Related Posts Widget for Blogs by LinkWithin

Wednesday, April 28

night on the town

the other night husband and i forwent our normal routine of heading into the city for dinner and a show for a quiet night in our little town. {i am really quite fond of small country towns with a lot of character... local pizza joints, hometown breweries, local shops & antique stores, but our town doesn't have too much of that.} we had recently happened upon a new bbq restaurant on the town square and decided to try it out.


immediately after i ordered the black bean burger, i regretted it. what was i thinking? i mean, this is a bbq joint. i honestly expected a frozen morning star farms burger, but surprisingly it one of the best i have ever had! the fries were crispy, slightly salted, and absolute perfection. husband said his traditional bbq plate was quite scrumptious as well.


after our dinner, we walked around the city square and found ourselves at the ice cream shop, so we shared some italian coffee ice cream, sat in bright yellow rocking chairs, and watched the cars go by.


in an effort to walk of some of the calories we had consumed, we wandered around a bit more and took some night shots of our little city square.




it was really quite a nice evening. i do wish there were more independent little restaurants in our town.
xoxo


copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Monday, April 26

weekend happiness...

is last minute camping trips.


husband and i spent the better part of last weekend in north georgia. it was a last minute decision, and boy was it a good one. i think we both needed a bit of down time away from home. no distractions, no to-do lists, no obligations or responsibilities. just the two of us, our books {my kinetics notes}, the river, and the trees. it was glorious.

{little ferns about to open up}

we spent most of saturday wading through the river as husband fished and i looked for interesting rocks. i did a bit of studying and enjoyed the sunshine as he caught {and released, of course} three very wiggly rainbow trout. then we wandered about, exploring the river in our vibram fivefingers.


among my favorite parts of a camping trip is just sitting around the campfire, especially early in the morning when it is the coolest. with a steaming cup of coffee in hand, enjoying the warmth and talking about anything and everything is absolute perfection. sometimes even the silence is nice. from the time we ate dinner until after breakfast the next morning, i didn't think about school once. it was like i just forgot that it even existed.


i think it is important to be reminded that everything in our lives is temporary, except our relationships... with friends, family, significant others, and through faith. it's so easy to get caught up in the stress of life and forget what really matters. this is why we go hiking, spend weekends camping, run trail races, and ride mountain bikes. being able to enjoy the created world is a wonderful way to forget about all of the things that just don't matter in the end.

happy monday my lovelies.
xoxo


copyright Hiking in Stilettos


Friday, April 23

summer days


between the wedge heels, black cigarettes, and super flirty top, i felt like olivia newton john at the end of grease the entire time i wore this outfit. not a bad way to end the week!


thanks for bearing with me lately as i know the posts have been a bit sporadic. i have only two more weeks left of the absolute hardest year of my academic career to date. needless to say, these last two weeks are as jam-packed as possible.

don't worry too much though. i do have some things planned for you lovelies.
happy weekend.
xoxo


copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Wednesday, April 21

anthens indie craftstravaganza

if you are in the athens area next saturday, may 1, definitely stop by the indie craft fair! all the items are handmade by super talented artists and crafters, and everything is so unique. trust me when i say that these events are always so much fun! not only are there the most unique and adorable items, you get to meet some really cool independent artists.
among the talent that will be displayed next saturday are two of my faves. lesley from homemade grits and her lovely friend from down and out chic. if these two are any indication of what will be showcased at this event... well, let's just say that it will be spectacular.

graduate school zipper pouch by homemade grits

robin's egg blue chrysanthemum hair pins by down & out chic

supporting local artists and businesses is something very close to my heart, especially lately. {i will spare you the ugly details, but let's just say i have had too many friends burned by major companies that they and i were so loyal to. ahem, anthropologie.} also, buying local and buying handmade is a great way to go green.

so come grab a bite of delicious athens cuisine {i recommend transmet for a slice of veggie pizza}, pick up some lovely handmade items, and enjoy a beautiful spring day in athens!

hope to see you there!
xoxo


images courtesy of homemade grits and down and out chic
copyright Hiking in Stilettos


Monday, April 19

white-washed


when it comes to home design and decorating, i tend to choose color and comfort more often than modern and monochrome. lately, however, i have noticed that my tastes have changed quite a bit. as i think about our home and what we want it to be, i wish for the clean lines of modern style with unexpected bursts of eclectic. and although i still wish we could paint our walls, most of my bookmarked images are filled with white and neutrals.

i especially love the large, exposed light bulb in this room. it's completely unexpected and brings a unique coziness to this little reading nook.

i used to think that rooms without color were cold and uninviting, but these images have me completely inspired. i love the french inspirations sprinkled about most of the rooms and the intermingling of old and new, modern and vintage.

i love this combination of such an ornate chandelier and clear acrylic chairs.


instead of filling walls with colorful frames or pictures, i am leaning towards rooms with clean lines and accents of colorful furniture and accessories.


i have started to "clean up" our apartment by taking almost everything off the wall and painting our office furniture so that it all matches. as much as i would love to completely rework our home, it's just not feasible in this particular apartment. i do want to paint the walls, but i have decided to stick with more neutral tones like gray, white and taupe.

what are your thoughts? do you like the neutral tones or is it just too white-washed for you?
xoxo


copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Sunday, April 18

the essie giveaway winner is...


... keep calm and eat a cupcake!


I'm a loyal follower of Hiking in Stilettos (I adore your pictures!) and my heart skipped a beat when I saw this giveaway: I've been on a search for for a few weeks looking for a lilac, lavender, light purple nail polish shade! OPI hasn't satisfied me yet and I've been searching to locate an Essie retailer! All 3 shades are perfect for spring/summer! My favorite spring/summer pastime involves the following: iced tea, hot temps but with a light breeze, a swinging bench on my porch at home, flowers in bloom, my puppies at my feet and friends and family sitting all together. The grill is on, and I've husked some corn on the cob and we have strawberry shortcake prepped for dessert.

Lounging outside at dusk in the spring & summer is absolute perfection : )


i couldn't agree more with her favorite warm weather pastime. there is just something so wonderful about eating outdoors, hammocks and porch swings, and strawberry shortcake!

thank you for all of your entries! it made my day that so many of you were interested in the giveaway, and i loved reading about your favorite summer pastimes. there were so many good ones! i will probably be sharing all of them with you very soon. and to those of you who didn't win, don't fret! there are more lined up for the future!

xoxo


winner chosen via random.org
copyright Hiking in Stilettos


Friday, April 16

ink


so i have never actually admitted this on the blog, but i want a tattoo... i want something simple and meaningful, and i have had the same idea for about the last eight years. now it's just a matter of where to place my ink and when to get it.

some of my favorite finds thus far:
i really like small, simple shoulder tattoos... something delicate and feminine.

i am also quite partial to quotes and letters, which is actually what mine will be.
i am not usually one to encourage couples tattoos, but i am drawn to the sweet simplicity of this one. i love the idea of husband and i having something like what is above, but written on our sides. mine on the right and his on the left over the ribs. {ouch.} and maybe just "his" and "hers" or "forever his" and "forever hers."

as much as i like wrist ink on other people, i would prefer to have something that is easily covered. not only would it be necessary for my profession, i think at times it takes away from how lovely someone looks. i think the side and shoulder are the best bet for me.


what is your opinion?
are you a fan of ink? would you ever get/do you have any tattoos?

xoxo

images via the kitty bear chronicles
copyright Hiking in Stilettos



Wednesday, April 14

everyone looks good in green

it's no secret that i am quite fond of trees, the outdoors, and all things eco-friendly. it is also no secret how i feel about designer heels and an incredible outfit, so imagine how happy i was to hear about the gilt groupe earth day celebration sale on thursday april 22nd.


the eco chic sales will include designs from loomstate, matt & nat, and EDUN among others. there will also be an eco-friendly gilt "gift tab" featuring organic totes, soy candles, recycled scarves and eco chic makeup! this gift section will also include an option to give bundles trees as gifts! how fun is that?

the best part is that a portion of the proceeds of the eco chic sales will be donated to the national audobon society and the nature conservancy. fashion with a side of philanthropy? count me in!

so make sure to check out gilt groupe on april 22nd and pick out your favorite eco chic design! what a great way to celebrate earth day!


{if you need an invite to gilt, just leave a comment with your email address so i can invite you.}

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos
image via laforce + stevens


Monday, April 12

giveaway extended!


because this week is a bit crazy and because i got very little done this weekend,
but mostly because i love spring and essie nail polish,

the essie giveaway will be open until this friday, april 16th.

happy monday lovely people.
xoxo


copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Saturday, April 10

if the shoe fits


when i got married, i vowed not to be one of those gals who ditches her wedding dress into the back of the closet never to be worn again. {since mine was a short, strapless from anthropologie, i will have a much easier time of this than most ladies i know.} so, next month i will be wearing my dress for our dear friends' wedding. 

the only problem? i don't want to wear my wedding shoes. i love them, but with the dress they look too much like something a bride would wear. and so begins my search for a pair of colorful peep toes.

moschino via piperlime, luiza barcelos via amazon, joan & david via piperlime, modcloth




charles david, pour la victoire, steve madden


i can't decide between teal or pink, but i am leaning more towards the teal. i do like the pale pink steve maddens, though. i definitely don't want to look like i am getting married, and an oatmeal colored dress and nude heels may do just that. i think the pop of color with teal peep-toes would be just perfect, especially if they are a bit quirky like the modcloth or moschino ones.


{and no i will not be getting either of those... they're a bit outside of the pharmacy student price range}

 

what are your thoughts?
xoxo




copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Thursday, April 8

i kind of love these...


i really need nude pumps, and it would make sense to buy peep toes since we are well into spring/summer, but i just love these by steve madden.


how fun are they when paired with these white eyelet tights?
xoxo


copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Wednesday, April 7

pale complexion


one of my favorite things about the spring is the return of pale neutrals, especially light pink and nude. i find that these shades work best with my skin color, but flesh tones bring an air of elegance and class to an outfit, regardless of your complexion.

dress & heels, h&m; belt, vintage; earrings, f21; essie, lilacism polish


if you're worried about being too washed-out when wearing flesh tones, make sure to add a little blush and lip gloss in a rosy color.

how do you feel about neutrals? would you/do you wear skin tones?
xoxo


copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Monday, April 5

before


with all of the relationships, friendships, and acquaintance-ships that encompass our lives it's easy to get caught up in the ways that people bring us down. so today i am celebrating all of the good things that friendships and relationships have brought into my life, from the silly & minute to the character traits i cherish.

before my best friend erin.....
i didn't know what anthropologie was & had never been to a store {a travesty, i know!}
i wore a lot of black & chuck taylors way too often
i had never eaten a wendy's spicy chicken sandwich
i didn't completely understand the meaning of true, lasting friendship


before my dear friend lesley...
i had never seen what it's like to be young and completely in love {she and sam are such a perfect match}
i would have never been inspired to paint my own canvases to hang on the wall {this girl is creative!}


before my sweet husband...
i never ate oatmeal.. or pork chops.. or eggs with broccoli
i didn't know the "proper" way to make a pbj sandwich {jelly first. it's easier to clean off the knife than pb.}
i didn't actually own a backpacking pack or a hydration pack
i didn't visit the rei scratch & dent sale regularly
i never ran sprints
i never felt cherished and adored on a daily basis
i never felt taken care of and secure


i could go on and on... but i do hope that you take a minute today and think of at least one positive thing that each of your nearest & dearest have brought to your life. and maybe even let them know about it!

what are some of your favorite quirks or character traits that you have developed through relationships? i'd love to hear about them!

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos