socializing at pinewood social

this past week has been a busy one. it really started last thursday and ended today. from event planning, prepping, wedding attending, photoshoot-ing and staging, i feel like a worn-out energizer bunny. its been a good week though: the annual conference and company party i planned were a success, the wedding was a blast, the pictures are being developed and the shows are staged.

for entertainment one night for our out-of-town visitors, i booked us bowling and dinner at the oh-so-popular downtown nashville spot, pinewood social. pinewood is the trendy hangout for nashvillians for whatever his or her heart may desire: breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, drinks, pool (not table,  swimming), bocce ball, bowling and karaoke. go to dine, drink and enjoy.

dine, drink and enjoy we did. a small group of us went and i must say pinewood social is quite a big step up from the ole strike and spare. gone is your typical bowling alley food and glow lights and instead you have new american cuisine and an industrial-chic interior. between spares (or gutter balls in my case), we first munched on fried broccoli (obsessed, but best right out of the kitchen), crispy pork rinds, kale caesar salad and hummus with lavash crackers. the main course brought delicious meatloaf (served bacon-wrapped with sweet potato puree, roasted brussel sprouts and onion rings), fried chicken, and two delicious southern sides. needless to say, i left with a losing bowling score, but a full stomach.

pinewood social lived up to the hype in my book. make it your next friday night (or any night for that matter) plans and see for yourself. get social.

now, for a weekend spent in my murfreesboro, with my stella and sapphire, a manicure and pedicure, a trip to target, some football, chili and cornbread.

xoxo,
clp

acme feed & seed

last friday night, i crossed off a restaurant on my nashville bucket list: acme feed & seed. i met my friend (also my personal stylist at j. crew - i am so glad that we have become friends through our love of fashion and how similar we are!) at acme after we had both realized that we had never been and if tom cruise was there on the fourth of july, why hadn't we been yet?! it was different than i expected, but a definite must-go place nonetheless. located on broadway in the heart of nashville, acme is a multi-storied venue, with an inventive modern-southern cuisine, cocktails and live music.

walk in, order your food, get a number, a fight for a table (my only complaint about the place). the first level was crowded with a live band playing, so after getting our food, we made our way upstairs to the second level: quieter but still lively. i ordered the hatchery, which was curried chickpeas, coconut rice, cashews, cilantro and fried egg with fry bread. oh my goodness, was it good or what!? i was really quite impressed by it and the looks of every other dish that passed me by (especially the charcuterie platter that was ordered by the party next to us). katie ordered the classic burger that looked delicious as well.

the atmosphere is uniquely "nashville" and one that honors the traditions of old nashville but also brings in the new nashville. the food is good and its a top bar to go to at night. go for lunch, dinner or drinks and take in the sweeping views of lower broadway. you won't be sorry.

xoxo,
clp

happy new year

i am starting 2015 right: a traditional new years lunch (pork, greens, baked tomatoes, black eyed peas and cornbread), a low-impact workout, family time, gilmore girls and friends on netflix and pajamas. i feel like i have been going nonstop since i got home for christmas break, all due to my constant need to not sit still. when will i ever learn to relax? maybe that is what i should resolve to do in 2015...

anyway, this past week i have been spending my days at LEONA and i love it there! if you haven't stopped by to shop the bi-annual end of season sale, you should. the spring collection coming out is amazing and will be hitting stores soon. come see me tomorrow and saturday on 12 south! on tuesday, we all went to nashville for the day! we ate lunch at the local taco, a place i had read about and recommended to us by my uncle! with three locations in nashville, it is a lovely little taco shop, with some of the best guacamole i have ever had in a restaurant! everything is fresh and local and i loved my "monster veggie bowl". it is definitely a great place for lunch!

i am a stay at home girl for new years eve. i would love to do the downtown nashville scene, but i am such a wimp when it comes to the cold! maybe one year i'll layer up and see the music note drop in person! last night we did our annual cheese fondue, cheese and charcuterie board and then chocolate fondue for dessert! it has been a tradition that mom, dad and i have done for a few years now and i love it! i was also asleep on the floor by the fire by about 10 PM so needless to say i celebrated the new year in my dreams.

i hope everyone has had a safe and happy holiday season. i am sad to see the holiday season come to an end, but am ready to get back into a routine.

cheers to a happy and healthy 2015 full of family, friends, adventure, travel, sparkle, laughter and love. dream big and work hard.

(picture credit: levo league)

xoxo,
clp

boca loca + the vacationers + fro-yo

better late than never is the saying right? last week i ate supper at boca loca in hillsboro village with a friend and just realized i never posted my rants and/or raves about it! i also finished a book this past weekend that i wanted to tell y'all about!

• boca loca cantina and taco factory: located in hillsboro village next to cabana, boca loca is where i met one of my friends for supper last week. completely open air and with high-top tables, the restaurant has a cantina-like feel. on the menu were various kinds of authentic tacos as well as salads, house favorites and so many tequila choices that they span the entire length of the menu. we both ordered the zucchini salad and i added shredded pork to mine. the salad was delicious and a great change from the usual mexican salad. my favorite thing at boca loca was definitely their salsa! it has a slightly smoky taste to it and i used it as a dressing on my salad! my friend also ordered a margarita from the happy hour menu which she said was excellent! 
• the vacationers by emma straub: i finally picked up this book after seeing it on multiple summer reading list and bestseller lists. taking place in mallorca, spain, the novel is about the secrets, joys and jealousies that come to surface over a family's two-week vacation. it shows how we build ourselves up and tear others down, as well as the unbreakable bond that is family. the book has both its funny and sad moments, is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. i recommend you pick it up to round off your summer reading list. 

unfortunately, it seems i have caught a case of the summer cold. this is rare for me, as i don't get sick often, but i am really feeling subpar! with a congested head and a scratchy throat, the only thing that sounds good to me is some frozen yogurt! and, since we have a small frozen yogurt maker and enough blueberries for an army, i decided to make some blueberry fro-yo! with a waffle cone bowl and topped with more berries, i can't think of a better way to cure my summer cold!

blueberry frozen yogurt

3 cups plain fat-free greek yogurt

1/4 cup Splenda

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup milk

2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed slightly

1. in a mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients except blueberries.
2. pour mixture into ice cream maker. add in blueberries.
3. turn on ice cream maker and allow to churn until mixture is frozen.
4. scoop into freezer-safe container and freeze until ready to serve. 

cool off with this healthy, summer treat! and don't forget to top with your favorite toppings! 

xoxo,

clp

the flipside + OOTD

on my last eve of living in nashville this summer, i met my parents and brother for supper before finishing the move at The Flipside, a new restaurant on 12 south! specializing in chicken and more chicken any way you might dream of wanting it, it certainly lived up to the hype. decorated as a modern-diner complete with a vintage record player, the flipside offers nashvillians a new dining experience.

we had to order the tator tot nachos since we had heard rumors about them and as bad as they were for you, they were so good. order them and don't think twice. i ordered the "betsy", which is a pounded thin chicken breast, topped with breadcrumbs, buffalo sauce, celery and blue cheese. it was so good! i had a taste of the "phuket" and i might have to order it next time. all of our plates were clean by the end of dinner! also known for their shakes, phillip ordered himself a coke float which he finished quite quickly so i am assuming it was good! put the flipside on your must-try list next time you are on 12 south - you won't be sorry! check out some of the pictures i took below. unfortunately we dove into our food before i could get any pictures!

today's OOTD is a new favorite of mine! i love all of LEONA's shirt dresses but this one is in a fabulous abstract dot print that takes it to another level! i also love that like with so many other LEONA pieces, it is transitional and seasonless. today, i wore it with sandals, but i plan on belting it with tights and boots or throwing on my fur vest over it with tights and booties in cooler weather! and since it was my last night living where i have been most happy, i had to take the ultimate tourist picture with the "i believe in nashville" mural (hey, reese witherspoon instagrammed it too!). i really do believe in nashville, believe in all the opportunities i can see that it has for me. 

LEONA shirtdress (similar here), nordstrom necklace, j. crew sandals

last but certainly not least, the wait is finally over! the much anticipated LEONA SAYS tees have arrived on 12 south! i got my "parlez vous du sud?" shirt today and can't wait to wear it! the tees are in classic LEONA font and lauren leonard's gorgeous handwriting, with five different southern sayings! get yours fast, i have a feeling they won't last long! 

xoxo,

clp

review: product, book, restaurant

busy day, whirlwind week! i am going to rattle off a quick post reviewing some of my new finds including a book, two products and a restaurant!

• frank coffee scrub: who doesn't love the smell of coffee?! if i could have a forever-brewing pot of coffee going just for the smell, life might just be perfect. anyway, with frank coffee scrub, you can smell like coffee, all while deep-cleaning your skin. my roommates turned me on to this stuff and i am so glad they did. frank targets dry skin, stretch marks, cellulite and other skin conditions like scars and psoriasis. i noticed just after one use that my skin was already softer and smoother (not to mention smelling great). i really do recommend ordering this product - i ordered the original to start off with but may have to try the other varieties soon! as frank says, "get naked, get dirty, get rough, get clean." 
• bumble and bumble surf spray: i have stick straight natural hair. little volume, very fine. in high school, my friend and i tried just about every wave-producing product in the store on my hair to give it a little something, but nothing ever worked. this past weekend i picked up a trial size bottle of bumble and bumble's surf spray since i had read so many great reviews on it. so far, i have been pleased with the results! my hair actually had some volume and body to it, as well as added texture! i still need to work with it some to really see if its worth the price but so far, so good! (*another product i may try in the future is Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray - another roommate recommendation!)
• the blonde theory by kristen harmel: i read this after being recommended it by one of my best friends. a great summer, light read that follows the classic girl can't find guys, tries all the wrong ones and then finally learns something about herself and finds the right one formula. predictable but funny, harmel brings new light to the common "blondes have more fun' stereotype. read this one if you aren't looking to stretch your thinking and don't mind listening to a whiny, yet successful main character.
• martin's bbq: BBQ in the south: a staple. while i have had my fair share of barbecue in this state, from east tennessee all the way to west, i find that nashville has the best. while edley's is still my absolute favorite, martin's is a close runner up. located on belmont boulevard, martin's is famous for their redneck taco, which of course i had to order. it did not let me down: the cornbread pancake, topped with bbq pulled pork and coleslaw (more vinegar-based than mayo, so a thumbs-up in my book) and then finished off with martin's signature dixie sauce (try all the sauces if you have a chance to go) was delicious and i ate every bite! those i dined with ordered the brisket which quickly disappeared off their plate as well! i definitely would go back to martin's anytime and encourage you go soon! 

thats all for now! happy tuesday to everyone, and a happy 21st birthday to my best friend today as well! 

xoxo,

clp

meet me at the loveless OOTD

some people may call us crazy, but waking up early for the loveless cafe on saturday morning is worth it! a nashville institution and must-go place for locals and visitors, it is one of our favorites places! worth the drive and every calorie in those yummy biscuits, we only go a few times a year. i always eat more than i need to but the biscuits from scratch and preserves (peach is my favorite) are worth it. serving tried and true southern favorites, the loveless is famous and worth the wait i promise! just a tip though: going bright and early on a saturday at eight AM will get you seated right away!

tory burch tunic, j. crew navy shorts, andre assous espadrilles, lilly pulitzer bangle, louis vuitton neverfull 

it was just the perfect day spent with my wonderful mom and dad! too bad phillip wouldn't get up early enough to join us! we also treated ourselves to iveycake of course! i was trying to practice self-control and be good, but when they tweeted that they had a seasonal special today, we couldn't resist! the blackberry lemon cupcake waiting on me for dessert is already calling my name! 

xoxo,

clp

double OOTD thursday

i missed posting my OOTD yesterday so today's post is double! double the OOTD, double the fun! but before that, a quick review of the pharmacy restaurant, which i finally got to cross off my bucket list last night! 

• restaurant review: the pharmacy - there is a reason why people are lined up outside waiting to eat. certainly one of the best burgers i have ever had, and the tater tots were just as good! i went with the pharmacy original burger since it was my first time there and it did not disappoint! i highly recommend you go to the pharmacy if you are looking for a burger, fries, some beer and a milkshake to round off the meal! 

southward apparel southern belle v-neck, j. crew linen pants, tory burch miller sandals

j. crew chambray shirtdress, j. crew red leather wedge sandals, kate spade necklace, LEONA ID bracelet

LEONA ID bracelet, micheal kors watch

on another note, the supper i made this tonight may have been one of my favorites yet! as i mentioned on sunday, tonight's supper was spinach-herb pesto ricotta-spinach tortellini with chicken and salad. however, instead of chicken breasts, i sautéed some sliced italian chicken sausage and then sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top! it was beyond yummy and ready in under 30 minutes, salad included! 

coming up soon on the blog are my nordstrom anniversary sale picks (eek! going tomorrow!) and my favorites from kate spade's latest collections! don't forget to follow me on instagram (link is on the right) and also follow LEONA : nashville as well! i was on there the other day in one of my favorite outfits: ava top + sylvia short. keep reading and i'll keep posting y'all!

xoxo,
clp