Bloggers Who Brunch

"Sorry, I can't...I have brunch plans..."

- every blogger ever. The trend of "brunching" has taken social media by storm... and with good reason. Everyone loves another excuse to wear a cute outfit and eat breakfast food without waking up early! I know I'm not alone in saying that I am always down for a good brunch. So, some blogging friends & I decided to share our top 3 breakfast spots as well as a brunch worthy outfit.

{ my outfit }

I decided to keep this outfit simple since my top is a bit of a statement piece!

top | earrings | jeans | similar wedges 1 2 3 4

{ fave brunch spots }

number one // Whole Foods

Those who know me best know that Whole Foods is my JAM. I mean seriously, my friends make fun of me for the obscene amount of times I go in that place a week. My favorite thing to do is grab a friend, order some coffee, pick out a pastry, and chat. They also have a really good hot breakfast bar!

number two // Taste of Belgium

If you're local to Cincinnati, you're bound to have heard of Taste of Belgium. Believe me, it's worth the hype. My favorite thing on the menu is the Waffogatto (which is really more of a dessert but I don't care). It's a waffle, scoop of vanilla bean gelato, and a shot of espresso to pour over the top. *mouth watering*

number three // The Cheesecake Factory

Some people don't know that The Cheesecake Factory serves brunch on Sunday mornings... and I feel so sorry for those people. They cook a mean crab hash over there, combined with a delicious cappuccino & I'm in heaven. Not to mention the avocado toast....

Check out the rest of the posts from the collab:

macy | renee | abby | fran | carin | pj | sammy | jessica

Stay Sunny,

Meg

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The Importance of Unplugging

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A pink post-it note sticks to my wall bearing three little words: more real life. I wrote this phrase after I spent a lot of time on my phone one afternoon and was left feeling rather deflated--definitely not in a sunny state of mind. This note serves as a reminder to myself to get off screens, "unplug" and get out and do something meaningful.

The importance of unplugging is a subject that has been coming up a lot for me lately, especially after reading this post.

Let's be real, I'm a blogger. I love engaging an audience on social media, staying in touch with blogging friends , and posting all the content of my life. But at some point, this all gets to be too much. I'm not saying I don't scroll through Instagram every day or get inspiration from Pinterest, because I do. But for me, living online is just not part of living an abundant life. 

I found out that in addition to affecting my lifestyle, living online affects my health. When I read this New York Times article and found out that screen time was actually proven to damage health and mood, I decided to get more serious about unplugging. I deleted the Snapchat and Twitter apps on my phone (I still access them from time to time on my iPad), and I have been trying to stay off my phone before bed. The last thing I do at night isn't check my texts, it's writing about my day in a journal. This has made all the difference. 

Especially at the end of the day, an iPhone can seem like a beehive of sorts. It's always buzzing with activity and has a million things going on at once. Of course, this can draw us in and make us feel like we're multitasking, when really it just leads to more time wasting and more procrastination.

Not only can being constantly plugged in lead to less productivity, it can effect how you communicate with your friends and family. If everyone is on their phones, it obviously draws away from the time you have in the flesh with your friends. Something I like to do with my friends when we are together is make a "phone pile" where everyone stacks their phones face down and taking your phone off the stack leads to automatic shaming by your other  friends. :-)

On June 26th I will be leaving on a  mission trip, and I'm not bringing my phone. I did the same last year, and it had a huge effect on me. I found myself creating more relationships than ever before, and truly experiencing more real life. I invite you to do the same- whether for a week or an afternoon- turn off your phone and get out there. Create memories that won't ever see social media, memories that are just yours. Fill this summer with memories of abundant living and happy times.

Stay sunny, 

Meg

Navy Maxi Dress

I'm not gonna lie- maxi dresses can be a STRUGGLE. For petite girls like me, it's difficult to find a maxi dress that's actually short enough. On top of that, hot summer days discourage everyone from wearing maxi dresses due to the fact that they are made of SO much fabric.

But don't worry.

I have the solution to this maxi dress mess. It's the perfect maxi dress from H&M-- light fabric, good for shorties (and tall people too, they don't discriminate), it has side slits, and it comes in three colors. Pop on some statement earrings (hello, tassels!) and you have a perfect summer outfit.

Aren't these earrings to die for?! They're from H&M, but in true Meg fashion I ripped part of them off. I couldn't find them online, but I found similar (& inexpensive) ones here, here, and here.

My shoes of choice for this outfit were cork Jack Rogers.

The photos for this post were taken by the ever-so-talented Lindsay Smith. I was so lucky to be able to spend the afternoon with her, she is the sweetest! Follow her on Instagram and check out her website.

dress |  similar earrings 1 2 3 | shoes

Stay Sunny,

Meg

Blue & White

There is no summer outfit more crisp or classic than a linen top and white jeans. The light airiness of the top and the bright white pants strike me as having a chic resort vibe. This wardrobe staple has served me well over the years, so when it came time to pick an outfit for a friends photo shoot, the choice was clear. My friends and I wore blue and white for the shoot, which turned out to be adorable with the pink doors from our shoot location.

I styled this outfit by adding gold bangles, my favorite earrings, and gold wedges.

I had so much fun posing for pictures with my girl gang, thanks Rachel!

top | pants | earrings | wedges (similar) 

stay sunny,

Meg

Vanilla & Agave Iced Coffee

*image via

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I make a mean iced coffee. That can be a blessing... and a curse! While it's tasty to have in summer, it can add a lot of unnecessary calories. So, I came up with a healthier (and easy) alternative to typical iced coffee using almond milk and agave. 

Recipe for Syrup (one serving, multiply for more!)

• 1 tablespoon agave 
• 1 tsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Put these in a microwaveable dish and microwave for 15 seconds.

• Brew coffee and chill it in the refrigerator until it cools
• Add ice
• Pour almond milk into the coffee to taste
• Add the syrup
• Stir & enjoy!

Make two servings, one for now and one for tomorrow, and you will love yourself in the morning. Trust.

Stay sunny,

Meg

Summer Gym Routine

Because I run track and cross country, summer means getting in shape. However, racing in the spring and fall takes quite a toll on my body. During summer, I opt for a gym workout that will keep me fit but is also low-impact. If you're looking for something similar, check out what I do below!

To keep from getting injured, I start out with some muscle activation exercises and stretching/yoga. You can check out this post for some pre-workout yoga. Tip: never skip stretching! 

Then, I hop on a stationary bike for 30 minutes. Tip: Put the seat high enough so your knee is just slightly bent when the pedal is at the lowest position. This way, it is similar to running but isn't pounding on your joints. 

Next, I usually will get on the elliptical for 20 minutes to balance out muscle use from biking.

At this point, I force myself to do the automatic stair machine. I stay on until the display screen says I burned 100 calories. Tip: since stairs are so repetitive it really isn't that hard to distract yourself with music or a video!

I'm still not too keen on using weightlifting/strength machines when I'm by myself. So, I grab some small free weights (5-10 pounds) and get to work. I hold the weights and do single leg dead-lifts and single leg squats (10 reps on each leg). Tip: these two exercises do wonders for strengthening your booty! Something else that's actually sort of fun is a ball row. This takes care of hitting muscles that I don't hit in a typical workout. Depending on the day, I may mix it up and do a core workout instead.

Now, for the most important part, recovery! Stretch a bit more, chug some water, and have something to eat/ a protein drink. Tip: do this within 30 minutes of finishing your workout. One of my favorite things to have after working out is an iced coffee with almond milk and agave!

Get to work & stay sunny,

Meg

Tassel Talk

Lately, my wardrobe has been spiced with tassels. They trim my tops, dangle off my shorts, and adorn my jewelry. The fashion world's tassel fascination is suddenly blowing up (with good reason) and I'm jumping in with both feet.

Speaking of tassels, let me tell you 'bout Whitney from Beaded by W. The ultimate girlboss, Whitney decided to pursue her business making and selling her beaded necklaces, and has been killing the tassel game ever since. If you're trying to get in on the tassel action, I totally recommend one of her necklaces. I love all of them, but I compiled a list of my top 6 favorites below!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

When I was curating this list, I loved seeing the diversity of the necklaces. Not only are there the classic "loop and tassel" designs, there are mini tassels, double wraps, knotted necklaces, etc.-- and all in the most fun colors.

For myself, I chose The Wilson necklace. While I was on vacation, this necklace was the cherry on top to an otherwise boring, yet comfy, outfit. It is always easy to throw on and I get tons of compliments whenever I wear it!

Stay sunny,

Meg