Hello and happy Friday from the Big Easy!

This trip wraps up all the summer travel I’ve been doing, and while it has really been the summer of a lifetime, I am also very excited to head back to DC and stay put for a little while. Not sleeping in your own bed and only eating at restaurants really gets old after a while, and I have a newfound respect for people who travel all the time for work now!

I’m here in New Orleans with some gals I know from college and a few friends I’ve met through them from all my visits to New York. We’re looking forward to enjoying a jazz brunch, exploring the French Quarter, relaxing by the hotel pool, and taking full advantage of the no open container laws this weekend. NOLA has been on my bucket list for a long time, and I am glad to finally be here! Be sure to follow along on Instagram and Snapchat (katie.urban). I’ll see y’all back here sometime next week + have a great weekend! x

(PS. Clearly, based on the number of these links that have to do with Rio, I am going through an Olympics withdrawal. Anyone else?)

• Fixer Upper houses becoming popular vacation rentals around Waco.
• I love that Hoda called Zac Efron to come meet the Final Five in Rio!
• My five-year-old self can’t get over this: Dick Van Dyke singing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at a Denny’s.
• 9 fascinating facts about team USA’s sparkly leotards.
• A great read my friend Kate passed along: Are you happy?
• Must watch: Aly Raisman’s all-around routines and her parents reactions side-by-side. (If you watch just one, make it the floor routine!) 
• A wonderfully simple and short guide to DSLR photography written by one of my favorite bloggers.

And here’s what’s been going on around A Touch of Teal:

• My recap of the 2016 Blog Societies Conference.
• A favorite Forever 21 find as of late.
• Another installment of the popular series What I (Actually) Wear to Work.
• Need a weeknight dinner idea? Try Munchery!
• The best customizable thank you cards from Basic Invite.
• My thoughts on writing down your goals.