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Your Guide to Charleston

April 21, 2017 admin

Hey there! If you follow me on social media, you probably noticed I spent some time in the lovely city of Charleston a few weeks ago. Coming in as the 2016 #1 World’s Best City according to Travel + Leisure, Charleston quickly became one of my favorite U.S. cities. In fact, I’m already in the works of planning a trip with my boyfriend later this year (fingers crossed).

In addition to EVERYONE being SO friendly (it’s no surprise they were ranked #2 here), Charleston is home to award-winning restaurants, great shopping and is filled with southern charm all-around. Our trip to Charleston was specially tailored around one of my best friend’s bachelorette parties and the city provided us with so much to do and see over a long weekend.

TO STAY

We went back and forth with where to stay with a group of six girls. We knew that regardless of where we stayed, we wouldn’t be there enough to struggle with the selection process of choosing a hotel. We ended up opting for a perfect little Airbnb right outside downtown and loved everything about it! I’m not sure about you guys, but it’s my fourth or fifth time using Airbnb and it always ends up working out perfectly! Jeffrey’s home was the ideal setup for us six girls to make ourselves at home with a ton of unnecessary luggage and lots of wine. The house had the cutest porch with string lights that could have been straight out of Pinterest.

In addition to our Airbnb, there were a few hotels we looked at that were located right in the heart of downtown – Mills House, Belmond Charleston Place and The Spectator Hotel.

TO DO

Candlefish: When exploring a new city, I love to find activities that you can’t do back at home. I found Candlefish through Liz Adams and we had an ABSOLUTE blast. Mimosas, making your own candles AND you get to bring them home? Sign me up! Overall, the experience was one to remember. The group size was perfect and we learned enough to feel accomplished, but not the slightest bit bored! Tip: If you decide to do the class, make sure you do it AT least a day before you head home. After class, the lovely ladies at Candlefish take your candles and make sure they’re perfect to take home with you!

Explore Rainbow Row and Battery Park: The weather was perfect – sunny and blue skies, so we took the time to explore “must see” spots like Rainbow Row, the Pineapple Fountain and the picture perfect waterfront. I’d recommend googling Rainbow Row and getting lost in the beauty of Charleston afterwards!

Go Shopping (duh): Okay…..the shopping in Charleston is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. At the end of the trip, the six of us could not stop talking about how cute everything was (and how much money we spent – whoops!). I’ve listed a few of my favorite boutiques all on or around King Street below!

  • Moon and Lola
  • Lulu Burgess
  • Mac & Murphy
  • Hampden Clothing
  • The Skinny Dip
  • Vestique

TO EAT // DRINK

The food scene in Charleston is pretty awesome! If you’re planning a trip, make sure you do your research ahead of time and book any reservations if needed. A few of our favorites were

Hominy Grill for brunch – they have a perfect outdoor area to have drinks before being seated and enjoying a delicious southern inspired meal. PS: Get the Charleston Nasty Biscuit and thank me later! |Photo cred: @lakeme |

Husk – this one books up fast, so make your reservations well in advance! Spare time before dinner? Grab a drink right next to the restaurant in the carriage house!

The Cocktail Club – this place was PACKED and had an awesome atmosphere! With multiple levels and a rooftop, not to mention the delicious cocktails, this place was a favorite of ours.

The Restoration Hotel – looking for rooftop drinks? We loved exploring this stunning hotel and the views from their rooftop bar and restaurant!

The Darling Oyster Bar – if you can get past their beautiful decor, head to the bar for a handcrafted cocktail!

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit – biscuits served a ton of different ways, need I say more?

Sugar Bakeshop – slightly off the main strip of shops and restaurants (and well worth the walk) is Sugar Bakeshop. Delicious cookies and sweet treats were the perfect afternoon pick-me-up while shopping around.

Regardless of what you do or where you stay in Charleston, you will love everything it has to offer! Make sure to leave your Charleston favorites below!

This is 28

March 17, 2017 admin

If you know me at all, you know I LOVE birthdays. Whether it’s my own, family or friends, birthdays are a wonderful excuse to shower the ones you love on their special day. It feels SO crazy to think I’m two years shy of 30, but to be honest, I am really excited to see what this year has in store. Looking back, 27 feels like it lasted FOREVER, in the best way possible! I started a new job that I love, traveled to wine country (twice), moved into the cutest apartment, and most importantly, started truly living life for me. It’s definitely something I’m working on, but one of my biggest takeaways this year was that it’s okay to say no. The first time I said “no” to a plan, was an eye-opening experience. Lesson learned: saying no really isn’t that scary, yet you’d be surprised at how many 20-somethings struggle with it.

I was inspired by a birthday post from Maya, the voice behind Charmingly Styled and thought I’d put together 10 lessons I learned before turning 28 to share with all of you.

  1. Buy yourself flowers – Ever since I moved into my “new” apartment (I can’t really say new anymore, I’ve officially been here for almost three Chicago “seasons” already), I can’t even begin to explain how much flowers brighten my day, week and in some cases, my entire month. So go ahead, treat yourself to some fresh flowers! Whether they’re from your local farmers market or the grocery store – do it and watch your week instantly feel brighter.
  2. Family is everything – I am guilty of putting my friends before most things in my life, sometimes even before myself. This past year, I’ve also learned how important it is to carve out time for family. Sometimes saying no to plans with friends in exchange for staying in on a Friday night to hang with your parents, can leave you feeling refreshed and restored (and not hungover).
  3. Not taking my thoughts personally – This one is sort of deep, but if you really sit down and put it into perspective, our thoughts (the good, bad and the ugly) do not have to be taken personally. A friend of mine shared this quote pertaining to our thoughts, from a book she was reading by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mindfulness for Beginners: “We do not have to believe them. We do not have to even think of them as ours. We can recognize them as thoughts, as events in the field of awareness, events that arise and pass away very rapidly, that sometimes carry insights, sometimes enormous emotional change….” So be kind to yourself! If you slip up, don’t take it personally!
  4. TRAVEL – This is something that I actually picked up on the tail-end of being 26, but if you get the chance to travel, do it! 2016 was a big travel year for me and I couldn’t be more thankful that I was able to explore different cities around the country. My favorite of them all had to be Austin. Most of you probably thought it was Napa, and although it was a close second, the food and all around atmosphere of Austin just got me!
  5. Be Nice – I’d like to think this has been ingrained in me for most of my life, but you’d be surprised what going out of your way for others can do for the goodness of the world. Just the other day  in the midst of Chicago’s first “real” snow since December, I witnessed three separate acts of kindness on the CTA where one person got up, following another person getting up for that person, it was like this amazing ripple effect that made you see the good in people all over again.
  6. Handwritten Cards – I’ve probably sent handwritten cards for almost all major (and Hallmark) holidays this year. I feel an overwhelming sense of positivity come over me when I drop the cards in the mail. Plus at the end of the day, there’s nothing better than sending an unexpected “just because” card to a friend when they least expect it! Tip: you can find great cards here!
  7. Get up and get moving – After moving about 20 minutes closer to my office, this past summer and fall I attempted to walk to work every day that I could. Although 40 minutes to and from can seem like a lot; I was able to cut down on my Uber and CTA expenses, as well as start and end my day with “me” time. Even if you’re unable to make a time commitment like that daily, try a new workout class, walk instead of Uber once in a while!
  8. Dry Shampoo – Try it. Buy it. It’s life-changing. I’ll even link my favorite one for you.
  9. Take up a new hobby – Big or small, hobbies can make life more interesting! This past year, I made it a goal of mine to explore a new coffee shop in different neighborhoods of Chicago. I even wrote about my favorites here.
  10. I’ll leave you with this, my favorite quote from this past year and of all time really: There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you learn to take nothing personally.

Cheers to a great year ahead!

2017 Beauty Favorites: Save or Splurge

February 23, 2017 admin

As a makeup artist and beauty junky, I’m constantly asked what my favorite makeup products are. The beauty and the beast (pun intended, March 17th – I can’t wait!) of the beauty world, is that trends are constantly changing! Brands and makeup collections are one season ahead of you and once you start LOVING your new Becca Champagne Pop, you quickly discover Glossier Haloscope is now all the rage. Figuring out if you should spend the money on the “latest and greatest” products that come out can be challenging. We’ve all been there, I know, but it’s time to figure out where you want to save and splurge on when it comes to makeup. For me personally, I have a few key drugstore favorites, but I’m also a VIB Rouge (#guilty) and love brands like Hourglass and NARS.

A few tips and tricks I’ve learned from working in the industry:

  • Wait for beauty events – Nordstrom Trend Shows, various brands have dedicated events throughout the year, or simply make friends with your favorite makeup girl at your local Nordstrom and have them let you know when events/gifts with purchase are coming up!
  • Try it before you buy it – Sephora employees are some of the best customer service oriented people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. They are constantly offering to make samples if you are looking to try something before you buy it.
  • Join a beauty loyalty program – Sephora’s Beauty Insider program is one of the best! I’ve discovered so many brands from the free gifts they occasionally offer and not to mention, the deluxe samples I’ve received through earning rewards are always the perfect way to find new products for your makeup bag.

Now back to the exciting part! I’ve rounded up my favorite “save” and “splurge” beauty buys, so regardless of what your wallet situation is, there’s a product (or two) for you.


NYX COSMETICS Matte Liquid Liner ($7) vs. Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner ($30)

Sephora Collection Bronzer ($17) vs. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer ($50)


Milani Baked Powder Blush ($8) vs. NARS Blush ($30)

e.l.f Baked Highlighter ($4) vs. Glossier Haloscope ($22)


CoverGirl Clump Crusher ($8) vs. Bobbi Brown ‘Smokey Eye’ Mascara ($30)


Maybelline New York Matte + Poreless Fit Me Foundation ($8) vs. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation ($47)


NYX COSMETICS Wand ($5) vs. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer ($30)


EcoTools Bamboo Powder Brush ($10) vs. Bobbi Brown Powder Brush ($48)

Yes to Cucumbers ($6) vs. Ole Henriksen Truth™ On the Glow Cleansing Cloths ($30)

What are your favorite beauty buys? Make sure to leave them in the comments!

Your Guide To Wine Country: Part Two

February 9, 2017 admin

IMG_4912

Hi everyone! I swear, the more I visit wine country, the more I believe it truly is the adult version of Disney World. I promised myself while writing this post, that I would keep my PSA about why you need to take a trip to Napa (ASAP) to a minimum – but if you read part one to my guide to wine country here, it’s impossible to not give you all the details!

Almost a year to the day, I was lucky enough to get back to Napa to celebrate Thanksgiving over the long weekend!

To Stay

For our first trip out to Napa, we stayed at Carneros Resort & Spa. I still dream about the spectacular views from the hotel property (especially their pool). This time around, we stayed at the beautiful Hotel Yountville. Nestled RIGHT in the heart of downtown Yountville, the location of the hotel could have not been more perfect for everything we wanted to do.

Vacation pool goals, am I right?

IMG_4867IMG_5907IMG_5909To Eat

A lot of the restaurants mentioned below are repeat offenders from our last trip that we clearly couldn’t get enough of!

  • Bouchon Bakery – Get here early to avoid long lines!
  • Ad Hoc – Make your reservation way in advance and enjoy their four-course family-style menu that changes daily.
  • Mustard’s – Order their porkchop and make a reservation in advance to avoid waiting!
  • Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch – The space here is so beautiful and they have a little market right next to the restaurant where I bought the best olive oil to take back to Chicago with me.
  • Oxbow Market – You could easily spend a few hours here eating and drinking.
  • Redd Wood – We love Redd Wood! Great service, pizza, pastas, and of course wine!
  • Gott’s Roadside – Go to the St. Helena location and enjoy their outdoor space.
  • Boon Fly Cafe – We loved brunch here! Make sure you order their Boon Fly famous donuts! 

IMG_5905IMG_4820IMG_5908// Thomas Keller’s farm in downtown Yountville //

To Drink

I loved every single winery we visited during our trip! What is so special about Napa is how unique each winery experience can be. I made sure to round up some of my favorites below that I highly recommend.

  • Palmaz Vineyards – This was truly one of the best overall winery experiences I’ve ever had. Palmaz offers private tours and tastings by appointment, and I highly recommend it! Shout out to Diana for giving us an unforgettable tour.
  • Newton Vineyards – The views (and wine) were wonderful here!
  • Schramsberg – Fun fact of the day: the Blanc de Blancs was used for President Nixon’s “Toast to Peace” with China’s Premier Zhou Enlai. Since then, Schramsberg’s sparkling wines have been served at official State functions by every U.S. Presidential administration since!
  • Raymond Vineyards – This winery was such a fun experience and not to mention, their wines were insanely good! Make sure you look into their Winemaker for a Day experience they offer! 

IMG_4999IMG_5906IMG_5027

Make sure to leave your favorite wineries in Napa or anywhere in the comments below. I’m always up for traveling for wine (HA)!

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Hi everyone! My name is Justine and I’m a twenty-something, Chicago blogger and the voice behind Short is the New Black!

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