Morning Glory Mermaid: 2013

Monday, November 18, 2013

Macaroon Monday

Mondays are always particularly difficult for me to deal with. Today I worked a twelve-hour day, and unpackaged countless boxes of shipment (I manage a retail store in Houston, Texas). While getting in new items for the holiday season is always a ton of fun, it can also be exhausting. So, I decided that I needed a little sweet treat to give me some extra pep in my step. There is a little bakery called "Sweet" located right next to my store (click here for their website), and they bake cupcakes, cake balls, and my personal favorite... macaroons fresh daily. I had never tasted a macaroon before visiting them, and now am totally addicted! I eat at least two of their lavender ones each week! I encourage you to visit your local bakery and try something new this week, because you deserve it!

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Empire State of Mind

I recently took a long weekend off of work and visited a good friend in New York. The weather was perfect, and I had far too much fun! I thought I would share with you all of the outrageously exciting things that we did together in hopes that it inspires you to go on your own spontaneous vacation!

My sweet friend, Whitney, lives deep in the heart of the city, in an apartment that backs Times Square. When you open the windows in her bedroom you can hear the ever-present honking of the taxis below, and the chatter of the people on the street. Looking out on the city from so high up, it is easy to believe that anything is possible, and that the world, which once to me seemed so big, was no more difficult to conquer and comprehend than it was to cross the fire escape into the apartment next door.

The morning after I arrived, we packed our Kate Spade bags with lipgloss and mad money and hopped on the subway to go to Brooklyn. I feel like when people visit New York they always want to see the basic tourist sites, and completely skip over the nooks and crannies that are the backbone and true character of the city. Our first stop was the Roebling Tea Room, which is full of charm and dishes up a brunch that is to-die-for.

When our tummies were full, we walked down the street to the famed Artists and Fleas, a market that opens up in Brooklyn on the weekends and showcases crafts, jewelry, antiques, and other bits and bobs from the best up-and-coming artists in New York. There you can find anything from authentic flapper dresses, to David Bowie earrings, to clocks made out of antique almanacs, to fairy tiaras. I purchased a dainty silver heart necklace from a young lady who wants to own her own jewelry shop one day and since then I haven't taken it off!

Once my purchase was fastened round my neck, and Whitney had her fairy tiara wrapped in tissue, we made our way to Williamsburg, where they were having "Smorgasburg"a flea food market complete with music, good company, and an amazing view of the city. Asian hotdogs, handmade jam, fresh oysters, pigs in a blanket, macaroons, and designer horsraddish... this place had it all and then some. The two of us patiently stood in line for two freshly prepared s'mores (a personal favorite of mine, and one usually enjoyed in the colder months around a fire). This was such a fun gathering, and everyone there seemed to be in a supremely good mood! Everything you ever read about New Yorkers being jaded and hardened to the world is completely untrue (or at least I found Brooklyn to be nothing short of fabulous and friendly).

Once we had unstuck the marshmallow from the roofs of our mouths, we hopped back onto the train and headed back into the city. We walked up and down 5th Ave looking into all of the beautiful shop windows, and even popped into Tiffany's for a little look around. I must admit I almost talked myself into purchasing a pair of silver earrings to commemorate the trip, but instead decided that I would probably be better off heading over the the Financial District to find myself a husband who could buy me a real rock.

In lieu of matrimony, we decided to head on over to the New York Public Library to visit the exhibit on children's books that was currently going on. I personally believe that the books that you read as a child influence the person that you are in a way that no other reading you do in your lifetime does. Needless to say, I went wild for the original manuscript for Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden and the life size display that was made in honor of Goodnight Moon.

After taking another stroll around the city we decided to rest our weary feet and have an ice cream cone from a vendor on the corner. Mine was filled with vanilla ice cream that had been drizzled with caramel, sprinkled with sea salt, and then dipped in chocolate... my food coma at the end of the day was long, and thoroughly satisfying.

New York, I love you, and I can't wait until we meet again.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Fragrant Finds: Narcisco Rodriguez for Her

Several months ago, I managed a cosmetics department in West Texas, and it was there that I fell in love with Narcisco Rodriguez for Her. When you are around makeup and perfume all day, everything kind of blends into a big stink by the end of the day, and the experience kind of put me off even wearing perfume, as most of them now give me a bit of a headache. However, I have a new job in Houston and my days of spritzing and blotting seem far away, so I thought it was about time to get back in the groove of experimenting with fragrance.

This is a fragrance that has never bothered me as far as strength, and something about the muskiness of it feels very mature and appropriate for the workplace and out to dinner with friends. I wear it daily, and have already gotten several compliments from people!

If you're in the market for a new perfume, I would highly recommend picking up a sample!

Keep swimming!

Friday, October 11, 2013

Mayday It's Payday!

It is a truly spectacular day: TGIF and I got my paycheck deposited into my account. Somehow my little feet carried me into my local Anthropologie (I honestly have no idea how I got here. It just happened.) Since I was already inside and my pennies were burning a hole in my pocket, I had a look around and found a few treasures.

First off, I discovered a copy of The Vintage Tea Party Book by Angel Adoree (fabulous pen name by the way). I have had my eye on this little jewel for some time, and today just felt like the right time to treat myself. After all, this gift for me is truly a gift for the world, as it has inspired me to bake my buns off! I can't wait to try some of the divine sounding recipes inside (re. chilled raspberry soup).

After dancing around the shop with the book clutched to my chest for a few minutes, I took stock of the rest of the store. While many of it's charms were tempting (and I could justify purchasing at least half a dozen darling dresses, candles, and accessories), I decided to end my little jaunt with a charming set of hair ties. The jewels attached are too sweet to be true, and it saves me the embarrassment of having to pull out my tattered hair ties every time my 'do starts driving me nuts.

All in all, it was the perfect end to a fantastic Friday. I can't wait until my next Anthro adventure, but I'm even more excited to delve deeply into my charming new book of crumpets and fruit-infused teas. Has anyone else read this book?! I'm thinking of throwing a party and using some of the recipes inside. Thoughts? Ideas? I would love to hear from you!