I’m so sorry for not sharing a Week & End post on Friday but time got the best of me! I’m in Nashville for work (and play – I get to stay with one of my very best friends, Becca, who is the best tour guide) and I’m loving every moment in this sweet southern city. I head back to Dallas tomorrow and I promise to share a great recap of this Tennessee gem soon.
Happy Monday!
In a few short hours, Kyla, Lauren, Kristen, and I will be dancing our booties off at the Katy Perry concert! Mom and I went to her California Dreams tour in Dallas in July of 2011 and she was an incredible live performer – we loved the show. I am so excited to see her in concert again!
An aside – if you haven’t checked out Part of Me, the documentary about Katy Perry (which was filmed during the aforementioned California Girls tour that Mom and I attended), you absolutely must. It is so interesting and entertaining, and it reveals a lot about Katy’s true heart, which is so pure. She is a genuine and talented artist who loves her career but puts her people first. After I made James watch it with me, who is more of a rock fan than a Top 40 kind of guy, even he admitted that it was great. So if you can’t see Katy in concert, check her out on Netflix!
Image via Capital FM
Exactly one year ago today James and I were got all gussied up to take our engagement photos with our stunning friend and talented wedding photographer, Heather Hawkins. I was so excited about what Heather had in store for us at the shoot, and, as I had anticipated, the evening turned out absolutely perfectly, as did the photos. Our shoot goes down in history as one of my most favorite memories with James (and with Heather!), and I love that we have gorgeous pictures to document that special night.
One of my favorite elements from the shoot was the flower crown that I wore, created by the talented floral designers at Bows + Arrows. It made me feel ethereal and beautiful, and I wished I could wear it every single day. Thanks to the way the flower crown made me feel during our engagement photo session, I decided to wear another floral crown during our wedding reception (this one crafted by the Nouveau Romantics), and I am so grateful that I did – once again, it felt like the most perfect accessory to wear to complement my overall look.
In case you were wondering, I will be taking advantage of every future opportunity that affords me the chance to wear another flower crown – don’t say I didn’t warn you. In the meantime, enjoy some of my favorite engagement photos from our shoot last October that showcase that gorgeous flower crown.
I have had such a great excuse to eat so much good food over the past couple of weeks, what with our trip to Los Angeles and our friends visiting over the weekend. After indulging in so much goodness, though, I’m ready to lighten up my meals a bit, and the perfect addition to any clean eating diet is green juice. I do enjoy salads and grilled vegetables but I must admit that I tire of them quickly, so drinking green juice not only fills me up but it also ensures that I get my daily serving of veggies. This juice is a variation of the Green Glow drink that I love from our local juice bar, The Gem, and I’ve started making it nearly every day – it is so tasty and nutritious. There’s a sweetness to it because of the apples and lemon, and there’s an added spicy kick from the combination of the ginger and jalapeños. James, a notorious meat-and-poatotes sort of dude, even requests this juice on the regular – he’ll drink it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Impressive, right?
James and I bought this juicer from Costco when it was majorly on sale, so tweak this recipe depending on what you’re using to blend up your fruit and vegetables – I’m sure this would be easy to make in all kinds of juicers/blenders/Vitamixes.
Spicy Green Juice
Ingredients:
Directions:
Image via Lean it Up
It’s Friday, yay! Do you have big plans to celebrate the first weekend of fall? Of course, I’m always a bit sad when summertime draws to a close but it’s a good thing that it gives way to autumn, my second favorite season. James’s best friend, Joe, and his wife, Katie, are visiting for a few days, so we have plans to take them to some of our favorite Dallas spots, like Good 2 Go Taco and Meddlesome Moth, and we may even brave the crowds to check out the opening weekend of the Texas State Fair.
Have a good one, and enjoy some fun links from around the web!
I snapped the photo above while strolling down Abbot Kinney Boulevard during our visit to Los Angeles last week. We went to several spots that I love – Urbanic, Firefly, Lemonade – and found a few new treasures, too. More on that to come!
Each fall there’s a contest at the State Fair to determine the best new fried foods of the year. Take a look at this year’s finalists – which treats would you try? I’d like a bite of the Sriracha balls and the fried sweet Texas.
This Fort Worth-based home tour is so inspiring to me – it captures so many elements that I would like to incorporate in our house someday. It has such a pleasing mix of neutrals, plants, pops of color, and remnants from travel adventures. I love!
Speaking of Fort Worth, there are two reasons that I need to trek out there for a day trip soon: the Faces of Impressionism exhibit (featuring pieces from my favorite museum in the world, the Musée d’Orsay) is starting next month at the Kimball Art Museum and this cute ice cream shop is calling my name.
Aren’t these white ceramic cups lovely? I love how neutral they are, and I think they’d be equally great as drinking glasses or as succulent planters.
I was in the market for some new black jeans so I headed over to Madewell’s website a few days ago to take a look around. Jeans can be a difficult item to shop for, so a few years ago when I realized that Madewell made the most perfect pairs I had worn in a long while, I pledged a vow of exclusivity right then and there (and I haven’t turned back since). For those of you who may be wondering, this is definitely not a sponsored post – I just love these jeans so much that I want to write about them on my own accord.
While snooping around the site, I discovered that Madewell is currently hosting a promotion where you can bring in old jeans that you no longer wear, donate them, and receive $20 off on a pair of new jeans from the store. Amazing, right? Madewell is partnering with Blue Jeans Go Green, an organization that repurposes denim to use it as housing insulation for those in need. Here’s a blurb from Madewell’s blog post about Blue Jeans Go Green that I thought was really descriptive and fascinating:
“Founded in 2006, Blue Jeans Go Green got its start working on projects in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. They sent denim insulation to Habitat for Humanity projects in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Mississippi. Fast forward to today and they continue to work with Habitat for Humanity affiliates around the U.S. to bring denim insulation to areas that need it most. It takes approximately 500 to 1,000 pairs of jeans to create enough insulation for one average U.S.-sized home (approximately 2,300 square feet). Lesson here? More is more, so bring ’em in.”
So great, right? Head into Madewell to trade in your jeans today! (And then buy a pair of these because I just did and they are perfect. Actually, I might need to go back for one more pair…)
Considering that eating is one of the Johnson family’s favorite hobbies, it should come as no surprise that we consumed so many delicious treats at plenty of wonderful restaurants while in Los Angeles this past weekend – kale salads and Mexican Cokes at Public School 310, baked coconut bites and green juice at Grand Central Market, chicken tinga tacos and limon agua fresca at Guisado’s, tuna tartare with avocado & wonton chips and fresh cucumber mint martinis at The Culver Hotel, polenta cake Eggs benedict and pumpkin spice lattes at Akasha. But if I had to pick a favorite place, my vote would be cast in honor of The Commissary at The Line Hotel.
I noticed photos of the beautiful restaurant on social media outlets recently (it’s designed to look like a gorgeous greenhouse so it’s hard to miss) and was intrigued not only by The Commissary’s space but by The Line Hotel as well, seeing as it’s the newest hipster hang-out in Koreatown (and home to a Poketo outpost, a fantastic shop that sells gifts, home goods, and accessories). Andrew gave us a fantastic tour of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday (including visits to his super cool office, the aforementioned Grand Central Market and Guisado’s, and Perch for rooftop cocktails overlooking the city) and we were preparing to wind down before making a last-minute impromptu stop to peek into The Commissary.
Mom, James, and I all saw (and loved!) Chef, and the visionary behind The Commissary is none other than Roy Choi, the culinary genius who Jon Favreau’s character is loosely based upon in the film. So it was no surprise that the food was at the restaurant was absolutely stellar. We only intended on having a late-afternoon cocktail but we were so drawn in by the menu (which is comprised only of pictures, so you can choose what you’d like to eat but the preparation ultimately ends up being a supremely delicious surprise) that we tried a few snacks…before having a few more drinks…and then eating a few more snacks. Check out the menu below – isn’t the choose-your-own adventure a fantastic concept?
We noshed on the corn, French fries, hash browns, deviled eggs, grilled cheese sandwich, and club sandwich (don’t worry, we ate a few extra salads and drank green juice to counterbalance these fabulously carb-laden choices throughout the rest of the trip) and everything was so tasty – if pressed, I would choose all of these selections again, and then on top of that, I’d get the carrots, the fish, and the tomatoes, as well as several more flutes of the delicious sparkling Bordeaux that I drank (that was served icy cold, just the way I like it).
The vibe of the restaurant itself was just mesmerizing. For someone who loves clean lines and plants everywhere you look, The Commissary is heaven. There is seating outside of the greenhouse space as well, and the back section of the restaurant opens up to the hotel’s gorgeous pool. Everything about the restaurant, down to the mismatching glassware and creatively crafted dining chairs, is perfectly curated and lovingly decorated. It’s basically something that I wish I could recreate in Dallas! (Or just in my backyard so I could be the only patron at all times…because I’m selfish.) If you’re heading to LA soon, I highly recommend that you check out The Commissary. Dare I say it’s my new favorite restaurant…ever?
James & I got home from Los Angeles late last night and I’ve been mourning our departure from the best coast ever since. I absolutely love visiting California, and I get especially sentimental when I spend time in L.A. I lived in Malibu for four years during college and in nearby Santa Monica for one year after I graduated, and I made so many irreplaceable memories in those cities. I met my best friends in those places, and I faced some of my most formative experiences on that coast. And don’t even get me started on the amazing scenery. The ocean is truly restorative to my soul. When I’m on the best coast, I love nothing more than sitting outside and relaxing near the water, pondering life (and, okay, sometimes dozing off). There’s something about the expanse of the ocean that is simultaneously profound, inspiring, and relaxing. If I’m being honest, I feel closest to God when I’m near water – the ocean just has a spiritual impact on me me.
Anyway, you get the idea – I love the ocean. And the West (or, in my opinion, best) Coast A LOT. Coming next – a recap from our amazing weekend together in Los Angeles!
Hey there, folks! This Week & End post is coming at you a little earlier than usual because James & I are headed to Los Angeles bright and early tomorrow morning to visit my favorite brother in the whole world! My parents are already there and they’ve posted up at The Culver Hotel, a great little boutique spot that is just around the corner from Andrew’s apartment. I absolutely cannot wait to be on the best coast so that I can breathe in some ocean air and spend time with the most amazing family on the planet.
Enjoy your weekends and have fun checking out these links from around the interwebs!
I got a quick start on my School Year Resolutions by volunteering today at the Circles Conference. What an amazing event! I was so inspired by the presentations I heard and the people I met. I’ll share a more thorough recap soon!
I popped into J.Crew to return a few items last week and I got totally distracted by their new line of perfumes. Since I typically gravitate towards more masculine scents, it was no surprise that I totally fell for No. 57, which has hints of whiskey, cinnamon, and cedarwood. I picked up a rollerball version of the perfume and I have been loving it already.
I really enjoyed reading Bon Appetit’s post about redefining the Freshman 15. Erin and I were chatting about this article and we felt über distinguished to have developed a taste for so many items on this list (good bread & butter, fish, marcona almonds, and especially good wine and burrata) during our college years (all while still staying true to our addiction to Funfetti cake, of course).
*I’m cutting my number of shared links short this week because, frankly, I have to finish up some work e-mails and pack my suitcase for LA – apologies, friends. Catch you next week!
Happy Wednesday, friends! I always feel like I’m in my best rhythm on Wednesdays – does anyone else feel the same way? I seem to have an extra boost of energy that helps me be super productive, allowing me to accomplish lots of tasks on my to-do list.
I wrote about this before, but I really find the month of September to be so invigorating. Don’t get me wrong – summer is still my favorite season, but there’s something about the sentimentality of a fresh new school year that makes me want to set brand new goals for myself. So I started thinking, in lieu of (or in addition to) making New Year’s Resolutions, why don’t we start coming up with School Year Resolutions each fall? We can create new goals for ourselves, using the timeline of a school year to chart our progress. In addition to providing you with some ways that you can make some resolutions of your own on Darling Magazine’s blog, I also thought I’d share my personal School Year Resolutions with you here. This is what I’d like to do:
So there you have it! What do you think – will you make a list of School Year Resolutions?
Image via designlovefest
Coffee & Tacos 