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8 Favorite NYC Restaurants
Lo and I both love making getaway trips to NYC. It's a bigger trip for Lo of course from the West Coast, but I am just a 3 hour train trip away in Annapolis. Below we have rounded up 8 favorite NYC restaurants. Scroll down for info on each spot and bookmark this post for the next time you need to make a dinner res in the Big Apple. [feature image via Cafe Cluny]
The Smile is an amazing gem of a place where the restaurant is smaller, the atmosphere is cozy and dim, and the food is unique and delicious. My friend who is an NYC local introduced me, and it was immediately added to my favorites!
A cozy and quaint French restaurant serving delicious, healthy food made with the best ingredients. This is a great spot for brunch, too!
This restaurant is nestled in the heart of Soho and feels warm in all aspects after a bustling day in the city. The food is absolutely delicious, and the always packed restaurant brings so much life rather than feeling overwhelming!
The Butcher's Daughter is on a street corner in charming Nolita, and it offers mostly vegetarian and vegan fare and freshly pressed juice. It is a healthy escape and the atmosphere is fun and vibrant!
An elegant date night spot with the most lovely, rustic-chic decor and amazing food. Book this one 30 days out, as it is a Jean-Georges restaurant and very popular, for good reason.
A fun, hip, lively restaurant that embodies the NYC scene. For you Food Network fans, this is a must-try since it's a Bobby Flay restaurant. Also, their saffron linguini with muscles is seriously SO good.
A cozy, chic French dining experience in the West Village of New York. The bar is downstairs + dining is upstairs. It's a small space, but it feels very home-y in a cool way.
A go-to spot for a fun night out. The bar scene is "happening" so-to-speak + the food is really, really good. It's loud however, so you definitely need to go on a night that you are in the mood for that classic, unique NYC energy.
10 Ways to Rest the Mind, Body, and Soul
Rest and peace are such special gifts in this life, and are also so necessary to our well-being. I find it nearly impossible to live a joyful, centered life when my mind and soul are not in a peaceful place and my physical body is worn out. Below we are sharing 10 ways to rest the mind, body, and soul. These are things to keep in mind when hard times, overwhelming situations, and moments of doubt come your way- all of which are inevitable, but also so temporary. Keep the faith, friend, and keep pressing on! XO
*Trust the Lord
*Worry less, Pray more
*Take one day at a time
*Write things down- lists and journaling
*Turn off the TV
*Turn on worship music
*Talk less, listen more
*Read before bed
*Drink tea
*Be still
OUTFIT DETAILS:
SUNNIES (c/o) | JACKET (c/o) | BANDANA (similar) | DENIM (c/o) | TEE | BOOTS (c/o)
images by felicia lasala
Best Pair of Black Denim Under $100
Black denim is always in constant rotation for me. I love how a pair of black skinnies can be dressed up or down and styled so many different ways. I am so confident in these jeans (c/o) that I have deemed them the best pair of black denim under $100. They fit like a dream, are so comfortable, have the perfectly placed knee slits, are ankle length, and can be worn with all shoe types from sneaks to heels. Abercrombie is the company responsible for making these amazing jeans and the price point is truly incredible. Check them out if you are in the market for a new pair of black denim and below is style inspo! xo
Our Staple Grocery Lists
We are so excited for this post! Today Lauren and I are sharing our grocery lists- items that are staples inside our refrigerators, freezers, and kitchen cabinets. The items on our lists consist of things that we are constantly buying and buying again. We are very passionate about fueling our bodies with good-for-you ingredients so that we feel our best from the inside out, and the below items definitely do that for us! These are just the basic, regular items we are always buying, but of course there are specific things we need when it comes to trying new recipes and preparing certain meals. I personally do a lot of shopping at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, and Erewhon is Lo's grocery store home. The Thrive Market is another great resource! Take a look at the lists below and get Lo's outfit deets & links at the bottom. We would love to hear your grocery staples in the comment section, too! xo
LO'S LIST
Organic bananas
Frozen organic blueberries
Organic kale
Organic mixed greens
Sprouts
Organic veggies - broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, peppers
Fermented cabbage
Organic sweet potatoes
Avocado
Lots of organic lemons!
Organic heirloom tomato
Mung bean chips
Salsa
Homemade bone broth
Grass fed and hormone free ground turkey
Organic and hormone free chicken tenders
Wild salmon
Coconut oil
Olive oil
Minced garlic
Fresh flowers
Forbidden rice
MELISSA'S LIST
Oranges
Avocado
Organic Spinach
Organic Kale
Hummus
Organic Cucumber
Organic asparagus (or brussels)
Brown Rice
Rice crackers
Almond Butter
Bananas
Frozen wild organic blueberries
Frozen Peas
Multigrain english muffins
Organic chicken
Wild Salmon
Organic Eggs
Wild canned salmon
Almond milk
OneCoffee pods
Rishi ginger turmeric tea
---
OUTFIT DETAILS:
SUNNIES (c/o) | JACKET (c/o) | BANDANA (similar) | DENIM (c/o) | TEE | BOOTS (c/o)
images by felicia lasala
Friday Night-In Checklist
Sometimes after a busy and long week, a Friday night-in is just what we need. For those moments, we created a Friday night-in checklist for a peaceful, relaxing evening. It's amazing how rejuvenating a night-in can be for the soul. It's a great feeling to wake up Saturday morning to a great cup of coffee, knock out a few things on the to-do list, get a workout or sauna session in, and enjoy a healthy breakfast all before 10AM. Scroll down to see our checklist + get the links to browse. From the coziest sleep shirt from Rails to the best sleep tea from Sakara, these essentials will add some serious comfort to your night at home. Enjoy and happy weekend! xo
the sleep shirt | a good book | mug | sleep tea | throw
Clean, Safe, and Beautiful Lipsticks
Lip color is such a fun accessory- we love playing around with colors depending on our mood and outfit. However, a lot of lipsticks unfortunately contain harmful and toxic ingredients. That is not very appealing, to say the least. We all deserve clean, safe, and beautiful lipsticks! That is where the brand, Kosas, comes in. Kosas lipsticks are made with the best natural ingredients like green tea, rosehip and grape seed oils. When we first heard about Kosas via goop, we were so intrigued, and once we tried out their lipsticks (thank you, Kosas!) we were totally sold. The lip color goes on so well, it's weightless, lasts, and looks so good. It's mind-blowing to us the harmful toxins that are in so many beauty and self-care products. We are so thankful for brands like Kosas, that make safe alternatives that are extremely effective and completely beautiful.Find Lo's outfit deets at the bottom! xo
images by felicia lasala
THE OUTFIT:
sunglasses | tee | jacket
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How We Love To Take The Time
We are so inspired lately by a campaign that Cladwell is running. For those of you that don’t know, Cladwell is a company passionate about helping people downsize their wardrobe, which in turn helps simplify one’s life, opening up time for the things that really matter like spending time with family, doing things that you love, and having time to rest. Their #TakeTheTime campaign encourages people to take time to do what we love each day. Taking the time to do these good-for-the soul things makes life so special, meaningful, and purposeful. We find that slowing down and savoring these moments make such a big difference in our mindsets and how we approach life. Read on to see how we love to take the time + get Lo's outfit details at the bottom. 
Lo's list
-Take the time to read your favorite book
-Take the time to go to yoga
-Take the time to think and pray
-Take the time to greet your husband with hugs and kisses
-Take the time to make your favorite homemade latte
Melissa's list
-Take the time to cook homecooked meals
-Take the time to read an inspirational book before bed
-Take time to read a devotional page or biblical verse before work
-Take the time to call my parents each day
-Take the time for date night once a week
images by felicia lasala
THE OUTFIT:
jeans | tee | jacket | booties | sunnies
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Melissa's Morning Smoothie
Hey guys! Melissa here and I am sharing my morning smoothie recipe + my love for Moon Juice- a shop dedicated to a holistic approach to healthy living, including the most amazing medicinal ingredients to add to your morning smoothies.
What I personally love about smoothies is the variety of smoothies that you can make. I go through phases of what I put in mine and switch up what ingredients I use, depending on the day and my mood. The recipe I have going now is super good, so I just had to share. This smoothie includes three Moon Juice products- their Beauty Dust, Ashwagandha, and H0 Shou Wu. Below are the ingredients + explanation of benefits for each Moon Juice product.
SMOOTHIE:
1 cup almond milk or water (or sometimes I do 1/2 and 1/2!)
1/2 frozen banana
A handful of organic frozen blueberries
Teaspoon of Ashwagandha from Moon Juice
Teaspoon of Ho Shou Wu from Moon Juice
Teaspoon (+ a little more) of Beauty Dust from Moon Juice (c/o)
Tablespoon of Spirulina (from Whole Foods)
--blend all together in a blender until smooth--
Benefits are below as described on Moon Juice's site- head there to read more! They do a great job at explaining each product.
Ashwagandha: calms the nervous system + soothes anxiety and improves sleep
Ho Shou Wu: encourages youthfulness, sex drive, + helps to balance hormones and give you a healthy glow
Beauty Dust: think glowing skin, shiny hair, and bright eyes
Moon Juice's collection of moon dusts is so amazing. You can add them to smoothies, water, or even your morning coffee. They have quite a few versions including spirit dust, brain dust, and more, but I have only tried the beauty dust so far and love it.
*feature image via moon juice
Spring Style Report
The upcoming season always makes us eager to gather style inspiration and make a list of things that would make smart additions to our wardrobe. Below is our spring style report- a mood board of lifestyle images that have us ready for the next season. From a cool jumpsuit with a cardigan draped over the shoulder, to light denim, bold stripes and more. We are really into the casual, sporty meets chic, and effortlessly cool vibe for spring. Scroll down for the imagery inspiration and find links at the bottom. XO [feature image via a&f]
1 // Abercrombie & Fitch
2 // Levi's
3 // Anthropologie
4 // Anthropologie
5 // Rag & Bone
6 // Elizabeth & James
+ more spring things that we love:
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