DRINK
Stop popping those bottles and start drinking champagne the right way.

START
Antiquing can be both thrilling and intimidating. Here’s a guide to help you start a collection.

FREEZE
I can’t wait for an abundance of summer fruit to use in these parfait popsicles.

SERVE
Looking for an easy appetizer to serve guests? This will be a hit.

ESCAPE
I can’t believe it’s Memorial Day weekend already! If there’s one thing that epitomizes an American summer, it’s an iconic road trip. Here are nine quick getaways from some of the U.S.’ largest cities.

STOP
I think we all can identify with Lena Dunham’s essay on her apology addiction.

EARLIER THIS WEEK
Explored Brussels in a LBD.
Coveted a selection of items in yellow and robin’s egg blue. (I want those shoes.)
Scoured the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale for the best items.
Confessed my shopping sins.
Took a walk to the lake and ate ah-mazing pizza.

IDENTIFY
Breakouts as an adult are the worst. Here’s a guide to identify your skin woes and, most importantly, how to fix them.

GIGGLE
This is a hilariously accurate portrayal of stylish travel bloggers. I’m guilty of leaving an exhausted Dave at the entrance of a hotel room while I snap photos of the pristine bed first!

DEVOUR
Popsicle season is decending upon us! Leave the artificially flavored versions at the grocery store and make your own with coconut water, coconut milk, and fruit.

SAY
As you probably already know, Scoop NYC is closing its doors. Bid adieu with an essay about the boutique’s glory days.

FOLLOW
Instagrammer Vanessa Mckeown cleverly pairs everyday items to create whimsical photos.

SAVE
We all know how awful plastic six-pack rings are for the environment. A team of engineers created an edible version made of brewing byproducts in partnership with Florida’s Saltwater Brewery. It’s still in the prototype phase, but I can’t wait for it to become mainstream.

EARLIER THIS WEEK
Shared a few dos and don’ts of traveling to Copenhagen.
Bought a new pair of loafers (snag ’em here) …
and a new pair of sandals.
Finally shared photos of one of my favorite dresses — a year later!

I’ve been a huge blog slacker this week. I had a work event on Thursday, one of our biggest events of the year is next week, I was sick on Monday, and we’re now fully entrenched in the home-buying processes (we have a real estate agent!). As you can imagine, it’s been busy and I haven’t wanted to do much online when I got home after work each day. I’m looking forward to a weekend to recharge, catch up on a few freelance projects, and go out with our realtor for our first official day of touring homes that aren’t part of an open house. (#ThingsAreGettingReal) While we have a generous budget, it doesn’t go very far in the downtown Madison market. Any house we pick is going to need love and improvements when we save the money to do so. I hate admitting this, but I do find myself increasingly jealous of those who can just plop down the money for the dream home. We’re going to have to work for it and we’re going to have to make compromises. (Goodbye, two-car garage.) If you’ve gone through this process, please send reassuring notes and advice. I’m kind of freaking out over here!

PEEK
A review copy of Patricia Gucci’s book, In the Name of Gucci, is on its way to me. It looks fascinating and I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you. In the meantime, shall we drool over the clothing she brought to New York while on her book tour?

APPRECIATE
It’s not surprising that this billboard stirred up quite a bit of controversy, but it was actually a clever PSA about the dangers of texting and driving.

ESCAPE
Our trip to Charleston a few years ago is still one of my favorite vacations. Grace’s travel guide made me want to book a flight back to South Carolina!

ADD
I’m obsessing over the work by Juniper Briggs and would love to add a piece to my art collection. Dave isn’t as crazy about it as I am, but maybe he won’t notice if one makes its way to our gallery wall…

MIX
Substitute elderflower liqueur for agave nectar and you have yourself a twist on the classic margarita.

PAINT
I’ve assumed that I would just paint our future kitchen white, but this inspiration post — complete with suggested paint colors — is making me reconsider.

EARLIER THIS WEEK
Donned a floral skirt.
Shared my ultimate summer wish list.
Found yet another tree in bloom.
Bought these earrings (ah-mazing) and this dress (go with your regular size). #BirthdayMonth

LEARN
Dave and I went to the bank this week to get pre-approved for a home loan. While we don’t have a specific house in mind yet, everything we’ve read urges a buyer to get the preapproval letter in order first to make an offer more enticing to a seller. There’s a short list of homes that we’ll be touring with a realtor in the next couple of weeks provided they aren’t purchased by someone else first! (Madison has a crazy real estate market right now with many homes swept off the market within a week.) We’d like a sweet 1950s or ’60s home. They come with tons of character, but they also come with small rooms, which is why I’m referring to this small-space decorating guide when the time comes (hopefully mid-July!).

READ
If you’re like me, you’ve alreay poured over the best-dressed lists from the Met Gala. My favorite post, however, comes from Brandon Stanton, the brilliant man behind Humans of New York.

KNOW
It seems terribly inefficient to load a plan from front to back. Beyond that, it seems there’s research to support that walking through a first-class cabin can lead to “air rage” on the flight. (I’ve never understood how pre-boarding is a perk to first-class passengers. While I love to travel, I don’t love to be strapped to a seat in a stuffy plane for longer than necessary. )

DISCOVER
I appreciated this poignant article profiling the financial differences of four men, ranging from a gentleman on the poverty line to a CEO millionaire.

MASTER
So much of this post rang true. There’s a true art to the mom email!

EXTEND
Tacos are by far one of my favorite foods and we didn’t even use Cinco de Mayo as an excuse to overindulge yesterday. Dave was out of town, so I opted for a more responsible meal of chicken and a side salad. Boring. You know what’s not boring? A weekend of tacos to look forward to! Here’s a comprehensive list of Mexican meals to make all summer long. I’m definitely trying this corn salad.

EARLIER THIS WEEK
Dressing like a Danish girl.
A stunning ring from Anjolee.
Style steals under $50 and under $100.