It’s the first Things I’m Loving Friday post of 2015! Woop! I hope the new year is off to a fantastic start for you! Hopefully you’re recovered from any New Year’s Eve craziness and are feeling extra motivated to tackle any goals you have have set in place for 2015. Let’s make this year a great one!
And now it’s time to dive right into your weekly Things I’m Loving Friday post where we all chat about the things we’re loving most each week. As always, I’d love to hear all about what’s making you smile in the comments section of this post. Your Friday comments are my favorite comments of the week to read and make me feel like I get to “know” you guys a little better and learn a little bit more about the fun things going on in your lives, too!
Time to dive right in before I have to head out to teach a barbell strength class and my first PiYo class EVER. (<—Yikes! Nervous!!)
Things I’m Loving Friday
- New Year’s Eve Celebration
![NYE_thumb[8]](https://i2.wp.com/pbfingers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/NYE_thumb8.jpg "NYE_thumb[8]")
(Me + Chandra)
Ryan and I had a great time on New Year’s Eve and kicked off 2015 by celebrating with friends at Amii and Walt’s house party! They hosted a small group of about 15 for dinner, champagne, a few rounds of Cards Against Humanity and more and it was a blast! House parties are where it’s at on New Year’s Eve for me and I loved hanging out with friends, eating Amii’s incredible homemade lasagna and celebrating!
- Stitch Fix Vest
![Stitch Fix Vest_thumb[6]](https://i2.wp.com/pbfingers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Stitch-Fix-Vest_thumb6.jpg "Stitch Fix Vest_thumb[6]")
I requested casual vests in my last Stitch Fix box and my stylist definitely delivered. In addition to an awesome faux-leather black vest, I received this comfortable puffy olive green vest that I absolutely adore. (For those interested/my fellow Stitch Fixers who may want to request it, it’s the Splendid Delanie Knit Vest.) The vest is warm but slightly less athletic looking than the puffy Columbia Mighty Lite vests I own (and love). I paired it with boots and a long-sleeve tee for a casual sushi dinner date with Ryan on Tuesday night. (As a side note, the above pic reiterates the fact that I need a haircut. Helloooo stringy locks!)
- eeZ Cucumber Salad
This cucumber salad was all kinds of delicious! It was sweet and spicy and Ryan and I are now on a mission to recreate it at home. We ordered it as a side dish to share during our sushi date to eeZ Fusion & Sushi earlier this week and couldn’t stop raving about it!
- Revenge
You guys know by now that I think Scandal is one heck of an amazing TV show. Well, when I saw my blogging buddy Alyssa call Revenge “Scandal light,” my interest was piqued and I started watching season one on Netflix. I’m hooked and while I wouldn’t say it’s the best show ever, it is pretty darn entertaining and I feel like it’s getting better and better the further into season one I get. Thanks for the recommendation, Alyssa!
- Cottage Cheese
I know, I know… GAG. But I am looooving cottage cheese lately! I’ve always been a fan of it, but it’s been months since I thought to add a tub to my grocery cart. Eating cottage cheese at my parents’ place over Christmas resurrected my love for the protein-packed stuff and I’ve been eating it like crazy, topped with fresh berries and chopped nuts or cinnamon and apple/ peach slices.
- On My Way Home by Pentatonix
Yes, another Pentatonix song is appearing, yet again, on my weekly TILF list! This a cappella group is so talented and this song is my favorite off their PTX Vol. III album. So catchy!
- Orly Rose Pixel Nail Polish
![Orly Rose Pixel_thumb[1]](https://i2.wp.com/pbfingers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Orly-Rose-Pixel_thumb1.jpg "Orly Rose Pixel_thumb[1]"){kind=tracking}
Before we went out on New Year’s Eve, I painted my nails with this rosey silver nail polish. I think the color is so unique – it’s definitely a sparkly silver but the hint of rose is so pretty! I’m a big time fan!
Question of the Morning
- What is one thing you are loving this week?
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I am loving the Columbia Puffer Omni-Heat coats my work got us for Christmas! After your post about them I got really excited and had planned on purchasing one; but now I don’t have to! They are amazingly light yet keeps you SO warm! Oh, and I’m looking forward to my birthday Sunday 😉
woohoo!!! i am SUCH a fan of their jackets! they are SO warm. glad you are enjoying yours!
Lazy 5 Ranch! It is a drive thru wild animal park where you get to feed and touch the animals. My highlight was giving kisses and love to the zebras. It’s located in Mooresville, NC. If you love petting zoos as much as me I know you will love this place Julie. I highly recommend you using this as your next date adventure.
ooooh!!!!! THANK YOU for this recommendation. sounds amazing!
Alyssa is right! Revenge is SO good! I love Scandal too 🙂
Homeland! I got hooked over Christmas and can’t stop watching!
my mom gave us season one for christmas! can’t wait to start!
I used to watch Revenge with my husband, but around the middle of the second season, it just got too unbelievable. I need to check out Scandal!
i feel like this happens with SO MANY shows… i actually just told ryan yesterday that i’m waiting for the day when it happens w/ revenge… i feel like it’s definitely coming! it’s like they all grasp at straws for a plot line and it ruins them!
Good luck teaching PiYo for the first time, Julie — I’m sure you’ll be great!!
Things I’m loving on this fabulous Friday include: a 3+ hour catch-up coffee date with my hometown bestie; feeling charged up for 2015 & my new year’s goals; and the adorable sight of my puppy-dog sleeping on the couch. Happy weekend!
thank you! hope you enjoyed some special time with your bff!!
One of my favorite snacks is cottage cheese with baked apples. Sounds strange but it’s so good!
Hi Julie-
I am a long time reader & LOVE your blog! My 2015 goal is to nurture my own teaching blog a lot more this year:) I started today with my own Things I’m Loving Friday- #1! Thanks for your continuous inspiration! 🙂 Happy New Year!!!! 🙂
thank you so much, jessica! and good luck to your with your goal! sounds like a great one to me!! 🙂
I love Revenge but have yet to see the last season. It is so addicting. I wait until they come out on Netflix. This week I’ve been loving spending time with family and starting the New Year with a beautiful hike with 360 degree views of San Diego.
I am on a smoothie kick this week – they’re just SO good!
I am loving
Being at work
going to the gym
Smoothies for breakfast (your recipes = heaven)
my boyfriend
From
Michelle Korn
I’m loving Kashi sea salt pita chips to make me feel better about all of the holiday dips I’ve been noshing!
My one thing is two things and it’s silly simple but I switched from 0% fage greek yogurt to 2% and it’s just sooooo much yummier. I also got a jar of ‘creamed honey’ with lemon from David’s Tea and the two together are sooooo good. Highly recommend!
Also cards against humanity are the bomb
Xo
Amy
Happy New Year! I know its technically not this “week” but Downton Abbey starts Sunday!! It’s my absolute favorite show and so looking forward to it starting again!!
Hi! Long time reader 1st time commenter. Where did you buy you x-long long sleeve shirt you are wearing under the vest? I am having such a hard time finding x-long shirts to wear with leggings. Thanks!
What a cute vest!
how cute is that vest?! I have a simple black one that I love wearing!
Julie, have you heard the acapella group Home Free? They are fantastic and they have a bunch of beautiful Christmas songs out right now. Avi Kalplan, one of the members of Pentatonix, sings with them on an arrangement of Ring of Fire. It’s awesome! Another one is their cover of Meghan Trainor’s All About That Bass. Check it out, if you haven’t already:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuyGVhQFLbs
One thing I am loving this week is my new protein powder. I got chocolate chip cookie dough flavor and gosh, it’s so yummy! I love that shimmery nail polish you chose!
Some of those look great (NYE celebrations and Cucumber salad), but I just can’t with cottage cheese 🙂 Anyways, I’m enjoying early morning jogs. Hoping I can keep the new habit up because it makes me feel amazing. I’ll have to check out Pentatonix cd for my run, I was loving their Christmas music on Pandora.
Oh my goodness, Cards Against Humanity!!! The first time I played it I laughed so hard – so hard – yet felt like I needed to wash my mouth out with soap after I was finished. What. A. Game.
This week I am loving the fact that Netflix sent me a notification that Friends is now available. Winter bliss!
I just ordered that nail polish! Can’t wait to try it out!
Where did you get your chevron cell phone case? It’s adorable!!!
Season one of Revenge was SO good!!! I lost steam midway through the second season and fell off the bandwagon. I really feel like I need to start watching Scandal though… everyone is always talking about it!!
I LOVE LOVE Revenge! Netflix doesn’t work out here in Bangkok but I hope to get to catch up when I go back to the states for a visit! its the best show ever! Happy New Year xo C
You have to share the cucumber salad recipe when you make it! I have a BF who loves cucumbers. We’d be all over that.
I am loving Gilmore Girls on Netflix! I’ve been looking for new show recommendations, however (currently breastfeeding a seven-week-old so I have a lot of TV time haha), so I’ll check out Revenge/Scandal.
I LOVE your organization calendar and plan on doing a similar one of my own. Thanks for the inspiration! The vest you have is fabulous by the way 🙂
YES I love cottage cheese, but it seems like no one else does! My friends in college pretend to gag when they see me eating it. They don’t know what they’re missing!
I’m also obsessed with PTX. My favorites are Daft Punk and Problem!
Season one of Revenge is fun and entertaining, but it goes waaaaay downhill, I’m afraid! I used to get together with a girlfriend to watch it as a guilty pleasure, but it’s not even good enough for that anymore. Sad 🙁
I am loving beer tastings! My bf and I just got back from a new brewery that just opened near our house and it was just so good. I love having little tastings of different beers and seeing which is my favorite!
Happy New Year Julie 🙂
I watched this spinning instructor video the other day and thought of you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46FP2FfdukY
i love revenge as well, not the best, but good entertaining enough that i am still watching! i live in greenville, sc just a couple hours away and needed a new workout so i tried madabolic, they have a location in charlotte and thought you might like it. the greenville location does a 10 days for $10 offer right now, perhaps charlotte has the same offer? i am loving it!!!
Have you ever had cottage cheese in a smoothie?? I am thinking about trying this to get more protein into my smoothies!
Happy New Years!
I am a big Revenge and Scandal fan also!! I agree that Scandal is better! I just started watching State of Affairs on NBC with Katherine Heigl. There have been 6 episodes, but I caught up on Hulu and a new episode is on tonight! I highly recommend it! Especially if you like those other shows!!
Right now I am loving being back in VA for a week. Perfect timing too bc the temperatures just dropped to single digits in Chicago and are unseasonably warm here. Perfect!
Ahh I really want a cute vest.. love that one!! You get such great stuff from Stitch Fix!
Why do you prefer to wear such long shirts (or are they pulled down?) I noticed because I was trying to figure out how long this vest is on you and I’m confused by the proportions. But then I looked at other pics and it seems like your shirts are always really long over your butt. ?
when i wear leggings outside of the gym, i prefer to have something cover my butt simply for an added layer of coverage/modesty, i guess! i’m also pear-shaped and not overly in love with my hips, so i guess that’s another reason — just trying to dress for my body type i suppose! i also have a really long torso, so i have to buy longer tops to begin with b/c most normal-length tops look too short on me.
Totally makes sense! thanks for the reply.
DO NOT GIVE UP ON REVENGE!
I am obsessed with that show. It gets better and better. JAW DROPPING better. I am on episode 10 of season 3 and I squealed like a little school girl at the end of episode 9. Stick with it – you won’t be disappointed.
I will have to look for that nail polish, it sounds pretty! And I like cottage cheese…Its funny because I could eat it either sweet or savory, apparently many people only like it one or the other!