Western Wares

We stan a good boot moment, right? Something about these photos makes me so happy. I love the lighting and the colorful walls and this outfit (honestly more than I thought I would). I could totally see myself rocking this to an event in Denver and I would fit in v well with the crowd. It's nice enough but not too nice. The top I received for Christmas, it's Universal Thread from Target but I couldn't find it anywhere! I've put some similar options at the bottom. We took the photos right by Mile High Stadium in one of my favorite places. What do y'all think? - xoxo darling, Hayden.

Week Re-Cap

The best friend sent me such a great birthday package.

 Happy Wednesday y'all! It's a short work week for me {today is my last day} because I'm going on vacation tomorrow to Florida. I cannot wait to see my parents, experience the humidity and eat a ton of bagels. This past week was a good one, my roommate and I went to a sing-along at Alamo, I participated in Denver Restaurant Week, tried a new brunch place and ate my first sushi burrito. What have y'all been up to? - xoxo darling, Hayden

The Love Bites Music Video Party was amazing. 

 Some delish donuts at Alamo.

 Bang Up to the Elephant is so flipping cute!

 Of course, being the extra person that I am, I got a coconut drink.

 Curry waffle fries might be my new favorite thing.

 Yummy jerk chicken.

 Vegan cheesecake.

 And yes...I did take this photo.

 An adorable brunch in downtown Littleton.

 I watched the Oscars with a pint of my favorite ice cream, Jeni's.

 Tried Motomaki on Tuesday.

Look at that sushi burrito!!

Hiking Stripe

So everyone in Denver dresses pretty casually. Nights out on the town are oft in jeans, which I love. And recently I've been really embracing the more laid-back atmosphere of the city I call home. Nights out for pizza with my friends, hikes and casual Sunday mornings have brought this outfit to the front of my closet. The sweater is so incredibly comfy (I got it for Christmas and can't find it on the U.S. site, but here it is in Canada). The leggings are old from Old Navy and my shoes are brand new. My old Nikes need to be retired so I'm giving these a chance, thus far I like 'em. My bandana comes from this pack on Amazon. We took the photos on a snowy trail at Mt. Falcon Park East Trailhead in Morrison (right by Red Rocks). What do y'all think?  - xoxo darling, Hayden

Quotes of the Week

Found here.

Articles I'm Reading

1. Becoming an adult is a weird world // Man Repeller
2. The cutest drink caddy // A Gypsy in the City
3. One of my all-time favorite films & why it is still amazing // AV Club
4. Fascinating history lesson & so well written // The New Yorker
5. Grace Coddington's cottage is absolute goals // Architectural Digest
6. Absolutely hilarious story about a bachelor party // Late Night with Seth Meyers

In Case You Missed It: My favorite outfit post, maybe ever... Shots from my 23rd... A plaid moment...

Red Pendleton

When I saw this coat in a consignment shop in Littleton, I knew I had to have it. I've always wanted to own a Pendleton coat but let's be honest, it's so expensive! But this red number was only $38 and yeah...it was a done deal. The sweater is vintage Versace that I picked up in Florida a few years ago. Booties are old Target and the bandana is from a pack on Amazon. On my many trips to the airport in the fall I saw these buildings from the RTD train car and knew I wanted to take photos there. We ended up going at golden hour, there were balloons attached to one of the windows and it was just a perfect storm of conditions. I adore these photos so much! Let me know your thoughts - xoxo darling, Hayden.

Week Re-Cap

We're back on our regularly scheduled week re-cap day! This past week had its true ups and downs. Wednesday was a blast, my roomie and I finally visited Casa Bonita (a local, insane version of Rainforest Cafe complete with cliff divers and endless sopapillas). Thursday was rough, the guy I had been seeing and I broke it off after four months and while it was necessary it was still pretty difficult. This was my first semi-serious relationship in a very long while so it has been more of a challenge to get over than I thought. But I know it was for the best and I'm starting to get back in the groove of things. But what helped me the most after that not-so-great V-Day was Friday night. I invited my five Denver friends over for food, relaxing and Love Island. And it was, everything.

Recently I've been having these nights with girlfriends that make my whole week better. We just laugh and there's no pressure from outside organizations or schoolwork. We are truly just friends getting together, eating good food and drinking. It's something I've always wanted and I feel like I finally have. So shout-out to all of them because they are each unique, amazing, wonderful people that I am so thrilled to call my best friends in this city.

Saturday and Sunday were all about relaxation, I watched way too many AD videos about celebrity homes and started a series called Yummy Mummys and finished a show called Dating Around. It was restorative and good for the soul. This week has been a lot of writing, dealing with snow and just #adulting things but I'm excited for the weekend, I've got a few things planned and I'm sure they'll be fun. 

What have you been up to? - xoxo darling, Hayden

My parents sweetly ordered a cookie cake for me.

And sent me a box full of goodies.

Birthday dinner at Casa Bonita.

Some sips at WestFax Brewing.

Delicious gelato I picked up after doing a little shopping in Belmar.

The spread for Friday's party complete with: spinach artichoke dip, a Momofuku inspired cake, cheese spiral wheel thing, BBQ chips, salsa, tortilla chips and cookie cake.

I also made cotton candy-champagne drinks that everyone loved! 

She is beauty, she is grace.

Love them!

The Inventing Room did a donut pop-up on Saturday so I had to go get the unicorn and it was even better than it looked.

Sunday brunch at Jelly U near the University of Denver.

Plaid Moment

I've been wearing this outfit a bunch lately {like here}. Because it's comfy yet it looks good for pretty much any occasion. I've worn it downtown for a night out, around town and to work. The sweater (in the color I'm wearing is here, the one below is black). My boots are super old from Target but I love 'em so much and my scarf is men's Old Navy from when I was in middle school I believe (I keep my stuff y'all). We took the photos in RiNo, where there are a ton of murals, after brunch at Denver Central Market. Shoutout to Debora for taking these photos, let me know what ya think in the comments - xoxo darling, Hayden.

Quotes of the Week

Happy start of the week! I had a lovely weekend, watched way too many Architectural Digest videos, did some stuff with friends and just focused on some self care. Thursday last week was not the most fun but we're all recovered and ready to get back out there. This week it's supposed to snow a lot...like a lot, so we shall see how it goes. What are y'all up to? - xoxo darling, Hayden

Found here.

Articles I'm Reading

1. Mackenzie was in my hometown // Design Darling
2. The UK is making strides in sexist advertising & it's awesome // Good
3. Does anyone else just love Brad? // Bon Appétit
4. I hadn't realized this was happening collectively but how fascinating // Business of Fashion
5. The guide you never knew you needed // NY Mag
6. While 27 Dresses is not my all-time-favorite rom-com I do think it doesn't deserve the hate & this piece does a great job of addressing that // AV Club

In Case You Missed It:

The first outfit post since November !! 

I turned 23...

A long week re-cap that spans a few different events...

Week Re-Cap

How I feel when someone asks to share dessert...

Happy Friday! Week Re-Cap is a few days late, but I did stop with photos on Tuesday so next week will have a full week's worth of stuff, I promise. Basically this is a bunch of photos of my experience last Thursday at a wonderful cheese event and then Debora's weekend with me. There are a bunch of photos and I hope you enjoy! My birthday went really well, tonight a bunch of my friends are coming over for wine, treats, face masks & reality TV. I'm hyped. Not sure what the weekend will bring, we shall see - xoxo darling, Hayden.

 Lovin' the look of these trees in snow.

 I was invited to the most amazing Wisconsin cheese event! 

The cheese plates had a slot for our wine!!

Look at that spread.

Thursday night drinks at The Tatarian

Coffee & a croissant at Denver Central Market.

A little hike near Morrison.

Debz doing the most.

Saturday dinner at Next Door.

 The very cute Poka Lola Social Club

End the night at my favorite Denver bar, The Cruise Room.

I have this thing with floors...

Sunday brunch at Annette.

Tile at The Stanley.

Afternoon at Kirkland Museum

Took a tour of the Byers-Evans House.

Funfetti cake at D-Bar.

Happy Valentine's Day

It's that holiday some of us love & some of us hate again! But I truly do hope you have a great day, treat yourself to some chocolates or flowers or that Chinese food you've been craving. You deserve it - xoxo darling, Hayden.

23

Today is the day, I'm turning 23! It feels weird and I don't know if I took full advantage of 22...but oh well! Here's to eating way too many sweets because I have an easy excuse - xoxo darling, Hayden.

Fair Isle Moment

When I saw an Abercrombie & Fitch package show up before the holiday season I thought my other was insane. I hadn't worn the brand in almost eight years...we all know why, it went really down hill & had a lot of issues. But low and behold my surprise when I opened it up and it was the most amazing fair isle sweater! Seriously y'all, it is so, so, so soft and I love the colors. Yes, it is a man's but can we talk about how dumb genderizing a sweater is?
Also, the shoes I won this summer are M. Gemi and they are some of the most comfortable things I've ever put on my feet. I wear them to the office almost every day because they are so good on the go and they don't look terrible
What do y'all think? - xoxo darling, Hayden
P.S. The sweater is on sale!

Quotes of the Week

You know that saying, "A Sunday well spent brings a week of content?" Yesterday was the textbook definition of that idea. We slept in, went to brunch, walked around, visited two museums, took a bunch of photos {coming soon to this site!!} and had delicious dessert. Then I dropped Debz off, talked to my parents for an hour and watched the Grammys. It truly was just great.

This week I turn 23...not sure how I'm feeling about that yet but I do think it will be fun. My friends are coming over on Friday night to celebrate & I'm planning some fun surprises...

What are y'all up to? - xoxo darling, Hayden

Images here.

Articles I'm Reading

1. Shows to watch and shows to avoid this 2019 // BuzzFeed.News
2. This made me laugh out loud // BuzzFeed
3. Being proud when you finish a candle is not unique to just you! // The Cut
4. My mouth is watering // Redbook
5. 100% agree with this // Man Repeller
6. This made me laugh because women are #OverIt // McSweeney's

In Case You Missed It:
Redefining how I look at Pinterest...
Lots of good food on this re-cap...
Find out what's on my current bedside table...

Thoughts: Pinterest

Pinterest was huge for me when it first came out...I remember I had to get invited by my yearbook teacher in high school. Yeah, crazy times. And then I used it a bunch the first two or three years of college but then I kind of fell out with it. It seemed like it was all paleo recipes {which are just ew to me} and aggressive outfits made on Polyvore {does that still exist?}.  However, I've recently been getting back into it and let me tell you it is fun. There are still a bunch of things I don't like about {the ads, the kind of confusing interface and the repetitive images} it but I do enjoy just pining things that inspire me. It has helped me realize I want to do more design work on here {see this, this and this} but I just wanted to stop here and remind y'all, Pinterest is awesome and you should give it another chance if you have given up. Below are some of my recent favorite images and of course, give me a follow - xoxo darling, Hayden.

{Green Shoes, Wicker Bag with Scarf, Living Room, Peace Signs, Hair, Scarf around Wrist, Cookies, Pink Pattern, Pink Dresses, River, Grapefruit, Hot Air-Balloons, Party Decorations, Scarf around Ankle, Cookies}

Week Re-Cap

Tacos at Machete

Happy Wednesday! I cannot believe it's only hump day? Like this week feels like it has been around for forever. Monday I think my hormones were all out of wack because I was just sad and angry? It was so weird! But Tuesday was better and of course my whole weekend was great. To be honest, the highlight of the week thus far has been the Thin Mints I bought and put in the freezer. 

Today I'm working from home (snow is so fun), tomorrow I have a cheese event (I am hyped about it) and then Friday Debz flies in for a little fun weekend. So everything should be good going into thr weekend and a week from today I turn 23...yeah, I am not ready. I don't think I want it. I don't think I took enough advantage of my Taylor Swift singing...guess I know what will be on repeat this week - xoxo darling, Hayden.

Some Valentine's inspired donuts at the office on Thursday.

Loving the sunset from this trail!

Some delicious food from Shawarma Mediterranean Grill

Saturday's AAUW Public Policy day was a blast!

 Picked up a few cupcakes from Cakes Amore.

 Gumbo at Mountain Toad Brewery from Goin' South food truck.

Look at this sunrise from Sunday morning!!

My Current Nightstand

My bedside table has changed frequently over the years. In my childhood bedroom it's a kind of imposing, over-the-top structure with three drawers full of...basically junk...in my college apartment it was a tiny Lack shelf and now it is just a full-size Lack table. But I thought I would just give y'all an insight into what I keep on my nightstand and suggest some of my favorite products. 

My go-to beauty products that stay on my nightstand are as follows: Aveeno Skin Relief, Lanolips, ChapStick, Shea Butter Hand Cream. I keep them by my bed because I put them on every night before I fall asleep. They each work wonders. 

I like to have multiple books at my fingertips. The two orange hardcovers are the start of my UT book collection. The book on top is by one of my all-time favorite authors Ruth Reichl. It's so good! The light-up sign was a present from my mom (it even changes colors) and I like to have little phrases that get me through the week on it.

I usually have 1-5 candles because I enjoy burning a candle as I read or work in my room. I'm currently loving this one from Bath & Bodyworks and this one that was a Christmas present. Lastly, I keep a coaster always right by the edge so that I can have a glass of cold water throughout the night. I frequently wake up really thirsty so this helps! 

Quotes of the Week

Happy Monday y'all! How was that big game for you? The roomie and I drank wine, ordered pizza and just enjoyed heckling the game. This weekend was really nice, I had just enough stuff planned but not an overwhelming amount. Saturday morning and early afternoon I was at AAUW's Public Policy Day. It was an inspiring event and now I just want to get more involved with government entities and the process of passing bills. Then Sunday I got an early start to the day and just was productive. Worked on the blog, organized all of my paperwork (now car insurance, renters insurance, health insurance, etc. have their place in my desk drawers). I also discovered Southwest drink coupons so holla for that! 

This week I don't have a ton of plans, I'm going to a cheese event on Thursday and then Debz is coming to visit for the weekend! It'll be a blast I'm sure. Anyway, here are some quotes to inspire you as you go into this first week of February - xoxo darling, Hayden.

Images here.

Articles I'm Reading

1. How odd... // Telegraph
2. Love the sweaters and the soups // Man Repeller
3. Ahhhmazing skirt // Atlantic-Pacific
4. This is such a cute way to ask your bridesmaids // Lonestar State of Southern
5. These elevator videos from the Golden Globes are amazing // BuzzFeed
6. This Foodie Fight game seems like something I need // Forbes

Happy February!

Welcome to one of my favorite months of the year...and not because it contains my birthday. 

February always seems like a welcome repreive from January, which always seems to last longer than it should. And while the month of love is still firmly in winter it brings dreams of spring dancing in my head. The color pink is everywhere and it just seems like yet another fresh start to the year. Below is a little bit of inspo from my Pinterest, I kind of love it. I think I may print it out and stick it somewhere in my room to remind me that February is fun and lighthearted so I shouldn't take things too seriously. 

I'm off to Public Policy Day tomorrow for AAUW and I'm hyped! See y'all on Monday - xoxo darling, Hayden.

Pink Stars, Pink Flowers, Pink Skirt, Pink Bougainvillea, Pink Pants