If you follow me on Instagram, chances are you saw a few photos this past weekend of my trip to NYC with Monna. You might remember my grandmother, Monna, from my Mondays with Monna series. Believe it or not, this year Monna is turning 85! A couple of months ago, she mentioned that she has always wanted to visit New York City and never had the chance. My mom and I thought there was no better way to celebrate a milestone birthday than with a trip to the big apple! We had such a great time that I just had to share all the details of our trip to NYC with Monna. Be sure to scroll all the way to the end for a short recap video of our adventures! xoxo

Our flight to New York took a little longer than anticipated thanks to some showers in the area. Luckily, I had already planned to have Precision NY Chauffeur and Airport Transportation pick us up at baggage claim. I do not normally hire a car service, but after our experience, I will be doing so more often. We finally made it to The Conrad Midtown, formally The London NYC, and the two-queen bed suite was perfect for the three of us. I will be sharing a full review of The Conrad Midtown later this week.

We kicked off our grand tour of NYC with a trip to the top of the Empire State Building. The VIP Main Deck Express Experience tickets (aka Fast Pass) made our trip to the top much shorter than everyone else waiting in line. There was a little rain, so we had a beautiful misty view of the city. Next, we made our way downtown to visit Ground Zero. My mom and I had not seen the memorial and it was especially special to my mom who ate lunch at the World Trade Center on September 10, 2001. The line to the museum was a mile long, so we did not have a chance to visit that part of the monument, but have I heard great things. We enjoyed lunch at Osteria della Pace in Eatly before walking through the financial district to Battery Park. Since Monna tends to get motion sickness, we saw the Statue of Liberty from the still coastline of Battery Park.

That night we enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Polo Bar before seeing the Broadway production of Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre. The Ambassador Theatre was built in 1921 and has not had as many updates as other Broadway theaters. Before turning in for the night we walked by Times Square to see all the lights at night and to make some custom birthday M&M’s at M&M World.

Past a little rain on the first day, the weather was beautiful the rest of our trip. We started day two with a carriage ride through all of Central Park. We used NYC Horse Carriage Rides and our driver shared a ton of history and was nice enough to take all the photos we wanted. We took a stroll to see The Plaza, Bergdorf Goodman, Trump Tower, The Chrysler Building and stopped in Grand Central Station. That afternoon visited the fourth floor of Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue for lunch at The Blue Box Cafe. The food, employees, and atmosphere made the headache of getting a reservation well worthwhile. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and spent the afternoon strolling through the endless cases full of diamonds, silver, gold, and crystal. Before enjoying dinner at Fig & Olive, we visited Rockefeller Plaza and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Before catching our afternoon flight home, I made everyone visit Ralph’s Coffee Shop on Madison Avenue. The coffee shop is perfectly tucked inside the women’s Ralph Lauren store, where I could have spent all day looking at their black label. The weather was beautiful so we walked back toward our hotel along Park Avenue while admiring the towering building and perfectly placed flowers.

I received so many great restaurant recommendations on Instagram Stories but sadly didn’t have the time to visit them all. Here are the restaurants that were most recommended: 21 Club, Bacaro, Bagels & Schmear on 28th, Bubby’s, Carbone, Catch, Frenchette, Flip Sigi, Gato, Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co., Jacob’s Pickles, Katz’s, La Vara, LAVO, Le Colonial, Osteria Morini, Palma, Sofreh, Wayan, Xi’an Famous Foods.

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

The Conrad Midtown

Refinery Hotel NYC

Dress: Anthropologie // Belt: Vintage (similar) // Bag: Cult Gaia // Shoes: Dolce Vita (similar)

The amount of time between Easter and Labor Day is just too short. I cannot believe it is almost time to put away all my white shoes and dresses. It probably doesn’t feel right because the 100 degree temperatures will continue well through September in Dallas. So, I am getting all the wear I can out of this white button down dress before I have to hang it up for the next seven months.

I found this white button down dress at Anthropologie while returning a dress that was a little too colorful for me. I can imagine how far my moms eyes rolled when I sent her a picture of yet another neutral dress from the fitting room. I promised I would pair the white dress with her vintage belt to add some color to the outfit. This dress fit a little large (wearing an XS) so I recommend ordering a size down. I love how light weight the material is and that this dress is lined and not see through. The sleeves and length of this white button down dress give just enough warmth in a cold room but won’t make you sweat in 100 degree heat. Shop this look and some similar dresses below! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

I am not accepting that summer is coming to an end soon. If it was up to me, it would be 100 degrees year-round with the exception of Christmas! I love incorporating fresh summer fruits like peaches into refreshing desserts. After a taste of cake on my birthday, I remembered how much I enjoy a light cake with fresh fruit and whipped cream. This olive oil cake with a hint of lemon pairs perfectly with peaches and fresh whipped cream! I am excited to add rosemary and pears to this recipe for winter. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print recipe for Olive Oil Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup olive oil

4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in olive oil, lemon juice, and water. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium speed until slightly thickened. Reduce speed and slowly incorporate the olive oil mixture.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 20 to 24 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

Chantilly Cream: Using a whisk attachment on an electric mixer, combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 tablespoon vanilla on a low speed. Add 1/4 cup sugar and gradually increase the speed. Continue to beat for about 2 minutes or until the mixture thickens and soft peaks form.

I have candles for every room in our house, in the guest room and bath, in the laundry room, on my coffee table, kitchen island, dresser, and vanity. I love finding new scents and changing the scents in our house seasonally. I am sharing my favorite candles for every room based on the type of scent below! xoxo

Clean Scent

NEST Linen – My first choice of any scent would probably be a clean scent. The NEST Linen is my go to scent for about half our house. I keep either a diffuser or candle of this scent in our bathrooms and laundry room. It smells just like clean laundry with a hint of orchid. NEST candles have a burn time of 50-60 hours.

Floral Scent

Diptyque Roses – I was surprised by how much I ended up loving a floral scent. There is no other way to describe the scent of this candle than just roses. It perfectly captures what a rose smells like without being too fragrant or almost stinky. This scent is perfect for the guest bath or kitchen. Diptyque candles have a burn time of about 60 hours.

NEST Blue Garden – The perfect mixture of hydrangea, hyacinth and forget-me-nots to create a scent that I describe as spring. This candle is perfect for the kitchen, guest room or living room during the spring and summer months. The Blue Garden candle is in a larger container and has a burn time of 95 hours.

Sweet Scent

Capri Blue Volcano – I have been buying the volcano candle from Anthropologie for years and it is still one of my favorites. It took me a while to decide what kind of scent volcano even is, but I decided on sweet with a woodsy undertone. Volcano is a mixture of citrus fruits and earth. The jumbo jar has a burn time of 100 hours.

NEST Grapefruit – A mixture of grapefruit, lily and coriander give this scent a delightful punch.  This candle is great for the living room during the spring and summer months. NEST candles have a burn time of 50-60 hours.

Diptyque Baies – The Baies scent is as hard to describe as it is to pronounce. There is a hint of fruit, greenery and roses mixed together. This candle is perfect for the living room or bedroom during fall and winter months. Diptyque candles have a burn time of about 60 hours.

Fall Scent

Capri Blue Pumpkin Clove – I normally avoid candles that smell like pumpkin, but I had time to kill in Anthropologie and this was burning. I wouldn’t even associate this scent with pumpkin, I smell more orange, vanilla and cinnamon. I already stocked up on a few of these candles in the tin size to give as hostess gifts this fall! The tin size has a burn time of 38 hours.

NEST Pumpkin Chai – This is another “pumpkin” candle that I would not associate with pumpkin at all. I love the chai, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon notes that perfectly blend in this scent. It smells more like a coffeehouse or bakery and is great for the kitchen or living room during the fall holidays! NEST candles have a burn time of 50-60 hours.

Holiday Scent

NEST Holiday – One of my favorite scents is a department store at Christmas time and this candle captures that perfectly! I love this candle for the holidays because it has a hit of orange, pine, clove and cinnamon. The 3 wick candle has a burn time of 120 hours to keep your house smelling wonderful from Thanksgiving to New Years.

NEST Hearth – Another great holiday candle with more of a fireplace scent. The Hearth candle does not have the hint of pine or cinnamon that the Holiday candle does, but has notes of wood, frankincense and smoke. This candle is great for the living room especially if you do not have a wood burning fireplace. NEST candles have a burn time of 50-60 hours.

Diptyque Feu De Bois – This is another great woodsy candle for the winter months. Similar to the NEST Hearth candle, this scent perfectly depicts a wood burning fire place in the best way. This candle is great for the living room, guest room or guest bath. Diptyque candles have a burn time of about 60 hours.

Continuing my hometown guide, I have listed my favorite coffee shops in Dallas for you! There are so many great places to grab a quick latte, spend the day working or catch up with an old friend. Be sure to read my Favorite Restaurants in Dallas, Favorite Places to Shop in Dallas and Favorite Hotels in Dallas to plan your next adventure! xoxo

Ascension Coffee – There are seven locations in Dallas, including their roastery. Ascension offers a larger food menu than most coffee shops and has a great happy hour including both coffee and wine. Their coffee is sourced from local farmers and brews using a variety of unique methods. Most of their locations are great for both working and meeting friends. 

Commissary – This is one of my favorite stops in Downtown Dallas (image featured above). Commissary has a large food menu offering breakfast and lunch options as well as a small market area to pick up things to go. This is more of a place to meet friends than it is a place to work. When you’re done with your coffee, be sure to grab a scoop of their gelato! 

Davis Street Espresso – Trendy Oak Cliff coffee shop with a great patio. They host a lot of local events and have a large selection of merchandise for sale. It is a great spot for meeting up with friends, especially if the weather is nice.

Fiction Coffee – The rotating mural on the wall of the entrance is a must-see. They have local artists create the most fun pieces! Fiction Coffee is a smaller space but has plenty of room to work. 

Foxtrot – The newest coffee shop/market/store in Dallas. Foxtrot has a great patio, plenty of space to work inside, a cute shop to buy gifts and gourmet foods, to-go and delivery menus, and a coffee bar. It is a full experience and should be on everyone’s list. 

Halcyon Coffee Bar – Large coffee shop on Greenville with plenty of soft seating and work spaces inside. There is also a large patio if the weather is nice. They offer happy hour every day from 4-8 including beer and wine as well as coffee. They also offer a small food menu. 

Houndstooth Coffee – They have three locations in Dallas and some in Austin as well. Houndstooth offers catering services if your office is near one of their locations, but each store has plenty of work space and small food menus. 

La La Land Kind Cafe – La La Land is another new spot in Dallas and offers so much more than just coffee! They mentor and employ disadvantaged foster youth who are aging out of the system. Their menu is 100% organic, the food menu is limited to toast and cookies but there are some unique coffee, tea, and matcha options. It is located just off Henderson and offers great spaces to work or meet friends. 

Magnolias Sous Le Pont – Hidden in the Harwood District, Magnolias Sous Le Pont has a spacious patio and plenty of room inside to work. The cold brew and matcha are our personal favorites.  

Mudsmith – Locations on lower Greenville and Oaklawn, offering a much larger food menu than most coffee shops. Mudsmith also has a large selection of pressed juice, beer, wine, and kombucha on tap! 

Overeasy – Inside the recently renovated Statler Hotel, Overeasy is part restaurant and part coffee bar. It is more of a place to meet friends than a space to work. The restaurant part offers a large and delicious food menu. The coffee bar is easily accessible through the lobby, but there will most likely be a wait for brunch in the dining room so plan ahead. 

Royal Blue Grocery – The Highland Park Village location has a cute patio and a loft with plenty of workspaces. The downtown location has a smaller workspace and is better for to-go orders. Royal Blue Grocery offers a small menu but has plenty of to-go goodies and a mini-market where you can buy some groceries, gourmet foods, and gifts. 

State Street Coffee – Located in uptown, the patio is very spacious and dog friendly. State Street uses unique brewing methods to create its craft drinks and offers a small menu of tacos and donuts. There is plenty of work space inside as well.

Images via Alex Phillips.

Need more Dallas recommendations? Check out my posts here:

Statler Hotel

Dallas Date Night Ideas

Favorite Hotels in Dallas

Favorite Places to Shop in Dallas

Favorite Restaurants in Dallas

I have a huge sweet tooth and in the summer I try to kick my cravings with fresh fruit! I started making this cherry crisp as an alternative to my favorite fruit cobblers. Instead of crust, I add Trader Joe’s Almond Butter Granola but still top the crisp with a little ice cream. I have used cherries, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries to make this crisp and all versions were delicious. My cherry pitter is from Crate & Barrel and it is super easy to use and is dishwasher safe. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print recipe for Cherry Crisp

(Recipe makes one ramekin)

10-12 Cherries (pitted)

1/4 cup Trader Joe’s Almond Butter Granola 

1/2 tablespoon butter

Fill a 6 oz ramekin with pitted cherries and top with granola and butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until cherries bust. Top with ice cream or add to plain greek yogurt.