nordstrom anniversary sale starts today! + tips

You've probably been hearing a lot of talk about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and for good reason. It is the biggest and best sale of the year where you can scoop up brand spankin' new fall items at majorly discounted prices. I'm talking about brands like Rebecca Minkoff, Theory, Rag & Bone, Tory Burch, Kate Spade, and Topshop. Some of you lucky folks out there can start shopping the sale today {aka you have a Nordstrom debit or credit card} but will open up to the public on July 22nd.

But don't just spend to spend! It's easy to get caught up in all the good prices and even easier to just buy anything that catches your eye. Here are a few tips to get you through the sale and keep your wallet and bank account happy...

1. Know all the details. Like I said, early access for all Nordstrom card holders starts today. The sale will open up to the public on the 22nd. All prices will go up on August 8th.

2. Set a budget and shop mindfully. Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to worry about money and could just buy everything we wanted? Yes, it probably would be, but we can't. Give yourself a budget so that you're not just adding and adding and adding things to your cart that you may not be able to afford or really need. Which leads me to my next point...

3. Create a shopping list. I know, I know - the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is full of amazing deals for fall and winter. But it's best to go in with a game plan. Know what you really NEED for the upcoming seasons. The best way to do it is to scan the catalog and start writing down what you need.

4. Have multiples because things will sell out. If you're like me and can't shop til the 22nd, have backups or multiples on your list. Lots of things sell out quickly because of the great prices, and it can be discouraging if you really liked something. There are so many options though that you are definitely going to find very similar items, possibly at lower prices.

5. What should you buy? All the staple and investment pieces! If you're really looking to get the most bang for your buck, get those closet staples and investment pieces. No doubt they will be heavily discounted so why not scoop them up now? Fall boots and booties, a cozy sweater, and a quality coat to get you through the seasons are your best bet. Handbags are a good option too!

6. Filter, filter, filter! There are SO MANY items in this sale. So many that, when you're shopping online, it's daunting to just look at how many pages there are. That's when filters are your best friend. If you know that you're looking for a grey cardigan and want to keep it under $100, then look for just that. Nordstrom has a super easy filter system with drop down menus so you won't have to be looking at page after page of things that you're not looking for. Also, this helps you stick to your budget and only get what's on your list!

I'll sharing my top picks while the sale is going on, and then a haul video when I have all of my purchases. I'd love to know what's on your wish list and what you end up getting!

PS. Do any of you have a Nordstrom card? Should I get one? Is it worth it? Let me know!

toffee chocolate chip shortbread + the open!



Two things I love: golf and baking. I've done other posts similar to this where I combine the two by baking up something that reminds me of a major location. I've done pimento cheese and chocolate cake with pistachio buttercream for the Masters, Arnold Palmer baked doughnuts for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and shortbread cookies for the British Open. Well, if we're going to be completely honest, I wasn't all that happy with the cookies I baked up for last year's Open. So for this year, I decided to try a new recipe with chocolate chips and toffee bits. These turned out SO. GOOD. I brought extras to work and my coworkers loved them. A success in my eyes!

Since shortbread cookies is still new to my repertoire, I followed this recipe step-by-step from The Kitchn but eliminated dipping them in chocolate. I'll try that out the next time I make them...

Wondering why I chose shortbread cookies? The 145th British Open is taking place at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. Shortbread originated in Scotland so it just made sense. Plus, who doesn't love these crumbly buttery cookies?

golf road trip + a vlog!

Last week, my parents and I went on a little golf road trip. First, we head to upstate New York so that my dad could play in two charity golf tournaments.

On Sunday and Monday, he played at Oak Hill Country Club, where the 2013 US Open was held, to play at the Coaches vs. Cancer event. It was much colder in Rochester than we had anticipated. We were not dressed appropriately for the weather at all. My mom and I only lasted eight holes before heading back to the warmth of the car. We wore pants and jackets on Monday so it was much better. After a pitstop at Pittsford Dairy {you have it go there if you're ever in the area!}, we went to Syracuse because I really wanted to see my alma mater. We had dinner at Pastabilities - one of my favorites!

My dad played at Atunyote Golf Club for the Jim Boeheim {he's the Syracuse basketball coach} golf tournament. That course is beautiful and one of my favorites! There was a bit of a hiccup because my dad actually realized on Monday night that he forgot our US Open tickets at home in NJ so... After he played 12 holes, we drove home and then left for Pittsburgh early Wednesday morning.

From then on, it was US Open golf for the rest of the week. It rained a lot on Thursday so the course was SO MUDDY on Friday. Thankfully, we all brought rain boots. People kept mentioning how smart we were for wearing them since everyone else wore sneakers, sandals, or wedges. Oakmont is just an OK golf course to me - not my favorite but I don't hate it. We had dinner at Fat Head's that night - looked a little worrisome but was delicious. And we followed that up with milkshakes from The Milkshake Factory. I can't remember the last time I even had a milkshake, but it was the best way to end our trip.

suncare spf favorites

Hi there! Remember me? I meant to post more after my birthday wish list but was insanely sick the days after my birthday.. And then blogging just got away from me after. I promise that more posts are coming though! I have plans to write more and record more videos after the 21st because something big is finally coming!

Since the weather is warm, the sun is out {on most days}, and beach days are ahead, I thought I would share my suncare favorites. SPF is insanely important. My dad had skin cancer when he was younger so I know all about the importance of wearing SPF and taking care of your skin when you're out in the sun and just every day. I've learned what works best for me that I wanted to share with you!

CLICK TO SHOP

I had to include my favorite self-tanner since I'm not much of a beach go-er. Also, it helps balance out the farmer's tan I get from golf. Problems, ya know? Let me know what some of your SPF favorites are! I'm always willing to give something a try!

my birthday wish list

My 27th birthday is coming up this weekend and, to be completely honest... I'm not that excited. Don't get me wrong, there's a little bit of excitement but not as much as there has been in the past. I think part of it is that I'm one more year closer to 30 {AHH!} and I have so many other things I'm more concerned about.

Even though I'm not jumping at the bit about turning 27, there are a few things I have on my wish list. I actually bought a few of these things for myself already, but the others I'm still dreaming about...