cornflake's 5 favorites

everyone, please say hello to jillian from cornflake dreams.  jillian's a sweetheart with to-die-for style and a completely awesome blog.  it's such a treat to have her visiting lifestyle maven today.  hope you enjoy reading about her five favorites!  oh, and if you miss me...be sure to check out my five favorites guest post over at her blog : )

xoxo cailen

food:: i am slightly obsessed with sandwiches: caprese. bbq pulled pork. blue cheese burgers. turkey blt. grilled cheese w tomatoes. peanut butter and jelly. i love them all- everything tastes better on bread. my two favorite places to eat in chicago are sandwich shops:: jerry's sandwiches in wicker park and pastoral bread off michigan avenue downtown. 

city:: i moved to charleston, sc after college and i fell head over heels in love. the historic city is such a sweet and charming place and i would love to live in one of the many gorgeous southern homes. my stay in charleston only lasted six months but the city will always hold a special place in my heart. check out the design sponge chuck town city guide. 

store:: west elm. i discovered this store a few months ago and was thrilled to find lots of affordable, unique and modern pieces. my fiance likes the store too--major bonus! i just wish they offered wedding registry :) 

blog/website:: etsy. i have been known spend hours on this website... not sure how that happens but it does. a lot. i love discovering new artists and designers and this is the perfect place. 

movie:: sense and sensibility. swoooon. i have seen this movie more times than i care to admit. i am a fan of jane austen and period pieces but this one tops them all. i love kate winslet as the passionate and romantic marianne and emma thompson wrote a fantastic adapted screenplay. the film was directed by ang lee and the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. if you haven't seen this version do yourself a favor and rent it. you'll never see alan rickman the same way again. 

thank you to cailen for having me! stop by cornflake dreams anytime for more fashion, travel and design inspiration. xoxo, jillian

farmers market & a waffle

coffees at meil's

so yesterday, craig, hannah (my sister) and i ventured down to a local (indoor) farmers market near my parents’ house.  this awesome little foodie haven is only open fridays through sundays, but it does not disappoint.  fair trade coffee.  fresh baked croissants.  local cheeses.  homemade pies.  organic veggies.  gourmet truffles.  i could go on…and on…

farmers markets are just delightful.  not only do they give lots of tasty free samples (hello, cheesecake), they also offer a chance to meet (and support) local purveyors.  i had the pleasure of chatting with a girl working “the painted truffle” booth.  she gave us lots of yummy treats (like a taste of an apricot-cognac french macaroon and some sipping chocolate i.e. dark chocolate melted into milk, swiss miss will never suffice again…) and told us all about the owner & head chocolatier.  a local guy who used to be a graphic designer and now makes amazingly delicious (and unique) chocolate treats.  very cool.  anyone care for a s’mores truffle?  umm…yes, please.

the painted truffle's lovely boxes

french-style maccaroons

but i have to admit, the whole reason for our trip yesterday was not (solely) out of the goodness of my heart to support the local community.  i went for a waffle.  not just any waffle.  an exquisite, life-changing waffle.  made with dough, not batter, nina’s waffles are divine.  unlike their airy belgian cousins, these waffles are dense and have an almost gooey, buttery center.  their sweet exterior “crust” is perfection…they need no toppings (though, of course, you can get them with nutella, whipped cream, fruit or pb&j).  they are unlike any waffle i’ve ever eaten.  ever.  i ordered it plain.  craig ordered one smeared with nutella.  i ate mine and ½ of his…

nina's waffles

me & my waffle

if you’re ever in hunterdon county, nj near the small town of stockton on a friday, saturday or sunday, i highly recommend that you stop by said charming farmers market and hunt down the waffle lady (fyi she’s in the back).  you’ll be hooked for life.  (if waffles traveled better, i would have totally turned this post into a giveaway…)

200!!! yeah, baby!

woohoo!!!  lifestyle maven has hit the 200 follower mark : )  thank you all for your love and support.

now, let's celebrate!

thank you (because i don't say it enough)

thank you for all you do.

me & craig

thank you for doing the dishes and for taking out the trash. thank you for what you do around the house...inside and out. thank you for your patience and your text messages. thank you for loving me so much and for being such a good papa to olive. thank you for putting me first and supporting me in all i do. thank you for asking me to marry you and for being involved with planning. thank you for your hugs and kisses and for letting me keep my feet warm under you when we're on the couch. thank you for doing my taxes and for treating me to bobby's countless times. thank you for allowing me to grow into the person i am meant to be. thank you for your tireless support and for always reading my blog.  thank you for making me laugh and for always being yourself around me. thank you for putting up with my (poor) tv choices and genuinely caring about who "the bachelor" will choose.  thank you for challenging me, pushing me and believing in me (more than i believe in myself sometimes).  thank you for allowing me to pursue my dreams...even when it (temporarily) compromises your own. but most of all, thank you for loving me, handsome. i love you too. 143

isn't he handsome?

me & craig on xix's balcony

who do you want to thank today?

evolution of a maven

hello folks!  i was reading the blog peanut butter fingers the other day and stumbled across a post about her number one blogging tip.  i was eager to read it because julie's blog is pretty awesome, and she has quite a following : )  her advice was simple: create a blog you would want to read.  though i definitely try to do that here at lifestyle maven, her post struck me as a much needed challenge.  how can i improve?  what small changes can i make?  what do i look for in the blogs i read?  and (if you didn't notice) it led me (in a moment of creative insanity) to redesign my header and layout.  so yesterday afternoon, in only about an hour's time, a new look for lifestyle maven was born.

my first header

my second header

i am so drawn to blogs with a clean, simple look.  white background.  gray lettering.  pops of color.  cutting edge fonts.  so....why didn't i have that look here at maven?  good question.  i'm not sure if the new look is the ultimate look for my blog...more likely, it's just another step in the transition and development of my brand, but it feels good to be getting closer to my true maven.

et viola!  my new header!

morning tea : ) my first gif!

do you believe in luck?

credit [here]

"i think i do believe in luck..." - diana

"i do believe in destiny and luck.. my lucky charm is my claddagh ring" - jillian

"i do believe in fate. i believe we have to trust in the way life takes us and learn from it. i'm not so sure if we can actually change our fate with lucky charms..." - brittany

or is it...?  (credit here)

"maybe i don't feel lucky but rather blessed" - deborah

"i don't think anything happens by chance or luck. to me, that would feel like a chasing after the wind. i believe there is a purpose to everything" - carissa

"i believe in destiny and luck" - things i love

...or is it fate?  (credit here)

"luck or fate.  destiny or free will.  any way you shape it, life can be magical" - cailen

the dress

credit [here]

i didn’t want to like the dress. it was so different than what i had been envisioning all along. i didn’t want to like it…but i did. in fact, i more than liked it. i fell in love.

yes, that’s right. yesterday, while wedding dress shopping with my mom and sister, i found my dress. the gown i’ll walk down the aisle in, dance our first dance in and enjoy my first day of marriage in. and it’s fabulous.

credit [here]

i went to 4 bridal salons and tried on over 30 gowns before finding “the one”. prior to heading out yesterday, i had resigned myself to the fact that, perhaps, unlike other brides, i would never have that moment when it all clicked. my mom and my sister and i would never well up with happiness and tears. and, just maybe, i would have to settle (ever so slightly) because i was just too damn picky.

credit [here]

enter the dress. i tried it on on a whim. my bridal salon attendant asked if i wanted to try on a sample dress from a new line they were carrying. they hadn’t seen anyone in it yet, and the sample was in my size. “well…it’s not what i am looking for…but…ok…” i put it on and something magical happened. i can’t quite describe it, because i don’t know if words can capture what took place. but, i knew. even though it didn’t look like the pictures i had brought with me or the images i had saved in my wedding file. i knew. this was my dress. and once i put it on. i didn’t want to take it off. the knowing came. the tears came (from everyone). and i was sold. it’s glamorous and beautiful, and i love wearing it. (i spent over an hour in it.)

credit [here]

it’s more perfect (for me) than i could have ever imagined. it’s everything i never knew i always wanted. (just like craig : )

credit [here]

ok, ok. i know this post is an extreme tease, but i want to surprise everyone (especially craig) with my selection, so i can’t share any pictures (at this time). you’ll just have to wait until november…