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2 Years in Charlotte- 10 Things I Love About the Queen City

 2 years ago today, I moved to the Queen City! I grew up in Greensboro NC, went to college in Erie PA, and moved back to Greensboro after graduation. I spent a few months at home and then moved about 80 miles south, to the city I am so happy to call my home! Last year, I reflected on my first year here, as it was also my first year out on my own. So this year, I thought I would share 10 things I love about living in Charlotte!

1. Always Something To Do
I feel like there is always something to do in Charlotte, especially in the warmer months. From festivals (this photo was before the Breakaway Music Festival last year), games for the football, basketball, and baseball teams, events at bars and restaurants, holiday bar crawls, shopping events, and so much more!

2. Weather
This isn't exactly unique to Charlotte, it's more a reason why I enjoy living in the south. We have warm weather for most of the year, starting in late March and typically going through the end of October. After living in Erie PA for college, it was cold (and very snowy) for most of the school year. So I learned to really appreciate the weather down here. The city also shuts down for the smallest amount of snow, which is why I chose to feature the above photo. During college, I never once had class cancelled for weather, even if there was 3 feet of snow on the ground. But since I have moved back, I have gotten to leave work early or stay home for the slightest bit of snow!

3. Restaurants and Coffeeshops
It seems like there is a new restaurant opening every week in Charlotte. It is so fun to try new places with friends and family. Some of my favorites are Aix-en-Provence, Yafo Mediterranean Street Food, Cantina 1511, Cafe Monte, Ink N Ivy, and Ruru's Tacos and Tequila! There are also some great coffeeshops to spend some time like Amelie's French Bakery (pictured above), Parliament Espresso, and Central Coffee Co.!

4. Breweries and Bars
A lot of my weekends this past spring and summer have been spent at Charlotte breweries. There are many to choose from (apparently in 2017 there were 43), and new ones opening all the time. They are mostly located closely together, so it is a lot fun to hop around to a few throughout the day. Beer has never been my drink of choice. But most breweries have cider, wine, and some even have cocktails! As for bars, there are great options in almost every neighborhood. Want a rooftop bar? Head uptown. Want to pretend you're still in college? Go to Montford. Whether you want to sample craft beers, enjoy fancy cocktails, watch a Panther's game, have an unlimited rosé tasting (pictured above), or just dance all night, there's a bar for you!

5. Shopping
I don't think it will be a surprise that this fashion blogger loves to shop. Between some great malls like SouthPark and Charlotte Premium Outlets, boutiques like Bevello, Ivy and Leo, and Vestique, and shopping events like the Girl Tribe pop-up, there's a lot to see (and buy) in Charlotte!

6. Fitness Community
I recently reflected on the Charlotte fitness community on Instagram, but it is easily one of my favorite parts about living here. Working out as a whole has brought so much positivity to my life. And in Charlotte, there are so many studios to try out that offer some amazing workouts, and SweatNet Charlotte that brings all of fitness addicts together!

7. Carolina Panthers
Although I have always lived in Panthers territory, I had never really followed the NFL until I moved here. The Panthers bring a lot of fun to the city. Even if you can't make it to the stadium, bars and breweries have watch parties, and you see Panthers gear all over the city on Sundays.

8. Art Scene
As with most larger cities, there are many opportunities to see some amazing art in Charlotte. My favorites are Charlotte Ballet, the Mint Museum of Art, the Broadway series at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, and the Summer Pops in the Park series by the Charlotte Symphony!

9. Proximity to Carolina Beaches and Mountains
Just like the weather, this isn't really unique to Charlotte. But in the Carolinas, you are a short drive away from both the beach and the mountains! Just in 2018 I have have taken trips to Blowing Rock NC, Asheville NC, Carolina Beach NC, and Pawley's Island SC!

10. Charlotte Pride
There is a sense of pride that is really present in Charlotte. I think that might be because a lot of population is not originally from Charlotte (except for my boyfriend, hey TJ!). But it is always fun to see the skyline and CLT (the airport code) all over hats, shirts, even the sides of buildings!

Thanks for reading!

Fitness Friday VI

photo by Urban MVMNT

Welcome back to Fitness Friday, my monthly roundup of workouts, food habits, and cute activewear pieces (some of which are from the Nordstrom sale)! I went to the beach for a week, so I didn't get quite as many workouts in. But I think it helped me plan my workout schedule around travel, which I'll be needing to do quite a bit this fall! And in case you missed them, here are my posts from May and June!

Workouts
Week of 7/2-7/8
Barre at AIR Aerial Fitness
Slow flow yoga at VIBE5 Yoga and Fitness
Classic Ride at Cyclebar
Sculpt on Obé app
Hot yoga at Y2 Yoga
Power45 at Flywheel Sports
Hot Power Fusion at CorePower Yoga

Week of 7/9-7/15
"Just Move" at Urban MVMNT (my first strength class, a little tough but still fun!) hosted by Nicola of Athleisurely Tidings
West Kept Secret (HIIT) at Fit Atelier
Define Sculpt on Obé app
Air at AIR Aerial Fitness

Week of 7/16-7/22
I was on vacation, so lots of swimming and beach walks.
But I managed to get 2 Obé workouts in!

Week of 7/23-yesterday
Slow flow yoga at VIBE5 Yoga and Fitness
Hot yoga at Yoga One
Define Strength on Obé app
Power 45 yoga at Jamie Scott Fitness
Air at AIR Aerial Fitness

Even after taking a week off for vacation, I ended up with 18 workouts since my last Fitness Friday post. Quite a few fun SweatNET workouts happened in Charlotte while I was at the beach, so there would be been a lot more if I was in town for them! If you want to get in on their great workout events along with discounts to many fitness studios in the area, join here!

Food

  • I didn't really try any new recipes since my last post. As I mentioned above, I went on vacation for a week, so I enjoyed lots of food! It just wan't very healthy...
  • One thing I did try was I accidentally bought frozen vegan chicken at Whole Foods, thinking it was real chicken. But I was pleasantly surprised with how much it tastes like real chicken! I think I'll continue to buy it just because it was very simple and quick to make and is another plant-based food to add to my diet. Which is always good, because I'm never been a fan of salads... 
  • As I have mentioned in previous Fitness Friday posts, I have also been consistent with eating more fruit and not having any salty snacks in my apartment. 

Activewear



Thanks for reading!

Summer Workwear Capsule Wardrobe: Week 3

We have made it to week 3 of my Summer Workwear Capsule Wardrobe series! In case you missed the first and second week, I am styling 21 outfits for 21 work days in July, from just 21 pieces. This series is a continuation from last February's Winter Workwear Capsule series. I mentioned during that  winter series that this really challenged me to mix up the pieces I already own, in ways I had not thought of before. This is also true this second time around! I have been just as surprised with the different varieties beyond how I would typically style some of my favorite workwear pieces.

Wednesday, July 18th
Similar shirt | Skirt | Heels | Similar necklaceBag

Thursday, July 19th
Dress c/o | Necklace | Similar heels | Similar bag

Friday, June 20th
Shirt | Skirt | Heels | Earrings | Similar bag

Monday, July 23rd
Shirt | Similar skirt | Similar flats | Similar earrings | Bag

Tuesday, July 24th
Top | Skirt | Flats | Earrings | Bag

Thanks for reading!

Orange Blossom Dress








Photos by Deeana Kourtney Photography

Old Navy dress | Baublebar for Target earrings c/o | Bag from my Etsy shop | Loft sunglasses | Jack Rogers wedges

I walked right into my nearest Old Navy when I saw this dress on Instagram for 3 reasons...the first one being that it is a fun navy print. The second one is that reminds me of this Lilly Pulitzer style of dress. And the last one is the price, I got it for under $20!  I love the orange blossom print, but it also available in a few other prints.  Or if maxi dresses are more your thing, this print is also available in this style! I styled it with one of the bags from my Etsy shop. I've already worn this dress to church, shopping at the beach, and I have a feeling I will be wearing it again for a day at some Charlotte breweries sometime soon!

P.S. there's a really great sale going on today, take an extra 50% off sale items at J. Crew!


Thanks for reading!

2018 Nordstrom Sale Picks Under $100


You just might have heard from other bloggers that Nordstrom is having a big sale...and now everyone can shop it! Last week was early access for card members, but as of this morning, it is open to all! As I have in past years, I just thought I would share some of my picks under $100. I usually only pick up a few pieces during this sale, but they always last forever. Last year I ended up with a pair of over the knee boots very similar to this pair and this Stila lipstick and eyeliner set. I wore the boots for a majority of my fall/winter outfit posts last year, and the liquid lipstick is one of my all-time favorite shades! A lot of the clothing items in the sale are more fall/winter, which I do not really want to think about yet, considering I am currently at the beach in 90 degree weather. So I have included a few lists you could wear now including some great activewear deals!

Wear Now



Wear to Work


Activewear


Dresses and Skirts

 

Sweaters and Tops


Denim


Outerwear


Jewelry


Bags


Shoes

 

Beauty Sets Under $50



What are you looking for in the sale this year?

Thanks for reading!

Rosé All Day

I don't think it would shock anyone if I said that I think rosé is a very important part of summer. Actually, I am a year-round rosé drinker, #cantstopwontstop. When I look at wine lists at restaurants, the first thing I look for is a rosé. I have probably used all of the rosé-related hashtags out there on Instagram at some point or another, like #roseallday, #yeswayrose, etc. Call me basic all you want, I just really love a good rosé. I think it is appropriate for any occasion, from celebrating a holiday to any old Tuesday. So, I recently had a weeknight wine and cheese happy hour with my friend Kathryn after work last week, with some rosé from Personal Wine.


Personal Wine can make your rosé (or any other wine) special with a custom label or bottle engraving. Whether you are celebrating a friend's engagement, your mom's birthday, or just want to make your weeknight glass of wine a little more fun, they have something for you! There are pre-made labels you can customize, or you can even upload your own photo. I chose the fun weather forecast label shown above, and even got my blog name printed like it is the name of a wine! I also got another label I will be sharing later on Instagram from an upcoming bachelorette weekend!



I will admit I don't know much about the specifics of wine, but I am a big fan of this selection of rosé. I prefer a rosé that is lighter colored, I have heard they are more comparable to a white wine, which I always pick over red wine. I thought this particular rosé was light, slightly on the drier end, and had a lot of flavor.  I tend to buy some lower priced bottles, and I thought this rosé tasted a lot like some of the more expensive bottles I have tried before like Whispering Angel and Miraval. But if rosé isn't your thing, you can also customize a variety of reds and whites. Including my second favorite type of wine, prosecco! There are also plenty of wine and entertaining accessories like wine glasses, wine totes, cutting boards, and more!




Thank you to Personal Wine for providing the wine for this post!

Shop my outfit:

Thanks for reading!