Matchy Matchy

When I was little my mom used to dress me and my sister in matchy-matchy sweater sets. We wore color-coordinated sweater sets like they we’re going outta style (which they were 😉 ).

 My mom would be proud of me this evening… I managed to match my dinner.

Eggplant + Eggplant-Colored Skirt

Apparently Sadie was extra-excited about the eggplant matching my skirt and was determined to be a part of every picture I took with the veggie.

"Let Me In!"

I used the perfectly purple eggplant to create a yummy (and cheesy!) dinner of eggplant medallions for me and Ryan to enjoy with a side of roasted veggies.

Eggplant Medallions

Dinner

My Plate

 Easy peasy! Just how I like it. 😉

Check It Out!

At work today my coworkers and I were having fun playing with the search engine WolframAlpha. We discovered that if you type in your name it will tell you when your name was most popular, how many people are living with your name, etc.

Here are the stats on my name:

• Most popular in 1969
• 1 in 2,088 people are named Julie
• 474,675 people currently living are named Julie
• 52 is the most common age of a person named Julie

The site will also provide nutritional stats for food, including obscure searches like “one Starburst” (which has 20 calories, FYI), or “10 peanut M&Ms” (103 calories).

It’s oddly entertaining!

If you check out the site, feel free to share stats about your name or other fun finds! 😀

Catching Up with Former Coworkers

I’ve never been one to go out to lunch during the work day. I always bring my lunch to work, mainly because it saves a lot of money. I also genuinely enjoy preparing a healthy and delicious lunch.

That being said, whenever I do go out for lunch, it feels like a special treat and a little vacation from my typical work routine.

Today I met my friends Ryan and Ashley for lunch at Dexter’s, a casual but trendy restaurant located in Thornton Park.

Dexter's

I worked with Ryan and Ashley for a little more than a year at the Orlando Museum of Art when I first graduated college.

The three of us comprised the museum’s marketing and public relations department (Ryan was the manager, I was her assistant and Ashley was the graphic designer).  Ryan and I have both since left the museum and Ashley is finishing up her last week there, but we all fortunately still live and work near downtown Orlando, so we try to meet up for lunch to keep in touch every so often.

Lunchin' Ladies

(You may see recaps of our previous lunch dates here and here and pictures from Ashley’s wedding in January here).

I arrived at Dexter’s planning to order a big salad until I remembered that they offer a “create your own sandwich” option that I adore.

I opted for a sandwich that included:

• Turkey
• Whole wheat bread
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Onion
• Sprouts
• Cucumbers
• Dijon mustard

Make-Your-Own Turkey Sandwich

I had it prepared “Cuban style” (pressed) because I was in the mood for something warm (which is odd considering it’s in the 90s today…).

Lots o' Veggies

I ate every last bite!

Along with my sandwich I enjoyed several handfuls of sweet potato chips that Ryan ordered for all of us to share.

Sweet Potato Chips

I definitely had my fair share of these bad boys. I ❤ sweet potato chips!

All in all, lunch was great and so was the company. There’s never a dull moment with these two ladies!

Question of the Afternoon

• Do you stay in touch with people you used to work with?

Coffeefied Green Monster

Today’s breakfast = A coffeefied green monster!

A green monster isn’t complete without the key ingredient…

Spinach!

I added two large handfuls to my smoothie, which changed the color to the nasty Army-green color that we all know and love.

Lots o' Leaves

Fresh Spinach

My smoothie contained:

• 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
• 6 oz. Barnie’s French vanilla coffee, brewed
• 1/2 Starbucks Via instant coffee packet
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 5 ice cubes
• 1 tsp. Bob’s Red Mill xanthan gum (for thickening)

Poooour

Filled Up

The J Cup Means this Smoothie is Mine 😉

Gulp!

Bridesmaid Dress Thank Yooou

Thank you all for your compliments on my bridesmaid dress selection.

The process of selecting the dress was a long one that had me feeling a little anxious. I wanted to pick a beautiful, classy dress that everyone would feel comfortable and confident in, which is so much easier said than done.

I hope all of my bridesmaids like the dress and feel beautiful on my big day!

Also, for those of you who expressed concern about the color, I held the cashmere-colored dress up to my bridal gown and I promise the color looks deep and doesn’t look white at all when compared to my ivory gown. My bridesmaids will carry bouquets of yellow, gold, white and ivory flowers which will brighten the look a bit as well.  Have no fear, it won’t look like there are seven brides at the alter. 😉

Question of the Day

• In your opinion, what is the most memorable part of a wedding?

I always remember the ceremony and the exchange of vows. I get weepy every time. I just love love. 😀