We got our wedding pictures from Ryan last night, and I was so emotional looking through them. Truly the best day of ours lives, and he captured every moment so beautifully. There are a ton… so be patient! I’m going to post some them today and the rest tomorrow. Below you’ll find picture before and during the ceremony.
For an overview of the wedding (and to find out why we end up being seated!), click here.
Last week was beyond busy with work, which left absolutely zero time to take a mental break and blog. So, to catch up…
> Our engagement pictures were recently featured on Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book Blog here
> I finally ate at Coppa and Roost (twice) after they’d been on my “must eat at” list for ages and obviously had to add them to my Best of Houston: Restaurants and Coffee list
> We had the best time in Durango: hiking, ziplining, river rafting, and cycling – house above, more pictures soon!
> Celebrated Pierson’s first birthday and Bryan’s 25th! I love birthdays so much.
> Bought this striped chair for our entryway – final pictures of the Manor to come soon!
> Purchased tickets to The Book of Mormon for next weekend… seriously cannot wait
> Found out that we’re going to be Door Openers at Passion 2014 in Houston
> Headed to San Francisco for a day (here now) – fourth time in this beautiful city in 2013 and cannot complain about that
One of my favorite quotes ever is from Thoreau’s Walden, which I studied in great detail during my American Literature class at The University of Texas at Austin. The theme of solitude and oneness with nature is evident throughout this literary classic, and whenever people talk about the forests or woods, the entire quote plays out in my head:
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
Sasha and I are heading to my parent’s house in Durango, Colorado today for an extended Labor Day weekend. I cannot wait to go hiking, rafting, and exploring in this gorgeous town. I hope to come back much more relaxed than I am in my current work state!
Photo via Fourth Lake
There is definitely no city in the world I love more than Paris. Growing up, it was always my dream to move there and spend my time strolling the bustling streets, speaking French with strangers, sipping coffee at a bijoux-cafe and wine on the Seine. In 2010, I got an internship in the City of Lights, and after a two week stint at the Cannes Film Festival, I made my way up north to Paris, where I spent the next three months adventuring (and blogging every day). I was fortunate enough to have one of my best friends, Andrew, also working there – by complete chance. We made a pact to adventure every single night – never to waste a moment in the most exciting city in the world. I honestly did not want to leave, so in 2010, after I graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, I went back with my family. Again, in 2012, Sasha and I made our way to Paris, at the end of our vacation to Turkey and Greece. I genuinely think that being a tour guide in that city, which was once my home, is my favorite thing in the world. If you haven’t gone, you must. And when you go, I suggest you try some of my favorite things to do.
Food
Best Falafel: L’As du Fallafel (Le Marais)
Best Mediterranean: Chez Marianne (Le Marais) and Beytouti (Hôtel-de-Ville)
Best Romantic Dinner: Le Cafe de l’Homme (Trocadéro)
Best Casual Dinner: Le Pause Cafe (Bastille)
Best Lunch Cafe: Cafe Le Buci (Saint–Germain–des–Prés) and Le Restaurant (Luxembourg)
Best Dinner with Views: Restaurant Georges (Hôtel-de-Ville)
Best Dinner for People Watching: Le Bonaparte (Saint–Germain–des–Prés)
Best Frozen Yogurt: MyBerry (Le Marais)
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Drinks
Best Coffee + People Watching: Les Deux Magots
Best Peaceful Coffee: Telescope Cafe
Best Smoothies: Le Paradis du Fruit
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Sightseeing
Best Neighborhood to Get Lost In: Le Marais
Best Walking Tours: Paris Walks
Best Boat Tours: Bateaux Mouches
Most Extravagent Gardens: Le Palace de Versaille
Best Peaceful Park: Les Jardins de Luxembourg
Best Views of the City: Sacre Coeur
Most Iconic: Eiffel Tower (obviously)
Most Gorgeous “Square”: Les Places des Vosges
Best Way to Get Around Town: Velib
Best Church: Eglise Saint Germain des Pres
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Museums
Best Indoor Museum: L’Orangerie
Best (Mainly) Outdoor Museum: Rodin Museum
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Shopping
Best Boutiques: Le Comptoir de Cotonniers and Kookai
Best Department Shopping: BHV
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Accomodation
Best Hotel: Hotel Bel-Ami
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Nightlife
Best People Watching Bar: Le Petit Fer du Cheval
Favorite Night Activity: Drinking Wine on the Seine
Other Favorite Night Activity: Sitting on the Champs de Mars, watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle
Favorite Bridge To Sit on at Night: Pont des Arts
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Some of my favorite pictures below from 2009, 2010 and 2012… time for another trip soon, especially as I’m reading The Paris Wife and am so nostalgic!
L’Arc de Triomphe, 2009
Le Petit Fer au Cheval (favorite bar!), 2009
Sacre-Coeur, 2009
Versailles Gardens, 2009
Le Louvre, 2009
Cars Rouges, 2009
Chez Francis, 2009
Le Jardin de Luxembourg, 2009
Paris Plages, 2009
Notre-Dame, 2009
Le Creperie Suzette (love this wine bar), 2010
Eiffel Tower, 2010
La Duree, 2010
Le Paradis du Fruit, 2010
Montmartre, 2010
Hotel Bel-Ami, 2010
L’As du Fallafel, 2012
Notre-Dame, 2012
Le Louvre, 2012
Arc de Triomphe, 2012
Eiffel Tower, 2012
PS What a difference a camera makes! Glad I finally got my DSLR.
PPS Illustrated map of Paris via Rifle Paper Co (love it)
What an incredible weekend. We arrived at Ft. Lauderdale airport Friday afternoon and spent the remainder of the day on the beach – drinking Acai Mojitos (consumed far too many…). We ate at Hollywood Prime, then headed to the Justin Timberlake and Jay Z Legends of the Summer concert. It was honestly the best concert I’ve ever been to, by leaps and bounds. It was at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, which is uncovered, so we were super hot (thank goodness I chose a black romper – nice and breezy), but danced like fools the entire night. The set list for the concert is here. Could you pick a better compilation of songs? We slept in on Saturday, then lounged at the pool all day (handstand contests for hours), then showered and met Sasha’s cousins for dinner at Sardellis. I got the burrata salad (which we had at the wedding), and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Sunday was a relaxed morning – we headed to the airport in the late morning. It was truly the perfect beach getaway weekend.
Sasha’s outfits
Gray J. Crew shirt // Turquoise J. Crew Factory shorts // White J. Crew slim fit shirt // Brown Cole Haan shoes (Similar here)
My outfits
Striped Equipment Blouse (Similar here)// White J. Crew Peplum top // White J. Crew Chino Shorts // J. Crew necklace // Kendra Scott necklace // Kendra Scott bracelet // Blue J. Crew suede shoes // Tan Tory Burch sandals // Blue J. Crew blazer // Tucker for Piperlime Maxi (Similar here and here)