Fall Favorites

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 
5 / 6 / 7 / 8 

Part of what makes fall my favorite season (besides the holidays, the weather, the pumpkin spice, the salted caramel, and football) are the clothes. Don't get me wrong, I love a sundress as much as the next girl, but there's something about boots and scarves and sweaters that make me go all heart-eyed.

Since the weather is just now approaching 'cool' in Texas, I'm only now pulling my fall wardrobe out of its boxes and starting to scope out the stores for new additions. This year, I'm digging:

• The bucket bag trend
• Mixed metals
• Leather details
• Stacked heels 
• Riding boots (my forever love)
• And chunky, funkily patterned outerwear 

I've already managed to add some good things to my watch list. I like to find good pieces and then watch their prices for a few weeks/months because usually, they'll get discounted 5-50% at some point over that time period. Then I'm ready to snatch them up!

What are some of your favorite fall trends?

How To Increase Your Morning Productivity

Mornings, especially Monday mornings, can be rough. It can be hard shaking off the tiredness and remembering where you left off the day before. Because I don't like spending too many hours spacing out, I've been trying to find ways to be more productive in the morning. Here are some things I've found that work for me.

1. Make a list before you leave work or go to bed of the things you want to accomplish the next morning. This will give you a type of roadmap to utilize before the coffee's kicked in!

2. Start drinking your caffeinated beverage of choice (if applicable) about 30 minutes before you actually need to be productive

3. Wake up at least an hour before you need to leave for work. Everyone's groggy and kind of disoriented in the morning. It's best to leave that for stumbling around your apartment, so you're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when you get to the office or school.

4. Ease your way into the day. Break up a big problem into tiny, manageable chunks and start knocking them off your to do list. Otherwise, the big problem will start to seem overwhelming and may discourage you from starting!

5. On that note, sometimes it can help to make a rough schedule for your day. While this may not work for everyone, I find it best if I outline my day at the beginning, using my list from the night before as a starting off point. This way, I'm motivated by my self-imposed deadlines and I keep moving instead of getting bogged down in a single project all day. My list looks something like:

• 9 - 11 am: Research
• 11 am - 12 pm: Draft memo 
• 12 pm - 1 pm: Lunch/Errands
• 1 - 1:30 pm: Administrative things/meeting with attorneys
• 1:30 - 3:30 pm: More research (sometimes continued from this morning
• 3:30 - 5 pm: Outline task list for new projects.  

6. Take breaks. Studies have shown that workers are most productive when they work for 52 minutes then take a break for 17. Breaks are great for letting your brain sit on the idea for a while and who knows, you might have a stroke of brilliance when you come back!

I hope everyone has a decent Monday!

Fan of Fridays

It's Friday! We've conquered another week! Work wise, it was a pretty steady week with my hours filled from the moment I walked in to when I left in the evenings. Socially, it was kind of hectic, but in a good way- full of friends, delicious food, and tiny but tasty drinks. We are one month out from the bar results and I think we're all growing cognizant of that fact. I had my first freak out yesterday which does not bode well for the rest of the month!

But overall, October is hands down my favorite month. It's the first month it starts feeling fall-ish in Texas. There's football, pumpkin spice, and riding boots all over the place and it's my birthday month!

Here are some things I'm a fan of this Friday:

1. They found water on Mars! It's crazy to think about how long we've been exploring the planet (comparatively) and we're just now noticing this. Makes me wonder what else might be hiding up there....

2. This month, Sephora has an Origin sample box as their 500-point gift and included was the Checks and Balances face wash. HOLY COW YOU GUYS, I highly recommend hustling on over to Sephora and getting your hands on this. It smells like a peppermint and feels like silk. Not to mention, my face has felt so smooth and clean since I've started using it.

3.  The weather is finally starting to cool down in Texas which means boots are back in my life! I'll be doing a post about my favorites soon, but just having them sitting in the closet instead of packed away brightens my day!

4. The HONY series on Syrian refugees. For those of us not directly impacted by what's happening abroad, it's hard to fathom what these people are going through and exactly what is happening overseas. Brandon from HONY is interviewing refugees as they arrive in Greece as well as Grecians who are offering their help. The result is the most emotional, powerful series I've seen on HONY. Definitely worth a look if you haven't seen it yet.

Hoping everyone has a great weekend!

The Weekly Happy Hour: Peche

For happy hour this week, we continued making our way down that 'Best Austin Happy Hour' list and ended up at Peche! It's such a weirdly shaped place (long and narrow), that it's super easy to just walk right past. The trick is to look for the giant sign shaped like a wine bottle (these people clearly speak my language).

The restaurant is decorated like the set of a fancy version of Series of Unfortunate Events, with antique pieces punctuated by the occasional, extremely strange artwork. 

Their happy hour consists of $5 cocktails (eligible ones have astericks next to them) and half priced appetizers (also marked with astericks) and everything is i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e. Karls and Nat got the Royal Bee's Knees which is gin, honey, and lemon and oh my goodness, it tastes like honey-sweetened lemonade and packs the punch of straight gin. Not ordering that drink has become one of my life's regrets (though the French75 was pretty killer, too). 

The appetizers are huge and perfect for sharing! The size of the fry boat itself is overwhelming (in a good way). 

All in all, it was the perfect place coming off of a less-than-perfect week. Stressful weekends, never ending doc review, and the looming rainclouds that are the pending bar results were weighing heavily on my mind and it was nice to be able to vent about it. Plus, since we've all started working, it's been hard finding times that our schedules align. All of this work-life balance people talk about is no joke.

What are some ways that you all keep in touch with friends during the week? I'm excited to hear how other people handle the mid-week slump!

Overall rating: 4.5/5

10 Things to Have in Your Work Bag

During the week, I use my work bag as a combo purse/life saver. There's the typical stuff (phone, wallet, keys) but over the past few years, I've narrowed down the top 10 things that have been the most helpful.

Note: I have used and can personally vouch for all of the above products. They're bomb. 

1/  2 / 3 / 4 / 5

6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

Favorite pens/pencils

Pretty sure this goes without saying, but the amount of times people ask you for a pen is truly shocking. Paired with the fact that you'll want to write something down at the most inopportune times, there's no replacement for having trusty pens on hand. 

Small notepad

I love using small notepads to jot down some work ideas and sticking it in my work bag in case I want to reference them at home. It's also great to pull out at meetings or at court (if applicable) and it's size won't discourage you from taking it everywhere.

Planner

I could devote a whole post to planners but for now, I just want to say that whatever works for you, stick with it. And stick it into your work bag. You'll want to keep track of deadlines, meetings, appointments, etc. and you'll want to be able to whip it out and reference it immediately. 

Eye drops

This is especially a must for the contact wearers in the group. Especially during allergy season, my eyes/contacts are prone to drying out and there's nothing more embarrassing than looking like you're on drugs when really, you're just uncomfortable. If it applies, spare contacts are a good thing to have on hand as well. 

Advil

Because headaches will always come at the worst times. 

Headphones

If you're lucky, your work might let you listen to music in which case, these are a gift from the heavens for being able to research for long stretches of time. Even if your work isn't as music-friendly as others, these'll be nice for the walk from the parking garage. 

Blotters/concealer

I have a bad habit of rubbing my eyes, or blinking too extremely or something, and the end result is that the dark circles under my eyes are on display for the world to see. I hate looking like I've just stayed away for 7 straight days at 5 pm so I always carry some blotters and concealers with me. Also key if you're going anywhere trendy post-work! 

Hair ties and bobby pins

I concentrate best with my hair out of my face. I have no idea why. But I still like to wear my hair down on occasion so I carry spare bobby pins with me to pin it back when I need to get things done! You also never know when your hair will just starting annoying you, when you'll encounter an unexpected gust of wind, etc.

Hand cream 

I don't know if it's just me, but my hands always start feeling dry after a long day at work, especially in the winter. No matter how much water I drink, I feel like I start drying out like a raisin, hands first! This is the hand cream I carry around and I promise, this is a hand cream that means business. The good news is that because it's so moisturizing, a little bit goes a long way!

Chapstick

See above discussing the "raisin effect"

These are the things that work best for me and what I would suggest using as a 'starter kit.' Along the way, you'll take away things you never use and add things I never thought of and your work bag will become your own. Keep in mind to invest in a good, sturdy bag. This thing'll become your best friend in no time. 

Keller's Sweet 16

On September 26, Keller turned 16 years old! If he were a human, he'd be zooming around in a car right now but because he's a dog, he's instead curled up under a fleece next to me, watching old Community episodes.

I adopted Keller 10 months ago and every day, I am consistently reminded of how great a decision that was. 

The Origin Story

Keller was found as a stray when he was 14, his eyes and ears clouded with infections, missing half his teeth, afraid, alone, and feeling very uncooperative. Initially, he was sent to the city shelter, where his age, his poor health, and his 'aggressiveness' immediately landed him on the euthanasia list. The big animal rescue in town, Austin Pets Alive, took him in and cleaned him up. They found out he was completely deaf, partially blind, underweight and gave him the treatment he needed. In exchange for their hospitality, my scared little dude tried to bite them. 

By all accounts, he was very unadoptable. He flourished in his foster home, becoming the sassy, very vocal, very loyal pup he is today, but after over a year, I'm sure his foster owner thought he was going to be there for life. 

Around Month 13, I was at a coffee shop, browsing through available dogs as a method of procrastination, when I saw Keller's picture and description on the website. He was old. He was crotchety and to me, he was absolutely perfect. One month later he was my dog! The first dog I'd ever had on my own and goodness, was it awful. 

The transition period was hard. He didn't know me and I'm sure he was having flashbacks to the lost time he was abandoned. He shook in his kennel and shied away from the touch. He sang the song of his people at 3 am and took approximately 20 minutes to find a satisfactory spot to pee. He hated walking on concrete but he also complained when I picked him up. For about 2 months, we lived in this stalemate and I was convinced he was going to be the one to cave first.

I was right. Eventually, he started to warm up to me. The carrying he had hated became his preferred mode of transportation. I found out he loved to sunbathe and to watch TV on the couch, never more than an inch or two away from me. Now, he is my best friend. Yes, an elderly Chihuahua Mix is my best friend. 

Every day, I am thankful for the shelter that did so much for him and I am thankful for the people who were patient and kind enough to get my boy to his 16th birthday. And if you're considering a dog but aren't sure you want the high-energy craziness of a younger dog, I would recommend checking out your local shelters for the senior pups. All of those myths about them not bonding with their new owners or about them being boring are wildly off base. 

Keller gets into more shenanigans than I would have ever guessed and every day, he politely requests to be tucked into bed next to me, and keeps me company through the mornings. He gets so excited he runs in circles when I come home and he enjoys a healthy dose of Hulu (Fall TV lineups though....). 

Happy birthday, my first dog! Thank you for being you. 

The Panic Room

This past weekend, my best friend from undergrad, Meelz, and her husband came down to Austin to drink autumnal-themed coffee drinks and visit the Austin Panic Room. 

When I first heard about panic rooms my first thought was 'That movie with Jodie Foster? Why would I want to reenact that movie with Jodie Foster?' Thankfully (or not, depending on your views of that movie), that's not what this was. The Panic Room would be more aptly called the Puzzle Room because basically, you're locked in a set of rooms for one hour and you have to solve puzzles, find clues, and break codes in order to get out.

We chose the Museum Room (arbitrarily, because we are bad decision makers) and when we got there, found out it had a 33% success rate. Properly encouraged, we were the brief by our "contact on the outside." She explained that we had one hour to find the most priceless artifact then unlock the doors to escape.

While it didn't seem that difficult in theory, 30 minutes in, we had two locks undone (and that was because one was unlocked when we got in there). What makes the room so tricky is that some clues are hidden behind locks so you don't have all of the necessary information right off the bat. And some of the clues you do get off the bat can't be understood without the help of clues to be uncovered later.

Minutes 30-45, we got the majority of the locks and it seemed like we were definitely going to escape when we hit the last lock. We were allowed to ask our "contact on the outside" 7 questions and we used our last one on figuring out how to bust this lock. I'm pretty sure we asked 10 questions disguised as one and even then, we were struggling.

With 2 minutes to go, we all collectively lost our cool and fought the urge to turn over furniture and barrel through the door. Luckily, Meelz kept her wits about her and figured out the final code. With 56 seconds, we escaped.

It took about an hour for the adrenaline to die down and after a meal at Hopdoddy's (where we were too busy singing angsty songs from the early 2000s to take pictures), she and her husband shipped off but not before asking when we could go back.

The Panic Room is definitely a fun, super unconventional way to spend an afternoon, whether it be with friends, family, or a group of strangers. So what are you waiting for? Brush up on your code-breaking skills and book your tickets!