My Fall 2015 via VSCO

Alternative titles for this post: "Where did the time go?" or "I have one more final left and no motivation to study anymore, let's blog!"

One of my favorite things about having a blog is the ability to choose how much or how little you can post. I love that even after my busy fall semester, my little blog is here waiting for me. Such a small comfort. It really is the little things.

Anyhow, this semester's been a whirlwind of excitement, late nights, long car-rides, and lots of pictures on my iPhone. I was scrolling through my VSCO app (@toodlebelle, I know you were curious), and was reflecting on the semester and thought it would be fun to show the fall semester's highlights with some of my favorite pictures.

Colonel Pride!

I'm still a Lisi Lerch Campus Rep! And the Colonels finally broke their awful losing streak!

(Use the code NichollsState15 for 15% off your own Lisi Lerch purchase)

I turned 21! 

Just in case y'all are wondering, my birthday wish has already come true ;)

I decided to opt for a small brunch with some of my best friends to celebrate my first legal alcoholic purchase (Mimosas are my favorite!). 

Lots of Writing! Lots of Coffee! 

I knew being the news editor would be a big commitment, but I didn't realize how much it would affect my coffee addiction. I'm up to two cups a day now!

Phi Mu

Phi Mu always seems to play a big role each semester, and this semester is no exception. But what was different about this fall was that I've learned to love my sorority a little differently. I actually enjoyed participating in recruitment this year and seeing the new members join our sisterhood really brought the experience full circle. Maybe it's from being older, but there was definitely something different about this year that I couldn't quite put my finger on. 

I have a new appreciation for sisterhood events, probably because I realized this year how few I have left. Next fall will start my last year!

(I promise I'm wearing shorts, I'm told this particular "sratty" look is called "lamp-shading")

My little also started her own blog (proud big sis moment!). Check her out over at www.behindthedrink.blogspot.com.

The End of #TheTinderChronicles

'Nuff said. 

The long-distance thing kind of stinks, but our weekend visits and road trip to meet his family have been one of the brightest highlights of my semester. (Oh, and he was also the real inspiration behind my Georgia on My Mind post)

The Pre-Law Society

A new friend and I got together and started a new club for students at Nicholls interested in going to law school. 

One of my favorite parts has been volunteering with a group called JOTS Birthdays. They're a charitable organization that throws birthday parties and other celebrations for children living in foster care and group homes. The ladies have been so sweet, and even though some of the children's stories will break your heart, it's been great seeing the joy such simple acts can bring. 

Please visit their website to read their full story or if you're interested in donating.

I also took more mirror pics this semester than I'd care to admit (#toovain). 

So there you have it: fall semester in a nutshell. I might blog a little more once winter break officially starts (throwing shade at you, finance final). 

I'm definitely looking forward to so much this winter (reading for fun, another trip to Georgia, Christmas, and starting my new internship just to name a few). Regardless of whether or not more blog posts happen, though, I know I'm in for a lot more excitement in the next few months! 

Back To School

Technically I've been back at school for about two weeks, but with recruitment week and the first week of classes falling at the same time, I haven't even had time to think about updating the blog.

I'm so disappointed because I've been taking super cute pictures all week, and then I had to replace my iPhone (I thought I saved my pictures but clearly it didn't work). Luckily, I have darling sisters that I can count on to take pictures for me!

So since my last post, a lot has happened!

Recruitment! 
Sorority recruitment week has  by far been the most stressful, yet most rewarding experiences of my college career. All the summer practices, retreats, late nights, crafting, and stress were worth it when we welcomed sixty-nine new members on bid day!

This is a cute video our advisor put together. I love how you can see the excitement on everyone's faces. Bid day really is the best day of the year. 

I'm back in my apartment! 
It's no secret that I love my apartment. Living at home for the summer really made me miss my own space. I also really missed my roommate AC! We hardly saw each other this summer (she did some mission work in Africa and I did a lot of traveling and took a summer class), and it's so great to finally get back to our semester-long sleepover.

I decided to switch it up this year and put a bulletin board where my "gallery wall" used to be. Eventually I'll hang my paintings up on the wall by the bed. 

Is it weird that I sleep better at the apartment than I do at home? 

News Editor!
I've been promoted to an editor position at our school newspaper. This means that I'm busier than usual this semester, but I'm loving it! My only "issue" is trying to find actual news on my little campus. I'm also struggling to learn AP style editing, but making progress! I've also increased my coffee intake to two cups per day, if that is any indication of how busy I am.

Lisi Lerch Campus Rep! 
I'm officially a campus rep for Lisi Lerch, a super fun jewelry company that I discovered through following other bloggers. I'm planning an Outfit Of the Day post with these adorable tassel earrings. They're going to be perfect for football tailgates in a few weeks!

If you'd like to comment with your email address, I can sign you up to receive news and coupon codes from Lisi Lerch and you'll help me reach my "collect 100-emails goal"!

Don't y'all think that these red tassels are adorable??

Check back soon and I'll have a special code for you to use on their website! 

Currently Crushing On: Draper James

Have you guys seen Draper James yet? I've been obsessing over it since Reese Witherspoon first announced her new brand a few months back. Her instagram and @draperjamesgirl are a little of my daily inspiration.

I'm filing this outfit under to buy when I'm skinny & rich.

Seriously, everything about this brand has me in business-student-fan-girl mode. No detail too small, and the whole brand feels so sincere and genuine, even if it is crazy expensive a bit over my budget. Her genuine nature and southern grace & charm are why she's my absolute favorite celebrity/actress and also why Reese (along with Nell) is at the top of my baby-name list. 

These are just a few snapshots from their website, but I want everything!!

via draperjames.com

Along with the stationary, these are some of my favorites from the line:

As you can tell, I'm a little obsessed with the magnolias (having flashbacks to climbing the magnolia trees in my grandpa's front yard)

magnolia clutch / pearl studs / pearl pendant

coral magnolia dress / printed dress / navy magnolia playsuit 

southern pencils / magnolia ring 

And if I couldn't love Reese any more, the Draper James blog has a little blurb about her favorite spots in New Orleans! And guess what! Her favorite spots are my favorites, too! Soul sisters...

I'd be so happy if I could be Reese Witherspoon when I grow up. 

Here's to hoping that Draper James creates a sale section ASAP. 

Sucker for Seersucker

For those of you who aren't lucky enough to live in the South, let me let you in on a little piece of news: It's insanely hot these days. I'm talking 100+ degree heat indexes, the special kind of heat & humidity that probably rivals hell itself.

It's so hot, that I kind of hate going outside. I'm pretty content to stay in my pj's and hang out with a book or something in the air conditioning all day. I'm really loving these scalloped seersucker shorts!

The website might say sold out, but keep an eye on her instagram (@crystalfaye_) because I bought mine on flash sale! 

In the mean time, here are some more seersucker pieces (and adorable Lauren James t-shirts) to wear and keep cool while waiting for summer to burn out. (Beware of Lauren James dresses, though, they're lined with a not-so-cool polyester material). 

Is anyone else beyond ready for fall yet? Bring on the cooler temperatures! 

Book Review: The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls

When we get to this point of the summer, life starts to simmer down. The trips are all over, the Fourth of July has come and gone and all the sparklers have burned out. 

So that means one thing for me: more time to read! I've spent every summer for as long as I can remember at my local library reading as many books as I could (the check-out limit for children's books was 5, a fact that will probably be ingrained in my brain forever). 

I had been looking forward to recreational reading for months...  Remember this post?  I'm trying to squeeze in a few more classics this summer to get my brain sharp for the LSAT (ick, I'll be taking practice tests before you know it). 

Currently reading To Kill A Mockingbird and can't wait to read Go Set a Watchman (and let y'all know how it is!), but until then, here are a few reasons why you need to read The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls, the first book I read at the beginning of this summer:

It was a page-turner. There was that air of mystery that didn't let me put it down. 

So much mystery! 

Why did her parents send her to camp? What happened back home? Who's not being honest? Will we ever know the truth? 

 So many questions are answered slowly throughout the whole book. I loved how it went back and forth between the past and the present. 

It's also set in the Great Depression era so there's that hint of historical content, too. I'm a major history nerd, so this really made it a fun read for me (as in I read it over the course of one day). 

Bottom line, I recommend this one, 10/10: You really should read it! Run, don't walk to your local library and check it out! I'm sure you won't regret it. 

Any other recommendations? 

Georgia on My Mind: Ginger-Peach Shortbread Cobbler Recipe

While I was on vacation in Melbourne, I came across one of my aunt's Southern Living magazines. I was instantly in love. Even though my love of the Northeast is no secret, being from Louisiana means I'm basically a southern belle, right? Despite the heat and humidity, there's so much to love about the South! Magnolia trees, sugar cane, sweet tea, Cajun food, and oak trees covered with Spanish moss are my Louisiana favorites, but after trying this recipe, I might have a bit of a crush on the Peach State. 

Anything that starts out with two sticks of butter is bound to be a tasty recipe, right? 

This is what the picture looked like. I may have attempted this semi-challenging dish solely because the picture in the magazine was gorgeous. You can see the full recipe at the bottom of this post with my notes, or you can follow this link to the website.

Mine actually turned out a lot like the picture (food photography is really hard to do well with an iPhone). I was so proud because it tasted amazing, too! 

Here are some super cute kitchen accessories (I love my pink KitchenAid mixer and I'm a sucker for a cute apron). That peach gadget from Williams-Sonoma would have made this endeavor much easier! 

Ginger-Peach Shortbread Cobbler
via Southern Living Magazine

Ingredients: 

1 cup butter, softened 

1/2 cup loosely packed light brown sugar 

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 

2 1/4 cups plus 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided 

1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled (The fresh ginger makes it AH-MAZING, trust me, don't skimp)

3/4 cup turbinado sugar, divided (aka Sugar in the Raw. I used more light brown sugar)

7 to 9 medium-size peaches, halved (and peeled, it makes serving much easier)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

1 large egg white, lightly beaten 

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Preparation: 

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Beat first 3 ingredients and 2 1/4 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer just until combined.(My dough was very crumbly. I rolled with it and squished it together as I went. It worked out fine).  Place dough on a lightly floured surface; roll to 1/4-inch thickness (full water bottles work well if you can't find your rolling pin). Cut about 14 rounds with a 2 1/2-inch fluted round cutter (I used a plastic cup because we don't have cookie cutters). Place rounds in a single layer on a baking sheet; cover and chill (Emphasis on chill, so they keep their shape) until ready to use.

2. Pulse ginger and 1/4 cup turbinado (brown) sugar in a food processor 5 to 6 times or until well combined. Stir together ginger mixture and remaining 1/2 cup turbinado sugar in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, peaches, and remaining 3 Tbsp. flour; toss to coat. Place peach halves, slightly overlapping, in a greased (with butter) 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or casserole dish), and pour any remaining juice over peaches.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and nestle shortbread dough rounds among peaches. Brush rounds with egg white, and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake 17 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

If you try this recipe out, be sure to tag me @sydneylandry on Instagram or Twitter and let me know how it goes! 

Fourth of July + Florida Picture Party

I've been on the go for what seems like all of summer, so I've decided to wait to post recaps of my different trips. I'm planning on going in reverse order starting with this most recent trip: Florida. 

My aunt and uncle live in Melbourne Beach, aka one of the cutest Florida beach towns ever. We go every few years because it's a solid thirteen hour drive from home. (For reference, their house is about an hour or so southeast from Disney World). 

Because this was a family trip, it was pretty chill. We mostly just visited with our family and didn't go on many "adventures" besides to the beach or on the boat. 

We went to the beach almost every day. It's a little different from the beaches here (I don't know if Grand Isle, LA is really the grandest of beaches). 

Currently reading The Cuckoo's Calling. It's a little slow-moving for my taste, but it's okay. 

Under normal circumstances, I would have just stopped reading and switched to another book by now, but anything by J.K. Rowling deserves to be finished. 

(Side note, is anyone else really excited for Harper Lee's new book?)

On the Fourth of July we went out on the boat and set up next to a little island in the river. 

My festive headband is from @OhHeyItsSarahJean on Instagram! She has an Etsy shop! 

Paddle boarding isn't really as hard as I thought it would be, but boy did I feel it in my legs after! They were like jello! I guess it's time to get back to the gym. 

Even mom did a great job on the paddle boards! 

We only stayed out on the boat for a few hours before the rain came. Once we were back on land, mom and I ventured to an adorable little shop called Mica and Molly's. 

It was full of Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, Jack Rogers, KJP, Lauren James, and pretty much every other preppy brand you could imagine! Basically my favorite store ever. 

My souvenirs from this trip included one of these pearl bracelets along with some Lilly wine glasses (because birthday number twenty-one will be here oh so soon). 

I wanted to buy all the Lilly shorts, but settled on trying them on to get my size for the After Party Sale that's coming up! 

Still wishing I could wrap my own Jeep in Lilly prints! (Flashback to the Nantucket Lilly Jeep!) 

Maybe not the most flattering picture, but this was such a great day so I don't really care ;)

This was probably the most relaxing trip I've taken all summer. Lots of sand, sun, and salty sea air! And, perhaps the best part: I finally have a tan! (And I didn't even get a little bit burnt! Winning!)

Here are some of my favorite pieces that my credit card wouldn't let me get at Mica and Molly's 

Coffee Catch-Up Session

Sure, it's almost 10pm, but in my house any time is a good time for a cup of coffee.

So, maybe you're asking yourself, "Where has Sydney been over the last month?" or "Didn't she say she was going to start blogging again?" or "I wonder if she's still writing." 

{I mean, you probably aren't really asking any of those questions. Why would you really care that I've been holed up in my bed catching up on recorded episodes of Dance Moms and the new season of Orange is the New Black for the last three days?}

But just in case you are, pull up a chair, pour yourself your own cup of coffee, and read on, friends. 

June marked the first trip of the summer! 

Please ignore my ghostly legs. I promise it was the filter. I'm mostly Italian with olive skin, I swear. 

Niagara Falls is officially off the bucket list! This trip desperately deserves its own post because it was full of exploring, wine tastings, and lots and lots of walking ("Finishing a half marathon" coincidentally also jumped off the bucket list on this trip). 

#ThrowWhatYouKnow!

My toes matched the flowers! 

I totally plan on writing about the whole trip, but just incase life gets in the way, make sure you visit the little town of Niagara-on-the-Lake when you visit the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Too quaint. So many flowers, bakeries, and ice cream shops. My favorite kind of town. 

The next adventure was Blessings on the Bayou, which has been one of my summer highlights for the last five years. It's so funny how even though we only see each other a few times a year, everyone picks up right where we left off. 

These are the amazing mentors of 2015. They are all such beautiful people. 

And that leads me to the latest trip: Washington, DC!

DC is seriously one of my favorite places. This was my fourth trip there, but my first time in the summer. It was quite a change seeing the city with sweat dripping down my neck instead of through frozen eyelashes.

My aunt spent the trip meeting with legislators at the capitol, so I got to "babysit" my little cousin and explore the great museums. 

My favorite day was spent in Georgetown (shopping, eating, etc.). More on that adventure along with my tour of Georgetown Law, aka the new dream school, when I do a more thorough DC post. 

Gotta love that #navyornothing action happening in Vineyard Vines. 

Because every day should feel this good. 

Now I know I always say I'm going to write and update y'all, but this time I really mean it (mostly because the next few posts describing the trips in greater detail are already written). Since I've been back, I've caught up with friends, read a new book, and actually caught up a little for my summer class #winning! 

If you haven't read Paper Towns yet, run to your local library!


I hope you all enjoyed our coffee date as much as I did! Keep checking up on the blog, new posts are coming soon, pinky swear! 

A Very Nola Day

Hey, howdy, hello! Welcome back to my abandoned blog. I've missed you, too!

I haven't been up to a whole lot besides reading books and watching movies. Gotta love summer.

However, last Saturday my mom and I drove into the city to spend a little quality time together. What we forgot was that Memorial Day weekend brings A LOT of people to the cool places. 

After driving around the French Quarter for almost 45 minutes, we were able to find a parking spot and we were hangry (you know, so hungry that you get angry and not much fun). We ran to the first restaurant we saw and split a shrimp po-boy -- I know, how very cajun of us? 

I'd give Mulate's a 7/10 for food and a 9.5/10 for atmosphere. I loved their sweet tea and all the Blue Dog paintings they had on the walls! The french bread was a little too crunchy for my taste. 

After eating and drinking enough sweet tea to revive our spirits, we walked into the French Quarter, where we spent most of our time strolling around Jackson Square picking out our favorite pieces of art. 

Mom and I are suckers for art, so when we saw a man doing portraits, we were like "ooh, that's pretty cool!" Naturally, we decided it was worth the time to sit and have my picture drawn. 

Please excuse the odd soft-smile happening here. 

One thing that we couldn't miss was Cafe Du Monde! Beignets and iced cafe au lait were worth waiting in the line (for over 45 minutes *monkey-covering-his-eyes-emoji*). But my mom, never a fan of lines, was hangry again by the time we made it to the front. 

Take note if you're going to play tourist: Waiting in the to-go line is not a smarter move than the actual line. I'm pretty sure we would have gotten a table sooner than we made it to the counter. 

But the sweet coffee milk and sugary french doughnuts were worth it. (Isn't the sugar always worth it?)

{Outfit details}

Seersucker Dress: Old Navy

Shoes: Jack Rogers

Monogram Necklace: Lee Michaels 

Sunglasses: Ray Ban (mine are old, these are similar)

Purse: Antonio Melani, old (this & this are similar)