dreams demure [#2]

"A dress should be tight enough to show you're a woman but loose enough to prove you're a lady." -Edith Head

You just don't see a lot of modest fashion nowadays. It's out there though. Perhaps a weekly reminder might help. Keep in mind that body proportions play a HUGE role in what's okay/not okay for each individual. Here's my interpretation of how individual style is executed well while still being modest. I may not wear each and every style shown but I can def. respect the brainchild behind each look:

                          

Photos c/o: Street Style Aesthetic, Tumblr, Karla's Closet.com, Calivintage, Re-invented Process

Product Review:::Lush Sexy Peel Soap:::

 LUSH SEXY PEEL SOAP

It's a brilliant blend of lime, orange, and lemon peels mixed with essential oils and juices. I love a lot of homemade/handmade products so a store with a handmade concept like Lush, makes me swoon. While I love handmade soaps, I also love all things citrus. This soap is those two loves combined. I sometimes use this soap in the morning when I need a wake-me-up moment. The citrus scent is incredibly invigorating. It lathers pretty well too. I just wish that the soap bar didn't shrivel up so quickly. Within two or three washes, half the bar is gone! I'm not a fan of that, but once you get the wonderful smell in the shower, you tend to savor the sweet aromas instead of loathe the fact that they'll be gone in a few washes. Below is the link showing EXACTLY how they make it. I might have to try this one day :)

It's the Simple Things (Gratitude PhotoJournal):

Since this is my first gratitude journal since I've been back from vacation, be prepared to see many photos from my trip. My gratitude is through the roof with that blessing! :) One of my best friends and I hung out in Isla Roatan, Honduras for the day and at one point, we got hungry (makes sense, right?). A lot of the locals suggested we go to Lighthouse Cafe. It was on the water. The view was impeccable. My blackened red snapper burger was delectable. More importantly, I was really appreciative of the owner/chef's story. He came over and shared his story with us. Originally from Isla Roatan, he moved to Seattle, Washington over 20 years ago. He worked in business but always knew that his passion was cooking and he'd want to own a restaurant in Honduras. He came back and did (a man of his word). No matter how long it takes, keep pushing toward your dreams. A lot of those dreams that are worthwhile don't usually come to fruition instantaneously. Whatever that dream is, commit it to God and be faithful. 

We've gone from Honduras straight to Washington, DC. There's something about the food and drinks at Pret that tastes so fresh. I absolutely love anything I get from there. I also appreciate the extra effort to make things more fresh. The more I read books like Food Rules or watch interviews with vegans and raw foodies on YouTube, the more I realize a lot of what we're eating is not real food. It's not an easy road but we've got to make a change as a country before everyone dies of obesity!!

Today is the first day of fall so it's time to hang up my summer playlist and make a new one for fall. One of my favorite pastimes is getting in my car, plugging up my usually dying ipod, and singing the stress away. I don't have to sound good or hit the right notes. I can just be free. This song is one of my favorites from my summer playlist. I just might carry it over into fall. We'll see. I usually can't keep up with Kim but I'm a shoe-in for the background gig :)

I'm losing weight! :) That's something I'm grateful for. I've been steadily gaining for the past couple years. The reason was because of hormones but now that my hormone levels are steadily getting back to normal, the weight is coming off without exercising for 2 hours and eating nothing but oatmeal and protein all day. I'm VERY grateful for that. BUT, I think that the meds I'm on are changing my taste buds. Me eating lettuce by choice? That's a miracle to be documented. I normally only buy spinach and will eat lettuce if I'm at a potluck or something but not by choice. I'm grateful for an increased desire for lettuce. Maybe one day I'll like beets *shrugs*

 No matter WHAT you're dealing with, take comfort in a God who really does care: 

Now Playing:

Artist: Christopher Cross
Song: Sailing

One of my favorite songs to zone out the world and listen to is this 80s classic. Funny thing is that once I start playing this song, I have to play it at least 5-10 more times. It was extra special for me to play it last week when I was on the balcony of a cruise ship...sailing. I stayed out there for what felt like hours. It was just me, the ocean, the breeze, and this song. It was ultimate tranquility indeed.

So this was in my Gmail inbox...

Two major components of my favorite things list are colliding: Design Sponge and Anthropologie! One of the main reasons why I started this blog was to actively work on all the mini-projects that were inspired by Design Sponge and Anthropologie. A piece of me wants to drive to Richmond for the book signing but I'm not up for that roadtrip :) Either way, I'm very happy to see this collaboration and I'm very happy for Grace Bonney. She's definitely an inspiration to me :)

Chef Boyar-DANI: Virgin Pina Colada

 Fruity drinks and vacations go hand in hand. So of course, I ordered a couple pina coladas (my favorite fruity drink of them all).  One of the best pina coladas I've ever tasted was on a little island in Honduras called Isla Roatan at this cute little restaurant right on the water called Lighthouse Cafe. The food was also excellent and the owner/cook was the nicest! I didn't get the exact recipe for the drink but one of the waiters shared that he puts grenadine and coconut cream in his. So I found this recipe with those ingredients. Hopefully, when I make my own, it will teleport me back to sweet Isla Roatan! :)

48 oz. fresh pineapple juice

45 oz. coconut cream

15 oz. of pineapple

crushed ice

splash (or more) of grenadine

Week of Inspiration

I had an unforgettable week in Honduras, Belize, and Mexico last week.  I caught a cold on the tail end of the week so Theraflu, Emergen-C, and sleep have been my best friends lately. Even though, I'm under the weather, I don't want to neglect the blog so this week will be called my week of inspiration. Coming home, I realized that things can get hectic if I don't slow down. One of my favorite things to do is soak in all the inspiration I can get from countless places. I'll be sharing some of those sources this week. Stay tuned :)

My view in Cozumel, Mexico last Tuesday! Perfection!