Dîner en Blanc - Chicago - We Went!

Remember when I told you about Dîner en Blanc last week? I hardly expected that we would end up being part of the Chicago version but how happy we were to join in the fun!

It all happened so fast... after I was un-waitlisted the hunt was on for elegant, white apparel and accessories, sourcing tables and chairs, preparing our dinner, packing our items (real plates, cloth napkins, wine glasses); it felt like a lot of work but the end result was so worth the effort. 

We took the train from our house to one of several meeting spots in the city, 

where we met our group leader and some new 'blanc' friends.

We made our way across city streets to the secret location, the Art Institute...

photos by Ryan Cosens, more here. 

where we quickly set up our tables before nightfall and settled into an elegant picnic under the stars 

(and a few spiders in the trees overhead but we dealt with it)...

and twirled our napkins to signal the start of dinner.

That's us on the right! 

Photo by James Trevenen, more here.

After a scrumptious meal and 2 bottles of wine we took silly pictures like this...

and ended the night doing this:

                                                                      photo by Ryan Cosens, more here. 

If you ever have the opportunity to attend a Dîner en Blanc event you won't want to miss out. It was glamorous, friendly, and super fun way to spend an evening in your city. Call me crazy, but I'd be up for making a goal of attending in a few more cities (or countries even!). What a wonderful way to see the town, meet a few locals and make a memory in a new place! 

We thrive on exciting adventures like this but I'm curious what your thoughts are..worth the work or too much trouble?

Timbuuur!

An extra stitch here, a contrast collar there. For me, it's all about the details and Timberland has it right this fall. A new store recently popped on Chicago's Michigan Avenue and the grand opening event was a mix a good cocktails, great people and kickin' music. As someone who's passionate about men's apparel I was most excited about the selection of clothing and shoes for the guys in our lives. The fabric and quality are A+. Equally impressive is the Earthkeepers line, made of natural and recycled materials; who knew empty water bottles could look so good? Don't take my word for it, peep the pics below!

The Boots are Made for Serious Walking

Tee & Scarf- Urban Outfitters

Jeans - American Eagle - seen here / similar

Boots - c/o Timberland - similar / similar

Tote & Bracelet - Randolph Street Market

Sunnies - Sears

It's that time of year again when we get to utilize our entire wardrobe. Chilliy a.m.'s and p.m's with sunnier peak times means we can don anything from boots and tee's to skirts and sweaters all in the same day. In an effort to keep summer around as long as possible I've been hesitant to start wearing anything related to fall apparel, but these these peanut butter hued boots from Timberland's Earthkeeper's line are helping soothe the transition  I can tell they're going to be in heavy rotation given the goes-with-everything color and comfortability; so great for the autumn city explorations I enjoy so much. The fact that they just so happen to match perfectly with the oil cloth and leather tote I picked up earlier this summer at the Randolph Street Market is just icing on the cake! The new Timberland store is opening in Chicago today and I can't wait to scope out the rest of the collection, I've got my eye on these. 

Happy almost fall y'all.

Disclosure: I received product in return for this post, however, my opinions are my own, based on my experience and interaction with the brand. As always, if I don’t love it, I don’t tell you about it. Read my official (i.e. “wordy”) disclosure here.

Dîner en Blanc

photos by Humans of New York 

With our annual White Party a couple of weeks away (we're celebrating on Labor Day this year, appropriate, yes?) I am completely intrigued by Dîner en Blanc, which took place at Lincoln Center in New York City yesterday. A classy flash mob of sorts that originated 24 years ago in Paris, the location is kept secret until the last moment, at which "thousands of people, dressed all in white, conducting themselves with the greatest decorum, elegance, and etiquette, all meet for a mass “chic picnic” in a public space". 

These photo's were taken by Brandon of Humans of New York, one of my new favorite Facebook follows. They completely capture the essence of the day, don't you think? 

Coincidently, Dîner en Blanc - Chicago is happening this Friday and you can bet I'm already on the waiting list. 

Très amusant! 

Update 1:30pm: We're un-waitlisted and registered! Expect lots of white from me in the near future!

Nailing It Down

photos via Instagram, follow me @LittleAshleigh

One of the things I've enjoyed having more time for this summer is nails. From simple to stickers, for at least an hour on a Sunday afternoon you can find me on our balcony polishing away. Summer colors and just so fun! While I'm gearing up to say goodbye to neon's (maybe...) there are also a few fall trends I'm pretty pumped about: velvet, gothic berries and nudes are definitely on my radar for cooler weather. When it comes to nail trends, I'll try anything once. What about you? Have any favorite hue's or artwork you'd like to share?

P.S. A couple of links to inspire your fingers for fall here and here!

When Stains Are a Good Thing

In the last couple of years I've been addicted to cheek and lip stains. First it was these, which are still in heavy rotation, and lately I've fallen for Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. As much fun as lipstick can be, sometimes we need something a little less maintenance. For work days, I prefer stains for a few reasons:

• I don't have to worry about the uneven fading and the prominent "m" towards mid afternoon, you know, the top lip leftover?
• There's no time to check the mirror and reapply after each sip or snack
• The color from stains can be intense, like this one, but they're a bit softer than traditional lipstick which, for me, feels more office appropriate
• Lips still feel bare, which is much more comfy than a goopy gloss

Some stains can be drying, but this is, well, balmy. The gel like formula (within a retractable chubby pencil) glides on lightweight and smooth. And the colors are sweet and wonderful - I've been wearing 'Lovesick'. Plus it's easy to store in a pocket, small purse, pencil holder on your desk...  Have you tried Just Bitten or other stains? What are your faves?

An Explanation

Me, just, you know, drinking coffee on a rock. 

Well hello there, long time no blog, eh?

It's high time I pop in and explain my absence, to the best of my ability anyway. What started as a mini hiatus, turned into a much longer, unplanned one. Through a busy schedule, a beautiful summer to enjoy and a much needed break, days turned into weeks, weeks into months and now here we are. Though I'm not going to dive into all the things I've been dealing with in my personal life, I'll say this; the break I've had from the world wide web has been refreshing but I've definitely missed our interactions! (Thank goodness for instagram, which I am still totally loving.)

So, I hereby announce that I'm dipping by toes back in - little by little, bit by bit, starting with this post.  (Cue the glitter, confetti and horns!)

I hope you've all had a fantastic summer, filled with sunshine, poolside cocktails and relaxation. We've got a little left here in Chicago and I intend to make the most of it.

Cheers lovelies, see ya around sooner than later this time :)

{Hold breath, aaaaand "Publish". eeeps!}

P.S. And thank you for the emails, tweets and inquiries while I was away, you guys are the best.