Lilly Pulitzer Backgrounds

I admittedly jumped on the Kale bandwagon rather late.  I first tried it years ago during a rowing potluck (of course rower moms are first to find healthy power foods) and absolutely despised it. I stayed away from it ever since... until I tried the Kale Salad at Yardbird over the holidays in Miami .  The salad was divine - the perfect combination of crispy, tangy, and sweet.  I highly recommend it if you ever pop by. I've since been making this Yardbird inspired salad for lunch and dinner: Kale | Green Apples | Dried Cranberries | Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese | Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing Has anyone else discovered any kale recipes worth a change of heart? xoxo,

With one short tweet , this week Vampire Weekend officially announced the release of their newest album will be May 7th.  This indie, preppy, afro-pop-inspired band that formed at Columbia University made its way onto the scene with Oxford Comma  and Mansard Roof  in 2007/2008.  The entire first eponymously-named album so quintessentially represented those summers and evoke memories of lounging lakeside with friends, barbecuing on my lawn at university, and driving in my volvo with my windows down, sunroof open, shades on, and iced coffee in hand. The release of their second album, Contra, coincided with the year I graduated with my first university degree and spent my summer working at Emily Post.  That summer I first met KH (another fellow Emily Post intern), who is to this day one of my best friends.  That summer we discovered our mutual love for etiquette (pardon my nerdiness), similar random music tastes (she's still one of the only other people I know...

If you haven't stumbled upon Songza yet, I insist you scoot on over to the site or download the app asap!  It's such a great music service, allowing you to choose music based on your current mood or activity.  We don't get access to Pandora up here, so this has quickly become my new go-to music source for when I need tunes to power my workday, workout, or housework. There are countless fabulous playlists made, some even by big names such as Rachel Zoe, DVF, and now HBO.  In honor of the start of the 2nd season of Girls , HBO created a playlist based on each character. Here are the descriptions for each: The Marnie mix is right up my alley (naturally), keeping me trucking through early mornings with the likes of Robyn, Santigold, Scissor Sisters, and Dragonette.  For a fun throwback to silly high school dances or a great way to end a friday afternoon and lead into the weekend, catch the Shoshanna mix's Britney, Spice Girls, and Maroon5 beats. Check it out and find y...

It's official.  Winter is here.  This displaced Floridan is NOT happy (don't be fooled by my red-lipped smile). The temperature truly started dipping down today, and every piece of exposed skin felt it on my trek to the office.  Thank goodness plaid is a go-to in winter fashions. My Fab Friday Winter Must-haves: Wool trench - London Fog | Tartan scarf - J Crew ( similar ) | Mittens - HBC Collection ( similar ) | Tartan earmuffs - J Crew ( similar ) | Red tights - H&M ( similar ) | Duck Boots - L.L. Bean  | Wayfarers - Ray-ban ( similar ) | Thermos - Jack Spade  | Plaid Bag - Tommy Hilfiger ( similar ) Wishing you a wonderful, warm winter weekend! xoxo,

I confess, I am not a smooth talker.  I stumble on words, talk too much, and use words that apparently require a dictionary to decipher (I've even used "copacetic" in Skype conversations).  I'm not graceful or perfectly put-together. I trip all the time, get raccoon eyes from my waterproof makeup every afternoon, and actually have been that person with toilet paper hanging out of her pants (happened to me on a 5-mile run during my rowing days.... and no one told me!). The stories are endless, as are my expectations of more awkward situations to come. Through years of embarrassment I've learned how to laugh at myself.  I've learned to not take myself too seriously.  I may not be perfect, despite striving to be, and that's okay!  But I make people laugh like no other and even giggle myself silly when my unfortunate moments do occur (and they occur frequently).   Earlier today my coworkers and I swapped childhood stories... a few embarrassing stories later I ...

(source) This post may be long overdue, but I'd still like to share some of my favorite parts of South Beach.  I'm ever so fortunate that my parents have a teeny place near the beach.  It makes winters in Canada much more bearable when I can occasionally escape to my old Sunshine State. Although I grew up in Orlando, after a couple trips down to Miami, I must admit it makes for a much more fun winter escape.  I find that Orlando can be difficult to experience fully without having a car.  Everything is very spread out.  At least in South Beach almost everything is found within a short (or long) walk. Can't beat a view like this after a stressful few months of work! I love walking along the beach and seeing the collection of umbrellas and booths from each hotel. Salmon pink, orange and white stripes, light turquoise - you can experience an entire rainbow! Each guard tower on the beach is unique.  This one just seems so quintessentially beachy.   My ...