Outfits

Houston, Let’s Grab a Drink!

May 5, 2017

Photography by: Banavenue

In honor of Cindo de Drinko (I mean Mayo), I thought it would be fun to share my favorite places in Houston to grab a drink. Whether you are a dollar mimosa fan, margarita loving, or champagne poppin’ person, I’ve got the answer to all of your happy hour needs. From Sunday brunch to after 5 cocktails, I like to believe I’ve got a good grasp on the best places to go.

Since all of you are hounding for all things Mexican and margaritas today, let’s start there and then we will break it down into a few more categories so that you have endless options!

Margaritas

El Tiempo – The most happening place on Washington. While there is almost always a wait, the authentic Mexican food and margaritas are well worth it! People who don’t have an El Tiempo come from far and wide to eat/drink here!

Ninfas – The original Ninfas is located in Houston and if you have ever been to a Ninfas then you pretty much know the menu. The only difference is that the look and feel of this place is unlike the chains. It is much smaller and was created by “Mama” Ninfa Laurenzo herself in 1973. A must see for you Ninfa fans! O and the margs are strong here (because I know that is important!).

Cyclone Anayas – With multiple locations all over Houston, Cyclone’s is a popular spot. From jumbo margaritas to penny (yes, 1 cent) mimosas on Sundays, this spot does not disappoint. If you go during happy hour, you can find great specials on food and drinks!

El Patio – Holy goodness. These margs are KILLER. They are known for their blue margaritas and they will take you down. This spot is a little smaller than your typical chain restaurant but what they lack in size, they make up for in tequila!

El Big Bad – Located in Downtown among other bars, El Big Bad is known for their infused tequila. Some venture to say that it is the best Margarita in town! They also have a second story patio that has a great view of downtown!

Cocktails

Julep – An absolute must if you have not been. It has an old timey, hipster feel to it with a little bit of class. The perfect place to grab a couple of drinks before dinner or a night out with the girls. There is a full bar that serves cocktails, spirits, and wine! As assumed, you have to try the mint julep!

Anvil – In the Montrose area and actually the original cocktail bar in Houston. A small bar with little parking so you might want to grab a ride here but it is definitely worth checking out! There are a few restaurants and other bars near by so I would highly suggest this place before a date or night out.

Bad News Bar – Want a cool view of Downtown Houston while sipping on a fancy cocktail? This little bar is a little tricky to find as you have to spot the name outside (Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar & Spirit Lodge), go through a door, and then up a flight of stairs to get there, but the view is worth it! It is also along a string of Downtown bars so you have lots of options to hop around.

Mongoose vs. Cobra – It is located in Midtown and has a fun vibe. Not one of the go-to Midtown bars so the crowds aren’t usually as crazy. They have a large selection of small-batch beers and cocktails served in industrial looking glasses.

Wooster’s Garden– Also located in Midtown, this swanky bar has such a fun atmosphere and is the perfect spot for your next date night or Sunday Funday. The cocktails are a little pricey but if you get there before 6 pm (Happy Hour), they prices aren’t too shabby.

Wine o’clock

13 Celsius – Located in Midtown, this is such a cool spot for any winos. There is seating at the bar or lounge areas, as well as a little outdoor patio. On top of a great wine selection, the menu offers charcuterie boards and my personal fav, make-your-own smores!

Sonoma – With two locations in Houston, this is a spot that I always come back to. My personal favorite location is the one in the Heights because of their upstairs patio that not many know about. If you are looking for a good glass of wine and pizza, look no further! I did a post on Sonoma here that shows more of the patio and their menu selections.

Bar Boheme – This hipster spot might be one of my favorite bars ever. It offers a large patio scene with cute outdoor lighting. I love that it is never too crowded and feels almost homey. They offer an extensive menu of wine, cocktails and bar food (that is delicious!).

Benjy’s – While a chain restaurant, it is still my favorite to hit up during their happy hour time because of their amazing food. You can score a bottle of wine on happy hour for $20 and their famous brussel sprouts or pizza for only $6-$8.

Patio Bars

La Grange – Off of Westheimer and Montrose. Half indoors, half outdoors. They have a great menu and drink selection. It is also along a strip of bars so you are walking distance to several other fun bars.

Eight Row Flint – A new bar in the Heights. They offer a great patio with a large selection of rare bourbons, craft beer, margaritas, and an amazing taco food truck.

The “Creeks” – There are 3 bars that are all owned by the same family that are spread out around the Houston Heights area. You have Cedar creek at 18th St. and Beal (my personal favorite and the largest of the 3). There is Canyon Creek at Wescott inbetween I10 and Washington (love their frozen mimosas, sweet tea or Jack Daniels drinks). Lastly, there is Onion Creek at off of White Oak close to Studewood (the smallest of the 3 and a more rustic feel).

Cottonwood – Just north of 610, this bar is a tried and true favorite. Always a good crowd with lots of dogs running around. Sometimes you will find live music and there are a couple of cornhole game boards. Good bar food including paninis, burgers and brunch!

Axelrad– This beer garden is famous for it’s hammock seating, outdoor patio and live music. They offer beer, wine, drinks, and pizza.

Sunday Funday

Kirby’s Ice House – Want to know where the party is? You will most certainly always find it here and not just on Sundays. Usually a very young crowd with a HUGE patio, cornhole and several food trucks. They are also dog friendly!

Wakefield Crowbar – With 3 sand volleyball courts and a huge outdoor patio scene, this place is always poppin! They are kid and pet friendly.

Down the Street – A cute and quaint neighborhood bar. My personal favorite! Depending on the day of the week it is usually moderately busy, unless it’s Bingo night in which they are packed! This is on the first Wednesday of every month and I highly suggest going. They have the best Sunday brunch around and the cutest atmosphere. Boys, they have a ping pong table that always has a game going on!

Lei Low – Looking for a funny and cool bar experience? Lei Low has some of the coolest, Hawaiian inspired cocktails that you will ever find! Don’t be fooled though, they are quite strong!

Karbach Brewery – Houston has a few breweries to choose from but Karbach has the best overall experience if you had to pick just one. With a huge outdoor space consisting of bar games, food trucks and picnic tables, this spot is one you could spend all day at!

If I left any off that you think are Houston staples, please let me know. But seriously, it would pain me to know if I somehow don’t know about the best place to grab a $4 glass of wine or see an amazing view of downtown while I throw back my 3rd cocktail! There are very few words that bring me instant happiness, but “happy hour” will do just that.

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! Party hard and stay safe!

*This post is in partnership with Express. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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FF, Outfits

Spring Must Haves: Splurge vs. Save

May 1, 2017

CLICK AN IMAGE TO SHOP THE ITEM DIRECTLY,
OR USE THE LINKS BELOW!

With April showers gone (fingers crossed), and May flowers upon us, you can bet that means Spring fashion is about to be in full force. If you weren’t already craving pastel colors and skimpier clothing, you better start! There are a few trends this season that I thought I’d give a shoutout to and also cover why there is no reason to splurge on these when the exact same item is out there for considerably less!

Denim mini skirt: This reminds me of the Abercrombie/Hollister high school glory days. The major difference now is that we are actually talking about an appropriate length! Speaking of Abercrombie, I do have to give it to them for stepping up their game. I actually bought a few items (including this denim mini skirt) from there recently. Make sure to size down if you order!
Designer dupe sunglasses: Oversized, designer sunglasses are ALL the rage right now. The price tag is not so great. Thankfully I have found several dupes that I get compliments on all the time. I basically own every Karen Walker dupe out there. Heck, I could do an entire post just on that! Believe me, ditch the designer shades and save your money for wine (lord knows we all need more of it). And no one will be able to spot the difference!
One piece bathing suits: While not a new trend, you will definitely find more and more options this year. I love the semi-sexy contrast that a lot of retailers are bringing in this year. It kind of defeats the purpose of a one piece, but hey it’s called fashion for a reason right? It doesn’t have to make sense 🙂 Believe it or not, thanks to my friend Britt’s suggestion, my current favorite place to find affordable or designer dupe swimsuits is Amazon! Find some of my favorites here.
Tassel earrings: These bad boys are back and they are bigger than ever this Spring. Every place you look has their own spin on tassel earrings and I probably have spent close to a small fortune on them. I’d say there are worse things to be addicted to but if you are going to spend the money on these, keep it at a minimum as this is a trend that won’t be around forever!
Bow slides/mules: This new trend is one of my favorites although it is also one that I don’t foresee sticking around forever. Because of this reason, I don’t see the reason in investing in such a trendy piece. Target currently has a great selection of designer dupes, at extremely affordable prices. I bought the bow slides in both the pink and black options because $25 was just too great of a deal to pass up! They also come in a striped or taupe option.

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Life, Outfits

Dear Bumble Boi

April 26, 2017

Dear Bumble Boi,

You know who you are and if you are reading this my hope isn’t to inflate your already inflated ego and it’s most certainly not because you deserve the time of day. It is because while I may never hear from you again, I in fact have something to say.

I’ve been perfectly fine by myself for some time now. I seemed to finally have life dialed in: my career, family, friends, the blog, a social life and I was happy and thriving all by myself! The only thing that seemed to be missing from my life was love and I had gone so long without someone filling that void, that it just seemed normal. Natural even. Until you came along and ruined it all.

The first night that I met you, 4 hours flew by like they were minutes. I don’t think I’ve laughed like that in ages and it felt good. Too good. I should have gone out with the girls that night after our date but this would be the first trap of yours that I fell into. I told myself to be guarded and I think I put up a good front. See you are a salesman and therefore a charmer so I know your type, but somehow I was outwitted from the start.

After that date you put effort in and I do have to give you that, but you and I both know why that is and it’s not because you were after my heart. Each time we hung out, the conversations that we had felt like we had known each other for years and while that seemed like a good thing at the time, maybe that was our problem all along. Maybe we skipped directly to the relationship stage without ever having dated at all.

See I know what we had was short lived but I’d be lying if I said that’s what made it all the more exhilarating and intense. I certainly questioned the sincerity behind each compliment and if our seemingly easy, deep conversations were too good to be true. I’d never had a guy communicate quite the way that you could and this intrigued me. I even joked that I had never met a guy that talked more than I did (and that is still true), but the way you analyzed me and each situation is what made me fall for you. While you might not have been great at a lot of things (like cooking a steak or being on time), you had a way of knowing exactly what I was thinking and what I wanted to say even before I did. If that’s not a super power in itself, I’m not sure what is. That and boy did you know how to make me laugh. Those 2 things are what unknowingly sealed the deal.

We went through some hard things that I could say played a factor in our demise but that would be a lie because it started long before that and we both know why. You see, I’m not sure what your intentions were at the beginning, but I now know that they weren’t pure. The flattery and talks about the future were just words to you with apparently no meaning behind them at all. I didn’t put too much thought into what you were saying at the time because I didn’t plan on falling for the charmer that I figured had charmed a million other girls.

You said that I was different and we had several inside jokes that made me believe this might be true. We would stay up late talking about anything and everything as if when we were together there was never enough time. We talked about meeting each other’s parents and what we wanted out of a relationship. You talked about the future as if I was a part of it. I like to think that I easily kept up my guard until that day that you were telling me about your family and sang me your grandpa’s favorite song. I looked at you and thought “this boy doesn’t lack confidence and that is for sure”. But it was more than that, it was the first time you let your guard down around me and somehow you instantly dropped mine too.

But like I said, I know your type and there is only one person that is ever going to satisfy you the most, and that’s you. So while you made it seem like I wasn’t just another girl, I was never going to be good enough for you because right now you only live to serve one person and that person is not a girl. I never stood a chance. So why did you do it? Why did you say the things you said to me if you didn’t plan to follow through? Why when things started to get tough did you immediately run away? See I knew you would hurt me from the beginning but I never expected it to be this way. I didn’t expect you to awaken feelings and then completely shut them out. I didn’t expect a coward that treats women like they are disposable. And I most certainly didn’t think that one day I would wake up to never hear from you ever again. No goodbye, no call, not even a text. So yea, I didn’t expect to regret having ever met you at all.

7 Comments

Outfits

The Season’s Hottest Swimwear

April 21, 2017

Britt and I’s swimsuits are from Kortni Jeane

If you have seen my Instagram lately, you might think that I’ve taken up a new profession as a swimsuit connoisseur. Well let me tell you, there is this funny thing about recovery and being cooped up all day. It forces you to buy an absurd amount of swimsuits. That’s right, it’s the darndest thing and I’ve yet to figure out why this is the case. I’m hyping it up to be a side effect of the pain meds. Since I am going on SO many beach trips in the near future it’s totally justifiable though. Well I mean I’ve thought about going on vacation so that is kind of the same thing right…it’s like maybe if I just buy enough swimsuits it will force me to plan a beach getaway. Or is that not how it works?

I love that there are more options than ever when it comes to swimwear this season. And not just the ity bity bikinis, but one pieces and all over coverage is making a major fashion statement. I have to admit that I was pretty worried when I heard that Victoria’s Secret was going to quit carrying swimsuits. It’s where I got ALL of my swimsuits so branching out has been quite the adjustment for me. Change is hard guys. I’m that girl that orders the same item off the menu every single time at every restaurant so just imagine the dispare I went through to learn that I’d have to completely turn my life upside down to find a new favorite swimsuit retailer.

Me dramatic? Never.

So what did my search results find? Well for starters, Kortni Jeane was an obvious girly girls’ heaven. They have so many different patterns so that you can mix and match your top and bottoms. I also love that they are the perfect mix of modest and cute! Another bonus is that the majority of their swimsuits are high waisted and flattering on ALL body types, even expecting mamas! Just for sizing reference I ordered an XS (my normal size) but definitely regretted not getting the small so if you are in between sizes, I would size up! Other retailers that I have bought swimsuits from this year are ASOS, Nordstrom, Dillards, and Shein. Check out some of my favorites from these retailers below.

Bikinis

One Pieces

3 Comments

Outfits, WWW

Paperbag Pants + Sale Alert

April 12, 2017

Work Wear: Paperbag pants + scalloped top + pumps

Photography by: Banavenue

I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 months since I’ve sat down to write a Work Wear Wednesday post. You’d think since I’m wearing business attire 40+ hours a week, that some of that would make it’s way over to the blog! Well, I promise to get a little bit more consistent just as soon as I recover from surgery a little bit more.

These pants have actually been in my closet for months now and I have just slowly been watching this paperbag waist trend pop up more and more. I am naturally drawn to any sort of work attire that remotely feels like pajamas. Let’s be real for a second, if I could get away with wearing pajamas 24/7, I would do it in a heart beat. Needless to say, if it remotely looks, feels or resembles pajamas in any way, but could pass as being semi (we will take what we can get) professional, then it is fair game.

For all of my working gals out there that struggle to find pants that fit them, that is one of the great things about these paperbag pants. In fact, I would put them right up there with drawstring pants. Both of these options are becoming more and more acceptable to wear to work and paired with the right pair of pumps, you can make just about any pair of pants work appropriate! I’ve linked a few pairs for you guys at different price points below.

Before signing off on today’s post, I wanted to let you all in on a HUGE sale that is going on. LOFT is having their friends and family sale event that offers 40% off their entire website (that includes sale items). Don’t worry, I already skimmed the entire sale and picked the best of the best here. I even made a section for my favorite work wear picks so make sure you check it out! Happy shopping my friends! It’s totally justifiable when it’s on sale right? It’s like you are making money 😉

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