{Sneakers (size down) | Jeans | Sweater | Ring}

Happy Friday friends! What a week…. I seriously could not be happier that the long weekend is here. I decided to do something a little different with today’s post. I’ve been receiving a lot of questions lately, and decided that I would dedicate today’s post to answering them, just in case you have the same question too. I love interacting with you all, so always feel free to ask your questions either via e-mail or in the comments below!

1. How many miles, running, do you log on the weekends?
Running has always been one of my favorite workouts (even continued it well into my pregnancy….), so after little miss was born, I couldn’t wait to return to longer runs. Of course, in theory, that was easier said than done. Now that Harper is getting older, I am able to increase the distances that I run on the weekends. Right now, I am currently at 6.5 miles. I’m hoping to complete my first postpartum half marathon this year! Anyone want to join me in virtual training??!

2. We are heading to Napa and Carmel in February and just wanted to get your recommendations on favorite places to eat in both of those locations! We are celebrating our 5th anniversary and will be spending 2 nights in Carmel and 3 in Napa before heading to San Clemente to visit with family! Any suggestions for lunch, dinner, breakfast would be so helpful! We are staying in Yountville while in Napa and Carmel by the Sea area! Thank you!!!! 
Two of my favorite places on the CA coast. I did a recap of these trips a little while back. You can find my Napa recap here, here and Carmel here, here, and here. As far as Napa goes, we LOVE Boon Fly for breakfast (try their donuts…. and they make a DG bloody mary), The Farm for dinner, or dinner at Solage Calistoga (one of our favorite hotels there). For lunches, we love to grab a sandwich and sit out at a vineyard with a glass of wine. Our favorite spots for this are V Satui and Gundlach Bundschu. We’re big and of  renting homes in the area and BBQing at night.

As for Carmel, there are so many delicious places. If you head out to Big Sur for a hike, I recommend taking in the gorgeous views and enjoy a delicious lunch at Ventana Inn. Dametra Cafe is a great, and fun, spot for Greek food….. Pebble Beach for lunch and cocktails is a must with the most spectacular views. Rooftop cocktails and delicious pizza at Vesuvio are a favorite too. Kathy’s Little Kitchen for breakfast is delish….

3. I’m prego with baby #3 and I need maternity fashion tips for these next few months (due in August). I was pregnant at different times of the year with the others.
You can check out all my pregnancy fashion here, but I for sure have a few favorite items I wore on the regular. I didn’t buy many maternity items, rather I purchased a lot of regular items in larger sizes…. and then wore them oversized after. I loved body con dresses/long sleeve version (this one was my favorite…. I wore it with OTK boots, sneakers, cardigan, and leather/suede jacket…), tunics (I loved this one, and had an option very similar to this one), flowy dresses (this floral one, in blush, was, and still is, a favorite… and I also like this mauve colored off the shoulder dress), and oversized sweaters (my favorite options right now include this super soft v-neck  (on sale!), and this open knit v-neck option), and longer basic tops, like this tee (which I actually just bought!).

4. I was curious which shoes are your favorite for Harper since she started walking? Or which brands she seems most comfortable getting around in? My little one is turning one soon and will be walking soon, she’s outgrown most of her shoes.
My absolute favorite shoes for Harper are the Freshly Picked mocs. I love that they are flexible, super soft, and she walks (and runs) so well in them! She also does really well in this converse pair, as well as in tikitot shoes. I will keep you posted as I find more options.

5. That shrimp stir fry you put together on your instastories the other day looked so good. Do you mind sharing the recipe?
This dish is so easy, and delicious! Sauté the shrimp in garlic, olive oil, and red bell pepper flakes. Then in a separate pan use some sesame oil and garlic to sauté your brown rice (cooked). Add cooked broccoli, baby corn, and cooked peas…. then drizzle some soy sauce over it. When it’s all warm and flavors to your liking you’re done. You can use the frozen brown rice from Trader Joe’s and then just heat it up in the microwave… as well as their broccoli…. it makes the dish even easier. They also have excellent uncooked shrimp (not fishy at all!).

 6. Ok, I really want those Jeffrey Campbell Pointy Toe Flats. But, will you post how you style them?
I absolutely love these flats. Especially in the white and taupe color options for spring. I recommend wearing them with your favorite pair of distressed jeans, oversized basic tee, and cardigan…. or, if you’re wanting to dress them up try a motto/suede jacket with a ruffle top (one of my favs). You can even wear them in the warmer months with a pair of distressed shorts and a tee…. or with your favorite dress.

6. What did you do to combat the postpartum hair loss?
I pretty much thought I was going to go bald… I was pulling out chunks of hair in the shower. I swore (and still do) by Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (post here). Once I started using them the hair loss began to stop (thank God!!). I still use them to this day…. you can mix them in anything and they don’t alter the taste.

7. So random, but do you know of a good place or beauty counter at Nordstrom that does good makeup? I don’t trust myself with family photos we have coming up!
My favorite beauty counters at Nordstrom are Laura Mercier and Chanel. I’ve always had great success with their products. You can see my neutral makeup post here.

8. You mentioned on instastories that you took off your fake lashes and were starting to use Rodan + Fields Lash Boost? How is that going? Have you seen any progress?
Yes, I took off my lashes right after the NY, and let me tell you, it was a shock. I took them off for various reasons, but one of them was that I wanted something more natural looking. So, I decided to try the RF Lash Boost. I’ve been using it for 5 weeks now (I plan on doing a before and after when I’ve completed the recommended 12 weeks) and while I don’t notice a visible difference without makeup yet (that’s the ultimate goal) when I apply mascara, I for sure see an increase in length and fullness. So, overall I’m really happy. I can’t wait to see what improvement happens over the next 4 weeks.

9. How have your Kristin Cavallari mules held up over time? I love the tan color and think they are the perfect neutral flat but worry that they would stain and get dirty easily due to being suede. Thanks!
These are one of my favorite pairs of shoes I own. They are a great price, well made, and super comfortable. I think I wear them at least 3 times a week. As far as quality, I haven’t had any issues with them. I own two colors, the tan and grey, and I haven’t had problems with them staining. I often use my shoes to pull my jeans down after I’ve been sitting for a little while (I know, it sounds weird) and that creates some discoloration on the inside sole, but I haven’t had a problem other than that. Some people have asked about the width… I am in between a wide and narrow foot and haven’t experienced any problems with them sliding off (I also don’t like my shoes to be tight).

10. I would love your help figuring out how to go about the postpartum period in better style. What items did you rely on, and what pieces would you recommend to a mom wanting to be stylish?
I remember thinking that the minute little miss popped out that I’d be back into my favorite jeans the next day. Not so. That being said, I got creative with how I dressed without the bump, while still having the squishy bump and loose skin (which, if I’m being quite honest, is still there to some extent….). I actually think that a lot of the items I wore in my last trimester of pregnancy were very helpful in those first few months. I always recommend a great pair of high waisted leggings (I mean, they hold in all the right places) to be worn with a tunic, oversized sweater, or basic tee….. as well as a bellaband (I used this until I could button my jeans again). Wrap tops are a great option because they are chic and I found them to be more slimming. Some favorites include this camel colored option (which I just purchased too) and this black short sleeve option, and this wrap sweater (which comes in two color options). The wrap design is great for nursing too. I also recommend a good nursing bra… it’ll make you feel much more normal. Tunics are a stylish option too. I loved (still do) this lace inset one (I own it in the ivory)…. and all the ones I mentioned above for the last few months of pregnancy are excellent options too.

11. I loooove Oribe dry texturizing spray! Have you used it? How does it compare to your Oribe products you mentioned? If you like these more, I may have to save up and try!
I love the Oribe products too! I haven’t tried their dry texturizing spray, so I can’t speak to how it compares with the products I have tried…. but I can tell you that the dry shampoo is amazing!! I’d snag that one next, if you’re looking, only because it’s more practical than the apres beach waves.

12. Your thumb ring is so dainty and feminine, it’s beautiful! Would you mind sharing where it’s from?
Thank you! It’s actually a stack of 4 rings from Gorjana. I ordered a larger size and wear one on my thumb.

13. I know you mentioned in the previous message that your Chloe bag is the “medium” size – but I only see the link for the small on Nordstroms website😔 Do you find that you can dress this bag up or down? And do you think it will “date” soon?😬 Every time I see it in your blog posts – I love it – but scared to purchase it b/c of the price & if it will look dated in a few years😏 Can you fit a fair amount inside of it?
I wasn’t able to find a link for it in the medium size, but I just found it available here. I wear this bag ALL the time… running errands and out with the hubs. It’s incredibly versatile…. and the medium is big enough to fit a square wallet, my sunglasses case (hard case), a small cosmetic bag, and my cellphone…. so I can use it as a day bag as well. I think it has such a classic shape, and the detailing is subtle and classic that I don’t think it will go out of style. I am very picky when splurging on items… and look for pieces that will last the test of time… so I think you’d be safe with this one.

14. My daughter is the same age (a day apart) — wondering if Harper has transitioned to one nap a day? My little one is fighting me hard lately on both naps. Would you mind sharing her nap times? I’m a little desperate! Thank you!
She hasn’t yet transitioned yet to 1 nap…. she is still wanting both the naps. I did speak with my pediatrician about it when we went to her year checkup and she mentioned that when she starts fighting the naps it is time to merge to one…. and she mentioned it’s usually around 15 months… but to monitor how she does. Currently she goes down for her first nap between 9:30-10 (depends on how she’s doing) and then her second is between 2:30/3. They last about 1 hour and 15 minutes… I hope that helps and good luck!