Monday is sometimes viewed as the worst day of the week. You have come off the high of the weekend and Friday can't come soon enough. Let's stay positive this start of the week and think about the things that make up our happy list. Bonus points to those of you who veer off your typical Monday routine and make time to do a few of the things that you love and will put a smile on your face. 

1. Leisurely enjoying my morning coffee.

2. Weekends spent visiting old friends. 

3. Having my hair blown out.

4. Saturdays spent in my pajamas. 

5. When trying out a new recipe, not burning it.

6. Exploring a new place.

7. Morning walks on the beach.

8. Snuggling with Dixie.

9. Dessert and coffee.

10. Creating travel itineraries and dreaming up my next great adventure.

Three things come to mind when I would think of Chanel. First, Chanel No. 5, which some like to call the most iconic perfume, but I think is one of the worst scents I've come across. Second, quilted handbags with interlocking C's that are primarily sold as knock offs on the streets of NYC. Third, Rachel Zoe's obsession with collecting vintage Chanel jackets to add to her museum-like collection. 

But there is so much more to the woman who not only built one of the most well-known fashion labels, but revolutionized women's fashion. If it wasn't for Chanel, who knows how long we would have been forced to need assistance getting dressed in separate outfits for each outing? 

Karen Karbo's The Gospel According to Coco Chanel is part biography, part life lessons and two parts witty commentary about her own quest for a tweed Chanel jacket. If you are in the mood for a light read, especially one that can be read in short bursts sporadically, then this is the perfect book for you. There is so much from Chanel's business sense, work ethic and personality that would benefit you to incorporate into your life. But there are just as many of her characteristics that it is probably best to avoid as well. 

What I loved most about Chanel is that she saw fashion and style first and foremost as a way to make life and movement easier. She had a simple design aesthetic that, one, allowed women to breathe, and two, doubled their range of motion. She believed that impeccably constructed pieces that are perfectly tailored will always rise above the latest fads. I wholeheartedly agree.

In her time, ladies did not work, and if they wanted to have a side hobby, it was always bankrolled by a man. Starting out Chanel did require financial support of her man-of-the-hour, but once her business took off she quickly shrugged off the help of men and continued to grow her empire on her own dime. Another unfortunate aspect of the time is that women who worked were looked down upon. Even as the society ladies scrambled to get their hands on Chanel's pieces, she was always seen as simply a tailor and not one to be invited to parties and social events. Fashion designers were not celebrities as they are today. 

Finally, Chanel taught us that you do not have to fall into the same pattern of your past generations. Orphaned at a young age, Chanel did not have a happy childhood. So once she grew up, she decided that she was simply going to rewrite her past. She didn't like the region of France she came from, so she told people she grew up in. These embellishments (and in many cases, lies) are part of the reason that no one quite knows much about Chanel, which adds to her air of mystery. While I wouldn't suggest living in a delusion and creating a whole new life for yourself, you do not have to let your past define you. 

Have you read this book? What are your favorite bits and pieces of Chanelore, as Karen Kobo affectionately refers to it as?

My passport is sitting, gathering dust in my safe. It's time that it is broken out again. Samantha and I are in the beginning stages of planning our next great adventure. I can't be more excited about it. It started as a Nordic adventure through the fjords of Finland, Norway and Sweden and then we decided that since we missed out on the Sound of Music tour when we were studying abroad, it needed to be bumped up to the top of the list. 

Salzburg than turned into a Germany and Austria trip through the alps. On the (tentative) agenda is Munich, Neuschwanstein, Garmisch, Salzburg and Vienna. I will simultaneously be Heidi, Julie Andrews and a Hapsburg waltzing around Vienna.

Next October cannot come soon enough. I have forgotten how much I missed planning elaborate vacations. The hardest part is narrowing down just where in the world I want to go. On the one hand, I want to throw a dart and go wherever it lands. But on the other hand, I have kept an ever-growing list of wanderlust that needs to be checked off.

And now the real fun begins.

First on my list: Pick the perfect hashtag for the trip. 

Second: Start learning German. Duolingo will be my new best friend.

Third: Refresh my memory on the dozens of wars of Austrian succession.

And now I need your help: Have you visited Bavaria, Salzburg or Vienna? What would you recommend to eat/see/do there?

Photo via

Happy weekend everyone! I'm at my parent's this weekend and the Christmas decoration buying has already begun. It's never too early to start in my opinion.

The Eiffel Tower now has a glass floor. I never climbed up the most famous piece of architecture in the city, but with this new addition might have been a selling feature to get me to wait in line before walking up the hundreds of stairs. 

Breakfast (and brunch and brinner) is my favorite meal. There is something about starting your morning off right that sets the tone for the rest of the day. Here are five ways to make the most of breakfast and make it healthier.

It is still very much in the preliminary planning stages, but Samantha and I are visiting Germany in October 2015 and Casey's travel guides were the first place I turned for inspiration and ideas.

Jillian's comparison of Luke Danes and her man (Luke Boyfriend) made me nostalgic for Stars Hollow all the while laughing hysterically. 

Eating better makes you feel better from the inside out. I am reminded of this most right after I have eaten half of a pizza on my own or a sleeve of Oreos. I want to join Taylor in eating a more plant-based and natural diet.

Thinking about freelancing as a travel writer? Find out how it has been working out for Monica. 

Looking for a calligraphy starter kit? Check out this one Jennifer tested.

She's known as the only person who dares stand up to Anna Wintour and tell her what she thinks. Or the creative mind behind American Vogue. Or the real star on the September Issue (other than Andre Leon Talley, of course.) Grace's story is fascinating, especially after reading her memoir, which is a wonderful read and not simply a nice coffee table book. 

Inspiration can come from the smallest of places: a sunrise, skyline or the pretty turn of a phrase in your favorite book. Always keep your eyes open to the world around you. Sometimes it becomes easy to get lost in the haze of routine.

If the ordinary and life's simple pleasures are inspiration for one of the most brilliant minds in the magazine world, then it is good enough for you and me. So get out and explore this weekend. Keep watching and you might be surprised by the ideas that come about.

shirt | dress | bracelet | green skirt | scarf | pinot skirt | sunglasses | earrings

Have I mentioned how much I love shopping from the comfort of my bed? There are no pesky salespeople following you around pressuring you to make impulse purchases; instead I can throw every possible item I love into my cart and then slowly weed out the so-so items before taking a step back and reevaluating the purchase before hitting "buy now." There is actually less buyer's remorse with online shopping. Plus, I get the anticipation of waiting for packages to arrive. 

So when J Crew Factory had their 50% off sale this weekend, I went a little crazy. And by crazy I mean making an investment in my wardrobe. Did anyone else spend a good chunk of their paycheck along with me?

My two year blogiversary was this month. I've learned a lot over these two years and now I'm passing some of my not-so-sage wisdom on to you. For starters, I wish that I would have told my younger self how to format verticle pictures to be the width of the blog. It's now a pet peeve of mine and the reason that I prefer not to read through my archives. What would you like to tell yourself when you started blogging?

1. Everyone has a point of view and something to share with the world. Don't feel the need to copy everyone else or only write what you think others will want to read. 

2. You can make friends online without it being creepy.

3. Strangers will want to read what you have to say. Sometimes it's easier to write knowing that people you don't know are reading and won't read into every cryptic comment and vague reference to your real life that you make.

4. Numbers don't matter. Nothing is a killjoy like checking your pageviews or followers every hour. 

5. Invest in lattes, peonies and a lifetime supply of nail polish. They are the staples of every successful blogger. And don't forget to Instagram them constantly so everyone knows.

6. If you don't Instagram it, it didn't happen (see number five for reference).

7. Blogging can help you land a job and show off your creativity to future employers. 

8. You don't have to box yourself into a niche if you don't want to. People have multiple interests so it's safe to say that you shouldn't have to only write about food, or interior design, or cats if you don't want to .

9. Observe everything around you. It will make for great writing material and sharing funny, true stories from the day are some of my favorite posts to read. 

10. The more you write and brainstorm, the easier it will get.