Favorite Running Gear

Now that I'm all signed up for the Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, I've been doing an overhaul on my running gear. Getting rid of stuff I don't like and stocking up on stuff that I love.

I'm obsessed with my running gear and the company who makes it to be quite honest. Ever heard of Lululemon Athletica? Well if not, you need to become familiar with them if you're interested in fashionable workout clothes that fit great and are so comfortable! Lululemon is just an all around great company with fab clothes, gear and a great manifesto to boot. How could you NOT be inspired by this?

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Here are some of my personal fave items from Lululemon!

Silver Bullet Short Sleeve Shirt -- $68.00

Swiftly Racerback Tank -- $48.00

Speed Short -- $54.00

I'm lucky enough to be in Atlanta where there is a Lululemon within 5 minutes...and by lucky I mean my bank account  isn't so lucky, but I am! They have a handy store locator where you can (I'm sure) find a Lululemon close to you, if not, never fear because they do online shipping as well. The best part of shopping Lululemon online ... shipping is always free!

**all photos from Lululemon website

I Just Signed Up For WHAT!?!?!

Yep, that's right. I've lost my mind. I'm officially signed up to run the Atlanta Thanksgiving HALF MARATHON!

Through the next 14 weeks, I'll be training and putting myself through what I like to call 'hell' to get ready for this 13.1 run. Thankfully, my awesome hubby is helping me prepare as well as running the race with me. Here goes nothing. Stay tuned for updates on my progress!

Irene's A-Comin'

She's coming down the track and heading straight for the Bahamas and East Coast!

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After today's recent shakes due to a 5.9 Earthquake on the East Coast, I don't know if they are ready for Irene to make her appearance. According to the latest maps, Irene is going to pound onto the Bahamas and East Coast at a CAT 3 Hurricane.

Thank goodness both the weddings we attended in Charleston were the last 2 weekends rather than this upcoming weekend. Also, our upcoming cruise is set to port out of Miami, FL. We're heading out on the Royal Caribbean 'Majesty of the Seas' to Atlantis, Cococay and Key West. Thankfully, we're heading out on September 5 rather than on the cruise right now. Sadly the cruise that is out now has to do a diverted path and will miss out on Cococay ... talk about right timing!

Hunker down folks ... she's a-comin'!

Restaurant Club Adventure : August

Thankfully my friend Nicole shares well. Nicole has been gracious enough to share some of her awesome friends with me. Through her, I've met some fab ladies who share a passion for wine, food, gossip and working out. These girls kill it when it comes to marathons and vino. As you can imagine, I was stoked to be invited to another Restaurant Club with them this month (I also attended the one at Local Three ... another Atlanta foodie favorite of mine).

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What is Restaurant Club you might ask ... well it's when fabulous ladies meet up once a month at a different restaurant to hang out, drink up and enjoy some good grub. This month's pick ... 5 Napkin Burger, a new boutique burger joint in Atlanta (although they have 5 other established locations). I had heard rave things about 5 Napkin Burger and was pretty excited to dig-in last night.

We arrived and the place was visually appealing and it smelled pretty delightful, like burger heaven. After hanging at the bar for a bit and waiting on all of the ladies, we were seated. Their libation menu wasn't too bad, but their wine list could use some more options. I settled on the Chardonnay (which was just alright in my opinion) while most of the others chose red wine or liquor drinks. The menu was smaller than I expected, obviously they had some good burger options, but they also served sushi, salads and even hot dogs! The good news is 5 Napkin can work with you on your 'foodie wants' such as burgers with no buns --which is what 5 Napkin calls 'Inside Out' --not a bad option if you're looking to watch your carbs.

After checking out the options, I decided to go with the Original 5 Napkin Burger 'Inside Out' (10 oz. fresh ground chuck, gruyere cheese, caramelized onions and rosemary aioli) with a side of regular fries. One good plus to 5 Napkin Burger ... your side of fries are included in the price of your burger! Overall, the burger was good and cooked just right. The regular fries were delish as were the sweet potato fries I 'sampled' off one of the other girls plate.

Two glasses of wine later and a cleaned plate, the checks arrived. When I looked at the bill for my dinner for one ... $42 (including gratuity) -- one burger, two glasses of (okay) wine -- I was a little shocked. To be quite honest, the meal wasn't worth $42 and the burger, although tasty, not worth $15 (originally priced at $14, but apparently they add $1 to have it made 'Inside Out'). While I saw the prices on the menu, I guess I didn't really think too much about total cost of the meal.

Regardless, the company was great, the meal was overall good, yet pricey. I think I'd head back there for another go-round but be a little more cautious about the consumption of drinks since that certainly jacks up a total bill. Looking forward to next month's Restaurant Club ... like any good foodie, I'm always down for trying new places!

Good Advice Monday

I got an email today from my friend, Devon, that I just thought would be good to share. While you don't always think of someone wanting to harm you or your home, you never know what could happen. It's always good to read these emails, although some can be a joke, I think this one has some good information! 

*TWENTY-ONE THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:*
1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your
carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your
yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my
return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste... And taste means there
are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me
wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I
might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to
remove it.

5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and
foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead
giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let you alarm
company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it
too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows
on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and your
jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock
your door - understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off
because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere oroffer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check
dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.

12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you
keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system.
If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can
buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of
a real television. 

14. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and
carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

15. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

16. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your
neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear
it again.. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was
doing. It's human nature.

17. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy
alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

18. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home,
and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk
through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to
pick my targets.

19. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than
you think to look up your address.

20. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to
let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.

21. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Finally Printed

I told you about being in BRIDES Magazine; Atlanta in July and guess what ... it's finally printed! 

Check it out! Our cake is there in all it's gorgeous glory! 

Lovin' My Lilly

I have to admit, one of my absolute favorite things is getting a new planner. Even more than that, I like filling them out with all the fun things I have going on at work and in my personal life. For the past few years, I've kept two planners, one for work and one for personal. However, thanks to my awesome intern, Becca, I've now got a new awesome planner that has everything rolled into ONE! I present to you the most fabulous and insanely adorable Lilly Pulitzer planner!

"These useful and unique daily agendas are full of frisky fun!
The colored tabs make for happy planning" ... {source}

According to the stats on the website, this fantastic planner is 17 months and complete with both weekly and monthly calendar pages. It also has a "dates to remember", "contacts", "notes" and the best yet...snazzy stickers! The pattern I picked out isn't listed on the website, but there are four other color options available and all are just precious! Not to mention, it has this oh-so-true quote right on the front page!

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Can't wait to get to filling out my new planner! If you're in the market for a planner or just want a new one, I recommend this one for sure! Can't go wrong with Lilly!