Wearing / If you follow me on Snap Chat you would see that I have been living in Levi's 569 , t-shirt and Birkenstocks. This is what I call birken chic.

Feeling / Anxious about many things my upcoming Baltimore trip, my sisters wedding, finding a job and having my husband home.

Reading / I just started reading The Rainbow Comes and Goes and i'm enjoying it. Gloria Vanderbilt is an inspiring woman and her life is very interesting.

Wanting / Crossing my fingers these loafers will come back in stock.

Listening / I recently watched this years Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame and Chicago was inducted.  I revised my childhood again by playing their greatest hits again. My parents were huge fans and of course I converted many moons ago. Current favorite jam : listen here

Watching / Besides all the crap TV that I watch I recently watched Wish I Was Here with Zach Braff and Kate Hudson and it was so good.

Obsessing / I'm always on the hunt for some fun sunglasses and I recently bought these (yes I bought both colors) and I love them.

Anxious / For my husband to come home.

Random thought ... Has anyone been watching Scandal? If so, what are your thoughts for this season? I am kind of over it I don't know what trip Shonda is taking us on but I want to jump off already. Over it.

01/ Home for the holidays

One of the many things I love about my husband is he's always up for anything. The week before Christmas we decided instead of spending our first Christmas in California to make the 16 hour drive to surprise our family in Texas. We left on Wednesday and made our first surprise Christmas Eve at my brother's house and continued surprising family on Christmas Day. Everyone was so surprised that it made the holiday so special. We haven't been home for the holidays in about 4 years so it was so nice to watch everyone open their gifts, eat my Mom's Spanish rice, and spend time with my niece  hunting down pink donuts with sprinkles - thanks Dunkin Donuts. 

We had planned to stay till Sunday but then snowstorm Goliath threw a monkey wrench on our plans- that jerk and we left Saturday morning thinking we could make it to Tucson before the storm hit. If you follow me on Snapchat (@my_beatboutique) then you would see that instead of good ol' Goliath hitting on Sunday morning he made his debut Saturday right when we arrived in El Paso. Needless to say a 3 hour drive turned into a 5 hour drive through a blizzard. Luckily we made it to Tucson ordered some room service and cozied up in the bed and watched some weird Van Dam movie.  

We finally made it home on Sunday a little sad but glad to be in our bed snuggling with our kitties. Even though the trip was cut short it still was amazing to see our family. I hope you guys had a great holiday now lets count down to Christmas 2016. 

01/ New Year, same ME

Hello 2016 i'm excited to see what you have in store for me. A new year always feels like a reset button has been pushed with that being said lets talk about resolutions. You know those things we all say we're going to do and sometimes we don't , yeah those. Did I stick to my 2015 Resolutions? A little I did open up and it paid off in a big way , I met two gals at the gym and we now have a great friendship and it was all because a gal at the gym asked me if I wanted to join her and some other gym girls for drink and I said yes.  2015 I creeped out of my shell and became a little more friendly than I was and it paid off. This year ...

1. Blog more - more outfit posts.
2. Eat better
3. Disconnect more
4. Explore my new state - California. Any recommendations on where to go or what to see ?
5. Call my parents more.
6. Journal more.
7. Make time for the people I love.
8. Live a more simple life.

What are your resolutions for this year ?

California living

We finally made it to California! It only took us 20 days and 10 states but we are finally here. We've been here for 3 full days and I have mixed emotions about San Deigo. My only complaints are traffic and weather. For most, the thought of living in 70 degree weather everyday would be paradise to this gal that loves all seasons especially fall/ winter it's going to take a while to convince me. The past few days we have been apartment/ house shopping and we've seen a lot but not anything we like or want to commit to. I didn't realize a second bathroom was hard to come by here. We did take a break from apartment hunting yesterday and went to Coronado Island and I loved it the beach is gorgeous. Until we find what we are looking for me , the husband and two aggravated kitties are shacked up in a hotel.

Follow along : Instagram @mybeatboutique / Snapchat @my_beatboutique

We are moving ...

Yep we finally received our military orders and we are moving to SAN DIEGO, CA.  I fell in love with California when we visited back in March and now to call that home for the next 3 years is super exciting. So if anyone has any recommendations or things to do or anything about San Diego please share. I was born in California (Sacramento) so I haven't lived there since I was a child. I'm super excited to see all that the biggest state in the U.S. has to offer. We still have a little over a month left here in Baltimore so I will hopefully get a taste of fall before we leave. Monday was my last day at work so I have from now till October 12 to clean out the loft , get rid of a lot of our old furniture and prepare our kitties for the long drive to California. Any ideas how I can make the drive more pleasant for my two babes?

Things I will miss from Baltimore

Our time here in Baltimore is coming to an end sooner than I would like. When my husband decided to join the military twelve years ago we were both excited about the new places we would see and the people we would meet so far we've lived in Whidbey Island, WA., Gulfport , MS, and Baltimore. At each place we have made wonderful friends and have had some amazing adventures which always makes leaving so much harder. Baltimore will always hold a special place in my heart , moving here was kind of scary because of it's reputation but once we settled in we made some amazing friends and at some point fell in love with Charm City. We've had a handful of scary moments (riots) but our best moments definitely surpass them. Here's just a few of the things I will miss ...

 1.  Seasons - the fall here is beautiful from the crisp weather to the colorful trees.

 2.  Federal Hill - great community with a lot of history.

 3.  Protean Records - we were lucky enough to live across the street from this gem and our record           collection has grown tremendously thanks to the great guys at Protean.

 4.  Federal Hill Park - this park has seen a lot of my blood, sweat and tears from the summer boot           camps, watching fireworks on 4th of July , picnics, and sledding down the hill during a snow               storm.

 5.  Light Street Cafe- best breakfast burrito and white chocolate mocha's in town and they are                   ALWAYS open. Only place open during snow storms.

 6.  Knockout Fitness - I searched high and low for a gym that worked for me and I stumbled upon           them while munching on a donut next door and I haven't looked back ever since. I have never             worked so hard in my entire life but I love it and will miss the Nissley boys.

 7. Movies in Little Italy - every summer the cutest neighborhood downtown Baltimore "Little Italy"         projects movies on an old wall along with free popcorn. Last year we went and had a great time.

 8.  Chaos during game day - we live near each of the stadiums and either football or baseball season
      we can sit on our fire escape and watch the crowds walk to and from the game. Our home is                 perfect for people watching. 

 9.  Froyo on every block - If we are craving froyo there is no shortage on places to get it. There is             one on every block which is not good for those late night cravings

10. Row homes - there is so much history here in Baltimore and you definitely see that in every row         home you pass. 

11. Bike parties - every month Baltimore's bicycle lovers get together and ride through the city for a         10 mile bike ride . People come out of there homes and cheer you on as you bike through their              neighborhood. We did it last year and had a blast.

12. Puppy watching - Baltimore residents love their pets and I enjoy walking around and bumping i           into some of the cutest pups I've ever seen.

13. Brunch at Sobo - hands down one of the best brunch you'll have in Federal Hill. 

14. Hiking - so many hiking trails around here that there's always some new trail we find.

15. Abbey Burger Bistro - best burgers in town.

06 // This weekend i ...

What a great weekend it was I got in some pool time with my girlfriends , great dinner with friends and even checked out the Orioles beat Houston Astros on Monday. Besides the mini heat rash I have on my face it was a fantastic weekend which made coming to work a little easier. I was even able to take advantage of Madewell and Old Navy sales this weekend from the pool. I picked up some new swimsuits from Old Navy and A LOT of things I didn't need from Madewell. Cheers to a short week and great weather.

Happy Cinco de Meow !

Today is a great day for Mexican - Americans because this day a bagillion years ago (1862 to be exact) 4000 Mexican soldiers led by Texas born General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin defeated 8000 French Army soldiers at Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. I can go into so much detail however this is not the platform for that. But today just like every day of my life I am proud to be a Mexican - American.

37 things I've learned

1.    Love myself.
2.    White should be worn year round.
3.    Blue Orchid by White Stripes always puts me in a great mood.
4.    Never turn down a pumpkin donut.
5.    Hard work sometimes doesn't pay off and that's o.k.
6.    Eric Clapton is perfect on a Saturday morning.
7.    8 hrs. of sleep is always needed.
8.    You don't need to capture everything for the sake of an Instagram.
9.    Write more.
10.  Mom was right your ears should always be covered when it's cold out.
11.  Always be there for a friend.
12.  Eat bacon in moderation.
13.  DVR every Dateline possible.
14.  I will never be successful at blogging and that's o.k.
15.  I dislike mountain climbers and burpees.
16.  Mascara is perfect to hide those few grey hairs making an appearance.
17.  Allow your concealer to sit for a few minutes before blending in.
18.  Skin care is important and should be taken seriously.
19.  Never underestimate the power of a bright lip color.
20.  Disconnect every once and a while and enjoy your life.
21.  You can never study too much.
22.  Apple cider vinegar is great for hear burn.
23.  Don't text - CALL your girlfriends.
24.  Gold Bond cream is your skin's best friend.
25.  When you are sorry say it don't wait.
26.  Invest in a good pair of jeans and black heels.
27.  Do not bike ride in anything else besides tennis shoes + socks.
28.  Run as much as possible.
29.  Camping is fun , with the right people.
30.  Hike , hike , hike.
31.  A long lasting manicure requires more than 3 coats of polish.
32.  Work hard and push yourself beyond your limit,
33.  Travel as much as you can.
34.  Be nice and friendly to everyone.
35.  Baby oil removes eye make-up like a boss.
36.  Cut your parents some slack - they are not perfect.
37.  Save all your parents voice mails.

*36 Things I learned (here)

02 // What's in my weekend bag ?

On weekends I don't like to lug around my large tote unless I need to so most weekends my bag is something small enough for the things I need and easy enough to be hands free. I received this cross body bag for Valentine's day from my wonderful husband and I love it. The color is perfect for any season and it's versatility is a plus. My cross body bag collection is beginning to take over my closet.

bag //  J.Crew

pouch // Madewell

sunglasses // Warby Parker

phone case // J.Crew

notepad // Moleskine

pen // Delfonics

lip balm // Anthropologie

lotion // Niveá  (Target)

perfume // Lovely -SJP roll on travel size

lip color // Maybelliene - Coral Crush #515

eye shimmer // Elf Cosmetics

02 // My life lately ...

Wanting //  This sweater is tugging at my heart strings.

Planning // After watching Mile Mile & A Half I'm anxious for the weather to get a little bit warmer so we can go hiking and camping.

Loving // I am a huge Pulp fan and singer Jarvis Cocker recently did an interview with Pitchfork and so much of what was in that interview resonated with me. Everything happens for a reason and this article came to me when I needed it. Jarvis talked about authenticity , disconnecting and creating if you'd like to read article here .

Listening // I heard Tobias Jesso last week and I love love love his song How Could You Babe his album Goon is set to come out next month and I can't wait.

Watching // I recently watched Obvious Child with Jenny Slate and it was hilarious. I love Jenny Slate she's hilarious and so witty. The movie was adorable and definitely worth a watch.

Obsessing // Loving Corina 's blog + Instagram feed Cocorrina. She's one talented female with an eye for all things lettering. Check out her blog and you can thank me later.

02 // Fashion Week : JCrew 2015

( Favorite #1- that skirt is fabulous)

J.Crew Fall 2015  looks breathtaking from the color , patterns to (gasp!) white yes Jenna broke the rule and next fall you will see white after Labor Day. I love how much color , texture and again fur was used. I cannot wait to purchase those fabulous wrap skirts and oh my gosh that sequence blazer - died and gone to blazer heaven! I also like how casual chic everything looks. Bravo Jenna bravo ! 

01 // Fashion Week : Michael Kors Fall 2015

( Favorite #1)

New York Fashion Week started last week and Michael Kors hit it out of the park with his show. Making me super excited for next fall I've listed a bunch of my favorite looks from his show my number one must have is this black dress I love the top of this dress it's so chic. His show reminded me of what 1920's looked like in England from the handbags to the tweed the fur and lets not forgot the amazing oxfords some of  the models wore. Love love love. Fur was all over the runways this week.  

What's in my bag ?

Most days I bike to work unless it's snowing or the roads are icy either way my bag is prepped for everything. My winter bag and summer bag are quite different and I'll make sure and share my summer bag with you when the time comes. My winter bag is pretty minimal I'm already in a large coat , ear muffs or beanie and gloves so the last thing I need is a bag full of stuff I don't need. So for those of you curious what's in my bag well here you go ...
What are your bag necessities ?

01 // My life lately ...

Wanting || I grounded myself from shopping this month so to keep myself from going crazy I've unsubscribed myself from my favorite stores email list which has helped me focus more on what I actually need versus what I want. So my first purchase of 2015 will be new tennis shoes.

Planning || We are headed to San Francisco at the end of March I've been spending most of my down time researching what to see, where to eat and where to shop . Any suggestions ?

Loving || One of the changes I made this year was taking care of my skin,  instead of spending $200 on boots or clothes I probably don't need I am investing in skin care, my skin care, Would I rather be the well dressed gal with bad skin or the gal with great skin. I will be getting regular facials and invest in good products. This weekend I got a facial and was told that I have some hydration and pigment issues. She suggested I add this gel that will hopefully correct the issue so far so good I am loving the results so far. I'm giving it a few weeks if all is good I will make sure and share the results with you.

Listening || I have had Modest Mouse "Lampshades on Fire" on repeat. listen here

Watching || I started watching Togetherness on HBO a couple of weeks ago and I love it. I'm a huge Amanda Peet fan so it's awesome to finally see her back on my TV. I really hate liking brand new shows because every show I've liked ends up getting canceled. I'm pleading with you HBO please keep this one going.

Obsessing || I recently discovered Urban Outfitters blog and I love it. Who ever took over their blog is doing a phenomenal job. ( UO blog )

Resolutions

Resolution res·o·lu·tion (rĕz′ə-lo͞o′shən) n. 1. a firm decision to do or not do something: the action of solving a problem, dispute, or contentious matter.

//1//  Be a better person, this one has been my number one every year. It's not that i'm some crazy person or anything it's just nice to remind myself the person I need to be the woman my parents raised.

//2// Be open to new possibilities, I've always been a shy person one that freezes in front of a crowd and never initiates conversation with a stranger. I have a handful of great friends however none of them live by me so those nights I'd like to have a girls night out my husband fills in, which I don't mind but some girl time is always needed. Don't get me wrong I have friends at work and my husbands friends wives but I don't initiate or open myself to form a friendship. So this year I plan to open myself up and take myself out of my shell and meet new people. This will be the hardest thing for me but that's what resolutions are for right.

//3// Be the blogger I want to be , this year was pretty quite around these parts- my apologies. This year I plan to get that new blog design I've been talking about , definitely more style posts , and just share more of what's going on.  I also love to draw and doodle a bunch so I plan on sharing a lot more of my crazy little doodles believe me this Graphic Design student can use the practice. This blog means so much to me and documenting all that life is throwing at me is what I want it's all about.

//4// See new places, last year we had so much going on at home (Texas) that we were not able to travel much besides to Texas. This year I plan on visiting new places we already have San Francisco penciled in March but I'd like to also visit Maine, Cape Cod and see a lot more of the east coast before we leave in Sept.

//5// Shop smart, I love to shop (duh) I love clothes , shoes and purses however I sometimes buy  just because it's a good deal so it either ends up taking space in my closet never used or I use it once and that's all that piece of clothing ever gets. I cleaned out my closet this weekend and the pile of new clothes never used was just sad. So this year I will buy only things I NEED and will get use out of  that's right i'm talking to you Zara heels that I purchased two summers ago and still haven't used. I'm starting this resolution by grounding myself from shopping  this month. 30 days without buying clothes, shoes and purses lets see how this goes.

What are your 2015 Resolutions?

Merry New Year !

photo c/o

This year I can count the times I blogged in one hand well ok that's a bit drastic but nonetheless I've been a horrible blogger this year. My apologies. I started with great intentions but life just happened and well as much as I try to blog if I don't feel like I have anything to say then why blog. Am I happy with how I lived 2014? A little bit, I'm happy for the adventures we had this year along with all the new places we visited. ( 2014 resolutions ) I hope to soak up as much of the east coast as I can since our time here is coming to an end.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!!! If you'd like to see what I'm up to you can follow me on Instagram (@my_beatboutique )

My life Lately

photo c/o Jasmine Dowling 

Wanting : I've been eyeing these Everlane loafers for quite some time. Since I have some Christmas money coming my way I may finally be the proud owner of some . I love the black ones of course just my luck completely sold out so I may just settle for the navy ones. Navy is a good neutral, right?

 Planning : With all our Christmas shopping done and mailed off this weekend we plan on enjoying some down time scrubbing the house from top to bottom (my kind of fun)

 Loving : The talented Jasmine Dowling posted some adorable gift cards / gift tags on her website for free. You can print them out (here) .

 Listening : Well that's pretty obvious right it's Christmas time so lately I've been listening to Jodeci. You too? I don't know about you but just hearing any 90's R&B instantly takes me back to my youth. Along with Jodeci  Christmas radio on Pandora is fantastic and definitely on repeat at work and home.

 Watching : I recently watched Hello Ladies the movie and it was one of the funniest movies I'd ever seen. So after the HBO series ended the hilarious Stephen Merchant closed the series with a movie and both are fantastic.

Obsessing : I've become completely obsessed with Stephen Merchant. So it's been non-stop for me. Thank you  You Tube !

My life lately ...

Wanting // I'm in need of a  new winter coat , I've gone with a knee length puffer for the past few years and it's kept me pretty warm but I am in need of a new one. I've been eyeing this one , this one , and of course this practical one.

Planning // a trip to NYC to see Rockefeller Center lit up for the holidays. Luckily we've already seen all the touristy spots so this time around we will enjoy the city. What's your favorite spot during the holidays? 

Loving  // everything about Solange Knowles wedding that happened this weekend in New Orleans. Her style is so bold and so colorful that of course her wedding wouldn't be anything different. If you haven't checked out the photos you must thank you Vogue. (here)

Listening // Besides the Christmas music that I've been overdosing on Perfume Genius - Queen  has been on repeat this whole week. Great jam. (listen here)

Watching // last weekend we went to go see Whiplash at The Charles Theater and lets just say that there are no words that can express how good this movie is. It was one of those movies where I left inspired and envious of some people's determination. If it's playing in your city do yourself a favor and go see it. ( watch trailer ) 

Dying// Over these prints from the talented Jasmine Dowling. I can't decide between this one or  this one. I'm sure you've spotted her work around Instagram and Pinterest but if you haven't check this gal out she's fabulous.

My life lately ...

Last month I started a series called "My Life Lately" (see here) where I will give you a little recap on my life for those of you interested. This blog is slowly transitioning from a style blog to a life style blog unintentionally. With so much going on  in my life right now I am having less time behind the computer and spending the majority of my time studying and being a wife. Working full time , being a wife and part time student is not easy so my love for blogging has taken the back seat for now. Thank you to all of you who have stuck it out with me and stop by and visit my little spot on the world wide web.


Wanting :  I have been wanting this Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag but the darn thing has been sold out everywhere the stalking will continue until it's mine. I'm in need of some brown leather boots and I think I might take the plunge with these Sam Edelman booties as well as these Madewell jeans .

Planning : Our camping trip is right around the corner so I've been preparing with multiple trips to REI . I've never been so I am pretty anxious and excited for this trip with nature. Luckily since I am a camping newbie I will have 13 other campers with us to show us the ropes. Expect me to clog up your Instagram feed so beware.

Loving : Pumpkin donuts, candy corn , the breeze on bike ride to and from work and my new souvenir tee I picked up in Austin.

Listening : Since we just got back from Austin City Limits I've been listening to Tune Yards - Nikki Nack on repeat. I wasn't able to see there set at ACL because they were on at the same time as my fave group hopefully I will get to see them soon.

Watching : What haven't I been watching from Sons of Anarchy, Homeland and Parenthood thank goodness for fall TV. I'm looking forward to a new show called Marry Me with the hilarious Casey Wilson - love her.

Missing:  Girls night out with my best girlfriends from home. I haven't spent time with my good girlfriends in quite some time and I miss them so much.


{post inspired by Ann-Marie Loves }