September Favorites

I say it at the end of every month, seems like each one goes faster than the last.  Let's just jump right into my favorites for the month!

Find: Marc Jacobs Honey

My last Sephora online order included a sample of Marc Jacobs fragrance, Honey.  I sprayed it twice before dropping the tiny glass bottle to the floor and watching it shatter.  Heartbreaking, I know, but I did get to smell it!  I loved it and was so upset that I wasted the rest of that sample.  Literally two days later, Honey pops up on Groupon; $49.99 for 1.7 fl.oz. (normally $76).  I bought it on a semi-whim seeing as I only wore it once, but am so glad I did!  It is more of a Spring scent, but for the time being the beautiful little bee-covered bottle can sit on my perfume stand and look pretty :)

Memory: Curacao!!!

I've shared all our pictures from Curacao (here, here and here) already, and I'm sure it's obvious why it's my favorite September memory!  We had so much fun and every night my dreams are still in Curacao.  Of course I have a trend where all of my dreams eventually turn into nightmares and a really high cliff with a shark at the bottom of it started showing up recently so that's just awesome ... whomp whomp.  Anyway, still my most favorite memory this month!

Food Find(s): Pumpkin Eggo Waffles & Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts

I picked both of these up in the grocery store and Scott asked me why I have to "buy everything pumpkin."  I'm like uhhh... fall?  And I'm glad I stuck with my gut (literally) and tried both of these because they're delicious!  Pumpkin pie pop tarts for 15 seconds in the microwave + a cup of chai = heaven on a chilly fall night.  I know we haven't had many of those nights yet, I'm just getting prepared!

Song: Taylor Swift "Shake it Off"

Tay tay's done it again!  Every time this song comes on I am rocking out to it.  Liz and I had a dance par-tay (pun intended) and we were shaking errything off!  I love how she's basically making fun of herself and turned it into a catchy song.  In other news Scott is refusing to let me pick the music in our house anymore ;)

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Happy Monday!  This week I have two exciting posts planned- a DIY candle holder to add to you Halloween decor and a flashback Friday to our wedding pictures in honor of our first anniversary next Monday.  For now I am off to my flu shot, eeek!!!

Random Thoughts Lately

Happy Friday y'all!  Hard to believe it's already the last Friday in  September.  I mean really, where is the time going?  Did you know we're only 90 days away from CHRISTMAS aka the best and most magically day of the year!  I may be a bit early to the Christmas party every year, but I can't help it I just get so excited.  Anyway, we are gathered here today to talk about all the random thoughts going through my head lately because I didn't write my other planned post.  Without further ado, I'm just going to go for it!

1. Christmas Gifts

Sticking with the Christmas theme, I think I'm going to make it my goal to make my gifts more meaningful, personal, and functional.  I feel like every year we just buy people stuff, and then every weekend we spend time cleaning up and putting away all the random stuff we've received.  I want to make it a point to purchase (or make!) everyone things they can use and that really come from the heart.  If you have any ideas, feel free to leave me a comment :)

2. My Fall To Do List

Things I want to do by the end of November: go to an orchard, get in a few more hikes while it's still nice, carve pumpkins, and... drum roll... redo (most of) my kitchen!  We've been wanting to replace appliances, the counters, and few other things and it's finally time!!!  We're going appliance shopping this weekend, so send me positive vibes that it goes as smoothly and headache free as possible.  And ya know I'll be sharing some before and after pictures on here.

3.  First Anniversary!!!

Our first wedding anniversary is only TEN days away! Whaaaaaaattt?  I really cannot believe we are that close to being married for a year!  This time last year I was having my final dress fitting, putting together welcome bags, and freaking out about all the little details.  This time this year I have finally sent my wedding dress away to be cleaned and preserved (whoops took a little longer than expected!).  I've got a few little things I want to do for Scott (if you're reading Hi Skitt!), but plans are definitely still in the works!

4. Writing (officially) = Therapy

If you've read my 25 before 25 list, you know that my sisters, my mom and I are writing about our whole experience losing my dad.  The goal is to have a story for our kids so that, when they're old enough, they can learn how great of a person my dad was, and what we experienced taking care of him until he passed away.  While it is incredibly hard to write, it is so therapeutic to get everything on paper, especially emotions that have been suppressed for almost 16 months now.

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If you've made it this far, thanks for reading all the randomness going on in my head right now!  I hope you have the best last weekend in September ever ;)

Fall Fashion Wish List

Sweaters and boots and dark nails, oh my!  Fall officially started Monday night, so it's time for a few wardrobe changes.  In addition to adding more chunky sweaters and dark jeans, there are a couple unique items I'm looking to add to my wardrobe this year.  I'm trying to be conscious of buying better quality pieces but still stay within a budget.  If you have any amazing finds, leave me a link!

1. Burgundy Lips

I've never tried much color on my lips.  A pale pink or maybe even a touch of lavender or rose, sure why not?  But this fall, I want to step outside the ol' comfort zone and try some seriously berry/Merlot-stained lips!  I've looked into a few colors and am leaning toward ordering Limecrime's Velventine Matte Lipgloss in Wicked.  I'm a fan of swatching colors first, so maybe this calls for  a trip to ULTA!  If you have any burgundy lip suggestions, leave a comment below.

2. T-shirt Dress

My fashion tends to be very.... comfortable.  Like yoga pants and sweatshirts comfortable.  I do like to dress up, but I think a t-shirt dress would make it super easy look put together while still feeling cozy!  I picked up a gray t-shirt maxi at GAP this weekend (on sale for $17!!!) and I'm definitely excited to see what I can pull together with it.  I couldn't commit to a jean jacket, but mayyyybe I'll get there this season.

3. New Fall Bag

I need a new bag for fall.  I have a great summer bag that I bought this year, but I desperately need to up my fall bag game.  Here's the catch, I'm trying hard to be budget conscious with bags.  I tend to buy pricey(ish) bags, but am open to meeting some bags that keep more moolah in my wallet!

4. Ankle Booties

I searched for a pair of ankle booties in the Spring and ended up returning two pairs I ordered.  With the weather cooling down, the search begins!  I love the look of these with skinny jeans and think they would be great with my new maxi.  Everywhere I look they either have zippers or just aren't cute, so I put these on The Hunt... a website/app where people can help you find anything you're looking for.  You can find me @whatginahunts (clever huh? ;)

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It's Wednesday so I hope you're wearing pink have a great hump day!!!  Meet you back here Friday.

Restaurant Festival!

Every fall Scott and I so look forward to the Chester County Restaurant Festival!  A bunch of vendors come together to serve some incredible food and sell a variety of interesting things.  As always, it was a very warm day, but gorgeous none the less.  As the last official day of summer, it was a perfect send-off to such a lovely season.  Liz, Scott and I walked into town for a day full of food!

We tried a bunch of ah-maz-zing food, starting with Korean BBQ Pork sliders and Pietro's Prime.  They were served on soft little rolls that reminded me of Kings' Hawaiian sweet rolls.  The pulled pork was really tender and had a little Korean kick with chili pepper flakes.

The next stop: The Cow and The Curd.  This was our favorite spot last year, so we were thrilled they came back!  We got the curd combo with fried Wisconsin cheddar and goat cheese curds, served with a sweet red sauce and a spicy tomato creamy sauce.  They were so good!  Follow @cowandthecurd if you want to find out where they'll be next.

Deadly Delicious Treats served up the BEST strawberry cheesecake macaron ice cream sandwich and salted caramel bread pudding!  I've been wanting to try a macaron ice cream sandwich forever, so I was pretty psyched to get one!  We were all so happy with our desserts and we went into instant sugar comas.

After a lot of digesting and walking, I decided to try one more dish.  The last thing I tried were bonbon tacos from Bonbon Sushi, a new sushi place in town.  The taco shells were made of of wontons, and filled with cucumber, lettuce, and (I think) crabstick.  Whatever it was, they were delicious!  We will definitely be trying out this new sushi spot.

Scott is a huge fan of BBQ ribs, so he had to get a few from Cap'n Dick's BBQ.  It was our last stop of the day, and Scott said the ribs were pretty good.  Last year he ended up getting a few of the last ribs left and the same thing happened this year.  I think some of the earlier batches may have been better, but Scott still enjoyed his!

Another successful year at the Chester County Restaurant Festival!  Oh, and did I mention?  Liz and I were (briefly) on QVC!  Thanks to @MaryQVC, we got to profess our love of mac-n-cheese to 2 million people on live TV.  Ahhhh... memories.

This week I'll be sharing my Fall Fashion Wish List and (hopefully) a yummy pumpkin recipe I'm working on.  Happy Monday and, more importantly, Happy FIRST DAY OF FALL!!! :)

Foodie Friday: A Benny Good Breakfast at Market Street Grill

Last Saturday after the farmers market, Scott and I decided to see if we could get into Market Street Grill for breakfast.  Every time we try, they usually have a pretty long line but we got early enough Saturday to walk right in (score!).  The service was quick and they got our orders right; always something I look for at places.

My handsome brunch date!

I loooove the art at Market St.  It's bright and fun to look at, plus it adds great decor and ambiance.  There are different paintings all over the restaurant, but they all have the same feel and look.  Obviously Miss Holly Golightly caught my eye...

Alright, on to the bennys!  I ordered the Mainline Eggs Benedict which was two poached eggs served on corn bread with avocado and classic hollandaise sauce.  It was SO good!  Whoever thought to put eggs benny on cornbread is a genius.  And  add avocado???  Ay yi yi!  That was the cherry on top... A+!  With this dish you get sweet and savory - perfect me me since I can never decide between the two.  The hash browns were decent, too, but the Mainline benny was the star for sure.  I wasn't able to finish it, but I definitely tried!

Scott ordered the Classic Eggs Benedict, served on an English muffin with Canadian bacon.  This dish won Best of the Mainline 2013, so he was definitely excited to try it.  I'm not a fan of Canadian bacon, but Scott loved it!  Again, he said the hash browns were "decent."  Next time we may try to switch them out for a side of fruit.

Definitely a breakfast treat that we don't indulge in often, but these bennys were worth every calorie!  Scott and I give them two thumbs up, good work Market St. Grill!

We're looking forward to the Restaurant Festival Sunday, so you'll definitely see some pictures from that next week :)  Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Farmer's Market Favorites

I'm a big fan of supporting local shops and restaurants, and I try to carry that local support out to our farmers and vendors around the area.  It takes a little time to get used to/familiar with shopping at a farmer's market, but in the long run, I believe you find better quality food and, in some cases, end up saving money!  Win win situation my friends!

Most Saturday mornings Scott and I head into the borough for the lovely West Chester Growers Market!  It's open May through December from 9AM-1PM.  We try to get there early to have the best options from all the vendors.  The vendors range from delis and produce to beautiful flowers and anything maple you can imagine.

We've found a few staples over the summer, and we can't help but going back for more of what we love!  Here are a few of our recommendations:

1. Maple Oat Clusters, Granola, and Honey Whole Wheat Bread from Big Sky Bread Company

If you get there early enough, Big Sky Bread Co. offers half loafs, which are perfect for just Scott and I.  The bread is fluffy and toasts up really nicely; it makes the best grilled cheese :).  In addition to bread, we always find something good to snack on for the rest of our shopping trip (like the maple clusters or granola!).  The bread will need to be refrigerated since they use no preservatives.

2. Italian Herb Goat Cheese from Yellow Springs Farm

Speaking of grilled cheese, this goat cheese lasts like 3 days in our house.  I put is on crackers, salads, or in scrambled eggs.  It's been great every time I've had it!  They have had a lavender soft goat cheese in the past, but it sold out before I could get one!

3. Blood Orange Bergemot /Lavender Lime/Santorini soap from Ellen April Handcrafted Soap

These lovely soaps hold a special place in my heart.  When my parents moved into the borough, my dad's health was slowly getting worse.  One Saturday morning he woke up and walked to the farmers market, not the easiest thing for him at the time.  He came home with just a bar of soap for my mom because he knew how much she loved it.  I think that was such a sweet, romantic gesture.  Every once in a while, I will treat myself to a new soap; they smell amazing and make great gifts, too!

4. Salami from Maiale Deli

Mailae Deli makes some delicious salami and sausages!  I believe we get the Tuscan salami which is seasoned with garlic, wine and fennel.  Some Mailae salami on the honey whole wheat bread and goat cheese.... lunch most Saturdays ;)

5. Pickles, jams, and Fiber Balls from Lizzie's Kitchen

The fiber balls were a random find, but they are so good.  Not really sure where the fiber is coming from, they seem like cookies in ball form to us. We have yet to try a pie from Lizzie's kitchen, but I doubt we'll be able to say that for much longer!  Lizzie's bread and butter pickles are awesome, too.

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The fruit and veggies we've gotten from different vendors have all been great, especially the broccoli and apples.  If you've been to the borough grower's market, leave a comment with any suggestions I should try!

Friday will feature another restaurant review, this time... breakfast!

Make-Up Monday: Erase Paste

Today I'm focusing on a cult classic... benefit's Erase Paste.  Benefit claims that "signs of stress and fatigue are a thing of the past with this concentrated cream formula."  

I use Erase Paste only as a under eye brighter/occasional highlighter.  Putting a cream that claims to brighten isn't the best idea for covering blemishes!  As a brightener, this stuff is amazing!

Erase Paste is available in three shades; I use the lightest shade, fair.  The formula is super creamy and little goes a long way.  Normally I apply Erase Paste  to my under eye circles before my foundation or BB cream, and follow up with a little on my cheekbones after.  I set everything with a light powder, which helps with the brightener.  I do find it tends to crease a little.  It's not too bad and easy to blend with just a finger pat, but I wish it didn't happen at all!

Perfect for Monday mornings (aka this morning sleeping through my alarm), Erase Paste is the ultimate solution to looking like you got 8 hours of sleep.  I like that this product provides high coverage but is really easy to blend, especially with my beauty blender.

Besides the occasional creasing, I think this is a great product.  Don't rush out to try it, but next time you're looking for something to get rid of those sleepy under eye circles, Erase Paste it worth the money!

Check back Wednesday for my Farmer's Market Favorites... Happy Monday!

Foodie Friday: Baco Taco

It's Friday so lets talk about food :) One of our favorite places lately is Baco Taco, a juice and taco bar in the borough of West Chester.  Scott has gone a few times by himself for lunch because it's that good.  When we got back from the carribean, the first place we ate... Baco!

Baco offers indoor and outdoor seating.  Inside the decor is bright and fun with a southern twist.  They always have a ton of fruit and wheat grass growing, which provides great visuals and amazing smells.  Doesn't matter to us where we sit, the food and service are always great!

I always order the same thing, 2 Baco Tacos and an order of rice and beans.  Scott usually orders a Baco and he'll mix it up with a pulled pork or chicken taco.  The Baco (below) is filled with avocado, sweet onion, tomato, sweet corn, cotija cheese, tomatillo salsa and roasted poblano crema.  It is the most amazing taco; you don't miss the meat at all!  Look below to see this beauty...

Next up is the slow cooked pulled pork taco.  Filled with pulled pork, cabbage slaw, cotija cheese, tomatillo salsa and roasted poblano crema.  Scott, a man of many words, describes it as "yummy"... if that rave review doesn't make you run out to try it I don't know what will!  ;)

The best rice and beans... mmmmm, so good!

The last juice I had from Baco was Watermelon Mint.  It was cold and refreshing - perfect for out last few hot summer days!  We've tried the Banana Bread, the Hipster, and the Mad Mango.  Scott's a fan of all of them, the Mad Mango gets lots of delish-points from me!  Definitely try a juice!

If you haven't tried it yet, be sure to add Baco to your list of places to eat.  It was voted Best of the Mainline for healthy eating in West Chester; and I would vote for Baco Taco as best taco, most delicious juice, yummiest rice and beans... the list goes on and on!  If you haven't tried it yet, try it!!! You'll love it!

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Swimming With Dolphins aka How I Met My New BFFs

I kissed a dolphin! And did tricks with a dolphin! Annnnd rode on the fins of TWO dolphins! If you ever get the chance to swim with them, do.it.  While in Curaçao, we visited the Sea Aquarium and Dolphin Academy. There were a couple options to "meet the dolphins" (basically sitting waisted deep in water and petting them), but we decided to go big and get in the water with them!

First, we met with the dolphin trainer to learn about how to approach a dolphin and swim with them. We watched a short video with some tips, got our flippers on and headed out to meet the beauties!  Our group ended up being really lucky. Since there were only 6 of us, we got to go into the nursing pool with the baby and momma dolphins!

Getting in the water I was a little nervous because I didn't want to make the dolphins nervous or approach them the wrong way, but once I got to pet a dolphin it was awesome! You get a pretty good workout in and need to have some energy since you're treading water for a solid 30 minutes.  For the first 15, everyone gets to play a game with a dolphin and get a kiss.  The last 15 minutes are free swim and you put on your snorkel mask and get to spend time with them.  It was so amazing how they swim with you and they get a little playful.

I miss my BFFs already ;) - if I get the chance again I'll definitely swim with more dolphins!  They're very smart and friendly, plus we got to see how the momma interacted with her baby.  She would get distracted from time to time and swim over to check on her baby; it was so adorable!

That wraps up our Curacao trip, friday will feature one of our favorite places in the borough!  Thanks for reading!