Chelles Macarons In Dallas

Hey girls! Is this week dragging or is it just me? Weekends go by so quickly and then the weekdays just take forever. Since I’m new to Dallas, my boyfriend and I spend every Saturday and Sunday exploring a new part of Dallas. I never realized how big this city was until my Apple maps completely malfunctioned and ended up trying to direct me down a one way!

We spent Sunday at the local farmer’s market and I was thrilled to find so many little restaurants there. David took me to a macaron bakery and let me pick out a few flavors to try! Who knew how expensive those delicate little treats were? 6 macarons cost $12, but my goodness it was worth it!

The bakery is called Chelles Macarons and they have the cutest little shop at the farmer’s market. Even better, they deliver via Grub Hub and Amazon Prime! How cool is that? After browsing the display case for a few minutes, we decided to try Fruity Pebbles, Vanilla Bean, Coffee, Candied Watermelon, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Lemon Berry! My mouth was watering by the time we got home to eat them!

I’ve tried many macarons in my lifetime, and these were some of the best I’ve had! I plan on having some delivered in the next few weeks just because they’re so yummy, and let’s face it, they make for great Instagram posts. If you’re in Dallas, go try some for yourself!

-Liz

How the (South) West Was Fun

Hello lovelies! I’ve been on vacation for the last week and took a break from writing. I must say that I missed it and am glad to be back feeling refreshed and renewed. I was in San Antonio, Texas visiting relatives and a few friends while also taking in a bit of what the area had to offer. It was a really fun visit with lots of memories made and laughs shared.

I have a personal connection to the area as well. My dad and his brother and sisters spent a great deal of their growing up time at an Air Force base in San Antonio. I hadn’t been to Texas before, so getting to see a few of the places my dad and his family used to frequent was really nice. Experiencing the insane Texas heat (and humidity) was also quite a shocker. You’ll notice my hair is up in quite a few pictures. It was just too hot to wear it down and keeping it styled was just not happening. Scroll through the pictures below to see what I did!

Flight from Dulles airport! Wearing J Crew shorts, Elle top, and a Dooney bag!

When my flight arrives in Austin, each gate was full so we had to get off the plane in the middle of the tarmac. I couldn’t decide if I felt important because this looked cool or forgotten because a Lufthansa plane was sitting a few feet away at our gate.

Ghost tour! In this window supposedly you can sometimes see a soldier standing behind you. Creepy.

My coworker/friend David went on the tour with me.

My EMF detector! Designed to pick up electro-magnetic forces in the atmosphere.

Our tour guide, Wolf of Bad Wolf Ghost Tours! Such a history buff and full of funny stories.

I enjoyed tasting some macarons in downtown San Antonio Saturday. The line was almost out the door for these treats!

My oldest cousin, Josh, and I. We hadn’t seen each other since we were kids!

Lots of horse-drawn carriages in the city! Most of them were lit up like this too.

The Alamo! Such an incredible place to see and learn about Texas history.

I really like the architecture of the Alamo. It says a lot about the Spanish influence of the area and the origins of Texas.

San Antonio River Walk! A great area to take in San Antonio’s delicious cuisine and people watch.

More on my time in San Antonio to come tomorrow! I’ll be doing a little haul of the things I bought at the San Marcos outlets including a new Kate Spade bag perfect for any young professional lady!

Easter Baskets for the Young at Heart

Hello lovelies! I hope you feel rested and are ready for a new week. The weather is finally starting to improve and I feel comfortable wearing just a hoodie outside. Seriously, is there anything better than hoodie weather? I don’t think so! Since spring is coming and so is the Easter Bunny, I thought now would be the perfect time to give you some adorable ideas for a grown-up Easter basket! My mom still makes one for me and I love it every single year!

Easter Basket Ideas

• Chocolate bunnies– Do I have to explain this one?
• Phone cases– The one above is from Kate Spade but Target sells some really adorable ones for under $5 in their dollar section!
• Nail polish– Essie is my favorite and you can find it cheap at Marshall’s. Get those spring colors!
• Macarons– This little pastry sends a smile to the face of girls everywhere! Find them in your local bakery for about $3 a piece.
• Pastel straws– They’ve been populating Instagram and the aisles of Target and they just so happen to look adorable in a fruity drink. You can buy them for about $3 a pack.
• Stationary– I’m a sucker for cute stationary and you can find so many options for under $5 at Marshall’s and Target!
• Tassel Earrings– Recently populating high end stores, these earrings are becoming a staple for spring! The ones above are from J Crew but I’ve seen similar ones in other stores for much cheaper. Check out Forever21 for more options.
• Ashley Brooke Designs Mug– This glamorous artist in Orlando has me in raptures from her adorable mug collection! They’re not cheap, coming in at $23 per mug, but they’re darling!
• Eos Lip Balm– These lip balms look like little Easter eggs themselves! I haven’t used them before but everyone tells me they’re amazing! You can buy them for about $3 each.

I’m a true believer that we’re never too old for an Easter basket and we should celebrate everyday like we’re kids again. Of course, I also believe that the true meaning of this very important holiday is sometimes overshadowed by a cute, little bunny.

As a Christian, remembering that He is risen and I’m saved from my own sins is much more important than an Easter basket. Being a born-again Christ-follower is the reason I celebrate this beautiful holiday. I love to make it cute and festive though, which is why I incorporate these other little traditions in my celebration of such an important holiday.

Taking Photos for Instagram or a Blog? Here are 8 Things You Need

Do you want to know one major thing I’ve noticed amongst all big-time bloggers, Instagrammers, and Etsy-ers? They all know how to take great photos and use props to enhance them. If I had a dollar for every time I saw a photo on Instagram using something sparkly or something with texture I’d be driving a convertible.

Seriously though, what makes some of their photos so great? It’s how they set them up. Here are 8 props you can add to your blog/Instagram pictures right now!

Props for Pictures

The number one thing people seem to be using is sequins or glitter! As annoying as those little things can be at times (they stick to everything), they really make a photo look pretty! Sprinkle them around the key items in your photo for an added pop of cuteness.

Another thing I’m seeing is colorful paper straws. This was especially popular over the summer. Etsy store owners are laying them beside their prints and artwork as a way to enhance the colors in the art.

To illustrate the business of their day, bloggers are using stationery and notebooks. You’ll see these items on their desks laid out as if they were mistakenly left there.

Flowers, particularly Peonies, are being included in photos as a natural way to enhance and add color to an otherwise neutral palette.

Candles have been making appearances in many Instagrammers “lounging around” type photos. You know the pictures I mean- where the picture includes the bottom half of her pj pants, socks, coffee, laptop, twinkly lights, and a lit candle.

Expensive make up is also being haphazardly laid on a desk or vanity. If the item the blogger wants to highlight is pink, then she’ll use pink lipstick. If it’s gold, she might use red lipstick.

Finally, macarons are here to stay and for good reason- they photograph nicely. With this pastry, there isn’t much to capture other than the edges of these delicate treats. They sit in a picture to fill up space but they look awfully darling doing it!

Lately, I’ve also been using coffee mugs, jewelry trays, and jewelry in my pictures for Instagram. It seems to work depending on the quality of the image. A key element is having natural light. No fluorescent lighting! Ever. It adds a yellow glow to the image instead of a nice white one. A white background is also best.

Day in Bed!

Day in Bed by oceangirl15 featuring a post-card

Every girl (and guy) deserves a day in bed every so often. Life is tough and stressful. I love days when all I do is sit in my room in pjs and do nothing but relax. I probably do this more often than I should though. Sitting there pinning things on Pinterest while watching a chick flick and drinking coffee is truly one of the best feelings in the world. What do you like doing on your days off/in bed? Let me know in the comments below!