Eight Must Read Books

Hi there, my name is Amanda and I blog over on Anchored to Sunshine. I blog about recipes, fitness, life lessons, and (obviously) books!

Picture this: You hear about a book that’s supposed to be “the best”. You read raving reviews about it on Refinery29, see it recommended by theSkimm, and find it in the front window of every bookstore you pass. You think to yourself, it was meant to be!

5 Ideas to Keep Your Dogs Fit and Fun

Good Morning readers! Today, I have a guest post from Jordan Walker about your furry friends! Hope you enjoy.

Jordan Walker has a passionate interest in animals and their welfare. He is the lead content curator for Coops and Cages and other pet-related blog sites and has written several articles about the subject. In this post, he gives tips on how you can keep your dogs in good shape.

Just like humans, dogs also need to follow proper diet and a series of exercise for them to stay healthy for many years.

3 Books to Read and 3 Books to Leave

Hi, friends! I'm so happy to be joining you all today. My name is Cassie and I blog at Sage where I chat about marriage, travel, and reading. I'm a sassy INFJ with a husband I love and three fur animals to top it all off. My heart beats for Jesus, authenticity, and community (I'm the co-founder of the #morethanaframe Instagram community). I hope you'll stay a while and chat books with me!

As I alluded to in my introduction, I'm a tad bit book obsessed. I constantly have an audiobook and ebook going at the same time. I feel like I can never get enough! I have done an obscene amount of reading so far this summer, and there have been a number of books I would definitely read again as well as a few that I would definitely leave. Here's the scoop:

1. BIG LITTLE LIES BY LIANE MORIARTY
If you haven't heard of this book, you're hiding under a rock. It has been all the rave in the blogging world lately, so I knew I had to give it a shot. It definitely lived up to my expectations. I loved the style of the writing and how suspenseful it was. It didn't overlook creating realistic characters even in the midst of the suspense, which I really appreciated.

2. MAGIC HOUR BY KRISTIN HANNAH
This was a book I chose on a whim and I'm so happy I did. It's one of those "finding yourself after the storm" books, but in a way that hasn't been done before. Absolutely worth the read!

3. LEAVING TIME BY JODI PICOULT 
I'm a HUGE Jodi fan. I love how much research she puts into each of her books, how I never see the end coming, and how she weaves together seemingly unrelated character lines. I thinks she's a genius and this book is a great example of her talent. Plus it has elephants, and who doesn't love elephants?!

1. UNBROKEN BY LAURA HILLENBRAND
Maybe I shouldn't have seen the movie before reading the book because I found this really hard to get through. It's an amazing story, but it felt long and drawn out at times and I found myself hoping it would end soon. I'd say you're better off watching the movie.

2. EAT, PRAY, LOVE BY ELIZABETH GILBERT
UGHHHHHH. That basically sums it up.  I was warned that I was either going to love or hate this book, and I definitely didn't love it. I found the author annoying. She sounded like a martyr and something about that drove me insane. It kind of had the same undertones as "Wild," which I liked better, but still didn't love. 

3. THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN BY PAULA HAWKINS
This was another one of those books that everyone in blogland has been talking about. I found it pretty underwhelming. There are a number of other books that have similar plot lines and I found the ending predictable. I think this could have been a really good book, but something about it just didn't do it for me.

Do you use Goodreads? Let's connect!


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Saturday Sessions: Lindsay from Bourbon, Lipstick, and Stillettos

Please give a warm welcome to Lindsay from Bourbon, Lipstick, & Stillettos. Want to get to know a bit more about her? 

Describe your blog and why did you start blogging?

Bourbon, Lipstick, & Stilettos started as a beauty blog but has transformed into more of a lifestyle and opinion blog- guess I felt I had a lot more to say! I started blogging because I write professionally and wanted to have a little fun in my free time. And you cannot beat the relationships and opportunities that blogging provides.

So obviously, bourbon, make-up, and shoes are some of your favorite things, but what is your favorite bourbon, favorite make-up product, and your favorite pair of shoes?

Oh man, picking a favorite bourbon is too difficult! Living in Kentucky means I’m in THE bourbon epicenter. There are several distilleries within a few miles of our house! My three favorites are Maker’s Mark, Bulleit, and Woodford Reserve. My favorite make-up product is mascara. I NEVER leave the house without it! And for shoes, my current favorites are these babies from Mod Cloth.

What do you do when you’re not blogging?

When I’m not blogging I’m working as a technical writer. When I'm not working, I spend my time drinking wine and bourbon with my better half and getting addicted to series on Netflix. You’ll also find me workin’ on my fitness from time to time.

What are some of your favorite posts you've written?

Leading Lady

I Have a Big Butt (and that’s okay)

The Last Single Girl

If you were to meet any famous person in real life, who would it be and why?

I have to tell you that I don’t give a hoot about celebrities, but would definitely try to convince Jon Hamm to run away with me. ;) If you've seen him, you know why. 

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Saturday Sessions: 5 Things You Have to do When Visiting San Antonio

Hello all! My name is Brittany; I blog over at Your Friend, Brittany and I'll be taking over Alanna & Company today! Before I get started on my post I just wanted to say a quick hi and give you a bit of info about my blog. Your Friend, Brittany is a lifestyle blog where I discuss any and everything I'm interested in. I wanted to have a space where I could discuss books, pop culture, my personal life, and anything else I wanted to share. My hope was that the space would be fun, inviting, and interesting and that it would spark conversation with readers and that the conversation would be an easy one, just like with friends; hence the name. I also have a street style/fashion blog on Tumblr called BritBritLand. If you get a chance I hope you'll stop by one of the blogs and say hi! Now let's get to my post! 

5 Things You Have to do When Visiting San Antonio: Kid Free Edition

The Pearl Brewery

There is lots of history about The Pearl  but the short version goes like this: The Pearl was a brewery, it shut down, then San Antonio decided to be awesome and turn into a wonderful space with shops, restaurants, a soon to be opening hotel, and condos and it's WONDERFUL. You can find a list of all the places in The Pearl here but my favorites are Southerleigh, Blue Box, Arcade Midtown Kitchen, and Cured (for Saturday brunch). Southerleigh is the newest addition and I don't know if it's even on the list of places yet but it's amazing!! And they have wine on tap; the end.

The wine on tap at Southerleigh

Float the River

source

OK, neither of these is technically in San Antonio but it's less than 30 minutes away and floating the river is one of the best things about summer in TX. People drive from all over the state to come float either the Guadalupe or the Comal.  You drink, you float, you make friends with strangers who offer to share their cooler of alcohol with you and you get to stop at Buc-ee's on your way to and from the river; you basically live the dream.

Eat, Eat, and Eat Some More

You can have the GIANT pizza at Big Lou's, the giant cinnamon roll at Lulu's, amazing breakfast at Magnolia Pancake Haus, some fine dining at The Cookhouse or Cured or Boiler House or Southerleigh or anywhere in The Pearl really, have BBQ have Smoke Shack or Coopers (go here after river floating) or eat your weight in Mexican food. Basically this is Texas and in Texas we love our food and we've got lots of great options here in San Antonio so do not waste your time eating at chain restaurants; there are too many other options to try!

If You Need a Food and Drink Break

Source

If you're looking for something a bit more cultured or at least need a break from drinking and eating there are tons of other options! Obviously you can visit the Alamo but you can also check out river boat tours through downtown SA! There's also the San Antonio Museum of Art, The Witte, and The McNay for museums. If you want a bit more fun there's a Ripley's Believe It or Not right across from the Alamo (strange I know). We've also got the Natural Bridge Caverns (super fun but not for anyone who may be claustrophobic!) and Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, the Historic King William District, and more! I've included a pretty extensive list of historical places in San Antonio below.

Historic Sites & Landmarks

Drink!

A margarita float, y'all! And now we're on to the important stuff! Drinking! OK, maybe not the important stuff but a good part of any trip is having a few cocktails! San Antonio has so many wonderful places you can try but for the sake of not making this entire post about alcohol I'll only list a few. Beer Lovers: The Friendly Spot, Alamo Brewing Co, The Cove, Big Hops, Stella Public House, Southerleigh *All of these except Alamo Brewing and Big Hops serve wine as well and Stella has a small liquor selection. Craft Cocktails: Blue Box, Stay Golden Social House, Park Social, The Last Word and Juniper Tar This is Random but it Works: Halycon-a coffee house that also has brunch on the weekends and serves alcohol. They have an amazing brunch margarita! Restaurants with Good Bars: Taco Garage (this is the place where I got a margarita flight!), La Gloria, Hofbrau (they have like 20 something versions of a margarita with something in it, see photo below), Arcade Midtown Kitchen

San Antonio is one of those places that people tend to forget about when talking about Texas. You've got Dallas, Houston, and Austin so why visit San Antonio but I've got to tell you, San Antonio is great! I have lived in a few places around the state and I have to say that San Antonio is one of my favorites. It's also worth noting that I've heard from friends with kids that this is also a really kid friendly place to visit (both The Cove and The Friendly Spot allow kids and have playgrounds) so if you have kids you should definitely look into some of those options. Now that you know a little about me and a lot about San Antonio I hope you'll consider visiting both my blog and this great city! 

*All photos, unless otherwise noted, are my own.

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Saturday Sessions: Find the Workbag That Fits Your Life

Happy Saturday ladies! Today I want to welcome Brittany from The Lady Lawyer! Today she'll be sharing with us the best work bags to fit your lifestyle. Hope you enjoy!

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I like to think of the workbag as the little black dress of handbags for the working lady. Your diaper bag for the office. The minivan of handbags. I'll stop with the analogies now because I think you see where I'm going with this..you need one. But not just any workbag..the RIGHT workbag. You will use it endlessly. It has to be sturdy, dependable, but cute. If you're like me you will have everything from your wallet, snacks, files, books, makeup, planner, and about 2 more pounds of absolute junk piled into your bag.

The workbag that I need for my office desk job won't necessarily be the right fit for a teacher, writer, nurse, etc. I've put together my favorite bags that will fit every lifestyle and job!


The bags below are made for the office gal. Perfect for storing files and your laptop, but also stylish enough to head to dinner or drinks after work! I'm currently carrying the Street Level Reversible Vegan Leather tote (below furthest right) and love it! It's a great size and the reversible option is so fun. 

Shop here: Kate Spade Cedar Street Tote / Jessica Simpson Laser Cut Tote / Kate Spade Laptop Bag / Madewell Zip Tote / Reversible Vegan Leather Tote

These bags are for the creatives of the world. Teachers, bloggers, writers, and the like---I'm looking at you! If you want a bag to store your stuff but also showcase your personality these fit the bill.

Shop here: LeSportsac Carryall / Madewell "The Hole Punch" / RELIC tote (JCPENNEY) / Vera Bradley Traveler / Sam Edelman Tara Tote

We're all busy. But some of our jobs cause us to constantly be on the go. Whether you're an event coordinator, shuffling PTA meetings, or running to meetings throughout the day these bags will help you sail through your day with everything in tow.

Shop here: Topshop Arrow Tote / Lilly Pulitzer Finder's Keepers / Street Level Stripe Tote / Vera Bradley Carry-all / Street Level Colorblock tote

What is your favorite type of workbag?

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DIY Tissue Paper Garland

Hello all the beautiful Alanna & Company readers. My name is Ashley and I blog over at Girl Talk about anything and everything. Today I am taking over Alanna's blog while she is relaxing on vacation! I am so excited to share with you my Tissue Paper Garland I made for one of our Engagement parties!

In March, Timothy and I had our 2nd Engagement party. It was a couple's shower. A Stock the Bar Party and it was amazing! I had made the above Tissue Paper Garland in those colors thinking I was going to use it for the party, but I loved it too much I hung that one up in our living room and made another one for the party.

You will need...

Tissue Paper

String

Scissors

Hot Glue Gun

1. To begin, fold your tissue paper in half and cut down the middle. This will make it so you have more "tassels" to work with - 1 piece of tissue paper, makes 1 tassel

2. Then fold the tissue paper in half and begin cutting strips towards the fold leaving about 1 inch from where you cut to the fold.

3.After all the strips have been cut, unfold your tissue paper - but be careful not to tear it!

4. Begin rolling your tissue paper, tightly, down the middle - the fringe may get tangled at times just run your fingers through it to make it not tangled.

5. Fold in half to make loop to hang on string.

6. Hot glue the loop together to make the tassel stay together. Then put on rope. Repeat steps until you have the amount of tassels on rope you desire. 

And there you have your DIY Tissue Paper Tassel Garland. It does take a little time but the end product is totally worth it!

Thank you Alanna for letting me in on your little space of the web today! Hope everyone has a spectacular Friday and an even more wonderful weekend!

Don't miss a thing ~ Follow along!

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Travel Size Essentials

Good Morning everyone! Please welcome Tif from Bright on a Budget! Today she's sharing her travel essentials. So glad I got this post HTML before I left for my trip! I definitely grabbed some of her suggestions before I left.

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 When I travel, I liked to be prepared for everything but pack as light as possible.  While I usually fail at packing lightly (evidently carrying multiple pairs of shoes weighs a lot), I have found 6 travel-sized essentials that I can slip into my bag without taking up much space.  I'm flying out to Vegas later this month, and you can bet that each and every one of these items will be packed!

1.  Nail Polish Remover Pads There's not much worse than having to pack a big bottle of nail polish remover, unless you spill said bottle of nail polish remover all over your stuff.  I've had it happen to me one too many times, so I was thrilled to find these individually-wrapped nail polish remover pads/wipes at Target.  These are super thin and you easily slip several into a makeup bag or quart-sized baggie. 

2. Venus Snap Razor Not only is this little razor cute, but it's also convenient too!  What sold me on it is the travel case.  I like knowing that I'm not going to accidentally cut myself on my razor when rummaging for something down in my travel bag. 

3.  Disinfecting Spray Flat out, I don't leave on a trip without my disinfecting spray.  I couldn't find this one online, but it is available in the travel toiletries aisle at Target.  I'm a germaphobe, and I like to spray down the shower, sink, and remote control (at the very least) as soon as I hit a hotel room.  These little mini spray bottles are perfect for those airport baggies!  And while we're being honest, I usually carry 2, because 1 just isn't enough. 

4.  Small/rollerball perfume Once again, the smaller the item, the less that's going to douse your clothes when it dumps out!haha Also, perfume bottles can just be heavy.  I like this to grab a small perfume, such as a roller ball, sample size, or just a small bottle to toss in my bag for trips. 

5. Makeup Remover Wipes When I travel, I usually am exhausted by the time I make it back to my room.  I like to plop my little travel-size package of makeup remover wipes by my bed to make it easy to take off my makeup. Otherwise, I'd probably not take it off most nights I'm traveling, and that just makes my face a hot mess.  This little travel pack from Neutrogena is perfectly sized, and they don't irritate my skin.  Win-win in my book! 

6. Z Palette The personal-care items that take up the most room when I travel are my cosmetics.  A lot of makeup containers take up a lot of space. To cut back on that, I like to depot some my makeup and keep it in a Z Palette.  I have the small Z Pallette from Sephora, and you can fit several eyeshadows and blush in it!  It's ultra compact and slips right into your bag.

I hope these travel-sized essentials help you to make more room for other things on your next trip! What are your must-haves for travel-sized essentials???

  Tif is a twenty-something attorney, mom, and dedicated bargain hunter who blogs about beauty, life, and style.  You can visit her over at Bright on a Budget.



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Celebrate with a Mexican Mule for Cinco De Mayo!

Happy Cinco De Mayo all!! Today, we're welcoming Brittany from the Lady Lawyer! She's gonna share her favorite Cinco De Mayo food and drink recipes! Enjoy.

I NEVER need an excuse to stuff my face with yummy Mexican food but when my calendar tells me it's Cinco de Mayo you better believe I'm going to take full advantage of this holiday to eat some of my favorite food!

Who doesn't love a good happy hour? I know I do! What better way to celebrate than with yummy appetizers and drinks--especially if it's as easy to put together as what I'm showing you today! Throw this together in 30 minutes flat and enjoy a fun and yummy weekday fiesta!

Grilled Corn Pineapple Salsa

This salsa is so refreshing and pretty! The colors of the fresh ingredients pop on your chip! The combination of the sweet corn and pineapple are the perfect balance to the spicy jalapenos. It's so easy to throw together! Dip it with chips, top on grilled chicken or fish, or add to a salad--so many possibilities. Psssst..it's healthy so go ahead and indulge in that second third drink..I officially give you permission :)

4 roma tomatoes

3 ears of corn (grilled)

2 cups of cubed pineapple

handful of cilantro

2 jalapenos 

1 lime

Chop, Chop, Chop

This is the hardest and ONLY part of  this recipe. Finely dice the roma tomatoes, pineapples, corn, (I wrapped the corn on the cob in aluminum foil and grilled for 12-15 minutes or until you get nice grill marks) cilantro, and jalapenos. 

Add the chopped ingredients into a bowl and squeeze in the juice of a lime. Give a nice stir and season to taste with salt and pepper!

That's it! Now it's time to dig in with your favorite tortilla chips!

The Mexican Mule

You've heard of a Moscow Mule, right? The delicious vodka and ginger drink is one of my faves so I thought I would add a Mexican twist to it! I replace the vodka with my buddy Jose (I use "buddy" loosely..he's not always been nice to me) and add an extra squeeze of lime. It's seriously so refreshing and easy and my new go-to cocktail. 

1-2 shots of tequila (I used Jose Cuervo)

Ginger beer

Juice of half a lime

ice

Combine the tequila and lime juice and top the glass off to the top with the ginger beer. Stir, add ice, and garnish with lime. Enjoy!! 

Happy Hour is the best hour so enjoy this yummy fiesta!

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Less is More Makeup Routine

Hello Alanna & Company readers. My name is Jasmine and I blog over at Classy Sassy & A Bit Smartassy. You guys were able to get to know me a little more when Alanna did a Q&A on me. But today I will be doing a beauty post. Which are my favorite because I have a huge passion for makeup. I never went to beauty school or anything, I learned on my own. Mainly watching Youtube videos.

Today's beauty post is going to be about "less is more". Little bit of makeup is what's in right now by wearing a bold lipstick color. Which are my favorite because you showcase the lipstick color.

These are some of the makeup I will be using: 

• Maybelline Master Primer
• NYX Contour stick
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Pomade Dipbrow
• E.L.F High Definition Powder

Step One: Prep your face by applying the primer all over your face.

Step Two: Lightly brush on your foundation on your face. I like to use a stribble brush to apply my foundation. I think it leaves my foundation looking flawless.

Step Three: Eyebrows. I brush out my eyebrows first and then apply the Anastasia Beverly Hills dip brow. Less is more remember.

Step Four: Apply your eyeshadows.

Step Five: Contouring time. As you can see below this is where I apply the contour stick. I use a blender sponge to blend in the makeup.

Step Six: Apply your eyeliner and the high definition powder.

Step Seven: Once I'm done applying my eyeliner and powder I like to move on to my eyelashes. My favorite brand to use is "Manga" mascara underneath my Younique 3D Fiber Mascara.

Once I'm done with all that then I apply my lipstick. The one I'm wearing below is Maybelline Matte "Craving Coral"

and there you have it! Less is more makeup routine.

What are your favorite brands, lipstick color, etc..??


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