Five on Friday

Linking up again with these lovely ladies for Five on Friday!

1.Running. Tomorrow is my half-marathon and I am really excited! It will be the furthest I've run since I ran a marathon almost 6 years ago. I'm the slightest bit nervous but mostly I'm looking forward to having a good time and running with some of my dearest friends. I'm also looking forward to the drinks that will come after. Definitely that. Lack of a Thursday night glass of wine was difficult. 

2. Reading. I love it so. Someone asked me the other day how I have so much time to read and its because I don't really watch any TV. I have a couple of shows that I watch with my husband and even then I'm usually reading/kinda watching. Reading is one of my greatest joys and lately I've been on a kick where every book I read is really good!

3. The Lexington Tank Shift Dress. I am seriously coveting this dress for an NYC wedding I have later this summer. The boutique down the street from me sells it for a cheaper price than Sosie but they don't have anymore in my size so I might have to bite the bullet and buy it.

4. Baltimore. I love my city. Obviously like any other city it has its dark sides (who doesn't?) but I'm so happy living here. I love taking the pup out for walks on the city streets, its a very dog friendly city. I love the great restaurants and all the little neighborhoods. I love that its a city without being overwhelmingly huge. I've found a lot of wonderful activities to do close by that I can get to so easily. I don't have to belong to a gym to exercise a lot around here!

5. Macy. I love this little creature so much. Seriously, dogs are the BEST. She brings so much joy and laughter to our lives. This picture cracks me up she looks so serious (and patriotic)!

Happy Friday!

Update: Ikea Rast Hack

Wanted to stop by again today and give an update on my Ikea Rast Hack. When I first posted it, I still had one more step to finish: installing the DeeDee O'verlays. I am so delighted with the way the dresser turned out in the end. The Rast works great as a bedside table because it provides ample space to house books, magazines, and any other pillow time necessities!

Here is the finished product:

I posted about the process here. For the DeeDee O'verlays, I primed them first as I wanted the spray paint to really stick (I used Rustoleum primer in White and paint in Winter Gray). I let them dry for at least an hour in between each coat and I applied them with Liquid Nails. I tried using Gorilla Glue initially and it did not work. After applying the Liquid Nails, I let them sit for a looong time. Like hours and hours. The brass pulls from Lee Valley Hardware were a cinch to install.

Like I said, I am so pleased with the finished product! The Rast was very easy to work with as it did not require any sanding initially. If you have a hankering to DIY an Ikea Rast I encourage you to do so!

(The lamp is from Home Goods, I love it so)

Get Away Wednesday

Traveling is one of my most favorite things to do. I love airports and travel clothes and having uninterrupted hours to read a book or magazine. I've been fortunate enough to travel to many different places in the U.S. and quite a few Caribbean destinations as well but there are so many places I still want to visit! One of the places I am dying to visit is Budapest, Hungary. I remember seeing a picture of it in a textbook when I was younger and was mesmerized. It has been called "The Paris of the East". Take a gander for yourself:

All images//google.com

Five on Friday

Today I am linking with the lovely April of A. Liz Adventures to discuss the 5 things I am loving this Friday!

Without further ado, here are the 5 things I am loving this Friday:

1. Thursday evening. I love Thursdays. By the time Thursday evening rolls around, I am feeling relaxed and nothing excites me more during the week than my Thursday evening glass(es) of wine! Last night was no exception although I did want to enjoy my porch swing but storms made that impossible.

2. Summer vacation. Including today, I have to go to work 15 more times before 10 weeks (give or take) of freedom. I have so many plans for the summer, namely: hanging out with my newest nephew, reading lots of books, working on Prissy's Ponytails, and laying by the pool.

3. This dress from Old Navy. I popped into Old Navy last week for one dress and ended up leaving with multiple items for both me and the husband. They were and, I believe, still are having ridiculous sales. This dress was not the dress I intended to pick up but I am so glad I did. It is so comfortable and I've already worn it twice since I bought it. Mine, however, is black and for reference, usually in all clothing items I wear a small or medium. I bought this in XS and it fits perfectly.

4.  Bruschetta with Peach Salsa and Melted Brie by Recipe Girl. I am making this for our annual Memorial Day party on Saturday and I.Cannot.Wait. This bruschetta is soooooooooo good. I always make the peach salsa the night before so it can all really meld together. I've also used nectarines if my local grocery store's peaches aren't up to snuff. Side note: my husband worked in a grocery store throughout high school and he is very familiar with the produce aisle. Thus, when I come home with produce he carefully inspects it and I often get lectured on whether or not I've done a good enough job picking out the best of the bunch. Hence why I've used nectarines before- he just cannot handle produce that isn't top notch. Such a snob when it comes to that. This knowledge does come in super handy at the self-checkout aisle (when he's with me that is, which is like never) because he still remembers all the product numbers!

5. Richwood Creations on Etsy. I recently purchased this Venn diagram cutting board as a wedding gift. I think it is such a cute and unique gift. Who doesn't need a cutting board? This would be great as a cheese board as well (pre-cut the cheese so you don't risk knife marks on the adorable design!) The seller does suggest simply turning it over to use it as a real cutting board which is a great idea. 

Happy Friday, lovelies! I hope everyone has an excellent MDW!!! If it had been Six on Friday, MDW would have been on my list!

On My Bookshelf...

Currently reading...

Just finished...

A fun and quirky read that was really easy to get into. It was thoughtful and introspective without being heavy. I would not recommend it if you don't like quirky books. 

Fun, breezy read. Definitely a good beach read. I enjoyed the writing for the most part and I always love reading about food. 

This is a good memoir, I'm a sucker for those. Its very inspiring to read about John Wood's journey but its mainly about how he started the nonprofit and the nonprofit sector, I would have enjoyed a more thorough look at the building of the libraries and how they operated. 

I can't even. There are no words for this book. It is haunting and heartbreaking and brilliantly written. The emotions of the characters in this book jump off the page, they are so palpable. I'm still walking around with heavy boots after finishing this book. This book stays with you. It is a must read. 

Up Next...

 

What's on your bookshelf? I have a sickness in which I cannot stop buying books, so please, do tell!