DINER EN BLANC 2017: what i wore!

this year, for DINER EN BLANC 2017, i took a gamble and played 

a little game of "let's look in the closet and pull out everything white." 

 luckily, it paid off! 

as a busy mama, with no attention span or time for shopping

 (even though i work in retail and play with clothes all day long!)

 i often find myself thanking past-sami for being such a thrift queen, 

stock-piling dresses for my future use!

the dress i wore was from my best friend's wedding a few years ago-

it is a fun eyelet, which was perfect for an end of summer fete.

my feather wrap added yet another texture to my all-white ensemble,

and just the right amount of warmth for a late summer evening.

i've had it for-ev-er and it's actually from forever 21!

i piled on a mixture of vintage/ j-crew and betsey johnson baubles,which all seemed to 

have a lavender tone to them. i brought along a lavender kate spade bag (conveniently

not pictured for breaking the all-white rule!) and gold gucci-inspired sandals 

from asos. my lipstick was a purpley mixture of playtime and pink popcorn by mac ;)

like last year, my favorite part of diner en blanc was getting to spend time to

my blog wife/ blog partner in crime, lei ann. we always seem to be coordinated

whenever we meet up-but this time it was on purpose!

thank you to lei ann for the fabulous photos :)

♥ DINER EN BLANC, BOSTON 2017!

after months and months of being shut up in the house with babies hanging off of my

every limb, i was set free, into the concrete jungle, to roam around with a bunch of well-dressed, 

white-clad strangers at this year's DINER EN BLANC!

much like diner en blanc 2016, (which i covered, here!)  upwards of 2,000 dinner-guests

descended upon a secret location- set up their dining space, collected their wine, 

and sat down to enjoy a lovely feast (that they brought themselves).

this year's location, disclosed only an hour before, 

was a veritable wonderland right in the middle of the city : boston's 

rose fitzgerald kennedy greenway (at milk street/atlantic ave.)

guests were led by DEBbos volunteers from various meeting points throughout

the city, and the set up went off without a hitch!

the most mesmerizing part of the location, was definitely rings fountain, which provided a glamorous backdrop to the city location. the soothing music from john everett martin featuring

bob christopherson and gregory holt, also lent itself to the romantic atmosphere.

created almost 30 years ago, in paris, le diner en blanc has brought together

 communities in 80+ cities- to promote elegance, gallantry and togetherness-

something the world needs alot more of these days. xo

♥ TRILLFEST: COMING TO CAMBRIDGE THIS SATURDAY!

two years ago, i introduced you to trillfit- a unique fitness experience dedicated
to celebrating urban culture through amazing music and a well-curated assortment
of classes in a variety of exciting locations throughout boston.

 since then, what has been lauded as "boston's coolest hip hop workout party"
by racked, has become a little more permanent (with most classes taking place at
studio 52 in boston), a little more prestigious, (with nods from improper bostonian for 
best of boston 2016, and mentions from in style to boston magazine) 
and ALOT more exciting (see below!!!)

 this weekend, trillfit is boldly bringing to the boston area the
"first-of-its-kind Hip-Hop Fitness Festival!": TRILLFEST!

trillfest is a one-day outdoor wellness/music festival extravaganza,
offering everything from fitness classes to meditation sessions -
live DJs to delicious food trucks, and everything in between.

check out the full lineup & grab your tix here!

♥ the fruits of our labor: blueberry picking at Ward's Berry Farm!

hello friends! 

i hope you've been enjoying your summer so far-

i have been busy navigating the new and exciting landscape of life 

as a mother of two!

 i knew that it would be different- i have watched my sister's

daily routine get thrown out the window on more than one occasion,

with each successive birth, but when it is actually your turn to do it-- 

it's a whole different story!

thank you for sticking with me during this fun transition :)

 this weekend my sisters and i met up, with children in tow,

 to go blueberry picking at ward's berry farm in sharon!

i've only berry-picked once in my life and thought it would

be a great new tradition to start with the kids!

you can't tell from their faces in some of the photos (ha!),

but they loved it!

i call these photos: "misery loves company." haaaaa

 the blueberries were as sweet as they are plentiful!

it actually took a long time to fill the containers- so make sure

you pack lots of sunscreen!

yum! what kind of traditions are you starting this summer?

♥ Sadie Amelia!

on may 31st at 1:45 in the afternoon, our beautiful daughter, sadie amelia,
 made her way fast and furiously into this world!

within moments of receiving my glorious, life-renewing epidural,
she was here--all 9 pounds, 1 oz of her!!-
we fell instantly in love. 

♥

henry has been preparing to be a big brother my entire pregnancy,

and it has been heartwarming to watch the care and attention

 he paid to his sister when she was in my belly. 

now that she is actually here,

i can already tell that he is so proud to have a little sister, and 

already feeling more confident in his new role. 

...we just have to remind him that sadie is not a doll!

♥ ready to pop!

photos by lei ann

this past saturday, i met with my oldest and dearest blogger friends to

celebrate my burgeoning baby bump over endless rounds of dessert

at the langham hotel's chocolate bar! it was super delicious and such 

a treat to spend time with my favorite ladies.

at 38 weeks, my bump is on and poppin' and i have fully embraced
my round shape! this forever 21 dress is from my last pregnancy with henry,
and i was so glad to have an occasion to wear it again :)

i updated it with my favorite new kitty bag from aldo (similar!) as well as some
fabulous pink accessories: my faux gucci slides and quay sunnies!
my necklaces are a mashup old f jcrew cuts rhinestone collars as
well as a big heart from betsey johnson. all in all, i felt festive
and totally ready to taste all the yummy treats without
constriction! check out my instagram post
featuring what i ate and saw at
cafe fleuri!
xo

♥ i love it when we're cruising together: an evening at CambridgeSide with the Charles Riverboat Company!

hello loves! 

long time, no post!

i have been busy creating a small human girl-child 

and getting through the rest of this awful, dragged-out winter. 

how about you?

thankfully, with this week's arrival of the long-overdue spring weather,

came an opportunity to to shop, sip, and sail with my favorite boston bloggers at the

 currently-being-made-over- CambridgeSide and the Charles Riverboat 

Company!

along with an interactive scavenger hunt through the enormous mall-

there was a lovely cruise on the charles river with unbeatable views,

on the loveliest day, ever!

how cute is this boat?? it reminds me of the wonkatania!

 at 37 weeks pregnant, i was nervous at the thought of

being on the water for too long in case something happened-

but i rest assured, knowing that we would only be on the river for a little

over an hour :) it was what my girl, lei ann, called a "babymoon cruise!"

the views were spectacular! i could not get enough of the setting sun on the water.

for my ootd, i piled on a couple of my signature accessories and added them

to my not-so-little black dress situation that i have had to wear at work.

i can't wait to share all my costume jewels with my little girl :)

dress & kimono: forever 21 cat bag: aldo cat ears: forever 21

sunnies: kate spade necklace: betsey johnson lipstick: sephora:saymyname

photo by lei ann!

♥ skincare review with NATURA BISSE!

ever since i saw john mayer's funny skincare routine snaps last summer,
i have been wondering what the natura bisse brand is all about.

according to john, its "mainly used by people in their 60's and 70's,"
but i would argue that this skincare line is actually for anyone looking
to brighten and revitalize the skin their in!

i was recently sent some of the latest products from
natura bisse's essential shock intense line, and i must say that they
 have been a welcome addition to my ever-evolving skincare routine.

the essential shock intense mask smells delicious and has me looking like
a geisha for 10-15 minutes, before washing it off for a smooth & polished glow!

the essential shock intense complex is a fabulous serum that layers on lightly
underneath my everyday moisturizer, and has been helping to maintain my skin's
hydration and clarity- even in the dead of winter! it is great that i can apply
my makeup right over it, without feeling like i have too much gunk
on my face.

 

ps. did you know that for the first time, natura bisse will be coming to MA
to introduce their "mindful touch" spa experience (usually reserved for celebrities during
the past 12 academy award ceremonies!) to the public?

NEIMAN MARCUS BOSTON
Dates: May 17-20
Address: 5 Copley Place Boston, MA 02116


with the purchase of 4 products, you may receive a free facial inside the Pure Air Bubble-
making appointments right on their website!

♥ GIVEAWAY: CourseHorse comes to Boston!

a few years ago, i hosted a giveaway for coursehorse- a website dedicated to discovering and booking

local education. with classes ranging from art to academic, professional to cultural- you name it, 

and coursehorse will pretty much have it on offer, at an amazing value.

last time around, the closest market for this site was new york, but since then, the site has

expanded to other cities, including our very own boston :) yay!!

here are a few classes i wouldn't mind trying:

fashion trend forecasting at mass college of art & designs

being a visual stylist and blogger, i feel like i have a pulse on many of the latest trends-

but i am always intrigued by how designers focus on a few select trends each season-

how far in advance do are trends forecasted? what is the secret??

floral design workshops at cass school of floral design

i have always felt like i could have a knack for floral arrangement, but i have never tried!

this class could give me the inspiration i need to discover a new passion!

jumpstart your writing at grub street inc.

i love to write, but i feel like i need a topic to be handed to me from above,

like it was back in school- perhaps a class that is totally devoted to writing would be

the best antidote for writer's block.

meditation in everyday life at the shambhala meditation center of boston

because after 33 years on this earth, i still have no idea how to quiet my mind or relax.

the great boston cupcake crawl

because i am eating for two, after all :)

kids' music play at the brookline music school

because henry's father is a drummer- which means henry already has his toe in the musical gene pool!

and now is your chance to WIN A FREE CLASS (valued at $50):

to enter: please leave a comment letting me know which local class you would be interested

in taking through coursehorse and why- as well as an email address!!

the winner will be chosen by april 4th!!

GOOD LUCK!

UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS JENNIE, YOU ARE THE WINNER!!

♥ earth mother// a visit to ASH & ROSE.

if you follow my instagram- you may have noticed that made a little announcement

 a few weeks ago: i'm pregnant!! the boys and i are expecting a baby girl in 

early june and we could not be more excited :) 

photos by lei ann!

at 26 weeks, my bump is definitely poppin'- looking much fuller (and feeling a whole lot heavier)

the second time around! i am not sure if this should be attributed to it being a girl this time

or it being the second pregnancy, but either way- i am enjoying my changing shape

and the lively kicks and jabs i get throughout the day. i feel so blessed.

tired and blessed, ha!

anyway, last night i had the joy of attending chic beat's  blogger mix & mingle 

at the south end's lovely boutique, ash & rose. a brimming jewel box of  sustainable/ethical 

clothing and accessories, many of which are made by nea--half of the mother/daughter duo

who own the shop, ash & rose is nestled among design showrooms and art galleries 

in the famous sowa district. the shop is managed & curated by mary, who is coincidentally 

expecting a baby girl in june!!, and who also made this rad floral selfie wall for

our picture-taking pleasure!

pictured here with my favorite gals, lei ann & bridgette