August Favorites

September is here! I will now accept the expression of fall hype on social media because it is officially a fall month (even though fall doesn't officially begin until September 23rd... so check yourself). With the start of September came the end of August, which means it's time for august favorites. I have some good ones this month, including not one but three beverages. I hope you enjoy!

1. Williams Sonoma harvest bloom line: I got an email from Williams Sonoma promoting their new harvest bloom line and omg is it gorgeous! I love the flowers/fruit/gourds combo and I think it's lovely transitional decor between summer and fall. I'm dying for this tablecloth! Dahlias are my favorite flower, and I love them mixed with the fall leaves in the pattern.
2. Starbucks tortoise tumbler: You know when you find an item that just SPEAKS to you and you need it right away? That's what this tumbler did to me. I LOVE the tortoiseshell pattern, especially for fall, it makes the cup almost an accessory. I use one of these at work every day to make sure I'm getting enough water, I think that it's easier to drink from these types of cups with straws than a traditional water bottle. Look for these at your local Starbucks!
3. Trader Joe's roasted plantain chips: I think that "addiction" would be an understatement when describing my relationship with plantain chips. I cannot stop eating them! Really any salted plantain chips are good with me, but the Trader Joe's ones are my favorite that I've found. I also like that they're roasted so that you can feel like you're being a liiittle healthier. 
4. Orgain vegan shakes: When you don't live near a Whole Foods or other fancy grocery store of the like, a good pre-made vegan protein shake can be hard to come by. I searched for these vegan Orgain shakes for literal years after seeing Channon Rose recommend them in a vlog, and I finally found them at Walmart! They're good, and not super chalky, which is my judge of a good protein shake. I can't stand the chalky taste, so if I like this one, then you will too. 
5. Sephora lip kit: I LOVE Sephora's value kits, they're such a great way to try a bunch of products out for a great value. I was originally drawn to this lip kit because it had a full-size of my tried and true favorite, Urban Decay Backtalk for only $6 more. The kit is a $63 value with two full size products and three samples, and they're all gorgeous and wearable shades. The red Laura Mercier shade included even replaced MAC Ruby Woo as my favorite red lipstick! 
6. Amazon silk sleep mask: If you read my post comparing this to the Slip version, then you already know I'm a big fan of the Amazon silk sleep mask. I've been using the Amazon one exclusively because it stays on my head better than the Slip one (also because my Slip one is lost underneath my bed... whoops). It looks like the Amazon one is sold out currently, but with over 11,000 positive reviews, I know it will be back.
7. Starbucks iced guava white tea: This is a new non-coffee favorite from Starbucks. They replaced my tried and true pineapple black tea (😭) but luckily this one is super delicious too. I get it unsweetened because it comes with guava juice added, which makes it plenty sweet without any additional sweetener.
8. Essence melted chrome eyeshadow: Dude, this really does look like liquid chrome! I bought it blind because my Ulta store didn't have testers, and I was blown away when I brought it home and swatched it. It is best applied with your fingertip for maximum metallic effect, but it also applies well with a damp flat eyeshadow or brush. It comes in 6 shades for $5 apiece (and is also eligible for all coupons) which blows me away, because a luxury brand would charge $20-$30 for the same thing! 
9. Jed's Mule Kicker: This caught my eye at the grocery store one night and I bought this on a whim, not knowing what to expect. It's delicious! I'm a big Moscow mule fan, and this is a great option when you're not in the mood to break out the cocktail shaker and copper mugs. I serve it over ice with a lime wedge. Yum! 
10. LeSpecs Air Heart sunglasses: Last but not least, a new favorite pair of sunglasses. I don't buy new sunglasses very often because I'm so devoted to my Celine Tildas, but since those have been discontinued (😭 x2) I've been branching out and trying to find a new love. These still don't compare to my Tildas, but they're classic and gorgeous (and Megan Markle wears them, so they can't be bad!)

I hope you had a great weekend! Friday, Kenny and I had a date night in Charlottesville so that I could go to Trader Joe's (to stock up on dried mangoes and roasted plantain chips, of course!) and we got dinner at our favorite restaurant there... Except we go to the restaurant only to find it closed up and dark! Kenny found an article online that said the owner filed for bankruptcy, which really surprised us because the restaurant was always packed and we usually had to wait to get in, but he had other locations as well so maybe they weren't faring as well. The article also said that the management had the option to take ownership of the restaurant and reopen it, so we really hope that they do!

Saturday was my bridal shower and it was SO great spending time with all my friends and family in one place! It was the perfect day, I'll be back hopefully this Wednesday with a post on that.

xoxx, Laura