ten things i'm loving this thursday

1. Gillian Flynn, author of Sharp Objects, Dark Places and Gone Girl: i have only read her first book, Sharp Objects, but i couldn't put it down! It was kinda dark and a little bit graphic, but it was one of the best novels i have read in a while! i picked up Dark Places today and plan on starting it as soon as i can!  
2. HGTV magazine: i have only gotten two issues of it but it is such a good home decor magazine! i was a little bit wary of it for some reason but i got it anyway and i am obsessed with it! we even subscribed to it today! it offers a great mix of high and low price products, easy and affordable DIYs and decorating tips from great designers. 
3. Target: who doesn't love Target? when i'm at school, my weekly trip to Target serves as a stress reliever. in the past year or so, Target has really upped their game. they have cute, affordable clothes, adorable home decor and now even groceries! i think the majority of the things for my apartment at school have come from Target and i couldn't be happier with how they look! 
4. Lilly Pulitzer's fall collection: i love lilly pulitzer. the more colorful my outfit, the better. every season i can't imagine how they can top the last, but somehow they always do. this fall is no exception to the trend. the collection stays true to her bright colors and prints, but is also on trend for the season. the lifeguard press stationary and gifts collection is cute too. i can't wait to purchase a few of the items! 
5. kate spade new york's fall collection: kate spade's fall collection is all about new york city, one of the "twenty five things we love". i am particularly in love with it because of my recent trip to nyc where i fell in love with the city. the collection has adorable clothes and quirky accessories that pay tribute to all things new york. i will hopefully be acquiring some of the pieces in the near future! 
6. skorts: i love them. always thought they were soccer mom-ish but the tides have changed. i bought my first one from athleta the other day and it had little ruffles on it! i loved it so much i got a bright pink one the other day that is from target's C9 by Champion brand! they are great to work out in or wear around town running errands and perfect for any age! 
7. picture albums: i know it may be old-fashioned and no one really develops their pictures anymore, but i love putting pictures in photo albums. it is so much fun sitting on the couch going through an album and remembering the exact moment the picture was taken. 
8. Homeland: i finally joined the rest of the country and am hooked on Homeland. we thought the first episode we caught was so good that we ordered the whole first season and we are already done with the first disc and it just came yesterday! the plot continues to thicken with each episode and claire danes excels at playing her character. each episode leaves you wanting to watch another! 
9. my Lilly Pulitzer planner: i am a planner to the extreme and my Lilly planner is the reason i stay sane. i broke out the new planner for this school year and somehow between school, alpha chi omega and life in general, there is pink ink everywhere in it! still, it keeps me organized and i highly encourage a day planner to anyone. 
10. blogging: i have really taken a liking to blogging! i hope y'all are enjoying reading it as much as i am enjoying writing it. any suggestions are welcomed and i hope to post more recipes, DIYs and maybe some workouts soon too! 

xoxo,

clp

p.s. how bout them braves y'all? 13 streak! 

just another tuesday and a recipe

today was absolutely perfect! of course, it began with my morning MAC trip which consisted of 45 minutes of cardio (stairclimber, elliptical and treadmill) and ab work.

after workouts, i then met my grandmother and cousins at Goodness Gracious Cafe, which may just be the best restaurant in murfreesboro! they serve breakfast, brunch and lunch and the mushroom burger i can't seem to stray from is to die for. i didn't see one thing come out of the kitchen that didn't look delicious. i always love having lunch with my mawsie (my grandmother on my mom's side) and my cousins.

OOTD

louis vuitton bandeau worn as headscarf, tory burch logo earrings, j. crew dress, tory burch sandals

mawsie, erin and i also went to target for a quick trip but ended up being there for over 2 hours. we had so much fun picking out clothes for my younger cousins and for ourselves! i had to practice some self-constraint but ended up getting some workout wear! everything target has, from clothes to home decor, is adorable and i know i'll be back at target soon enough! 

i came home to a surprise again today (i love my surprises). my grandmother on my dad's side had dropped off the tomato relish and pepper relish she makes (with my dad's help on the pepper relish)! her relish compares to none and i am so lucky she shared it with us!  

colorful tomato and pepper relish from grandmommy

and last but not least, a recipe for y'all! we had these last night served over cornbread made in the waffle iron (so good!) with a side of Central Texas Slaw and watermelon! i first had these beans at one of my best friend's birthday suppers and had to ask for the recipe! it comes from a friend that we consider part of the family, talented-portrait artist, Mary Miller Veazie. it is a true southern summer dish that can be served as an entree or a side and is perfect for a potluck or bbq! so without further ado, i bring you Mrs. Veazie's Cowboy Baked Beans!

Cowboy Baked Beans

1 lb extra lean ground beef

1/2 lb reduced-sodium bacon

1/2 C chopped onion

53 oz can of baked beans

15 oz can of lima beans

15 oz can black eyed peas

1/3 C ketchup

1/2 C brown sugar*

2 TBS vinegar

1 TBS dry mustard

Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Brown ground beef & sauté onions. 
3. Cook bacon until crispy and crumble.
4. Dump all ingredients together in large, deep casserole dish and stir together. 
5. Bake covered for at least 45 minutes or until hot throughout.  

*I used 1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

xoxo,

clp

my love affair with j. crew

if you know me, you know i love clothes. more specifically, you know i love j. crew. at the green hills store, they recognize me when i come in (which i haven;t decided if that is a good or bad thing yet). i am fortunate enough that the majority of my clothes are from j. crew. nonetheless, some people still poo-poo the crew. why? obviously i couldn't tell you. yes, sometimes the prices can be high, but you are paying for quality clothing that will last a long time if taken care and styled properly. my love for j. crew is hard to put into words which sounds superficial and shallow, but its the truth. so, just for y'all, i'm going to try my best to explain why i love the brand so much...

1. j. crew's very personal stylist: i cannot tell you how much help they are. i meet with katie ferrell at the green hills mall j. crew and she has literally been a lifesaver. i lost a lot of weight and completely had to rebuild my entire wardrobe and she was able to help me do so and save my mom and i from many dressing room fights. luckily, her style and mine are quite similar, but she has the ability to put outfits together that are absolutely perfect for me. another benefit from having worked with her for a few seasons now is that she knows my previous purchases and is able to pull pieces from new collections that go with pieces from past collections. she also always emails me about new collections and specials. i always email her and let her know that pieces that i love and she will pull them for me in my size and have them waiting for me at my appointment, with accessories to match! i can't say how much help she has been. the appointments are free and the stylists are always on the floor to help customers in need, whether it be from styling to ordering from the red phone.

katie and i at a j.crew styling session

2. j. crew credit card rewards: i must say having a j. crew credit card can be dangerous, but good things do come with having that little piece of plastic. for every $500 you spend (which adds up quick), they will send you a $25 reward card to spend. i just got one in the mail the other day and it is burning a hole in my pocket! j. crew also offers cardholder only perks such as collection previews, preorders, and special sales that are nice to take advantage of. 

3. j. crew college/educator discount: j .crew offers 15% off to college students and teachers with ID on all purchases in store or made on the red phone. it may only seem like 15% but any little bit helps when on a college girl budget and rebuilding a wardrobe!

4. mickey drexler, j. crew's CEO, and jenna lyons, j. crew's creative director: both geniuses in my humble opinion. mickey drexler has built j. crew up to be the company that it is today, now expanding it have stores around the world. he really cares about j. crew's customers and has even been known to respond to customer service calls himself. jenna lyons is my idol. the way she dresses herself and how she stiles everything for j. crew is a dream. she has a sense for fashion unlike anyone else and it can be seen through j. crew. she is the reigning fashion queen of america.

5. j. crew's classics: along with on-trend pieces that are beyond gorgeous and glamorous, j. crew always offers its original basics that are the company's foundation every season in the season's "it" colors. i always am able to mix classics in with my new items and they pair perfectly. j. crew is on-trend every season, but they are still able to maintain the casual-preppy vibe that they are known for. this combination of styles mirrors my style perfectly which is one reason why i am so drawn to the store.

6. j. crew's wedding collection: i'll say it now and i'll say it again: j. crew has some of the prettiest wedding dresses i have ever seen and at affordable prices. i would be beyond happy to wear a j. crew wedding dress when i get married. they are classic, stylish and always beautifully done with the finest materials. their bridesmaid dress collection is gorgeous as well, offering a wide array of dresses in varying lengths, fabrics, cuts, and colors all at affordable prices (and you could actually wear them again). my bridesmaids had better be prepared for a j. crew dress. shoot, everyone better be prepared for a j. crew wedding if i'm the bride. 

now that i have talked on and on about j. crew and could still go on for days, i hope you see why i love j. crew so much. what i listed above is really just the tip of the iceberg. all in all, i have found a brand that fits me (and celebrities and others all over the country). it fits my body and my style aesthetic. their customer service is top-notch, especially their personal stylists, and they put their customers' looks first. they offer quality clothing at reasonable prices. christmas comes early each month when the new catalog is delivered at my house! 

image from j. crew's august 2013 catalog, courtesy of jcrewaficionada.blogspot.com

xoxo from a girl in love with j. crew,

clp 

weekend recap: murfreesboro adventures and a recipe

i love weekends like this weekend. staying in murfreesboro all weekend really makes me appreciate what it has to offer.

saturday started off with the weekly trip to the murfreesboro saturday farmer's market on the square to get fresh, local fruits and vegetables with my mom. we love going to the market each week not only because the products are amazing, but it is also a social outing! i have yet to go to the market and not see someone i know! this week we loaded up on green beans, crowder peas, corn, peaches, blueberries, zucchini, watermelon, cantaloupe and bell peppers!

my mom, dad and i also toured Mayday Brewery on saturday! it was a really cool, laid-back local brewery with four different beers with names like boro blonde and angry redhead (my favorite for obvious reasons). the brewery also has live music at night and a deck and a food truck that makes it a fun place to hang out!

the "angry redhead" herself... 

inside the brewery...

saturday night was a favorite in our house: tamale night! mom buys authentic tamales from a lady who makes them for a church fundraiser and they are beyond good! between my homemade guacamole, salsa from la siesta, and chicken tamales, its safe to say we ate well! 

today i have deemed "birthday sunday" to celebrate my mom's birthday even though it isn't for another two weeks. i won't be home on her actual birthday but i still wanted to do something special. today will consist of some of her favorite things: her "cruise ship" breakfast (salmon, capers and cream cheese), laying by the pool, my homemade pimento cheese for lunch (recipe below), tomato gnocchi and salmon (chicken for me, the non-seafood lover) with salad for dinner and her strawberry cake for dessert! 

healthier pimento cheese

1/2 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt

1 4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained

1 tsp finely grated onion

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp ground red pepper 

1 8 oz block Cabot Extra Light White Cheddar cheese, finely shredded

1/2 8 oz block Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded

stir together ingredients and serve.

(adapted from Southern Living's Classic Pimento Cheese) 

tomorrow starts my last week at home before heading back to school! i do really miss my friends and sisters in knoxville and can't wait to see them, but i am really going to miss being home too. this week will be spent getting everything ready to go backs to school- from hair appointments to getting my emissions checked. i can already tell my clothes are going to be a real problem when it comes to packing. in addition to packing, i am going to cram every last minute fun thing i wanted to do this summer into this week! wish me luck!

xoxo, 

clp 

p.s. its shark week y'all!