Cocktails, Anyone?

Last night I met a dear friend of mine for dinner and drinks. We were long overdue for a catch up session and as luck would have it, our schedules aligned for a delightful al fresco happy hour and dinner. Wednesday night was "Ladies Night" and we indulged in the most delicious cocktail special.
I immediately went home and googled the recipe. I was so happy to find it and wanted to share it with you. It is Friday-eve after all!

Take it from me, this is definitely a keeper for those hot summer days by the pool and date nights at home! So here you go...pure gold my friends, pure gold. 

Vodka Cherry Limeade

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Ingredients:

2 ounces cherry vodka

1 ounce lime juice (fresh squeezed is best but concentrate will also work)

4 ounces Sprite or 7-Up (you can use diet for a lighter version)

1/2 ounce cherry juice (you can use juice from the jar of cherries or find it bottled in the mixed drink section of the grocery)

1 maraschino cherry

Directions:

1. Fill a 16 ounce glass with ice or a Mason Jar if you're feeling Southern :)

2. Add first four ingredients

3. Stir

4. Garnish with a cherry and lime wedge

5. Enjoy!

There you have it. A deliciously appropriate cocktail for summer. 

Try it and let me know what you think! 

Cheers!

Bits and Pieces of the Weekend...

Hi Friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. The Husband and I headed south on Friday to spend the weekend back home in the low country. We knew the weather was going to be spotty but decided to get out of dodge anyway. We barely had time to empty out our suitcases from last week's travels before hitting the road again but hey...you only live once, right?!?

Saturday we headed to the beach. Saint Simons was packed beyond belief so we opted for Jekyll Island instead. Jekyll Island holds a special place in our hearts anyway (I celebrated childhood birthdays there every year and The Husband and I wed there) so it was extra special to go there instead of Saint Simons. My sweet Mama went with us so I was in hog heaven with two of my favorite people on earth accompanying me to one of my favorite places on earth. It was glorious and I didn't want the day to end!

Sadly, it ended and Tropical Storm Beryl showed up. We endured tropical like conditions for the rest of the weekend but honestly, it wasn't that bad. I didn't put a curling iron in my hair all weekend and minimal make up was applied! Days of pure relaxation were enjoyed by all. Sure, we lost power but we laughed, ate, drank and carried on as if it was all part of the plan.

Here's our weekend in pictures...

A lime growing on my parent's lime tree!

Can you see the tanker ship in the distance?

Beach shadows just before heading home...

Fountain at Forsyth Park, Savannah, GA

Another Savannah Fountain

Squash and pork chops on the grill. We grilled Saturday AND Sunday! 

Wicked high tides just prior to Beryl rolling into town. Not sure if you can see the white caps or not.
The wind was fierce and blew the tide so high, it covered the marsh line.

All in all, it was a windy yet relaxing weekend with my beloved family. I can't believe it went by so fast. At least it's a short week! Happy Wednesday! :)

The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades!

WooooHooo! It's Friday, my friends! This was a quick week and because it's a holiday weekend, that means next week will be short too. Score!

For this week's Fashion Friday, I decided to feature something that  I will not be leaving home without as The Husband and I make our jaunt down to the low country this weekend.

I absolutely adore Ray-Bans and three words come to mind when I think of them...Classic. Timeless. and Cool. I grew up watching my parents reach for their trusty Ray-Bans nearly everyday. Now I wear them and I will bet my bottom dollar that my future children will wear them too. Only a few brands can rightfully proclaim their timelessness. Ray-Ban has definitely snagged that title and continues to reign as a timeless brand. I admire that so much in a brand. Such an achievement!

For years I would opt for fashion sunglasses, which are great but investing in a nice pair of sunglasses is something everyone should do. Our eyes are critical and we should protect them from the sun's harmful rays...so why not look cool while doing it?  Several years ago I bit the bullet and invested in a nice pair of polarized Ray-Bans. As I knew I would, I have enjoyed them immensely. I don't think I could ever go back. Polarized lenses rock! With more sunny days in my near future, I'm thinking about adding another pair to my collection.  Here are some styles catching my eye lately (pun intended, I couldn't help myself!)...

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Good shape. Not too big, not too small.
Plus, I heart tortoise shell!

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I don't know that these would look good on me but I still love them.
So classic. 

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Gotta love the aviators!

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Ooohhhh, I love these!
Cat eye glasses are totally making a come back and I love it!
Hello, Mad Men!

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Lovin' these too!

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I'm currently sporting these babies in tortoise shell.
I adore them! 

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A new twist on an old classic.
Thoughts?

Which ones are your favorite? Do you polarize or not? 

I hope you and your families have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! Thank you to all of those who have fought, fallen and those currently fighting for our freedoms. God Bless the USA! 

Be safe out there and by all means, Be Social! :)

P.S. Today marks my 100th post! I think another give away is in order to commemorate,

 don't ya think?

I'm linking up with Kori from Blonde Episodes for Fashion Friday. Check her out!

California Dreamin'...

Hello Readers! I hope you are having a great week so far. I spent the weekend and the first part of this week in beautiful California. I love California and jump at the chance to go every single time. If California wasn't so far from my sweet family and beloved home town of Savannah, I really think I'd move there for a few years. It's beautiful and did I mention the beach and wineries?!?

It was a short trip but good times were definitely had. I'm already dreaming of when I can go back...
I thought I'd share a few snap shots from my trip. From boutique shopping in Montecito, to wine tasting in Santa Barbara to playing golf in LA, I think we covered it all!

We started our trip by heading up to Montecito for some shopping and a delightful lunch at the Montecito Cafe. After lunch, we went a hop, skip and a jump to Santa Barbara. In Santa Barbara, we stayed at a quaint bed and breakfast called The Upham. It was so cute and reminded me of the south! For dinner, we hit State Street (the main drag) for pre-dinner cocktails at The Marquee, followed by dinner at Carlito's.

Dinner at Carlito's

Our dessert at Carlito's. A trio of sorbets. Delish!

On Sunday, we had brunch on State Street at Tupelo Junction Cafe and then took a nice stroll to the Santa Barbara Pier. That afternoon, some wine tasting was in order!

A creative spin on pan handling! 

We did the Urban Wine Trail, which was so cool!
There are multiple wineries within walking distance.

At the Braemar Country Club.
Look at that view behind me! Those are mountains in the distance.
Beautiful!

Beautiful sunset over the golf course.

So pretty! 

Dinner at the Club after a long day of golfing!

As I mentioned above, I love California but I must admit...it's good to be HOME! 

Cheers to another great trip!

Crazy for Crochet!

Happy Fashion Friday! If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know how much I adore this time of year. The weather is warming up and summer is on it's way! Summer is by far my absolute favorite season. I mean, what's not to love? The sun, cuter clothes, flip flops-a staple here in the south (And when I say staple, I mean it. Some people wear flip flops year-round here. I don't necessarily endorse that and secretly laugh to myself when I see the occasional frat boy wearing flippies in the grocery mid January! I digress...), the beach, sun-kissed skin, and crochet anything! Crochet is so feminine, cool (temperature wise) and sexy all wrapped up in a lovely stitch. One of these days, I'm going to try my hand at learning to crochet. Such an art, in my opinion!

Here are some stunning crocheted digs that have me longing for summer days ahead...

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Black crochet is so sexy and elegant. I love this dress!

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Previously featured in a Fashion Friday post but still fabulous! 

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Hard to tell from the pic but this swimsuit is crochet too!

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Loving this crochet maxi skirt from Michael Kors.
I might be adding this to my collection!

And it doesn't stop with clothes...it's handbags too!

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Loving this bag by Michael Stars!

And even shoes...

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Love these! 

So what do you think? Are you too, crazy for crochet? Would love to hear your thoughts!
Cheers to the weekend, my lovelies!

P.S. I'm headed to Sunny California this weekend and through the middle of next week. The blog might be light but stay tuned for some great upcoming posts! Oh and to my CA readers...any recommendations for wineries and restaurants in Santa Barbara? I will be there for part of time before heading to LA. 

As always, I'm linking up with Kori at Blonde Episodes for Fashion Friday. Be sure to check out her blog!

Thursday Day Dreaming...

I don't know about you but I am in dire need of a vacation. I'm not talking about a long weekend (although, I would definitely settle for that!), I'm talking about a week long vacation with The Husband, in a far away international location with little to no cell service. We usually take our big, week long vacation later in the summer or early fall but, boy do I have vacation fever now!

I am a beach bum through and through and thankfully, The Husband is too. I will pick a beach vacation over any other type of vacation every single time. I grew up near the beach and one day, I will return. I promise. The closet thing you can get to being at the beach without actually being there or at least by a pool, is to gaze at beautiful pictures and day dream a bit. Here are a few pictures that are helping me get through the day.

A little day dreaming never hurt anyone, right? Enjoy...

These last three are of one of my favorite places on earth, Curacao. The Husband and I have been there twice and are thinking of returning again this summer. The delimma is whether to go back to a place we love dearly or try somewhere new. I typically would say, try somewhere new but knowing how beautuiful this place is, it's a tough call. What do you say?

All photos are compliments of pinterest.

Cheers to day dreaming! Hope y'all have a great Thursday. Only one more day until the weekend!