spring 2013 workout playlist

Bikini season is just around the corner, y'all. Here's my latest and greatest music mix to help power you through some cardio or weights sessions. The beats are pretty fun and great for a morning jog, bike ride, or circuits! Let me know what some of your favorite tunes are lately! xo.

beachy waves tutorial

Oh, how I love beachy waves! I can't get enough of this laid-back look. After trying various methods to achieve this effortless style, I finally found one that works on my straight hair that looks fairly natural in my opinion. The best part is that it requires no heat! I've gotten many compliments on my new go-to 'do and wanted to share with you guys. Let me know if it works for you! xo.

Method

You'll need: 
Sea salt texturizing spray [I am loving Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray]
Hair tie [I am obsessed with these from Sephora]
French braiding skills [see Lauren Conrad's video or ask a friend!]

Directions:

1. Start with damp hair [read: not soaking wet]. Spritz your hair liberally with the sea salt spray. Make sure to avoid the roots and stick to middle of the strands to the ends.

2. French braid your hair. Don't worry about being perfect--the messier the better, in my opinion. The smaller the sections you use, the more waves you'll get. Bigger sections=subtle, larger waves. Secure the end of the braid with a hair tie. If it's nighttime, go ahead and sleep on it. If you're getting ready before work or just going out during the day, leave the braid in until it is mostly or fully dry.

3. Remove the hair tie and use your fingers to gently loosen the waves. Feel free to spray more sea salt spray onto your hair and use a scrunching motion to add a little more texture to the waves. And voilà--you're ready to go!

project cupcake | hummingbird sweet shoppe

In the second installment of my Project Cupcake series, I introduce Hummingbird Sweet Shoppe.

This bakery on wheels has been on my "to try" list for quite sometime, and I finally caught up with it at Fort Worth's newest food truck park, Clearfork! I ordered the "Hummingbird" cupcake, which had decadent flavors of banana and pineapple topped with cream cheese frosting and pecans. It really knocked my socks off, y'all. I can't wait to go back and try a new flavor!

Address: Check their schedule online or follow them on Twitter for daily updates of their whereabouts!

Twitter: @HBirdSweets

xo.

spring style wardrobe updates

I'm smitten with spring at the moment. So far it's been pretty mild and I am trying to make the most of the beautiful days we're experiencing here in North Texas! As such, I'm in desperate need of some fresh colors, textures, and patterns to add to my wardrobe and I think the items below will just do the trick! What are your must haves for this season? xo.

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how to eat salmon... and like it?

I'm not the most healthy eater you will find, but I do try to make good choices every now and then. I didn't grow up liking/eating seafood, but once I married a guy that loved pretty much every type of food, my options consequently expanded. Tremendously.

One thing that is both easy to make and extremely good for you is salmon. Not only is salmon high in protein and low in calories, but it's also got tons of omega-3's, which work wonders for your cardiovascular health! [source]

Let's jump into the recipe. Try it and tell me what you think. Feel free to share your favorite way to eat salmon [or fish in general]! xo.

Lemon Pepper Herb Salmon

Ingredients

Lemon pepper

Fresh ground pepper

Oregano

Fresh lemon

Olive Oil

Salmon filet[s]

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place thawed salmon filets skin side down onto greased glass pyrex dish [I just do a quick spritz of PAM]

2. Brush about a teaspoon or two of olive oil on top of each filet.

3. Sprinkle lemon pepper, Oregano, and extra ground pepper [to taste] on each filet.

4. Slice lemon into thin slices and place 2-3 slices on top of each piece of salmon. You can even squeeze a little lemon juice on top if you really like lemon, like I do!

5. Put the salmon in the oven for 15-18 minutes, until the fish is flakes easily with a fork.

Remove the lemon slices and enjoy over a bed of white rice with some kind of green veggie, like asparagus, peas, or green beans! Yum!





fort worth events | April 12 - 13

The work week is coming to a close, and now the fun begins! Take advantage of the beautiful, sunny spring days ahead by trying one or more of these cool events taking place in DFW this weekend.

Friday, April 12

Friday on the Green

The first Friday on the Green of the year kicks off at 7:00 p.m. this Friday! If you've been following this blog for a while, you know that I had this event on my bucket list for last summer. I didn't end up making it due to other plans always getting in the way, but this year I have made the commitment to finally check it out and I'm so so excited! Bring a blanket, some friends, and your pups if you have any and enjoy some live music and food truck fare. It's a great way to ring in the weekend if you ask me.

Where: Magnolia Green Park [1100 Lipscomb Street, Fort Worth]

When: 7-10 p.m.

Cost: Free

Extras: Bring pet food or cash donations for this month's charity, Don't Forget to Feed Me

Saturday April 13

Brewfest

Love beer and music? Head over to West 7th for Brewfest from 5-10 p.m. this Saturday. There will be live bands and plenty of imported and craft beer to try! I've never been but it seems like a pretty cool environment to mingle with some good friends. Plus, there are lots of yummy restaurants nearby so you could make a really fun date night of it. Think Terra, Hacienda San Miguel, Fireside Pies... I'm getting hungry [and thirsty] already!

Where: Crockett Street, Fort Worth

When: 5-10 p.m.

Cost: Free. Just buy the beer!

Pop-Up Market

This Saturday, the first ever Pop-Up Market is opening up on Magnolia Green in the Near Southside of Fort Worth! This concept is so intriguing to me, I might just have to stop by to see what it's all about. Vendors range from jewelry to vintage, and so much more in between. Visit the website to see the vendor list and find out the other dates for the market, which continues through October!

Where: 1201 Lipscomb, Fort Worth

When: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

The Dallas Flea

Y'all know I had the best time with my mom and sister at the last Dallas Flea back in December. Well, the next event takes place this weekend! With tons of new vendors, it's sure to be another fun day of vintage and hand-crafted shopping. I highly recommend getting a group of your best girl friends or family members together and making the trip to the Flea. You won't be disappointed! Mosey on over to the Dallas Flea website to see the full list of awesome vendors.

Where: 1409 South Lamar Street, Dallas

When: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Cost: $5 entry & free parking

How are you spending your weekend? xo.

project cupcake | stir crazy baked goods

My obsession with cupcakes began with the first bakery-fresh strawberry frosted delight from McKinley's in Fort Worth. I've always had a major sweet tooth, but the store-bought baked goods didn't really do much for me.

Needless to say, I was inspired to begin a mission to try cupcakes from as many different bakeries in Fort Worth as possible and share my review of each with you! My reviews will be in no particular order, just in the order than I happen to eat and photograph them [this is a true challenge when I usually eat them before I even think of taking a picture].

First up: Stir Crazy Baked Goods.

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Located just off of South Main Street in the up and coming Near Southside district, this sweet little bakery is vintage perfection. I mean don't you just adore those turquoise-painted re-purposed chairs? I love the open and airy atmosphere, with the sunlight pouring over the glass case stuffed with the bakery's daily rotation of baked goods. From cupcakes, to cookies, to the oh-so-delicious sweet rolls, these people know their way around the kitchen! I definitely recommend a stop by this place if you live in or visit Fort Worth. I love it so much, this is the second post I have written about them! [First post here.]

Cupcake flavors I've tried and liked: Mimosa, Coconut-Lemon, Lemon, Red Velvet & Chocolate with Stawberry frosting.

Description: These cupcakes aren't particularly large, but about the size they would be if you made them at home, which adds to the "made-from-scratch" charm they have. Though I love me a good giant cupcake piled with yummy frosting, these cupcakes are probably the better portion size and always leave me wanting more, which is a good thing! The cake is moist and dense while the frosting is airy and light.

Address: 106 E. Daggett Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76104

Bakery Hours: 7am - 2pm Tuesday-Saturday

Twitter: @StirCrazyBakery [follow them for their daily menu listings!]

Let me know if you visit Stir Crazy and what flavors you try! xo.

introducing | fort worth bike sharing

I usually consider myself fairly "in-the-know" about the goings-on in this growing city I call home. However, though previously I'd thought bike sharing was just a rumored possibility, I was completely [and pleasantly] surprised when I woke up one morning last week to see tweets announcing the installation of thirty bike share stations all around the downtown, southside, and cultural districts. Fort Worth just got some major brownie points in my book!

The official "launch" day takes place on April 22, which also happens to be Earth Day! How perfect. In the first inaugural ride, 300 volunteers will ride the spiffy red bikes from Burnett Park to one of the thirty designated bike share stations around  central Fort Worth. Memberships range from 24 hours to annual passes. An annual pass is $80 [a great deal if you ask me!] and if you register before April 22, you get $10 off! Hop on over to the Fort Worth Bike Sharing website for information about Bike Share Station locations and to register for a pass.

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I'll definitely share my first bike share experience with you all once the launch takes place! I'm pretty anxious to take a bike from the the West 7th/Stayton location [right next to Chuy's] for a spin around the Trinity Trails.

Do you plan to test out the new Fort Worth Bike Sharing? xo.