Friday Roundup


I hope you have a wonderful weekend celebrating Easter, Passover, or just enjoying the spring! Teresa and I are headed to a Murder Mystery party tonight for a friends birthday. I'm a little nervous to have to play a character (hoping I don't mess up the game!) but any excuse to wear a costume is a good time for me! We will report back next week. And now, some week-ending entertainment for you...

If you haven't already seen Swedish House Mafia's video for "Save the World" you must.

I hope the Italian tradition of suspended coffee catches on here.

25 Least Visited Countries (I just got back from #11!) via Kottke 

All about Zelda Fitzgerald & a Gatsby inspired hotel suite

Tribute to John Denver...including covers by Allen Stone, Dave Matthews, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Brandi Carlisle & Emmylou Harris, etc. 





In the market for a new iPhone case?


PS. When you search google images for "vintage easter cards", there are some really really strange depictions of bunnies laying eggs and creepy children chasing life-sized animals out there, not to mention the amazing image above (via). 









Dreamy Outdoor Furniture

How cute is this outdoor furniture from West Elm? I am trying to figure out how to make my little backyard the perfect lounge space this summer when baby boy arrives. I'm thinking of maybe getting something like this for the grass in the back and maybe one of those outdoor couch things. I imagine that we'll be spending a lot of time at home when he arrives and I want to soak up as much Seattle sunshine as possible. :)

A Weekend In: Sayulita, Mexico

Patrick and I recently spent a wonderful four nights in the little Mexican town of Sayulita, one hour drive north of Puerto Vallarta. The location came highly recommended by Jenny and a couple of other friends and we were excited about ditching the usual "resort-in-a-box" Mexico experience to spend some time in a small surf town where locals and tourists interact more. We were not disappointed! Sayulita is a quiet surf town of 4,000 people that has a large number of expatriates who live and work alongside the local Mexican population. It has a nice beach, loads of unique and beautiful shops, and abundant delicious food.


We stayed at the Petite Hotel Hafa, which came recommended by Jenny, and were enamored with the French/Moroccan theme and the gorgeous French/Spanish family that ran the place. It was definitely a great spot to stay if you're looking to soak up the atmosphere and stay out late. For me (I got sick -- ick) it was a little loud and might have have been nice to be a bit further out of town. But overall we'd highly recommend the place, especially for $75 per night! Their rooftop deck is out of this world.
There are tons of great places to eat around town but a few of our favorites were El Itacate Taco Bar (I think Patrick went there about six times in four days), Panino's Bakery for coffee and pastries in the morning (we loved to take them down to the beach and enjoy the view), Miro Vino for a nice atmosphere right in the main square and delicious pizza, and our absolute favorite, Il Vizietto for excellent homemade pasta! You can see some photos above of Il Vizietto, every night they hand make a selection of pastas and offer about five dishes to choose from. We went back a couple of times because we loved it so much. You can even sit on their hanging swings if you're feeling adventurous!

Shopping was one of my favorite parts of Sayulita, it's definitely worth meandering the streets and popping in to the eclectic mix of boutiques in town. Two of my favorites were Revolucion del Sueno and Rosemary.

Spring Cleaning


After a few months of travel, shooting a music video and well, hoarding it seems, if you look in my closets and guest room, I've decided spring cleaning MUST happen this year. The idea of it is incredibly overwhelming, especially since we've still got another big trip on the horizon as well as some important deadlines and piles of work looming over our heads. But, it's officially gotten to the point where I KNOW I'll be more productive with a clean house and office. 

I so wish I could snap my fingers like Mary Poppins and have everything go back into place! Unfortunately, my biggest problem is organization, so many things don't have places that they belong. 

Here are a few interesting links with inspiration and advice I've found...

Martha Stewart's Spring Clean Checklist (if the idea of dusting refrigerator coils seems intimidating and/or unnecessary, this might not be the list for you)


Make money off  your "junk" (it is after all another man's treasure!)





Do you have any amazing tips for cleaning and organization? Send them my way! 

I hope to keep posting on this topic as I go. If nothing else, it'll be a way to encourage me to keep going! Hopefully what I learn will be helpful to you too. 




New Show Alert! The Americans


Have you been watching the new FX show The Americans? Patrick and I are totally addicted. It's in the same vein as Homeland but with a 1980's twist. The show centers around married Russian spies who having been living as an American couple and working for the KGB for 20 years. It stars Felicity, I mean Keri Russell, and she is HARDCORE. Anyway, it's a great show, check it out.

What are you watching these days? We're pretty pumped for the Mad Men premiere in a couple of weeks!

Wedding Readings



Here are some of my favorite somewhat familiar, but less common readings for weddings. Great to have read and/or print in your program or invitation. 

Long Layover: Sydney




Jason and I often have long layovers in foreign cities, but we rarely get a chance to enjoy them. Partly because I'm the type of person who always gets stressed out traveling. I have nightmares about missing connecting flights, no joke. But with a full 12 hours in Sydney, and daytime no less, it seemed silly to sit in the international terminal twiddling our thumbs.

Thankfully we have a friend in Sydney who was happy to play tour guide, taking us on a whirlwind jaunt around the city that included amazing gelato and a few flat whites.  

My favorite part of the day was when we jumped on a ferry next to Sydney's famous opera house and headed out to Watson's Bay, a beachy little suburb that's at the head of Sydney Harbour. From Watson's Bay, you can look in one direction and see a picture perfect view of the Sydney skyline, then it's just a short walk across the road from the beach and suddenly you're standing on a cliff looking out into the vast Tasman Sea.


It was absolutely beautiful. Walking in the sunshine and fresh air was exactly what our bodies needed to shake the jet lag. We made it all the way out to the Hornby Lighthouse that marks the entrance to the harbour.


Doyles was our last stop in Watson's Bay. We sat outside, enjoying the weather and the view as we ate amazingly fresh shrimp and fish and chips.

In the photo, you'll see the sign says "Established 128 Years" and that was exactly the feel that it gave off. It had the charm that you'd expect  stepping into a beach resort in the 1880s.

Afterwards, a quick ferry ride had us back into Sydney and we were off to the airport and ready to take a nap on the flight to Auckland.

Have you ever done any layover exploring? I'll be posting tips next week!



Do or Don't: Matte Makeup

Have you ever worn matte makeup instead of shimmer or illuminating? I recently got the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint below in my Birchbox and I have to say I love it. My skin looks photo-shopped or something because there is no shine on it at all. The only drawback is that it's not quite as moisturizing as my regular makeup. I also bought the eye shadow palette below from Sephora a couple of months back and love the effect of matte neutrals on my eyes, especially for work where sparkly makeup isn't as appropriate. What do you think, would you wear matte makeup?



Jouer Matte Moisture Tint SPF 15

















Urban Decay Matte Basics Palette

Flat White


If you go to a coffee shop in Australia or New Zealand looking for a latte, you're likely to find flat white on the menu instead. I was skeptical at first, the name doesn't exactly make it sound appetizing, but the alternative is called a long black. (Seriously, who named these drinks?)

Between jet lag and early morning adventures, caffeine was a necessity and the flat white and I became fast friends. 

So what is it exactly? Well that's hard to explain, it's like a latte, but not.  Basically, the steamed milk is free poured so instead of getting a layer of milk and a layer of foam, it's mixed throughout.


Monday Motivation

Took this at a cute shop in Sayulita. 

Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! Hope you have fun plans for the weekend. Here are a few links to get things going:

Check out what Jenny has been up to these past couple of months, so excited to see the finished
product!

Awesome nine-year old discusses the meaning of life.

Yummy cupcakes. 

Did you know if you're pregnant you can get a "baby on board" button to wear in the London Underground? Also, Kate Middleton is adorable.

Tips for dressing while prego.

Interesting take on engagement -- buying the guy a ring! And an adorable public proposal.

Seattle's top kale dishes, definitely need to try some of these out this spring.

Stunning photos of forgotten places.

Benefits of packing up seasonal clothes.

Why travel makes you awesome.

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Babymoon in Mexico!














Here are some of my favorite photos from our little "babymoon" to Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita, Mexico. We had a fabulous time (despite a little flu bug for me) exploring the area, eating fresh food and soaking up the sunshine. Next week I'll share a bit more about the tiny, fabulous town of Sayulita and some of our favorite spots there but for now here are a few of my favorite "lovey-dovey" pics of P and I (plus baby bump!). 




For Smart Babies...

I'm pretty sure that EVERYONE I know is having a baby right now. OK, not everyone, but a lot of ladies for sure. A few months back I came across BabyLit books and they are now my go to gift for little ones. They take classics and turn them into picture books focusing on counting, colors and the like. 

I bought Jane Eyre and a few others for Teresa right after she me she was pregnant. I love the Sense and Sensibility one, as it's one of my favorite books. Some of the others include DraculaMoby Dick and even Alice in Wonderland

How do you get your daily dose of blogs?


I arrived home from Mexico last night to discover the grim news that Google has decided to retire their "Reader" feature! Google Reader has always been my main mode of blog consumption and, although it's by no means perfect, I'm sad to see it go.

Which leads me to the big question, how to read all my favorite blogs now?! I'd love to hear what websites you use to read your daily favorites. I've heard good things about both Feedly and Bloglovin, any thoughts?

PS. Photos (including baby bump!) of Mexico coming tomorrow!







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Donate Your Dress


What did you you with your dress after the wedding? If you're not married yet, what are you planning to do? 

I did an informal poll on Facebook last week and found that most of my friend's dresses (and mine!) are taking up space in their closets. 

Have you ever thought about donating your wedding dress? 

Brides Against Breast Cancer is one worthy cause, give them your dress after you're done with it, they'll sell to a new bride and the proceeds go to support breast cancer programs.

Another great option, donate your dress to Brides Across America and they'll give it to a deserving military bride who couldn't otherwise afford to buy one.

You want to keep your wedding dress but maybe you have a bridesmaid dress you want to part with? 
The Green Bride Guide has a list of options for local shops across the country accepting bridesmaid dresses.

If you're in the Seattle area, The Ruby Room is looking for formal gowns for high school girls in the Seattle area. They are looking for jewelry and shoes too! 

Image via JKoe's amazing associate photographer Zoe Rain.








My New Wardrobe Must for Travel: Sseko Sandals


It's official. I've found my new travel staple item, Sseko Sandals. Naturally, sandals that can be styled tons of different ways are the perfect thing to pack, they are super versatile and hardly take up any space in your suitcase.

Seriously, these were best things I brought on my recent travels to Australia, New Zealand and Solomon Islands. Depending on how you tie them, you can dress them up, or make them look super casual and you don't feel like you're wearing the same shoes every day. On top of that, I was surprised at how comfortable they were and I was on my feet a ton from running through airports to exploring cities, beaches and rural villages.

I'm even wearing them here, after the soaking wet boat ride!

I'm definitely looking forward to wearing them around Seattle all summer. I've already ordered straps in a few more colors to get even more use out of them.

Sseko is an amazing company and I encourage you to read Sseko's story here or watch the video below. The short, Jenny summarized version: This company is empowering women in Africa and creating opportunities for furthering education through fashion.

Oh and they also make beautiful clutches.

PS. Thanks to Sseko who sent Teresa and I sandals to try out a few months back. Winter in Seattle isn't exactly prime sandal weather so we've been eagerly awaiting a chance to break them out.  I know Teresa's wearing hers around Sayulita, Mexico right now!


The Baby Registry Conundrum

furry baby

I've started to contemplate the task of registering for baby boy but I have to admit it's a bit overwhelming. As you can imagine, I love to do research for this type of thing, whether that be reading up on other bloggers suggestions for registry or pursuing pregnancy message boards for tips. Unfortunately,  in this case, I'm not sure how much help it has been to me. The more I read, the more options and opinions there seems to be!

There are so many questions that come up once the research begins: Which type of wrap is best? Is a travel system better for us verses a running/all-terrain stroller. Are glass bottles really mores safe than plastic? What type of swaddlers are best for baby? Not to mention cloth diapering vs. biodegradable diapers! Yes, I know I'm probably over thinking things, that's normal right? :)

I'd love to hear any advice all you mom's out there would have-- are there essentials items that you loved on your registry? Things you wish you would have registered for but didn't? What lists were helpful to you?

I know people say "don't worry, all you need is a boob and diapers!" but really I need to create a registry eventually so I'd love your help!

(photo by MoggieRocket)


Monday Motivation


I was feeling domestic, so I photoshopped you a cross stitch with some of my favorite advice on it. Happy Monday!

Friday Roundup

Happy Weekend! Teresa's enjoying the sun in Mexico, Jason's at SXSW and I'm happily home with my cats, catching up on work, life and house cleaning.

Here's some web entertainment to get your weekend started...

If you look at one thing from the roundup, pick this one.

Will Smith shows up at random girls school in London and does this.

$2000 Wedding

`How The Outsiders became a movie

I want to try making these rosemary crackers

DIY fabric wrapped vase, just in time for the flowers to start blooming!

Amazing glassybaby trophies

Mocktails for Teresa

Things you don't need to buy

Finally, check out the new video for Allen Stone's "Celebrate Tonight. It was directed and produced by two of my very talented friends.

March Madness: Go Zags!

You may have picked up that I'm not much of a sports enthusiast (actually, that's kind of an understatement). But in our house, I end up learning a lot about sports through osmosis because Patrick is a fan of pretty much every type of sporting/competitive activity this fine country has to offer. Mostly I just tolerate athletics but my two favorite sporting events are the Olympics and March Madness. Both of them require very little knowledge prior to beginning, have very specific start/end dates, and it's easy to root for your home team!

In the case of March Madness this year, my hometown team, the Gonzaga Bulldogs of Spokane, WA are a #1 pick for the first time ever! I have definitely never been this excited about basketball -- Go Zags!

My friend Andrew organizes a wonderful bracket every year that funds kids school fees in the village of Limilunga, Zambia. This year the goal is to fund 68 students (that's the number of schools in the NCAA tournament) for a full year of tuition. Let me know if you're interested in joining the fun, it's a great way to give back and root for your favorite team-- Win-win!
 Kids from the Limilunga Community School, photographed by Jenny & Jason in 2008 (via jkoephoto.com)




Happy Pi Day!

Today is celebrate-your-inner-nerd-day...ahem I mean, Pi Day! As you probably know, Pi is the mathematical symbol for the number 3.14159..... so naturally, March 14th is the perfect day to celebrate Pi Day!  There are tons of ways to get your Pi on, whether that's singing Pi Day carols, eating pizza pie, or baking the perfect homemade apple pie. In Seattle, High Five Pie is honoring the holiday with $3.14 Flip Side personal pies (soooo good, check them out).

Also, this video is AWESOME, and her name is Teresa!


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Off to Mexico!

And now, Teresa's post from yesterday, when I hijacked the blog to wish her a happy birthday...
I'm pretty much on cloud nine this week with 1) daylight savings time giving me light after work 2) my birthday today (29, eeek) 3) leaving for Mexico this  morning!

Honeymoon, Mazatlan 2008
Patrick and I take off today for six days in Puerta Vallarta and Sayulita. We are staying at this awesome Moroccan-inspired boutique hotel in Sayulita that Jenny recommended and we plan on doing nothing but lay on the beach and soak up vitamin D. I don't like to think of this as our "last" hurrah before the baby because I'm sure we'll have many more adventures in the years to come--- but it will be nice to squeeze in some time with just the two of us before we become a family of three. Have you heard of the term "babymoon"? I guess it's sort of like a honeymoon before the baby, which is appropriate for us because the last time we were in Mexico was our honeymoon almost five years ago. Time flies!


(Top photos by Jenny!)








Happy Birthday Teresa

And we interrupt Teresa's scheduled post  about her trip to Mexico to wish her a Happy Birthday!!!!!



Teresa, I'm so excited for what this next year has in store for you. YOUR GOING TO BE A MOM! Yikes! That's kind of a big deal. So I thought I'd take this moment, on your birthday, to tell you (and everyone who reads this) some of the reasons that this little boy should be thrilled he gets you as his mama. 

First off, take a look at this photo. It tells us, 1) you like to play and 2) you're sometimes capable of bending rules. This balances so well with your responsible planning side. I mean, you've already bought diapers for a baby who's won't need them until July, you're on top of this mom thing!

You're a great caretaker, anticipating people's needs, whether they are sick or sad or just because. Thanks for the many times you've taken care of me. 

You're adventurous and brave, even though you might not think so all the time, look at all the places you've been, lived even. This baby will be exposed to your wanderlust and appreciation for the world and all the people in it. He will grow up knowing he can go anywhere, do anything. 

I'm so excited for you my friend, to embark on year 29 and the wonderful, life changing, adventures it has in store. 

xo
Jenny

PS. Yes, after making fun of people for doing it, I now occasionally sign things "xo"...don't laugh. I only do it when I really mean it.  


Picking Your Wedding Party


 For some couples it's easy, for others it's a daunting task and feelings are hurt. 

Here are a few thoughts on picking your wedding party. 

Consider the long term. 1. Who has been there for you in the past? 2. Who is most likely to be a part of your life in the future? 

Family is family. They will always be there. Even though you might want to pick friends over siblings, chances are, your siblings and your future siblings-in-law are going to be there the rest of your lives. 

Smaller can often be better. Even though you might want to honor all of your friends by including them, it's been my experience that smaller bridal parties are often easier on the couple. Instead of having to cater to 10 friend's wants and needs, usually if you just have a few close friends, they will cater to you. While large wedding parties can be wonderful, more people usually equals more drama. 

If someone has an issue, address it head on. If a friend is hinting that she's hurt to not have been included, I think the best thing to do is have a heart to heart with her. Bottom line, just because you didn't pick someone one, it doesn't mean that you don't love them and that they aren't close. Chances are, if your friend is married and has been through the process of picking attendants themselves, they'll understand. If they aren't married, just wait until their turn comes and they begin to understand that it isn't an easy task. 


You don't have to follow any rules! In Teresa's wedding, her brother Ryan stood on her side, since Patrick included both of his brothers, it would have been odd to have Ryan as the one sibling missing from the wedding party. It's totally fine to have odd numbers, or have bridesmen or a best woman. If you're worried about how it's going to look in pictures, avoid traditional lined up shots and maybe consider a different arrangement for people standing in the front during the ceremony.

What do you think? Have you gone through the picking process yet? Or perhaps you've been left out of a wedding party you expected to be in. Would love all of your thoughts in the comments! 










St. Paddy's Link Fun


Do you have any big St. Patrick's Day plans? Patrick and I will be in Mexico so I just plan to wear a green dress and reminisce about when Jenny and I spent March 17th in Dublin itself. Here are some great links from around the web if you're planning to get into the Irish spirit:

Jenny, Laura and I -- Dublin 2011
Irish coffee cupcakes or something a bit more traditional.

The "color of the year" is perfect for St. Paddy's.

Lovely green cucumber margaritas and easy DIY cake toppers.

Great dinner recipes from one of Ireland's own.

These "cups" bring me back to elementary school (with a grown-up twist!).

This important PSA makes me chuckle every year.

How much do you know about Ireland?

If you're in Seattle this weekend this looks fun and sporty.





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Coming Home

I'm back in Seattle and recovering from jet lag and a little cold. Happy to be home amongst friends, cats, family and fast internet. But I must tell you of our epic journey coming home from Solomon Islands slash why am soaking wet in this photo. 

The sky was looking a bit foreboding when we left Tulagi to make the 1.5 hour journey in a small motor boat to the international airport in Honiara. The journey gets a bit longer when it's choppy, so we ended up spending 2.5 hours being tossed by waves. I felt like I was in some sort of slapstick comedy sketch because waves just kept crashing over us, there was no chance of staying even remotely dry. You opened your mouth to say something and it was immediately filled with salt water. As if the waves weren't enough, half way through, it started down pouring. Naturally, at this point I was thinking about every movie or TV show that involved being shipwrecked and tried to keep my thoughts more positive, imagining myself happily living on "Gilligan's Island" instead of some sort of Life of Pi scenario where everyone dies but me and I'm forced to live on a raft with a ferocious animal. Shout out to Nelson, our experienced boat driver who did an amazing job of keeping the tiny boat upright through all of this. 

When we landed, I discovered that Jason, who was sitting on a different bench in the boat was only about half as wet as I was and then theres the fact that his hair dries in minutes, so he changed his shirt and managed to look normal. I, on the other hand, wrapped a windbreaker around my waist and assured our taxi driver I'd try not to drip on his seat. 

There aren't a lot of tourists in Honiara, so I couldn't say if people were looking at me because I was a tall American lady with a lot of bags or if it was because I was the only person on the street who was soaking wet and you could see my blue with white polka-dotted undies through my dripping wet pants. Oops. 

We arrived at the airport and low and behold the airlines had CANCELED our flight. I spent the next hour, running back and forth between counters trying to figure out how to buy tickets for the only other flight out that day. 

After securing new tickets, we were running out of time so I had no choice but to wait in line to check our bags and then go through security and immigration soaking wet. The woman at security attempted to pat me down, but upon discovering that my shirt and pants were soaked and the rest of me was fairly clammy, gave me a sort of disgusted look and waved me through. Lesson learned, take a shower with your clothes on the next time you're trying to smuggle something through an airport. The man who stamped my passport was nice enough to not say anything about it being somewhat damp. 

Once we made it to the gate, I was thrilled to discover our new flight ended up being delayed a few minutes so I was able to FINALLY run to the bathroom and change. It was a glorious feeling to no longer have wet fabric stuck to my thighs. Unfortunately at that point, I'd started to dry, so I spent the rest of the day with salt flaking off of my body and out of my hair like horrible horrible dandruff.

After this, the rest of the journey home was wonderfully uneventful. 

I'll post more photos of our trip soon! 

Sisters

Growing up, my sister and I weren't really close. We got along some of the time, but not all of the time. We bonded over the common interests of Full House and American Girl dolls and fought about pretty much everything else, like who got to pretend to be which character from Ghostwriter  and both wanting the same pair of Doc Martens. We were sisters, we were forced to love each other because we were family.

Somehow, at some point, all of that changed. We became friends. And now, ironically, right when I wish she lived in the room next to mine and we could play together all the time, she happens to live on the other side of the world, in Korea, where the time difference makes it hard to even find time to Skype. Its funny how life works.

 I'm discovering that the majority of my friends with sisters feel the same way. Right when you're ready to be friends, they aren't there anymore. I miss my sister! Especially right now since her birthday was this weekend and I wasn't there to celebrate with her.

Happy Birthday Sister!

Monday Motivation



Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! The sun is shinning here in Seattle and I couldn't be happier. Plus Jenny comes home today and I have a two day work-week next week because P and I are headed to Mexico. I love March!!

Here are some links to kick off the weekend!

These muffins look super tasty for spring.

Now here's a DIY I might actually do.

This chart about what to call groups of people is awesome--also I've come to the sad realization that I really can't get away with "ya'll".

Dreaming of sunshine.

Love this look, want to paint all my walls white.

Cute idea for a bridesmaid gift.

This high school girl is awesome.

Would you rock a faux bob?

Can I please go to this place? Amazing.

Easiest way to pack for 10 days in Europe, genius. (Can you tell I have the travel bug this week?)

GF chocolate coconut cookies?? Yes, please.

How much to pay a babysitter (infographic by region).

I guess I should start eating more Mediterranean foods, Patrick will be thrilled.

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The High Line: NYC

One of the highlights of our trip to NYC last weekend was a visit the new High Line Park in the lower west side with our friends Amber and Brendan (& baby Amelia!). We lucked out with a gorgeous brisk sunny Sunday and spent over an hour meandering this wonderful park in the sky. The one mile walking promenade was formerly elevated tracks of the New York Central Railroad until it was re-purposed in 2011. The whole path has lovely views of the river and Chelsea neighborhood and is full of local plant varieties and great places to sit and observe. Will definitely be returning to the High Line next time we are in the city!

Choosing the best name for baby?

Patrick and I have been going around and around the past few months talking about what we should name our baby boy. I had no idea that this would be such a long and intense process. We are feeling a lot of pressure to make sure not to mess this up, a person's name is pretty important!

We both like Irish names but a lot of them are really difficult to pronounce/spell. If we were having a girl we love the name Aoife (pronounced Eef-ah) but I would probably never actually use it because it's not common in the states and nearly impossible to pronounce. I gravitate toward more traditional names whereas Patrick is more apt to find something unusual. I like the idea of a name that is uncommon but definitely a known name, which is not as easy as it sounds! 

I was telling my friend Gabi about our dilemma and she sent me over this hilarious clip from an old Friends episode. So funny and true-- we've even tossed around some of those same names!

Do you like your name? For those who have been there, how did you narrow down your list of names and come to agreement? What are your favorite names?

Stitch Fix: Online Personal Shopper?

My friend Michelle sent me this new website the other day that I'm tempted to join (especially once I shed the maternity wear). It's called Stitch Fix and it seems like a combination of Birchbox and a Nordstrom personal shopper.

Essentially, you fill out a "style profile" with all the details of your sizes, taste preferences, and region and every month they send you five items of clothing/accessories that they think you will love. There is a $20 "styling fee" but it can be put toward any of the items that you choose to keep. Whatever you don't like you just send back with free shipping. If you keep all five items you get 25% off.

The only thing that makes me hesitate is the price of the clothes, which are on average $75 a piece (although they say they try to stay in your price range.)

What do you think? Sounds pretty awesome for those of us who hate shopping. :)