Friday Finds


Happy Friday!  We're currently on our way down to Newport Beach...it's my first time flying solo with Ethan...wish me luck!  

Here are some of my recent finds...


I feel like I am seeing this striped pattern everywhere and I love it.  This swim suit is too cute and currently 25% off with code SPRINGSALE.

I finally bit the bullet and purchased these lace up flats!  Target has a similar, less expensive version too.


Just found out about this new flower delivery company called Farm Girl Flowers...isn't that arrangement gorgeous?!  Looking for a good reason to send flowers!  :)

Would love to find a great pair of white jeans...these look cute for under $55.  Anyone have good luck with white denim out there?

How freakin' cute is this abacus from Ikea and for under $10 too?  Want!


Pretty obsessed with this floral dress (under $100!) for the spring.  I could also picture it transitioning into fall with boots and a floppy hat!  Loving this maxi too!


I've heard really amazing things about this book and definitely want to add it to my list to read.

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo natasha

My Morning Routine


Since the start of the new year, I've been on a new morning routine and I thought I would share.  Most of you don't know, but I changed careers in early January and the new schedule rejuvenated me to get into a new morning routine.  Here's the breakdown...



On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my alarm goes off at 5am and I get my butt to the gym by 5:45am for spin class.  I'm trying to make it to the gym 3-4 days a week, first thing in the morning.  It's pretty brutal waking up that early {insert emoji with xx's for eyes} but I do love getting it out of the way for the day!



Once I get home, I heat up some water {electric kettles are where it's at} and jump in the shower.  Once out, I get in my robe {for those of you who are on the hunt for a new robe, Barefoot Dreams makes the best ones!} and make a smoothie.  Ryan just convinced me to get a Magic Bullet blender and I confess, it's super convenient.  

For my smoothie, I usually throw in a handful of spinach, fruit {this time I used frozen mango}, 1 banana, 6 oz water, 1TB almond butter, 1 TB ground flax seed and a couple teaspoons of lemon juice.  I also take my hot water and add some lemon.  Last, I take a dose of magnesium and probiotics to kickstart the day.



Once I have my warm lemon water and smoothie, I read my favorite blogs.  This is probably my favorite part of the day...if only I had more time to relish it before the chaos starts!

Right about this time, Ethan will wake up for the day.  He usually gets yogurt for breakfast and watches Wild Kratts {his favorite show right now}.


During that time, I'll throw some makeup on and get dressed for the day.  Meanwhile, the chaos of the morning usually starts to kick into high gear as we scramble to get the toddler dressed and the baby changed and fed.  This is usually about the time Ethan has his first meltdown of the day as he frets over what toy to bring to school for share day or whether he can watch another episode of Wild Kratts!  


Rifle Paper Co Phone Case + Contigo Travel Mug {keeps my coffee SUPER warm all morning long}

This is all going on while making coffee {or lattes in our case...thank God for Nespresso!}, warming up our cars, and trying to get out the door!

I usually take Ethan to pre-school most mornings which is even easier now that I work right down the street from him.  I love when he blows me kisses from the window--though that's going more and more by the wayside...he's getting so big now!

What do your mornings look like?  I love to hear how other people start their day!  :)

xo natasha

Girls Guide to Napa



This past weekend, I met up with three hot mamas, Laura, Cait and Steph and we whooped it up {Vicki Gunvalson style...woo hoo!} the entire time!  This epitomized a true vacation for me...no responsibilities, lots of decadent food and wine, and a fabulous hotel room {did I mention there were no children in sight?}.  It was pure perfection--and I would say we barely noticed that it rained the entire time!  ;)

Here are some highlights from the weekend...

STAY


We had the pleasure of staying at SENZA, a divine hotel conveniently situated between Yountville and Napa.  It was the perfect blend of being both charming and modern.  Our hotel overlooked a sprawling vineyard, had a stunning bathroom which included a walk-in shower, heated floors and soaking tub and best of all, a cozy fireplace which was perfect for our rainy visit.  Plus, a huge bonus was that every morning breakfast was provided compliments of Bouchon and they had a complimentary happy hour every evening, complete with charcuterie.  We could not have asked for a better spot to spend our weekend.

PLAY


We couldn't come all the way to Napa on a girls weekend and not include a little pampering!  We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the spa at the Meritage Resort.  As you can see from the picture above, the spa is underneath the vineyard in these incredible caves.  It was a gorgeous property and after getting the signature Terra massage, I was able to relax my way right into the weekend.  

WINE


Our first stop was Hall Winery, which is owned by the same family as our hotel SENZA, which was evident by the modern architecture, funky art and traditional history.  I would definitely recommend the tour which really brought the property and winery to life.  I was impressed by its rich history as well as their innovative philosophy on wine-making.  But let's be honest, their wine was the star!  I especially loved Ellie's Cabernet Sauvignon and Walt's Pinot Noir.


Our next stop was Chappallet winery, which is located high up on Pritchard Hill, but worth every twist and turn it takes to get there {tip: Uber was our best friend the whole entire trip!}.  The grounds are so majestic {there truly is no other word} with their dense greenery.  One perk of wine tasting in the rain is that most wineries are pretty quiet and everything is SO SO green!  The winery is built into the hillside and the tasting are amongst aged wine barrels...amazing right?  My favorite wine was their bold and spicy Zinfandel!


Our last memorable stop was Charles Krug Winery.  The tasting room feels like you stepped right into a Restoration Hardware--and for good reason!  It's entirely decked out by RH and is super rustic and modern...LOVE!  It also happens to be the oldest vineyard in Napa, which means their rich history lends the winery to a fun tour as well.  They're known for their reds, which I thoroughly enjoyed!

DINE


And of course, the best reason to travel {IMO} is for the fooooood!  Here are my top picks:

Red Wood: Amazing wood-burning oven baked pizzas.  We loved the Prosciutto Crudo pizza with arugula and the Smoked Ham pizza with brussel sprouts.
Dean & Deluca: I mean, this place is a blogger's paradise.  They have the most amazing treats!
Gott's Roadside: I loved their tuna tacos and brussels which were perfectly roasted and garnished with lime...yum!
Bouchon Bakery: It goes without saying that I devoured a croissant {sometimes even the chocolate} every morning.  And I hear that they can get lines out the door at their storefront, so it was a definite treat that SENZA brought them right to us!
Farmstead: If you want a truly authentic dining experience, then Farmstead is it!  The property is stunning and their food philosophy is farm-to-table.  I especially loved their roasted artichoke, burrata and homemade gnocchi.

Whew!  Are you still with me?  I hope it's clear how much we enjoyed our weekend--I can't wait to get back!  And I really should, considering I live less than three hours away...I mean, really!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

xo natasha

A special thank you to SENZA, Spa Terra at Meritage Resort & Spa, Hall Wines, Chappellet & Charles Krug Winery for providing discounts or complimentary services to us on our trip.  You made our trip extra special!

Friday Finds


By now, I am in Napa with Laura, Stephanie and Cait drinking lots of vino and enjoying a moms weekend away!  Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Snapchat {schuelove}!

Here are my Friday Finds...


How fun are these color block leggings?  I love how they're high-wasted too.  And that sports bra is pretty dang cute as well!


I am a sucker for stripes and just love this dress.


I'm completely drooling over these raw almond butter cups!


Just bought this top and I'm adore the fringe detail...can't beat the price either!


Speaking of price...you can't beat the price of Le Specs sunglasses...they're under $100!


Another early spring gift that I just gave myself is Maison Margiela's Beach Walk fragrance.  I LOVE it...obsessed!  It's the perfect scent for spring and summer and I love how it lingers around for hours after I've spritzed some on.  And I definitely want to try out Lazy Sunday Morning next...

xo natasha