Pleated Trousers {Forever 21}

While in Washington D.C. I did a little shopping, and my absolute favorite purchase was a pair of Pleated Trousers from Forever 21. First of all, they're on sale. Second, they have pockets!

And, these are the most comfortable pants I have ever owned. The material is breathable, yet passes for dressy attire. And the elastic waistband makes them comfortable to wear in a high-waisted style.

In D.C., I wore them with a white cami + a polka dot button up. And since I've been back in Atlanta, I've styled them two other ways. I just purchased them in a few other colors because these will be my staple pants for work and events as we transition from summer to fall. 

Pleated Trousers // Forever 21

Eating in ATL {West Egg Cafe}

I can't believe I haven't already blogged about this place because West Egg Cafe is one of my favorite spots in West Midtown. Most people who live in Atlanta have heard of it and have braved the weekend crowd to try the amazing food selection at West Egg, but I wanted to share it with the readers outside of ATL who visit my blog for food recommendations. This is an awesome breakfast/brunch spot, and they serve breakfast all day! They also have regular lunch & dinner items that are fantastic.

We went on a brunch date to West Egg the other week (during the week) so there wasn't much of a wait. I've tried several of their brunch items, but their waffle with spiced butter is my go-to. I do make a point to try a different drink every time I go because their coffee/drink menu is insane. They have monthly specials so be sure to check the backside of the menu for those.

My boyfriend loves their omelets, and although I'm not really an egg eater, West Egg's omelets are tempting. If you like grits, you must try theirs! So thick, creamy, and tangy - there's a little kick to these grits that makes them incredible. 

I'm such a fan of their fried green tomatoes because they don't put too much bread on the tomatoes like many restaurants do. Instead, you taste the pure flavor of the green tomato and it's perfect.

Besides their three menus of food choices, West Egg also has a front section that has baked goods and it set up as a pastry shop. I know some people like to go there for studying and great coffee drinks. My favorite drink is their mocha with whipped cream (shown above), yum!

See other places I eat in Atlanta

Washington D.C. weekend trip recap

I spent the end of July/beginning of August in Washington D.C. for my family reunion and it was a trip for the books! I hadn't been to D.C. in years and I've been itching to visit ever since my career interest turned toward politics. We were there for about five days and tried to do as many "classic D.C." things as possible, but there honestly wasn't enough time to cover half of the greatness that city has to offer. I'm sharing a few of my favorite moments from the trip below!

We did a lot of walking in the city and I loved so many of the homes and neighborhoods we spotted throughout the city.

Here's the view from the rooftop of our hotel - I love how D.C. is organized - perfectly squared blocks, clean streets (for the most part), and cool looking buildings. They don't have tons of tall buildings to make a skyline, but the historic buildings and monuments definitely makeup for it!

On our first night, we visited a family friend who lives in a city in Maryland, about 30 minutes away from D.C. I love how D.C. is so close to Maryland and Virginia and how people living in the surrounding states can make trips to D.C. with ease.

We stayed at a hotel with continental breakfast, and while all of the carbs were tempting…this is what my breakfast mainly consisted of, along with some fruit and coffee. I ordered eggless, vegetable omelets with some cheese on top, so good!

Oh, but please believe I experienced some of D.C.'s best and most unclean meals too! It was my last summer 2014 vacation, so I had to live a little! We had beignets with chocolate (above) and fried green tomatoes with spicy shrimp (below) from a New Orleans style restaurant, Acadiana.

So so tasty!

My favorite part of the trip was seeing cousins who I haven't seen in years! It was great catching up with everyone and seeing how much the kids have grown. Milan (pictured above) is now a college student who used to be my little baby cousin!

We toured the Supreme Court and since one of my cousins works at the Supreme Court, we got an exclusive tour which included seeing the basketball court and gym inside the building. It is the "highest (basketball) court in the land" :)

A major highlight of this trip is that I got to do a photo session for a classmate while in D.C. She's interning in D.C. this summer and wanted some photos by the Capitol. This was my first professional photoshoot in D.C. so it was an honor and too much fun! 

See more photos from the session here!

When we visited the National Mall and monuments, there were tons of people everywhere and the weather conditions were not ideal, but I still loved it! So much history has taken place at these landmarks in D.C. and it felt special standing where people have stood, protested, and witnessed incredible moments in U.S. history.

One of the newer additions to the D.C. memorials is the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and it is such a sight. The statue of MLK and the mountain tops speak volumes, but me being a lover of words was more impressed by the two walls with quotations from Martin Luther King Jr. My personal favorite is in the photo above, definitely my goal for my career in public service.

A big thanks to my dad for snapping photos of me throughout the weekend so I could share them with you! 

How gorgeous is this view? The National Harbor is a relatively new attraction in Maryland, about 15-20 minutes away from D.C. and this is where we spent our final night of our reunion. The ferris wheel and water are fantastic additions to the harbor's shopping area and restaurants. And we learned that they plan to add casinos to this area as well.

Our family had lunch on a boat ride down the Potomac River and this was so much fun! The boat had a lower level, main level, a top deck and a deck above that one! Whew, lots of stairs but awesome amenities on each level.

I had never done this type of boat ride, but it was a fun experience with great views!

On our second day in D.C., my parents and I made a trip to the White House and it was quite interesting. People were protesting about immigration and deportation in front of the White House so the police had that area blocked/gated off. If anyone crossed the boundaries, they would be arrested. So, my family decided to walk to the backside of the White House in hopes of a closer look and better photos. And then an officer told everyone how the back of the house was being closed off too. So we snuck in a few selfies (above) before we had to leave! Ha!

As you can see, I LOVED visiting D.C. and I cannot wait to go back! It made me excited for the new seasons of Scandal and House of Cards. And also made me excited for my future career in the government/politics. It's a playground for a history or political-lover! I'm so happy we had our family reunion in such a cool city, and I'm excited for us to reunite in Chicago in 2 years!

Have you ever been to D.C.? If so, what was your favorite part?

I want more ____ posts!

Image via Google

I hope you're having an awesome weekend! I am out of town for one of my best friend's wedding...and I'm a bridesmaid! I can't wait to share some photos from the celebration.

As I get ready for a new semester and a new season of blogging, I wanted to get some reader feedback. I sometimes get emails requesting post topics or more posts of a certain category and I would love to hear from you. If you're a regular or sporadic reader, please leave a comment letting me know what your favorite type of post is and/or what type of posts you'd love to see more of!

All feedback is welcome :)

TripleSpot Back to School Giveaway Contest

I can't believe it's time to return to school already! I've gotten emails from students who are buying dorm decor and planning out their classes in preparation for school. For all of you students getting ready for a new semester, I wanted to share this awesome back to school giveaway contest that TripleSpot is hosting! It's super easy to enter and the prizes are perfect for college students!

TripleSpot is designed to inspire its community to get out and experience something or someplace new– whether it's down the street or across the world. The content is about more than selfies and food pics, and is focused on encouraging followers to share insider tips and hidden gems from the world around them, therefore emboldening others to embark on unique experiences. Within the app, users create Spots by taking a picture, assigning a geo-location, and writing a description about the Spot. TripleSpot combines the best features of apps like FourSquare and Instagram, but allows users to add more in-depth details about Spots without the negative tone that can be found on sites like Yelp. Spots can be organized into lists that recap a completed trip or experience, or to plan one you're daydreaming about.

The winners win free Penske Truck rentals, iPad Minis, and Beats by Dre. 

What a sweet way to return to school, am I right?

This year's theme is about embracing back to school spirit and you can enter by 'spotting' your favorite campus hangouts, dinner spots, coffee shops, campus views, and study sessions. When you post your photo, just use the hashtag #PenskeBTS in the caption/description to be eligible for the prizes.

How to Enter:

1. Download the TripleSpot app: iOS | Android

2. Create a great spot: a photo + all the juicy details.

3. Include the #PenskeBTS hashtag in the spot description

You can enter the TripleSpot giveaway contest as many times as you'd like until August 31.

Learn more here.

Good luck to everyone entering!

Thank you, TripleSpot, for sponsoring this post.

kate spade office supplies by Lifeguard Press {review}

Believe it or not, my second semester of grad school starts in less than two weeks! I'm excited to start the semester, but I wish that didn't mean summer was coming to an end. One thing that's making the transition to being a student again a lot easier is new school and office supplies!

Lifeguard Press sent me two office supply items from the kate spade new york collection to review. I chose the kate spade new york acrylic pencil cup & the kate spade new york acrylic desk tray, to give my desk at home a new look.

The pencil cup is the perfect size and the acrylic and gold combination is flawless. I also appreciate the bottom of the pencil cup being made from cork so that it won't scratch my furniture.

And the very bottom of the cup says "a stroke of genius"...too cute!

I love the acrylic tray too because I am constantly bringing paperwork home or receiving documents in the mail that I need to temporarily store on my desk before filing them elsewhere. 

The tray is wide enough for standard papers, but deeper than most trays which is useful. And the tray is inscribed with the phrase "things to do."

I love the acrylic look for desks and office supplies. It's clean and classy looking and goes with just about everything! I am saving up for an acrylic desk at my next apartment, but these new acrylic office supplies will do for now! It makes me want to get the matching acrylic stapler and tape dispenser!

These kate spade office supplies are perfect for those of you headed back to school or for those of you looking for a new look for your home/work desk!

You can view all of the Lifeguard Press desk supplies here.

kate spade new york acrylic pencil cup & kate spade new york acrylic desk tray (c/o)

Back on the healthy track {part 3}

I'm working hard to finish my post recapping my trip to D.C. this past weekend! But I wanted to share some recent healthy meals I've made. In addition to clean eating for two meals a day and being physically active for at least 30 minutes every day, I've also been adding protein powder to my smoothies/milk on days I have heavy workouts. One of my long-time Pescatarian friends suggested it when I told her I felt like I was missing protein in my diet since giving up meat. And it's been working great while also building muscle! 

Here are a few of my favorite recent, healthy meals:

Spring Mix (drizzled with lemon juice) and Mashed Cauliflower (cook a bag of frozen cauliflower in a pot and add black pepper. Then use a fork or potato masher to mash cauliflower). I think these would have been even better and more mashed potato-like if I added some sort of milk/cream.

Sweet Curry Broccoli & Onions: (frozen broccoli, chopped sweet white onions, sprinkled with curry and black pepper - cooked in olive oil).

Spicy Salad: (Spring mix with curry broccoli and onions, sliced and diced tomatoes, green salsa and lemon juice.)

I ate this meal at my parents' house! I really appreciate them catering to my pescatarian/healthy diet when I go home. I ate Herb Crusted Salmon, Fried Catfish (not clean, but I couldn't resist!), Sautéed Coleslaw, Yellow Squash and Green Beans (steamed).

My mom made the sautéed coleslaw, and it was out of this world. I've never liked coleslaw because I'm not a fan of mayo. But this was a healthy coleslaw that she simply sautéed with onions and lemon juice to. She also sprinkled some black pepper on it for a little more tasty. Such a cheap and healthy alternative!

And my roommate made a delicious, healthy meal this week too:

Sweet Potato Wedges: diced sweet potatoes cooked in coconut oil and sprinkled with cayenne, cinnamon, salt.

Hearty Kale & Spinach: kale, spinach sauteed with garlic, red onions, black pepper -cooked in a skillet with olive oil.

Pinto & Black Bean Veggie Burgers: Mix the following in a bowl with a fork: 2/3 can of Pinto Beans, 1/3 can of Black Beans, red onions, green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, whole kernel corn, panko bread crumbs, 1 egg, low fat sour cream, tablespoon of hot/buffalo sauce.

She made all of this for dinner one night and it was such a feast! Great food choices for a family or dinner party in need of healthier alternatives.

Parks in Atlanta besides Piedmont

One item on my summer bucket list was to visit three parks besides Piedmont Park (huge, very popular park in Midtown Atlanta). I love Piedmont and the views just as much as the next ATLien, but there are always people there! So my boyfriend has helped me with my mission to explore as many non-Piedmont, Atlanta parks as possible! 

Swinging on the playground in Ardmore Park

I had no idea that so many adorable parks with water, cool trails, and playgrounds existed inside the city. I wanted to share some of my new favorite spots with you and encourage you to try visiting them the next time you're looking for a quiet, beautiful environment. 

A photo of me at Tanyard Creek Park in Northwest Atlanta. This creek is a must-see and a hidden treasure. Check out a list of the great City of Atlanta parks below, along with their addresses! I bolded the parks I've been to :)

Northeast Atlanta Parks

Candler Park 1500 McLendon Ave. NE

Central Park 400 Merritts Ave. NE

Freedom Park Euclid Ave. NE across from Waverly Way

Home Park 1015 Tumlin St/Calhoun St. NW

Iverson Park 1429 Iverson St. NE

J.D. Sims Park 544 Angier Ave. NE

John Howell Memorial Park 797, 833 & 869 Virginia Ave NE

Lake Claire Park 430 Lakeshore Dr near McLendon Ave, NE

McClatchey Park Avery Dr and Westminister NE

Morgan-Boulevard Park 521 Boulevard NE

Noble Park 1710 Noble Dr. NE

Orme Park 795 Brookridge Dr. NE

Parkway-Wabash Park Parkway at Wabash NE

Piedmont Park 400 Park Drive NE

Selina S. Butler Park 98 Wm Holmes Borders Dr. NE

Sidney Marcus Park 786 Cumberland Rd. NE

Springvale Park Euclid Ave at Waverly Way NE

Sunken Garden Park 1000 E. Rock Springs Rd. NE

Winn Park Westminister Dr. at Lafayette Dr. NE

Tanyard Creek Park

Northwest Atlanta Parks

Abner Place Park 2573 Abner Pl (Arno St/Hollywood Rd. NW)

Anderson Park 98 Anderson Ave. NW

Ardmore Park Ardmore Rd off Collier Rd. NW

Arlington Circle Playlot Arlington Cir. (off Baker Rd. at North Ave. NW)

Ashby Circle Playlot Ashby Cir off Mayson Turner Rd. NW

Atlanta Memorial Park 384 Woodward Way NW

Beaverbrook Park Brookview Dr. NW

Center Hill Park 2305 Bankhead Hwy. NW

Channing Valley Park Channing Dr at Sunbury Pl. NW

Chastain Memorial Park 135 W. Wieuca Rd. NW

Coronet Way Park 2411 Coronet Way NW

Ellsworth Park Howell Mill Rd. at Collier Rd. NW

English Park 1350 Bolton Rd. NW

Garden Hills Park E. Wesley at Rumson Rd

Grove Park 709 Hortense Place NW

J.F. Kennedy Park 225 Chestnut St/Orr St. NW

Knight Park 1194 Church St. NW

Lillian Cooper Shepherd Park 2886 Argyle Dr. NW

Maddox Park 1115 Bankhead Hwy NW, at Marietta Blvd.

Mozley Park 1565 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SW

Peachtree Hills Park 308 Peachtree Hills Ave, NE

Shady Valley Park 2720 Shady Valley Dr. NE

Tanyard Creek Park Collier Rd/ Walthall Dr. NW

Tremont Playlot Tremont Dr @ Dixie Hills Cir. NW

Underwood Hills Park Ridgeway Ave/Harper Way NW

Verbena Street Playlot 120 Hyacinth Ave. NW, and 2185 Verbena St. NW

Washington Park 102 Ollie St NW, at Lena St.

Tanyard Creek Park (Northwest Atlanta)

Southeast Atlanta Parks

"Jacci Fuller" Woodland Garden Park Gilbert St at Confederate Ave. SE

Arthur Langford, Jr. Park 211 Thornton St. SW

Benteen Park Benteen Ave at Casanova St. SE

Bessie Branham Park 2051 Delano Dr at Norwood Ave. SE

Brownwood Park Emerson Ave at Brownwood Ave. SE

Cabbagetown Park 701 Kirkwood Ave. SE

Chosewood Park 401 Nolan St. SE

Cleveland Avenue Park 41 Cleveland Ave. SE

East Lake Park 2617 Memorial Dr. SE/ Daniel St./ Alston Dr.

Empire Park 245 Oak Dr. SE

Esther Peachy Lefevre Park Wylie St at Powell St. SE

Four Corners Park 1040 Crew St SE, at Haygood Ave.

Grant Park 840 Cherokee Ave. SE. at Sydney St/ Boulevard

Harper Park Wilson Rd and Gilbert Rd. SE

Lang-Carson Park 100 Flat Shoals Ave. SE

Ormond-Grant Park Ormond St/Grant St. SE

Phoenix II Park Georgia Ave at Martin St. SE

Phoenix III Park Georgia Ave/Primrose St. SE

Pittman Park 950 Garibaldi St, SE

Rawson-Washington Park Connally St/Kelly St. NE

Rebel Valley Park 1005 Stonewall Drive SE

Rosa L. Burney Park 477 Windsor St. SE

South Atlanta Park Gammon St. SE at Bisbee Ave

Southeast Atlanta Park 365 Cleveland Ave. SE

Thomasville Park 1835 Henry Thomas Drive, SE

Tullwater Park 680 McWilliams Rd. SE

Walker Park Memorial Dr at Memorial Ter. SE

Windsor Street Park 700 Windsor St @ Bass St. SE

On the Westside BeltLine trail

Southwest Atlanta Parks

Adair I Park 724 Catherine Ave. SW

Adair II Park Murphy Av/Gillett St/Lillian Ave. SW

Adams Park 2300 Wilson Dr. SW

Barbara A. McCoy Park 1640 Kenmore St. (entrance); 1641 Avon Ave. SW

Ben Hill Park 2405 Fairburn Rd. SW

Bonnie Brae Park Tift Ave at Bonnie Brae Ave. SE

Cleopas R. Johnson Park Fair St at Northside Dr. NW

Collier Park 3691 Collier Drive SW

Dean Rusk Park Sells Ave/Lawton St. SW

Deerwood Park Alexandria Dr/Tampa Trail SW

Emma Millican Park Deckner Ave at Clinton Pl. SW

Enota Place Playlot Enota Place at Sells Ave. SW

Harwell Heights Park 3114 Collier Dr. SW

Howell Park 983 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. SW

Isabel Gates Webster Park 275 Peyton Rd SW, at Peyton Place

John A. White Park 1053 Cascade Cir. SW

Oakland City Park 1305 Oakland Dr. SW at Epworth

Outdoor Activities Center 1442 Richland Rd. SW

Perkerson Park 770 Deckner Ave. SW

Rose Circle Park Rose Circle at White Street SW

Stone Hogan Park Stone Hogan Rd/St Hogan Conn. SW

Sylvan Circle Playlot 1950 Sylvan Rd. SW (Sylvan Cir at Sylvan Way)

Tucson Trail Park 4610 Tucson Trail SW, at Santa Rosa Dr

West End Park 1111 Oak St. SW

West Manor Park 3240 W. Manor Cir. SW at Benjamin E. Mays Dr.

Wilson Mill Park 300 Wilson Mill Rd. SW

There are so many incredible parks right here in the City of Atlanta. Piedmont is fantastic, but be sure to explore some other parks in the city too!