om monday: yoga pants

hello mavens!  i hope you all had a terrific weekend and are enjoying the 1st day of august.  (can you believe it's august already?!)  as i mentioned in friday's post about blogging your way to the front row, i'm loving the new ideas the book has regarding building your blog/brand.  that said, i'm going to make a subtle change to lifestyle maven.  every week, i'll have recurring post themes:

om monday - covering yoga and healthy living inspiration
foodie wednesday - recipe or similar food-related post
happy hour friday - cocktail recipes & weekend fun

tuesday & thursday will remain open for posts on a whim.  so, without further ado, om monday commences : )

as you know, i <3 yoga and practice several times a week.  (i actually just got back from vinyasa yoga class as i write this.)  this love affair did not bloom overnight, but has taken time to develop and grow.  but, no matter how seasoned you are, novice or full-out yogi, there is one must.  yoga pants.  (they will instantly make you feel more zen.)

with all the inverted poses one finds oneself in during a typical class, it's much more comfortable to wear fitted yoga pants rather than shorts or looser fitting pants.  even if you're just beginning your yoga practice, i highly recommend investing in a pair (or two).  they're inexpensive, and you'll feel much more comfortable in class.  and, even if you never attend another yoga class again in your life, i guarantee you'll get good use out of them.  i often find myself sporting mine on days when class is not on the schedule...

so, where to buy them?  the latest pairs i purchased were from victoria's secret.  they often have sales or deals if you buy more than one pair.  plus, they have lots of cute colors and patterns, so you can select which ones best reflect your yoga style : )  you can also find (more serious) options at gaiam as well as a lot of other yoga products - like mats, blocks, etc.  and, of course, you can usually locate yoga-style pants at kohl's, target and marshalls.  (so now you have no excuse not to get yourself some asap!)

namaste.

do you <3 yoga (pants) too?

so i'm stylish, eh?

a big thank you to marie from wild, then child for bestowing upon me the stylish blogger award.  i'm completely flattered : )

so, in order to accept this lovely award, here are the rules:
1. link back and thank the fabulous person who honored you with this amazing award : )
2. share 7 things about yourself
3. award 7 other deserving and great bloggers
4. contact the other bloggers to let them know of their award.

so, here goes nothing...

1. i start my days (well, my mondays through fridays) with a workout.  it's nothing super intense or crazy (though i am a p90x veteran...but that's a story for a different day), just something that gets me up, moving and feeling a bit more connected to myself.  often it includes some yoga : )

picture credit {here}

2. i eat the same thing for breakfast pretty much every day.  i just love me some cereal.  but not just any cereal.  i mix up a mean concoction of all my faves, add in special extras like pecans, dried fruit and banana, sprinkle it with cinnamon and nutmeg and cover it with soy milk.  omg...sooo good.

3. i live in a cottage.  an honest to goodness cottage with my fiance and our cute little dog.  our kitchen is so tiny the fridge doesn't even fit in it, but we call it home.  plus it has a cozy fireplace which makes me happy.

4. i love to cook.  and i think adding sauteed or caramelized onions makes just about any meal better.  i rarely follow recipes but love to read them (and food blogs) for inspiration.

our dog baby, olive : )

5. i am a dog mommy.  craig and i adopted our little girl, olive in november of 2009.  she's beautiful and adorable and makes me smile non-stop.  last week she turned 2, and we had a little get-together with her doggie friends.  yes, we spoil her, but she totally deserves it!

6. happy hour makes me happy.  craig and i go to our favorite happy hour place, bobby simone's, just about every day week.  i just love that the bartender now knows our drinks.  being a "local" is fabulous : )

http://www.ilovebobbys.com/

7. i love my blog.  lifestyle maven is my true passion, and (full disclosure) i want to become a full-time blogger.  i enjoy nothing more than sharing my ideas, tips and techniques for well-living with my readers.  you guys are the best!  thank you.

so...who do i think is super stylish and wonderful?

 

lauren @ busy bee lauren

jillian @ cornflake dreams

jenna @ eat, drink, pretty

brenna @ le fabuleux destin de brenna

melissa @ tasting, touching, hearing, seeing
megan @ the oatmeal diaries
brittany @ les reves d'une boulangerie

seems like a french/breakfast theme as far as my honorees go : )  congrats ladies - you're fabulous (and stylish of course)!

change is a-brewin'

like the new header?!  designed it myself : )

since the start of the new year, i’ve been dreaming up (and getting ready to put into action) some exciting changes for my blog (and my life).  but before we delve into those…full disclosure – my ultimate goal is to make a full time living from my blog.  i love, more than anything, to share my lifestyle ideas and recommendations, and i’ve finally come to realize (or maybe, finally come to accept) it’s my true calling.  it keeps me up at night thinking.  makes my stomach leap with excitement.  has me jotting notes and ideas down non-stop.  and energizes me in a way that few other things can.  lucky for me, i’ve already begun to build the foundation, and thanks to you, my mini mavens, i’ve received invaluable support and feedback.

picture credit {here}

so, what catalyst has me so gung-ho to pursue my dreams and live my passion? i read a fantastic book in early january called crush it! by gary vaynerchuk.  it’s all about building your brand with social media, and it got my wheels turning…full force.  i started thinking about all the potential ways to grow my blog and expand my brand, and i’m psyched.  for the first time in my life, i feel totally on track, inspired, focused and ready.  like everything’s been leading up to this point.  i’ve been on a precipice, waiting for my parachute, and i’m finally ready to jump.  i realize now, i don’t need a parachute…i’ll grow wings instead.

picture credit {here}

with growth comes change.  good change.  fun change.  and necessary change.  starting february 1st, lifestyle maven, is going to become a fabulous blog/magazine (a blogazine if you will) replete with essential, motivational and entertaining lifestyle advice and information.  at the beginning of each month, i’ll provide a teaser of what’s in store – so you know what to look forward to. monthly features will include menu of the month full of delicious recipes, party ideas and date night suggestions, healthy living advice & fitness info, expert interviews to get the latest lifestyle tips & trends, wine of month, blog/blogger of note, photo of the month and much, much more!  in addition to these monthly features, there will be tons of other special topics that will crop up from time to time such as fashion & style, interior design & décor, travel, wedding planning, giving back, book reviews and giveaways to name a few : )

starting february 1st, lifestyle maven is taking it to a whole new level.  are you excited yet?  i am.  get ready. awesomeness awaits.

credit {here}

perks of the job

back of lodge

today i went with one of my writing clients, denise from nelson bridge, to view a house that she and her design partner have been working on.  i ghostwrite their blog and do some email marketing for them, so they wanted me to see the house, so i can brainstorm some ideas about how to publicize the project.

front door - welcome to the lodge!

the place was unreal. it sits on the top of a hill in the middle of 1000 acres of land. yes, that's right...i said 1000. there are amazing views in every direction. it's done in the style of a rustic hunting lodge, but believe me, there are very, very few "rustic" qualities about the place. everything is so lavish and impressive - i felt like i was on a movie set!

great room

view down the stairs

the floor plan radiates out from the central great room.  this massive space has two huge fireplaces, four seating areas, a gigantic bar with seating for 8 people and a floor-to-ceiling window (or rather window wall) with gorgeous views.  flanking the great room are the billiard room and master bedroom on one side and the dining room and kitchen on the other.  upstairs there are four more bedrooms, all with private baths (and amazing views, of course), and the basement contains two "media zones" - one for tv viewing and the other for gaming.  like i said before...unreal.


view of great room from upstairs

notice the bar to the left???



view from widow's walk



another view of back



another great vista

 

what a fun day at work! 

oh, and if you're interested in checking out the blog i ghostwrite for them click {here}.





lovely blogs

so, i am officially a blog award recipient.  a big thank you to rach over at "how fickle is woman" (one of my daily reads).  her blog is great (and so is she), and i'm totally honored that she thought of me with this award!

in order to accept it, i have pass it on to 10 other lovely blogs that i adore.  hmmm....let me think...only ten??  here are my honorees : )

hannah @ pie in the sky

ashley @ life after aisle

meg @ meg's musings

natalie @ miss social

cate @ my running ambition

jojo @ one sassy vixen

sara beth @ simple thoughts from a simple girl

melissa @ tasting touching hearing seeing

kate @ simply kate

ok, i know this is probably against "lovely blog award" protocol, but i would also like to acknowledge rach's blog.  i always love reading about her (mis)adventures!  (and rach, i won't hold you to the "pass along to 10 others" rule.  don't worry!)

rach @ how fickle is woman

thanks again for the "one lovely blog award" and congrats to all my lovely recipients : )

pie in the sky

picture credit {here}

my little sis, hannah, has just started a blog called "pie in the sky".  it's really an awesome premise - she's encouraging people to share their wishes, words and dreams, and (if she really, really likes what you're saying) she might just send you a pie!  she is an amazing baker, and her pies are truly awesome.  she makes this crumb topping for them that's just out-of-this-world.  so if you love pies or reading about (and maybe sharing) delightful thoughts that make you smile, you should definitely swing by her blog and spread the word if you <3 it as much as i do : )

a pie in the sky is not out of reach after all....
http://www.hanniepie.blogspot.com/