Well today is the day! I am headed to the hospital for my second hip surgery. For those that do not know, I had this same procedure done on my left hip six months ago and today I will have my right one operated on. I have had several people ask me as well as those close to me if I am scared. Jokes aside, I am oddly at peace.
Yes, I’d much rather be waking up and have the biggest worry of my day be what to have for breakfast. Yes, I know that the next two months are going to be hard. Yes, I’m aware that there could be pain. But what I’m also holding onto is that I know better days are coming that won’t be as painful. I will have the love and support of so many family, friends and dear followers. And what I am most excited about is that I won’t have to make excuses for my hips because of some deformity.
For those of you that would like to read more about the hip surgery that I am having to correct my hip dysplasia, you can read more about my first procedure here. I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, well wishes, texts, calls, messages, etc. It has meant the absolute world to me and I feel blessed to have such a strong support system on my side. I will update all of you just as soon as I am able! Also, I found this picture below and had to share:)
If you follow me on Instagram, I’ve dropped hints about some big news for a few weeks now. If you know me from my personal life, then you might have already heard, but for the rest of you I wanted to let you in on some BIG life changes happening around here. Without further adieu….
I’m quitting my full-time job!
Ok now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I’ll explain a bit more. While I’ve never thought that I would find myself blogging full time (at least not until way down the road), it is opening doors to travel opportunities and experience a different pace of life that I can’t pass up. I don’t foresee blogging to be my end all be all and I don’t expect to solely be doing it for long, but for now it is the right decision for me. I expect to start looking for work again after the new year.
I’m having a second hip surgery!
As you might know, I had the first of my two hip surgeries in March of this year. I was out of commission for a good two months and then in physical therapy for another two. I will have the same thing done on my right hip October 9th and expect the same type of recovery. You can read more about my first surgery here.
I’m traveling the world!
Now onto the most exciting news and the most up in the air news. First up, I am heading to New York Fashion Week today for the second time. It will actually just be the first stop on my little adventure. I plan to be traveling for about a month. If you had asked me a month ago, heck even a week ago, my travel plans would have been different than what they are now. Due to recent events with Hurricane Harvey, my aunt is no longer able to travel with me which changes things a bit. I won’t go into detail but let’s just say that as of now, the only thing nailed down is my plane ticket across the pond. So it will literally be a fly by the seat of your pants type of adventure. I don’t want to give everything away (and honestly I don’t even know what everything is), but I will say that I am headed to Boston, Nantucket and then parts of Europe! I plan on blogging about my entire experience and will be sharing all of the pictures on my Instagram if you would like to follow along.
I’m moving!
And last but not least, I have moved back home with my parents temporarily with all of these life changes going on. This piece of the puzzle actually worked out perfectly because Lindsey (my sister/roomie) is also moving to Chicago! So we said see ya later to our little townhouse in the city this week and I am saying hello to the suburbs. I’m definitely a little sad not to be in the city with all of my friends but I am so fortunate for some quality time with my parents and to save a bit of money while I pursue my dreams.
Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to take this leap of faith. I can’t wait to share all of my experiences with you all.
Theres no hiding what a huge wino I am on my little corner of the internet. I’m not one to shy away from a glass (er, bottle) of cab any given night of the week. So when my college girlfriends talked about getting together for a reunion, Fredericksburg (aka Texas wine country) was at the top of our list. I’ve been to the “real” wine country, but this was my first time to experience Texas wine country and all of it’s glory. By the end of the trip, we all agreed that it would become an annual trip as we fell in love with the little city and of course, the endless amounts of wine and girl talk.
Where to Stay
I highly suggest renting a house for the weekend. If you are heading up for a girls weekend or wanting to go in on a place with multiple people, a house is the way to go. Fredericksburg offers many cute options that make the trip so much more enjoyable than staying in a hotel. We stayed at “The Aqua Door“ which proved to be everything we hoped for and more! We were able to spread out comfortably and truly felt like we were at home. Most places are between $4-$600 a night (cheaper during the week) so split between multiple people, it is well worth it! Our house came equipped with boardgames, a hot tub, outdoor games, cable, a piano, and several other amenities that made it a home away from home and a real treat. The owner has several other properties (found here), all with different colored front doors, that are perfect for your next girls weekend, bachelorette party, or couples retreat. I cannot say enough great things about the owner, all of her recommendations, attention to little details, and the overall house aesthetic. Just look what I mean 🙂
Favorite Wineries
There are several tasting rooms on the main strip but if you are wanting to go to some of the wineries a little bit further out, I suggest taking the Wine Shuttle that runs to all of the wineries and picks up every 15 minutes. It is just $24.99 and well worth the money to not drink and drive. Our shuttle driver cranked up the music and we had a grand old time!
Grape Creek Vineyard– Our personal favorite! A tasting is $18 and you get to pick out 6 wines. The majority of us are red wine lovers, and enjoyed the Viognier and Bellissimo wines. We also stayed for lunch in their dining room and split a bottle of wine. We were given several free glasses of wine which might have been why it was our favorite 🙂
Becker Vineyards– A beautiful vineyard that also has lavender fields. Perfect for that vineyard Instagram picture (see below). There is normally live music on the weekends with a gorgeous area that overlooks the vineyard. Perfect area to split a bottle of wine. My personal favorite was the Reserve Malbec.
4.0 Cellars– Calling all wine and cheese lovers. This winery offers a wine and cheese pairing tasting for just $25. If you want to cut the cheese (hehe), a wine tasting is just $15. Friday evenings offer live music and you are welcome to pack snacks to enjoy on the patio.
Where to Eat
Fredericksburg has a lot of German history and heritage, which makes for great dining! Several of our meals were German because who can pass up a schnitzel and beer to combat all of the wine? Not us!
Otto’s– If you are looking for a really good German inspired meal, all 6 of us LOVED this place. Each one of us got something different and ended up sharing everything because every dish was out of this world! Some of our favorites included the Ricotta Gnochi, Wurst Platte, and Pork Shank. The prices are reasonable for a nice dinner. They are also open for Sunday Brunch. I do suggest arriving early or making a reservation as the place is very small.
The Auslander-If you are wanting a cheap, authentic German meal, this is the place! If the weather is nice enough, there is usually a pretty good sized crowd enjoying live music and throwing back oversized beers.
Sozial Haus– A quaint spot that has great pizza. Monday nights they have half price pizzas and bottles of wine.
Hondos– An old spot where you will find many locals. The food is nothing extraordinary but the atmosphere is fun!
Vaudeville– This is a nicer place and reservations are recommended. Even if you don’t get a chance to eat here, I suggest checking out the courtyard and little shop that is attached to it. Both are amazing! I have heard the restaurant is a must do if you have the time (and money!) to do so.
August E’s– Another great fine dining experience. We were there during the week and attended “Thai Tuesday” night. While the price is a little high for thai, the portions are HUGE and easy to share. They also have sushi and steaks.
What to Do
Besides the obvious, there are plenty of other things to do in Fredericksburg! It is such a cute town to explore and small enough to walk most places if you are staying at a house that is close to the main strip.
Walk/shop the main strip- There are over 100 small shops, tasting rooms, markets, and restaurants along the main strip. Be aware that almost everything closes down early in Fredericksburg so to do this earlier in the day. Most place close by 6.
Tasting rooms- If you are just wanting to grab a drink before dinner or do not want to drive out to the wineries, several of the vineyards have tasting rooms on the main strip.
Lincoln St.- A cute indoor/outdoor bar that is perfect for drinks before or after dinner and one of the only places that stays open later.
Yellow Door Studio– If you have already done a wine and painting class, then you know how fun they are. If you have not, now is your time! The art class is BYOB and is so much fun! These classes run about $45/person and are a great keepsake for a girls or bachelorette weekend!
*Thank you Colored Door Properties for our complimentary stay. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
It feels wrong posting about anything fashion or otherwise “normal” blog related topics when so many of my loved ones and neighbors are losing their homes. The amount of destruction that Hurricane Harvey has already done is unfathomable and we aren’t out of the woods anytime soon. Since last Friday afternoon, Houston has been hit with over 40″ of rainfall in such a short amount of time. Even with breaks in the rain, it is not enough to let the city drain. There have been at least 12 tornados touch down and thousands of people who have already lost their homes. We need a miracle and fast.
For the past few days I have been glued to my phone waiting for friends and family to give me updates on the rising waters. Checking social media and news outlets constantly to see the damage. Every new picture that I came across more shocking than the one before. We knew this storm would be bad but seeing each and every person that I personally know go through losing their home and their belongings is absolutely heart breaking.
My sister and I do not know how our townhouse is faring in the Heights as both of us fled to higher ground on Friday. Surrounding areas are completely flooded but we are hoping for the best. I am thankful to report the rest of my Houston family (parents, aunts, uncle) have not had any water in their homes. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for SO many of my childhood friends. My parents are having to rescue people from our old neighborhood on jet skis as their homes are taking on so much water.
I made the tough decision Friday to continue on with my girls weekend reunion trip to Fredericksburg, Texas (aka Texas wine country) knowing there was a good possibility that we could get stuck here. Welp all of my wine dreams came true and we are officially stuck here for the foreseeable future as the majority of Houston including all of the major roadways are flooded under several feet of water. I am forever thankful to the sweetest AirBNB host for allowing us to stay well beyond our intended stay free of charge. As much as I wish I was in Houston able to help those in need, I am thankful for a dry place to stay until the weather and flood waters calm down and even more thankful for sweet souls that are wiling to help in any way possible.
People from all over Texas are coming together to help one another and as bad as things are getting in Houston, it is heart warming to see. There are strangers helping complete strangers through rescue boats, donations and offering up their homes for safe refuge. Houston will rebuild but we have a long road to get there. If you are wondering how you can help, there are a few ways.
Monetary Donations
American Red Cross – Text HARVEY to 90999 and you’ll have made a $10 donation, which you’ll see on your next phone bill.
Salvation Army – The Salvation Army has been responding to the storm to help those in need and is accepting donations specifically for Harvey victims here.
JJ Watt Houston Flood Relief Fund – There is already over 500k raised. Donate here.
Physical Donations
Local food banks: Affected areas include Houston Food Bank, Galveston County Food Bank, Corpus Christi Food Bank, Southeast Texas Food Bank, and more. They recommend contacting a food bank directly about their need and what you can do. Find the closest one to you here.
There are so many organizations that will be accepting clothing and other necessities. If you are stuck inside with nothing to do, now is the perfect time to gather up and donate old clothing, unused toiletries and canned food.
Continue to pray that the rain stops, flood waters recede, and for everyone affected. Hurricane Harvey is still very much a threat for the next few days. It might not seem like we can do much but what we can do is pray and donate to the disaster relief.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out checking on my family and I. We are so thankful for such a supportive community and are trying to help in any way that we can. If you are or your family have been affected by Hurricane Harvey, please let us know how we can help whether it is through prayers, a dry place to stay or donations.
This blog of mine is coming up on two years and I have yet to let you all into my home. This is probably for a few reasons, number one being that my place is a disaster 99% of the time (busy girl problems) and number two is that I am totally and completely decor challenged. The funny thing is that I can confidently say after 2 years of trying to get my room “just right”, I think I finally nailed it. Of course this all comes together when I am set to move at the end of the month. I have a feeling that I might add a few more things but for now I am so happy with my cozy chic bedroom.
My college bedroom decor was a bit childish- think flowers and way too much color. It was time for an upgrade. Post-college me knew I needed a more sophisticated room but also something that was still equal parts girly. I opted for a subtle shade of pink (the actual shade is called Quartz) and grey. I quickly noticed a theme when choosing my bedroom look and it is quite similar to how I shop for clothing. If you have followed the blog for even a little bit, you have probably heard me talk about my 3 C requirements: cozy, chic and preferably cheap 🙂
Cstudio Home’s bedding is just that all in one. After years of purchasing comforters, I have found that I am 100% a duvet girl. After experiencing the comfort of my new duvet, I feel bad for the 24 years I lived without one. Boy was I missing out on some of the best nights of sleep of my life. You know you’ve hit the jackpot in the bedding department when you wake up already counting down the minutes until you are back in bed.
If you are in the market for a bedroom facelift, I would highly suggest checking out Cstudio Home for all of your bedding needs. The quality and comfort is hands down the best that I have ever owned and that is saying a lot for someone as finicky as me. No matter what your style is, Cstudio has something for everyone and at every budget. Make sure to check them out!
*Thank you Cstudio Home for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own*
