Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! This week flew by, didn't it!? I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week... I feel so unprepared for the holidays - they've crept up on me so quickly! Good thing next week (and the week after) are known for being the biggest sale and shopping time of the year. I plan on trying to get most, if not all, of my Christmas shopping done completely by Dec 1! I have a ton of good sale and shopping guides in store for you guys next week, so make sure you swing by the blog! For today, here are a few of my favorite things I stumbled upon this week, as well as some of the top sales (of course!). Have a great weekend!

Links I'm loving...

• The perfect holiday cocktail recipe: spiced apple cider champagne.
• Some style tips to prepare you for dressing for this year's holiday party season.
• Live in NYC? Do your holiday shopping local this year... Plus a list of all the amazing farmers markets that NYC has to offer.
• This look has me so inspired. If only I could get my hands on that coat...
• Sometimes breaking up is the most difficult thing you will ever go through... Especially is that person has become your best friend. This letter is some great reading if you've been through a breakup at any point in your life.
• The MOST comfortable and flattering jeans I may have ever put on. New denim obsession for sure.
• A guide to what teas help which ailments.
• I am loving the For Love & Lemons collaborations on Revolve. This Skivvies robe is the most gorgeous piece - the perfect gift for a soon-to-be bride!
• I am utterly head over heels for this dress (plus, it comes in cream & red too!). Zimmermann, please have a sale ASAP.
• You should probably make this for breakfast the morning after Thanksgiving... YUM.
• How to look put together (and stylish) from yoga to shopping - without changing!
• If you haven't already, make sure you check out my new holiday boards on Pinterest! There is tons of great holiday inspiration and gift ideas, and I update it on a daily basis.

Some sales & steals...

• Piperlime is offering 25% off site wide! Promo code: BESTEVER.
• Helmut Lang's blackout sale started today. 40% off a ton of amazing items, plus complimentary shipping on all orders. Prices are as marked.
• OTTE NY is starting black Friday early and offering an extra 40% off already marked down items. Promo code: BLACKFRIDAYEA.
• J.Crew is offering 30% off their winter picks. Shop all them here! Promo code: SHOPNOW
• Julie Vos has some awesome items in her Friday Deal. Prices are as marked - up to 70% off! Check them out here.
• Bloomingdale's annual brown bag sale started today. They are also offering $25 off every $200 you spend. Shop here for some amazing deals!
• Theory is having their holiday kickstart sale. 40% off some amazing pieces (and tons of coats!). Prices as marked.
• Splendid is offering 30% off their entire site (minus the sale items). Promo code: EARLYBIRD.
• Saks Off Fifth is having a major sale by giving an extra 40% off all items, plus free shipping. For the 40% off, use promo code GOBBLE, and for free shipping, use promo code FREESHIP. Gosh, I just LOVE this site.
• J.Crew Factory has marked down their entire site, and on top of that, they are offering an extra 15%-20% off everything. Promo code: NOCROWDS.
• Club Monaco is offering an extra 30% off sale items, and an extra 50% off clearance items. Promo code: OOHSALE.
• Gap is offering 50% off all purchases when you use your Gap card! Promo code: BRFRIDAY.
• Tuckernuck is giviing 20% off all Thanksgiving collections. Shop the pieces here! Promo code GOBBLEGOBBLE.

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Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! I have an awesome round up of links this week, some of my favorite so far! Read on for some great tips & amazing reads.

1. Traveling alone... or pretty much the "road less traveled". The thought always used to scare me, but lately, I've been wanting to plan an overseas trip all by myself. It seems so independent and adventurous, and you wouldn't have to do a thing you don't feel like doing! So if you're like me, and thinking of taking the plunge, her are 9 can't miss tips for traveling alone. Just think of all the people you could meet, and how you could totally act like a local, if you weren't attached to anyone but yourself...

2. "So my closet currently consists of something to wear to an interview, a funeral, out for drinks, out to brunch, chic plane travel, messy but cute train travel, cute sweats so somebody can see me looking effortlessly gorgeous while we're cuddling... basically I just buy things for hypothetical situations I make up in my head and call it having my life together. Try me." Seriously, thought catalog gets me every time. This list of random thoughts of 20-something women is so spot on, it's amazing. It's also embarrassing to admit I've think a lot of these on a frequent basis. "WTF am I supposed to do when my best friend gets married?" Yup, it's happening.

3. This article has literally become my bible for the kitchen - I actually attempted to print it out and failed, so it's bookmarked forever on my desk top. What is it? It's the top cooking skills you should have mastered before the age of 30... or in my opinion, before you decide to become domestic and get married, which for some people can happen a whole lot sooner than that. Obviously I don't fall into that category, so we'll stay with the age 30 limit... but I digress. Some examples include how to roast a chicken, make a simple vinaigrette, and cook fish. Pretty basic skills, but I'll admit that I don't know how to do at least half of the list.

4. Did you know that @mentions inspire 56% MORE engagement on Instagram? Yea, me either! This article is loaded with compelling (and data driven) facts that came straight from Instagram itself. Read this.

5. The vault of all the best beauty secrets straight from top makeup artists themselves. Did you know that to extend the life of your mascara, you can just add a few drops of saline solution to the tube and that will reinvigorate and add moisture to the formula!? I'm somewhat of an amateur when it comes to this stuff, so if that was common knowledge, I apologize, but there are plenty other tips in here that I bet you didn't know.

6. I'm absolutely serious when I say that this is THE best blog post I've read in a very, very long time. That is one lucky kid they are having, and when she gets old enough to read this post, I'm sure it will bring her to tears. Incredible article about a soon to be dad's words of wisdom and lessons for his daughter. On top of that, it is beautifully written. Grab a tissue... 

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Friday Favorites

1. I'm a big fan of quick, simple recipes, and being someone who doesn't usually walk in the door until after 8 PM every night, I'll only attempt a recipe that promises to be complete in under an hour. This Roasted Squash, Kale and Sage Quinoa did not disappoint. It was only a few ingredients, super simple to make, and it was done in 45 minutes tops (that is, if you remember to preheat the oven). That, and it is the perfect, healthy, autumn recipe. 

2. Wrap coats. They're my item of the season this winter. Every season, I swear I have one item or trend that I just obsess over and buy far too much of. Last spring it was ripped jeans - the boyfriend style, shorts, skinnies, you name it. I really stocked up on my destroyed denim. Last winter it was big, chunky sweaters. I guess that was a good one, since I shouldn't have to buy any new ones this year, although I just keep finding such great new ones to pick up... but I digress. I've been seeing a lot of incredible wrap coats on some of my favorite bloggers like here, and here, but there is just one that I cannot get out of my mind: this Tahari beauty. I could get it in every color, but I am especially in love with the burgundy and cream colors. Although, it's on a major sale at Saks off Fifth in the black color. Use code FFSAVINGS for an extra 40% off too while you're at it!

3. Alright, so let me preface this by saying that I am definitely no chef. My usually dinner consists of some style of eggs and a veggie, or a chicken breast over lettuce, or a smoothie. Booooooring, I know. So when I'm in the middle of some "easy" recipe (see #1 above), and they tell me to "finely chop" a shallot, I immediately panic. Purewow to the rescue. No idea how to chop a pineapple, mango or grapefruit? Purewow covers all of that. They also have you covered for this upcoming holiday season... What would an amateur like me do without this!?

4. I've been trying more and more to switch all my skin care products to all natural, organic products lately. I try to eat that way, so why wouldn't I do the same for my skin? It's scary when you're putting something on your body that has all sorts of ingredients you can't even pronounce! Enter Tata Harper. Tata Harper has completely blown up over the past few months in my opinion. She was killing it in the blogging world, and now she's killing it everywhere - Net-a-Porter and Sephora ever carry her products these days. I ended up picking up her "multi-vitamin" for your face, the Replinishing Nutrient Complex, and good lord am I obsessed. The stuff is incredible - it smells amazing, my skin looks amazing (with products like arnica, jojoba, and rose geranium, how could it not!?), and it has the easiest, no fuss rollerball application. Needless to say, I'm a new Tata Harper lover. Resurfacing mask, you're next!

5. Has anyone else noticed the plant/tree water craze that has been going on lately? It seems like they're making water out of everything these days; maple trees, cactus, and now artichoke!? I've been a fan of coconut water fora while - it has natural electrolytes and tons of potassium (ahem, best hangover cure ever!), but now I'm leaning towards the maple and cactus waters that supposedly offer similar benefits with less sugar. Is it all just a craze? Guess we'll find out!

6. This quite possibly, could be the best resume advice I've ever read, at least for a marketing or more creative job applicant, and it comes from a very credible source. She covers everything here, from what to include, what not to include, what she looks at, and what really, truly works (for most recruiters anyway). Seriously good information - whether or not you're currently looking for a new job or not.