Vitamin D-reaming

Ahh the life of the unemployed. Good thing there a plenty of free things to do (& beautiful places to visit) on the West Coast. (Side note—both Zack & I have a few job prospects in the making, so the whole unemployment thing hasn’t been terrible. Plus it gives us time to explore.)

Last weekend we decided to head to the beach and soak up some Vitaman D, so I threw on a long-fringed tee (you guys know I love fringe) and some cut-offs over my swimsuit for a day of adventure. Lunch on the cliffs of Palos Verdes and hiking around that area, then up to Redondo Beach to lay by the Pacific (we even saw some dolphins right off the shore!).  Please don’t pinch me cuz I’m not ready to wake up from this dream.

XO – Courtney

top [yes, please!] // shorts [similar here] // shoes [love these] // sunnies [h&m]

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Stay Cool

Figured I'd kick off my first blog of the summer season with an easy, sweet summer treat. Nothing beats the heat better than an ice-cold popsicle. I've come across a ton of popsicle recipes on Pinterest that I want to try this summer season...from healthy to not so healthy...and even a few "adult only" recipes. Today I bring to you my top 5 popsicles to try this summer, and a recipe for Nutella Fudge Pops.

1. Nutella Fudge Pops (check this one off my list!)

2. Mimosa Popsicles

3. Strawberry Basil Pops

4. Lime Margarita Pops

5. Sangria Popsicles

There are unlimited ways to get creative when making a popsicle, so let your imagination run wild. Stay cool everybody.

XO – Courtney

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From Raleighwood to Hollywood (Part 2)

Today marks one week since I arrived in California. How is that even possible? I’m slowly learning my way around…I can make it to Target and back without the GPS, so I’d call that progress (& Ikea too…which is literally within walking distance…which is like heaven…but will also be the death of me…). Anyway…more on that another time. Here’s part two of my cross-country adventure!

How do you decide what to wear when you’re going to be stuck in a car for 9 hours a day and you don’t want to look like a total bum BUT comfort is essential? A whole lot of chambray and plenty of jersey knit. These were pretty constant through the week…good with the changing temperatures in each state and comfortable enough to take a car nap in. Honestly though, I didn’t nap all that much…I was too busy taking in all the scenery.

Below is a glimpse of some of that amazing scenery. I promise to share more pictures soon, but unpacking and job hunting (& exploring my new home) is literally taking up every second of my life right now. And I’m not complaining so you’ll just have to be a little patient!

XO – Courtney

 Nashville

dress [old – loving this one] // shoes [take your pick]

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 St Louis

top [madewell] // shorts [the limited] // shoes [take your pick] // bag [old – splurge here]

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Denver

top [madewell] // romper [urban outfitters –- turned the pants into shorts] // shoes [TOMS]

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 Somewhere in Colorado

Four Corners Monument 

[Colorado // New Mexico // Arizona // Utah]

top [madewell] // shorts [the limited] // shoes [take yourpick] // sunnies [rayban]

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Grand Canyon

top [madewell] // shorts [h&m] // shoes [TOMS]

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From Raleighwood to Hollywood (Part 1)

 

3000 miles later (give or take) and here we are in Los Angeles, California! It’s still pretty surreal. The drive across the country was incredible…yes, the drives were long, but it’s hard to dwell on that when the surroundings were so incredible. We stopped in some pretty amazing cities and ate some absolutely delicious food that I’ll be sharing today. I took about 500 pictures throughout the 5 day journey, and I wish I could share them all with you, but we’ll stick to just food today. Check out my Instagram feed for a little peek at some of the sights.

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Nashville, Tennessee

Zack, Scott, & I set out Monday morning for Nashville…a city that everyone raves about but none of us had ever visited. Lucky for us, my girl Kaelyn lives there and gave us the grand tour. Before checking out the downtown area and seeing the skyline, we hit up a local restaurant, Edley’s Bar-B-Que. Had to squeeze in one last meal of southern barbeque before heading out west, and man was it tasty! They had the most incredible pulled pork tacos.

Edley's BBQ [pulled pork tacos, pulled pork platter, brisket tacos, Abita Strawberry Lager] // 

The Green House Bar [vodka tonic]

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St. Louis, Missouri // Kansas City, Missouri

Made a mid-day stop at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and decided to stop for lunch and try some of St. Louis’ famous Toasted Ravioli at Hannegan’s Restaurant & Pub. Then it was off to Kansas City for the night. After some bad traffic, rough weather, and a long day, we decided to grab take out at a local pizza chain, Minskys, before we crashed for the night.

Hannegan's Restaurant & Pub [toasted ravioli] // Minsky's Pizza Joynt [pepperoni pizza]

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Denver, Colorado

Welcome to the Mile High City! Denver is known for its beer (…among other things). I’m not into beer BUT figured hitting up a local brewery for dinner would be the thing to do. Wynkoop Brewing Co. was an excellent choice. Started out with a local cocktail––the Colorado Craft Margarita (Arta Silver Tequila, fresh lime, Leopold Brothers Orange, & agave nectar). Zack & I shared dinner so we ordered the Cheddar-Asiago Mac n' Cheese & the 50/50 Burger (beef burger, bacon, sunnyside egg, garlic spinach, crispy onions, & a vinegar mayo). My mouth is watering.

Wynkoop Brewing Co [Colorado Craft Margarita, Queso, Cheddar-Asiago Mac n' Cheese, 50/50 Burger]

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Last But Not Least

Coming to you for the last time in NC. That’s right…this will be my last post before the big ole move to California. That means I’ll be taking next week off for the move, but you can follow me on instagram if you want to keep up with all my pics from the road.

This outfit seemed to fit the theme of this blog. Remember how I had all that fabric that I needed to get rid of? (If you don’t, you can read all about my “sew it or trash it” rule HERE.) Well, I did it. I used every bit of fabric and made several pieces of clothing, and this was the last little installment of that project. I’ve had this particular fabric for YEARS, and just could never decide what to make with it. Originally, I planned on turning it into a dress, but as I began sewing, the dress wasn’t working for me, so out came the scissors. Viola. Now I’ve got myself an oversized shirt (that feels like heaven, bee tee dubs).

So. Last piece of my “sew it or trash it” project complete. Last blog post in NC complete. See you on the other side…of the country…literally.

XO – Courtney

top [handmade] // pants [the limited] // shoes [toms] // hat [h&m]

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Flavor Fave: Cilantro Lime

One of my favorite (and go-to) Crockpot recipes is Crockpot Chicken Tacos. I did a post a few weeks ago using it HERE, and this week I'm bringing it back in a new way: Mexican Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice Bowl. This time I added some black beans and corn into the Crockpot. For the rice, all you need to do is add 1-2 tablespoons of lime juice and cilantro to cooked white rice. Now, I didn't have a lime or even lime juice on hand, but I did have some Lime Margarita Mix, and I thought it could work as a substitute...and it was mmm-mazing. I may end up using this little trick a lot. I generally always have margarita mix on hand, and Cilantro Lime is such a great flavor combination (chicken, shrimp, rice, salad dressing…you name it).

Time to dig in. Throw the rice in a bowl. Top it with the chicken mixture, some cheese, and sour cream (maybe some extra cilantro) and you're good to go.

XO – Courtney

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