Bahamas Packing Essentials

 {1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9}

I’m heading to the Bahamas at the end of this week, so I spent the majority of my weekend running errands in preparation for our trip. We’ll be attending a friend’s wedding while we are there, but other than that, I don’t plan on straying too far from the pool or beach, unless of course for fruity drinks at the wet bar. I’ve heard so many great things about the Bahamas- turquoise waters, serene beaches, and great food-I can’t wait to experience it myself!  There are still a few things left to buy, but here’s a glimpse at what I’m packing in my suitcase.

St. Patrick’s Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I’m still super bummed we couldn’t make it to Savannah this year, but living walking distance from an Irish pub made it that much easier for us to celebrate here.  Despite the rainy weather, we threw on some green and headed to Meehan’s for green beer, jello shots, and some traditional Irish dancing.  Yes, you read that correctly. There was a full on Riverdance in the pub. It was a far cry from the kind of shenanigans we would have encountered in Savannah, nonetheless it was certainly another fun St. Paddy’s Day!

{Sláinte!}

Checking In

{A daily reminder by my office}

I’m back! I certainly did not intend to go on a month long blogging hiatus, but life has been crazy lately. Between moving offices, a trip to Savannah, a busy work schedule, and no internet or cable for almost two weeks, I just haven’t had time to blog. I’m happy to say I finally have internet again and things have settled down, so I’ll be returning to regular posts shortly. I can’t wait to share pictures from my trip to Savannah. In the meantime, here’s a recap of the past month:

{Fountain at Forsyth Park in Savannah}

{Puppy play date}

{New favorite spot for comfort food}

{George celebrating his 4th birthday}

Weekend Snaps

{Lunch at Yeah! Burger}

I’m always sad come Monday morning knowing that my weekend is over, but this past weekend in particular , I was especially sad to see go. It was one of those weekends where we had nothing planned, yet it turned out to be such a fun weekend. An old friend from college was strolling through town, so we headed down to the Westside Provisions District for some lunch and then to Atlantic Station to do a little shopping and show him the sights. Coincidentally, the Olympic Committee was there promoting the Road to Sochi tour. We got to partake in several interactive exhibits which included getting our photo snapped skiing in Sochi and filming a commercial segment  for AT&T that could appear during the Winter Olympics. I’ll keep you posted if they decide to air it! Sunday was spent relaxing watching trashy reality TV (my favorite) followed by an Italian style family dinner and the Grammys. It’s not often that perfect weekends come around, but they are even better when you least expect it.

{Giant giraffe bust at Sid Mashburn}

{Skiing in Sochi c/o Bear Naked}

One Year

One year ago today I started Ashes & Wine and I’m so glad I did. It’s been such a great way to document my adventures, share style tips and recipes, but most importantly, I’ve become part of a whole new community. I’d like to give a sincere thank you to all my supporters, readers and friends who have followed along this past year. My blog has grown so much since I wrote my first post and I could not be more pleased with the direction it’s headed. I’m looking forward to my second year of blogging and hope that you’ll continue to show your support!

P.S. It’s still a work in progress, but I hope you like the new look!

Life Lately

Sorry for the radio silence everyone! 2014 has already been super busy and we are only two weeks in. I’ve been on the grind since January 1st, but used this weekend to play catch up. So in a nutshell, here’s what I’ve been up to as of late:

1. Before heading out for NYE

2. Dinner at Marietta Diner

3. Another variation of my Garnet & Gold mani

4. Pre-gaming at Tin Lizzy’s with the Atlanta Seminole Club for the BCS Championship

5. Proud Seminole Alumni (#1)

6. Brunch at Another Broken Egg

7. Clementine season

8. Leisurely Saturday reading

9. New favorite bracelet that is perfect for cheering on my Noles

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve! The holidays have officially begun and I’m so excited for all the festivities that are taking place. I’m finishing up some last minute shopping today, but tonight, my family and I are eating our traditional Christmas Eve dinner at Pappasito’s (one of my favorite restaurants) then watching 24 hours of A Christmas Story. I swear that movie will never get old. I am so happy to be home for the holidays and looking forward to spending a few relaxing days with my family before the New Year. Hope your Christmas Eve is just as merry!

{FRA-GEE-LAY}

{Cozy Christmas Pajamas + Warm Fire}

{Home for the Holidays}

{Christmas Shopping #selfies}

Christmas in the City

Christmas in Atlanta is always such a magical time of the year. The streets are filled with holiday decor, holiday shopping is in full swing, and despite the frigid temperatures, everyone seems to be in such great spirits. This past weekend, my boyfriend and I headed down to Atlantic Station to finish up some Christmas shopping, but while we were there, we got to take in the full splendor of Christmas complete with temps below 40 degrees, a visit with the giant (but beautifully decorated) tree, and an afternoon ice skating. As a former figure skater I was a little disappointed with my performance on the ice, but that didn’t hinder my spirits as it truly was a perfect winter day surrounded by great company.

Weekender

Happy Friday the 13th! It’s certainly been a hectic few weeks over here-my calendar has been slammed! This weekend I planned on taking it easy by finishing up my Christmas shopping (hopefully), watching the Heisman Trophy Award ceremony (Go Jameis!), and spending a leisurely afternoon ice skating with my boyfriend. We have been anxiously waiting to go skating on the outside rink which recently opened up (and then melted due to weather) in Atlantic Station. The past few days have been really cold, so we are hopeful this weekend will be the perfect time to go. I’m also going to soak up as much downtime as I can with some hot beverages and holiday movies by the fire. Cheers to the weekend from me and my new favorite mug!

P.S. Two of my favorite brands recently collaborated (Sugar Paper LA + Target) and their goodies are now sold in Target stores. I picked up a new planner and desk calendar for 2014. Check it out before it’s gone!

Elf Tracker: Week 1

He’s back and he’s been a busy little elf! Oliver has been here a little over a week-making his way around the house, spreading holiday cheer, and helping us get into the Christmas spirit. I decided to do a weekly update of all his adventures so that you all can follow along. So far, he’s put on his warpaint to cheer on the Noles, decorated for Christmas, gotten chocolate wasted, and even did his best Miley Cyrus impression. I’ll do an update every week, but for those of you that want to follow him daily, you can browse social media using the hashtag #oliversadventures. Stay tuned for week 2!

{Days 1-4: Scouting out Black Friday deals, Go Noles, making the barcart festive, & decorating the chalkboard}

{Days 5-6: Trimming the tree & eating Trader Joe’s Sea Salt Caramels}

{Day 7: Doing his best Miley Cyrus impression}

{Days 8-9: Friday night holiday movies & hanging the stockings}

{Day 10: Picking out the best holiday nail polishes}