Nautical Stripes at the Naval Academy

Now that I'm done with the Bar Exam, I'm officially in vacation mode. My first stop was Annapolis, for one of Erik's friend's wedding. We got there a few days before the wedding, so that we had time to explore the city a little bit. I had never been to Annapolis before, and I instantly loved it. It's an adorable waterfront small city. Downtown, there were plenty of cute boutiques, restaurants, and coffee shops. We stopped at the Red Bean coffee shop and I got and incredibly delicious Honey Lavender Iced Latte. The floral taste of the lavender really mellowed at the sweetness of the honey. There were also so many cute houses turned Bed and Breakfasts. The whole town was just so picturesque. After wandering around downtown Annapolis for a bit, we walked over to the Naval Academy, and wandered around campus for a bit. We saw a bunch of different groups on incoming freshman being whipped into shape during their "plebe summer." While walking around, Erik mentioned several times that he was glad that he didn't go to the Academy. It was a cute town, but the structure of Academy life is very different from the typical college lifestyle.

Since we were in such a naval town, I decided to wear a very nautical inspired outfit. When I think nautical, I think navy and white stripes and boat shoes. I got this 3/4 sleeve length tee a few months ago, and it's a great staple tee. Every girl needs a basic striped tee, and this is perfect. The length of the sleeves makes it perfect for all weather and all seasons. Since my tee had very neutral colored stripes, I decided to pair it with some fun, pink shorts. Salmon or Nantucket Red shorts are so fun for the summer. They go great with white and blue tops, and they're the perfect summer splash of color. Since we were waling around all day, I paired my striped shirt with some comfortable boat shoes. I've had these boat shoes since my junior year of college. Erik got me them as a birthday present, and I've worn them regularly every since. They're so comfortable and so well broken in. I wear them every time I drive for multiple hours at a time, and whenever I need to slip on a pair of shoes to run errands. They're a neutral beige/brown color, with gold polka dots on the side, and gold laces, and they literally match every outfit. Everyone has that one pair of shoes that are a little too thrashed to wear in nice situations, but are too comfortable to get rid of, and these boat shoes are my version of those shoes. They were the perfect shoe to wear to walk around a naval town.

 

~ Top ~ Shorts ~ Sunglasses (similar) ~ Earrings ~ Shoes (similar) ~ Bracelet ~ Purse (similar) ~

Spain/Portugal/Morocco Packing List

On Tuesday I'm leaving for a 3 1/2 week trip to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. I'm going with one of my law school friends who also just finished taking the Bar Exam, and I'm so excited to just be able to relax and not think work or school or anything else. Instead of doing my usual Weekly Window Shopping this week I thought I'd highlight some of the things on my packing list for the trip.

Gal Meets Glam Rose Dress

I love packing dresses when I travel. They make it so much easier to get dressed when all of your clothes are in a suitcase. Instead of having to hunt for separates that look good together from different parts of your luggage, you can just grab one piece and have your whole outfit ready to go. This dress is going to be great to travel with. The midi length makes it appropriate for me to wear in Morocco, where women generally dress more conservatively. I can throw this on with a light cardigan or a silk scarf over my shoulders and be all set.

Lilly Pulitzer Travel Leggings

My Lilly travel leggings from a few years ago are perfect for long flights and train rides. I like to wear pants or capris when I fly, something about my bare legs touching the airplane seat freaks me out a bit, and I also like to look put together but still comfy on flights. These travel pants fit all my criteria. They're a more dressed up version of leggings, but still just as comfortable.

Kate Spade Jackson Street Gabriele

A flat crossbody bag is perfect for traveling. It can easily slip inside a carry on tote bag or a suitcase. The way that it sits flatter against the body makes it easier to keep close to you to minimize the risk of pick-pocketing. This bag is just big enough for a card waller, phone, sunglasses, and a small tube of sunscreen or moisturizer. 

Tuckernuck Newport Scarf by Pomander Place

Scarves are great travel accessories. They take up hardly any space in a suitcase, and they're so versatile. I can wear this scarf in place of a statement necklace for a pop of color in Spain, and in Morocco I can wear it around my shoulders to cover up a bit more. 

Lilly Pulitzer Fiesta One Piece Swimsuit

I definitely plan on hitting the beach at some point in Barcelona or in San Sebastian, maybe both. The Spanish beaches look so beautiful and serene. I'll be bringing this one piece suit with me. I love how one pieces have come back into style. They can be more flattering and more secure. I like to actually swim around in the ocean when I go to the beach, instead of just laying out in the sand, so I need a suit that holds everything in place. I love the gingham print on this suit, and the ruffle along the top is so fun.

2017 Ameztoi Txakolina Rubentis Rose

Malinda is taking the bar this week, so it's Erik (fiancé/sometimes photocred deserver) here with a guest post on what's probably my favorite wine right now: the 2017 Ameztoi Txakolina Rubentis Rose.

For anyone who isn't familiar with txakolina (or txakoli or txakolin depending on who you ask), which included me until a few months ago, it usually a slightly sparkling dry white wine from the Basque Country. Traditionally, it's served with pintxos before a meal. It's also traditionally poured into the glass from height, which helps bring out the aromas and is a lot of fun to do. Oh, and sometimes you drink it from a porron (see right), which is basically a wine bag but for good wine.

This txakolina is somewhat unusual in being a rose, which is also what makes it absolutely delightful. It carries aromas of lemon peel with some faint minerality. Drinking it, I definitely got those same citrus notes, along with strawberries and slate. The vineyard is on a hillside on the coast, and the wine absolutely reflects that.

As a fairly light wine, I would absolutely recommend having this while sitting on a porch or by the pool on a summer evening, or perhaps with some light appetizers with some friends while dinner is cooking. That being said, it was raining in eastern North Carolina all week because the weather here is garbage, so I had the wine with dinner this time around.

I can be fairly indecisive, so I made salmon two ways - grilled and seared with sweet thai chili sauce (from a recipe in Mayor of the Internet Chrissy Teigen's first cookbook). The wine held up better than I had expected to the heat in the chili salmon, so you can certainly serve the wine with dinner. And at 10.5% alcohol, it's not going to knock you out when you go back to finish the bottle.

I first had this wine at a tapas restaurant where it was on special. After my first sip, I asked the waiter for the name of the wine, and found out it was for sale at Wine Authorities. I bought two bottles the next day and have since bought a few more.  The winemaker is a fourth-generation family affair on the norther coast of Spain, just west of San Sebastian. They also make a semi-sparkling white wine, which is also excellent (my strong bias towards rose led me to review this one instead), as well as semi-sparkling red and sparking white and rose.

Very Cherry

I moved out of my apartment in Durham last week, and now I'm living out of a suitcase and traveling for the next two months until I move up to New Jersey. I stayed at Erik's for a week, now I'm at my parents in New Jersey so that I can take the New Jersey Bar Exam this week, on Thursday I will be heading to Annapolis and D.C. for a long weekend, and then I'm off to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco for almost all of August. I'm excited to do so much traveling, and to finally have the Bar Exam behind me, but living out of a suitcase is stressful. I love to be able to look into my closet and get an idea of what I want to wear for the week. But with everything packed up, and most of my accessories and fun handbags in storage, I've been having to wear simpler and less thought out outfits. I also haven't really had the time of the energy to bother to look nice most days. When I spend the entire day inside studying, it's hard to have the motivation to look cute, so I've been cycling through a handful of my favorite and most comfortable t shirts and blouses, instead of being creative with my outfits. It's a bit frustrating, but in just two days the Bar Exam will be behind me and I'll have more time for some self-care!

I did manage to put together one simple, but still cute, outfit last week while I was staying at Erik's. This high-neck top is one of my favorite styles from J. Crew. I got the same style of top in a navy and green tartan print back in December, and I fell in love with the top. The high-neck is flattering and adds a touch of interest, also the bow in the back is adorable. I can't resist a top of a dress with a bow. I was so excited to see this top come out in a cherry print for summer. The cherries are such a fun and bright print for the summer. I paired this top with some slightly high-waisted navy shorts from the LOFT. They are the comfiest shorts I own. They're soft and have just the right amount of stretch. The higher waist makes them perfect for when you want to tuck in a top for a more cleaned up and put together vibe. They're my staple shorts for the summer.

~ Top ~ Shorts ~ Bracelet ~ Earrings ~ Sandals (similar) ~

Weekly Window Shopping

Gal Meets Glam Audrey Wrap Dress

The July Gal Meets Glam collection dropped this week, and there are so many gorgeous navy dresses, I want to buy them all. The Audrey dress in particular jumped out at me. A wrap dress is so timeless and classic, it will never go out of style. The length and the sleeves on this dress make it so versatile. It can be worn to a summer or fall wedding with a pair of strappy heeled sandals or fun pumps, it can be worn casually with a pair of flat sandals or ballet flats, and it can be worn for work with a pair of nude pumps. It's a great base dress for accessorizing and making it your own.

J. Crew Summerweight Pullover Sweater 

There's something magical about a chilly summer night spent on the beach, building a bonfire and roasting marshmallows. Even though summer fashion in generally all about tank tops, dresses, shorts, and sandals, sometimes you need a light sweater or sweatshirt at night. This J. Crew pullover is the perfect summer staple. It's a linen blend, which makes it a great summer fabric, and it's simple enough to be thrown on over anything. It would be perfect for a windy day spent on a boat, or at night. I love this off-white color. It would look great with rolled up jeans or navy shorts, or even over pure white shorts.

Lilly Pulitzer Skipper Popover

I love a good quarter-zip sweatshirt, and Lilly Pulitzer has some really cute ones. I love the lace details on the shoulders of this new popover. Sweatshirts are so cozy and comfortable, but can look sloppy so easily, but the fitted shape of this popover combined with the lace makes it look much more feminine and put together. I would love to throw this one over a pair of white jeans or shorts to run errands or grab a cup of coffee. It's a great combo of cozy and cute.

Brooks Brothers Red Fleece Shimmer Plaid Cotton-Blend Twill Shirt Dress

This plaid shirtdress is a great end of summer/start of fall dress. The plaid is such a great transitional pattern, but the cotton makes it great for summer as well. The devil is really in the details with this dress. There is a subtle gold shimmer thread sewn into the plaid pattern. It's enough to add some glitz, but not so much that it's over the top and it's still casual and appropriate for the day time. The ruffle down the front and the belt around the waist add some fun texture to the dress. It makes the dress more interesting, feminine, and gives more of a shape to the dress. It's a fun update on a classic shirtdress.

Tuckernuck Gingham Audrey Top by Just Madras

This gingham top is absolutely darling. There's still at least a month or two of summer left of summer, which is so much time to keep wearing gingham! Navy and white gingham is my favorite, it's the most classic color combo for the print. The ruffle at the neck really elevates the top and makes it something special. It would look super cute paired with some beige high waisted shorts or white jeans, like on the model.

Sanctum Pinot Noir 2015

This week's wine is a Slovenian Pinot Noir that I picked up from Bar Brunello, my favorite wine bar. Erik and I went to an Eastern European wine tasting at the wine bar a little over a month ago, and this was my favorite wine that we tasted. Slovenian wine is incredibly underrated. There are so many incredible and affordable Slovenian wines out there, because it's not a particularly well-known region, you can find some really high quality wines for really cheap. Slovenia is right next to Northern Italy, and it has a similar climate. If you like Italian wine, you'll probably love Slovenian wine. Wine has actually been made in Slovenia for longer than it's been made in Spain and France, but it's just not a well-known country. There are three main wine regions in Slovenia: the Littoral Region, the Lower Sava Region, and the Drava region. The Littoral region specializes in Merlot-Cabernet blends and Pinela and Zelen white wines, which are local grapes that make a crisp and somewhat delicate white wine. The Lower Sava region tends to make more table wine, which is generally lower quality than the other two regions. The Drava region is the largest of the three region, and almost all the wine produced in the region is white wine.


























This particular Pinot Noir is from the Drava region. It's one of the few red wines grown in the area. It comes from an area where Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes have been growing since the 12th century, when French monks settled there and planted the grapes. When I poured my glass of wine, the first thing that I noticed was the gorgeous amber tint to the color of the wine. It's a very unique color for red wine, sometimes I see very deep purpley red wine, but rarely do a see a more amber shade of red. When I stuck my nose in the glass to smell the wine, I picked up a delicate floral scent, with a hint of berry and oak on the back end, but florals, especially violet and lavender, were definitely the primary scent. The taste of the wine matched up with the scents. It was a very delicate but still complex wine. The florals were the primary flavor as well as scent, and it was a strong flavor that stood of well to the slight aftertaste of oak and pink peppercorn. This was one of my favorite Pinot Noirs that I've had in awhile. I paired it with grilled salmon and roasted carrots. I love pairing a delicate and light red wine with salmon. Traditionally fish pairs better with white wine, but salmon is a richer and meatier fish, so a light red wine holds up well to it. This wine would also pair well with a cheese and charcuterie plate or a butternut squash dish in the fall.

Florals in Navy Yard

Last week I was in D.C. for the Taylor Swift concert (it was so amazing, she put on such a fun show), and while I was there I decided to check out a potential wedding venue. Erik and I are having a long engagement, so we haven't really started planning the wedding yet, but we do know that we want to get married in D.C., and I'm hoping to book a venue sometime this fall or winter, so over the next few months whenever I'm in D.C. I plan on looking at a venue. This venue was called District Winery, it's a urban winery in the Navy Yard neighborhood. It has gorgeous views of the water from the rooftop patio. I'm a sucker for an ocean or river view, so I really liked this place. We got to District Winery before our appointment, so we decided to check out the Navy Yard neighborhood and walk along the water for a bit. It's really an up and coming neighborhood. I stayed here for a long weekend last summer, and it has already changed so much with new restaurants and shops sprouting up, and construction going on for new apartment buildings. It's a really cute neighborhood in D.C. that's far away from the crowds of tourists around the monuments and museums.

I picked up this dress from Nordstrom a few days before I left for D.C. I was returning some things, and this dress immediately caught my eye. I don't wear green too frequently, but this shade jumped out and me and I love the floral print on it. There's also a simple bow detail at the neckline that really elevates the dress. A few months ago I bought a midi length shirtdress and absolutely loved the length of the dress, so I've been on the hunt for more midi length dresses all summer, and was so pleased when I found this one. I'm 5'4" and every time I try on a maxi dress I feel like I'm drowning in the fabric, but I love not having to worry about a dress being long enough to cover everything. Midi dresses strike the perfect balance of those things for someone my height. I feel incredibly comfortable and carefree in a midi dress, without having to worry about it dragging on the floor. I also love how versatile this dress is. With flat sandals and a satchel type bag, it's casual enough for everyday, but dressed up with heels or wedges and a fun clutch, it would be the perfect dress for a summer wedding!

~ Dress ~ Sunglasses ~ Sandals (similar) ~ Purse (similar) ~ Bracelet (similar) ~ Earrings ~

Weekly Window Shopping: Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

With the Nordstrom Anniversary starting yesterday for cardholders and next Friday, July 20th, for everyone, I decided that this week's Weekly Window Shopping would be a roundup of a few of my favorite things from the sale.

Cole Haan Tali Bow Skimmer Flat

I always buy one or two pairs of shoes each year at the Anniversary Sale. These flats immediately caught my eye. The bow is absolutely darling, while still being somewhat mature of a bow. These shoes could easily be worn to work, dressed up for a night out, or worn during the day with a pair of jeans. They come in 6 or 7 different colors, but I love the navy for fall. It's such an easy color to pair with, so it could go with everything.

1901 Plaid Shirtdress

I've gotten really into midi dresses over the past few months, and this dress is a great way to take this style into late summer and early fall. I love a classic plaid shirtdress, and the length makes this one even better. It would look great with brown loafers or booties, and is the perfect transition piece from summer to fall.

Vince Camuto Puff Shoulder Houndstooth Sweater

You can't go wrong with a timeless houndstooth print for fall and winter, and this short sleeve sweater nails it. The slightly puffed shoulder elevates this otherwise simple top. This top would be great for work with black dress pants and black pumps, or worn out at night with a black skirt and chunky heels or black booties. 

Kate Spade Colorblock Raincoat

Living in the South, raincoats can be kind of tricky. Most of the time when it rains here it's too warm or sticky out to comfortably wear a raincoat, you'll be sweater within 2 minutes if you try, so I've mostly stuck to umbrellas for the past couple years. But since I'm moving up to New Jersey in two months, I know that I'll need a good raincoat for the fall. I love the large colorblock stripes on this coat. I'm a sucker for any shade of blue, and navy in particular, so this coat is right up my alley. They colorblock is playful and fun, but the colors themselves are neutral enough that the coat isn't childish at all. The chunky buttons are a gorgeous finishing touch. Kate Spade always impresses me with their coats.

Tory Burch Double T Link Wrap Leather Strap Watch, 18mm

I'm a total watch girl. I wear a watch almost everyday, and I have four of them in rotation right now. Sometimes I'll stack a bangle with my watch, but the watch is usually the starting point. I prefer leather straps to metal ones, and I've been looking for a good nude or brown watch for about a month now, and this one is perfect. The watch face is so chic and simple, and the double wrap of the strap adds some flair to it.

2016 Far + Wide Frappato

This week's wine is a Winc wine. It's a 2016 Frappato, which is a grape native to Sicily. It's a relatively hard to find grape, and is typically blended Nero d'Avola to make a more commonly found Sicilian wine, Cerasuolo di Vittoria. The Frappato grape makes a relatively light-bodied wine, and it's closely related to the Sangiovese grape, so if you like Sangiovese wine you would likely like Frappato as well. This particular Frappatio is very interesting because it was grown near Mt. Etna. The volcanic soil in the region can really effect how the wine ends up tasting. It's what the French refer to as terroir; how the soil, climate, and environment can have a larger impact on the taste and smell of the wine than the grape varietal used. For example, grapes grown in soil that contains a lot of slate or limestone can produce wines that have more minerality than the same grape varietal grown in an earthier soil. Grapes grown in the Mt. Etna region produce wines that have a distinct volcanic taste and smell to them. They tend to be smokier and more peppery than a typical wine of the varietal. These smoky, volcanic notes are really interesting when found in a lighter, more delicate wine. It adds an unexpected complexity to the wine. One of my favorite wines is Etna Rosso, which is a wine made primarily from the Nerello Mascalese grape, and it comes from the Mt. Etna region. It's delicate and floral, like a Pinot Noir, but has that volcanic depth to it that makes you really stop and taste the wine in an effort to understand it. It's a wine that makes you think. Because of how much I've enjoyed Mt. Etna wines in the past, I was very excited to open this bottle of Mt. Etna Frappato.

























This was a really interesting wine to smell and taste. When I sniffed it I got notes of bright red fruit, like red cherries and raspberries, and the slight burn of pink peppercorn in the back of my nose. The pepperiness was very consistent with the Mt. Etna region. When I sipped the wine I got stronger notes of red fruit, plum and a hint of cranberry in addition to the cherry and raspberry, but the pepperiness quickly overwhelmed the fruit and blended with a smokey note that I was expecting. Surprisingly, there was a bit of an herbal aftertaste to mellow out the pepperiness. I got very subtle notes of rosemary and thyme after I swallowed the wine. It was a very dynamic and interesting wine, that was still relatively approachable and easy to drink. It wasn't as delicate as Etna Rosso, it didn't have the same level of juxtaposition because it wasn't as floral, but it was still a very interesting wine. I paired with a turkey burger and grilled zucchini. The charred zucchini held up great to the pepperiness, but the turkey wasn't quite a strong enough meat for the wine. I think it would go great with a meat lasagna or baked ziti, something hearty and very Italian.

Printed Pants at Pour

This week is my last week in Durham before I move. I'm traveling for about two months between leaving Durham and moving up to New Jersey, so I won't actually get settled into a new apartment until mid-September. Erik keeps joking that I'm going to be homeless for 2 months, which is technically kind of true! I have plans this week to visit some of my favorite places in Durham before I leave, and I started doing that this past weekend by heading downtown for some Disney Trivia at Pour Taproom. Before heading into Pour, I hung out for a little bit in one of the main squares in downtown Durham. It was a beautiful day and downtown is just so cute. Durham is often referred to as the Bull City, and there's a huge bull statue downtown. The name comes from when Durham was a big tobacco producing town, starting way back in the late 1800's. Bull Durham Tobacco Company was founded in Durham and was widely successful, and heavily featured images of bulls in its advertising, and Durham became known as the Bull City.

For an afternoon spent playing trivia, I decided to go with a more casual and comfortable outfit. The weather was beautiful, not too hot, so I was able to wear a pair of my favorite printed capris. I love a navy printed pant. The navy and white color scheme keep the pants relatively neutral, but the print still makes them a fun statement piece. These capris in particular are incredibly comfortable. They're high-waisted, which I love, and the material is somewhat soft with a bit of stretch to it. LOFT makes the capris in both a curvy and straight fit, so they're perfect for any body type. I usually wear these pants with a simple white top, but I wanted a splash of color so I opted to pair them with this cute Draper James bright pink top. It's an incredibly versatile and fun top, with gold buttons going up the top half of the front, and adorable ruching and bow details on the shoulders. It adds the perfect pop of color to an otherwise simple outfit.

~ Top ~ Pants ~ Sandals (similar) ~ Bracelet (similar) ~ Watch ~ Sunglasses ~ Handbag (similar) ~