have a Slim Backpack if you want a smaller option.) Day Owl also sent over their Pouch for storing cords, electronic accessories and other small items. You can buy The Backpack + The Pouch together for only $156.40!
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| Packed with some room to spare for a couple souvenirs |
Let's use the Day Owl backpack and see what we can pack for a weekend at Walt Disney World! The bag is technically a little big to use as an Avelo personal item measurement-wise, but I may risk it! I read they don't always check the size as long as it looks like it will fit under the seat. It will definitely work for Southwest, which we fly with pretty frequently.
It fit everything I need to bring with me for our 4 days (5 if you count our departure day.) My plane outfit is jeans, a tee, sandals and a sweater that I probably won't even need. I always like to have a sweater in case the evenings get cold. I packed pretty light - 3 tees (I may buy one there,) 2 pairs of shorts, another pair of sandals and my small Mickey bag to carry around the parks. I also fit in my toiletries, makeup, other necessities and packed up The Pouch with my various charging accessories, small portable charger and airpods.
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| Packing for a long weekend at Disney in a backpack [Mickey tie-dye shirt, Sword in the Stone Tee, EPCOT Food & Wine 2022 Tee] |
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| Bottle Pocket - using for an extra pair of sandals |
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| Flat Front Pocket. Putting my toiletries in for easy access at security. |
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| The Pouch |
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| The Pouch full of phone and watch accessories. Still room to spare! |
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| Two more things to add, easy fit! |
There is a space for a laptop in the back but, since this is such a short trip, I won't be bringing mine. As seen above, I used the water bottle pocket on the side for my extra pair of shoes since I won't need a water bottle. Pretty handy! I also won't be using the luggage strap this trip, but that is another super handy feature!
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| Spill-Resistant Bottle Pocket lined with water-repellent neoprene (this is an 18oz Yeti Rambler) |
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| “it’s big enough for a wine bottle and strong enough for a wet umbrella.” |
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| Padded Laptop Pocket (fits up to 16" laptop) |
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| Luggage Strap |
A few more detail shots showing off other features of the backpack. Lots of handy nooks and crannies to use!
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| Organized Interior |
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| Cord Straps |
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| Various sleeves for organization |
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| Grab handles with button closure for easy pickup |
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| Floating Top Pocket for glasses, chapstick, etc! (my slim sunglasses storage case) |
*I was gifted the backpack & pouch but was not required to post about it. Purchases made through links in this post will earn me a small commission. My opinions are my own. *
An outfit featuring a Summer staple and great color combo. My late Grandmother - Dad's Mom - made this sweater for my Mom a long time ago. She also made one for my 3
aunts. My Mom had two because she asked her to make a second in a
white/cream color, she still has that one. I'm so glad she passed this one on to me because it has been something I've reached for very often the past 10+ Summers since she gave it too me. I love it paired with this pair of orange-rusty red shorts. A perfect color combination!
Knitted Sweater Tank: made by Grandma
Shorts: Old Navy High-Waisted Textured Twill Shorts in Copper Moon
Sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals 'Astrapi' (net-a-porter)
Italian Leather Bag: Bought in Venice
Necklace c/o Aurate Destination Aura Beaded Necklace in Marrakech
Sunglasses: Gucci Aviators (bought in Rome)
We've got a very fruity theme going on in this roundup! And mostly strawberries, which isn't surprising because they're my favorite fruit. I tried a few recipes that were experiments and a couple I've made before. The other two were new but things I've had on my list to make for a while! I have a few more fruity recipes on my list to make, one that I'll probably make this week after we finish eating the beignets.
Strawberry Cinnamon Dutch Baby Pancake
Dutch Baby pancakes are so fun. I'm never a huge fan of how flat they get after they deflate but the flavor is still delicious, especially this one made with cinnamon and served with strawberries. The batter comes together in minutes and bakes in 15 - after pre-heating a cast iron skillet in the oven. It's definitely a showstopping piece if you want to impress someone with your skills.
Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
I've had this recipe saved for quite a while and finally made it when I realized we had leftover heavy cream AND a leftover lemon! They were super easy to make and really delicious. The texture was more like a biscuit than a scone, but that didn't bother me.
Blueberry Crescent Rolls
This was an experiment with some extra blueberries we had. I was originally going to try mini blueberry buckles (we only had a cup of blueberries left) but there were too many ingredients I didn't have. Lack of ingredients is the mother of invention so I decided to open up some Pilsbury crescent rolls. I kept two triangles together to form a rectangle and plopped on some blueberries, powdered sugar and cinnamon. Next II kind of folded them up to make a packet and baked for 13 minutes. When they cooled a bit I drizzled on an icing made from leftover lemon juice and powdered sugar. Tadaaa!!!
Brownies with Freeze-Dried Strawberries
I've had some freeze dried strawberries lying around for a bit and decided I wanted to try and use them for brownies. Didn't feel like trying a brand new recipe so I went with Butternut Bakery's "Better than Boxed" brownies and added some of the strawberries to the batter and sprinkled some on top. The ones on the top were a mistake, they burned, haha! Luckily I only had a few up there. I think I needed a little more of the dried berries to get a really good berry flavor, but I just wanted a hint this time. Overall, they were good. But next time I'll try to get more strawberry flavor packed in. I will also just turn it all into strawberry powder because the bigger chunks were a bit too gummy inside the brownie for our taste.
Strawberry Chocolate Galette
Another Handle the Heat monthly baking challenge! July was Galettes; strawberry chocolate, apple or peach! I chose the strawberry since it felt most summery and brought it to a family barbecue.The crust came out amazing but I did slightly burn some of the bottom because I cooked it on a baking steel (she recommended a stone to avoid a soggy bottom.) Next time I'll move it off the stone halfway through. I also needed to add a little more sugar to the strawberries. But overall it was a hit!
Mickey Beignets
One of the first scary things I made during the height of the pandemic. I kept telling myself I needed to make them again - only took three years, haha! This time I used butter instead of shortening because I never use shortening. I bought it for that first time I made beignets in 2020 and then never used it again, ha ha. I like to get Christian involved when I make anything fried because he likes the challenge of getting it to come out the perfect color.
