Spring Breeze

Good morning, sweets! Hope you're all having a fabulous start to the day.

Despite my frantic schedule, {I apologize again for being MIA the past few days....it's hard to plan your spouses 40th birthday, I tell ya!}, I'm walking on air today because I'm just giddy over the gorgeous weather we've been having. Yesterday I even broke out my trench coat and ballet flats for the first time all year.

The weather is hitting the 70s, there's a beautiful balmy breeze in the air, and the buds are starting to blossom.

And just this past weekend we sprung our clocks ahead and now it truly feels as if spring is really here.

Are you all starting to feel spring?

Have a lovely day, darlings! Hope to be by to say hi at some point soon!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Monday Morning

Good morning, loves! How are you this Monday morning?

I'm feeling mighty fine after a fabulous weekend filled with lots of celebrating, catching up with good friends and a lots of shopping. And I ended the weekend siting next to Alexa Chung at a lounge in the East Village. Not a bad way to end a great weekend. :)

Lots to do this weekend before leaving for New Orleans on Friday. As I mentioned before, J's birthday is next weekend and we have lots of celebrations planned over the next few weeks, so I've got my hands full these days.

So, how bout you all? What did you do this weekend?

Enjoy the day, sweets and I'll be by soon to catch up. :)

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

And The Festivities Begin!

Good morning, lovelies! Who else it happy it's Friday?

This weekend is kicking off a few weeks of birthday festivities for J. Yeah I said weeks. Can anyone say spoiled? :)

Heading out to Long Island to celebrate with my in-laws this weekend. Next weekend, Js actual birthday, we'll be in New Orleans celebrating so we have to get the family celebrating in early.

Also on the agenda is a sushi date and some spring shopping in preparation for our trip.

Should be a good one!

What do you all have planned? Whatever it is, I hope it's a great one!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Sunny Days & Tulips

Good morning, loves! Lately I've been loving waking up in the morning. Well, maybe love is too strong a word. Perhaps I should say I don't really mind waking up in the morning.

I'm so enjoying waking up to the sunshine pouring through my windows. The days are getting longer and I feel like spring is so close that I can almost taste it. J surprised me with a big bouquet of tulips yesterday at work for absolutely no reason at all. And today it's going to be near 70 degrees in NYC and that is pretty unheard of for this time of year.

So these days I'm just content to sit back and bask in the happiness that comes along with spring. :)

Hope you all have a lovely, sunshine day!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3

I Thee Swoon!

Good morning, loves! Today I wanted to share with you some news that I am very excited about. My dear friend Tamra Sanford, some of you may know her as the fabulous woman behind the blog Walks with Bella, is officially launching her planning and event company Ever Swoon!



Passionate Planning. Extraordinary Experiences. Life Celebrated.

I have to tell you this girl is living my dream. A few years ago while planning my wedding I had a little dream/fantasy about leaving the beauty industry to create my own event company. Never happened for me but this amazing lady has done just that! She doesn't mind that I'm living vicariously through her. :)

Here's a little info about the company:

Our commitment is to produce a fabulous fete that is the toast of the town and culminates with you and your guests wishing the feeling of the day would never end.

We take the time to “dig” for the personality, flavor, and feeling behind the total experience you want to create which means taking into consideration all of the emotions and senses surrounding the details of the event.

We offer the following levels of services:

Full Service
Partial / a la carte
Month Coordination (aka Day of)
Hourly Consulting (in-person and/or virtual)

For these celebrations and events:

Weddings
Styling
Marriage Proposals
Private/Non-profit/Corporate

In a big city with big competition, we offer small town charm and service so Tamra, attends all personal meetings and is the main event planner at all events.

Over the past year I've had the great pleasure of getting to know Tamra outside of the blogging world and ended up gaining a new friend. Funny thing is we actually had quite a bit in common, both having worked in the beauty industry and share many connections, and we both share a love of fashion and beauty and NYC living. And I have to tell you besides being gorgeous inside and out and having such incredible style, she is an absolute sweetheart.

She planned every single fabulous detail of her wedding, this girl's got vision!, and I know she will bring such happiness and joy to any event that she plans. Oh and did you see that she'll even plan marriage proposals? How awesome is that?

I hope you will all stop by Ever Swoon today to show Tamra some love and to check out her fabulous new endeavor. You can also find her on twitter and send her thoughts/congrats using the hashtag #dancetildawn. She's even using my name to celebrate! :)

xoxo

Sweet as Sugar

Good morning, loves! Lately I've been swooning over all things sugary sweet. Care for a macaron anyone? Yeah, I'm talking about all of those pastel shades of deliciousness.

And I'm in desperate need of some lightening up. We'll be heading on down to New Orleans in less than two weeks to celebrate Js birthday and I'm trying to quickly springize {is that word?} my wardrobe.

I picked up a few items recently but I need to squeeze in a bit more shopping time before my trip.

TOPSHOP Pleated Dip Hem Skirt //ASOS Pyramid Metal Tip Clutch // TOPSHOP Mesh Knot Stud Earrings

And in the meantime, my nails will be painted Mint Candy Apple, my go to, I'm anxiously awaiting spring's arrival, nail color.

Enjoy the day, sweets!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Morning Beauty

Happy Monday, loves! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

I didn't have much on the agenda so the weekend was mine for the taking. Had a lovely Saturday playing tourist in the city again. Walked around the Flatiron district, went to Eataly, ate some amazing Italian food and then headed on over to my favorite place, The Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel, for some Ginger Fig martinis. Yeah you heard that right. Ginger Fig martini. It's heaven on earth. Trust me. :) A perfect day all around.

Sunday was more about getting things accomplished around the apartment. After a lovely brunch that J prepared, cooking and cleaning took up most of the rest of the day. Ended up finishing out the weekend cuddled up by candlelight on the couch with a bottle of wine.

All in all I'm feeling mighty fine on this Monday morning and I hope you all feel the same.

Enjoy the day, sweets!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Down Time

Good morning, loves! And happy Friday to you all!

Looking forward to a restful weekend. Nothing on the agenda. Hoping to catch up on life. Sleep, some reading, and leisurely tackling some projects to beautify my home. Stressing the word leisurely. :)

Oh and before I go, in case you missed it, yesterday I was on over at Hampton Hostess taking part in Barbara's Closet Confidential series. Pop on over to take a peak inside what goes on inside my wardrobe.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

I've Seen The Light & A Guest Post!

Good morning, loves! And happy March to you all! Hope you are all feeling as fabulous as I am this morning.

A few days ago I had a Thai massage and I have to tell you that I think it changed my life. Seriously! I've never felt more limber and energized. And I've felt this way for days. It was amazing and ever since I got it I've been trying to figure out a way to budget for one every month. Or at least every other. :)

I'm a big fan of massage but I wasn't that familiar with the Thai variety. I knew it involved a lot of stretching and such and that it would be a bit more rigorous than other forms of massage and I quite honestly was a little scared to go. I'm not in the best shape of my life and don't consider myself all that flexible these days due to some back issues.

But boy am I happy that I overcame my fears and decided to give it a shot. Like I said earlier. Life changing. Oh and another one of the differences between Thai and more traditional forms of massage is that you remain fully clothed throughout the massage which takes place on a bed. And it consists of moving the body into certain Yoga-like positions and applying firm pressure to certain muscles.

Here's a bit more info on Thai Massage for those of you who are interested.

The Traditional Thai Massage or "Nuad-Bo-Rarn" is one of the world's oldest healing modalities. Originated in India over 2,500 years ago, the technique spread with Buddhism across Asia. In southeast Asia for centuries, it was performed by monks as one element of traditional Thai medicine. Thai Massage combines the application of pressure (produced with hands, thumbs, elbows, forearms, feet and knees) with manipulation, adjustment and muscle stretching to improve overall health and well-being.

A Thai Massage therapeutic treatment combines Eastern knowledge of Acupressure, Reflexology, Nerve touch (Sen-Sib lines), and Yoga (flexibility, postural alignment, mobilization, improved circulation, quieting the mind) with techniques similar to some Western physiotherapies, such as Mayo fascia, Trigger point, Chiropractic and others. The combination of energetic and physical work from both the East and the West is a unique characteristic that makes Thai Massage one of the most thorough treatments.

- Dusnee Thai Spa

Any other massage fans out there? Have any of you ever had a Thai massage? I'd love to know.

Oh and if you're in the New York area and you're interested in giving it a shot I highly recommend the Dusnee Thai Spa. I've already booked my next appointment. :)

Before I go, I wanted to mention that I'm on over at Hampton Hostess today taking part in Barbara's Closet Confidential series. Pop on over to take a peak inside what goes on inside my wardrobe. :)

Enjoy the day, sweets!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Color Pop

Good morning, loves! Hope you're having a bright and cheery week!

Speaking of bright, it's getting to be that time of year where all I want is bright pops of vibrant color to help tempt spring to come my way. Yeah I know it's still technically February and we have a few more weeks before it's officially here but this happens to me ever year. I anxiously await it's arrival as colors of the rainbow float through my dreams.

The stores are all decked out in color. And I have to admit that even though I'm looking forward to ditching my dark winter clothes, I'm a bit timid to go full on head to toe neon this time of year. Well honestly I'd probably never go full on head to toe neon but you get what I mean.

I'd rather ease on into the trend with my manis. I already ditched my old winter standby Wicked last week and started sporting one of my other go to faves, Essie Lollipop. And I have to tell you, it instantly brightened up things.

And I have a few more shades on the radar that I'll be picking up in the near future. Here are a few I'm lusting after.

Chanel Le Vernis - May
Butter London - Disco Biscuit
Essie Olé Caliente

Butter London - Slapper
MAC - Toco Toucan
Butter London - Pool Blue

Essie - Tour de Finance
Nicole by OPI - That's Totally Red-ical!
Essie - Orange, It's Obvious

What are your favorite nail shades these days? Any new shades that you have your eye on this season?

Have a wonderful day, sweets!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Happy Helpers

Good morning, loves! Hope you're having a wonderful start to the week.

I'm in a bright and cheery mood these days and I'm loving surrounding myself with all things that help feed that feeling. Beautiful flowers and delicious sweets are two of those things.

What do you reach for to get that happy feeling?

Enjoy the day, sweets!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife