Friday's Simply Smitten - Blush & Blooms

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“The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely”

-Louisa May Alcott

Happy Friday! I am currently on my way to Columbus to spend Christmas with my family. I haven’t been home in a few months, so am excited to not only spend time with my family, but also get away from the city for a little while.

Last weekend I met with a few friends at Lillie’s Victorian brunch. Lillie’s go all out for the holiday, every inch decorated. We didn’t have a reservation, so we met right at 11am when the restaurant opened. We were able to sit at the bar and order food. I have been to Lillie’s a few times for drinks but have never dined there. I thought the food was good, but the service was slow. I had to lean my body completely over the bar to ask for water. Other than that, we had fun catching up and looking at all of the wild Christmas decor.

Afterwards we walked around the Union Square Holiday Market. We ended up not buying anything, we more so just wanted to walk around and see what was being sold. It was a quick walk through before we went our separate ways. I took a stroll through the West Village to look at decor, while my friends either went home or went to the book store. It was a nice festive way to celebrate the holiday.

The rest of my week I spent lying on the floor with a bag of ice. As you may remember I have neck and shoulder issues. Well for some reason it flared up. I am guessing it’s due to the cold (hunching shoulders, shivering, etc), wearing heavy coats, and working out all combined together. This flare up was pretty bad; hurt to chew, lift my arm, and was in constant pain. It feels better, but I still need to rest and ice.

I took a little break this week to go uptown to Rockefeller Center to see the tree. I wasn’t going to miss it! I then walked up and down 5th avenue looking at storefront windows. I walked over to Madison to the Palace Hotel to see their famous tree in their little courtyard. It’s been under construction over the past few years, so it was nice to finally see it again! I, of course, ending the day at Bergdorfs to shopping around and looking through their holiday shop.

This past week I did some freelance work for a plastic surgeon in Greenwich/ Union Square area. It was fun to capture behind the scenes content, get to know the lead surgeon and his personal assistants. We chatted about Dance Moms and So You Think You Can Dance. I can’t wait to share the content with you all soon! The office is gorgeous, and I loved the way he did my botox; I didn’t feel it at all because he used an electric sculpting vibrator.

What I am watching: It’s here!!!! Taylor Swift’s End of an Era docuseries part 1 and 2 have been released! I really enjoyed the first two episodes. What I loved about it is that it wasn’t only about Taylor. Yes, of course she is the focal point. However, they focused on a few dancers (Kam’s story made me teary-eyed), as well as the musicians, and their experience during the tour. My most favorite part, however, was seeing Mandy Moore choreograph. I have been a huge Mandy Moore fan since her days on So You Think You Can Dance. I was happy they showed what it takes to not only to choreograph, but also learn the dances- sometimes in only a half an hour! Finally everyone gets to see the brilliance of Mandy Moore. The docuseries was filled with all sorts of emotions; nostalgia for being at the concert, seeing Taylor react to the devastation of the terrorist attacks, seeing the dancers receive their bonuses, and more. I can no wait to see the rest of the series!

I started watching Heated Rivalry on HBO. It’s a book adaptation– I have not read the book. Anyway, going into it I thought it was going to be this cute romantic story like Red, White, and Royal Blue….. it is not. I was in for a real shock within the first 15 minutes of episode 1. After realizing it was not the romcom story I thought it was, I found it interesting. Two prominent young hockey players trying to balance fame and their sexuality.

What I bought: I’ve been wanting to get a leopard jacket for a while now and ended up getting this chic one. It’s an elegant leopard print with a little shine (jacquard), and I adore the gold buttons. I also bought a new pair of my favorite faux leather leggings. The old ones are completely worn out; ripped and fraying. It was time for a new pair. I wear these religiously; casually with an half-zip sweatshirt or with knee-high boots and an oversized sweater.

On The Blog

Sunday Shopping: What’s On My Christmas List

Holiday Dresses

Sweaters to Wear This Holiday Season

Skirts For New Year’s Eve

LTK Spotlight: Sequined skirts for NYE

ShopMy Spotlight: Sequined dresses for New Year’s Eve

Top Seller: Cable-knit sweater dress– currently on sale!

As mentioned I am on my way home to Columbus for the holidays. Tomorrow I have my nieces holiday dance recital (the reason I am going home early). This is my first time seeing their holiday recital. I am very excited for it! Other than that I am not sure what else we have planned; probably dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant. I do have a lot of work left to do, so will be spending the weekend doing as much as I can before Christmas. Besides this weekend’s Sunday Shopping, and perhaps another Friday’s Simply Smitten next week, I will be giving myself a break and not posting on the blog until the New Year.

Have a wonderful holiday, a merry Christmas, and a happy new year xo

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2. A pretty black lace skirt

3. Gorgeous sequined dress for NYE

4. The perfect earrings for special occasions

5. What goes into outfitting Hallmark movies

6. The best looks from pre-fall collections

7. Everyone is making paper chains for holiday decor

8. The best new books of winter

9. 30 New Year’s Eve rituals to try this year

10. The art of hosting and attending events

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