EATLIVEWEARWANTLIFEREAD

10/31/2016

HOME TOUR: LAUREN CONRAD'S PERFECT PAD IN PACIFIC PALISADES...

Lauren Conrad L.A. Home | via Domaine Home
The Hills. I wholeheartedly admit that I miss that crazy fake, but good reality show. Did you watch it?? Lauren Conrad was easily my favorite person on the show. I loved her sense of fashion and loved seeing how she decorated her apartments and her homes. Now she is all grown up, is running her own fashion empire, has a great blog, and lives in this beautiful Spanish-style, boho-chic California home. Her homes on the show always looked very put-together, yet comfortable and livable. That is how I would describe her current home. It's bright and filled with a mix of warm woods, light fabrics, and personal details that make it so inviting and unfussy. If I had one wish, it would be to transport that kitchen and bath into my own home. I love the stove (La Cornue of course!), the open shelving, and how the subway tile doesn't look perfectly perfect. She did a great job of keeping the character of the house during renovations... And that bathroom... well my morning showers and nightly baths would be extra enjoyable... I just love it all. 

Lauren Conrad L.A. Home | via Domaine Home
Lauren Conrad L.A. Home | via Domaine Home
Lauren Conrad L.A. Home | via Domaine Home
Lauren Conrad L.A. Home | via Domaine Home
Lauren Conrad L.A. Home | via Domaine Home
Lauren Conrad L.A. Home | via Domaine Home
Lauren Conrad L.A. Home | via Domaine Home

Images by Justin Coit for Domaine Home

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10/26/2016

A BIG FALL READING LIST...

2016 Fall Reading List | Savor Home

Gosh it seems like yesterday when I posted my summer reading list - and now here I am posting a list for fall. Time is moving way too fast!! Anyway, did any of you read anything from the summer list?? I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago that this book was my favorite. So good...  This book was a close second. For the fall list, I'm highlighting four books and two cookbooks. AND I'm also including a list of 16 additional recommendations at the end of the post for your perusal!! So many of you have told me that you enjoy these posts, so I wanted to hook you up!! :) Enjoy!

1. The Magnolia Story by Chip & Joanna Gaines: Peeps - I got this book when it was released last Tuesday and finished it two days later - full-time job and week-long migraine included. If you think you know this couple just by watching marathons of their HGTV show, Fixer Upper, think again. This inspirational, super-sweet, hard-working couple has been THROUGH IT. The story starts when they met ends where they are now. What happens in between is proof that life and love can be hard - yet so rewarding, polar opposite personalities can thrive off one another, that hard work pays off, and that God is very real. Their journey (romantic and all!) filled me with so much inspiration - the kind that makes you feel like anything is possible. If you need a little lift in the midst of all of this mayhem going on in the world, then read this book - regardless of if you watch their show or not. I promise you won't be disappointed.

2. The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen: I admit that I don't really care for books where each chapter is about a different character. All that back and forth can be a bit much for me. But I like this one!! It involves a cast of characters in an all-American picturesque neighborhood in North Carolina. But things aren't as perfect as they seem. In the beginning, each character seems to have their own separate lives, but as the book goes on, they all intertwine - in good ways and in not so good ways. And it all starts with an accident at the neighborhood pool. Childhood secrets among the characters are dispelled and unforgiveness looms. Things and people aren't always what they seem and this book seems to be proving that...

3. The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware: I love to curl up with a good mystery and this one looks good to me! Journalist Lo Blacklock has been invited on a small luxury cruise liner for work. The scenery is amazing, the food is good, and the cabins are lovely. Things are going well up until she witnesses a woman being thrown overboard. Despite what she saw, all of the passengers are "accounted for" and the cruise moves on as if nothing happened. She makes several attempts to report the story, but to no avail. Hmm...

4. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman: The craziness in today's world makes me appreciate feel-good stories (real and fiction) now more than ever. Ove is an old, pist off man who is unhappy with everything and everyone for seemingly no reason. One day, he gets a new set of neighbors - a chatty couple with two young daughters. The couple sets him off by accidentally running over his mailbox with their U-Haul. But it seems like that's just what needed to happen in order for the couple to make a profound difference in Ove's life - and attitude.

5. The Seasoned Life by Ayesha Curry: My diet is so crazy right now that I have honestly shied away from buying cookbooks - which has been SO HARD to do. But a friend of mine recently invited me to Ayesha's book signing (which included a copy of her book), and I am so glad I went (see the pic of the two of us here)! She was super sweet in person and beautiful! I have to say that her cookbook is really, really good. The recipes are easy to make, family friendly, and healthy - yet they look incredibly delicious and flavorful. Lucky for me, they are really easy to adapt to my diet!! The first season of her show, Ayesha's Homemade, on Food Network debuted last Saturday, so you know her food has to be legit!

6. Celebrations by Danielle Walker: I totally admit that I've been kinda leery about Thanksgiving and Christmas due to my diet limitations. Eating however much of whatever I want is off the table this year... Ugh. But I think there is hope now because of this cookbook! I flipped through this book at a local bookstore last weekend and I came home and ordered it immediately! It has so many tasty-looking Paleo and adaptable AIP-friendly recipes that would be perfect for any type of celebration - especially Thanksgiving and Christmas - and any type of diet - good or not so good. The recipes are healthy, but they don't have the dry, tasteless, healthy look about them. I love that.

Additional Recommendations:

Novels

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Who We Were Before by Leah Mercer

When I'm Gone by Emily Bleeker

Five Stages of Falling In Love by Rachel Higginson

What She Knew by Gilly McMillan 

All The Breaking Waves by Kerry Lonsdale

Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton

Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks

52 Lists for Happiness by Moorea Seal (not a novel, but you know I love a good list!)

Cookbooks

Cooking for Jeffrey by Ina Garten (obviously!)

Skinnytaste Fast and Slow by Gina Homolka

Small Victories by Julia Turshen

French Country Cooking by Mimi Thorisson

Damn Delicious by Chungah Rhee (love her blog!)

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10/24/2016

I'M WEARING MY FAVORITE FALL TRENCH COAT...

Coat: Club Monaco (all of their trench coats are on sale!)| Dress: ASOS (old), similar herehere, and here | Sandals: J.Crew (old), similar here and here | Clutch: Kate Spade (on sale!) | Bar Necklace: Argento Vivo | Ring: Tiffany & Co. (vintage Atlas collection) | Sunglasses: Le Specs | Watch: Michael Kors

Happy Monday! I planned to tell you about my fall reading list today, but a when there is a good sale, plans must change! The sale involves my first love when it comes to clothing - and that is trench coats. Some people collect china. I collect trench coats. I started collecting them in college and I haven't stopped. They are so classic and can be dressed up or down. The accentuate your figure when they are all nice and belted up, which can make you look like a million bucks - even though you might have only spent 5 minutes getting dressed...

This draped soft trench is one of my absolute favorites. It's super soft and lightweight- yet keeps you just warm enough on a cool day. The dress I'm wearing is a a simple $20 t-shirt dress - yet the coat makes it look like it's something way fancier than that. That is the beauty of a trench coat! 

Shop some of my favorite lightweight trench coats below - and check back on Wednesday for the big fall reading list! 



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10/21/2016

A LOVELY LIVING ROOM + LINKS...

Hi there! How was your week?? I had every intention of showing up here a few days this week, but life happened... I don't get migraines often anymore (thank GOD!), but when I do, they like to show up uninvited, shoot the breeze, and sleep over for a few days. That was my most of my week. Ugh. Thankfully that is all over with now and I've got links for you! Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Good Things
Love the color (and price!) of this...
 Adding these fun things to my workout wardrobe...
Everything in my dream home shop is on sale... Le sigh.
These made my migraines MUCH more tolerable this week... Good stuff.


Good Spaces 
7000 sq. ft of pure beauty...
The organization in this beautiful kitchen is so good...
And this cute couple's new kitchen is also insane...
This AirBnb is booked well into next year - and it's here in Atlanta!
I might just give up my walk-in closet for something like this...


Good To Know
In case fall cleaning is on your to-do list...
And in case fall travel is on your list... Fascinating.
For those of you who put lemon in your water at restaurants...
I'm definitely looking forward to this...
Clever costumes...


Good Food & Drinks
A pretty creative way to make chocolate mousse...
I made this for dinner this week! So easy and so good!
This almost looks too pretty to eat... Almost.
A quick and pretty dinner in 1 hr...
Fall cupcakes... One of your favorite posts to date. 


Image by Tessa Neudstat for Amber Interiors
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10/13/2016

I'M WEARING WIDE LEGS AND A LITTLE SUEDE...

Wide Leg Pants, Suede Block Heeled Sandals, Black Tote | Savor Home
Wide Leg Pants, Suede Block Heeled Sandals, Black Tote | Savor Home
Wide Leg Pants, Suede Block Heeled Sandals, Black Tote | Savor Home
Wide Leg Pants, Suede Block Heeled Sandals, Black Tote | Savor Home
Top: Banana Republic | Pants: J.Crew (old), similar here and here | Sandals: Banana Republic | Bag: Zac Posen (I like this bag and this bag, too) | Necklace: Banana Republic (old) | Bracelet: Kate Spade | Sunglasses: Le Specs | Lips: Nars "Fire Down Below


So I'm sitting here on my lunch break writing this post- wearing those wide-leg pants. I wore them last week, too. And the week before. They are just the most comfortable things ever and I am so glad they have made a little comeback! In case you haven't noticed, I love to wear black, so I paired these here with a simple black knit top and added a little pop of color with those suede block heels for a complete wear-to-work look. 

A quick word about those sandals...

They are so comfortable!! My feet are quite thankful that block heels have made a comeback, too. Note that I had to go a 1/2 size down from my regular size for the perfect fit in these. 

Oh and the bag!! That bag is everything. It's my everyday bag and it fits my whole life (which is a lot) with a little room to spare. I've had it for a while, have carried it everywhere, and it has held it's shape and still looks new. Now that's a good bag... 



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10/11/2016

EIGHT THINGS ON MY FALL TO-DO LIST...

I make to-do lists on a weekly, and sometimes on a daily basis. Grocery lists, blog idea lists, random wish lists, weekend to-do lists... They just keep me sane. But I've never made a fun to-do list for a particular season. I thought I would change that and do a quick, fun to-do list for this fall- my favorite season of all time. Some of these things are already planned and some are not. Either way, I'm excited to have a little plan of action... 

  • Visit San Francisco for the first time - My dad, brother, and I are headed to San Francisco soon and I could not be more excited!! A trip to San Fran has been on my vision board for about five years and it's finally happening... BTW, make yourself a vision board peeps. I swear they work!
  • Eat tomatoes - I LOVE tomatoes, but learned in March that my body is slightly sensitive to them. I  eat soup constantly during the fall and winter - and soups just aren't the same without tomatoes! I hope to be able to add them back into my diet pending good results from my next blood test! Fingers crossed!
  • Bake! I haven't had sugar (with the exception of fruit) or baked anything since March. Lord help me! I'm honestly pretty used to it by now, but I'd love to have a warm, sweet treat or two this season. There are actually tons of baked sweets out there that fall within my diet, so trying a few recipes out is on my list. I'd love to start with this apple tart and these brownies... 
  • Adopt a family for Christmas - This year our family has decided to adopt a young family for Christmas as opposed to having a big celebration of our own. The selection process and planning will start this month! I miss being excited about Santa, but am so looking forward to actually being Santa for a special family in need. Shopping will be so much more fun this year!
  • Visit the new African-American museum in Washington, D.C. - This just opened and I'm so excited! I hope to take a little weekend trip up there to visit it before the end of the year!
  • Read, read, and read some more - There is nothing like curling up on the couch in the fall with a blanket and a good book. I'm honestly still working through my summer reading list. The only reason I haven't gotten through it is because I keep getting sidetracked with other books! I'm currently reading this book and it's a good one! My favorite book of the summer was this probably this one. My fall reading list will be here on the blog next week, so check back!
  • Attend my college football game - I'm not much of a sports person, but when it comes to my college football team, I'm always ALL IN! I watch every single game. I graduated from the University of Alabama, so seeing the #1 team in the nation play in person is always a treat. I actually have tickets to a game in November, so I am super excited!
  • Spend one whole day lounging in bed - That may sound boring, but just writing that gave me a little peace... My weekends and days off lately have been packed with errands, cleaning, workouts, events, appointments, and cooking, so having one day with zero responsibility would be heaven! I'd spend it in my favorite pjs under the warm covers in bed - a bed that is equipped with a stack of fresh magazines, Netflix, a loaded DVR, my Kindle, and piping hot tea on the nightstand. I'd only take breaks for meals, the bathroom, and a bath. Heaven!
What are you up to this fall???

Image by Julia Gartland for Camille Styles

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10/06/2016

HOME TOUR: MEG RYAN'S SOHO LOFT...

Raise your hand if you have watched "When Harry Met Sally" AND "You've Got Mail" AND "Sleepless in Seattle" at least a thousand times?? My hand is raised. I'm actually watching "When Harry Met Sally" right now on Amazon... I've always loved her acting and her style. And now I love her home. This is her loft in Soho that she recently renovated and I wish I could move right on in. It has a combination of so many things I love - a modern/industrial/country kitchen, warm fabrics, a good gallery wall, a statement room (that dining room!!), exposed brick in a cozy bedroom, and a killer bathroom. The design concepts were all her own. I'd hire her in a heartbeat... :)



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10/04/2016

WHAT I'M WEARING + LOVING+ APPRECIATING...

Zara Moto Jacket, Old Navy Distressed Jeans & Banana Republic Slingbacks | via Savor Home
Moto Jacket, Distressed Jeans & Slingbacks | via Savor Home
Ringlets, Natural Hair | via Savor Home
Banana Republic Patent Leather Slingbacks | via Savor Home
Zara Moto Jacket | via Savor Home
Zara Moto Jacket, Old Navy Distressed Jeans & Banana Republic Slingbacks | via Savor Home
Faux Leather Jacket: Zara - runs small! (similar here and here) | Shirt: Gap | Jeans: Old Navy | Heels: Banana Republic | Sunglasses: Le Specs | Watch: Michael Kors | Lips: Nars "Fire Down Below" | Nails: OPI "You Callin' Me A Lyre"

Hi there!! What's going on?? I just got back from visiting family in my hometown. It's always good to see family and I always sleep so well when I'm home!! Anyone else get the best sleep when you are in your homeroom?? Anyway, I also shot a few outfit posts for ya while I was there. And these posts peeps are extra special because they were shot and directed by my little brother. He's been teaching himself the ins and outs of fashion photography over the past few years and I have to say that I am one proud sister!! He's so good with the camera and knows exactly what to tell me to do to get the best shot. I so APPRECIATE him! I hope you guys like these next few outfit posts as much as I do...

One random thing... I'm LOVING the new show "This Is Us." This just might be the best family drama I've ever seen on regular cable. The actors, writing, and plot are so very good and creative. I think I cried (in a good way) the last 20 minutes of the first episode. I rarely do that when I watch a cable TV show for the first time... It's definitely worth catching up on if you haven't seen it yet. 

About that outfit I'm WEARING... I got that whole outfit for about $160 (minus the sunnies). I didn't want to spend a gazillion dollars on a moto jacket, so I went to Zara and found this one. It's inexpensive, but great quality for the price. It also has a little peplum detail in the back that I love. I got the jeans for $22 during a 40% off sale at Old Navy - and I wear them ALL the time! They are so comfy! And those heels... I'm a sucker for slingbacks, so I picked these up during a 40% off sale, too. They have really good padding in them, which makes wearing these all day very doable! 



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