A Touch of Teal

12.4.22 1

My Photo in Country Living Magazine!

Dropping in with a short and sweet personal note — a photo I took at the Lucketts Holiday House last year is in this month’s print edition of Country Living magazine! This is my first time licensing a photo I took to a major publication and definitely a really cool moment for me. The editor working on this story found my photo here on my blog, and reached out back in September to see if I would be willing to license it to the magazine — it was an easy yes from me.

A few photos of the spread below — when I started A Touch of Teal over eight years ago, I never could have imagined the opportunities that it brought me, and this is just another one of those moments I could have never predicted. As we head towards 2023, I am definitely hoping — and working towards — more cool opportunities like this one! Read more “My Photo in Country Living Magazine!”

outfits

12.2.22

Girls’ Night Outfit

Last month, I turned 32 (! — where does the time go?) and instead of asking for physical gifts from my sisters, I asked them both to take me out to dinner. This was a tradition that Jennifer and I started when I turned 30, but I am glad Lindsey and I now have this tradition, too — it’s fun to spend one-on-one time with two of my favorite people, and y’all know that I love enjoying the DC dining scene.

Lindsey and I went to ilili, which was one of my favorite dinner club spots from 2021, and a restaurant I was dying to eat at again. The food, as expected, was amazing — and the ambiance, decor, and service at ilili are unmatched. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a great special occasion spot in DC or NYC, where the original location is. More about exactly what we ordered is saved on my Instagram Story Highlights — and I’ll give a full recap in my next dinner club post.Prior to our dinner, Lindsey came over for a happy hour at my apartment — we drank some bubbly out of my favorite Estelle Colored Glass Champagne Coupes and snapped some pictures.

While I used to be really confident in my clothing and sense of personal style, lately I’ve been feeling like I am in a fashion rut. I am not loving the latest trends — the 90s were never my favorite fashion period, and I don’t think a lot of the denim cuts are super flattering for my body type. Compounding this feeling is that since the pandemic started, I haven’t prioritized investing in clothing outside of athleisure, so I am a little bored of what I owned and some pieces feel somewhat dated — though fashion changes so fast these days that what’s in style one week is cheugy the next. Earlier this fall, I did purchase some new work clothes since we have been going back into the office some, but next up on my closet refresh list is finding fun girls’ night or date night clothes that feel fun and of-the-times that I also feel confident in.
Read more “Girls’ Night Outfit”

holiday

12.1.22

The Old Lucketts Store’s Holiday House

Over the Thanksgiving break, my mom, my sisters, and I went to to The Old Lucketts Store’s Holiday House! Jennifer, Lindsey, and I first went last year, and thought it was such a fun way to get into the holiday spirit. For those of you unfamiliar, The Old Lucketts Store is located in Leesburg and is a refurbished general store — they sell a variety of antiques and vintage finds, but also have a gift-shop-style selection of new home goods and furnishings. On their property is a 3,000 square food farmhouse, which they transform annually into the Holiday House. It’s a holiday shopping wonderland, filled to the brim with Christmas decor and gifts, and they change up the decor each year — so even if you make it an annual tradition like we do, it’s always a new experience.

Because the Holiday House is so popular, you do need tickets to enter. After visiting for the first time last year, we knew our Mom would love it as well, so when tickets went on sale in September, we jumped on the opportunity to snag some! Tickets for this year are unfortunately sold out, but I do share on my Instagram in the fall when they go on sale.

And while you need tickets to shop at the Holiday House, you do not need tickets to visit The Old Lucketts Store or the grounds around the Holiday House, where there are lots of fun seasonal murals, a fire pit, and even a beverage cart with drinks for both children and adults. (For what it’s worth, I love shopping at The Old Lucketts Store and always walk out with some great purchases!)
Read more “The Old Lucketts Store’s Holiday House”