Holiday

Because the holidays aren’t always merry and bright…  Beyond the mistletoe, classic movies, enticing treats, ornate decorations and overhaul of lofty expectations for happiness, altruism and gratitude, lies the not so jingle worthy reality that holidays can also be hectic, stressful, overindulgent, lonely and expensive. When our friends, families, partners, kids and coworkers can bombard us with unattractive small talk, uncomfortable political discussions, the overconsumption

Let’s just stay in… this was my favorite guide of them all to create because if I had to identify my favorite part of the holiday season it would likely be the time spent at home, cuddled up on the couch, by a warm fire, sipping a hot drink, reading or watching something great. I have lots of memories being a young kid in Chicago, staying in where it was warm and spending time with my family and friends. I loved the decorating, the baking, the books and the cozy pajamas. I lo

Keep it classic… is my style mantra and many others too. Gift giving can be tricky, especially for the important people in your life, but these are all items that almost every woman with style is likely to love. Colors like camel and black can be far from boring and stuffy. { no. 1 | no. 2 | no. 3 | no. 4 | no. 5 | no. 6 | no. 7 | no. 8 | no. 9 | no. 10 | no. 11 | no. 12 | no. 13 } -MGN

Here we go again… Gift Guides for the holiday season are going live starting today! This year I will be dispersing them individually each week instead of one overwhelming guide all at once. I decided to start with my monogrammed guide as anything personalized tends to take some extra time to order. Which is honestly one of the reasons I love receiving monogrammed gifts, because the thoughtfulness behind them is always there. It also makes me feel extra special to have somethi

Oh it’s coming! The time of the year I love most next to summer, the most wonderful time of the year. The holidays for me have progressively become more fun and more important over the years. The mix of familiarity and excitement each year keeps me in good spirits and it’s something I tend to always look forward to. So I have compiled a bit of a list of things to fully indulge in the festivities! Does anyone else actually do this? Enjoy! { The Palace Hotel , San Francisco }

There’s a cheese plate for every season… And this is mine for this fall! My new obsession this time? Figs! As you might remember from my fall cocktail post , figs have been the most perfect accent to any autumn dish or drink. Obviously I am not the first one to figure this out but I am glad I finally got with it. And for a cheese plate it’s a wonderful addition due to it’s natural sweetness. I have always seen lots of fig based spreads in the cheese section of the market and