Weekend Recap & the cutest J. Crew sweater!

Happy Monday! This Monday feels a bit worse than usual, maybe because it's the first full week after all of the Holiday celebrations? I need an extra shot in my latte today!

My weekend was the perfect mix of relaxation & celebration! I have been battling an awful cold, I got it just after Christmas and I thought I was turning the bend but it hit me again last Tuesday pretty hard, which also happened to be the day Oliver left for Australia for two whole weeks! I am warning you now please excuse the "bathroom selfies" I am seriously missing my photographer/husband..subtle hint for him to come home early ;)

After generous doses of NyQuil/DayQuil I finally felt better so Saturday I had a lunch date planned with an old friend. I hadn't seen her in so long so it was amazing to catch up on life, love & real life jobs! We went to The Local which I know I have mentioned before it is one of my absolute favorites in the area!

Saturday night I headed over to my cousins house for drinks (my cousin is one hell of a bartender as well) &

appetizers. We had an absolute blast hanging out and catching up! My cousin and her partner just bought an amazing apartment in Boston- I have serious real estate envy every time I walk in the door!

Case in point, that fireplace and woodwork is original to the house and we are talking over 100 years old...amazing!!

For a hostess gift I spiced up the usual bottle of wine gift with this awesome bottle coozie and corkscrew. I found these at J.Crew Factory just after the holidays and bought several. I loved the Polka Dot & Chevron mix and so they did they!














On the topic of J. Crew we can talk about my outfit, it is pretty much head to toe J. Crew! I got this sweater for Christmas and I absolutely love it. I like the fit, it isn't super fitted but it is short enough that I think the boxy look is really flattering! I also love the little sparkle along the neckline. The pants I have raved about before, they are the Winnie Pant and I am absolutely obsessed with them! You can get both of these items on sale for an extra 40% off with the code EXTRA40!

The flats are old from Gap, I love them at really like the pointy toe. Here are a few other similiar styles: Gilt: Elyse Pointed Toe flat, Steve Madden: Elusionl  use code SMFREE50 for free shipping!

Gift ideas for the 'Hostess with the Mostess'

With the Holiday season rolling in I thought I would share with you some of my favorite ideas for hostess gifts! When I am going to be a guest in someone's home I always try to think of a thoughtful gift they will enjoy receiving. I tend to politely decline when guests offer to bring a dish or dessert to my home. I have many reasons for this but mainly I want my guests to enjoy their time and relax instead of stressing over what they are going to make or bring. I do have an exception to this rule and that is my Aunt who makes a mean butternut squash dish! She makes it every year for Thanksgiving so instead of attempting to recreate it I gladly took her up on her offer to make it for me!

With all that being said, my Mom always taught me you never go anywhere empty handed so I have cultivated a list of staple items I bring to someone's home to thank them for having me!

1. A bottle of their favorite drink- whether it be an aged scotch, or bottle of bubbly I feel it is important to bring something that the Host/ Hostess will enjoy. If they so choose to open said bottle with you it would be lovely, but the intent is that it is primarily something for them to enjoy! Speaking of favorite drinks how cute are this seasonal Chandon bottles?

2. Flowers- know your host on this one, I would never bring flowers to my Mother, she hates them and would likely forget to water them. A dear friend of mine however loves fresh blooms so for her I would certainly find this an appropriate gift. I like to go to Whole Foods or Trader Joes' and pick up some of their loose blooms and arrange them myself. If you want to bring flowers make sure they are already arranged, if you did them yourself or purchased them that way and they are display ready upon arrival.

3. I saw this idea on Pinterest a while back but I absolutely love it! A "Next Morning" box, complete with breakfast items, such as coffee, tea, scones, tea towels & jam.  You could also make a batch of your favorite cookie dough and gift it with instructions for cooking so the hostess can make it on her own time as a little treat! We had a very sweet friend do this for us and I loved the idea! As someone who hosts quite frequently (& loves every minute) waking up the next morning to a messy kitchen is stress inducing, but a beautiful breakfast basket would be the perfect pick me up!

4. A personalized item is always a hit- Etsy is a perfect place for something like this! I received a return address stamp from a friend as a housewarming gift and I love it! Whether it be a cutting board, ornament for their tree or stationary, something with a personal touch shows you planned ahead & thought of the Host!

Regardless of what route you choose to go make sure to drop a "thank you" note in the mail when you leave. Snail mail is a lost art, but is far more meaningful than the "thank you text", which I have without a doubt been guilty of, however I am trying to make a more concerted effort to fix!

Happy Holiday Season!