Dear Momma

1992, Second Grade

Some girls obsessed over Wilson Phillips and others New Kids on the Block, but not me. Whitney Houston was the star who shone the brightest in my world. She was the most beautiful person I had ever seen and her music was beyond anything I had heard in all of my 7 years.

I fell in love when I watched the Bodyguard from my best friend Stacey’s staircase; we weren’t allowed to watch it and her parents were watching it in the living room below. I sat at the top of that staircase and my whole world changed over the course of two hours and ten minutes. I longed to be the beautiful, difficult, and guarded Rachel and wanted to boss Frank around, teasing him with my beauty and driving him mad with my mood swings and self indulgent behavior. Oh to be grown up.

A couple months later I cut my hair just like Whitney, chin length and a little shorter in the back, I felt like a star. A little later that year I rocked the Justin Timberlake cut. That was not because I idolized him…or even knew who he was, it was just a really bad haircut. It was very traumatic.

Christmas Break-I had a huge crush on a much older guy. He was a 5th grader named Shane, a real bad boy and he had no idea how I felt. One day while playing at my friend Nicole’s house and I decided it was time to come out with my feelings, so I called his house and when no one picked up, sang “I Will Always Love You” on his family message machine. I never heard back.

That May I made my mom a card for Mother’s Day. It was beautiful with lots of hearts and flowers drawn all over it. Inside it read,

Happy Mother’s Day! If I had to choose between you and Whitney Houston as a mom, I would choose you.
Love Brittany

Wow. How lucky my mom must have felt to know I chose her over WHITNEY. I hope she realized what an honor that really was!

And then I grew up.

And through all of those years she took care of me. At times taking second and third, fourth place in my world, yet I remained number one in hers. She played the bad cop. She didn’t try to be my friend and she didn’t care whether or not I liked her decisions. She raised me to respect, and be kind, and help those less fortunate.  I, often selfish and she, unconditional… over, and over, and over, and over again. Sometimes I’m enthusiastic and joyful and other times short and irritable. I doubt she ever really knows what version of me she’ll get on the other line when she calls, but she calls…all the time. Whether I listen to her advice or leave it on the table, she’ll always offer, with positivity and enthusiasm. She brainstorms, and guides, and reassures, and makes light. She pulls me in when I’ve strayed too far and brings me back to earth when I’ve soared a little high. She’s my mom.

I went through a hard breakup just a little over one year ago and assumed I’d return to an empty apartment after a work trip to clean up and move on my own, but she stepped in and owned my situation at a time when I wasn’t really owning myself.

Grateful, loved, impressed. The words that best describe how I’m feeling saying goodbye to my sweet momma tonight. She volunteered to drive from St. Louis to Denver with me, not for a vacation but to keep me company on the thirteen hour journey back to a half empty apartment. She helped me pack up my entire place, clean it, move me to another, cleaned more, unpacked and decorated, slept with me the first few nights to help me get comfortable, built furniture, taught me how to use a drill and an anchor, cooked us meals, ran errands, checked my oil, taught me how to monitor my oil, stood on a scary wobbly chair on my bed to create the most magical tulle backdrop, all while terribly, awfully sick. She is the true definition of selfless and loving. Thanks mom, for every single thing. You’re incredible and if I get half of your shining qualities, I’ll consider myself blessed. I’m thankful I’m yours.

More than likely, she’s probably like your mom. The love of a mother, we’re all so lucky.

Happy Mother’s Day to you and yours,

Brittany

 

Am I a Lesbian?

Noah Berg Photography

I’ve started dating women. Yep, you heard it right, I’ve been going on a bunch of blind lady dates. We get coffee, meet for wine, attend yoga classes, and peruse weekend flea markets. How do I find my ladies? A little app called Bumble, Bumble BFF. Yes, the app I have been dreaming of finally emerged and as soon as I heard, I jumped right on the train to Ladyville and haven’t looked back once.  What is Bumble BFF, you ask? Simple. An app that exists for people to find platonic friendships; no sex, no baggage, just casual friendship. It works similarly to Tinder, the founder of Bumble, Whitney Wolfe, was a co-founder of Tinder (she left after allegedly being sexually harassed by her partners), so you swipe left if you never want to see their face again or right if you think this person could be the future godmother of your child.

I moved to Denver knowing exactly one person, my boyfriend, and he knew one person, me. We had a ball of fun those first couple of weeks, but as weeks turned to months, we  found ourselves longing for friends. I knew it was up to me and me alone to put myself out there and establish a network of people for myself. I hit the jackpot when a hometown girlfriend and I were traveling together and I asked her if she had any remaining girlfriends from college (University of Denver). She said she did, in fact, and a week later I was on my first blind lady date with two girls who are a now a couple of my closest, three years later. Those friendships opened up new friendships and so on…

So why am I looking for friendship if I’m set here in Denver? Simple. I think it’s not only important, but really fun to have an ever growing network of people in my life. Am I really looking for a best friend on Bumble? No, but if I meet someone who I end up hiking with once every six months or someone who becomes an inner circle, every other week friend type, I win. One thing I’ve always treasured, are relationships I’ve had with those whom I have next to nothing in common. Sometimes we end up only associating with people who are so similar to us that we forget there are special people out there who’s paths we may never cross if we only relied on mutual introductions. I was on a tennis team last year, (I didn’t get invited back, yes, a woman my mom’s age Regina George’d me), and one of my favorite things about being on that team was meeting these women who all came from very different backgrounds and lived very different lives, but we all had one thing in common, tennis. I had more fun nights with some of these women than I would have ever imagined, our group ranging in age from 23-65.

So back to dating women. Have you guys ever been on Tinder? I got on it once, looking for a platonic guy friend after a hard breakup, and realizing that all my guy friends in Denver were married to my girlfriends, and ended up with new boyfriend. My one and only Tinder meet up resulted in a freaking boyfriend. Oh Brittany.

Well let me tell you about Tinder and finding guy friends on there, I was HARD on these guys. I wasn’t even looking for a boyfriend and I was so judgy. Like if the thoughts in my head were ever seen by someone… well here’s how it went:

• EW | Left
• Tank Top | Left
• Cheesy | Left
• Serial Killer | Left
• NICE hair | Left
• SICK | Left
• No | Left
• GROSS| Left
• Terrible Hat | Left

So basically I’m Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and no one is good enough for me. Right? WRONG.

I was on Tinder for all of two weeks and half of the time I was in Rome. No I didn’t meet up with any Italian guys although I did almost succumb to an invitation to ride around town at midnight on a scooter. I didn’t decline because I had safety concerns about getting on a scooter with a stranger I had met on the internet, minutes before, and cruise around a foreign city, in a foreign country in the middle of the night, while no on knew where I was, but more sleep concerns; it was a long day and I was very tired.

I digress. Back to judging people on dating apps. So, how hard am I on girls? Call me Mother Theresa because I’m basically the symbol of love and acceptance. Here’s how it goes:

• Cute | Right
• Love your shirt | Right
• Traveler | Right
• Loves wine, me too girl | Right
• Outdoorsy, she’ll get me on more hikes | Right
• Looks Fun | Right
• Loves her nephew, me too! | Right
• Pretty Hair | Right
• Zumba, never done it, but doesn’t mean I won’t try | Right

Can you believe it? I know, me neither, but I have to say, I’m pleased with the direction in which things are heading. We girls have to stick together. We’re so much more fun, anyway. And although I still only want to sleep next to a big, hairy, stinky man, I sure do like dating you, ladies.

#whoruntheworld

 

 

Take Me to Brunch

Noah Berg Photography

Nighttime drinking is for the birds, or perhaps the baby birds. These days I find my drinking is limited to daytime hours, you know, when the sun is shining. There’s something depressing to me about drinking after the sun has set, but that might only be when I start drinking shortly after it has risen, I’ll have to do some research on that this weekend and get back to you.

It’s known that with age, come horrendous hangovers and the inability to bounce back as easily as in your early twenties. I can’t believe I used to stay out until 4 or 5 in the morning, go home to sleep, wake up at 11 and go to the  mall with girlfriends, searching for a new outfit to wear out that evening, only to go back home, get ready, and toast my roommates with cheap champagne in expensive glasses (passed down by my roomie’s parents), and do it all over again. I used to do this Thursday through Sunday…THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. That is four days in a row and that is dis.gust.ing (I wish I could still do it).

I’m so thankful for brunch, it’s actually a pastime of mine. Some of us like to hike and some us like to drink bottomless mimosas and eat pancakes. To each his own. Luckily I live in a city where brunch is bustling both days of the weekend and throughout the year. What else is a lady without kids to do on a Saturday? Crate & Barrel or brunch? No brainer, friends.

But what if I end up becoming a mom? It’s still acceptable to bring your babes to brunch, right?! I mean they don’t card at the door (wow, I just thought of that) and as long as you take Uber, it’s fine. I’m going to start a car service for parents. I’ll drive an SUV with multiple car-seats for the mom with three kids on her way to meet her lady babes at brunch. I’m such a genius.

One thing to note, for those who are transitioning from baby birds of the night to daytime doves, make sure you’re leaving the stilettos and minis at home and join us for breakfast in your best casual and relaxed attire, not what you woke up in, and we’ll try to spare some bubbles for you. Welcome to the light side.

My favorite brunch spots in Denver:

• A pretty and sophisticated brunch: Beatrice and Woodsley
• Casual, Fun, Delicious: Root Down
• Got Wild Last Night | Getting Wild This Morning Ophelia’s
• Parents in Town (Free Brunch!)  Luciles
• Tinder Date Snooze, Union Station

Tinder date, that’s right. Breakfast is the new dinner and if you have too many mimosas and they come home with you, there’s still enough time to kick them out of your house before it gets dark. You guys, I’m totally kidding, I’m only in it for the free french toast.

Happy brunching, boys and girls.

 

 

 

 

Friendship and Faux-lligraphy

Jackie Cooper Photography

 

A few weeks ago, right as the winter weather took an early turn for what felt like spring, I had a desire do something, something fun, something with my girlfriends. I pictured food, and wine, and lots of laughter…all the usual ingredients that make up a good girl’s night, but I was unenthused when thinking of our options that narrowed down to:

1. Wine Bar (blah)
2. Happy Hour (meh)
3. Restaurant (ughhhh)

I was so sick of catching up in public places and thought back to a little tradition that I shared with a girlfriend back home in Saint Louis, Homemade Happy Hour. Going out is fun, but so is staying in and it offers an intimacy and comfort that can’t be captured in a busy restaurant.  Some days you desire a loud and lively environment and other days you want leggings, candles, and your closest friends.

I met May Englestad of POCO POST a few months ago at a Faux-lligraphy workshop at Denver Style Magazine’s Holiday Market and Mingle. I think it’s safe to say that I’m not alone in the fact that with the world of Instagram and Pinterest, we’re all a little more in touch with our creative desires and curiosities. It was like DSM had read my mind when they told me they would have Faux-lligraphy AND floral workshops at their event, for free?! These were two things I recently had been looking into and was more than willing to pay for instruction and I get them both, in the same night, for free?! Unfortunately the floral ladies didn’t pan out, but Mrs. May came through and was a little ray of sunshine in the form of an ex-kindergarten teacher turned creative entrepreneur and instructor of handwriting. We clicked immediately due to her desire and enthusiasm towards instruction and handwriting and mine towards learning and pretty things.  When our tutorial ended, I pulled her aside to ask if she ever considered teaching workshops and when she said she did, I knew she and I would be meeting again,  I just needed to figure out how and when.

Fast forward two months and I reached out to see if she was interested in being a part of a little party I had envisioned that was going to be all things girly, and pretty, and fun….and that’s where Friendship and Faux-lligraphy was born. I put together sent out an invite to a few of my friends and asked them to join me in my “teeny, tiny apartment around my teeny, tiny coffee table for an evening of wine, lady talk, and a tutorial on the art of faux-lligraphy”. Side Note: I invited a few more ladies than my 550 sq. ft. apartment would comfortably hold accounting for 5 not making it, but when only 2 said they were unable to attend and I had an extra girl join, we were maxed, I mean MAXED out. I kept getting texts from the girls saying how excited they were for the class and a few who said they’d been interested in Faux-lligraphy prior to my invitation. The enthusiasm that each of the girls expressed was enough make me confident that no square footage, or lack-there-of, was going to ruin the evening, I just needed more wine and I figured out that wine does fix space problems, it actually fixes all problems.

On a Thursday night just a couple weeks ago I put together a  spread of food, opened several bottles of wine, and invited 11  ladies  into my home for an evening of learning and laughter.

The night started with food, wine, and casual conversation and about an hour in we took seats and turned to the front of the room to Mrs. May who told us all about herself and the art of handwriting and then we got right into our two handwriting lessons of the night, H I P S T E R & Calligraphy. May not only taught us two fun lessons, BUT we also got to work on a project for our bride-to-be in the group, Erin. Each girl was handed a blank card and a colored envelope from May and selected a month of the year and our task at hand was to write down a special date in the card for Erin and her future husband to enjoy the first year of their marriage. At the end of the night we sealed up our envelopes and handed all twelve to the future Mrs. Levy….we also drank more wine.

Prior to the party I asked May to bring some of the cards to sell, because, hello, cards are the new Tupperware, and they were a hit. They sold. Every single card. If I‘m being totally honest, which is really try hard to do, I will let you in on a little secret, I didn’t truly think more than one or two of my friends would buy a card, I wasn’t even sure if anyone would! Not because May isn’t incredibly talented, but you know how people are…well not my friends and NOT May’s cards. They were gone. Every single one of them. In five minutes. Bye.

My favorite? A little drawing of a loaf of bread saying, “I loaf you”. Sold. Not to me though, to the betch next to me who I used to call a friend, until she took my card. It’s an ugly world out there, you guys.

I couldn’t have been more pleased with how the evening turned out and what I realized was something that was thrown together as a means to catch up with my girlfriends outside of another restaurant or bar, turned into a fun gathering and a bridal activity for a sweet friend. If you’re struggling to think of something a little extra special for a bridal or baby shower, bachelorette or birthday party, or if you just want to get some fun girls together, POCO POST is your answer. How many showers have you gone to where you play the game, guess the baby photo? Guess the future baby’s name? How many parties have you been to where you are taught a skill that you’ve been wanting to learn AND you can use in the future?

 If you know another calligrapher, that’s great, but what makes May so good and what made my event such a success was not only her skills at handwriting, but her talent for wrangling up a bunch of wine buzzed, giddy girls, keeping our attention and making us laugh. It’s hard to describe May without using some cliché and overused adjectives, genuine, magnetic, and like a ray of sunshine, but I won’t try to come up with synonyms or new terms because that’s what she is, that’s May.

If you’re interested in hearing more about May Englestad behind POCO POST, I’ll be featuring an interview with her where we discuss all of the ups and downs and ins and outs of starting a business and being a part of the ever-evolving and exciting creative industry.

Send me pictures of your event with POCO POST and don’t forget Rustic + Refined for all of your upcoming events, big and small, social and ceremonial. Cheers you guys, Soiree and Rose season is upon us! Let the parties begin.

Brittany | Vodka and Birthday Cake | Rustic + Refined Events

**Special thanks to our lovely photographer, Jackie Cooper who not only beautifully captured the evening, but is always a treat to work with!

Neo Nudism

Pre flight, look, no pants!

I went to the airport naked today. Okay, not really, I had leggings on, but I couldn’t feel them. I love leggings and if you read this blog regularly or know me well, you know this about me. I started out wearing these terrible Xhilaration leggings from Target that cost me $9.99 and offered zero support;  they didn’t squeeze in my tummy, and didn’t grab and lift my butt, which needs a lot of grab and a little lift. I cringe at the thought of myself in those cheap leggings, but thankful that I was wearing them at 21 and not 31 (I’m so relieved that the legging game is still going strong).

I went to Lululemon yesterday because today I flew to Tokyo and we all know it’s important to not only feel cute, but feel equally comfortable on those lengthy flights. I stopped in because I was on an annoying run to Kinkos, felt I needed to reward myself with a Starbucks, and then realized I had 4 minutes left on my meter and being the wasteful lady that I am not, felt I needed to use the time I’d worked hard to pay for and so Lululemon was an obvious choice. That’s the real story. After I walked in I then realized I had that lengthy flight ahead and thought I should take a look around….see what’s new in the Lu. Harmless….

That’s when my life changed. This a public service announcement ladies, so listen up. I have found the best leggings on Earth. The best leggings in the entire WORLD.

My girlfriend who was with me had told me about these leggings and I was certain I’d tried them on in the past, so brushed off her dramatic remarks of how comfortable the leggings were. I mean, all good leggings are comfortable. And then….I put them on….and I swear to you, I most definitely had never tried those leggings on before, because I’d never felt anything like that in my life.

I walked out of the dressing room and said, “I feel like I’m naked. I feel like there is just air. I feel like I am just, I feel….nothing.” I couldn’t stop talking with my girlfriend and the shop girls about these leggings and I assure you the way I was trying to describe all the feelings and how blown my mind was, well if an outsider were watching, I’m sure someone would have thought I was tripping.

Okay, so the scoop. What I did find out is that Lululemon created their OWN fabric and it’s called Nulu and it’s changing everything. You know those girls who are really into fashion and kind of talk like Rachel Zoe and say that everything feels like butter? I find that term (and those girls) kind of annoying. These pants. They’re butter. I get what that term means now. I get it. Butter. My leggings feel like butter, and air, and nakedness.

This morning I sent my mom and sister my PSA text advising them that it was in their best interest to purchase naked leggings before they go away or sell out or before the world ends and they never get to feel naked in public. That’s when my sister asked me to send a photo of the tag and so I did and guess what the tag read?

I    W A N T   T O   F E E L   N A K E D

What?! Can you believe it?! Never once yesterday did the ladies at the store mention to me that these were designed to make a person feel naked! The description tag on the clothing bullets out, “Naked Sensation”. Sensation? These leggings are a sensation! Lululemon, congrats, you nailed it. You’ve allowed me to be naked in public and for that, I am forever yours. Now, go get these leggings before the rest of the world catches on and if I’m late to the Nulu fabric game, thanks a lot for sharing…no one told me. If you didn’t know, now you do. Go to Lululemon and get the Align pant.

Yours in Responsible Nudity,

Brittany xo

 

 

Who slept with Leo?

This is how I would have positioned myself if I were at the VF Oscar Party and I knew Leo was about to ETR (enter the room). How would you have positioned? Photo Credit: Noah Berg

I went to a movie today. By myself. It was glorious.

I have nothing against doing things alone. I used to travel all the time for work which meant I was often not only dining and exploring alone, I did everything alone. I can not relate to those people who like to travel solo, at all. Oh, a beautiful sunset! No one to share it with. The Taj Mahal! Stranger, take my photo? Expensive wine over handmade pasta in the most charming restaurant in Florence. I’ll have another bottle sir….for myself. I don’t get it.

On a scale of one to ten, this week comes in at a five. I came off of a month that included a big European adventure, my birthday, ski trips, family visits, and solid time at home and next week I head to Tokyo on business and with that travel came a grueling week of deadlines and deliverables, and more of them next week. I needed to get out of my house, but couldn’t muster the desire to put on makeup and socialize. There’s a small independent movie theater about five blocks from my house, so I thought, what better way to totally decompress than to walk those five charming blocks and go to a 4:30pm showing of Carol.

I’ve been meaning to catch up on all the Oscar films and this didn’t disappoint. Nor did my medium salted (with butter) popcorn and large Diet Coke and the ability to take my retainer out to enjoy a show about a love affair between two women in the 1950’s, toothless. God bless dark theaters. I used to love dark theaters so I could make out with my boyfriends, but now I love them because I can eat without my retainer in the dark and not be seen. Yes, you read that right, my front tooth is gone (as of  seventeen days ago | my wrist is also fractured, unrelated), but more to come at a later date, because this is not about me, it’s about something much bigger.

So there I was, in the dark theater watching Carol and right in the middle of the scene where Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara’s characters make love for the first time, I wondered (almost out loud), WHO SLEPT WITH LEO ON THE NIGHT HE WON HIS OSCAR?

Are you guys wondering this as well? I don’t follow celebrity gossip, I gave it up in my mid-twenties after a ton of pressure from my mother (thank you mom), but this, this I want to know. Have there been any guesses? Do you think actresses and models who showed up at the VF Oscar Party were dressed extra sexy in a bold attempt to take the man of the night home? Did he even go there? Where was he and who was there?  It’s not like just because someone wins an Oscar that everyone wants to have sex with them. I mean, sure, it helps, but this is Leonardo DiCaprio, and he’s famous for sleeping with women who aren’t really human…or at least, they don’t look like the women who roam my brunch spots in Denver. And there was SO much hype. And he took it home. So who did he take home? Will we ever know?

Someone keep me posted. Please. I need to know who slept with Leonardo on the night he won his Oscar.

 

 

 

Chilaquiles + Chambray

Noah Berg Photography

Many think that those of us who live in Colorado are stuck dealing with cold, long winters full of ice and snow. Those people are often surprised to hear that winters in Denver are enjoyable and often times, mild. It’s not unusual for Sunday brunch to turn into a full day spent on a rooftop patio, sipping mules under the warmth of the sun. As the east coast is seeing record low temps this week, Denver is facing highs in the seventies. Warm winter days still call for layers, because as the sun sets, the temps  dip back into the forties. A perfect afternoon to evening pairing is this chambray dress and faux fur vest. The vest is a no fuss article that is easy to slide on and off and the dress, with sleeves that can be rolled, is perfect for those warm afternoons. Hope you all enjoyed your extended holiday weekend and found time to sneak in an extra round of mimosas and french toast!

Rustic + Refined

Erin Jean Photography

They say you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. For the past two years I’ve been thinking, contemplating, and questioning what it is exactly that I’m supposed to be doing, here on Earth. Fifteen years ago I’d have told you that I would be married with children by thirty, but here I sit, almost thirty one, and I’m not thinking about that wedding date and I’m not wondering why I don’t have children. In fact, I still don’t feel like I’m even ready to be a woman of that stature. It all seems so…grown up and although grown up, I’m just not there today. Perhaps it’s because I’m supposed to be doing something different. Maybe I’m supposed to be building something of my own before I settle in and spend the rest of my life with someone and have babies that will take over my focus, concern, and my world, and my heart. If I could have children at forty, that’d be ideal. But then again, I’m starting to realize there are probably more forty year old women out there who are thinking…if I could only have children at fifty, that’d be ideal.

Being this thirty year old, almost thirty one, (ohhh myyy goshhhhh), lady that I am, a lady without even a dog or a plant, I’ve decided to spend my extra time working selfishly towards…none other than me, myself, and I. Two years ago I registered a company that I wasn’t completely certain I wanted to launch, but after thoughtful consideration of my purpose, my goals, and who I want to be, I’ve decided to go for it. I’ve decided in my thirtieth year on this Earth to gather all of the experience I’ve gained on the windy path that I’ve taken and pour every last bit of it into something of my very own. Rustic + Refined Events is a full service wedding and event planning company and I’m beyond excited to further launch myself into the creative community of Denver.

You can find information on Rustic + Refined Events and our services below:

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Wish me sunny days and happy brides!

-Brittany xo

 

 

 

New Year, New You

Vest: lululemon Shirt: lululemon (similar here) Pants: lululemon Shoes: Nike (similar here) Photography: Noah Berg

I think it’s safe to say we all silently agreed that our “New Year” would technically start today and not last Friday, January 1st. For me, I chose not to start on Friday because I woke up and had a slice of chocolate pie for breakfast. I’ll leave the rest of my weekend consumption to your imagination, hint:  it was indulgent.

So happy FIRST Monday of the year! I start this week with a little extra enthusiasm towards my weekly goals because it’s a fresh start which brings a strong sense of hopefulness. Hope is such an incredible thing, it’s allowed me to, after all these years, continue thinking that at some point in my life I will look like Kate Moss circa ’92. I’m pretty sure it will eventually happen.

A huge resolution theme for many people is health and wellness, which is understandable considering it’s something most of us can improve upon and because good health is crucial both presently and in our future. When I’m healthy and active, although it requires discipline and early morning dedication (my choice), I am absolutely at my best. I sit down at the start of each workday with a better attitude and am more patient when things aren’t going well, personally and professionally. The past year and a half that I’ve been regularly going to the gym has shown me that working out is just as important for my mental health as it is my physical health. There are days when I wake up stressed out about my job or am just feeling bit negative towards everything in general; on those days I get myself out of bed at 6:00am, not for my body, but for my brain. Another plus, on those mornings that I workout, my food choices are much different than on days when I choose to sleep because I do NOT wake up early and work my ass off to pack those calories back on with a bagel and cream cheese, no I most certainly do not.

They say it takes thirty days to create a habit. It took me a little over twenty nine years but for about a year now I have been working out three days per week, no less. What’s depressing is that I recently read an interview of a celebrity who spoke about her workout routine and said she started out slow, “only” working out three days per week and then built up to seven days per week…crickets. First, let me just say that I was very proud of my three day per week status, but apparently that’s for amateurs. Second, it made me realize that it was time to step it up.

My 2016 health and wellness related goal is to incorporate one additional day into my weekly workout routine. Sounds easy, but my current three days seem to just baaaaarely fit into my schedule. One thing is certain, I will need a little extra motivation and for any of you out there who, after one day in the gym, need some extra motivation to keep you going so you can hit that 30 day habit forming mark, here is what I’ve found helpful:

• Buy Cute Workout Attire-Stare at that adorable tank and not your arm fat
• Carry a Cool Water Bottle-It’s basically a gym purse, I recommend S’well (mine is beach cottage-25oz)
• Make a Playlist Ahead of Time-Spend some time putting together a playlist that will keep you motivated when you’re losing steam. I listen to slow R&B which some find weird, but who wouldn’t be motivated by music that makes you want to make-out? Duh.
• Go with a Friend-No one appreciates being stood up and that includes your gym bestie. Bonus is, you can grab coffee after. Or wine, if you workout in the evening. Or afternoon. Or you’re just a lady of leisure and can drink wine at 9:00am. Goals.

If all else fails, just spend a day outside the gym, find someone really attractive, and start going at the same time. There’s nothing like a secret gym crush to keep you going back.

Good luck to you. Good luck to me. We can do this. Just think, we have approximately three months before patio happy hours start back up, lets be the girls who are ready to bare arms before we start sweating. God speed.

 

 

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Cocktails

Noah Berg Photography

Thanksgiving was months ago (or so it feels) and Christmas 2015 is now Christmas past. I’m back in Colorado, but the celebrating hasn’t stopped because it’s still the holiday season and parties are in full effect, as are happy hours with friends, and because my company closes each year, Christmas Eve through the New Year (#blessed), girlfriend lunches, inclusive of wine, are in full force. Once again, I’m a lady of leisure and taking full advantage of this extended time off. And by full advantage, I mean I’m sleeping in late, working out late, and going to bed late (yeah right). My work calendar is off and my social, on. I hope each of you get to enjoy the tail end of the holiday season because we all know the reason for the season is eating, drinking, having the right to go shopping in the middle of the day.

PSA-This dress. I bought it a year and a half ago and wear it all the time. It’s super slouchy and comfortable, perfect for pairing with a vest or wrap. It’s exactly what you need for a long work day, full of back to back meetings at uncomfortable conference tables, a gluttonous holiday, or sneaky comfort while on a Friday night dinner date (pass the bread!). Get it while you can. {link below}

Noah Berg Photography

Vest: Kristen Blake (Similar Here) Dress: Bobeau Boots: Nordstrom