Stars and Stripes

Happy Friday! We are looking forward to a long holiday weekend! One of our favorite things about July 4th: wearing our red, white and blue! This is what I will be wearing. What about you?! Have a great weekend and Happy Birthday America! xo

 

Top: Caroline Constas
Shorts: Frame
Earrings: Rosantica Milano
Sandals: Loeffler Randall

 

 

The Nordstrom Sale

Good morning! We are so excited that one of our favorite times of year is just around the corner...The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.  Their magazine came in the mail yesterday and from we could tell it looks like it's going to be a good sale!! We saw a lot of things on our wish list and some trends for fall we are loving too. As we mentioned before we hardly ever pay full price for things. With that being said this is great time to stock up on some pieces at some super sale prices! The sale opens to the public on July 13th but if you  are a cardholder you get early access. If you don't have a Nordstrom card we highly recommend it because items sell out FAST! The last day of the sale is August 7th. Now the hard part...what to buy?! Happy Shopping! xo

One of the upcoming fall trends we are loving: velvet. These Vince slip on sneakers are on our list.

Vince Corbin Sneaker

Leather is obviously not a new trend.  I am on the hunt for a new leather jacket and this one has my name all over it. Leather jackets are an investment, but it's a classic piece you can wear for years.

Mackage Leather Jacket

Plaid is another staple for fall. It is so classic, but yet you can mix it up with trendier pieces (like a leather jacket). We are loving this plaid dress paired with some black booties.



Betsey Johnson Asymmetrical Dress

We love the look of over the knee boots and this Mark Fisher pair caught our eye. They are so classic and a great fall staple. Plus you can't beat the price!

Mark Fisher LTD Arrine Over the Knee Boots

Ashley has been wanting a camel coat to add to her wardrobe this year and she loves the simplicity and structure of this one. You can wear it with everything. She is right...every woman needs a camel coat!

Trina Turk Dawn Coat

The Nordstrom Sale is also a great time to stock up on all your favorite beauty products too! We love Tory Burch's Perfume and the Volupsa Candles. What's on your list?!

Tory Burch Set

Get To Know Us

Happy Hump Day! Today we wanted to share some fun facts about us. I am sure many of you already know we are sisters, but we thought this would be a chance for you to get to know more about us. xo

Sisters

                                                                                

Ashley

1.       Cocktail - A big glass of wine or bubbly! Cheers!

2.       Food - BBQ ... because I'm a Carolina girl.

3.       Denim - JBrand's Maria High-Rise ... they fit like a glove.

4.       Place to shop - Bloomingdales ... always the best pieces at the best prices!

5.       What do you do to relax - For exercise, I love pilates. It keeps me relaxed and strong. I also indulge in monthly facials at local spa Lorena Luca.

6.       Your best advice - "You do you!"

7.       Nail polish color - Essie's Geranium

8.       Magazine/Book - A tough question for a bookworm! For a recent read, The Nightingale. But my all-time favorite is Jane Eyre.

9.       TV show - Do I have to choose one?! Gilmore Girls ... Friends ... Parenthood ... I Love Lucy.

10.   Season - Spring because everything wakes up after winter hibernation ...  and because summer follows!

Natalie

1.       Cocktail - A spicy rita, so good and refreshing!

2.       Food - I have never met a cheese I didn't like...a good cheese plate!

3.       Denim - I have been loving my Frame lately. They are so soft and fit great!

4.       Place to shop - Nordstrom. They have everything you need in one place! Plus they mail things so fast!

5.       What do you do to relax - To stay healthy I love working out (Burn Bootcamp) and running. For relaxation I love getting mani and pedis.

6.       Your best advice - "Life is short-buy the shoes".

7.       Nail polish color - Something bright and fun, OPI's Cajun Shrimp is a long time favorite.

8.       Magazine/Book - Trying to read more, but I love a good magazine! Instyle is my go to.

9.       TV show - Love This is Us and Full House reruns (they never get old).

10.   Season - Fall! Pumpkins, boots, sweaters, the leaves, coffee....the list could go on!

 

Tuesday Thoughts and The Best Brussels Sprouts Recipe

This morning I wanted to share a new recipe with you. If you like brussels sprouts I promise you will love this. I was looking for a new recipe last night and found this one. It's been called the $70 Brussels Sprouts Recipe, but you can probably whip these up with items you already have for under $15. Needless to say I can see why they are called the $70 Recipe. Pure deliciousness. Get ready to have your socks blown off!

Crispy Asian Brussels Sprouts

These were super easy to make and added bonus I already had all the ingredients.

The recipe called for olive oil, but I used avocado oil and it turned out great. Make sure you really coat the brussels with the oil and salt before roasting.

While they are baking you can whip up this sauce. SO good.

Take the brussels out of the oven and toss them in the skillet with the sauce. Make sure you really coat the brussels. Note: they are supposed to be crispy and browned.

Time to enjoy! The final product...

I also made shrimp and used this seasoning from Trader Joe's. It is perfect on fish, chicken and I even use it on watermelon and cantaloupe (the perfect combo of sweet and heat). I want to try the Everything But The Bagel seasoning next.

Did you watch the season finale of Southern Charm last night? I don't watch a lot of reality tv (or tv really for that matter), but I love this show.  Bring on the drama. I already can't wait for next season!

And last but not least I wanted to share this perfume with you. Bobbi Brown's Beach Fragrance. It's summer in a bottle. It's not new, but a trusted favorite I use every year. It is so clean and light-perfect for those hot days when you don't want something too heavy.  Have a great Tuesday! xo

Bobbi Brown Beach Fragrance

 

 

 

 

 

Our Favorite Places

Happy Monday! We hope everyone had a great weekend! Ours was pretty low key. If you follow us on instagram you may have seen we did a lot of organization (thank you The Container Store) and enjoyed some pool time. Today we wanted to share some of our favorite places in Raleigh. There are so many new restaurants, bars, breweries, shopping centers, stores, but we also love the staples.

So without further ado here are some of our favorite places. If you live here or plan on visiting Raleigh be sure to check out some of these places. All the pictures are by our friend and local photographer Chris Brunner, owner of CLB Images.

The Roast Grill

I remember the first time I came here when I was 12. If you love hot dogs. This is your place.  Enjoy a hot dog or two and a coke. Tip: Don't ask for ketchup (they don't have any). Not much has changed here in the past 60 years-including their amazing hot dogs.

NC Art Museum

We could easily spend all afternoon here. Come check out their exhibits, brunch at their restaurant Iris or take a walk around their park. There is so much to do here and they always have something new to check out.

Historic City Market

Come walk around under the "stars" in the heart of the Capital City. Stroll the cobble stone streets. Feel the history with some of the city's oldest buildings. And be sure to check out some of our favorite new restaurants like City Market Sushi and Royale. We love this little gem in downtown. Talk about blending old with the new!

Raleigh's Krispy Kreme

Is there anything better than a hot donut? We think not! Especially when they are from our Krispy Kreme. The line can get pretty long, but donut worry--they are always making hot donuts so there are plenty for everyone:) We love the original signage and this super cute part of town, Mordecai.  This area has SO many amazing restaurants/bars. You can usually find us somewhere around here. Wine Authorities and Person Street Pharmacy are two of our favorites!

Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

. Built in 1932 it stands strong with a eye catching presence. We have seen so many shows here and love coming year round, but we especially love it during Christmas time (The Carolina Ballet's The Nutcracker is a must see).

 We'll leave you with one last photo from Chris. We love his photography so much we have his coffee table book:  A Beautiful Experience.  For local Raleigh followers it is available at Cheshire Cat in Cameron Village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That Friday Feeling

TGIF!! Since it's Friday I thought I would  share one of our new favorite wine finds with you. Truth be told I actually prefer red wine over white, but I just can't drink it in the summer. No can do. Our favorite white wine is Sauv Blanc. They are so refreshing and the perfect amount of tartness.  Our favorites are Whitehaven and the tried and true Kim Crawford. Recently I tried this Sauv Blanc and it was SO good! I will definitely be adding this into my rotation.

Ferrari Carano

I also wanted to share my new favorite top with you. Meet the Hada top by Buckley K. This line is amazing. We love two sisters are the founders (nothing like a sister:) and their pieces are so colorful and easy to wear.  If Friday was a top it would be this one. They make a ton of great pieces, but I especially love this off the shoulder piece. It is so fun! I got mine at 116 King in Charleston, but you can also order them online. For Raleigh followers, I believe Charlotte's in North Hills and Cameron Village carries this line. Give me all the fringe please!


Buckley K Hada Top

We hope you have a great weekend! xo

Random Thursday Thoughts

Good morning and Happy Friday Eve! This morning is all about random things... I love!

First of all the best radio station (on XM) ever is back! If you haven't listened to Yacht Rock (on channel 17) you are missing out! It is a summer only station sadly, but it has the BEST music. We grew up listening to the classics (thanks mom)  so if you love Chicago, Steely Dan and Michael McDonald like we do make sure you check it out. It just sounds like summer and when September rolls around we reallllly miss this station.

I have heard great things about this book and finally ordered it last week.  I am so glad I did. So far so good. It's a good reminder to always do you and care less about the things...you should care less about.

Book

Rag and Bone is currently running their summer sale. With the code JUNESALE17 you get an extra 30 percent off sale items. It is a great time to stock up for fall. We just ordered these harrow booties. These are seriously the best booties ever! We wear them all fall/winter. Run don't walk!

Booties

And lastly two summer make up essentials I can't live with out. My sister introduced me to the Chanel  le Volume mascara and ladies this is truly the best. I don't have long, thick lashes but this stuff works some serious magic. It is pricey for mascara but we promise it is SO worth it. We never leave home without it. Your eyelashes will thank you! (excuse the awkward photo but I wanted to show you the volume this baby packs and again my lashes are not thick or long) And this blush. It is the most perfect coralish pink for summer: Coral Sugar. Highly recommend!

Chanel Le Volume Mascara

Bobbi Brown Blush Coral Sugar

Have a great day! xo

The Best Taco Dip...skinny style!

Good morning and Happy First Day of Summer! Is it just me or does this year seem to be flying by?!? I can't believe July 4th is less than two weeks away! Today I wanted to share a dip with you that I made a few weeks ago for my parents. It's become a weekly tradition where my family gets together for Sunday dinner at my parent's house. The best part of the night...happy hour! If you love taco dip but don't want the added fat....this is your dip. The flavor is incredible and it's SO easy to whip up. I am big fan of almost all Skinnytase recipes and this one doesn't disappoint.  (And since it's officially bathing suit season you don't have to feel bad about enjoying this.) Pair with your favorite white wine (we love Whitehaven Sauv Blanc, it is so refreshing) or margarita and viola you have a nice little spread! Enjoy! xo

Skinny Taco Dip

 

 

 

And speaking of margaritas how amazing does this recipe sound? We will definatley be whipping this up this weekend! Cheers!

 

Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas

 

 

The Perfect Fall Bag...(on sale!)

Good morning guys! This morning we wanted to share with you this bag (and added bonus it's on sale!). Meet Tory Burch's Duet Leather Hobo. It is such a versatile piece you can wear now and into the fall.  I got mine in black, but it also comes in a gorgeous red. We love pieces you can get a lot of use of...because let's be real money does not grow on trees and why pay full price. We are all about the staples and getting your money/use out of them. I got mine on Shopbop when the were running their sale last week, but good news you can scoop this up during the Bloomingdales sale this week. If you haven't checked it out they have so many good buys going on. Again, we love a good sale. Happy Shopping! xo

                                                                Tory Burch Leather Hobo

We also wanted to share this nugget because there is no day like today. I love this so much. It's a good reminder that tomorrow isn't promised to anyone and the past is best left in the past...Cheers to today!

First post and my new favorite breakfast!

Hey guys! Happy Monday and welcome to our first post! We love our instagram page so much we decided to start a blog! Please be patient, it is still a work in progress, but we are are super excited for our new project!

I wanted to share one of my favorite breakfast finds with you. I have been on a health kick lately and trying to eat as healthy as possible. One of my newest finds...Sambazon Acai bowls. Guys...this is SO good. You can drink it as a smoothie or make a bowl. Just add your favorite toppings and you are good to go! I bought mine from Wholefoods, but you can also order them online. (A shout out to the super nice employee who helped me find these in the frozen food section. He had to page about three other people to find them.)  They make a great light summer breakfast. It's tasty and healthy and that's a win/win in my book! Enjoy! xo, Natalie and Ashley


Acai Bowl