Fanny Pack Issues + Friday Faves (Friends & Family Sales included!)

A few favorites on this last Friday of winter!

I’m so happy about the start of the spring season this weekend. While we aren’t totally free from the cold weather, I know we are that much closer to consistent warmer weather…and summer! Although, summer this time around also means my son leaves for college at the end of August. I’ve got a lot to get in order before that happens so maybe I shouldn’t rush the seasons.

I loved this view from the escalator inside the Prudential Center at Sunday’s Islanders game in New Jersey. When you sit in the traffic between New York and New Jersey, you feel so far yet you are still so close.

So get this. I used my Stoney Clover Fanny Pack for the Islanders game but they wouldn’t let me in at security. Apparently, my fanny pack was too big and not allowed into the building. I was not aware of the security changes for COVID restrictions but it seems they wanted either no bags inside or something even smaller than my fanny pack because they aren’t fully touching/searching bags.

Many of us were walking back to our cars to put our bags away to then reenter the arena.

As I held my wallet and phone throughout the game, I spent my time thinking of the other bag options I already own that I could have used had I known the rules in advance.

I also found a better-sized fanny pack/belt bag to get just in case. The lululemon everywhere belt bag is smaller and would be acceptable under these types of restrictions. It’s at an amazing price too! GRAB IT so you don’t run into this problem as I did. I’ve been meaning to get the lululemon everywhere belt bag for summer running anyway.

Speaking of bags, I’m obsessed with this Be Mine Straw Tote for summer. The straw clutch is adorable too. I will likely get the tote. It’s only a matter of days before it happens.

If you want a LOVESHACKFANCY skirt but don’t want to pay the price, this Rock n Ruffle Mini Skirt from Aerie will serve the same purpose. I hope you can still find your size! They keep selling out.

It’s Friends & Family at Saks until Monday. Now is the time to shop their collection of Stoney Clover while many of the pouches and bags are 25% off! The cozy fanny pack is on sale, I’m considering this BEACH flat pouch for this summer, and this mini pouch is in my favorite sparking cider color.

Splendid is also running a Friends & Family sale right now with items at 30% off with code FAM2021.

I already bought these platform slide sandals because I know they will be sold out shortly. If you want to spend less, Steve Madden has a copy in both pink and black.

Target has cropped hoodies that looked nice in the store. It’s soft too! I’m all about touching the clothes, especially at Target, to ensure the quality feels right to me before I buy it. I think I’ll get the black and I wish they sold it in white.

Oh, I heard these cropped tees from lululemon fit really well. I’m going to check it out in-store either later today or tomorrow. I get nutty about the sleeve length, it needs to hit my arm in the right spot so I need to try it on!

Also, do we want the new Align High Right Pants with pockets? I LIVE in my Align pants this winter but not sure I need this style to have the pocket as I would, let’s say, the pants I wear to run.

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4408277″]

Early Friday Favorites From The Week

Please don’t let me confuse you. Today is Thursday. I’m popping in today instead of tomorrow and missed yesterday’s post.

Did we realize it’s September? This alone confuses me. Every summer I say, but where did the summer go? And this year especially I say BUT WHERE DID THE SUMMER GO? I mentally outline the months and seasons with my son’s school and camp routine but that all got thrown off in March and my son didn’t go to camp this summer either (he’s older now so that’s an extra confusion thrown into my confusion). The school year (a mix of in-person and virtual) does start next week though. And let’s not forget that I’ve been watching hockey for the last month and it’s the playoffs, from technically last season. But it’s still this season. But hockey usually starts next month for next season but if we are lucky, we will still be playing last season next month. See what I mean?

Okay, enough confusing talk. I have some favorites ahead of the holiday weekend.

Two slices of Sicilian pizza. YUM.

While I normally go the grandma pizza route when I want the square variety, I opted for Sicilian pizza the other evening from Piccolo which was as delicious as ever.

Charlotte Tilbury Eye Shadow

I really needed/wanted a new eye shadow palette. One with great colors and a variety of ways to pair the shades so that I have options. This Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Palette of Pops featuring shimmers in nude pink, champagne, rose gold, and copper-bronze shades are EXACTLY what I needed. Normally my eyes are crazy sensitive to eye shadows so I was super careful to test out each shade in the palette on separate days to then combine them on my eyelids to really ensure I could wear this palette. I’m super happy to report that my eyes do not react at all to the beautiful colors in this Charlotte Tilbury eye shadow palette! The colors are so beautiful and really go on very nicely. I highly recommend this Charlotte Tilbury eye shadow palette although there are other palettes to choose from if you want different eye shadow shade combinations.

Also! I bought a new for me moisturizer to switch up from using Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer. I chose the Biossane Squalane + Omega Repair Cream which is very hydrating (like the lala Retro is) but not as thick. Biossance gets the Clean label from Sephora (just like Drunk Elephant) and it’s also nice to know that Biossance is EWG Certified which means it meets the strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Read all about my top favorite clean skincare products that I’m using in this post.

Stoney Clover Money Saving Tip

While Stoney Clover doesn’t run sales often (like maybe once a year for Black Friday), you can save some money if you go through Shopbop and Saks. They both run sales and various saving deals while also offering free shipping. The Stoney Clover selection they offer is limited in comparison to shopping directly from Stoney Clover but you will DEFINITELY find something you like, without question! Shopbop has a nice selection of Stoney Clover pouches and bags (plus the tie-dye masks) with free shipping. Saks has a great selection as well plus is running a savings deal right now and free shipping so it’s worth checking out both sites so you can save some money.

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4164095″]

Fashion Finds

Bloomingdale’s is running a denim sale for the holiday weekend. We are talking $89 denim and some designer styles are even cheaper! This style from 7 for all mankind is a favorite of mine.

Splendid is running 50% off almost everything! Use code LONGWEEKEND.

I love this All American Jersey Shortie Set for around the house. Or to wear out.

I saw this denim skirt at Target. It’s a nice one and feels soft. I hate hard denim!

Good news, this J.Crew Wide Knot Headband with Crystals is on sale right now (along with a majority of the site). I bought the headband last week and LOVE IT. It’s very comfortable and so pretty. Speaking of headbands, I’m thinking about this Lele Sodoughi Pink Woven Knotted Headband with Pearls.

I NEED TO FIND THESE CONVERSE ALL STAR RUN STAR HIGH TOP PLATFORM SNEAKERS IN MY SIZE. IN WHITE. Yes, I needed to use all caps to announce it. I LOVE THEM.

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4165481″]

Have a wonderful holiday weekend. 🙂

 

Fashion Finds from the Week – On Sale Right Now Too!

Is it suddenly Friday like out of nowhere? Not complaining at all but I wanted to spend more time on this post as there are a ton of good sales taking place this long weekend BUT I ran out of time.

Ugh!

Instead of not posting the fashion finds I’ve already put together, I’m going to share what I have so that you have something to work with over the long weekend! I would say that just about every store is offering some sort of sale right now so please take advantage. Have a great weekend!

J.Crew finally has a good amount of cashmere on sale! I love the everyday cashmere crewneck sweater. It comes in a crazy amount of colors and the sale price varies depending on which you select. Either way, the sweaters are on sale so be sure to stock up before all sizes are gone!

Um, hi – my favorite cashmere cardigan with jeweled buttons is on sale! Grab it. Don’t miss this.

Geez, now I want need the cashmere full-zip heart hoodie too and the cashmere texting gloves.

 

From Bloomingdales on sale, I like:

These 7 for all Mankind Shimmer Strip Skinny Ankle Jeans and I like the button-front of these high-waisted ankle skinny jeans. We already know he B(air) denim is my favorite – so comfortable!

Here’s a cute sequin slip dress at a good price.

Need this Free People Pretty Please Popover Bodysuit — the blue is so pretty.

And from the Nordstrom sales:

I love a pretty shirt dress. If they have your size in this shirtdress, get it. I love the satiny look! They don’t have mine but I will keep checking, sometimes they add back additional sizes!

Ted Baker dresses are always a classic and a favorite of mine. This pearl floral long sleeve dress is no exception. Long sleeve dresses fill my closet – here’s another nice one!

Also, the MAC Lucky Stars Lip Kit is still on sale. I love all three colors, it’s a great value.

Of interest: Last week’s fashion finds contains links to on sale sweat pants, wireless bras (the best yet!), and other good finds. Check it out here if you missed it. 🙂

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3883057″]

Thanksgiving Highlights + Black Friday Sales + Items On My List

 

 

Oh, hi! How was your Thanksgiving if you celebrated yesterday? I hope it was really nice and that the food was delicious.

As usual, I piled my Thanksgiving plate with all of the side dishes. This is the one holiday where being a meatless eater is hardly noticeable because the sides are so amazing. Although my aunt does make the best little meatballs and I sort of miss those but it’s okay because I really like the sweet potatoes (with marshmallows!), the stuffing, mashed parsnips, salads, vegetables and who knows what else.

I missed the initial picture of the food on display before everyone in my family attacked it but here it is when I went up for my second round.

Oh! And check out a close up of the rainbow cauliflower! I spotted this beautiful bowl of cauliflower in the kitchen before it was put out. It was SO GOOD. My aunt is the best cook, everyone knows it.

There were lots of cakes and pies but the fruit platter was gorgeous. Can fruit be gorgeous? I think so.

And I can’t forget at least one shot of the table because my aunt sets the best tables.

Flowers on point.

Black Friday SALES 2017

Okay who is ready to shop Black Friday sales?! To be extremely honest, I usually shop more for myself than anyone else during the initial Black Friday sales. Whatever, it’s important to practice self-care this time of year and buying yourself something is one way to do that.

Here are some deals for you to take advantage of:

Bergdorf Goodman: Up to 40% Off Designer Sales through 11/26

Neiman Marcus: Save up to 60% off when you take an extra 33% off select merchandise.

Saks Fifth Avenue: Up to 40% off in stores & online

Tory Burch: 30% off $250 including sale styles – I love these Tory Burch Ballet Flats!

Madewell: 25% off everything

Saucony: 25% off Saucony Originals – I will be looking to pick up a new pair of the Saucony Rides.

Skincare/Makeup: 

ELF COSMETICS: 30% off with Code CELEBRATE on orders of $30+/free shipping

KIEHL’S: $20 OFF $65 with code: JINGLE – through 11/30

TOO FACED:  25% off everything

Misc.

SHUTTERFLY: 50% off hardcover photo books & 40% off everything else

ZAZZLE:  Up to 50% off bestsellers

Specific Items To Check Out

At The Gap:

Sherpa open-front hoodie cardigan-  A lot of stores are selling this style right now and I think I need one!

GapFit Breathe Pullover Hoodie – My personal favorite for running  – it’s also a great layering piece for when it’s really cold out there.

Cozy Stars Scarf – You know I love stars.

At Henri Bendel:

You know I recommend EVERYTHING at Bendel but here are a few of my picks for today.

Influencer Tote – I love the grey and pink!

Uptown Out & About Organizer Wallet – This is like the greatest wallet that carries everything, you don’t even need a bag.

Glitter Smartphone Crossbody –  Always wanted this cute little crossbody, especially this time of year with the glitter.

At Bloomingdales:

Bailey 44 Authoritative Cold Shoulder Top

Bailey 44 Beanstalk Lace-Up Top

AND WAIT – did you watch the Thanksgiving Parade yesterday and notice these Rebecca Minkoff Pink Fingerless Gloves on the hands of the Savannah Guthrie, the co-host of the parade?! My mom and I were dying because I had asked for them for Hanukkah weeks ago with the matching Rebecca Minkoff Asymmetric Fringed Muffler Scarf! 

See, this is why you can trust my suggestions – clearly I’m a trendsetter <- insert my typical sarcastic tone here. But really, trust me. 🙂

[bctt tweet=”Thanksgiving highlights plus all the Black Friday sales! #thanksgiving #food #blackfriday #liketoknowit #fashion #sales” username=”cookiechrunicle”]

How was your Thanksgiving? What did you love to. eat the most yesterday?

Do you pile your plate or keep it organized?

Are you shopping Black Friday sales today? In stores or online?

 

Voila Gourmet

I needed a second opinion yesterday morning regarding the weather. I just didn’t want to believe the meteorologist on television so I consulted my weather app to decide if it was truly too cold outside for my “planned”  hilly run.

“Poor day for outside fitness.”

Uh huh. And I could have done without the big red exclamation point thank you very much.

Anyone that knows me knows that I can’t stand punctuation. Especially overpunctuation ???!!!! 

A giant red ! counts as overpunctuation in my book.

Anyway, I may not be able to rely on consistent weather patterns, but I can rely on Fairway Market’s sale patterns.

They even threw in a sale on Asparagus. This must be my lucky week.

The weather is looking up for today so I do plan on running outside.

Anything will beat my gym experience yesterday.

I had ventured into the gym yesterday morning not knowing what I was going to do in there, still annoyed at the weather app for shouting out me for considering an outdoor run.

I didn’t realize how ill prepared I was to be running indoors until I started up on the mill.

Slowly my pants started to slide, followed by my underpants. It was quite a fabulous experience.

I clearly had on the wrong pants and  wrong undergarments.

Yet I had the right running shoes on. Of course I did. I am afraid of upsetting the rainbow shoes so I wear them every time I leave the house.

I tried switching to the elliptical in an attempt to keep my pants on. My legs really weren’t interested in the random hill program. Or any program for that matter.

I hopped around from machine to machine to the point where I am unsure as to what I really did or how long I was there.

The only positive was that my pants and underwear began to  stay up unassisted about 25 minutes into the mish mosh of a workout.

It took me a few minutes  to realize that they were being held up by sweat.

Perhaps the sweat signified a decent work out? 

MEAL ALERT:

We all know I am raising a little man. And my little man has a healthy, hearty appetite, especially after a full day of school. He has come to expect a gourmet meal promptly as the school bus drops him off each day.

I never should have introduced him to classic  television. Although Leave it to Beaver is better than watching Sponge Bob.

Lately I have been experimenting with some new dinners for him. I really use the same ingredients as in his usual meals but shake up the arrangement and presentation.

Enter the Stuffed Potato. I want him to realize he can like a baked potato just as much as  french fries, mashed potatoes or roasted potato wedges.

Last night’s dinner was what we called the “Mexican Stuffed Potato”:

So simple, so healthy and the best part – so delicious.

Ingredients:

• Black beans (I use Organic canned beans)
• Diced tomatoes (I always use Trader Joe’s No Salt Added but you can use any kind you wish)
• A dab of Tomato Paste
• Taco seasoning ( I use Trader Joe’s but you can use any kind you wish or combine your own spices)
• Corn (I used frozen but you can use canned, fresh or frozen – doesn’t matter)
• ****Pinch of Cinnamon*** – I swear the addition of cinnamon makes such a tasty difference. Adds an interesting touch of sweetness. Amazing. I use cinnamon whenever I make tacos or chili.
• Cheddar Cheese (light, mild, sharp, shredded, sliced, string cheese cut up – your choice)

I would love to give you specific amounts of the ingredients but honestly, it is all up to you, your taste buds and how many stuffed potatoes you feel like making.

I planned on making one stuffed potato.

I mixed about 1/2 cup of the black beans with about 1/4 cup of corn, a spoonful of diced tomatoes with a spoonful of tomato paste, added a drop of seasoning and a pinch of cinnamon.

***Add seasoning amount according to YOUR taste buds. The boy doesn’t like too spicy so I don’t use a lot.

Baked Potato Short Cut Tip – To quickly bake a potato, I first microwave the potato on the “baked potato” setting.  I usually let it microwave for about 4 -5 minutes (microwave oven cooking times may vary according to your oven). I then finish it up in the oven at 450 degrees to crisp the skin. Usually takes about 20 minutes in total.

Once potato cooked, scoop out the insides and combine it with the bean mixture. Once combined, put it all back in the potato.

Place back in the oven for a few minutes prior to adding the cheese.

I crumbled Trader Joe’s Light Mild Cheddar Cheese on top and broiled for a few minutes.

The cheese sticks are perfect for us to have on hand because he can bring it to school as a snack, or we can use it to crumble instead of buying shredded cheese. Cheese sticks are the perfect multi-tasker, and save us some money too!

Voila. Gourmet meal. He loved it so much that when he ran out of the bean mix and still had potato left, I quickly threw together another helping of beans, corn, diced tomato and seasoning to add to the remaining potato.

He. Ate. The. Whole. Thing.

The fact that I was able to quickly throw this meal together signifies how simple and easy it is to make. You can even bake the potatoes beforehand and have them ready to go when you get home from work.

The bean mix can be made beforehand as well and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.

You can use the bean mixture on top of a sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, tortilla chips, in a wrap or on a salad. 

Perfect topped with avocado, plain greek yogurt (in place of sour cream).

Possibilities are endless.

If I had more time, I would have sautéed the ingredients in a pan with chopped onion as well as hidden some vegetables such as spinach or butternut squash.

Remember, he only likes to see and eat his vegetables as his “late night snack”.

Although last night he went with America’s classic dessert. Well, Trader Joe’s version of American’s favorite cookie:

Go figure. I would rather be whipping up a good dessert than creating gourmet meals everyday yet sometimes all he wants is a packaged cookie.

As long as I don’t have to share my apples (my supply is dwindling), I can’t complain.

 

I need to know:

Do you make stuffed potatoes?

Do you buy Joe Joe’s, if so, do you think they taste as good or better than Oreo’s?

Do your pants fall down like mine on the treadmill?