Friday Finds || Vol. 2, Week 25

Jessica Sturdy at Eataly's new Sabbia restaurant in Chicago, inspired by summertime on the Italian coast. An Aperol Spritz is the perfect way to kick off summer!

Happy Fri-YAY! Just me or did this week fly right on by?! I literally blinked and it was over. It was a fun one, though! I finally got back in my workout groove, which felt amazing. Yoga on Monday, SoulCycle on Tuesday, Solidcore on Wednesday, Flywheel on Thursday, and I’ve got yoga booked again this morning. Tuesday night I grabbed drinks with three of my girlfriends — We went to a new place called Fort Willow because the forecast was calling for rain, which put a damper (literally) on our riverwalk plans. From their branding, I was expecting it to be more of a laid back treehouse vibe, but it was actually pretty polished! (Would be a great date spot, FYI.) On Wednesday, I went to a calligraphy class with Everlane and Brianna Schmall, which was super fun, but also confirmed that I am terrible at all things with hand eye coordination. I got to catch up with Jess and Anna though, which made the night even better! Yesterday, I got to go to the opening of Sabbia, the new restaurant upstairs at Eataly. Everything was SO good and an Aperol Spritz was the perfect way to kick off the summer season! (Even though it was *pouring* down rain in Chicago and, like, 60 degrees.) Last night was the funnest of them all, as I got to go to the Bacardi party where Major Lazer performed. (See my stories for more!) A little rain couldn’t stop us… It was such an amazing way to kick off the weekend and the official start of summer! Tomorrow I’m headed to a bridal shower for one of my besties and on Sunday, I’m heading to Mamby for more music. Which means tonight, I’m probably just staying in and catching up on sleep! ๐Ÿ™‚

But hey, can we keep it real for a second? As I was just sitting here writing about all of the fun times this week, I felt like a little bit of a fraud. This week honestly was SO fun and had so many high points, but there were a (big) handful of challenges, too… Multiple days with tears (not the good kind, and some of which were in public which somehow always makes it worse), there was definitely some anger as I was processing different situations in my personal life, and overall just a lot of heavy, heavy shit. I was constantly reminding myself that everything in life is just a phase. This, too, shall pass! (That goes for the good stuff, too, which is another reminder to savor every second.)

I try so hard to not make my blog and social media channels just a highlight reel… it’s something I think about every single day. But as I sit down to write these “weekly wrap-up” posts each week, I really do just look to all of the great stuff that happened, without acknowledging any of the bad shit that went along with it. I don’t want to seem like a Debbie Downer, so I try to keep it positive, but sometimes as a result, I worry that it paints a picture that isn’t perfectly clear. I absolutely love how Mackenzie does her Rose & Thorn post each week… I’m going to try to brainstorm a way to incorporate elements of this into my Friday Finds posts from here on out. I don’t want to replicate her idea exactly, as I’m not usually as concise as she is, but I’d like the space to share things that may be less upbeat in an effort to remind us all that every single person has their share of struggles. Any and all suggestions or feedback welcome! ๐Ÿ™‚

xoxo jrs

PS: I’m speaking on a panel at Create & Cultivate in Chicago this August! SO excited for that, and to network and attend all of the other talks, too. It’s going to be an inspiring day, to say the least! VIP tickets are sold out, so be sure to grab a GA ticket soon if you’re interested in going.

PPS: I’m regularly listing a ton of items on Poshmark… Be sure to check out the new listings this week!

Here are this week’s shopping finds…

This gingham dress is all sorts of lovely! Perfect for Fourth of July if you pair it with a few pops of red.

I’m on a gingham kick, what can I say? This rain jacket is TOO GOOD. A need not a want, am I right?

I am so in love with this hat! It’s the perfect shape and the light striped band is the cherry on top. This one is a close second though! Currently crushing on this brown oneย and this all natural fedora, too.

YOU GUYS! I get so many compliments on these sunglasses that I got in Australia (I wear them all the time on Snapchat and Instagram stories, but I’ve only worn them on the blog in the last outfit here) and I finally found a pair of identical ones for $14!!

I’m also in love with this round pair for $14! (I have so many pair of BP sunglasses… They’re the best because they’re always super stylish, but I don’t have to worry about scratching them, crushing them, or losing them!) This black pair is super cool, too.

Majorly crushing on these lucite hoops! They look SO much more expensive than they are.

DY-ING over these gingham shoes!!! Couldn’t press order fast enough. Perfect height, wear them with all white for a pop of color, the green color pairs perfectly with navy, and the knot detail is so cute! Ob-sessed.

How freaking cute is this pineapple dress?

Speaking of… This pineapple disco cup can be filed under things I never knew I needed!

These ruffled sneakers are darling.

This floral blouse is perfect for the office under a blazer!

I got my niece and I matching sneakers recently (I pickedย the light tanย for me and the stripes for her) and they are SO COMFY! It almost feels bouncy as you’re walking, in a good way. I was trying to find a link to them the other day and realized that they now come in blue and white gingham for adults!

I’m loving this pair of ivory linen wedges!

This red one piece is super cute.

And here are the finds your wallet will be happy about…

Life According to My 81 Year Old Grandmother ย | ย A) Some of the best tidbits of advice! B) She is the cutest thing ever. C) This is SUCH an amazing idea to do with your grandparents. (And D) Dare you to not cry.)

In light of the heavy, heavy news this week with family separation, read this article for ways to help.

This story made my skin crawl! I’ve had friends and family members deal with similar types of identity theft, thankfully not quite as bad, but it’s always so terrifying and scary. Kat has great tips for protecting yourself against it! All good reminders.

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3 Comments

  1. 6.22.18
    cassie said:

    Thanks for the honest post – all the good and all the bad sound like real life to me. It’s so important to force the good into your life since the bad will ALWAYS come.
    A trick that has helped me recently – round out your news/info sources. I found I was going to “one side” only and by forcing myself to go to the “other side” I found that the way something is packaged really affects me. In other words – educating myself on facts rather than headlines and especially photos revealed silver linings or even what I read was grossly exaggerated – reminding me that every single news/website is a BUSINESS and needs to keep us frantic to make money. I am no longer allowing someone who makes money off my emotional reactions control my vibe.

  2. 6.22.18
    Rena said:

    Wow, your workout plan sounds great!
    xx Rena
    http://www.dressedwithsoul.com

  3. 6.22.18
    Kat said:

    Such a great post babe – and thank you for including me. This too shall pass is right!!!!! XO