Royals

 Click here to listen to Royals by Lorde

Need a good song to start your weekend off? Well this is it! The song Royals by Lorde will make you feel like a badass - and who doesn't want that feeling every now and then? This song, part of her EP The Love Club, is just a little teaser until her full album drops in September. Did I mention that this New Zealand native is only 16!? This chick is totally going places. Enjoy!

photo credit: here

Odds & Ends

Well, this might be the longest Odds & Ends yet! So I guess we can label this the all-inclusive "Odds & Ends - Summer Edition." Picture dates range from a few days ago to all the way back in May! This should give you some idea of what I have been up to this whole summer! Enjoy :)

By Rows: 

1) Beer tasting at Flying Saucer before graduation & long summer walks at Elawa Farms

2) Hair chalking at work & our summer display looking magical

3) Amidei Mercatino & fun mornings at work

4) Luke and me looking snazzy for a wedding & the mountains of Virginia

5) Celebrating national hot dog day at Left Bank & selfies at work

6) Playing with our stylists wolf dog & scotch and cherries on Luke's birthday

7) Late night beers at Firkin & a fun new purchase 

8) Fueled by coffee & gay pride parade

Memphis, TN

Dear Memphis,

You take good care of me :) You remind me how cheap and delicious food should be. You take me back to my partying roots. You surround me with friends and family I love so dearly. But, mainly, you are and always will be my first home. So Memphis, I will love you forever - even if you sucked the life out of my camera's battery the first day I was there. So even though this post is a compilation of iPhone photos, the pictures are still wonderful since there is some Memphis love in them.

I ended up staying a few days longer than expected and my long weekend trip turned into a week long trip! I spent my time helping my sister move into her new apartment downtown, hanging out with loved ones, and eating all of my favorite Memphis food - including Pho Binh's lunch buffet three times...yes 3/6 days I was there I ate Pho Binh (their lemongrass tofu is addictive). 

This trip made me feel as if I never left Memphis to begin with. It was hard saying goodbye since I don't know the next time I will be back. Safe to say I didn't want to leave my wonderful friends and pretty city :) Yet, as my train pulled away, I was satisfied knowing that the next time I visit I will be greeted by open, loving arms! I can't wait!

^^Annie's new patio with views of the river

^^Best chicken in the world - Gus's

^^Mango lemonade and a nerve racking game of Jenga at lunchbox eats!

 Dog picnic at the river - which included dog selfies and long walks

I'm going to Graceland

Tonight I'm hopping on the late night train and by the time I wake tomorrow I'll be spending the weekend in my favorite city. I can't wait for some good ole Memphis love! Every time I turn on the radio a song about Memphis is playing and every time I watch the food network Memphis restaurants are featured. Needless to say, the thought of being in Memphis has been teasing me all summer and now I finally get to go back to that wonderful city! What are your plans for the last weekend in July?!

Taste on Taste on Taste

The Taste of Chicago is always a good time! Even when you have to limp and lag behind everyone else as a result of a stupid orthopedic boot that you have to wear because you sprained your ankle ;) My dad, Luke, and I went together and nommed up a storm, which is why I didn't take too many pictures of the food! My favorite tastes we had were BJ's Market & Bakery Mustard-Fried Catfish (my favorite for the past 6+ years) and the Tamales from Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill. Unfortunately, I don't have photos of those tastes since we ate them so fast! Here are a few shots from our short, gimpy morning at the Taste and here is a post from last years Taste of Chicago!

 Can you see an orange theme here (^^ and below)?! Above: Panades from Garifuna Flava. 

The guy demanded we take a picture with him :)^^ Cafe Vienna's Schnitzel

Kentucky style vinegar based BBQ sauce - Pulled Pork Sandwich from Wishbone

Key Lime Cheesecake!

Downtown Sound - Dawes

This past Monday, Luke was home for a quick 24 hours (he was in between vacations - that lucky man). We tried to make the most of it and went downtown for Chicago's Downtown Sound, which is when the city hosts free concerts at Millennium Park all summer long. This week Dawes was playing and I couldn't have been more excited since I had never seen them before! We packed a picnic, made a date of it, and enjoyed the short time we had together :)

The weather started like this ^^ and it rained a little at first, but we didn't let that ruin the concert!  

My semi-beautiful and clearly staged picnic photo ^^ And what our picnic really looked like...