Midweek Ramblings.

 

{Exploring Norfolk with my mom over the weekend. Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk!}

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Ramblings:

• What I've been re-watching: For the past couple of weeks, I have been re-watching the first season of The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Remember that show? It was on ABC Family from 2008-2013 (my high school years and first year of college). I saw the pilot episode for the show at a friend's house in 2008, and became immediately obsessed. My mom thought the show was a bit too mature in content for a 14 year old and didn't let me watch it at home (as an adult now I realize that was probably for good reason). Probably the most rebellious thing that I ever did in high school was watch the rest of Season 1 on my laptop using private internet browsers and sketchy streaming websites, haha! As the years went on, I didn't really stick with the show and I think I stopped watching around Season 3. Anyways, I am now deep into re-watching. Watching it as an adult makes it realize that it is a really terrible and super corny show, but it has to much nostalgia for me and that time in my life that I've continued watching.
• For sale in Maine: I always enjoy keeping up with the news out of my home state, and this article caught my eye this week! There is an entire historic village up for sale in Maine right now! For $5.5 million, you could own an entire 19th century village, complete with multiple houses and storefront spaces. What a concept?! 

Weekend recaps:

• Last weekend: My mom came to visit! She headed back home to Maine yesterday. This was her first trip to Virginia Beach, and I was excited to see her and get to host her in my new apartment. We spent Saturday enjoying the earlier part of the day at Sandbridge Beach, and on Sunday we went to brunch in Norfolk and then went to visit the Chrysler Museum of Art. 
• This weekend: My friend Caroline and her husband are going to be driving through the area on Saturday afternoon, so I'm excited to meet them somewhere locally for lunch and get to catch up a bit! I don't have other plans yet but I'm hoping the weekend will include some beach time.

Purchases: No fun purchases this week.

Wishlist:

• The late summer heat calls for some pretty and lightweight blouses to wear.
• A pretty floral dress for church or cocktail attire occasions, and it comes in four colors!
• This set of flower earrings from Amazon seems like an incredible deal for this many pairs. 
• These items are all a lot more money then I like to spend on activewear, but I do think the colors and prints of the matching athletic sets are so fun!
• This is an adorable take on a t-shirt! The price is right, comes in a few colors, and it is super cute. 

Currently reading: A Wedding On the Beach by Holly Chamberlin - Holly's books are usually set in Maine, and this one is set in my hometown which drew me to it! It's about a group of old college friends that reunite when the last member of the friend group gets married in her early 40s. Initially it kind of reminds me of my favorite Elin Hilderbrand novel, The Perfect Couple (also about a big group of people at a wedding), but unlike The Perfect Couple there's no mystery element (at least yet!). 

Recipe of the week: Lemon Bundt Cake from Magnolia Table - I made this recently for a charity baking thing at work (you had to make a lemon recipe). It was dense, moist, and filled with lemon flavor. And it was also a very easy and fairly quick recipe for a whole cake!

Song of the week: Don't Go Yet by Camila Cabello - If this song had come out just a bit earlier in the year, I think it totally could've been the song of the summer. How catchy and fun!! Every time I hear it, I want to head for a dance floor.

Favorite blog posts of the week:

• Caralina Style - I was so lucky to be a bridesmaid in Cara's beautiful wedding in June! She shared her wedding video on her blog last week. 
• Chronicles of Frivolity - As an avid cookbook collector myself, I always enjoy hearing what cookbooks others are loving. Katey shared her three favorites in this post!
• Merrick's Art - Although I work in radio, I feel like my day job outfit style tends to be similar to what teachers wear. I loved this post where Merrick showed some fun and easy teacher outfit formulas (which I might be recreating for work this fall)! 

On the blog this week:

• Inspiring Woman Interview: Meet Rebecca of Caravan Sonnet
• 5 Instagrammable Murals in Charlottesville, VA

      God Bless,

      xoxo Annaliese