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Friday Favorites – November 2nd, 2018

Happy Friday! It was a fun, festivity filled week due to Halloween. This weekend isn’t going to be as relaxing as most but for good reason – it’s the NYC Marathon weekend! Each day this weekend I have at least one marathon related event. On Saturday I get to catch up with Charlie and Zoe while we attend the Lindsey Hein and Paula Radcliffe podcast recording together and then on Sunday I’ll be cheering at mile 7.  But, before the NYC Marathon events, Bo and I are enjoying another date night together. This time we’re going to dinner in Manhattan before seeing the new Broadway play, To Kill A Mockingbird. It’s the first time it’s been produced for Broadway and the play was adaptation was written by Aaron Sorkin and the star is Jeff Daniels!  We’ve been waiting to see this for a few months as the tickets were Bo’s birthday gift this year.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites,. This week’s Friday Favorites is different than most as I’m dedicating this one to the J.Crew 40% off sale. When I asked you guys on Instagram if you wanted a round-up, a resounding 93% of you said YES!

Favorite jeans & pants

  • Classic Wash High Rise Jeans and True Black High Rise Jeans –  These fit me better than any other jean I’ve found and they tend to be half the price of the designer brands carried in most department stores.  After loving my classic, dark pair I just bought a pair of jet black jeans in the same high-rise style,
  • Martie Slim Crop –  This is my new favorite work pant. In fact, I loved my black pair so much that I ordered another pair in navy just a few weeks later. High-waist, slim fit and machine wash make these pants a no-brainer in my book!
  • Edie Full Length Trouser – When I want to wear a more classic, full length pant for work, this is my choice. The cut is very flattering, the material is forgiving and they travel well since they don’t seem to wrinkle easily. When I wore my black pair in Cincinnati last week for meetings, three different people asked me for details!

Dresses/Others

  • Jumpsuit – I wore this non-stop this summer and, rumor has it, if I put a turtleneck or blouse under it, I can easily wear it year-round. While I admittedly haven’t tried this look yet, I’ve seen numerous people wearing jumpsuits this fall!

Favorite Outerwear

  • Cocoon Jacket – Since buying this three years ago, it’s been one of my favorite items. I have a navy and white boucle style, that makes it a bit unique, but the coat is the same cozy, over-sized, warm version available again this year. The pockets are larger than normal, pefect for holding winter gloves or a scarf, and the oversized fit allows it to easily be worn over sweaters and winter layers. I wear a size 6, which is smaller than my normal J.Crew size so I definitely recommend sizing down.
  • Puffed Vest – This is a perfect transitional item this time of year and I wore my off white one yesterday over a cotton turtleneck. Many of my friends have these vests in different colors as they can be worn all winter long in the south and up here they are perfect for fall and spring.
  • Ribbed Beanie with Faux Fur Pom-Pom – I wore this hat non-stop last winter! The poof makes it extra fun and the longer length allows me to cover my ears. Last year this sold out quickly so if you’re thinking about it or want to give it as a gift this holiday season, buy it now!

Favorite Shirts

  • Everyday Chambray shirt – I love wearing this shirt with my leopard skirt or black dress pants for a fun weekday outfit.
  • Drapey Faux-Wrap Top – This top is a perfect day to night piece that I’ve worn both for date nights and meetings alike. I have it in navy but love the deep burgundy and black as well.
  • Slim Fit Perfect Shirt – I have this blouse in two different colors – the essential white and blue and white stripe. According to the label, I’ve had the white one for four years and the blue and white stripe for three years. Each sas It’s been a closet staple since I bought the white one back in 2012, according to th

Sweaters

  • Tippi Sweater – I’ve been adding a new color of this sweater to my closet each year since 2010 as it’s a classic, flattering sweater that comes in new colors every season. This year I added emerald green and burgundy to my wardrobe.
  • Sophie Open Front Sweater Blazer – This relaxed blazer can be worn for work and weekend alike, but my favorite aspect is that it’s long enough to wear with leggings! In fact, I threw it on over a turtleneck earlier this week for a video conference call with the customer.
  • Textured Long Cardigan – As soon as I saw this online I ordered it. The texture and colors make it a bit different than anything I own and I know I’ll wear it throughout the year. I’ll most likely pair it first with a black tissue turtleneck since this will make a perfect professional work-from-home look that is comfortable and chic!

Accessories

  • Layered Pearls – I bought these nine years ago to wear with my rehearsal dinner dress.  When I worked in an office, I wore this an average of once a week but these days I only wear it once a month or so. Regardless, it’s a classic piece of jewelry that has held up well and paid out years ago!

Have a great Friday!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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ashleyd /

Katie’s Second Halloween

Katie’s second Halloween was a wonderful evening filled with friends and fun. Our cuddly puppy dog loved every moment! Even though we were only out and about for two hours, it was such a treat for Katie who loved taking in all the sights.

We started the festivities in Cobble Hill Park where we met a few friends and watched as more than a thousand people gathered for the parade through the streets of Cobble Hill. There were some incredible, creative costumes but the row homes near the park were what really had us in awe! Just look at the decorations on these homes!

 

We meandered through the streets from Cobble Hill back to our apartment stoop. Katie walked six blocks, while holding Bo’s hand – a new record. We stopped to admire the decorations and say hello at a few of our favorite shops as they each had employees stationed on the sidewalk giving out candy.

Once we arrived at our apartment, our group of friends and children gathered on the stoop to enjoy beer, wine and appetizers while one person stood near the gate giving out candy. We opted to keep the gate closed so the kids could play and weren’t overwhelmed by the chaos. Similar to last year, we went through more than 450 pieces of candy in just 90 minutes! It was such a great way to catch up with friends while the kids enjoyed playing with ice, watching the costumes and pushing Katie’s toy stroller.

Katie didn’t want to miss out on the fun, so we took her to seven of our neighbors, where she was able to collect candy and say hello. Hopefully next year she’ll be able to say trick-or-treat but this year, a quick “woof” or “hi” was what the neighbors received instead.  Our little trickster kept trying to grab the candy from her older friend’s pumpkin and by the end of the evening, a few bites of candy made their way into her mouth.

We candy stash ran out at 6:30 which coincided perfectly with the time everyone needed to head home for the bath and bedtime routine. It was a wonderful evening and I can only imagine how magical it’ll be next year, when Katie is a little bit older.

Tell me: What was the best costume you saw last night? What did you or your family dress up as if you celebrated Halloween? 

 

 

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My Next Half Marathon

After finishing the Brooklyn Half marathon last week, I wasn’t sure I wanted to train for another half marathon. I thought, in the back of my mind, that I may take a break during the winter months and focus on something entirely different, like strength training or swimming. But, just a week later, I find myself excited to hit the pavement again. I also know that very few things can motivate me during these cold, dark winter months like running.

Brooklyn Half Marathon

Since Katie loves my race medals, I figured that on January 20th I’d give her another one. Last night I signed up for the New York Road Runners Fred Lebow Half Marathon. While some people may think I’m crazy to sign up for a January half marathon, I’m excited.  It’s no secret that running through heat and humidity is challenging for me. But, give me the right gear and I will gladly go for runs in sub-freezing temperatures. This course is two loops of Central Park which will be a fun change since I rarely run in the park these days.  Even though this is one of New York Road Runner’s smaller half marathons, they still offer pace groups, medals, swag and course support. Another added benefit is that it’s only $40 which is far less expensive than most area half marathons.

NYRR Al Gordon Brooklyn 4 Miler

Since the race is in twelve weeks, I returned to training yesterday.  Since Laura and I made such great progress together this past training plan, I’ve decided to work with her again. Having a coach will help keep me focused and motivated during these cold, winter months as well as ensure I’m continuing to get stronger. Once again I will be running three days per week, but my cross training will look a little bit different. Since this half marathon will be filled with hills, I will be focusing on building my strength.  Here’s a look at how we’re building strength into the plan:

  • Three runs per week
  • One Pilates class per week (requesting glute focus from the teacher when possible)
  • One spin class per week (focusing on power classes with lots of climbs)
  • One strength workout per week

Now, which of my local friends can I convince to join me for some cold weather fun or at least some company on upcoming training runs?

 

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