Tips for Running with your Dog

One of my biggest dilemmas of working out is that I can't just go to the gym right after work because I have a furry little companion waiting for me at home. So I have to go home, take her out, and then motivate myself to get to the gym. Can I tell you the amount of times that I get done walking her and think, "Ehhh....I can workout tomorrow," or "I don't want to have to drive to the gym now..." or "There's just now way I'm changing into a sports bra now," occurs? Nope, because it's happens all the time and I can't keep track anymore. Whoops. Now that it's Spring, I'm glad that I can get out, walk with her and actually enjoy the time outside. And what's a better way than to get your workout and your dog walk in all at once? Nothing. It's the best. 

1. Warm up. Seriously, this is necessary for both you and your dog. Walk at a brisk pace for a bit and then slowly speed up before launching into a full-out run. This leads into the next one...

2. Let your dog relieve him/herself before you really get into the run. They should know that they are running with you and shouldn't wander off or go sniff around. BUT if they have to go, they have to go. So I usually take Starla around for about five minutes (which can be part of your "warm-up" time) to let her do her business and so then there will be no distractions during our run. 

3. Make sure you have the right equipment. I keep her on a short 4' leash because she should always be beside me while I'm running. She's pretty good about staying on one side, but she doesn't have a chance to try and cross over to the other side of the trail with her shorter leash. Some people also only run their dogs on harnesses or with hands-free belts. I'm not that fancy yet, but maybe some day. If you're going for a long run, get a portable bowl or those attachments for your water bottle. 

4. I use cue words. I say "Let's go!" if we really need to move it, for example, we need to speed up to make sure we cross the street in time. and I use "Whoa" to slow her down, that way I don't just stop running and then she gets yanked back from her neck. 

5. Keep in mind the temperature. Remember dogs don't sweat! Usually I'll only go running in the summer and luckily there are lots of streams around where I run. She often jumps right into the steams and plops down in them to cool down. Also, if the pavement is hot to the touch, it's too hot for their paws! Plan on running on the grass or running by yourself if the pavement is too hot.  

Then reward her for doing so well with some healthy treats provided by Chewy!

This dog definitely eats healthier than I do.

A photo posted by Alanna (@alannaandco) on Mar 13, 2015 at 12:51pm PDT

I can't wait to go running with her more. It'll do wonders for both of our waist-lines! Maybe one day we can even do some 5k runs together!

Do you go running with your dog? Do you have any tips to help running with your dog easier?

Please consult a veterinarian before engaging your dog in any type of activity. Not all dogs are suited for every activity. All opinions shared here are our own and may differ from yours. Treats were provided for free by Chewy.com.

The Best Long-Wear Lipstick

Two months in a row with Friday the 13th! Last month's wasn't so bad, so I hope today isn't bad either!

(This is not a sponsored post! I just love the product. Yay for free advertising. You're welcome, Maybelline.)

As I've said before I'm mainly a drugstore make-up type of girl. So when my friend Shelly suggested this Maybelline lipstick, I jumped at the opportunity to try it. It's called Maybelline Super Stay 14 hour lipstick and it's quickly become my favorite and go-to product.

I got mine at target and they were $6.99. They're available at Ulta for $8.99. 

I got two colors: Forever Fuchsia and Continuous Cranberry (the bright red color on the bottom). They seriously aren't joking when they say they are 14 hour! It lasts through eating, drinking, and kissing (wink). And my favorite part is that it is light-weight. You can't even feel that you have lipstick on. Both pictures below I'm wearing Continuous Cranberry. I absolutely love these lip colors! I definitely need to go back for more. They have 16 or so different hues to choose from!

If you're looking for a new lip color or brand of lipstick definitely try this one out! It's my new favorite! What are your favorite lip products?

Linking up with: Friday Favorites | Oh, Hey Friday! | Mix It Up Friday

Oh and lastly, I'm on facebook now. Like my page! #shamelessplug

It's Almost Spring! Now what shall we do?

Hi readers! Today I'm guest posting on Bri's blog All That Glitters! She's off on vacation in the Bahamas (jealous!) and I'm helping out by keeping her readers (and you too!) busy. Head on over to her blog to read about some fun things to do in the Spring!

Spring is one of my favorite seasons! Longer days, actually enjoying walking my dog, saying goodbye to snow, spring fashions -- give me all the Spring things. Anyways here's a quick list of things you can do now since it is finally Spring!

1. Go see the Cherry Blossoms (if you're in D.C.) or a botanical garden. What else can cheer a girl up as well as flowers can?
2. Instagram everything. Everything is prettier in the Spring. And you won't need to use that Amaro filter half as much since there will actually be light outside when you get home from work!
3. Stop in at a farmer's market or flea market.
4. Take a Spring Break. If you're in college, do it up big! If you're out of college, who says you can't party like a college kid for a few days?
5. Pack away all your mittens, hats, and parkas. I can't be the only one who finds this extremely satisfying, right?
6. On that note, buy a whole new Spring wardrobe! You will definitely need those $200 hunter rain boots. 
7. Go get some Fro-yo or ice cream.
8. Sign up for that 5k! After all, bikini season is right around the corner.
9. Visit a winery or two. or three....
10. and for a rainy day you can watch Game of Thrones! It comes on HBO the 31st.

I hope you are all as excited for Spring as I am. Now go treat yo' self! What do you all like to do in the Spring?

Linking up with Kels, per usual.

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway for a $40 Nordstrom's giftcard!

My blog friends and I are teaming up this month to bring you a chance to win a $40 Nordstrom gift card!

This prize is made possible by these lovely ladies:

Alanna & Company | Kati Rose | t.o. & fro | The Nashvillian

Enter now! This giveaway is run via rafflecopter. All entries will be verified. A winner will be selected at random and contacted via e-mail two weeks after the giveaway begins. If the winner does not claim the prize within 24 hours, a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Hour in Old Town Alexandria

So I was invited out by one of my besties, Ariel, to meet her up for some drinks and apps the other week. She works in Old Town Alexandria at Jackson 20, which is a really cute restaurant. She suggested we go to a new bar called Mackie's for happy hour. 

Credit 

Mackies has a nice ambiance when you walk inside. They have a frosted glass door that separates the bar area from the restaurant. Nice for diners who would prefer not to be bother by us loud happy-hour goers. Their drink specials are $1 off all wines and beers, and they have a small bar menu that includes, wings (buffalo, bbq, and old bay), caprese bites, sliders (cheesburger, pork, or meatball), fries, a dip trio and more. I really enjoyed how lively the bar was when we went at 5 p.m. and the bartenders were super friendly and approachable. They gave us great wine suggestions from their long list of drinks. I chose a Chardonnay, Ariel chose a Cava Brut, and our friend was given a red wine suggestion (which name I now forget!) that was delectable! Then we shared the sliders, fries and Old Bay wings served with tartar sauce with more old bay mixed in. If you've never had Old Bay wings, you need to go and try them now. They were amazing!

I didn't get a chance to look at the full menu, but apparently they are known for their steaks. I'll definitely go back with my boyfriend next time we're craving some red meat.  Mackie’s Bar and Grill, 907 King St., Alexandria.

Credit

After Mackie's we decided that we should venture a bit up King St to go check out Vermilion. Click here for a virtual tour of the restaurant! I had never been and heard it was really nice, but expensive. We sat down in the bar/lounge area. It was decorated amazingly with red pops of color and exposed brick everywhere. I'm always a sucker for exposed brick. We sat in the bar section on red couches with a small table for our drinks. I was surprised to read their happy hour drink specials. They offered a Pineapple tequila seasonal punch for only $5! Let me say, that punch was dangerous! Hinted with a bit of cinnamon, they weren't overly sweet and just strong enough. They also had options including $2.75 Miller Lite & Sierra Nevada drafts and an extensive wine list. We were unfortunately stuffed from Mackie's and didn't try any of the food, but Vermilion is another on my list to go back for happy hour food and more of that punch! Vermilion Restaurant, 1120 King St, Alexandria.

I have to apologize for being a bad blogger and not taking my own photos. Sorry I credited all sites that I borrowed from! I promise I will be better the next time I go back or in my next restaurant suggestion posts. It's hard because I get so caught up in enjoying friend's company and how good the food is!

Happy eating everyone!

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Stitch Fix Review

As you know, I am no fashion blogger. I can't selfie for the hell of me, I wish I could do an OOTD, and my handy-photographer (my boyfriend) has been conveniently MIA when I needed him! 

Anyways, I'm sure a ton of you have heard of StitchFix and if you haven't I suggest you give it a try. I had heard a lot of mixed reviews on the subscription box. Basically, you fill out this long "Style Profile" of what type of clothes you like, what your sizes are, what you prefer (they can send clothes, accessories, and jewelry.) You have to pay a $20 styling fee and they will send you customized items based on your style profile. In addition to my style profile, I also sent my personal stylist my Pinterest board that you can view here! I sent a little comment to my stylist asking for Spring clothes because I am so over winter and that I wanted Day to Evening clothes. She really delivered!

So here's what I got. The saddest was this perfect mini skirt. It was the most affordable and priced well at $58 and it didn't fit my big ol' butt! I was so sad. It was the one I was most excited about. So if y'all know where I can find something similar, holla at your girl!

Next I got this flirty waist-tie Spring Dress. I blanched when I saw the $98 price tag. I never spend that much on one dress. Then I tried it on. It was perfect. Damn you StitchFix. I have to keep this one.

Next, were this pair of Burgundy skinny jeans with a zip ankle. I have to say, at first, I hated the burgundy. I was angry that they sent me jeans because I already have like 10 pairs of jeans but only black, white, and blue. I tried it on and it surprisingly fit perfectly. I am short at 5'0" and most jeans are extremely long on me. After I wore it around my condo for a bit, I started to really like them. My boyfriend walked in and complimented me on the jeans. So needless to say, these were a keeper too. 

Last, but not least are the off-white 3/4 length blouse and polka dot short sleeved blouse. Both are kind of on the bigger side, but I think it's better that way because the off-white blouse is pretty flowy and the polka dot blouse can be a good work blouse, so I wouldn't want that one really tight. 

I know the off-white blouse is hard to see, so here's me wearing it at our wine tasting this past weekend. I wore it with the burgundy jeans and nude flats. 

My overall opinion on Stitchfix is: Like it. I'm a huge online shopper and I hate going to malls. So this just makes my online shopping a bit easier and also I will have the opportunity to have someone else spice up my wardrobe with new options. I think I'll do it again, however, when I submitted my review I said all of the items were overpriced. I would prefer to spend only about $50 on each item instead of anywhere from $58-98. Good thing I haven't gone shopping for clothes in months.

Two perks to save you money is that if you buy all you get a 25% discount. I luckily got this because I contacted customer support to tell them that the skirt didn't fit and they generously offered to extend me the "buy all" discount anyways. You also can get $25 discount if you refer people, so if you haven't tried StitchFix yet and would like to, please use this link! Last but not least, be aware that you only have three days to try everything on, selfie or OOTD yourself, and then decide. Hence why boyfriend was not available to take better photos of me. I'll make sure on my next Stitch fix that I'll book sometime in his calendar for it. 

Have you tried Stitchfix? What was your overall opinion on it?

Lastly, a giveaway!

My blog friends and I are teaming up this month to bring you a chance to win a $40 Nordstrom gift card!

This prize is made possible by these lovely ladies:

Alanna & Company | Kati Rose | t.o. & fro | The Nashvillian

Enter now! This giveaway is run via rafflecopter. All entries will be verified. A winner will be selected at random and contacted via e-mail two weeks after the giveaway begins. If the winner does not claim the prize within 24 hours, a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Hundred Percent Pure

Oh wine. How our relationship has grown. Since my last wine post, I realized, wow a lot of people don't drink reds. So I sent my boyfriend out to get a white for me and he came back with Layer Cake Chardonnay. And boy, did he do good!

As I said in my last wine post, I'm all about wines that are affordable. This wine ran us $14 and tastes amazing. After doing a little bit of research, this is exactly why Layer Cake was born. “My grandfather was not a guy who could afford Hundred Acre,” Jayson Woodbridge, the maker of Layer Cake wines said, “I’m trying to make a wine that sells for $15 and tastes like $50.” 

The wine itself features a smooth citrus flavor, with distinct apple and pear notes and a dry, toasty finish. Also, it is a "virgin" un-oaked wine. I still need to do some research on what the big deal is between oaked and unoaked wine. I paired the wine with some teriyaki Salmon and rice, but I feel like it would go very well with a less overpowering white fish like tilapia, crab cakes, or even a sandwich like a Cuban.

I was disappointed that it was a screw-cap wine, primarily because I'm collecting wine corks for a DIY project. Overall, a very good Chardonnay to try if you fruity whites. 

Have you tried any of the Layer Cake wines? 

Reading Challenge Update - March

Ok so I challenged myself to a few reading challenges this year. There is the Modern Mrs. Darcy book challenge, and the read 100 books this year challenge. The hundred book challenge has already been edited down to 75 books, last I checked I was eight books behind! I also am taking up audiobooks since I drive so much it'll be a good way to get through books when I don't have the time to physically crack open a book and read.

I also decided that I need to write out the Modern Mrs. Darcy book challenge. So here it is:

A book you’ve been meaning to read: Bossypants by Tina Fey

A book published this year: Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova

A book in a genre you don’t typically read: Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

A book from your childhood: Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce

A book your mom loves: Wicked 

A book that was originally written in a different language: IQ84 by Haruki Marukami (started in 2014 but finished in 2015....this book is LONG!)

A book “everyone” has read but you: Big Little Lies by Lane Moriarty

A book you chose because of the cover: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

A book by a favorite author: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

A book recommended by someone with great taste: Girl Boss by Sophia Amoruso

A book you should have read in high school: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

A book that’s currently on the bestseller list: The Martian by Andy Weir

What I've read this past month:

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey: This gets four/five stars. I really thought this book had some very great input. I've always been a girl who has been raised to be independent and this book brought up a lot of points and explanations on how men think and react to that. It was very down to earth without telling women to just sit around, care for their children, and cook/clean the house.

(I know I slacked this past month...)

Currently Reading:

Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray
Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce

Have you read any of the books on my list? Or do you have any suggestions for a book that was published this year?

Be my friend on Goodreads!