Friday's Simply Smitten - Blush & Blooms

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“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate”

-Oprah Winfrey

Happy Friday! It’s been a lovely and celebratory week. I have officially stepped into a new decade. And I have to say, so far my 40s have been wonderful!

Last weekend my parents were in town to celebrate. We saw the musical The Outsiders…. I was blown away!! It was SO good!! The music, the acting, the voices, the dances, and the production, all fantastic!! I am happy to have seen the original cast; especially Brody Grant (plays Ponyboy) who was nominated for best performance by lead actor at the Tony awards. He, long with the rest of the cast, was phenomenal. I’ve been listening to the soundtrack all week– my favorite is “Great Expectations”.

After dinner we went to Tavern on the Green for the first time. A New York bucket list item for sure! I was surprised to see how big it is. I didn’t realize how many rooms they have, plus an outside patio. We sat inside, in the green room, and I thought it was very beautiful and posh. The patio is much more casual and would be great for those coming straight from Central Park. We were dressed up, so the green room was appropriate for our attire. I wore my new floral maxi dress that was perfect for the occasion.

Anyway, they have gluten free bread so they got high marks from me (and my mom). I had the salmon which was delicious. Then for dessert I had the lemon crème brûlée. We did the whole birthday cake ordeal with candles. Unfortunately it was not gluten free; my dad was the one who got to enjoy my birthday cake. I, at least, was able to make a wish and blow out the candle. The evening was lovely!

Besides celebrating my birthday, we had brunch at one of my favorite spots Sant Ambroeus in the West Village. We walked around for a little bit, they bought me a new book. It was nice to just spend some time with them!

Sunday evening, after my parents left, I treated myself to a night of tennis. I went to the US Open. Usually it’s a tradition for me to go to the first day noon matches, but they changed things up this year and started on Sunday. My parents were still in town so I couldn’t attend the day matches. I haven’t been to a night match in years and they have really ampt it up. At one point it felt as if I were at a concert with all the smoke, lazer beams, and music. I saw Djokovic and Pegula dominate the court, all while I enjoyed my honey deuce. It was a great evening!

My birthday celebration didn’t stop there. Tuesday evening I went to a friends dinner at The Nines. Another restaurant that was on my NYC bucket list. The Nines is an upscale supper club and piano bar. Since we had dinner there we were privy to the jazz band. First there was a pianist, then around 7pm a jazz band performed. For dinner I had the salmon and for dessert I had the chocolate mousse. Very delicious! I had SO much fun celebrating with my friends. I felt very loved!

I finally went back to DanceBody. I haven’t been there in almost a month. I have been doing it at home, trying to save some money. While I get a great workout at home, it doesn’t compare to being in the studio. I love the energy, the extra space to fully dance. The summer dances have been challenging and I have really enjoyed learning them. There is one dance that I still have trouble with, but overall I have them all perfected. I am excited for new dances at the beginning of September!

I have something VERY exciting to announce….. I got a new job!!! I will be working at Mostest as a contracted content creator. Mostest is a wedding and events planning company. My job is to go to weddings, corporate events, personal parties to capture and create content for them; making Reels, TikToks, IG Stories, light photography. I am very excited about this new venture! This is exactly the type of job I have been looking for for a while. What does this mean for my blog? Absolutely nothing will change! Being a contracted content creator means I can make my own schedule. I can say yes or no to how many events I take on per week. In the beginning I may not be as present with my blog as I try to get acclimated to my new role and figure out how to balance the two jobs. But once I get comfortable with my new position, I will be able to do both. I am so excited to grow within my skills, push my creativity, and capture happy moments for clients. Once I am finish my onboarding, I will share my profile so you can book me for your next event!

Besides starting my training for my new job, I have been working on content for my own blog. I have a lot of wonderful collaborations in the works to share (already shared the Walmart one here).

What I am watching: As mentioned I have been watching the US Open all week! I have been enjoying rooting on some of my favorites. For mens I think it will once again come down to Sinner and Alcaraz. For the womens I think it will be between Coco, Pegula, Ina, or Sabalenka. But anything can happen and there are always upsets in the world of tennis.

What I bought: I need more handbags for the fall season and ended up buying this leather handwoven clutch in dark brown (currently on sale!). I also bought this beautiful shirtdress for the fall, as well as this pretty floral blouse.

On The Blog

Dresses For The Fall Season

LTK Spotlight: Barn jackets for the fall

ShopMy Spotlight: New fall fashion finds

Mavely: Fall finds under $50

Top Seller: This matching gingham set

This weekend I am staying in the city, enjoying some downtime during this long week. I will have to continue going through my training package for my new job, as well as work on some content for my blog. However, I will be reading, watching football, maybe getting a drink with friends, and enjoying the end of summer here in the city.

Have a wonderful weekend xo

1. All the celebrities at the US Open

2. A pretty dress for the fall

3. This top is gorgeous

4. Chic necklace for the fall

5. 15 dress trends for the fall

6. Interesting article on how aesthetics are named

7. The history of the classic Burberry trench coat

8. All about Taylor Swift’s engagement ring

9. When fall foliage will hit your area

10. Labor Day desserts to make

Weekend Sales