2011 Oscar Fashion

I stayed up past my normal bedtime last night to watch the Oscars in their entirety. I also watched quite a bit of the red carpet show beforehand. Let's be honest - I care more about seeing the girls fashion than what movies actually win all the awards. However, I did enjoy the show last night and loved Anne Hathaway and James Franco as the hosts - they were low key, but very funny. The movies I have seen are The Kids Are All Right, True Grit, Black Swan, Inception, and Toy Story 3 {I'd recommend any of them!}. I'm still dying to see The Social Network, The King's Speech, The Fighter, and Blue Valentine. Fashion-wise, I thought overall, everyone looked pretty amazing last night. These are some of my faves....

Hilary Swank in Gucci - fun and girly

Cate Blanchett in Givenchy - this was different, but fantastic



Mila Kunis in Elie Saab - by far my favorite of the night. It was perfection.



Halle Berry in Marchesa - stunning, seriously



Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang - she always looks amazing!

Michelle Williams in Chanel - simple and elegant

Monday Inspiration

Happy Monday my loves! I had a great weekend including best friends, my mom, shopping, wine, and good food - couldn't have been more perfect. Hope you all had a lovely weekend also, and I hope these images make your Monday a little brighter.

Source: Pinterest 

Source: Pinterest

Source: Melanie Falick
Spotted on: Hip Hip Hooray

Singing in the Rain

I currently have an obsession - with the weather. I keep checking the forecast and hoping to see a high in the 60's and sunny skies, but all I keep seeing is cloudy skies, rain, sleet, and temps still in the 30's/40's. Hurry up Spring! I'm beyond ready for the flowers to start blooming, for warm weather, and for...rainy season? Yep, see I don't mind the rain if it's not frigid outside. I may even want to get out of bed on a rainy morning if I have some cute rainy day gear to get me through the day. Here's some fashion inspiration to keep you dry in the rainy days ahead...

1. Sperry Top-Sider Rubber Slip-ons at J.Crew - heart these, and even more because they're yellow

2. Hunter Wellington Rain Boots - It's a classic, in lots of fun colors!

3. Right-As-Rain Hat from Anthropologie - water repellent, and I love the girly bow detail

4. Umbrella from Totes - Lilly Pullitzer and Vera Bradley also have great, bright ones

5. Matinee Trench at J.Crew - a classic rain trench is essential

6. Cute ballet flats at J.Crew for rainy days - stylish enough to wear to work

7. Rain Drop charm necklace at Edor on Etsy - how cute is that glass water drop and dainty charm? 

8. Cloud and Umbrella stud earrings from Laura Baillie Designs - simply adorable

Does this not make rainy days seem like they could be a bit more enjoyable if you have to trek outside?

Counting down until...

May 6th - which is when Something Borrowed hits the big screen...ahhh yay! Emily Giffin {take a look at her website, it's so creative} is an amazing author and if you haven't read her books, you should definitely check them out. They're perfect beach reads for anyone who might have a little vacay coming up {if you do, please don't tell me, it'll only make me jealous}. Something Borrowed is Emily's first book that came out in 2004 and ended up on the New York Times Bestseller List - and now....

it has been made into a movie - Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin, John Krasinski...love them all and seriously cannot wait to see this movie.

Don't feel bad if you watch the trailer over and over, I have already watched it about 5 times and there are still 2 months to go before it actually gets to theaters. Maybe it's only me...

Scenes from the weekend

This past weekend I road-tripped to VA Beach to spend quality time with some of my best friends. It was Jenna's 23rd birthday and her baby cousin Addison turned 1 the same day! First, I made these cookies as part of both Addy and Jen's birthday present. I decorated sugar cookies with royal icing - it's a long process, but a fun one! I think they turned out pretty charming and perfect for the birthday celebration. 

We had a big combined birthday party for Jen, Addison, and Amber's hubby Pat {whose birthday is right after Jen and Addy's}. Amber hosted it at her house, and of course the party was not complete without a big blow up castle moonbounce. The kiddies at the party enjoyed it for a bit, but after Addy's party died down, the adults {aka the older kids} took over. It was so much fun to spend the day with great friends and Jen's family. We spent the day catching up, laughing, and letting loose to jump around a bit. When do you ever get to jump in a giant moonbounce at the age of 23? Not often, so we took advantage. 

Birthday girl {Jenna} with the parents!

Jen's cousin Amber and birthday girl Addison!

Jen's special Birthday Beer Mug

Great Friends

Travel Tuesdays: Charleston, SC

I'm dying to visit...Charleston, SC. My parents have been to Charleston, and so have a few friends of mine and I've always heard great things. One of the blogs I like to read daily is Everyday Musings. Olivia lives in Charleston and always posts the most beautiful and inspirational photos from her daily life there. Not only does she post pictures of the scenery from around the area, she also shows off the amazing food that seems to be abundant in the little town. Definitely check out her blog, it's great and she really seems to capture the heart of Charleston. I've been talking to my mom about taking a family trip there this summer for a few days, and I think it's going to happen! I'm very excited, and I'm going to start keeping a list of things I don't want to miss while I'm there. Here are 5 things I definitely want to experience when I go -

1. Fuel Caribbean Cantina - Olivia always posts delicious pictures of her brunches and lunches at Fuel. Everything looks amazing and I would love to give it a try. It also doesn't hurt that they have a huge, lit up patio that looks like the perfect location for a few drinks along with fish tacos or a signature-house burger with sweet potato fries. Yum!

Source: Everyday Musings

2. King Street Shopping District - Antiques, restaurants, boutiques along the palm-tree lined street. Sounds glorious. Who doesn't love an afternoon strolling in an outside shopping district on a beautiful day? I would love to be there...right at this moment.

Source: King Street

3. Rainbow Row - This is a historical area of Charleston that was originally a center for merchants in the 1700's. They would have shops downstairs and live upstairs in the row houses. Overtime this area became neglected, but in 1931 Dorothy Legge began renovation on the home she bought, and painted it pink with a "Caribbean" color scheme in mind. Others followed suit and the renovation of this area was complete with a beautiful, new color palette.

Source: Everyday Musings

4. Cupcake Bakery and Sugar Bakeshop - Both of these look delicious, and I have seen several shout-outs on various blogs about how wonderful these little sweet spots are. Cupcake has a list of over 45 flavors to choose from. The PB/Marshmellow Fluff one sounds divine. Sugar Bakeshop has other sweet treats besides cupcakes, but the "Lady Baltimore Cupcake" is their specialty. Theyalso have a little garden attached to their shop where you can sit to have tea and enjoy your dessert. Sounds like a perfect afternoon treat!

Cupcake

Source: Deidre Zahl 

Source: Deidre Zahl 

5. Folly Beach - Folly Beach is a historical beach about 15 minutes outside of Charleston. It's home to a charming old lighthouse called the Morris Island Lighthouse, endangered birds, gourment seafood, and civil war history. They call it one of the last "old-timey and shabby" beaches in the area that's full of Southern charm.

Hopefully I will be updating in a few months about my actual visit to this beautiful, historical, Southern town.

Music Crush: The Civil Wars

I saw this group, The Civil Wars, featured on another blog I love: The SoHo, on Thursday so I decided to check them out before my road trip this weekend. I am love love loving them. I'm a huge fan of country music, and The Civil Wars have beautiful, fresh harmonies that remind me a bit of Little Big Town. I updated my ipod in anticipation of my trip this weekend so I was set with some great new music {thank god I did because traffic was hellacious on Friday} and I'm so glad I added them to my playlist!

Barton Hollow is their first full length album and they describe it by saying "each song is an intimate conversation, and no third wheels or dinner-party chatter are going to interrupt that gorgeous, haunting hush." Reading the bio on their site I saw that their song "Poison & Wine" was featured on Grey's Anatomy, and Taylor Swift has also tweeted about loving this new exquisite duo. They are definitely an up and coming duo and can not wait to see where they go.Their sound is sort of folksy-country and they were discovered in Nashville at some of the local hot spots. She's gorgeous with a quirky style, and he is definitely channeling Jack Sparrow {Johnny Depp look-a-like anyone?}...check out some of their music and see what you think.

30 Random Things About Yours Truly

Hello my loves! Another weekend has come, thank goodness. I'm especially excited this weekend because I'm headed down to VA Beach to celebrate one of my best friend's birthdays - it's also her cousin's 1 year old daughter's birthday, so there will be a princess castle moonbounce involved in this party. How can you not have a good time when that is involved? To leave you for the weekend, I stole Kara's {over at Once There Was a Tree and who also happens to be a pretty awesome best friend of mine} idea of doing an about me post - 30 Things. So to leave you for the weekend, here's 30 random facts about yours truly, XO.

30 Things

1. I got my pug, Henry, as a gift from my parents for my 21st birthday.

2. I have this weird OCD thing when I go shopping, and if I try on clothes and decide I want to buy them, I always put the piece I tried on back and get a new one in the same size to buy. Not sure how this started, I know, it's weird.

3. I love licorice - black jelly beans and good n'plenty, delish. I think this came from my nanny, she used to always have bags of black jelly beans in her pantry. Actually, I have an obsession with candy in general.

4. My all-time favorite color is yellow. I love all shades of it - from mustard to neon and everything in between.

5. I went to UVA for a year and a half before transferring back to VCU in Richmond to study marketing.

6. I have lots of friends that I consider my "best friends" - not just one. I love them all!

7. While I love to workout and stay healthy, I wouldn't consider myself "sporty" - I think my brother got those genes. I cheered, swam on my neighborhood swim team, and attempted tennis when I was younger but never stuck with any of it.

8. I recently discovered a passion for baking - love it love it!

9. Unfortunately fact #8 does not fit with my #9 fact in that I really dislike doing dishes. Laundry, I don't mind at all, but dirty dishes, ick.

10. I have an obsession with John Mayer that I've had since I was probably 12. My sophomore year of highschool I won a free trip to NYC to go backstage to meet him and see his concert at Madison Square. (it was an AOL contest, and all I had to do was enter my email address) how randomly lucky was that right?!

11. I am extremely optimistic and it's hard for me to be around people that are constantly negative.

12. My mom named me Brittany me because it was the name of a character on her favorite soap opera - she heard it, and loved it.

13. I was born and raised in Richmond, VA and I love it there - so much.

14. Most of my friends I've had since childhood. This is rare, so I truly feel lucky to have had such great friends through every step of my life thus far.

15. I'm really close with my parents - I tell them a lot (maybe not everything, but a lot) and I know I can always go to them for advice.

16. My brother Brandon and I are 2 years and a week apart :) He's 21, and I'm glad that as we've gotten older, we've grown closer. He's also a soccer star at VMI - hence, the sporty genes that I lack.

17. I write millions of lists a day - things to do, things I need, important notes, etc. sometimes, a few of the notes have the same things over and over, not sure why I do this, but it somehow keeps me organized.

18. I have a slight addiction to Anthropologie. I love everything about that store, the clothes, the details, their overall design aesthetic, fabulous.

19. I kickbox. It's an amazing workout (I highly recommend it, I have fighter gloves and everything)

20. One of my favorite places to be is the beaches of the Outer Banks. It feels like my second home, and I have great memories of weeks and weekends spent there with friends and family. One day I'd love to have my wedding there.

21. I want to go on a mission trip somewhere to work with children at an orphange. I can only imagine how rewarding and humbling it would be.

22. One of my favorite, go-to, chick flicks is "When Harry Met Sally" and another is "Love Actually" - could seriously watch over and over, and I have.

23. I cry extremely easily. I have always been this way and sometimes I hate it - but what can I say, I'm just emotional!

24. I'm a wine-o and recently have been turning into a red wine lover, never thought it would happen.

25. I love event planning - weddings, birthdays, parties, etc. I think it's an extremely rewarding and fulfilling job to see how much joy it brings to people.

26. Even though I'm nowhere near the point in my life to have a baby, sometimes when I shop alone I browse through the baby section - everything is just so tiny and adorable! I can't wait to one day shop in that section, when the time is right.

27. My favorite meal of the day is breakfast or brunch. I love going out for brunch or making a big delicious breakfast on the weekends. Everything bagels and cream cheese are my weakness, I cannot resist.

28. I have a foot phobia. I don't like them near me, on me, and I will not touch them - ew. gross. I hope my future bf or hubby doesn't expect foot massages, never gonna happen. Sorry guys.

29. I have two tattoos - a pink star on my lower back that I got when I was 18 (totally cliche, I know) and a small outline of a heart on my left foot. I've thought about getting a quote on my foot, maybe one day.

30. I heart Michael Jackson - a lot. I think people are too hard on him. He was a creative, musical genius.

****

Have a great weekend everyone!

BHLDN

So in the blogger/wedding world - this unveiling is all the buzz. Anthropologie has launched a bridal line: BHLDN! (it launched Valentine's Day). Not only does the line include beautiful gowns - it has party dresses, jewelry, shoes, hair pieces, accesories, and lingerie. The line does not stray from Anthropologie's aesthetic, and all of the pieces in this collection have a vintage-feel, with beautiful detailing. I love the jewelry as well because most of it is simple and understated, but still georgeous. Perhaps when I am off the market and ready to walk down the aisle, I will be purchasing my gown from the BHLDN collection? ;) - it's breathtaking. Here are a few beautiful images that show off some of the great new pieces.

Source for photos above: Elizabeth Demos

Source: Cupcakes and Cashmere

Source for photos above: BHLDN