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Saturday, September 29, 2018

Articles I'm Reading


  1. Oh these are beautiful // Roger Vail 
  2. That outfit is #fallgoals // Here's What I'm Packing for London // Gal Meets Glam
  3. I love her so much // Liza Koshy Re-Creates Stock Photos // Vanity Fair
  4. I want to be his best friend... // Adam Rippon Breaks Down Figure Skating Movies // GQ
  5. This is hilarious // Animals interrupting wildlife photographers is my new joy // Mari: Native, Sci-fi Writer.
  6. They are the greatest triad // Recreating Instagrams // Grace Helbig
In Case You Missed It:
I filmed a new Week in My Life vlog & it was super fun...
Find out what's been going on in my life as of late...
My review of a ton of Trader Joe's foods...

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Friday, September 28, 2018

Trader Joe's Food Review


After making my Trader Joe's haul video I decided to tell y'all how I felt about some of the items. Below are my reviews, let me know what your favorites are - xoxo darling, Hayden.

Chipotle Vegetable Quesadillas - 4.5/5 pineapples. These were really good! I'm not a vegetarian but these didn't feel like I was eating a veggie quesadilla. They are the perfect amount of spice and even after microwaving the vegetables aren't overly soggy. My only complaint was the tortilla was oddly tough in some areas but a little too soft in others. Also, be prepared for leakage & don't wear a white shirt while eating. 
Formaggio Bambinos - 3.5/5 pineapples. These have been a staple of my diet for years. They are not the best, you definitely get that frozen pizza taste. However, I love that there is a sprinkling of Oregano on top, it's a nice detail. The flavor is really good for a cheap frozen mini pizza. And they make the perfect lunch for the office. I will say, I love to burn mine, the crust gets really crispy and the cheese burns a bit...heaven. 
Chicken Burrito Bowl - 4/5 pineapples. This was delicious! My only complaint is that I was hungry about an hour after I finished this. It has tons of stuff in it - brown rice, chicken, quinoa, corn, peppers, sauce and beans. I really liked it - it's basically a small Chipotle/Qdoba/Cabo Bob's burrito bowl but way cheaper and easy to make in your microwave. I loved having it at work because it cooked up in four minutes and I could eat it at my desk easily. 

 Reduced-Guilt Baked Ziti - 4.5/5 pineapples. Okay, I didn't expect to like this, truly. I thought it would be super watery, wouldn't fill me up, would be rubbery. But it was none of those things! I really enjoyed the pasta sauce and as long as you cook it long enough, the noodles get soft. The only thing I think could've been better would be more cheese - but that might make it less guilt reducing...
Reduced-Guilt Mac & Cheese - 5/5 pineapples. Yes, I did just give it 5/5 but it's because this dish is amazing! It tastes like your full-bore mac & cheese without all the calories. It's creamy, tastes gourmet and really hit the spot. And it's filling! 
Butter Chicken - 3.5/5 pineapples. This is good and filling. The rice is excellent. My biggest complaint is that I like my Indian food very spicy and this is hardly spicy at all. There were only about three pieces of meat as well.

Pumpkin Chai Spice Loaf - 5/5 pineapples. I was super excited when I saw this pumpkin flavored item make it into TJ's before October came around. When I purchased it I was a little worried it would be dry, as a loaf you never know. But, oh my lord, was it good. The icing was extra thick on the top so I would take a knife and spread it all over my whole slice...perfection. I would recommend this to anyone who likes pumpkin and/or chai. 
Garlic Naan - 5/5 pineapples. This is one of Serena's favorites but I was a little hesitant. When I go to Indian restaurants I always order plain naan because that's what I like. I'm also not huge on overly garlic-ed things. But y'all, this is delicious. Plus, if you put a wet paper towel around it you can totally cook it in the microwave and it does honestly come out fresh. This is not a frozen food that tastes like a frozen food. 
Kung Pao Chicken - 3.5/5 pineapples. I've been eating this since college and while it does the job to

fill me up it isn't the best Kung Pao. It definitely isn't at the spice level I would prefer it to be at but there are plenty of peanuts and I really like the veggies. The weakest part is the chicken, they should just make veggie Kung Pao and see how it sells. Also, it doesn't come with rice so I buy some cheap at the local grocery store and make it simultaneously. 
Chicken Tikka Samosas - 4/5 pineapples. This is another thing I've been eating for a while. These are great if you need to grab a snack or a small meal while on the run. They have good flavoring and there are quite a few in the package. The thing I like the least is that when they come out of the toaster oven they are really greasy. I'm not one to blot my pizza, but I blot these.
Broccoli Florets - 5/5 pineapples. I discovered these last year and love being able to quickly make a bowl of broccoli to go with every meal. Like a ton of us, remembering to eat vegetables is hard for me. But this makes it easy. I put about 10 florets in a microwave safe bowl, put a lil water in there, microwave for 2-3 minutes, and bam I'm eating #healthy. 

Chicken Shu Mai - 4/5 pineapples. These little things are delicious! I would eat about six of them (the serving size) and they would fill me up. I like the flavor and the soy sauce is a nice touch. My recommendation is to cook the dumplings first then sprinkle the frozen sauce on top and put them in the microwave for about 30 more seconds. 
Mini Chicken Tacos - 2.5/5 pineapples. I wanted to love these, because they are super easy to make and I love a good taco; also, you get a lot of them! But they just weren't that great. They were super gummy after cooking them, some of them didn't have filling and I just didn't look forward to eating them as much as the other food. I do think they would make a great party food because there are so many and they are tiny. 
Roasted Potatoes - 5/5 pineapples. These are one of my favorite TJ's purchases. I adore breakfast foods at any time of the day so I will make these potatoes, scramble some eggs and make some broccoli and bam, a meal. I love the flavoring on these and the bell peppers are a nice touch.

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Thursday, September 27, 2018

Fall Candles

If you've been following me for a while, you'll know this is a territory we've never broached on Haute Table before. And you may ask, Hayden, what are you doing? You were never a candle person before? But I'm trying something new. Now that I actually have seasons I want to get into them, I want to be that person. But truly, I've never had the ability to take advantage of seasonal changes so I'm going to go hard now. And I kind of love candles now...they make my room feel cozy and they smell amazing. Below are my favorite fall picks - xoxo darling, Hayden.

{Top to bottom, left to right: 6:04 Friday, Festive Fir, Cedar & Juniper, Baltic Amber, Amber, Marble, Coffee & Spice, Amber Balsam, Hearth & Hand, Rose Vanilla, Pumpkin, Brown Candle, Pumpkin Souffle, Original, Tin}

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Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Massive Month Re-Cap

Alright y'all, tuck in. There are over 50 images in this post, so I would suggest a cup of coffee, I'm having one to write this because it's a lot. There are just going to be captions under the photos because it's too much to give a ton of detail on.
But basically, the past month has been a whirlwind. I went from being at home for the summer to Denver for a week to accept my job offer/find an apartment/buy a car, back to Florida to pack up my stuff, then moved it all to Denver and then went to Austin last weekend. It has been a blast, it has been stressful but it has been so fun. I adore my apartment and my car (Margaret), my roommate is lovely and Denver is beautiful. My job is fun, I get to work with a bunch of kicka** women, which I love and do what I enjoy every day. Enjoy the photos below & we'll get back on the regular week re-cap schedule next week - xoxo darling, Hayden

 The most beautiful Florida sunset.

Our first time back at Torchy's since May, but this time in Denver.


Meet Margaret, my little 2011 Subaru Forester. 

Cookies at Rheinlander Bakery.

Stopping for a beer during apartment hunting.

My absolute favorite coffee place is very close to my 
office...which is great & bad at the same time.

Breakfast at Le Peep, one of my new favorites.

The cutest local burger chain, Goodtimes.

 Y'all. Denver has a quality bagel spot.


 Lunch at Breckenridge Brewery


 My desk set-up.


 First day of work celebration beer.

Meatball Monday at Avanti F&B.

Finally tried Modern Market, and we loved it. 

One of my favorite places in downtown.


Downtown Denver from Mile High Stadium.


Went to the Colorado vs. Colorado State game & had a blast.

We love Ralphie!


Flying to Tallahassee.

Maple Street Biscuit Company

Felt good to be back in Doak!

Candy Corn snowball at Pelican's.

Pumpkin pancakes at First Watch.

Planning out my fall drive...

Orange Rebel from Dutch Bros.

Views from my recent walks...



Taste of Denver West had kolaches.


Views from my parking lot.

This lil bunny lives by my office and I love them.

Weekend trip to Austin.


A free slurpee hit the spot on a humid Texas day.

So proud to be part of the Texas Exes!





We beat USC!!!



New additions to my desk...

A little desk corner that I love.

Tried Tokyo Joe's for lunch.

Dinner at Breckenridge Brewing.

Nachos for the game-watching party.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Week in My Life Vlog

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I would be able to pull off a Week in My Life now that I work. I didn't think it would be as interesting in college but I had the most fun putting this together! So expect a lot more. They'll feature things to do in Denver and the trials-and-tribulations of a freshly graduated from college 20something private sector worker. So if you fall into categories that would find those things interesting subscribe! I'm excited. Hope y'all enjoy - xoxo darling, Hayden.


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Monday, September 24, 2018

Quotes of the Week


Happy Monday everybody! Hope your Monday is going as well as a Monday can be. My weekend was absolutely perfect. I was able to watch the Texas game with some fellow Longhorns, have coffee with an old friend, meet a new friend, sleep in and drive the Kenosha Pass. Don't worry photos will be coming soon. It was so beautiful. This week I don't have a ton on, but I am doing some planning & hopefully there will be some fun stuff. I am trying to film more "Week in My Life" vlogs, the first one is going up tomorrow. I hope y'all like them - I myself can watch anyone vlog, even if it is boring so I hope you enjoy. Also, I'm beginning to plan Vlogmas & I'm super excited! It's going to be amazing, get hyped. 
What are you up to this week? - xoxo darling, Hayden




All images from here.

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Saturday, September 22, 2018

Articles I'm Reading

Today I'm featured on Extra Extravagant's fall blogger guide. Check it out here.

  1. These photos...ugh // Why Sometimes Simple is Better // Gal Meets Glam
  2. That sweater is $20 and I want it !! // A Rare Denim Moment // Atlantic-Pacific
  3. Yessss // 20 Best Bakeries in Paris // Conde Nast Traveler 
  4. Love this ad campaign so much // Stabilo's "Highlight the Remarkable" Campaign Keeps Taking Credit on Social Media // DAN
  5. The amount of these photos I've taken... // This Instagram Account is Calling Us All Out for Posting the Same Pics // BuzzFeed
  6. I want to go to there // Inside Target's top secret test store // Fast Company
In Case You Missed It:
This shirt is my favorite...
My Trader Joe's Haul is EPIC...
Having a conversation about Instagram and how we used to be...

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Friday, September 21, 2018

Let's Talk About: Old Instagrams

For a while I've wanted to go back into the recesses of my personal Instagram (my blog Instagram has only been around for a short while) and talk about old Instagram. There have been a lot of bloggers who've talked about the inauthenticity of Instagram/the internet recently. And while I agree it's true, I love the planning that goes into my Instagrams. It's something I have fun doing - but I do miss the hilarious old posts we all used to make. The filters !! Y'all, and the things we thought were funny and the captions and the hashtags. It's all too good. So I want to share some of my old school favorites...with some new comments. Let me know your favorite & share a link to your worst/best old Insta below - xoxo darling, Hayden.



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This was my first ever Instagram post. I was so proud of that nail art - I was really into it in high school. And my mom had just bought me that Lacoste polo dress & I had just been to Paris where I bought my Longchamp. I was proud of the whole thing and eating at one of my favorite restaurants with my then best friend. Everything was great. Also, it has two likes...



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Ugh, I have about 3 photos in a row with this position. There was a rabbit instillation in St. Louis and I kinda loved it. The hat was from Urban Outfitters, we bought it in San Francisco. The rest of the outfit I would not wear again, hahaha.



A post shared by Hayden (@haydenpigott) on
Uhm...yeah. This was a bagel place in Oregon and I really liked the idea of a rainbow bagel. No, I didn't even order it. I just decided to take this really bad photo.



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So I thought I was hot sh*t with this Louis Vuitton app that made photos into circles. It was an artist's idea and I was like...oh it's LV, I'm bougie. Those are two cupcakes...that is all. 
Okay, clearly I had never heard of over-exposing an image? This was from our homecoming skit, I played a student from the rival high school. It was some of the most fun I have ever had. Also, that frame !! 



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One of my all time favorite photos of my dad & I. We were at a Virginia Tech game on a Friday night in November. It was soo cold. I was wearing long underwear. That cape is currently in my closet but that adorable slouchy beanie got lost during the trip. Oddly enough, right after this game was the first time I went to UT. 



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My first Texas photo!! I no longer own that shirt, and I wouldn't buy it again. I believe the filter was XX Pro...but I could be wrong? 
Look at that concentration! 



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This is when I was really starting to get into Haute Table. And didn't we all take the mirror photos? I loved this outfit, would totally buy again! I wore this before eating at Cleo in LA and man...I was feeling it.



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I had to wear this wig five times and it was four times too many...
I was in Kohler, Wisconsin at their beautiful inn. They have this amazing tea house and I was trying my hardest to be Sarah Vickers Patrick...it wasn't working but I wanted that aesthetic so bad. 
True to this day, these are the greatest pancakes of all time. 
Last one! Some of the "best-selling" cupcakes I bake - orange crunch. Loving that filter. 
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