Travel Dreams :: Schue Love :: Natasha

I am so excited to have one of my favorite bloggie friends here today to post about a dream relaxing vacation. I am in love with the gorgeous places, outfits, and cocktails Natasha from Schue Love has chosen and I hope I am anywhere even half as wonderful right now on my own vacation!


 Hi Love, Julie readers!  It's Natasha from Schue Love!  I told Julie I would help fill in while she takes off to Greece and Turkey for three weeks...lucky girl!!!  When I think of vacation...I ultimately think of crystal clear waters, a cocktail with an umbrella, and sleeping in crisp white sheets.  In other words...pure relaxation.  This type of ultimate vacation is not in the cards anytime soon, but I thought I would take advantage of Julie's absence to dream about the possibilities!  :)

For starters, I would forget the traditional bungalows...I would love to sleep on a boat like this...be rocked to sleep every night!

But of course, I would want a tub like this in the room...along with lounge areas outside.  Perfection!

I would relax here....

or here!

And I would wear this...

And drink this!

And I would sleep here...

or here!

Last, I would get a massage poolside...here! 

 Images via Pinterest

Sounds pretty nice, right?  It's fun to dream!!!  Thanks to Julie for allowing me to do so today! 

xo natasha

What I Wish I Were Wearing Wednesday :: Guest Post :: A Daily Something

My next guest poster for my What I Wish I Were Wearing series is the fabulous Rebecca from A Daily Something. She has come up with an amazing causal summer outfit I hope I will be wearing every day this year, I especially love those bright shorts!

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE // SIX

Hi, it's Rebecca from A Daily Something.  Thanks so much to Julie for giving me this opportunity to let you all know what I wish I were wearing Wednesday!  I'm so incredibly jealous that Julie's in Greece and Turkey - I hope to one day visit the Greek island of Santorini (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, anyone?)...  

I graduated college in May (yay!) and decided to take a few months to do nothing (read: I didn't want to work in an office).  I've been living at home (New Jersey), spending my time thrifting, blogging, planning some pretty parties, and generally having a good time with my family.  I don't want to think about business clothes for a long time since my school had a business casual dress code.  

This is the sort of outfit I want to wear everyday this summer (especially since it's been in the high 90s and like 90% humidity)...a pretty feminine top, grecian sandals, and high waisted skirts/shorts.  A big bag is a must - I always want my laptop close by!  

I'd love to have you visit A Daily Something!  Thanks again, Julie :)

Greece Outfit Inspiration :: Drew :: Coral Cafe

Today's post is the second amazing outfit from Drew of  Coral Cafe. describing her ideal outfit for a perfect day in Greece. I love the pops of color (Drew's specialty!) and the gorgeous gold bracelet; I hope I am looking this stylish right now on my trip!

Hello! Drew, back again from Coral Cafe, as promised! Hoping Julie had just an amazing time in Turkey! Today I've put together an outfit that will be appropriate while strutting around the gorgeous streets of Greece, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world!

Greece has a Mediterranean climate, much like Julie's home in California. Summers are hot and dry, yet a nice breeze is felt here and there, especially at night. I chose this lightweight, bold patterned tunic to fit comfortably all throughout the day and into the night. You can wrap this scarf around your head for breezy moments or ferry rides and then you'll definitely need to put on your sunglasses for the bright sunlight that comes out more days than none in Greece during the summer months. You'll need to bring a larger handbag to tuck away all of the souvenirs you'll stumble upon along the way. Mainly little trinkets, maps, jewelry and even munchie snacks. (pistachios are pretty abundant!) Jewelry and accessories are pretty popular in Greece as it was in Turkey. Only difference, Greece jewelry can be more bold and extravagant. I picked out the lovely amber-jeweled earrings and matching 2-wholed ring and of course the famous leaf cuff bracelet. Jeweled sandals will also leave you feeling styled to the nines when walking around other tourists and fancy art, architecture and landscapes.

I believe since I've done the research and put the outfits together for Turkey and Greece, I might as well jet off to these lovely, infamous lands myself! (Trying to) "patiently" await the arrival of Julie to get more inside scoop on her experiences in such a long, fun filled 3 week journey!

sources* 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Tukey Outfit Inspiration :: Drew :: Coral Cafe

One of my sweetest blogging friends, Drew, from Coral Cafe has generously offered to make me not one, but two, dream outfits for my travel destinations, Turkey and Greece. Today's outfit is for a perfect day in Turkey and after you are done drooling over it, go check out Drew's blog here. She is has some amazing design inspiration and you will totally fall in love with her, I promise!

Hi there! It's Drew from Coral Cafe,  having the nice pleasure to be over here to share a bit with you, while Julie has been whisked away to the beautiful lands of Turkey and Greece. Since Julie is going to be touring around Turkey enjoying the sites, taking in the culture and admiring the ancient ruins and architectural heritage, I wanted to put together an outfit that resembles somewhat of Turkey's fashion, with a little twist from American fashion, because of course she is a lovely tourist and can do just that.

Turkey is known for their abundant source of leather, so I had no problem choosing this beautiful gray leather skirt and leather sandals, with a touch of bling. Around the turkish region, many embrace silk and it is made into dresses and scarves. The scarf I chose matches nicely with the gold toned embellishments on your red and white racerback tank. Of course, if you ask anybody, Turkey is most famous for their handmade carpets and kilims. In fact, it's hard to go anywhere around the city without being stopped or summoned to check out the finest kilims in town and being impulsed to purchase one! This handbag will definitely stand out with its carpet-like fabric and you can even convince the sellers of it's fine quality and detail ;) Of course authentic jewelry can be found on many streets of Turkey and I have chose just a few to finish off your casual and inspiring Turkey look.

Thanks for letting me stop by and stay tuned for a look that will have Julie set for Greece!

sources* 1, 2, 3, 4,,5, 6, 7, 8

Greek Food by Sam of Fitness, Food, and Faith

To celebrate all the amazingly delicious food I will be hopefully eating right now on my trip, I am happy to introduce Sam from fitness food and faith!.  Her blog is full of healthy recipes and great tips on how to live a healthy life. It is a must read! 

Hi Love, Julie fans!  Sam here from fitness food & faith.  I’m really excited to be sharing some of my favorite Greek food with you all while Julie is actually exploring the beautiful country.  My wonderful husband, Bennett, and I had our first date at the Houston Greek Festival and have fallen more and more in love over many Mediterranean inspired meals since.  Here are a few of my favorite healthy Greek recipes:

Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce

For the meatballs:

1.25lbs lean ground turkey

1 cup zucchini, grated and liquid squeezed out

1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

1 egg

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 red onion, grated

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

olive oil cooking spray

Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a bowl and mix well.  Shape into golf ball sized meatballs and refrigerate for about an hour.  Spray frying pan with cooking spray and cook over medium low heat until cooked all the way through.  Makes about 20 meatballs.

For the tzatziki sauce:

1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Combine all ingredients and serve over the meatballs or on the side as a dipping sauce. 

Greek Quinoa Salad

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed thoroughly

2 cups water

2 cups sliced cherry tomatoes

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives

1 cup feta cheese

1-1/2 T olive oil

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Combine the water and quinoa in a medium sized pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and let cook for 15 minutes (or until all water is absorbed).  Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.  In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, and cucumber.  Add quinoa and spices and mix well.  Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice on top and add feta cheese.  Toss everything.

Thanks for having me, Julie!  Can’t wait to hear all about your fabulous adventures.

Feel free to swing by my blog and say hi anytime!

Packing Advice :: Haley :: Cardigan Junkie

Today in my line up is a fabulous post from the stylish and savvy Haley from Cardigan Junkie. Her blog is full of style tips and great ways to look fabulous while still saving money, check it out as soon as you are done reading her travel advice here!

Hello! I’m Haley from Cardigan Junkie and I’m so glad to be filling in for Julie while she’s off enjoying the trip of a lifetime! I’m so jealous, but excited to see her photos and hear about the great style she soaked up in Europe.

Speaking of vacations, I recently took a short trip of my own and realized once again how important it is to save room in your suitcase because every bag seems to gain 15 pounds the further you have to carry it. To me, the key is packing versatile dresses that don’t take up much room, and neutral accessories that can go with anything in your bag.

Here are some options I collected to show just what I mean:

Vacation Dresses by Cardigan Junkie featuring gold flat sandals

My favorite dress is the middle one, since it is unlike any I’ve seen others wear and could work in a restaurant as well as in an antiques market. What is your favorite travel dress?

What I Wish I Were Wearing Wednesday :: Guest Post :: Sifting Thoughts

I am excited to introduce a new blogging friend, Leah, from Sifting Thoughts. She is continuing my What I Wish I Were Wearing series and has come up with an elegant daytime outfit I would love to wear on a warm, summer day!

Hey everyone, I am Leah from over at Sifting Thoughts and I was so honored when Julie selected me to be one of her guest bloggers. I live in Western Canada, which means for a good six to eight months of the year I am bundled to the nines. Therefore, when the sun does decide to shine you can find me living in an outfit similar to the one I created. This outfit is composed of a lot of my favorite summer pieces… that I now wish were in my closet lol. I like to wear things that can transition from daytime chic to nighttime casual: A loose top for hot summer days and some white skinny jeans for a night out. J Brand has become one of my favorite go to brands because they make the perfect size 23 (yes, I am ultra petite) and they fit me like a glove. My all time favorite accessory in the world would have to be earrings. I recently discovered the Lauren Elan collection and have fallen in love with so many of her pieces (in particular, the Adelaide necklace). When it comes to purses, I definitely always carry one. I saw this Betsey Johnson bag in store and couldn’t get over how adorable it was. Lastly, to add a splash of color to an otherwise neutral outfit I decided on these sexy Steve Madden pumps. If only the sun were always shining…

A HUGE thanks to Julie for allowing me to do this post and please don’t hesitate to stop by Sifting Thoughts and say hi!

1. Betsey Johnson Spring Me Up Flap Bag Originally $110.00 - Sale $55.00

2. Lauren Elan Adelaide Necklace $165.00

3. American Eagle Chiffon Sleeveless Cami $33.73

4. Aldo KUTZ Earrings $8.00

5. J BRAND 811 Mid-Rise Skinny Leg in Pale Cream Pants $176.00

6. Steve Madden Karmenaf Pumps $129.95

Happy Birthday Best Friend

{Birthday Cake}

Happy birthday Shar Shar, I love you and miss you ton.

{I will take you to a baseball game and buy you a pretzel and a beer when I get home, I promise!}

Travel Essentials :: Jillian :: Cornflake Dreams

First on my list of fantastic, over-the-top, amazing guest posters in Jillian from cornflake dreams. She has a list of travel must haves that I will definitely be taking some notes from for my 10 hour flights to and from Greece and Turkey!

hi there! it's jillian from cornflake dreams and one of my favorite things to do is travel. i am a big planner and i usually have all my trips mapped out weeks (more like months) in advance. it's no surprise that i also like to be prepared for the actual traveling part! i get bored pretty quickly...especially on long plane rides so it's important to be prepared! here are my travel essentials::

metallic passport holder $53, sac blanket & pillow $23, ipad $499, guilty pleasure magazines, a tote bag $20, ipod shuffle $50 , nalgene water bottle $7.50 - mix with crystal light on the go (wild strawberry w/caffeine) instead of soda and a quick snack- nature valley chewy trail mix bars are the best. 

a huge thank you to julie for inviting me to guest post while she is on vacation. for even more travel, design and fashion inspiration stop by cornflake dreams anytime! 

what are your travel essentials? 

xo, 

jillian

Bon Voyage!

Tomorrow morning I am leaving on a 10 hour flight with that fun group up there for my three week summer trip to Greece and Turkey! I am going to miss you all so much, but don't worry, I have A LOT of fabulous guest posters lined up to keep you entertained until I get back with lots of pictures, stories, and a sweet vacation tan.

Be Back Soon!

All About Me!

I loved putting Mitchell's survey up last week and decided I couldn't let him have all the fun! Here are some things you might want to learn about me!

Name 

Julie 
I don't have a middle name, weird huh?

Nicknames 

Jules, bug, juueeee, big J

oh wait, I may have made that last one up... maybe it will catch on?

Job

Nanny for this small, cute baby

Job You Wish You Had

Professional Crime Solver

Favorite Color

Pink and White

Favorite Movie

Pretty Woman/ What About Bob

Favorite Food

Pizza from Italy, mint chocholate chip ice cream, animal cookies

 I tried to convince Mitchell to have our wedding at the San Fransisco Zoo just so we could give boxes of animal crackers as favors

 

Favorite Thing in the World

Mitchell, my cake plate collection, every book in my house, my cat

Favorite Item of Clothing

My knee high giants socks

Favorite Animal

Penguins

Did you know they push one of their flocks into the ocean before they jump in to all watch and see if he gets eaten by a shark?

Best Vacation

Definitely Italy with Mitchell 

Best.Trip.Ever.

What You Would Buy With a Million Dollars

Another trip to Italy

Thing You are Most Looking Forward to at our Wedding

Seeing all my friends and family, walking down the isle with my dad, leaving for the night married to the best guy ever

Hydrangeas

I have a love for hydrangeas that is second to only my love for peonies. We have them growing in my backyard at home and I love how long they bloom every spring and summer. Starting on the first few warm weeks of spring, yards around here are completely full of all different color pinks, purples, and blue flowers. A lot of the time the blooms are so big you can hardly see the leaves!


Images:
1. ???
2. Style Me Pretty
3. Heather Bullard
4. PrettyPetalsBoutique
5. Etsy

Weekend Highlights

::Friday::

- Bring your sister to work day - 

- Pineapple teriyaki burgers at The Counter -

- Chocolate malts split 50/50 -

-  Food Coma - 

::Saturday::

- Woke up at 5:50 to be ready for my 8:00 am test -

- Googled best breakfast to eat before a big test - made myself some eggs -

- checked my email and realized my test was actually at 1:30 pm -

- went back to sleep for three hours - 

- ate a second breakfast sitting in the sun (photo above) - 

- took a 4 hour, 7 essay test - 

- ate massive amounts of Italian food -

- More dexter -

::Sunday::

- Got a three hour tour of church we are getting married - 

- crepes for lunch -

- slept in the car all the way back from the city -

- beginning the daunting task of deciding what to pack for my trip -

iPhone Photos of the Week

1. Piper Maise
2. Babies in pink flats
3. Wine and Cheese
4. Abby 
5. More baby cows (too many? no. never.)
6. Farmers market flowers
7. Juice box break
8. Binks - Love him
9. Funny facetime with Taylor
10. Picnic lunch at the park

All About Mitchell

    Since I talk about Mitchell a lot on this blog, here are some fun facts about him for you guys. Because he is great. awesome. the best.

Name

Mitchell Zurich

Nicknames

Puffin, Chickadee, Mitch

Job

Real Estate Investment Broker

Job You Wish You Had

Professional athlete

Favorite Color

Blue

Favorite Movie

Tombstone

Favorite Food

Homemade pizza, Trader Joe's orange chicken 

 

Favorite Thing in the World

Julie or the Giants… debatably my number 1 and 2 ;)

Favorite Item of Clothing

Black sweater from H&M

Favorite Animal

Mini deer… you can find one in the San Diego zoo

Best Vacation

Our trip to Italy after we graduated

What You Would Buy With a Million Dollars

Lamborghini 

Thing You are Most Looking Forward to at our Wedding

Seeing my bride for the first time, having all my important people in one place, and listening to speeches.

I totally love him.

Color Creations: Pink and Pink

I just love the look of a pink flower, especially if that flower is a peony. Even though I usually lean toward more soft, muted colors, I still love the bright pinks at farmers markets or in a vase in my kitchen; they brighten up even the gloomiest of days!


Image: {this is glamorous}

Wish List: Knot and Bow

Since I first saw these darling heart stickers on Design Sponge I have had this amazing Etsy shop favorited just so I can open it up sometimes and dream about the adorable things I could create given a small amount of creativity and a craft room full of supplies from Knot and Bow.


P.S. I hope you all enter this giveaway over at Oh Happy Day. Win a trip to Paris and take me!

Today is a Wonderful Day Because...

 

 

- we booked the venue for our wedding, 364 days from today :) -

- today, five years ago, I met Mitchell and we fell in love (well, after a while at least) -

- we are meeting a fabulous wedding photographer today for lunch -


- I am drinking champagne tonight -  

{and}

- it is a Friday, the very best day of the week! -

P.S. buy this lovely little print here :)

Crepe Love

Mitchell is Croatian and his dad makes amazing homemade polychinkas, a fancy, Croatian name for crepes. When he was little, his mom made them every Friday for the whole family, they would fill them with cottage cheese, fruit, or jelly and have breakfast for dinner. Then for dessert, they make another round and fill these with Nesquik powdered chocolate with whipped cream. Nowadays he makes them for his whole family (me included, thank god) and they are so delicious words won't do them justice.

In case you haven't noticed here, here, and here, I am on a major crepe kick lately. I will eat them any day, any meal. And the great thing about crepes is, you can eat them for any meal, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, how great is that? My all time favorite filling is Nutella and banana, although the Nesquik powder Mitchell's family introduced me to is a very close second.

How do you feel about crepes? Do you love them as much as I do? What is your favorite type?

Image 1/ Image 2

What I Wish I Were Wearing Wednesday

This striped Madewell dress with pops of bright coral is just the type of outfit I want to wear as I sight see my way around Greece and Turkey in a few weeks. Well, maybe this outfit plus some more comfortable shoes for walking - I'll save the heels for dinner and drinks by the pool :)

What is your dream vacation outfit?

P.S. I need some guest posters to keep up my What I Wish I Were Wearing Series while I am gone for a few weeks this month, email me if you are interested, I can't wait to see your amazing style! {lovejulieblog@gmail.com}