Bites of My Life

We love a short week. We loooove a short week after a long weekend. Can we do it again this week?

I wish I was sleeping in for one more weekend day this morning. However, I will say that “summer” gives each week a more easy going feel. Even when things are busy, they still feel more relaxed. I love having more sunlight to get things done and/or just enjoy more of the day! Yesterday was intended to be a lazy day, but I did some yoga, got two two walks in, a grocery trip run, some meal prepping, ordered a ton of photos to be printed, vacuumed, did laundry, and also watched a lot of TV. I didn’t mean to be so productive, but it just kind of happened. The long days of summer is one of my favorite parts of the season.

-Outtakes from the long weekend! Who knew Katy Trail Ice House had such good lighting??
-Obsessed with my Sleeper look-a-like dress I got for my birthday. Purchased from this Etsy shop.
-Another birthday treat post-birthday showed up last week. I’ve been bullying my friend Anna who lives in DC to go to Tatte Bakery since I saw they opened. It looks like what my dreams are made of. Until I can go on my own, Anna sent me some goodies to tide me over. Inside was the most delicious homemade granola and candied nuts!
-Belated birthday lunch at Rise! Go for the souffle, stay for the Nicoise salad.
-Another birthday gift came in and is now sized and ready to wear! I really wanted a vintage pinky signet ring with my initials, but of course, I had something in my head that I couldn’t find or was upwards $1,000. Kathleen found this little guy on a new-to-me site called Italic. I’m so happy with it!
-The summer ice cream, froyo, custard, cold sweet treat craving is unmatched. Treated myself to Friday froyo and an early bedtime post-happy hour!
-Protein pancakes for Saturday morning!
-St. Paul and the Broken Bones!!! After missing them twice at The Jones, I was thriiiiiled to get the invite to a mini show they had in Dallas at the new Thompson hotel. This picture is not of St. Paul, but a great afternoon with them too :)
-Still perfecting my Cava order, and I think we may have hit it. One more test run then I’ll share with the class.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Twenty-seven, an age I didn’t want to turn. I was pretty vocal about how I did not want to turn 27 last year. There was a list of internal reasons why I didn’t want to get older last year, but add a pandemic on top and I was not in the headspace to “age.” Come this year and I felt confident going into 28. The week shook out a bit different than originally planned, but I’m still holding strong to confidence in year 28. It’s not a novel idea that birthdays make you think and reflect, but this past week was a glaring reminder of how incredible my friends and family are. The people I’ve somehow tricked into my corner of community are the best, bias but very true.

-I don’t have a lot of love languages, but a surprise decaf latte is definitely one of them. Bonus points for a latte that comes in a cheery yellow cup with an uplifting saying.
-I thought Crumbl Cookies were just a Tik Tok trend, but boy was I wrong. These bad boys showed up on my porch and were everything of the sort. I cannot stress enough how yum there were. SB, I owe you!
-Celebrated Mary and Charlie with a send-off party before they are NYC bound. Can’t wait to visit these Upper West Siders!
-The early stages of getting to this final cake masterpiece were documented on Tik Tok by Olivia and now have 2.1 million views….incredible!
-A chill night with a ton of cheese the most epic homemade cake and some of my closest friends, was the best way to enter my 28th year!
-My very own Park Cities Petals :) The best in the Dallas flower game!
-What was meant to be an hour visit while stopping through town, turned into the best 24 hours hanging with my sis and brother-in-law at their new house in Austin, Texas!! #StateMates! Claire has been in New York the past 12 years and by a twisted fate, we are now in Texas together.
-There were some big talks about these breakfast tacos from The Carpenter Hotel. Homemade tortillas, eggs, green chorizo, and housemade tomatillo salsa. The tacos lived up and were the perfect fuel post-Lady Bird Lake trail walk and pre-drive back to DAL.
-Pulled back into Dallas Saturday, just in time for the first pool day of the season!
-Had to cut out a few to make it fit in the square. While I think we may have been the only few in town, just glad it was us. This expanded group of our college besties are just that, the best! Spent the cloudy and cooler Sunday at Katy Trail Ice House, sipping on one too many summer beers and playing an extensive round of Cheers Govna’. that after two hours I’m still not sure we finished.
-A hot dog was 1000% necessary for Memorial Day weekend and the kick-off to summer.
-The Green Goddess Salad with Paleo Popcorn Chicken from Origin Kitchen is the most craveable salad. Made for a happy lunch with my bestie Carol girl!

Annie

Meal prep bites: I made a batch of my Whole 30 Tahini Chicken Salad for lunches this week, and I’m now officially counting down until lunchtime.

27 Lessons Learned in 27 Years

I was never afraid of growing up per se. I’m the baby of the family and had a late birthday growing up in school. I count myself mature for my age and have always had a smidge of old soul in me. Well that fear of growing up subsided until last year when I was approaching 26. I was not having it. Twenty five, cool cool, I can handle that, I sounded legitimate, more likely to be taken seriously professionally compared to 24, but 26 that’s practically 30, and 27 for-get-about-it.

Last year I hit 26 and then shortly moved to Dallas two weeks later. That particular birthday seemed daunting, but was quickly forgotten once I had a pep in my step due to a new city to explore and thrive in. Twenty six quickly felt like the perfect age.

Now back to 27 because today is my 27th birthday - yikes! After random pangs of fear of turning 27 over the past year, feeling like I haven’t done enough in my 27 years, or that my life isn’t exactly how I pictured it (I used to always think I’d go to college, meet my husband, get married around 24 and have a kid by 26 - hilarious!!), I woke up one morning back in January realizing that my birthday this year would actually be my golden birthday. I’m a sucker for signs like this, so I took it as a knock to embrace 27. My first niece was born on 7/27/17, this is my 7th year of blogging, I’m turning 27 on the 27th…these might be a stretch, but I’m going with good juju for year 27.

I’ve swallowed the pill that 27 is way closer to 30 than I would like it to be, but the fact that I feel like an infant in the grand scheme of life means I’m going to roll with that feeling instead of the my life is over feeling. That same night I woke up realizing this would be my golden birthday, I quickly started rattling off things I’ve learned in my 27 years in a note on my phone, and today I’m sharing them with you.

1. Hold your best friends tight, but don’t be shy about making new ones.

2. Don’t get stagnant. In your job, in your friendships, in your home. 

3. Don’t be afraid of change, embrace it.

4. Don’t be afraid to make new traditions. As the youngest child you especially have to learn to accept this.

5. Have dance parties in your house by yourself, often. 

6. Belt songs alone in your car loudly, like really loud.

7. Develop an interest in music. It helps feed any emotion you are feeling or want to feel. It also comes in handy to know the words to songs for impromptu karaoke and pop culture references.

8. Take interest in food. I’m not just saying this because I write a food blog, but food brings us together and creates memories in ways other things don’t. But please don’t be a picky eater, too much deliciousness out there to be picky.

9. A walk a day, keeps the doctor away (except during spring allergies).

10. Move your body. It keeps you sane. And I don’t just mean cardio, lift a weight here and there.

11. Have a go-to dish. Something you can whip up at for a last-minute party, bring to friend just because, share with new neighbors, etc. Maybe it’s easy guacamole or a killer cookie recipe, hi Perfect CCC’s 😉.

12. Early morning baking is the best kind of therapy. I prefer Saturday’s at 6AM before anyone is up and I can be with me, myself, and cookies. Try it.

13. It’s okay to feel a certain kind of way, and it’s okay to talk about it. It’s also okay to be nervous to talk about it. 

14. Jealousy is the devil. Recognize that and move on.

15. Kiss FOMO goodbye.

16. Take hold of your finances. Save, invest, repeat.

17. Renting a home or an apartment isn’t throwing away money and don’t let someone make you feel bad for not owning a house.

18. Your parents and Google have the answer to pretty much everything.

19. Read. A book, a magazine, this blog, anything. Audible doesn’t count.

20. Go to college to find your bridesmaids, not your husband.

21. When all of your girlfriends are in relationships, don’t resent them if your life looks different. Love them, support their relationship, and then go invest in good guy friends.

22. Suck up your pride and get on a dating app if you’re looking for a relationship.

23. Wear confidence like your favorite sweater. Life’s too short to be shy.

24. Develop a routine that works for you. If that’s going to bed at 9PM and drinking decaf coffee, own it.

25. Take vitamins, wash your face, wear sunscreen (because everyone tells you to anyway).

26. 27 is old, be mature.

27. 27 is young, there’s still time.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Memorial Day behind us and it’s unofficially officially summer! After a particularly fun week, I headed up to Grand Lake for one of my favorite weekends. A group of some of my best college friends have been hitting the lake for MDW for 4 years now and have deemed it “Lake Ratz.” We joke about how we will be going years from now even if babies are in tow. Since year one we’ve had a wedding and two on the way for members of the group. It’s evolved, yet remained the same. Each year the house gets a little bigger and nicer, we’ve classed up the weekend menu a bit adding smoked pork shoulder in the the mix with our ground beef tacos and burgers. Don’t let me fool you though, it’s pretty easy to revert back to being 22 when you’re at the lake with your college besties!

-Spotted this skirt and had to have it. It was double my normal size but I bought it and belted it with a thick brown belt. Long dresses (like this one) and skirts are all I want to wear right now to keep things breezy for these Dallas temps, yet warm when inside and the AC is blasting.
-Tini Tuesday nourishment in the form of a charcuterie board and this Strawberry Quinoa Salad. I added tomatoes and subbed mozzarella pearls for burrata.
-However, the Mary Martini was the star of #tinituesday. Did you catch last week’s post when my friend Mary guest blogged sharing her new go-to cocktail recipe?
-A batch and a half of Perfect CCC’s to take with me to the lake! I 1 and a 1/2 the recipe and scooped them a little smaller to end up with exactly 60 cookies.
-Pizza on the dock to commence Memorial Day weekend at the lake!
-My birthday has fallen on MDW the past few years, and I love celebrating over the weekend with friends. My birthday is actually tomorrow, but I was still surprised with a cake and Happy Birthday over the speakers on the deck to celebrate a few days early!
-Golden hour with girls of Lake Ratz.
-Closing time feat. this perfect s’more.
-Ended the weekend with a bang being asked to be a bridesmaid in my bestie Jordan’s wedding next spring!

Annie

Song of the week: Thief by Ookay

Bites of My Life

It’s always hard to jump back into the week after a really great weekend. This weekend was a really great one. I spent the past three days at the lake with some of my best college friends. We’ve been "lake ratz” for the past three years, with confident plans to resume next year as well. It’s one of my favorite traditions as well as the perfect way to kick off summer. The weekend has consistently fallen on my birthday which is just an added bonus.

Spent the first day of my 26th year, starting to pack and prep for my move and ended with an impromptu birthday dinner with mom and dad (we are celebrating Friday!). Mom made two of my favorites. This salmon and this salad. Finished the day with The Bachelorette because I am unashamedly loving Alabama Hannah’s season!

-Last Monday was the epitome of living in Oklahoma. The day went something like this: weathermen predicting severe weather, the entire state cleaning out their storm shelters and parking their cars in every open garage, businesses shutting down, all for nothing to happen. Yes after staying home from work and “taking shelter” at my parents, all we got was rain…
-Can’t wait to start Save the Plums. Thanks to Ellen for the early bday gift!
-Shared how I prep then freeze Perfect CCCs when I’m making cookies in advance on instagram stories last week. All the tips are saved in my highlights!
-The Best Breakfast Casserole made it’s appearance at the lake this weekend. Always a crowd pleaser and always great for a bigger crowd.
-Oklahoma has been dumped on the past few weeks. We rolled up to our rental to find a foot of water covering the road leading up to the house and the ramp to the dock halfway under water. Don’t think for a minute this stopped us from wading through it to enjoy time on the dock.
-Coffee (tea) and cards before the days got started.
-Lake food is the best food, but it also makes me not want to eat it for another year. So many chips and beers consumed….
-We had a table on the deck of our rental that fit all 14 of us around it. We spent each night after dinner circled around this table playing rounds of picolo and playing song after song.
-The packing has begun, but first I’m having a garage sale to purge my belongings.

Annie