5 on Friday

Happy Friday, everyone! Unfortunately, I am working the entire weekend which I am not excited about because I just got over a 7 day sickness. However, I am excited to be linking up with Smidge of This and Carolina Charm for 5 on Friday. Head over and link up yourself and post about 5 things on your mind. 

1.  I had such a fun Valentine's Day with Will. I must admit, the best in a long time. He surprised me with a stunning bouquet, a dinner at a gorgeous restaurant on Monday, and Rose treats from L'Occitane, my favorite. 

I am enjoying them as they brighten up my family room. I am so ready for Spring so that these bright colors can infiltrate my wardrobe again. 

Loving this sheepskin run that I found at TJ Maxx, my guilty pleasure store. 

Although hard to see, the moon over the city from our view at dinner was divine. It looked like a harvest moon though this is so difficult to capture in a photo. I was sick and trying to stifle my coughing fits in between my bites of scallops and shrimp in a cajun cream sauce...how romantic. 

2.  That day I walked into Dillard's and walked out with an entire outfit for under $100 within 2 hours. I cannot remember the last time I did that. Everything was on deep discount, and I love my knack for finding everything in clearance! I wanted something beautiful and unique that I hadn't worn before for dinner. 

3.  I shipped out my first order of prints for a very happy mermaid loving customer this week. You can shop this print and many other pretty options either on Instagram by following @paintingsbyrachael or by shopping at my tab above, also linked here. 

4. Breaking in for a little review of LUSH bath bombs here...I must admit, I was not the biggest fan. 

Avo-Bath

I never used to be a fan of bath bombs, but I had a coworker recently recommend LUSH bath bombs to me and I happened to run into a boutique unexpectedly in Pennsylvania. I just picked up one bath bomb to see if I liked it, and I was very impressed. I chose the Avo-Bath for the hints of citrus. It was soothing to my skin, and supposedly the products are vegan and handmade which I love the concept of. My only worry is over time they will start to irritate my skin because later in the evening I started to itch everywhere, and I mean everywhere.

 I would definitely recommend it once in a while for a relaxing bath as long as you shower after to remove it all from your skin and replenish your skin with an oatmeal or shea based lotion afterwards at the very least to replace the moisture lost in a hot tub. I am a firm believer that aromas can calm and soothe, and I think that would be the main selling point to make me go back for more. 

5.  I am the biggest fan of these SIREN candles. I am not a fan of the fact that they are poured in Vietnam (um hello, do I need to be worried about lead in my candle?!) but I love to place them around the home. The smell is delicious. All of them are based on "sea scents" and they truly give me nostalgia for the ocean in the summer. I think the Moonlit Orchid is my favorite, followed by Sea Glass. If you only like candles made in the USA like Yankee, which is my personal favorite, these candles are rich enough to scent a room without burning. The gold rim just looks so classy! 

Hope you all have a good weekend!

XOXO, 

Lately: 5 on Friday Edition

Linking up with Smidge of This and a few other blogs for 5 on Friday where i post about 5 things on my mind. 

January was a busy month for me, and February is looking just as fun. I had a rocky start to 2016 so having such a positive start to the New Year is allowing me to have a a fresh outlook and it is impacting my mood, my confidence and overall happiness. 

Corelle Livingware Classic Cafe 74 Piece Set 

1. First of all, if you are not following me on Instagram as of yet you definitely should. I share all things new in my life including what I am up to, shopping finds and food favorites. Follow along at @theduchess1317, and don't forget to like me on Facebook, Polyvore and Bloglovin by clicking in the sidebar to the right. Or, sign up for email updates and never miss a post. 

2. Will recently needed new plates, and I steered him in the classic direction of navy and white. When I had to buy all new dinnerware in the last year, I made the mistake of purchasing ceramic dishware that was just not classic. In fact, my tastes changed so quickly that now I loathe them. I never realized how easy it was to hate dinnerware until you start to hate it even more with each use. It is a "trendy" set, and I have hopes that if we end up living together one day I will get to enjoy the gorgeous 74 piece set that he ordered. 

They are all made in the USA and came with 12 place settings, including fruit bowls, cereal bowls, full plates, salad plates, multiple serving platters and snap on lids for serving bowls. I especially love this feature, because it gets annoying to transfer all leftovers to smaller bowls which really only means wasting more water when either washing the dishes or loading up the dishwasher. One of my favorite touches on this set is the navy rim on the bowls. 

3. I recently took a quick trip to Pittsburgh and I received a few questions on my jacket and earrings. 

I wanted to share the details of the outfit I went sight-seeing and touring the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in. Shop by scrolling below. The Lisi Lerch earrings are probably one of my favorite statement pieces that I own. I could not recommend the turquoise color enough. I think it is a classic pop of color that would look great with any outfit. For instance, they would look great with a fuchsia dress or an emerald blazer, or even a little black dress. From weddings to dinner dates to a day on the town running errands I think these will carry you through the years as a classic accessory sure to get you many compliments.  

4. Though I don't talk about frequently, I love working out. I love all of the health benefits lifting has to offer. I love how I feel afterwards. I love watching progress transform me, and I love seeing the definition in my muscles improve over time. I rotate my targeted workouts through the week, including legs, arms, and back. I also mix in running, ab circuits, and deadlifts. I will try to post more on my fitness routines in the upcoming weeks.

 I love to take BCAAs (branch chain amino acids) and Glutamine before and after each workout to help with lean muscle growth. I feel like they also give me more energy and force me to drink more water when in the powder form. I chose not to take a preworkout because I do not react well to high doses of caffeiene but feel like this gives me just enough of an edge prior to a heavy lifting session. When taking BCAAs, the more important thing to look for is the quantity of leucine which is the amino acid that is mostly responsible for muscle synthesis. This supplement has 3500 mg in a scoop. I also supplement with an additional 2500 of glutamine from a different supplement, which I usually buy based on what the best price is at the time of purchase per serving since glutamine can be pricey. I would highly recommend this supplement combination to anyone who is into working out and wants to see progress and increased muscle definition albeit beware it will not happen overnight. 

XTEND BCAAs

5. I just made it onto season 3 of Gilmore Girls, but also recently watched The Imitation Game (about breaking the Enigma code in WWII), The Eighties (an incredible documentary on everything from Michael Jackson to the Berlin wall during a groundbreaking decade), and 9/11: Stores in Fragments (a documentary on that warm September day we will never forget). I would recommend the last three Netflix finds to any couple watching TV together, especially The Imitation Game. The cinematography and soundtrack were stunning. We really enjoyed it, and I am so glad we watched it as the name rung a bell instantly after seeing it had been added. I remember it being nominated for countless awards last year. I never realized how many controversial issues the move addressed. 

XOXO, 

The Perfect Accessories

Looking for the perfect accessory to add to your holiday outfit? I am loving these statement earrings from Kendra Scott and Lisi Lerch. The possibilities are endless. 

Danielle Earrings in Black 

Alex Earrings in Abalone 

Lisi Lerch Tassel Earring 

XOXO, 

Winter Wonderland Inspiration

This slideshow is bursting with winter hues and tasteful check plaids. 

Winter Wonderland by aduchessandablog on polyvore.com

I am so in love with many of the options available out there for winter gathering and Christmas party outfits! It really has me aching to get out of my scrubs. 

XOXO, 

Shop My Closet, Christmas Deals & More !

There are a few exciting things happening on A Duchess & A Blog. 

Remember the other day when I talked about my excitement in discovering Poshmark, a high end used clothing site? I love it. I have already found various items from Devon Baer to Elizabeth McKay for nearly 1/10 of the price which would have otherwise cost a fortune. Well, now you can shop my closet on Poshmark! You can visit my listings on the toolbar to the right. Currently there are beautiful gowns listed, gently used scrub tops, and a pearl necklace...but there will be exciting designer listings coming soon! 

Have you ever checked the clearance at Tuckernuck? 

If not, now is the time. A lot of the summer items are being discontinued and on deep, deep discount. I loved that there was an additional 20 - 30 % off on Black Friday. I am sure there will be sales approaching in the upcoming weeks prior to Christmas as well. I loved all of the beautiful summer blues I got in the mail...this might be a blue Christmas after all. 

What is a magical and cheap date? Christmas light sightseeing! We took a date to a small downtown area in a suburb close to us and enjoyed every minute of the sparkling lights. 

Afterwards, we went to a nice bar and had a drink with chocolate liquor as well as a raspberry mixed drink. 

The atmosphere in the bar was so cozy. 

What have you been up to lately this holiday season? 

XOXO, 

Voting Day

Whatever your beliefs or accessories may be, make sure you get out to the polls and vote 

if you have not submitted your absentee ballot already. So many selfless men and women 

have fought for our freedom of speech and our democracy...exercise that right patriotically in 

the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

God Bless America. 

XOXO, 

The Most Crisp Fall Outfit

The Most Crisp Fall Outfit by aduchessandablog featuring mens scarves

One of my dearest friends introduced me to Free People over the last few weeks. I originally was not a huge fan of the brand, finding a lot of the pieces to be a bit to trendy for the price paid. However, on a recent trip to Rochester, she showed me some of their new releases at Macy's and I fell in love. I found that a lot of their apparel is actually made in the USA, which I am sure adds to the price tag. I built a crisp, neutral based fall outfit around a cowl neck top that can be worn many ways. I love that each of these tops has its own unique color washing. Have you had experiences Free People in the past? What are some of your favorite pieces?

XOXO, 

True Grit Frosty Tipped Pile Pullover

I was so excited to pair up with Country Club Prep to do a review of the True Grit Frosty Tipped Pile Pullover Half Zip. All opinions are my own. 

I have been hearing a lot of rah rah about the True Grit pullovers. I am a huge fan of chunky sweaters, cozy knits, and Patagonia fleece in the fall and winter. I was hoping that the pile pullover would live up to the expectation (and the price tag!) and I was not disappointed. 

True Grit Pile Half Zip Pullover in "Frosty Putty" / Country Club Prep 

First of all, in order to even begin to enjoy your half zip, you must carefully read the size chart. These half zips run HUGE. They are actually all men's sizing. I usually wear a small, and I sized down to an XS. It should also be noted that I have very long arms, and the XS still has sufficient arm room over my wrists. It also has a nice loose fit and hangs below my waist.

I absolutely love the lush, plush feeling that this pullover has. It is constructed out of polyester but has the feeling of a silky smooth fleece. It almost has the look of a high class fleece. I love the "Frosty Putty" color scheme because I feel like it will transition the most effortlessly from season to season. While cozy and warm, it also has a light feel to it without adding to the bulk of the top. I am planning to put mine under my Barbour jacket for extra warmth come winter! 

This pullover can definitely be paired with jeans, pulled over a simple terrycloth dress, or over a button down. The $150 tag that comes with this extremely high quality half zip does not even begin to cover the quality that you are getting with this cozy pullover. I paired my pullover with a pair of leather-front dark jeans and over the knee leather Vince Camuto boots for a contrasting look. 

To be honest, I have no cons that have been discovered as of yet. I just hope the construction of this pullover lasts throughout many washes and for years to come without matting the fabulous texture of the pile fabric. Truly, this is a timeless wardrobe staple! You can shop this pullover and many other colors in the True Grit line at Country Club Prep. 

Visit by clicking on the link above or by the button on my right sidebar! 

XOXO, 

Mill Creek Photoshoot

I am so lucky to have a brother who is extremely talented in photography. He picked up this hobby on his own and is mastering the art of moody photos. I am so excited about this impromptu photo series that was taken at Mill Creek Metroparks this past weekend. You can shop my outfit below! 

Shop my outfit below. Some of these items were bought on sale a while ago and may no longer be available for purchase. 

Mill Creek Photoshoot: Shop My Outfit by aduchessandablog featuring Too Faced Cosmetics

XOXO,