What's In My Bag: Summer Weekend Edition

Happy Monday! I can't believe this is the beginning of the last week of June...crazy. 

This weekend my boyfriend took me on a lovely dinner date at the Rock Center Cafe in NYC. It was delicious, and I definitely recommend sitting outside if it's a nice day. As I was unpacking my bag when we got back, I decided to take a picture for this post. I'll probably be doing more "What's In My Bag" posts throughout the year. 

This is one of my favorite purses. I love it so much that I bring it to work almost every day. My favorite thing about it is that it doesn't look super huge but it holds a ton, making it the perfect bag for a commute. I bought it a few months ago from TJ Maxx. 

And here's everything that's in it! I didn't edit it at all but I moved the stuff around to look a little better for the picture. From left to right, here are the contents:

1) Train schedule. I always have one of these with me, especially during work.

2) Clean & Clear blotting sheets. These things are LIFESAVERS. New York gets incredibly humid during the summer so these are great for blotting off the results of the weather. In my opinion, these are the best blotting sheets because they really don't mess with your makeup at all. 

3) Planner. I write things down obsessively because if I don't write it down I'm most likely going to forget it. At the end of last semester, my Lilly Pulitzer agenda got lost in the moveout process, so I've been using this little blue one from CVS until I can use my new Lilly one because I can't live without a planner. 

4) My company umbrella. Like a train schedule, this is an NYC essential. Regardless of how clear the sky looks there's at least a 30% chance of rain almost every day. Let me tell you, getting caught in the rain without an umbrella seven blocks away from the subway is no fun.

5) EOS lip balm. If you don't have one of these, go get one immediately! These fun lip balms are super moisturizing and come in a wide variety of flavors, all of which are amazing. 

6) iPad. I carry this around to read on the train. See my post on the case here.

7) Coach wallet. I got this at a Coach outlet store in California several years ago, and it still looks as good as new. The shiny material is very durable and I like that bills or checks don't get folded when I put them in the wallet. 

8) Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses...in a Ray Ban case. I consider my gold aviators to be the perfect summer accessory, so they pretty much live in my purse for use throughout the day. 

9) J. Crew Mini-emergency Kit. I bought this on sale at J. Crew because I thought the pouch was cute, but it's come in handy numerous times. It contains important on-the-go items such as pain relievers, safety pins, band-aids, nail polish remover, and many others in one convenient place. 

10) Hand Food hand lotion. Hands down (pun not intended) the best hand cream I have ever used. It smells delicious and keeps my hands soft for hours...oh, and its only $5!
PS: Yes that carpet is leopard print.

Have a good week, everyone! I have some fun posts planned for this week, so be sure to check back!

Lunchtime Discoveries

It's days like today that I'm extra happy that I'm a girl. It's around 100 degrees outside right now (not an exaggeration), and I'm so thankful that I can wear a breezy shift dress instead of having to wear a hot suit. Today my fellow intern and I had to carry a bunch of gift bags to the conference that our company was having at a hotel about seven blocks away. Not that far under normal circumstances, but in this heat and with our extra baggage it felt very long. On the way back I quickly stopped into a giant Hallmark store to try to take advantage of their air conditioning. Probably my first time in a Hallmark store in two or three years.  

While I was pretending to browse, I noticed this notepad and quickly snatched it up. How cute!! I love the patterns and the pink and green combination. Its hard to see in this picture, but the back of the pad on the inside is green with aqua polka dots. And it was only $3! I looked for this online when I got back to the office, but couldn't find it. 

On the second leg of my journey back to the office, I walked by this amazing sandcastle. It's seriously huge and so intricate. I wish that I had walked this route more so that I could have seen it being built. 

Overall, it was a lunch break of fun discoveries. Enjoy the rest of the day and stay cool!

Wishlist Wednesday

Wow it's Wednesday already?! I feel like all of a sudden the summer is flying by...Anyways happy Wishlist Wednesday! Enjoy and be sure to tell me what you're wishing for this week!

1) Tory Burch umbrella

I've been using an umbrella with my company's logo on it this summer, which is unfortunately not as attractive as it is functional. This umbrella would be much better looking for when I go back to school.

2) Jonathan Adler sticky notes

I have a little obsession with sticky notes. My desk is always covered with them because I'm constantly writing down my random thoughts on them. I wouldn't mind having a desk covered in these adorable owl ones though!

3) Tory Burch cardigan
Can you tell I've been pursuing Tory Burch online? I have the "shrunken" version of this sweater, which I love for its warmth and style. I also like this longer version as well as this oatmeal color.

4) Frye boots

Fun fact about me: I am a cowgirl. No, for real. I've competed in rodeos and been trained in roping, bareback, gymkhana, you name it. Frye makes THE BEST cowboy boots. I've had mine for 6 years now (wow I'm old). In addition to wearing them on horseback, I like wearing Frye boots in the fall, and these have caught my eye. 

5) Kate Spade watch

I blogged about this watch the other day...and now I'm thinking about getting it. This is how blogging can be dangerous, folks.

6) Spray water bottle/fan

This is only a half serious item on my wishlist. When I was in elementary school, everyone had these spray bottles that misted you while fanning you at the same time, perfect for humid New York summers. I could seriously use one of these right now as it's going to be ONE HUNDRED degrees in NYC tomorrow (and probably about 29 degrees in my office). 

Stay cool, everyone!

Rain, Rain Go Away

I love New York. I love the history, the architecture, the culture, and the people. I love the sitting on a park bench and looking out at the water while the sun is shining. Which is usually is on a summer NY day. Therefore,  I naively thought that I was leaving rain and clouds behind in South Bend and so I put my rain boots in storage. Big. Mistake.I feel like every day since I started work I've either been walking to or from the office in some kind of downpour.

So, I've been in the market for some cute, rain-proof shoes to wear during my commute. Luckily, jelly flats are becoming more and more popular among my favorite designers. Check out my picks! 

I'm loving these J.Crew Factory rubber flats so much that I bought them for myself. They're fun and stylish, yet still totally practical. The color will definitely cheer me up on a rainy day, and the bow is a cute preppy touch.

Tory Burch

Loeffler Randall

Ted Baker

Kate Spade

Which is your favorite? What shoes do you love for rainy days?