Happy, happy Friday friends!

I thought summer was super busy, but fall has definitely outpaced my summer in terms of commitments and things going on. Luckily, this week was a bit more balanced this week for me than the weeks prior—I made it back to Orangetheory after an accidental three week hiatus and made it to my favorite Monday spin class.

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to go to the fall 2018 Calvert Woodley staff selections tasting with Laura and a few of her friends. For those of you that are unfamiliar, Calvert Woodley is a great wine and spirits store here in DC that is known for its ability to source unique and high quality wines. The first wine we tasted was my all time favorite rosé, Bleu de Mer, so I knew it was going to be a great night. We had so much fun tasting the best Calvert Woodley had to offer, and capped our night off with a meal at Duke’s Grocery in Dupont. Duke’s has been on my DC to-do list for years, and now that it’s in my neighborhood, it was great to cross it off the list—it certainly didn’t disappoint! The night was also nice enough that we could eat outside, which was a real treat considering it is probably one of our last al fresco meals for a while.

On Wednesday, I caught up with one of my college roommates at Baba Bar in Clarendon. For you local gals, definitely check Baba Bar out if you haven’t yet—it’s the cocktail club underneath Ambar and it’s got such a cool vibe that is unlike any place in Clarendon. They also have a great happy hour with $5 wines/beers/cocktails and a range of food for $5—we had hand-cut chips with a delicious dipping sauce, prosciutto croquettes, and beef skewers.

This weekend should be a fun one since I am headed to Charlottesville to hang out with my best friend, Molly! (You can see my full Charlottesville guide here and a few more restaurant recommendations are in this post.) It’s always a treat to spend time in a place that will always be home in a way!

Whatever you’re up to this weekend, I hope you have a good one. x

I’m going to go back to sharing links in a bulleted format because they’re so much easier to whip together, but I’ll try to share a few longer random pieces of note in each of these link love posts! Let me know if you have any feedback on this—thanks for your patience as I try new things out!

• What you’re most annoyed by according to your Myers Briggs type.
• Instagram’s co-founders are stepping down from the company they built.
• If you read just one thing, read this: spoil them with homemade French fries.
• An amazing archive of old pictures of Washington, DC.
• The Downton Abbey movie has begun filming—I can’t wait for next September!
• An interesting read on why we should kill the open floor plan concept.
• I am so happy for Barbara Bush—her Maine wedding photos are gorgeous!
• Liz’s recap to Aurora, NY to visit MacKenzie Childs’ headquarters looked like the dream.
• Thomas Rhett: a break from Nashville tradition.
• Why Lacroix calls its seltzer ‘natural.’
• A great post from Jess on breaking the mental health stigma.
• Michelle Obama talks about her sweet cough drop moment with W at McCain’s funeral.

I’ve really been trying to cut back on impulse online shopping as of late in an effort to save money and build some better financial habits. That being said, I did want to call out a few things I’ve thoughtfully purchased lately:

+ I’m not a huge sweater person, but I’m really into this Madewell balloon-sleeve pullover sweater in the bright ivory color. I think it’ll be a great piece for casual Fridays and weekends this fall/winter! Many of Madewell’s pieces are a little edgy for my taste, but the few dresses and tops I have from there have held up really well—not to mention my favorite bag ever!

+ I had a pair of Bean Boots that were ankle-high, but decided to invest in an 8″ pair ahead of the inevitable snow and ice this winter. I ended up buying this pair of chamois-lined bean boots yesterday because they are 20% off with the code AUTUMN! The sale lasts through Monday, so now is a great time to buy a pair if you’re also in the market. I loved the beautiful plaid lining on the ones I scooped up and think the extra lining will help keep my feet warm on the walk to the Metro! I am a true size 7, but bought these in a size 6 since that was the size of my old pair—Bean Boots typically run large, which is backed up by the reviews on this specific pair!

+ At the wine tasting the other night, Laura had on these amazing Aritzia crepe pants in black—they were so cute in person and would be perfect for work! I bought a pair (with the 10% coupon that pops up when you visit the site) when I got home, and really crossing my fingers they work out as well for me as they do for her! Local gals—they have a brick and mortar shop in Georgetown!

+ I recently restocked my It Cosmetics Perfect Lighting Radiant Touch Magic Wand in the color Radiant Light—this is seriously one of the best products in my makeup bag! I use it every day as my under eye concealer and it just makes me look so much more alive! It’s on the pricier side ($30) but a single tube lasts me at least six months since it doesn’t take a lot.

And, in case you missed it, here’s what’s new on A Touch of Teal:

• An easy way to protect vintage furniture.
• Had the best time at the fall menu tasting at City Winery DC.
• I loved paint night with Inslee, too!
• A recap of 48 hours in St. Michaels, Maryland.