Happy New Year!

Greetings and Happy New Year!  I hope everyone is enjoying the last bits of 2012.  I find the start of a new year always provides a clean slate and great opportunity for fresh beginnings.  It always serves as a great excuse for reflection and goal setting - 2 of my favorite things (Nerdy?  Perhaps but that's just me!) 

Looking forward leads to moving forward, and as such, I embrace this time of year as an opportunity to set new plans in motion, to make 2013 amazing. 

One major endeavor I look forward to tackling is the home office; maintaining a clean, clutter-free (or at least clutter-light) system!  I.  Heart.  Organization.

So to inspire me...found this photo.  I love the books, greenery and vision boards of nice imagery.

Photo from:  http://thefinancialite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/bedford-desk.jpg

 

Looking forward to recapping the holidays (lots of fun on the blog docket; a couple teasers - delish Bailey's Martinis, Holidazzle Parade/Girlfriend Xmas, New Makeup Reviews...just to name a few!) and kicking off 2013 with fun posts. Stay tuned!

A Few of My Favorite Winter Things...

Baby, it's getting cold outside!  As winter approaches, I gladly embrace festive red manicures and Cinnamon tea with open arms {or hands, rather.}

I'm loving OPI's "Bestille My Heart" for my nails at the moment; I love red nails - red in general dresses things up a bit, and also serves as its own kind of neutral when paired with basics. 

My tea selection is an all-time favorite:  Good Earth's Sweet and Spicy Tea.  It has a full bodied sweet cinnamon flavor with a kick of spice.  Such a treat; I enjoy it all year.

Cozy and comforting all around.

Giving Thanks

Happy Monday After Thanksgiving!  After a long weekend full of delicious food and drinks coupled with wonderful family time, it's back to reality!  We had a great holiday.  My parents hosted and my extended family came over to celebrate.  In the true fashion of my family, there was a lot of laughter, story telling, plenty of good wine, holiday jazz music and big hugs.  I'm thankful for all of those things being a constant in my life. 

To kick off the holiday, my brother Mike made us some of his famous and amazing Bloody Marys.  They.  Are.  Spectacular.  And strong.  Haha.  It was a great way to kick off the day of festivities.  Below is a photo for your viewing pleasure. 

Mike's Famous Bloodies

I'll Bring the Cocktails...

I'm blessed to come from a family where the men love to do the cooking.  My dad and brother are both wonderful cooks.  My dad's love for cooking has grown over the years; our family members eagerly anticipate the wonderful holiday feasts he prepares...myself certainly no exception! 

Although "But Dad...seriously...what can I bring?" is a good problem to have, I still love to cook and entertain myself, so I like to think up fun ways to contribute. 

This year, I've determined that with the help of my bartender brother, we'll contribute the fun cocktails :) 

Upon a quick google search for fun ideas, I stumbled upon this blog, called The Kitchn (http://www.thekitchn.com/drinks) - their "Drink" section is so fun!  I plan to make at least one recipe.  I do love a good Manhattan...so there's always that.  We're also quite big fans of "Hot Tottie" varietals in my family as well...so perhaps a "Hot Apple Spice Hot Tottie" for after dinner consumption would be in order.

I love food/drink blogs with visual aids to get me inspired...I will certianly post my creations after the holiday!

Cheers!

Recipe for "My Mother's Manhattan" from The Kitchn
 (http://www.thekitchn.com/what-did-your-parents-drink-my-mothers-manhattan-recipe-the-10-minute-happy-hour-175142)

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday and {almost} weekend! 

Hope everyone has fun plans; tonight I'm heading out for a night out at a favorite Irish Pub.  Tomorrow I'll be doing some cleaning and housework - so far that is all that's on the docket!  I also have a friend in town from Florida, so hoping to see her as well at some point! 

A birthday post will follow soon, but thought I'd share a picture from last week at Cafe Maude.  We enjoyed my favorite things:  live jazz, great cocktails and time with my beautiful friends. 

Last weekend served as a lovely reminder of how truly blessed I am.  Everything from my amazingly generous and thoughtful colleauges, to getting to hear my friend Kate's sweet baby Nina say "hi" to me over the phone for the first time, to all of the Facebook posts and then time with friends and family...needless to say my heart is full and happy.  :)



Kari, Mal, Ally and I at Cafe Maude in Minneapolis

Inspired in Heels

This morning I'd like to start a new Thursday morning post tradition:  I'm dubbing it Inspired in Heels Thursday!

Each Thursday morning, I will choose a favorite topic and share some favorite quotes that tie in.  The first week's quotes are all about Taking a Chance/Risk Taking.  I love to be inspired and know that my friends do as well...so I thought this would be a fun way to incorporate this passion into my blogging experience!

This first "theme" is one close to my heart...as it's not in my nature to take risks.  But I know how important it is and can be and therefore do intentionally try to go out on a limb as often as possible.  When I look to the best things that have happened in my life thusfar (my relationships, deciding where to go to school, new career ventures, etc.), they've all involved a pretty significant degree of risk in one way or another. 

"It's not because things are difficult that we dare not venture. It's because we dare not venture that they are difficult." -- Seneca

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far it is possible to go." -- T.S. Eliot

"Go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is." -- Jimmy Carter

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." --Wayne Gretsky

What risks in your life are you grateful to have taken?

Gearing Up for Holiday Cheer

Crazy to believe the holiday season is fast approaching!  I celebrated my birthday this weekend {recap post to follow soon - so much fun} and capped the weekend off with a little shopping for the week.

I planned on just getting groceries and supplies for an art project I'm working on for my living room {another teaser of a post to come!} - but I came out with holiday decor and my favorite seasonal coffee from Trader Joe's - their Wintry Blend.  I'm a Trader Joe's nut - I just love the people and the products.  And this coffee is on my Top 10 of TJ's for sure. 

Infused with natural spices, this is like the holiday season in a cup.  Yum.  Great with Vanilla Creamer or just on its own...I look forward to the next couple of months with this delightful treat each morning!

Greetings!

Welcome to the freshly face-lifted Happy In Heels!  I know I've been M.I.A. for quite some time, but I'm ready to get back into the swing of blogging! 

It has been a busy several months...and I look forward to what is ahead!  With the holidays upon us, I'm certain there will be plenty of fun posts to share...

Looking forward to sharing thoughts, ideas, inspirations and recaps with you.

xo.

Bedroom Inspiration

Well, I'm excited to report that the quilt my mom is making for my bed is nearly complete!  I'm a very structured person and tend to tackle projects better once I have something to build the plan around.  Does that make sense?  I just read that and feel like it might not.  Oh well.  :)  In any event, this quilt will serve as the nucleus of my new bedroom; as the focal point, I plan to draw everything from the color palate to the overall "feel" of the room from it. 


I found this picture on what has fast become one of my favorite new blogs called French Country Cottage (frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com.)  I la-ove her style, and have started living vicariously through her chic cottage life.  It has been fun. 


The picture serves as inspiration for my new room; the quilt on the bed mimics the style and even colors of my quilt, so it was exciting to find. 


    Link to photo here:  http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/2012/02/room-full-of-sunshine-inspirations.html
The reddish paisley intermixed with soft pastels...I just love it.  Though I'm not crazy about having quite so much stuff going on in one space, I love the warm, cozy and feminine feel.  A couple additional features of this room I plan to incorporate in mine:

• The buttery yellow walls
• The greenery in vases - so simple, and provides a little life to the space.  I think flowers would be a little overwhelming/too much, so this is the perfect compromise. 
• The cool curtains - I would actually like to use that bed sheet, no-sew curtain trick I've seen a few times on Pinterest!  No needles, thread or machine - love it!

More to come.  I'll get a picture of the quilt this weekend (perhaps with the designer herself, my lovely mom) and will also outline my game plan.  Perhaps I'll post some before pics too.  :)

Happy Wednesday Everyone!  Hope it is a great day.

M.

Travel Musts and Destination To Dos

Good Morning!

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!  Mine was spent getting internet connection, spending time with my family (namely my brother, who I feel like I haven't spent time with in way too long - we had cocktails and went shopping to the outlet mall - we shop really well together, actually!), cleaning, and working from home in my kitchen (my new kitchen island doubles quite nicely as a desk - lots of space to spread out all of my stuff!)  As I'll be out of town the next couple of weekends, it was a wonderful to get all caught up at home.  Now that I'm gearing up for a long weekend trip to Chicago, I thought I'd share my list of "musts" - both what I must bring along, and what I hope to do (although our agenda is still up in the air, there are a few for sure items on the books.)

With friends all over the country, coupled with the fact that traveling is one of my favorite ways to spend my free time, I can readily identify my list of "must have travel items" that I just can't leave town without. 

My Must Have Travel Items:

• Carry on Suitcase (I actually need to purchase a new one this week, as after 12 great years- including 2 trips overseas- my current little suitcase has broken wheels.  It has been great, though!
• Tote/large purse for reading materials, makeup and other essentials for the plane ride/car ride
• Travel hot rollers (those of you that know me well know that I *rarely* go a day without my trusty hot rollers.  It may sound silly, but I can feel the missing "pep in my step" without them.
• Heels! (Natually) ;) - Also a pair of flat sandals, for walking, etc. 
• Small purse/wristlet packed in main purse
• Cliff and/or Luna Bars (Great healthy snack on the go...always have one in my purse.) 
• Lip gloss/lipstick
• Water
• Wine (Kidding!  But I do find it quickly upon my arrival to said destination.)
• My phone (aka lifeline) - for calls, email, internet, texts, music - what don't our phones do for us these days? 
• My Kindle Fire - a newer addition to the travel must have list, however I'm in love with it!  As an avid reader, I love nothing more than having several books (and a bookstore) at my fingertips always!  Since I take public transportation to work as well, this is an item that is used on the daily by your's truly.  Plus, since it has internet, it's like a little computer...great for the airport. 

On My List for Chicago:

• Fireworks at Navy Pier (This is actually happening for sure; can't wait - I will take pictures.  I Love Fireworks!  So magical.)
• Rooftop cocktails (Maybe more than once...)
• Dinner at a few lovely spots - I'm lucky to have friends that know the city well...so I'm leaving these decisions up to them.  
• A boatride of some sort (I still haven't been on the famous Architecture Tour so I think we may do this...)

That's what I can think of right now.  I'm sure I will add on.  Until then, I'm off to a busy day of work...it will be a nutty week here at the office but fun to have a trip to look forward to!

Tuesday Thoughts to Peruse

Happy Tuesday! Thought I'd share some favorite quotes of mine for your reading pleasure. I think I'll make this a weekly tradition, as inspirational words truly are a favorite thing of mine. What better way to kick off a busy Tuesday than with some wisdom (coupled with a few cups of coffee, naturally!)  Speaking of coffee, if you find yourself in the lovely aisles of Trader Joe's anytime soon, I'd highly recommend their new Vanilla Chai Ground Coffee blend; it's a mild roast coffee with nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves blended in - delish.  :)

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
- Henry Drummond

Nothing should be prized more highly
than the value of each day.
- Goethe 

Meditate.
Live purely. Be quiet.
Do your work with mastery.
Like the moon, come out
from behind the clouds!
Shine.
- Buddha

Strength is a force. It is an attribute of the heart. Its opposite is not weakness and fear, but confusion, lack of clarity, and lack of sound intention. Remember the words of Tao Te Ching. 'The only true strength is a strength that people do not fear.' Strength based in force is a strength people fear. Strength based in love is a strength people crave.
- Kent Nerburn

Side note on Kent Nerburn: He is amazing! He is a local MN Author whom I've had the pleasure of meeting - he lives up north in the woods; an amazing person and his writing is exceptional! I highly recommend his books - one of my favorites is Letters to My Son, which I plan on reading to my future children. Good stuff!

Happy in the new place!

Happy Summer!  It has been a great first couple of weeks in the new place.

Below are a few pictures of the space put together.  I still have a bit to do, including:

• Hanging wall decor (this weeknd!)
• Painting (hopefully an August project)
• Framing additional photos
• Figuring out the lighting in my bathroom (way too industrial for my liking right now, but its a huge space so I have to believe I can figure out a way to get crafty in that department)

My bedroom is also a big project (before pics coming soon) that I look forward to tackling.  In the bedroom I plan to:

• Repurpose both my desk and dresser by painting them antique white and changing the hardware to match my wrought iron bedframe
• Using the quilt my mom is finishing for me soon as my color pallate, decorate the space
• Eventually paint (August or September project, I'm thinking)

So lots to do, but it will be quite fun.  Below are some pictures of the space as of now!

Moving Day

Well I'm happy to report that I'm all moved in!  I LOVE the new place.  So excited to have all the amenities I was hoping for in my next place (large, open kitchen, washer/dryer in-unit and underground parking are the main ones!)  The movers were awesome; it was so nice not having to lift so many boxes, etc.  Plus it saved my energy for unpacking quickly, and even allowed for me to get some decorating in!  Did I mention Target is directly across the street (Blessing?  Or Curse?  Ha!) 

Several home projects are on my list, including hanging paintings/artwork, painting the living room and bedroom, and repurposing my bedroom furniture (going for cozy french cottage theme, inspired by the quilt my momma is finishing for me.)

Looking forward to breaking the place in with a little move-in party in a couple weeks with some close friends!

Here are my "before" pics, taken shortly after the movers left. I'll post several "after" pics tomorrow to compare :)

The Moving Process Begins!

Happy Memorial Day!  As I move into my new place on June 1st, most of my long weekend was spent packing up my belongings!  I'm happy to report that the process went quite smoothly...after a couple trips to Target, Lowes and Starbucks (of course)...I effectively boxed everything up!

One thing I love about moving is the opportunity it provides for simplifying and getting rid of the excess stuff one accumulates over time.  I counted 8 bags of clothing, accessories, etc. that I dropped off yesterday for donation!  My main goal for this move was to only bring items with me that follow the Feng Shui motto to only allow things into your home that are either functional or beautful.  I heard this mantra for the first time a couple years ago, and it has stuck with me since then.  Moving is a perfect time to work toward it. 

Everything is ready for the movers on Friday.  I will document the actual move (pictures to follow as well!)

For now, please see the boxes in all their glory (more functional than beautiful at this point, clearly!)

Boxes, boxes and more boxes!

Do What You Love

Last week marked my one year anniversary with my company, KellyMitchell Group!  Hard to believe it has already been a whole year, yet it feels like so much has happened and changed in my life as a result.  I've grown so much professionally, and can say with confidence that I love coming to work every day!  Pretty awesome. 

They say, "do what you love and success will follow."  Never have I felt so strongly about that statement; passion drives you to push yourself to new heights.   

In celebration of my workplace anniversary, here I am celebrating a new hire.  My coworker Caroline took this snapshot of me this morning in my new blue dress.  On a side note, pretty excited about bright colors and fun fabrics these days. 

Happy Wednesday!  Go forth and be passionate!  ;)

Welcome Home Sydney!

Thought I'd kick off the week with a favorite friendship quote of mine...

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." -Marcel Proust

My dear friend Sydney is currently en route home to Minneapolis from Chicago - I'm so excited to see her.  Sydney is in law school at Northwestern, and will be home for a couple weeks!  We have a lot of catching up to do...excited to spend some quality time with one of my favorite people.  Hoping to recapture a moment such as this tonight when I see her :)

Syd and I

Cinco De Mayo Treats

This past weekend, my friend Ally and I rang in Cinco De Mayo with some refreshing Margaritas at my place in Uptown.  We coupled our delicious margs with seven layer taco dip - quite tasty.  It was a rainy day in Minneapolis, so we stayed indoors for the most part, but Margs on the couch taste just as good!  

I snapped this shot at my kitchen table.  I'm a new user of Instagram; so far I'm in love!  Perfect for blogging. 

To Market, To Market - Part Deux

Well, from vision to reality, I successfully made it down to the Farmer's Market today.  It was everything I expected...actually, better than I expected.  Fresh flowers (see below) coupled with an abundance of fresh veggies and fruit at amazing prices and all naturally grown...it doesn't get much better than that. 

I picked up a couple of great treats, including fresh zucchini, squash and bananas.  I also picked up a homemade Red Pepper and Feta hummus - after sampling I simply couldn't resist.  All of this for under $6!  Needless to say, I know where I'll be shopping each and every Thursday throughout the summer. 

I'll definitely be picking up fresh flowers for my kitchen table on a regular basis as well - so lovely!

To Market, To Market

Here in Minneapolis today it went from warm and sunny to rainy with a bit of thunder.  Spring has sprung! 

I find that there's something about being able to comfortably go outside to get some fresh air in the middle of a workday that lifts the spirits and re-energizes the mind.

The Minneapolis Farmer's Market started last Thursday.  Located very centrally downtown, it's just about a block from my office.  I'm quite excited to pick up fresh veggies, fruits and flower bouquets throughout the spring and summer months.  I'll be sure to post photos of my fresh findings, but here's a visual aid of the fabulous weekly Minneapolis Market (don't you just love the colors?)  Yum!

Photo credit:  Google Image

Happy in New Pink Heels

Good Monday Morning!
I picked up these fun pink shoes over the weekend; I think the bright shade makes them a "fun" neutral for spring. 













Hope everyone has a great start to their week! 

Life as of Now

With an upcoming move and busy work schedule - I've enjoyed taking this weekend to start my blog and enjoy a little down time!  As I sit writing this, my mom is quilting (actually making a new quilt for my bed, a surprise she unveiled to me today - pictures soon!) and I'm sitting at my laptop writing and enjoying a lovely glass of Cupcake Red Velvet wine.  It's a rainy weekend here in Minneapolis; perfect for crafting and staying cozy indoors. 

I'm starting to get quite excited for my upcoming move.  Being the planner that I am, I've started to make lists and a gameplan for the big day (June 1st.)  I've hired movers for the first time, which will no doubt prove to be wonderful (as I've basically moved once a year for the past 8 years (Yikes!) - so a nice change of pace for both my family and I.  :)  I'm moving to St. Louis Park, which (for those that don't know the area) is just about 3 miles outside of Minneapolis.  As I work downtown Minneapolis, St. Louis Park provides a nice balance between the convenince of the city and calm of the 'burbs.  And since I grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis, I am quite familiar with the area.  I'm excited to post updates on the big move, with before and after pictures to boot!  It's my favorite spot in Minneapolis; I hunted this place down pretty early on, and am glad I did, as it boasts all of the amenities I was looking for in my new place.

One of my favorite things about my new place is the huge, open concept kitchen with walk-out patio.  I've recently gotten on the "power foods" train (due in large part to the film "Food Matters" - highly recommed!) and thus, have gotten re-energized about cooking and meal-making.  I will no doubt enjoy many a new recipe in the new kitchen - I promise to report back on all delectable recipes!  :)

What's your favorite way to spend a rainy Saturday evening?

The Beginning!

Welcome to Happy in Heels!

I'm beyond thrilled to begin my blogging journey, and am excited to see where this takes me!

The blog title "Happy in Heels" was devised by my dear college friends (many of whom have wonderful, creative and inspiring blogs themselves - more to follow on them soon!)  As we enjoyed our 2nd Annual SNC Girls' Weekend, I shared that I was looking to start a blog, due in large part to the fact that several of them have such fun blogs themselves, which I follow with regularity - and gave them the task of task of naming my blog.  So we sat, in typical fashion, with plenty of wine and delicious food before us, in a brain storming session of blog titles for your's truly.  After many laughs, honest vetos and lists of potential titles, Happy in Heels was thrown into the mix, and was the obvious choice and crowd pleaser, no doubt. 

So who am I?  And why Happy in Heels?

I'm a twenty-something living and working in Minneapolis.  I enjoy my spending time with my fabulous family and wonderful friends, working in a career I love, being inspired and in general continuing to enjoy life to the fullest.   I'm also a writer; all the more reason to begin my blogging career!

I believe it to be a fitting title for my blog; since a young age, I've been a girl all about the high heels.  When I step into a pair of heels, I feel ready for the day.  Be it a pair of boots with tights and a pencil skirt (la-ove boots, especially during the chilly MN winters!)  or a pair of pink stilletos with a little black dress, I'm all about the shoes with a bit of height.  They've always had a way of making me feel "put together" - and happy :) 

So on that note, Welcome to Happy in Heels - Here we go!

Megan :)