July Favorites

Every year I hate saying goodbye to July!  It is my favorite month for many reasons, and this July was another fun one I'll remember.  I do have quite a few fun trips coming up in August, so I am really looking forward to the next few weeks!  Here are my favorites from this month...

 

Book: Gone Girl

I ended up reading Gone Girl in three days ... I lent it to my friend and she read it in a week!  My mom listened to it on tape during her drive to and home from the Outer Banks.  This book (4/10 on my 25 before 25 list) was suspenseful, interesting, and surprising - three things that will definitely keep your attention. 

I loved how the author went back and forth between points of view.  When I lent it to my friend, Allison, she asked if it was a love story.  Once you have read this book you will understand why that question was so hard for me to answer!  Gone Girl is coming out as a movie in October, but read the book first (they're always better!).

Memory: Birthday weekend

I've said it once five million times, best birthday ever.  You can read about it and see lots of pictures here and here.

Find: Crest Be Dynamic Toothpaste in Lime Spearmint Zest

Don't judge this until you try it!  I'm the first person to think "uhhh... lime mint toothpaste?! Gross!"  I picked up a trial size of this on clearance at Target 'cause I was feeling dangerous it was $0.50 so I figured why not?  This is my new favorite toothpaste to use in the morning!  The lime flavor is not overpowering, but wakes you up in the morning and adds another layer of freshness to your average toothpaste.  Try it and tell me what you think!

Make-Up Item: Too Faced Boudoir Eye Shadow Palette

This palette was a birthday gift from my sister (in-law) Alli, and I big-sparkly-pink-heart LOVE it!  The colors are so soft and gorgeous, and can easily be amped up to take a look from day to night.  Garter Belt and Voulez-Vous create the most beautiful smoky eye!  If you're looking for a new palette, this one is worth trying.

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I hope you all had a great July!  See you back here in August ;)

Week in Pictures: OBX

Coming back to reality is hard!  My family and I had such a gorgeous week in the Outer Banks.  The weather was perfect and the ocean was great everyday.  I don't think there are too many things better than laying in the sun recharging your batteries every once in a while!  I'll let the pictures do the talking; here's what my week looked like....

Mom singing karaoke with her sisters... I'll spare you the videos ;) 

Yoga in the park!

This year my dad would have turned 55; we got his favorite, mint chocolate chip ice cream on his birthday.

Happy Monday!

Favorite Spots: The Outer Banks

Every year since I was 5, my family and I have taken the 6 hour drive to the Outer Banks.  My mom has a house in Duck and this place holds a lot of memories for me.  Growing up my sisters and I spent our Easter mornings hunting for eggs on the beach and our Thanksgiving evenings walking next to the ocean.  Over the years we have found some great places!  Be sure to check these out if you're headed to OBX!

5 Places to See: OBX

1.  Morris Farm Market

Within the last hour of our drive, Morris Farm Market comes up and you gotta stop.  Fresh fruit, a bunch of different ciders, and boiled peanuts are some of the treats featured here.  The strawberry and peach ciders are delicious, but you can sample all the others and decide for yourself!

2.  Duck Donuts

I posted a full review Wednesday on this amazing place.  The best freshly made donuts with locations throughout the OBX.  Anything else you need to know?!

3.  Sweet T's

A few mornings this week I biked or walked into town to stop in my favorite coffee cafe (I'm writing from Sweet T's right now!).  Besides having great coffee, Sweet T's offers free WiFi, beer on tap, create your own 6-packs, a huge selection of wine, good music, and an awesome location.  A perfect place to start your morning, I recommend the iced chai latte and a biscotti - yumm!

4.  Duck Deli

Dinner at Duck Deli is another annual tradition.  Get there early or there will be a wait (worth it).  This tiny restaurant serves an amazing shredded BBQ chicken sandwich.  Start your meal off with an order of hush puppies and you're set!

5.  Coastal Cantina

With live music every night, frozen margaritas, and, my favorite, mexican food, Coastal Cantina is a great place to hang out after doing some shopping at the Waterfront Shops.  I suggest starting with the queso and trying the shrimp quesadillas!

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If you're visiting the Outer Banks, be sure to add a few of these spots to your list.  I'll be dreaming of donuts the whole drive home ;)... Happy Friday!

Review: Duck Donuts

Do I even need to write about Duck Donuts, or is this picture worth 1,000 "mmmm"s?

Oh my goodness.  Duck Donuts started as a family tradition two years ago, and it is one of my favorite things we do when we come down to OBX.  They have locations throughout the Outer Banks and a few in Virginia (and they are franchising... so someone should open one.  In West Chester.  Specifically very close to my house ;).

Anyway, Duck Donuts operates very uniquely.  You fill out an order form, picking between different glazes and toppings, making your dream donut!  Everyday they have a "Donut of the Day" and it's always delicious!  This year it was "The Beach" - vanilla frosting with a cinnamon sugar topping.

After you place your order, you walk directly across to boardwalk, to another spot where they are dipping freshly made warm donuts into your toppings of choice.

It takes a few minutes because they get really busy, but it is worth the wait.  We ordered a rainbow chocolate, rainbow vanilla, plain chocolate, donut of the day, cinnamon sugar, and a maple bacon - unanimously the besssssst donut of the bunch!  That hardest part in this process is getting the donuts home before devouring them.  Here's one last look for good measure....

If you are in the Outer Banks or near a location in Virginia, trust me it is worth the stop.  Duck Donuts will definitely be making my list of OBX Must-Sees this Friday!  Check back then to see what else made the cut.

P.S. - Yesterday I was featured (for the first time!!!) on a blog called Better After - check it out here: Expect More.  Thank you, Lindsey!

Outdoor Makeover for Under $500!

Over the past few weeks we've taken our back deck from basic and boring to colorful and welcoming!  Before I get into the details, here's a quick before and after:

Before picking out new furniture, the first step in the process was repainting the decks.  I volunteered to help Scott, but I came home and it was done (ahhhh... it's the best when that happens).  That was the first $50 spent.  Our original furniture plan was to put a sectional in where the loveseats are now.  I found two options that I loved, but the only couch still in stock was going to cost us over $1,000.

I ended up coming across two loveseats on clearance at Target for $109 each!  My lovely bff Melissa and I picked out a bunch of pillows, an cute outdoor rug, and some wall décor for $375 total.  I ended up selling our current deck furniture for $80 on Craigslist (thanks, Eugene!); at this point we've spent around $345.

I ordered a big solar lantern from Target, spending another $28.  I found a side table I really liked for the corner where to loveseats meet, but it got "lost in the mail" so the search went on!  We added a flower pot and a planter on the ledge to bring even more color in and I moved my new lemon tree outside for the summer.

It can't be too long until I can make lemonade, right?!

We really wanted to get a fire pit table, and ended up finding the perfect one at Home Depot on end-of-season (it's only mid-July but okay...) clearance for $99!  That, my friends, is a steal.  If you're doing the math, we've spent about $472 so far.

I've found a perfect side table from Target for $26, so (once it arrives) this project will check out at $498!!!!  I am so happy with how the space turned out and I feel like we have an additional living space.  We have already spent a night relaxing outside, and I am excited for when we can have people over and make s'mores!

I am in the Outer Banks this week, so I have a couple of fun posts planned.  I'm hoping to write a review and my list of must-see places in OBX!  Check in later this week, and Happy Monday!

Review: Roots Café

Roots Café has been a favorite spot of mine since they opened.  The provide "local, organic, sustainable" and delicious food at an adorable spot in downtown West Chester. 

Roots started in a little location on Gay Street, and moved into a bigger spot down a couple of blocks (with outdoor seating!) last year.  They serve breakfast and lunch Tuesday-Sunday, and dinner Thursday-Saturday.  While working in the borough, I have been lucky enough to both pick up food from Roots and sit down to enjoy a meal.

The restaurant itself is very rustic, and it feels light and open with its windows and tall ceilings.  The most lovely art is displayed on the walls, along with a looooong list of local farms and suppliers.

"Know where our food comes from..."

The lunch menu covers salads, a few appetizers, and hot and cold sandwiches.  There is normally a grilled cheese special, a soup of the day, and changing side dishes.  I've tried at least 6 different items off of the menu, and they have all been delicious!  My favorites include the Secret Garden sandwich and the ALT (avocado-lettuce-tomato).  Most of the time, I order a combo so I can try more!

My sisters and I ate at Roots on my birthday.  Here's a look at what we ordered:

Roasted vegetable grilled cheese with arugula salad.

Roasted vegetable grilled cheese with tomato basil soup.

ALT with bacon and couscous salad.

Of course our meals were delicious again!  One thing I love about Roots is that I never feel sick when I leave.  Some places will serve huge portions of greasy food, you won't find that at Roots.  Plus, they are reasonable and use high quality, local ingredients.

If you're looking for lunch (or breakfast or dinner!) in the borough, give Roots a try!  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Side note: I bought a sweatshirt at their original location about a year ago (not sure if they still have the same ones), and it is by far my most comfortable sweatshirt!