It might just be me, but lately, it has been hard to find an evening or weekend that Alex and I don’t have plans for. When we do find an evening without anything going on, we are usually stumped about what to do. We enjoy some time at home with @sirwinstonphillips but love a fun date night. I have listed some of our favorite Dallas date night ideas! If you are looking for a great place for a dinner date, be sure to check out my favorite restaurants in Dallas! xoxo

Late Nights at the Dallas Museum of Art – The Dallas Museum of Art keeps its doors open until midnight on the third Friday of each month. They welcome guests with social lectures, live music, and multiple bars. This is the perfect way to see the many beautiful collections at the DMA and it cost less than admission to a movie. Admission costs $10/person and is free for DMA members.

Topgolf – You don’t have to be a pro, or heck, even know how to hold a golf club to enjoy Topgolf. Each bay is well equipped with fans and heaters to make sure you’re comfortable in any weather. They also offer an extensive menu with some pretty delicious options. There are multiple locations across the metroplex.

Perot Museum Social Science – This museum is not just for kids! Stop by the Perot for one of their Social Science events to avoid busloads of screaming kids. Social Science is an evening of adult-only museum fun offered on a Friday every quarter. Tickets go quickly, so you might want to plan ahead for this date.

Sur La Table cooking class – Alex and I have been to a few cooking classes at Sur La Table and always have the best time. We end up learning so much and make a second date night trying to recreate everything we made in the class. You get to eat as you cook and the classes are BOYB, just be sure to wear shoes you can stand in all night.

Galleria Ice Rink (during the holidays) – Unless you absolutely hate ice skating as I do, the Galleria ice rink is the perfect holiday date to get everyone in the spirit. The properly oversized Christmas tree, the smell of Starbucks coffee, and the excuse to hold hands are the makings of a perfect evening. Admission is $12 during public skating hours, and skate rentals are $3.

Specialty screenings at Alamo Drafthouse – The dine-in movie theatre offers specialty screenings for new and old movies regularly. We recently enjoyed seeing Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 35 mm film with time-relevant trailers. Times, prices, and availability vary based on location.

Dallas Trolley Tour – Learn something new about the city of Dallas, with over 100 sights and facts along the way. You are welcome to hop on and off at any of the 14 stops giving you the opportunity to try new restaurants, coffee shops, or bars. It is free to ride the trolly, but if you would like to join in on the tour, tickets are $29.

Sporting Event – One of my favorite things about Dallas, is the fact that we have a professional Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, and Soccer team in our backyard. Ticket prices vary, but if you find reasonably priced options, a sporting event is always an eventful and fun date.

Picnic in Klyde Warren – The park is the perfect spot to stop for lunch while exploring downtown. A meal at Savor restaurant, food trucks, or a packed picnic all make great date days.

Images via Denise Thompson.

Need more Dallas recommendations? Check out my posts here:

Statler Hotel

Favorite Coffee Shops in Dallas

Favorite Hotels in Dallas

Favorite Places to Shop in Dallas

Favorite Restaurants in Dallas

As a kid, this cake always confused me because there was no coffee in it, but as an adult, I can fully appreciate how well this cake pairs with a cup of hot coffee. This sour cream coffee cake is the perfect dessert for any time of year, but especially as we transition into fall. It has the lightness of a summer cake and the flavors of fall with cinnamon and pecans. I love that with the exception of light sour cream, I always have these ingredients in my pantry and can whip up this cake at an hour’s notice. Just like my Sausage Balls or my Breakfast Casserole, this sour cream coffee cake is great for early football games and breakfast for a crowd. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe

2 sticks of butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 ounces light sour cream

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

In a large mixture, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Add vanilla, sour cream, brown cinnamon, brown sugar, and nuts. In a greased bundt pan, sprinkle a few chopped pecans then pour batter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.

Looking for more breakfast recipes? Check out my posts here:

Breakfast Casserole

Avocado Toast Four Ways

Banana Bread

Sausage Balls

Mini Frittatas

As a kid, my favorite Sunday mornings were when a beloved Sunday school teacher would bring homemade sausage balls to class. All the kids would pass right by the box of donuts to make sure they were able to snag one of her famous sausage balls. That memory recently helped me find a solution to the dreaded 11 am football kickoff. Every time I host a tailgate or watch party for an early kickoff, I struggle to prepare breakfast-like items. Sausage balls have become one of my favorite simple solutions for those awkward game times that are somewhere between the bagels and burgers. After many attempts to make sausage balls with turkey instead of pork, I discovered the best solution is the Jennie-O turkey breakfast sausage. This is the same turkey sausage I use in my Breakfast Casserole and it has all the flavor of regular sausage with half the fat. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Sausage Ball Recipe 

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 pound breakfast turkey sausage

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Whisk flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, baking powder, and cheddar cheese. Add sausage, onion, and butter. Mix well with your hands. Roll 1-inch balls and place them about half an inch apart on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Looking for more breakfast recipes? Check out my posts here:

Breakfast Casserole

Avocado Toast Four Ways

Banana Bread

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Mini Frittatas

Tee: J.Crew // Sweater: J.Crew // Jeans: Paige // Mules: Vince // Sunnies: Karen Walker // Earrings: Anthropologie (similar) 

Let’s be honest, most people would probably find my closet incredibly boring. When I go shopping I get much more excited over a basic white tee than something like a hot pink suede jacket. The key to any well stocked closet starts with staples like great jeans and accessories. You have probably seen me wear all the pieces of the outfit photographed above throughout my blog posts. I consider these skinny jeans, crew neck tee, oversized sunnies, neutral heels and gold hoops to be my top 5 closet staples. Of course my top 10 staples would include things like a black dress and blazer, but my top 5 closet staples are the pieces that I find most practical for daily wear. I have linked multiple styles and price ranges for each item below! xoxo

Skinny Jeans – I love the way Paige jeans fit me, especially the Hoxton cut. They run true to size (wearing a 24) and the material has just the right amount of stretch without stretching out too much. I also have multiple pair of J.Crew jeans in the Toothpick cut and they also fit true to size (wear a 25).

Crew Neck Tee – Everyone should find a crew neck tee they love and buy every color. A simple tee is the perfect piece to layer under a blazer or tuck into a skirt or high waited jeans. I found this crew neck tee at J.Crew and the price was so great I left with it in 5 colors. This tee fits true to size and is the perfect balance between tight fitting and oversized (wearing a small).

Oversized Sunnies – Alex surprised me with these Karen Walker sunnies a few years ago and I don’t think I have taken them off since. I had an old similar pair from Urban Outfitters, but fell in love with the shape and quality of the Karen Walker version. A strong pair of oversized sunnies quickly elevates any outfit and of course helps protect your eyes from sun damage.

Neutral Heels – Throw on a pair of neutral heels and I promise your legs will look twice as long. I think you should really have a couple pairs of neutral heels (close toed, open toe, strappy) but these Vince mules are a great pair to start with. I love how easily they pair with jeans or a skirt or dress. They fit true to size (wearing an 8) and are super comfortable. I also love these Marc Fisher closed toe pumps and Calvin Klein low mules.

Gold Hoops – Before I found these thin octagon hoops at Anthropologie, I wore studs daily. Actually I really avoided hoops because I thought most were too big and tacky. The simplicity of these hoops makes them great for daily wear without being as boring as a pair of studs. I also really love this pair of hoops, but I tend to wear them more as statement earrings.

Images via Alex Phillips.

Football season is officially back! I spent an embarrassing amount of time this past weekend watching multiple games and devouring this spinach artichoke dip. Football season is so much more fun when you watch games with friends and I love hosting watch parties at my house. Like any good southern, I always have something on hand to feed my guests, which is where this spinach artichoke dip becomes a lifesaver! It is so simple, easy, and a huge crowd pleaser for game day. I add a little extra kick with 3 teaspoons of smoked paprika and it is best served with pita or tortilla chips. I added these adorable Eat, Drink, Football napkins from Swoozies to my game day spread. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe 

1 lbs fresh baby spinach

15 ounces grilled marinated artichokes, drained

8 ounces light cream cheese

1 cup mayonnaise or mayonnaise substitute

1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups grated Gouda cheese

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon black pepper

2-3 teaspoons smoked paprika

In a large bowl, combine ingredients until well mixed. Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish about 12″ x 7″ x 3″ in size. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the top is crispy and golden.

Last week my mom and I took my grandmother on her first trip to New York City to celebrate her 85th birthday (read our full trip recap here). I wanted to make the occasion extra special, starting with where we stayed.

Location was important to us and midtown was the perfect spot to easily see everything we wanted in two days. I am a Hilton Honors member and when looking at their line of hotels The Conrad Midtown instantly stood out above the rest. Up until about a month ago, the Hilton property on west 54th street was known as The London, before transforming to The Conrad Midtown.

I was excited to see the newly renovated rooms and amenities. We stayed in the One Bedroom Suite – Double Queen and because we were at the end of the hallway it was a little larger than the other suites. The bedroom, living room, and bathroom were all separate, which was nice with three people in one room. The closet was in the living area and was large enough for all of our hanging clothes. There was also a dining table near the city view window, which gave us plenty of space for breakfast each morning.

Sadly the restaurant, Dabble, was still under renovation and we were only able to enjoy in-room dining. As a Hilton Honors gold member, we received credit towards breakfast. We had a large spread waiting as we finished our hair each morning. Every staff member we met was extremely friendly and helpful. We mainly used Uber to get around the city, but the concierge will call a car or cab for you. We met a few sweet pups in the elevator because the hotel is pet friendly. I highly recommend The Conrad Midtown for your next trip to New York City! xoxo

Need more New York recommendations? Check out my posts here:

NYC with Monna

Refinery Hotel NYC