Commes Des Garcon Exhibit Review + My FIRST TIME at the Met!

When I was in New York in July I had the chance to go to the Metropolitan Museum and see the Commes Des Garcon exhibit. I had been dying to go to the Met, because Gossip Girl, but I was so happy I was able to catch a fashion exhibit while I was in town! Today I wanted to show you some snapshots of this amazing exhibit...... 

These four looks were by far my favorite. I love the bold colors, unique shapes, and the textures of all of the looks. As you can see Commes Des Garcon is incredible at creating the most unique shapes with fabric. 

All of the work that goes into these garments is incredible! As someone who use to sew all the time (get it Sew Cute Style...?) these pieces would take hours and hours and hours. Thankfully, the exhibit lets you get pretty up close and personal with the clothing. You can take a really good look at all of the stitching and work that goes into each garment. It truly is incredible! 

My overall experience at The Met was great! I walked up the famous Met steps and found some very nice girls to take my picture. To say I was living like Blair Waldorf for the day would be an understatement, but hey you're only in New York so often. Once I arrived inside I purchased a student ticket with my college ID. With the student ticket you choose your donation level. Then I browsed around some exhibits including a portrait exhibit that featured some images I recognized from Vogue and Dior. 

Then I headed up to the Commes Des Garcon exhibit. Not going to lie I got lost, but I found my way eventually. Luckily when you get lost you just have more opportunities to see things around the museum. The Commes Des Garcon section was huge and was decorated very modern and sleek. There was also a gift shop where you could purchase some super cool items that went along with the exhibit. Seeing how I just took a trip to Henri Bendel before I resisted the souvenirs, but they were fun to look at. 

Have you been to the Commes Des Garcon exhibit? What did you think? Let me know in the comments! 

XOXO 

Miranda 

Dose of Disney: My favorite places to eat!

I'm currently in TOTAl denial because I don't have an upcoming Disney trip to look forward too! But, to fill the void today I'm talking about Disney food! 

One of the best parts of Disney is the food! Most of the time I feel like I never stop eating. So, in today's post I'm going over my favorite dishes, snacks, and restaurants at Disney World that you have to try! 

Breakfast | Breakfast is a must at the parks. Normally I don't eat breakfast but we always stop and eat something in the morning during days at the parks. One of my favorite dishes is Mickey Waffles. A. they are so Instagram worthy and B. they are delicious! I ate these at the Polynesian Resort, but you can get them at a lot of places in the park. Another family favorite of ours is the Disney Cinnamon rolls. They are great no matter where you get them! If your looking for a sit-down restaurant for breakfast the Crystal Palace is also a great option. It is a buffet style and has characters like Pooh Bear and Tigger. Major plus: you get to be in the park early which means pictures without anyone in the way. Score! 

Where to eat breakfast: 

 Sunshine Seasons | location Epcot 

Gaston's Tavern | location Magic Kingdom Fantasy Land 

Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery | location Animal Kingdom 

The Crystal Palace | location Magic Kingdom Main Street 

For lunch we have eaten everywhere and anywhere basically. We normally do quick service for lunch, but sometimes we do sit down as well. My favorite lunch dish is the roast beef sandwich at Be Our Guest. It is so tasty! Plus you can eat at Be Our Guest for lunch as a fancier quick serve vs. a sit down meal. But, you NEED a reservation. Especially with the current Beauty and the Beast buzz YOU WILL NOT GET IN WITHOUT A RESERVATION! I can't stress this enough. So many people think they will get in with walk-ins. Trust me it is a bad idea. 

For Epcot, we have a lot of favorite lunch spots. For me, I LOVE the little quick serve area in France. I get the turkey BLT and it is so good. Then you cannot forget dessert! These two desserts (pictured below) are my all time favorite Disney treats. They are very underrated, but they will not disappoint. Also in Epcot we love the quick serve fish and chips stand. It is the same fish and chips in the Rose and Crown Pub, but a lot cheaper (and quicker!). For Animal Kingdom my family and I switch off between the BBQ place and Pizzafari. But, the menu changed at Pizzafari to be more healthy (like no) so we might need to find a new favorite. As for Hollywood Studios we are mourning the loss of Pizza Planet. So, we don't have a new restaurant we love yet. But we did try _____ and it was pretty good. The entrees are super big so if you don't eat a lot like me be sure to split something! 

Where to eat lunch: 

Be Our Guest | location Magic Kingdom in Fantasy Land 

Backlot Express | location Hollywood Studios 

Flame Tree BBQ or Pizzafari | location Animal Kingdom 

Now on to dinner, my family and I certainly have our favorites for dinner spots at Disney. Usually our sit down reservations are for dinner, but not always. Our go-to dinner reservation restaurant is the pizza place in Italy at Epcot. This place is a must!! It is so so good. Some of the best pizza ever! Also, we tried Liberty Tree Tavern this trip and we really enjoyed it. We ate there for lunch but I recommend going there for dinner because it is on the heavier side. If your willing to venture outside of the parks our all time favorite dinner place is Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It is a buffet with African style food plus some classic favorites. They have the best prime rib, hummus, coleslaw, and dessert. Really random favorites, but everything is super tasty! Also, they have an extensive menu of cocktails that are also equally delicious. As for Magic Kingdom we usually stick to quick-service spots like Columbia Harbour House for fish & chips, Cosmic Ray's for a burger or chicken strips, or Pecos Bill for Mexican food. Pecos Bill has a little patio that is also a good spot to watch a night time parade! 

Where to eat dinner: 

Boma | Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort 

Rose & Crown Pub | United Kingdom at Epcot 

Chefs de France | France Pavillion at Epcot 

Via Napoli | Italy at Epcot 

Columbia Harbor House | Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom 

Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe | Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom 

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe | Frontierland at Magic Kingdom 

Snack all day everyday is my motto at Disney. I am a huge snacker so Disney is my paradise. Here are a few of my favorite snacks.... 

Mickey Pretzels 

Popcorn  

Dole Whips | location Adventure Land Magic Kingdom

Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana 

Churro 

Pretzel in Germany | location Epcot 

I hope you enjoyed this little guide to my favorite places to eat at Disney World! Whether you are a seasoned Disney go-er or a new comer I hope you found some new places to try. What are your favorite Disney food spots? Let me know in the comments! 

XOXO 

Miranda 

6 Instagram-able Chicago Restaruants (that are worth the hype)

Recently I've been exploring a TON of new restaruants in Chicago. So, I rounded up 6 totally Instagram-able restaruants in Chicago that are totally worth the hype. Not only are these places perfect to snap a pic for your Instagram theme, but they also have some great food and drinks! 

Public House | First up is Public House, which I kept referring to as Tap House (I have no idea why though). This place is the perfect hangout bar for some great food and some snazzy milkshakes. We may not have NYC Black Top but we have these beautiful milkshakes topped with a PIECE OF CAKE! I opted for the chocolate flavor because chocolate, but there is a birthday cake flavor as well. You can also opt for booze in your shake. For food I got the BLT with parmesan fries.... yum! Jeremy, my boyfriend, got a grilled cheese and sweet potato fries and he loved his meal as well. 

Bub City | HOLY BBQ! This place is so amazing. I got the beef brisket and rib combo and holy moly it was so so good! The brisket was so tender it literally fell apart, and the ribs were equally as good. Sides included some coleslaw and saltines which were oddly satisfying! I also got some mac and cheese as well as some tater tots. For an appetizer we got fried pickles that were thick and crunchy. Overall, I'd say its one of the best BBQ places in the city. Another one to mention is Old Crow Smokehouse. It had amazing meats as well and a smores pie for dessert! 

London House Rooftop Bar |  While in Chicago for work my work friend had a reservation to the London House Rooftop, which are hard to come by. The views were incredible, absolutely incredible (pictured below). And the giant Moscow mule was just as incredible! It's built for sharing so grab a few girl friends, or guy friends, and split one with the perfect Chicago view. 

Doughnut Vault | Best. Donut. I've. Ever. Had. I've been trying a ton of doughnut places in Chicago and Doughnut Vault beats them all. I picked up a giant apple fritter and it was one of the best once I've ever had. The line is long on the weekends, but it is so worth it! They have multiple locations in Chicago, but this one is super tiny, but super Instagram worthy. 

Three Dot's and a Dash | If there was a place made created to take cool Instagram photos Three Dot's and a Dash would be that place. If you follow me on Instagram you have probably seen my post of these two adorable tiki drinks. Well, Three Dot's and a Dash serves up all kinds of adorable looking drinks all in elaborate cups and with crazy decorations. I got the rum bowl and it was pretty good! My boyfriend got the one in the little tiki dude and it was very strong. So, listen to the menu when it marks something as a strong drink! But, overall this is the perfect place to bring some friends and snap a fun picture of you and your drinks! 

Imperial Lamain | Last but not least, colored freaking dumplings! I'm not a big Chinese food gal, but rainbow dumplings got me to give them a go. These adorable little dumplings come in a set of 6 so you can try all the flavors. Not only does this restaurant have adorable dumplings, but it also has amazing interiors, which makes it the perfect backdrop for a photo of your crew. 

What are your favorite restaruants in Chicago? What should I try next? Let me know in the comments below! 

XOXO 

Miranda 

Post Grad Girl: What's in my Speedy 25?

My Louis Vuitton Speedy 25 has made an appearance in a few blogposts. It is my new go-to bag since I got it as a gift for my graduation/ birthday. I wanted to go over my essentials I carry in my Speedy for my day-to-day life. 

Makeup bag | I always have a little makeup bag in my purse to carry my essentials. Since my Speedy is an expensive bag I don't like lipstick and makeup rolling around in my bag. So, everything stays in a makeup bag to keep things from spilling. In my makeup bag I keep a few lipsticks, a lip balm (I'm loving this Liptone one!), and my Maybelline Dream Cushion foundation. This foundation is AMAZING for applying on the go touch-ups. 

Portable phone charger | With traveling and working all day my phone dies pretty easily. So, I snagged this portable charger from my dad. It works great and saves my phone when I'm running low on battery. 

Headphones | Headphones are a must for a commuter girl on the go. I'm always listening to music on the train and on the bus. My go-to album of the moment is Harry Style's new album! Carolina is my all time new favorite song. 

Bobby pins & Hair tie | You never know when you'll need a hair tie or bobby pin! I keep some in the little zipper pocket in my Speedy at all times. 

Ventra card | My Ventra card is a necessity for traveling around Chicago. Skip the change and buy a card if your planning on taking public transportation around the city. You can load money onto it from an app on your phone and it is super convenient and easy to use. 

Wallet | *duh I need a wallet with me at all times*. But, some fun things I carry in my wallet are my season bowling pass card, my Canes rewards card, and my VIB Sephora card. Other then that it is a pretty basic wallet. My wallet itself is from Burberry a while back. 

Keys | Keys are obviously a necessity. My key ring is from a store in Minneapolis and the brand is Leather Works MN and all of their products are made in Minnesota! 

Feminine products | A girl's got to do what a girl's gotta do right? I keep my feminine products in another small makeup bag for that "time of the month". 

A pair of socks | I always have a pair of socks in my bag in case my boyfriend and I decide to head to the bowling alley for a spontaneous game. 

Tissues | Apparently I have year round allergies? That's why I always carry a travel pack of tissues with me. 

Phone | Another obvious thing to carry in a purse. I always have my personal and work phone on me. 

What do you carry in your purse? Let me know in the comments! 

XOXO 

Miranda 

Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale Summer 2017 HAUL!

Lilly season is upon us and I'm breaking down everything I picked up from the Lilly sale. Per usual I went way over board (Are we really surprised? No.). But, this sale was legit the best sale yet. I know, I know, every blogger says that every year. It's like Chris Harrison saying it will be the most dramatic season of the Bachelorette every. single. year. But, I do mean it this time. This sale was amazing! So let me break down what I purchased from this years sale! 

First things first, my purchases from the in-store pre-sale event! Thank the heavens that I have a Lilly store only 30min from my house. Being from the Midwest I do not take that for granted! Our store in the Chicago suburbs is basically the only true Lilly corporate store in the Midwest. So I was super excited to head to my favorite store for their pre-sale event. 

I arrived at the mall around noon to get lunch for a friend and there was already two ladies standing in the roped off line. Let me remind you the sale started at 3, so I though that was a little dramatic. So, I didn't think anything of it. My friend ate and walked around a bit and I saw a line forming. We headed to a store, but I decided I should get in line while it wasn't to bad. I came back and quite the line had formed, but I wasn't too far back. I bonded with the other Lilly lovers in line and we all chatted on what we wanted to purchase. It's fun seeing so many Lilly fans in Chicago. Usually I'm a lone wolf wearing Lilly it feels like, so it was fun chatting with people! They let us in at 3pm, but cut off the line right in front of me! UGH! We had to watch everyone frantically run around the store grabbing DOZENS of dresses. We all lost hope as we saw our dreams crushed in front of our eyes. Okay I wasn't that worried, but these women were taking buckets full of items. 

Then the manager grabbed a few of us and we were ushered into the store. YES! We are in! 

Mila Shift in Rock the Boat

I saw this dress from the window and it's the first thing I went for! I LOVED this print when it first came out, but I resisted because I was holding out for the sale. And boy I'm glad I did! I scored this dress for a major discount and I'm obsessed with this purple print. 

Elsa Top in Bohemian Beach 

I got an Elsa top at a previous sale and I love it, so I knew I had to pick up another one. 

Essie Dress in Never Been Betta 

This dress is super cute and easy. I will say the print is more fluorescent then in the photo, so if you decide to pick it up that is something to note! 

Marlowe Dress in Sparkling Sands 

I have a ton of dresses in similar styles and I wear them all the time. Three quarter sleeves are always a good idea, at least for me because I'm always cold. These dresses are so easy to wear and perfect for everyday! 

Callahan Short in Rock the Dock 

Back with the Rock the Dock print.... I picked it up in this pair of shorts as well! 

Now for my online purchases! I tried to get on the sale right at 8am (aka 7am my time), but I hit refresh right at 7am and it didn't work. Then I hit it again and I was already super far back in the line. Here we go....... the waiting game begins. I had it up on my laptop and phone while I got ready and waited to begin my morning commute. Naturally, my computer was in the front of the line just when I had to leave for the train. But, I kept my queue up on my phone and was able to finally view it once I got into the city. Here are the items I picked up online on Monday.....  

iPhone 7 Luxe Cover in Serene Blue Oh Shello 

I was feeling a new phone case coming along and I love this one! This Oh Shello print is another favorite of mine! Any print with purple is a go-to for me. 

Sunny Shoulder Silk Elsa Top in True Navy

My goal for this Lilly sale was to find some neutral tops to wear for work and with printed bottoms. So I picked up this off the shoulder Elsa top as well as the top below. 

Linzy Top in True Navy 

This top will be perfect to wear to work, either with skirts or a pair of chinos. 

What did you pick up from the Lilly After Party Sale? Let me know in the comments below! 

XOXO 

Miranda