Graduation Gift Guide: Best Friend

Ah, I can't believe it's already time for graduation! And you know what that means...grad parties! The proper protocol is to bring a gift with you for the grad (even if you're graduating yourself). I would say, for college, the price range should be around $25-60, depending on how close you are to them. The easy route is a gift card (Starbucks and Target never fail) but if you want to go the extra mile I have some ideas for you!

Best Friend Graduation Gift Guide

1. Graduation Build-a-Bear ($30) -- How cute is this bear?! I am a proud owner of 5+ Build-a-Bears (okay, slight shame) and these guys just keep getting cuter. A teddy bear is the perfect gift for your BFF to remember you by because every time she looks at it she'll think of you! The best part with Build-a-Bear is that you can have the bear say something special, like "I love you" or sing One Direction!! That's really all she'll need, ya?

2. Bottled Dreams Perfume Sampler ($58) -- For the woman about to enter the workforce, this is a smart gift.  Every professional woman needs a signature scent (mine is Coco de Mademoiselle) and this sampler let's her test out a few before she makes the final decision. The greatest thing about this gift is that she can redeem a coupon in Sephora stores that let's her pick up a full-size bottle of her favorite scent. Genius!

3. Kate Spade Business Card Holder ($30) -- Who doesn't have business cards (or dear Lord go buy some)? This business card holder is chic and stylish so she can carry her cards in her purse and be professional where ever she goes! It's also more personal because you can get her a holder with her own initial. She'll be thanking you for it!

4. "The Thing About Life" Box Sign ($14) -- Inspiration!  Transitioning from the comforts of going to class and goofing off to having to be a real adult can be difficult. Give her this sign so that she can stay motivated and work her butt off! Imagine it on her dresser at home so that when she's getting ready for a big interview you'll be the one to tahnk for her big boost of confidence!

5. Class of 2015 Champagne Glass ($14) -- Everyone loves champagne (if you don't then you've had a cheap imitation). How adorable is this graduation champagne flute? The grad cap has "Class of 2015" in a mosaic on top to give it extra flare. She can use this to toast at all the grad parties she'll be heading to later on! Or I mean she can be like me and just pour herself a glass of prosecco and re-watch Gossip Girl for the fifth time...


I am beyond excited to graduate! In less than two weeks I will be walking the stage to collect my diploma! The years have flown by and am going to cry once reality kicks in that I won't be able to see my friends everyday. Cheers to the rest of our lives!


Are you graduating? Any cute gift ideas? Let me know in the comments below!


Until next time my loves x.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22 today! (Omg I am so sorry for the overused pun but it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, okay?) I had to make a post to commemorate my birthday and all the fun I had this weekend. Big shout-out to the best girlfriends a girl could ask for: McKenna, Emily, Nicole, Christina, and Joanna!

From left to right: Christina, McKenna, me, Emily, and Joanna

I love my birthday not only because I was born (duh) but because it's the coolest birth date ever! May the Fourth be With You anyone?? I'm a big Star Wars nerd (thanks, older brother) so it only fits that I was born on Star Wars day! It also makes it super easy to remember my birthday. Perfect! But that's not the only special thing...I share a birthday with my idol Audrey Hepburn! How fabulous is that?? I have loved her ever since I stumbled upon Breakfast at Tiffany's on AMC late one night. I have now watched every movie she's ever been in and I feel like I am her reincarnated. Is that weird?

Happy with my bacon pecan brownie sundae from the Ritz

Since my birthday falls on a Monday this year (ew), I celebrated with friends on Saturday.  We went downtown to the Ritz Grill and stuffed our faces with martinis and fancy appetizers. Then after we hit the bars to mooch as many free drinks off of people that we could!

Channeling Carrie Bradshaw with a Cosmo

My favorite stop of the night was the Rabbit Hole -- an underground (literally) Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant with some of the best martinis around! Of course I chose "The Dutchess" martini (even though it's spelled weird... but hey that's how it is in the book) which was champagne and grapefruit! And it had a gorgeous flower inside the glass. I would have gotten a picture but the lighting was so dim that I didn't want to use my flash and blind all the patrons! McKenna got a Cherry Limeade martini which tasted like a Sourpatch Kid. Then they even had Emily's and my favorite thing...ice wine! So of course she got a glass and we were in heaven.

The Duchess and her cake

After that we came back to my apartment for cake and champagne (okay, I know we drank a little too much but it was my BIRTHDAY party after all). My mom bought me the most beautiful cake from a bakery in Denver and it was delicious! Chocolate cake with salted caramel inside...what could be better? Plus the crowns on the outside made it a cake fit for a Duchess!

My birthday was so much fun and I just want to thank all my friends again for celebrating with me. Here's hoping 22 will be a good year!


Until next time my loves x.

April Favorites!

I can't believe May is already here! As sad as I am that the month just flew by, I'm so excited because that means there's my birthday, graduation, and SUMMER just around the corner! April was a month full of rain (really, Colorado?), fun times, and lots of shopping. I don't have many favorites this month, but that just makes these April Favorites extra special!

April Favorites

Beauty Favorites

Stella by Stella McCartney Perfume ($50) -- I've recently fallen in love with this scent. It's very feminine with strong notes of peonies and amber.  This is the kind of perfume I can see Ivanka Trump wearing before a big meeting -- it screams classy and sophisticated. Stella recently brought this classic scent back, so buy it before it's gone again here!

Sephora Pearl Eye Mask ($5) -- This is the hungover girl's dream cure for dark under-eye circles. I swear that after I put this on for the recommended 15 minutes, my eyes looked bright and wide awake. I stocked up just so I'm prepared for that next tough morning (hello, day after my birthday party). Buy yours here.

Music Favorites

Worth It by Fifth Harmony ft. Kid Ink -- This song is my JAM! Whenever I hear it I can't help but dance and shake my booty. The saxophone at the beginning just owns! You can listen to this in the car, getting ready, at the club...literally anywhere at all and you will just bust out some moves. This song has been on repeat this month...and it probably will be next month, too! Listen for yourself here.

Food Favorites

Breakfast Sandwiches -- I have made myself a breakfast sandwich on this fancy machine for the past two weeks straight. You put in the ingredients and it does all the work for you...how awesome is that?! When I come back from the gym in the morning I plug this baby in and while I wait for it to heat up I take a quick shower and change. Then I add my ingredients (I use a low-fat English muffin, one egg, one thin slice sharp cheddar cheese, and one apple-smoked chicken sausage patty) and it takes just 4 minutes to make! Babe...these are so good and mine are under 300 calories! It will keep you full until lunch and help you get a great start to your day. You need to try them!

Well, that's it for this month! I told you I haven't had too many favorites...but be prepared! Next month a whole lot of things are happening and I'm sure my list of favorites will be longer than my wingspan (6'1"...I'm like a pterodactyl).

What are your monthly favorites? Are you excited for May? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time my loves x.

Trip Guide: Napa Valley

I have literally been in a state of depression since Spring Break. Checking back into reality is so hard! I'm so happy and thankful that my final Spring break of my Undergrad was spent with some amazing people in the absolutely gorgeous Napa Valley, California.  The wine, the food, the views...everything about it was perfect. I went to so many wine tasting that I swear I swirl and smell every drink I'm handed! Napa is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the simple things in life. I miss it so much!

Napa can be a handful...I mean there are over a hundred wineries to visit! But don't you fret because I am here to give you some insider tips and tricks that will make you feel less like a tourist and more like a local!

Napa Valley, CA Trip Guide

Bakeries

I kid you not, I went to a bakery every morning while I was in Napa. And the one I kept finding myself going to was the Model Bakery.  Located right across from the Oxbow Market, this place has everything from croissants, sandwiches, loaves of sourdough, to their (no lie) world famous English muffins.  They have fancy coffee (think Blue Bottle) and even make pretty designs in your vanilla latte. There are also a bunch of little hidden gems...you just have to look! We found this great Portuguese bakery in downtown Sonoma that had croque monsieurs and amazing bunny cookies. And you can't forget to hit Bouchon Bakery in Yountville.  Their macarons are to die for!

A breakfast sandwich and latte from Model Bakery.

Small Wineries

It's very tempting to go to the big shots (think Domaine Chandon, Robert Mondavi) which are an experience in themselves, but the smaller wineries are where you learn the most.  Try Summit Lake on Howell Mountain -- a little farm (they seriously have goats and chickens) that makes one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons I've ever had. Our tasting here was like a French picnic in the park by the Eiffel Tower.  The owner provided the wine and we brought the cheese, bread, honey, and fruit! Hendry is another great spot and you can learn how the grape gets from the vine to the bottle from Mr. Hendry himself!

Splurge

You're in Napa Valley, after all! Our last night we went to Allegria -- a pretty fancy Italian restaurant where the food and drinks were to die for! This is where I got my cocktail fix (I was sick of wine by this point) and one of the best meals of the whole trip. It was worth every penny! I would suggest eating out for breakfast and dinner and then bringing a packed lunch when you tour wineries so that way you have a little extra spending money! One of the restaurants I wish we could have tried was Thomas Keller's French Laundry but reservations are booked for months in advance (that's how exclusive it is!).

Ahi tuna from Allegria.

If you love it, buy it!

Don't hesitate to hand over the cash for a good bottle of wine. You're literally in a place with some of the best wines in the entire world, so why not bring some home with you! I spent probably $150 on four bottles of wine and I don't regret any of them. Trying so many wines, it's important to note which ones stand out for you because those are the ones that your palette likes the most. In fact, if (nah, WHEN) I go back, I'm probably gonna bring an empty suitcase just to fill with wine! That's the whole point of Napa Valley after all!

Buy a "Taste Downtown Napa" Card

Best $30 I ever spent.  Head down to the Welcome Center on Main Street (down by the Napa River Inn) and pick up a card which will allow you to one free tasting at 12 different tasting rooms in downtown Napa. I thought this was worth the money by the second place we visited!  It's not only a deal but it also allows you to try a variety of places you normally would skip over. My favorite one? Vintage Sweet Shoppe -- they pair a piece of their chocolate with whichever wine you taste! I suggest the Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc so you can try their lemon white chocolate with it...amazing! Find more information here.



Talking about Napa just makes me want to plan my next trip! I was thinking it would be the perfect spot for a Bachelorette weekend...now I just need to find a man! ;)

Have you been to Napa? Did you go anywhere worthwhile there? Are you as obsessed with rosés as much as I am? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time my loves x.