Springs Things: Rainbow Pants + A Discussion on Blue Jeans

Hey Merbabes! What even happened this week? One moment I was living my best spring life, strolling around town with an iced match, the next moment I was shivering.  Classic Chi spring. 

Let's be real, I shouldn't be complaining too much because the only thing I really wanted to do was wear my cute new pants + I did just that.

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What I Eat in a Week: Oatmeal, Smoothies + French Fries

Hey Merbabes! I recently did a poll on my story to gather inspiration for my next blog post.  The overwhelming winner of said poll was 'what I eat in a week'! So here we are. I kept starting then stopping tracking my daily food intake because I was a little shocked by the amount I ate when it was written down on paper.  On Monday I decided to finally commit, I tracked everything I ate Monday-Friday and I am excited to share with you all!

A little background on my diet, I have been completely vegetarian for over five years now, meat wasn't a large part of my diet growing up so I don't miss it.  I keep my dairy intake on the low, it gives me headaches + pimples, so I save dairy for special occasions, like Jeni's Ice Cream + Kelly's (thats my mom) mac + cheese.   I truly believe in listening to your body for the answers to your dietary needs! When you listen to you body there is no need for unnecessary restrictions or counting calories.

With that being said, lets jump into day one!

Everything I Wore in Palm Springs

Hey Merbabes! Almost a month later + I'm still swooning over Palm Springs.  Every knows I love winter, faux fur everyday, its a dream, but being in Palm Springs gave me a taste of sunny days ahead +  I want it now.  I've already ditched my winter coats for light spring jackets despite the 30 degree temps outside + I have no regrets.

For my Palm Springs trip, I put a decent amount of thought into packing, unlike my usual routine of shoving half my closet into a suitcase.  I chose a color palette + shopped / pulled pieces I own from the palette.  What a concept! I decided to go with nudes + denim as the base of looks.  This can easily be done when packing for a vacation but this can also translate to shopping for a new season (like spring, duh).  Outfits seem to flow seamlessly into one another when they all have a similar vibe / palette.  It makes mixing pieces + creating new looks a breeze! I'm sharing three looks I wore in Palm Springs that you can easily recreate for you vacation or expand upon this idea for a full season of looks!

Studio Hopping: Best Boutique Fitness in Chicago

Hey Merbabes!  My (almost) daily workouts are one of the best parts of my day.  It's 45-60 minutes away from a screen, where I don't have to speak to people, and I can focus on one single thing, AKA heaven.  I love using Class Pass because I don't have to commit to one location + one workout, I have a solid rotation of places I hit up to get all my favorite workouts in!  I thought I would share those locations with you!

Disclaimer: there are definitely more places I work out but these are the ones I love the most! If you follow along @mermaidwaves you can check where I'm working out day by day on my story!

Not Your Dad's Shoes: Sneaker Round-up

Hey Merbabes! I love the dad shoe moment, love it, here for it, rock it, support it, but like sometimes you want to wear your own shoes, not just your dad's.  Merm to the rescue because I've rounded up 15 pairs of coolest shoes for you to start rocking right now.

Recently I have been pairing a gym shoe with every outfit, from jeans + a turtleneck to a dress + a denim jacket.  I'm so here for the relaxed vibe gyms shoes add to any look. I'm having a major nike moment rn which is super unlike me so soak up all the nike love while you can.  I also threw in a few splurges like the Miu Miu's (to die for) and some under $100 finds, looking at you rainbow Steve Maddens. 

Palm Springs Hit List: 48 Hours in Palm Springs

Hey Merbabes!  Not only am I about to give you the run-down of the not to miss places in Palm Springs + Palm Desert but I'm going to show you how to do it in 48 hours.  Whether you're taking a long weekend away or are heading to the desert for Coachella (hello queen bey) these are the stops you need to make along the way.

Salvation Mountain: Desert Chic Jumpsuit

Hey Merbabes!  This week I did something v v v special, the fam + I spent some time chilling in Palm Springs and we took a journey to a place I've been dying to visit for years.  Salvation Mountain.  I'm sure you've seen it on the gram but nothing will prepare you for the beauty + love that radiates from this spot IRL.

I'm sharing some of my favorite pictures along with my desert chic look with you today!  Be sure to head to @mermaidwaves on the gram to see more snaps from Palm Springs + Salvation Mountain.

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The Best Brunch in Chicago: 10 Spots You Need to Hit

Hey Merbabes! Today, I am getting serious.  We are talking about my favorite thing on this planet.  Brunch.  The most popular question I get in my DMs is where should I brunch in Chicago.  I figured it was time to put together a master list of my all-time favorite destinations.

Below are 10 places I absolutely love + you can catch me at every weekend.

Spring Break Forever: Vacation Pieces You Need

The first (+ only) R-rated movie I snuck into was Spring Breakers, it was awful but the sound of James Franco saying 'Spring Breakkkkkk' will forever live on inside my head.  All that to say, I hope you read the title of this post in his voice.  I'm heading west for a little sunshine next week (blessed!) and naturally I waited until the last minute to put my vacation outfits together.  My lack of planning inspired me to put together a vacation shop, so you can prepare for Spring Break stress-free, otherwise what's the point of leaving?

From swimwear to standout accessories I've got your beach needs covered, oh and cover-ups I've got those too!

LDN Hit List: Eat, Snack, + Sip

Tonight Josephine

Hey Merbabes!  It's been a month since #WorldTour + I figured it was time to give you a scoop on the  hottest spots I hit in London.  Out of all the places we visited I chose my top seven to share with you!  All of these spots are vegetarian, vegan, + gluten free friendly, Aubrey + I basically cover all the dietary restrictions you can dream of so you know we do our research.