Rainy Days Can’t Get Me Down

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These photos are from Memorial Day Weekend before our ride down to Philly.  There’s nothing like bright colors to shake you out of your rainy day gloom.  Luckily, the weather got nicer later in the day, and we were able to enjoy an awesome cookout with friends.

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Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Seersucker Blazer: GAP – similar / Sweater: Old Navy (on sale!) / Tank (underneath): Old Navy (on sale!) / Jeans: Motherhood / Boots: Steve Madden / Necklace: Cheerfully Charmed – similar / Umbrella: borrowed – similar / Bracelets: c/o Guilty Jean, ASOS, and Henri Bendel / Watch: Michael Kors

This past weekend, I was on my own as the hubby went on a biking/camping excursion.  I spent the weekend doing a little housework, celebrating my neighbor’s 1st birthday, had dinner with a close friend, went to a 90’s themed birthday celebration, and lounged at a soccer team BBQ.  Last night when the hubby got home, we chilled outside enjoying our amazing garden on what was a gorgeous night, and just caught each other up with our weekend stories.  I have to say, I’m super happy it’s summertime!

Hope you all have a great week!

XO,

Gina

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Desert Florals

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Here are some images from our second day enjoying Sedona, Arizona.  Oh, how I love those red rocks!  The views were absolutely stunning, and it’s tough to really capture it in a photo alone.  I hadn’t been feeling that great in the middle of our trip, but this day, I was feeling much better and able to explore.  We drove around making stops at different locations for photos, and then walked a little on the West Fork at Oak Creek trail which was a lot of fun.  I really hope to go back to Sedona when I’m back to my athletic self and can really take it all in!

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Floral Pants: Motherhood – similar here, here, and here (in non-maternity) / Chambray Top: GAP – similar (runs big FYI!) / Tank: American Eagle / Shoes: Nordstrom Rack / Shades: c/o Waveborn / Earrings: Baublebar – similar / Ring: Banana Republic / Necklace: Family Heirloom / Watch: Michael Kors / Beaded Skull Bracelets: c/o Guilty Jean / Spike Bracelet: ASOS / Bow Bracelet: Baublebar / Lip: MAC Impassioned

Tonight I’m headed out with the girls for a little mani/pedi action.  I usually do my own nails, but the belly is starting to get in the way making it impossible to paint my toes these days.  Oh darn, I guess I have to pamper myself!  Looking forward to hanging with the ladies.

Tomorrow I am participating in the Wall Street Heart Walk with my Alpha Phi sorority Alums in NYC.  Did you know that heart disease is the leading killer in America?  There’s one more day to donate, so if you are able to contribute, I would really appreciate it!

Hope you all have a great day!

XO,

Gina

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Wild Wild West

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I borrowed this romper from a friend of mine recently, and I could not wait for some warm weather to wear it.  The Arizona desert seemed like the perfect opportunity.  I love the tribal embroidery detail in the top half of this piece, and because I was in the west, I just had to top off this look with some fringe booties.  This outfit was super comfortable, flowy, and free…and I’m hoping to get a few more wears out of this bad boy before my bump grows too large!

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Romper: Borrowed from a friend – similar here, here, and here / Fringe Ankle Booties: Target / Bracelet: (Old) Street Vendor  / Necklace: c/o Guilty Jean / Chevron Stack Ring: Baublebar / Watch: Betsey Johnson / Earrings: ALDO / Shades: NYC Soho Street Vendor / Lip: Lancome Fearless

It’s FRIDAY!  Hubby is home from ATL, and we are heading out on a little date night tonight for a belated 2 year anniversary celebration.  I’m currently in the dark on the surprise, so I’m excited to find out what’s in store!  We also have some visitors in town this weekend, so looking forward to seeing and catching up with some friends and family.

Hope you all have a GREAT weekend!

XO,

Gina

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Dotted in the Desert

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The weather was beautiful in Southern Arizona, and I was so happy to be rockin’ a sleeveless dress with no jacket!  I wore this little handkerchief hem dress to the Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson, and I even got a little suntan!  This flowy little number was perfect for my prego belly and very comfortable in cotton.  And I must mention that this dress is not a maternity dress!  I have found that by buying dresses san zippers and in comfy material, I can find items that are much more fashion forward than the typical things I have been finding in the maternity sections (although there have been some good exceptions!)

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Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Dress: Target / Sunnies: LOFT / Sandals: Sam Edelman via Nordstrom Rack / Watch: Michael Kors / Skull Bracelets: c/o Guilty Jean / Spike Bracelet: ASOS / Bow Bracelet: Baublebar / Toe Polish: Essie Avenue Maintain

Today is overcast, a little rainy, and a little chilly here in New York, making me miss that Arizona sun!  This week I’ve been trying to play catch up at work, at the doctor’s, with my DVR, and on life in general.  Hubby had to skip town for a quick business trip to Atlanta, so we are going to celebrate our two year anniversary (bc Arizona just wasn’t enough) with a date night when he returns on Friday.

Happy Wednesday!

XO,

Gina

Find the Sun {Waveborn}

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My Waveborn sunnies arrived in the mail, and I was super excited to rock them this past weekend!  For each pair of Italian designed and handcrafted shades you purchase, Waveborn provides a new pair of prescription eyeglasses or funds a portion of vision-restoring cataract surgery for a person in need through their partners Unite for Sight and SEE International.

They are currently hosting a crowdfunding campaign so they can continue to bring you more styles and colors for 2013.  They raised over $10,000 on the first day of their campaign, and the numbers are still increasing.  There is still plenty of time to join the campaign, so check it out!

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Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Sunglasses: c/o Waveborn / Maxi Dress: Target / Jean Jacket: American Eagle / Flip Flops: J. Crew – similar / Bag: Longchamp – this color sold out, but more colors here / Travel Bag: Urban Outfitters (old) / Earrings: ? (old) / Necklace: Family Heirloom /  Chevron Stack Rings: Baublebar / Snake Bangle: Henri Bendel – sold out, but shop bangles here / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Guilty Jean, ASOS, Baublebar (similar) / Nails: Essie Mint Candy Apple w/ Madison Avenue Hue accent nail / Toes: Essie Avenue Maintain / Lip: MAC Impassioned

I was very excited to find this colorful maxi dress for such a bargain price at Target this past week!  Typically, with my 5’0 stature, it’s very difficult for me to find a maxi dress that isn’t too long.  I suppose since this dress was in the “juniors” section, maybe it was a bit shorter.  Or could it be because I’m now sporting a little baby bump?  Either way, I plan on rocking maxi dresses all summer long.  Frankly, I have found the majority of maternity clothes I have come across to be old-looking, frumpy, and just plain ugly.  Of course, there have been some good finds here and there, but I am beginning to think gorgeous maxis from the regular sections (sans ones with zippers) may be the way to go this spring/summer!

Happy Hump Day!

XO,

Gina

Noteworthy Neon

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1.  River Island Fluro Flower Studs – ASOS / 2.  Colorblock Pillow – Etsy / 3.  Adidas Santiago Watch – Nordstrom / 4.  Rookie Perf Laceless Shoes – Keds / 5. Glow in the Dark Sunglasses – Urban Outfitters / 6.  Kate Spade Patent Pumps – Bergdorf Goodman / 7.  Oversized Boston Bag – Forever 21 / 8.  Marc Jacobs Orange Leather Bracelet – My Wardrobe / 9.  Gorjana Pink Wrap Bracelet – Neiman Marcus / 10.  Mac Candy Yum-Yum – Nordstrom / 11.  Neon Nail Polish – American Apparel / 12.  Glam Punk Spike Necklace – Boticca / 13.  Neon Trim Straw Fedrora – Old Navy / 14.  BCBGeneration Envelope Clutch – Zappos / 15.  Marc Jacobs Blue Dial Watch – Saks / 16.  Bobbi Brown Blue Bell Eyeshadow – Bergdorf Goodman / 17.  Brian Atwood Snake Embossed Pumps – Neiman Marcus / 18.  Cambridge Satchel – Modcloth / 19. Blue Sky Havaianas – Surf Sitch
There’s nothing I love more than a pop of neon to accessorize an outfit.  This spring and summer, neon is all the rage, and these are some of my favorite finds.  The weather has been up and down these past few weeks, and I am looking forward to the days when there will be some steady warmth around here.  These bright colors make me happy and can definitely spice up a neutral look.
I had this post prepared for Friday, but in light of the manhunt in Boston, and us having to travel up there for a wedding that day, I thought it was not appropriate.  It was an insane morning, but we made it to the suburbs of Boston safely.  The wedding ceremony had to be moved because of the lockdown, but the show went on!  My dear friend Jamie got married to his bride Kaitlyn, and it was a beautiful wedding.  Jamie and I have known each other since freshman year of high school, and he was my first guy friend at ASHS.  We’ve been through a lot over the years, and it was awesome to be there to celebrate his big day!  With the craziness going on in Boston, this wedding showed there was still some love in the air.  Stay tuned later in the week for some photos from this event!
Since officials were able to catch the second Boston Marathon bomber, we also got the chance to visit with my college roomie, Danielle, (otherwise known at Stewey…don’t ask) along with her husband and baby.  We had a great time walking around the city with them, going out to eat, and seeing first hand what it’s going to be like for us when our Lil’ Monkey gets here.
Unfortunately, I think I caught a cold over the weekend.  I am home with a nasty little bug today.  I hope you all have a good week ahead.
XO,
Gina

Walk on the High Line

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Here’s Part II of our little girl’s weekend in NYC.  Sunday, we got bagels at the best place in the city.  And yes, you can quote me on that.  We then ventured into Manhattan to do a little shopping and take a walk on the High Line.  For those of you who have never been, this park was built on top of an old abandoned elevated train track and runs down Manhattan’s West Side.  It’s so unique, and provides wonderful views of the city.  It was a gorgeous day, and I think the girls enjoyed it!

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Two of my favorite Baltimore blondes 🙂

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Outfit photos by: Nichole Cohen & Lisa Dannenberg / All other photos my own / Thanks to random stranger for the photo of the three of us

Coral Trench: GAP – sold out – similar here, herehere, and here / Mint Button Down: Express / Skinny Jeans: Motherhood Maternity / Ankle Boots: Target / Scarf: Gift / Sunnies: Vintage / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: ASOS and Gorjana – 2nd one sold out, but see more bracelets by Gorjana here / Lip: Lancome Groupie

Today brings a doc appointment and my 2nd to last photography class.  Hoping for a good report on the first and to learn as much as I can during the latter.

Crazy enough, we have a trip to Boston coming up on Friday for a dear friend’s wedding.  It still breaks my heart that people could purposefully cause harm to so many innocent others.  I am still praying for all of those in Boston that were affected by this horrible madness.   I am looking forward to the wedding and hoping it will bring some happiness and light to the Boston area.  In the midst of this tragedy, it’s nice to know there is still some love out there.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

XO,

Gina

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Skulls Meet Spring

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It was a beautiful weekend, and I had the pleasure of hosting two of my favorite Baltimore blondes at our place on Saturday.  We spent the day galavanting around Brooklyn and Manhattan…brunch at The Farm, followed by a day of shopping in Soho, & gelato and hot chocolate in Little Italy.  Much to our surprise, we came home with our wallets full and bag-less.  If you know us, you know this is not normal.  However, it was probably for the best.  We had planned to go out on the town that night, but we ended up passing out early from all the walking around we did.

The flowers in these photos make me happy, because it’s actually starting to feel and look like Spring around here!  We also thought it was a nice bright contrast to my dark and stormy outfit.

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Photos by: Nichole Cohen

Skull Tank: Hot Topic (now on sale!) / Leather Jacket: Wilsons Leather (old) – similar / Black Skinnies: Motherhood Maternity / Combat Boots: Steve Madden ( now on sale!) / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff – sold out, but a variety of other colors available at Saks / Headband: (old) – similar / Watch: Betsey Johnson – sold out, but check out Betsey’s other watches on her website / Bracelets: ASOS, Wanderlust + Co., c/o Flair Accessories / Necklace: c/o Guilty Jean / Ring: Forever 21 / Lip: Nars Born This Way gloss

Last night, the hubby and I went to see one of our favorite indie rock singer-songwriters perform, Matt Costa.  Let me tell you, this man is talented.  He plays the piano, harmonica, three different guitars, and has a voice that will make you melt.  His laid back style is very inviting and his tunes range in variety from bluegrass, folk, rock, and more.  Some of my personal favorites include: Miss Magnolia, Sunshine, & Mr. Pitiful.  He also has a lot of good tracks on his new album.  Check out some of his videos here.

Tonight, I am treating myself to a little mani-pedi with the other NY Alpha Phi Alums, and I cannot wait.  It will be the first pedi of the season, and boy do I need it!

On a heavier note, I am glad that my friends and family in Boston are safe and sound.  I am praying for all those who were affected by this tragedy.  I will never understand it, and it saddens me.  Sending love to Boston today.

XO,

Gina

{9} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading  Just finished The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg which I strongly recommend to everyone.  Currently reading The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown.  It’s decent so far.

writing  A birthday card for a special someone.

listening  I’ve got a Mumford & Sons station on Pandora at the moment.  Fun tunes from Passion Pit, Cold War Kids, MGMT and the likes.

thinking  About the fact that Tissycole and Lisa are coming to visit tomorrow!!!  Super excited!

smelling  The rain.  Is it weird that I could smell it before it even started coming down?

watching  The always fabulous Rachel Zoe Project.  Dying over the fashion weekly.  Also just started watching the Real World Portland.  Yes, I still watch the Real World.

wishing  For sunshine.  We were so spoiled at the beginning of the week with warm temperatures, and I’m wishing for them back this weekend!

hoping  That the laundry will do itself.  No?  Not possible?  Oh well, I tried.

wearing   My “Amaze” sweater from ASOS (now on sale!) with an Old Navy poly button-down underneath.  Black skinny jeans from Motherhood.  Leopard print rain boots similar to these.  Red Haute lip from Lancome.

loving  I never realized how much you can love someone you have never even met.  So excited for my baby boy to get here in September, and so in love already.

laughing  At the fact I actually tried to straighten my hair this morning.  The hair in the photo above lasted all of 2 minutes as I stepped out into the wind and rain this morning.  You know those days where your umbrella decides to flip itself out over and over again?  Did wonders for my hair today.

wanting  To finish the friendship bracelet I started making over a month ago.  My 4th grade skills just aren’t where they used to be…

needing  To paint my nails tonight.  They are in dire need of some Essie love.

feeling  Excited for the girls to get here this weekend!  Can’t wait for a weekend of shopping, photographing and girl talk.

craving  Strangely enough, I am not getting any weird pregnancy cravings.   I mean, I want ice cream…but I always want ice cream.  Nothing new.  I haven’t started liking condiments, so I think my appetite is relatively the same.

clicking  Through fashion blogs of expecting mamas.  Trying to figure out some tricks to looking chic while prego.

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Friday!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

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A View From Weehawken

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Last Saturday we made the trek out to Weehawken, New Jersey for a good friend’s housewarming party.  I have driven through the Lincoln Tunnel many times, and have looked up at the houses up in the cliffs imagining the stunning views they must have of Manhattan.  Well, on Saturday I no longer had to imagine as I saw this view for myself!  WOW.  We spent tons of time hanging out on this ledge taking photos before joining the housewarming festivities…which were also a ton of fun by the way!  Congrats to my friends on their new digs and their fabulous view!

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Photos by: Zack Notes

Top: ASOS – now on sale! / Pants: ZARA / Boots: Steve Madden – on sale at Swell! / Hat: Union Square Holiday Market – similar / Scarf: Gift – similar here and here / Sunglasses: Vintage / Bag: TJ Maxx / Bracelets: Flair Accessories, ASOS, and Wanderlust + Co. / Watch: Betsey Johnson / Necklace: Forever 21 / Lip: Lancome Luxe

Last night we held our final screening for our Race to the Oscars.  We saw the Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts program!  Most people don’t get a chance to see the films in this category, so I always feel like I have an upper hand when guessing the winner.  I am always impressed by the level of talent, and this year was no disappointment.

If you haven’t already entered to win my giveaway, you have two more days to score these amazing stud earrings from Flair Accessories!

XO,

Gina