Week Re-Cap

I finally made the Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday Cake...y'all, it was amazing.

It has been yet another very chill weekend. My family has been binge watching shows {I Love Dick, Twin Peaks} and I have been catching up on some reading. I am working on some new blog posts for y'all so check back soon for those {tomorrow may have to do with planners...}-xoxo darling, Hayden.

Casual Stripes - Dress on Sale! -

 

Quotes of the Week

None of these images are mine, you can  find them on this Pinterest board.

Articles I'm Reading

1. My family loves this island in north Florida // Amelia Island // Gal Meets Glam
2. How cute? // Topshop Embroidered Stripe Smock Dress // Nordstrom
3. This took me back // The History of Popular-Crowd Brands Over the Years // The Cut
4. Such an interesting read if you have a blog // 10 Tips for Using Pinterest to Grow Your Blog // Barefoot Blonde
5. Loving this dress // Max Studio London Juliette Cotton Embroidered Shift Dress // Macy's
6. The dress is great but the location is even better // Cruising Along the Amalfi Coast // Southern Curls & Pearls

Tassel Earings

By, Amy Marie

Happy Friday everyone! This rainy Friday (here in Connecticut) calls for something bright! I have been loving tassel earrings and thought I would share some under $50!

1. J.Crew Factory
2. Nordstrom
3. Madewell
4. Saks 5th Ave
5. Nordstrom

I think tassel earrings are a fun accessory to brighten up any of your summer outfit. How do you feel about tassel earrings? Is this a trend you are loving too? Let me know your favorites below!  See you next Friday! Amy

Check out my post {featuring the pefrect outfit for Memorial Day} over on her blog!

Daily Blogs

Okay y'all, I will fully admit that this seems like sweeps week on Haute Table, and honestly, you would be right. I have gotten into a very relaxed state now that I am at home and have really not been feeling super motivated/creative.  HOWEVER, that is going to change and I will start working on stuff starting tomorrow, so get ready! I have two h u g e travel guides coming out {think European getaways!}, tons of outfit posts and I am playing around with some week theme posts {like a beauty week, etc} so get pumped.  Today I thought I would share what blogs I read daily because...believe it or not...I have never done this before! Ever since my friend Carla introduced me to Cupcakes & Cashmere back in sophomore year of high school I have loved blogs. It is one of the main reasons I started HT, so here are the blogs I click through daily, I even have a folder on my computer entitled "Blogs" and if I don't click on one of the links for more than a few days I delete it from the folder. I am including a link to their site as well as an Instagram they have recently done so you can get a feel for if you would like the content! Let me know in the comments if you read any of the ones I love!  What blogs do y'all read? -xoxo darling, Hayden Classy Girls Wear Pearls // Sarah Vickers is my go to icon for all things fashion.

A post shared by Sarah Vickers (@sarahkjp) on Mar 17, 2017 at 1:10pm PDT

Summer Wind // I think she is just adorable and she does 

great round-up posts; her style is simple yet elegant as well. 

A post shared by SYDNEY CARVER (@summerwind41490) on May 10, 2017 at 6:23pm PDT

College Prepster // Carly has been blogging for a long time and I have been following her since high school. She always has the most adorable clothes and she is from Florida so I feel connected to her.

A post shared by Carly A. Heitlinger (@carly) on Apr 18, 2017 at 5:16am PDT

Cupcakes & Cashmere// As I said above, C&C was the first blog I ever read. Emily has changed {in an amazing way} over the past years of her blog. She got married and now has the most adorable little girl but her posts are still so relatable. You must check her out. 

A post shared by Emily Schuman (@emilyschuman) on Apr 13, 2017 at 12:36pm PDT

Design Darling // I discovered this blog after reading CP for a while and goodness, Mackenzie is who I want to be when I grow up. She is so classy y'all! 

A post shared by Mackenzie Horan (@mackenziehoran) on Apr 7, 2017 at 12:52pm PDT

Lonestar Southern // Kate went to UT {Hook 'Em} and I interviewed her one time -- she is the nicest person you will ever meet and her blog is perfection. 

A post shared by Lonestar Southern (@lonestarsouthern) on May 1, 2017 at 4:43pm PDT

Southern Curls & Pearls // I do not have the exact style that she does but goodness her photos are so good! And her mom takes them! They give really good photography advice too. 

A post shared by Caitlin (@cmcoving) on May 14, 2017 at 7:11pm PDT

Atlantic-Pacific // If you have ever read Articles I'm Reading, I often link this woman's amazing blog. Her clothes are gorgeous and the photography is second to none...except the last one on this list...

A post shared by Blair Eadie / Atlantic-Pacific (@blaireadiebee) on Apr 23, 2017 at 5:11pm PDT

Man Repeller // I read about MR in a magazine when I was younger so I immediately started reading it. Leandra & Amelia's writing cracks me up every time. 

A post shared by Man Repeller (@manrepeller) on May 13, 2017 at 8:31am PDT

Sugar & Cloth // Wow, these DIYs and tips/tricks are phenomenal. Plus they live in Houston and drive up to Austin a lot so there are great links to where to take photos in Texas. 

A post shared by Sugar & Cloth® | Ashley Rose (@sugarandcloth) on Apr 25, 2017 at 8:59am PDT

Studio DIY // I love her so much, the costumes, the balloons, the over-the-top desserts...everything. 

A post shared by Kelly Mindell (@studiodiy) on May 1, 2017 at 12:45pm PDT

Prep Avenue // Shannon is adorable, I love her style & she gives great travel tips about Paris.

A post shared by Shannon H (@prepavenue) on May 21, 2017 at 6:02pm PDT

Gal Meets Glam // Last but not least, the most beautiful blog I have ever seen, GMG. Julia and her husband make not only one of the cutest couples ever, but they make such beautiful posts. Seriously, check it out. 

A post shared by Julia Engel (Gal Meets Glam) (@juliahengel) on May 1, 2017 at 7:47pm PDT

Week Re-Cap

Y'all, I am so sorry for not posting anything yesterday! I have been relaxing with my family and just in general keeping everything very calm. Recently, I've been using the Sleep Analysis on the Health App on my iPhone and the past week I've been getting about 9 hours of sleep a night...very different from the 2-4 hours I was averaging during my last few weeks of classes. 

All of my photos this week seem to revolve around food...but you know, that's nothing different! 

How are you all doing? -xoxo darling, Hayden

 A breakfast at Lighthouse Cafe on Sanibel.

Beautiful beach weather...

My favorite spot on the island.

 Dinner & Brews at BurgerQue

 Saturday morning brunch at the European American Bakery.

A super fun Sunday followed up by a stop at Bert's.

In case y'all missed my Instagram

 story...I love Southern Charm.

Quotes of the Week

None of these images are mine, you can  find them on this Pinterest board.

Articles I'm Reading

1. How cute are these? // DIY Pantone Nesting Dolls // Sugar & Cloth
2. Love these outfits & those tulips are beautiful // Wicked Tulips // Classy Girls Wear Pearls
3. I want to make this cake so bad // Momofuku Milk Bar's Secret to Amazing Birthday Cake // Bon Appetit
4. I love a good marg, and this is too cute // DIY Margarita Bar // Cupcakes & Cashmere 
5. Totally feeling the lemon print // Lemon Print // Atlantic-Pacific
6. The Tube is my favorite thing about London // Super Tunnel // NOVA

Something New // 10 Pool Floats for Summer 2017

Hey lovely darlings!  So I've been looking for something to replace Saturday Inspiration for a while, but I couldn't come up with a good idea. But a few weeks ago, the lovely Amy of AmyMarieBlog contacted me asking if we could do a collaboration on our blogs every Friday. I did a guest post on her blog a while back, here. So each Friday you will see a post by Amy here and you can find my post on her blog, here.  I will be moving Articles I'm Reading to Saturdays and Saturday Inspiration will be retired for now. I hope y'all are as excited about this as me and if you have anything you want to see Amy or I write about, let me know-xoxo darling, Hayden.  Here is Amy's first post:

Happy Friday! It was 90 here in Connecticut yesterday and all I could think about at work way laying by the pool. Last summer trendy pool floats started to the top of everyone's must have list. Today I wanted to share some of my favorite pool floats I have found recently. Let me know which ones have made it to the top of your list for this summer!

1.     Pineapple

2.     Cactus

3.     Rainbow

4.     Flamingo

5.     Swan

6.     Shell

7.     Lobster

8.     Duck

9.     Watermelon

10.  Mermaid

Houston Sleeves

The top is originially from here. 

I shot the photos in Houston.

Week Re-Cap

This week has been so nice, it started off with finishing up classes and flying home. The weekend was my mom's birthday and Mother's Day so I spent a lot of time with family, eating, drinking and just being. We saw "Snatched" which was funnier than I thought it would be. I reconnected with a friend from elementary school and did a little "housekeeping" for school and this summer. I am really soaking up these few weeks before I move to my internship. Hope y'all enjoyed the Houston Guide yesterday, below are a ton of extra photos from Houston as well as my normal re-cap photos. Check back into the blog tomorrow for the last Houston post, about what I wore-xoxo darling, Hayden. 

A few shots from the many walls in Houston.

My favorite sign at the Neon Gallery.

Saturday night at Kemah boardwalk with the bestie.

A few shots from Discovery Green park.

The Waterwall {via}.

The light tunnel at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

An out-take from shooting at Tiny's Milk & Cookies.

Hannah and I before the Chance the Rapper concert.

I got to shoot Devi's senior photos.

 Finally got to try Flower Child. I had the sticky brown rice with 

spicy eggplant and chicken, I really enjoyed it! 

 A last drink on Rainey with one of the seniors. 

Flying home at an incredibly early 7am.

We had a pool party for my mom's birthday. 

It was Boulevard night at World of Beer.

Houston Travel Guide

Houston is somewhere I have traveled through but never really experienced, that is until last weekend. Hannah finally let me come home with her {I exaggerate} and we decided to do Houston up. Below I am letting y'all in on all that we did and my suggestions for what else to do. I hope y'all like the guide and if you did some of the same things let me know! If I missed something also let me know, I already have places I want to go back the next time I visit Hannah-xoxo darling, Hayden

How to Get There:

If you are driving from Austin, I suggest taking 71 to I-10 {stop at Hruskas} and using the toll roads at your discretion. If you are coming from Dallas I-45 is an option but depending on the time of day, certain backroads look good. San Antonio to Houston is a straight shot on I-10. If you are flying, check out flights to Hobby Airport or George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Southwest is a huge part of traveling to & in Texas so check out flights into those airports. If you haven't experienced Southwest, please do, it's my favorite. 

Where to Stay:

I will fully admit, the times I have been to Houston, I stayed in something akin to a Holiday Inn Express and with Hannah so this is not my area of expertise. However, I do have a few places on my list to stay. The first is the Mariott Marquis Houston, it has a Texas shaped pool and I am all for it. The Hotel ZaZa is located right by Herman Park/the museums so if you are going for that stuff, it is your best bet. Sara's Inn is an adorable bed and breakfast that I want to check out one day, their food looks amazing. 

What to Do:

In Houston Proper:

McGovern Centennial Gardens

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Discovery Green

Start at McGovern Centennial Gardens for beautiful views of the city and gorgeous plants. There is a free two-hour parking lot in front of the garden but it might take a while to find a spot -- be patient, it will work out. They host events in their building and there are nice, clean restrooms. Once you've done the gardens, walk next door to Hermann Park. There seem to be lots of festivals always happening in the park, we were there for a Japanese festival. There is also a railroad for children, a zoo and an amphitheater. Once you have gotten your fill of the fresh-air, stop for an afternoon at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. You can spend hours on hours on hours in this really good museum. the Colors of the Oasis exhibit was phenomenal and all of their old masters works were awe-inspiring. You can enter through either building but make sure you change buildings in the light hallway, it goes from blue to pink every few minutes. It makes for amazing photos. The Discovery Green is the next place to stop by, it isn't as large as Herman Park but it has interactive things and is super popular with children. They also have these really cool colorblock buildings. Hannah and I found these seats in the shade where you can sit far from each other but still hear one another due to sound-wave travel. For a bit of shopping, The Galleria is a fun spot. They even have an ice rink - which while I was there, the little kids were doing an ice skating recital of the Wizard of Oz - too cute. They have everything from Neiman to Nordstrom, etc. Multiple parking garages offer free parking and while you have stopped off walk a few blocks to the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park. It is this amazing art 64 foot

Gerald D. Hines Waterwall

tall instillation that is a continuing waterfall. 

Probably my favorite part of town is Montrose. It features the Menil Collection and the Rothko Chapel as well as multiple gallery walls. We didn't have time for the Collection but we did stop in at the Chapel. It is an interesting place to check out, I came out feeling extremely relaxed because it is just a room with no windows and it is relatively silent. The Chapel is non-denominational and kind of just used as a peaceful space in a hectic part of Houston. If you check the calendar before you go, they have concerts. Hannah and I were there before a Cello + Opera concert happened and we got to see them practice. 

Near the Chapel are a ton of the famous walls Houston is known for. The first, probably most famous, is the Biscuit Wall located at 1614 Westheimer Road, if you are going to do a bunch in a row, start at this one and work your way to the rest. Pavement Clothing is your next stop, it has the wall from the photo below and in the parking lot across from the store is the rainbow stripe one that looks much like TV screens that aren't working look; it's considered the Pride Wall of Houston. It's located at 1675 Westheimer Road. My recommendations are that you have someone to take your photo and you bring a selfie stick to take photos of the group. Also, stand in the shade of the building when you take the photos, they are much better than direct sunlight. Lastly, I think wearing some neutral works best, I wore black with a few accents. I know if I had worn a pattern I would have hated my shots. 

Make sure to stop by the Neon Gallery, a small art museum/gallery dedicated to neon artwork. Hannah saw it on Instagram so we knew we must go. There weren't a ton of instillations but, y'all, it was so worth it. The neon is phenomenal and it just inspired me to want tons of neon work for my future house. I was super into the one {to the right} because I am always thinking about my master plan -- who isn't? 

Outside Houston Proper:

A shot from the ferris wheel at Kemah

So there are a ton of places that surround Houston that each have unique features. One I most definitely want to point out is Kemah, located south and east of downtown Houston, it is a boardwalk and waterfront area that can be a lot of fun for families. Hannah and I went one evening as the sun was setting for the beautiful sunset and to ride the ferris wheel, if you haven't noticed that is kind of our thing. There are tons of restaurants on the boardwalk as well as rides like a wooden rollercoaster, a carousel, and some more fair-centered rides. 

A shot from the Chance the Rapper concert

Another interesting place to visit is staight north of downtown Houston, The Woodlands. It is a community in an intensely wooded area, I truly didn't understand how many trees surrounded this area. They have a pretty lake and boat house with a pavilion. The Cynthia Woods Mithcell Pavilion features tons of different music acts, I saw Chance the Rapper but coming up they have John Legend, Jimmy Buffet, and a concert of Matilda. Stop by the really nice Market Street for shopping at Brooks Brothers, lululemon, and more. 

Lastly, you must make a trip out to the Sugarland/Stafford area. This is south and west of Houston proper and features one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever been in...if you are from Texas you will not understand how this is possible, but trust me! The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is

located on the border of Sugarland and Stafford, in-between two apartment complexes. Be careful not to miss the turn when you are marveling at the beauty of the building from the road. The Mandir is bright, white and absolutely stunning. The grounds surrounding the Mandir are peaceful and if you are looking for a place to get your head together or de-stress, this is it. Hannah and I visited on a Sunday morning around 10am and walked out feeling more at peace with ourselves, and I was feeling lower stress for the upcoming week of finals. Make sure to check their schedule, some times of the day the Mandir is closed, also, wear pants and nothing too revealing. They have a gift-shop that is much more of a fascinating food store than anything. 

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

Where to Eat:

Hungry's - Located in Rice Village, this place is a staple of any Houstonian's diet. The just re-did the building and it looks amazing. Hannah and I opted to sit inside because the wait was so much shorter. I was really craving breakfast foods so I went with the all-day brunch menu {eggs, fruit, potatoes, bacon and toast}. Hannah had the Gyro plate, she loved the season fries. The parking lot is insane so I would suggest the complimentary valet {something I don't normally suggest}. 

Tiny's Milk & Cookies - If you saw my Instagram story last week, you will know how obsessed I quickly became with Tiny's Milk and Cookies. The chocolate chip cookies come out of the window warm, with melted chocolate chips and a delicious brown sugar cookie. Just thinking about it is heaven. The first day I had two cookies and devoured them both the second day I limited myself to just one because they are so rich. This sounds insane, but order a lemonade with it, their lemonade is quite possibly some of the best I've ever had and it works weirdly well with the cookies, call me crazy. Tiny's is a product of Tiny Boxwoods a beautiful restaurant in Montrose that I want to check out the next time I'm in Houston. Milk and Cookies is in Rice Village and has no seats. You walk up to a window and order, there are tons of moms with prams and the occasional tourist. Who knows, you may spot Hannah now that she knows it exists. 

Breakfast Klub - Okay, this is a serious conversation about some delicious breakfast foods. The Breakfast Klub is something that you have to be committed to, the line starts up super early {even on weekdays}. Hannah and I got there around 8:30am, we only had to wait about 15 minutes to place our order but when we left around 9:30 the line was wrapped around the building. You absolutely must get the waffles, locals seem to love the chicken wings and waffles {but it was too early for me to get into that} so I got a plain waffle with eggs and bacon. The syrup is self-serve by the silverware and it comes out hot. I personally think hot syrup is one of life's greatest indulgences. 

Star Pizza - After a long day of museum hopping, there is nothing better than a Chicago style deep-dish pizza, trust me. Star Pizza has got it going on, they have some strangely shaped booths with really interesting little messages, but they have got it going on. Hannah and I shared a deep-dish half with cheese {for me} and half with pepperonis {H}. We also had side salads that came with homemade breadsticks {I fainted a little when she said that they came with the salads}. It was delicious, I haven't had a good deep-dish Chicago pizza in years, but this is the real deal. The cheese was the kind that didn't want to separate for the slices, it was so gooey. 

Goode Company BBQ - Goode isn't somewhere I went with Hannah but it is one of my families' favorite BBQ joints in Texas. They have multiple locations in the Houston area, so please visit one of them. The brisket is king at each establishment but the real star is the pecan pie...I kid you not. It is some of the greatest pie you could ever hope to consume.
Ichibon - Ichibon has multiple locations in the area but Hannah and I visited the one at Kemah. Most of the restaurants on the boardwalk are for seafood lovers, and if you know me, I hate seafood...I know I am from Florida and that is crazy. I will only eat grouper occasionally and for me to eat sushi it has to be fully cooked or vegetarian to eat it. But Hannah is the same way! So she took me to Ichibon and I was pleasantly surprised. I am fairly judgmental of Texas seafood because I grew up with really good seafood, even though I didn't eat it. I had a Spider Roll: fried shrimp, rice and seaweed as well as a hand roll of fried crawfish - something new to me that I actually really liked! Overall, it was a good sushi places, if you are out at Kemah, try it!