My Warby Parker Glasses

Fun fact about me: I have the worst vision ever

I started wearing glasses around age 2 when my lazy eye became an issue. (My left eye was completely crossed and I could have gone blind!) I had to wear an eye patch over my right (good) eye to try and fix the weak muscle. 

#PirateBaby

The late 90s and early 2000s were an era of large, thick glasses. It wasn't until the sixth grade when I finally convinced my parents to let me get contacts, and I've worn them ever since. 

Though I had nothing against my glasses, contacts have just always been easier for me. I still wear my glasses at night and on lazy days. It wasn't until just recently that I started wearing them more often. 

I fell in love with Warby Parker glasses after seeing them on The College Prepster

Unfortunately, there's no WP store in or near New Orleans, so I had to shop online. Luckily, they offer this amazing home-tryon service; you can pick out your favorite frames and they ship try-ons to your house for a week, free of charge! (I know, I was skeptical, too, but it really is absolutely free!) You decide which look best on you, ship them back with the included return label, and then order your own pair. Easy as pie! 


I got these try-on frames in December and ended up doing a second order of try-ons because I didn't absolutely love any of those on me.

I ended up choosing the Ainsworth frames in Walnut Tortoise.
(dirty camera lens = airbrushed finish)

All of their glasses are very reasonably priced ($95 with lenses!) because they create their own designs and sell them directly to you! If affordability alone isn't enough for you, chew on this: they donate a pair of glasses (over half a million and counting!) for every purchase to someone in need. 

I was inspired to write this post after waiting too long to order new contacts (Side note: you should not try to wear the same pair for two months. It's not healthy). Currently on week two of waiting for those silly little lenses.

Where are your favorite stores to shop for glasses? 

Put Your $$$ Where The Miracles Are

I'm so jazzed about volunteering in New Orleans tomorrow at the 31st Annual Children's Hospital's Telethon! 



Children's is a not-for-profit hospital in New Orleans, and fundraisers like this telethon are what ensure that no child is turned away because of a family's inability to pay. It's a Children's Miracle Network Hospital, which happens to be Phi Mu's national philanthropy. 

I was lucky enough to volunteer at a telethon at Children's last fall, where we helped raise over $32,000! It was so great! 


Our philanthropy is one of my favorite parts of Phi Mu, and I know my sisters love it as much as I do. 


If you're in the New Orleans/South Louisiana area and tune in to WDSU tomorrow afternoon, you may see some of my sisters on TV. Who knows, I might even answer when you call to donate! 

But the beautiful thing about this digital age and internet? You don't even need to be from around here to donate! 

After all, it's all for the children! 

Summer Reading List

One thing I don't miss about high school: summer reading lists. 

Now my alma mater never assigned terrible books, and even though I love reading, something about being forced to read put a bad taste in my mouth (Can you believe I hated The Great Gatsby summer before sophomore year, but now it's one of my favorites?). 

But now that I'm not forced to read The Grapes of Wrath or Jane Eyre (also a great book I hated the first time around), I can read whatever I want! Yay college

Here are some I'm planning to read soon! You can follow me on Goodreads to track my progress or get more ideas for your own summer reading!


I also plan to re-read the Harry Potter series because I'm taking a Harry Potter literature class in the fall (again, "Yay college!").

What do you plan to read this summer? 


Massachusetts Photo Recap!

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that had an amazing Memorial Day weekend in Cape Cod and on Nantucket Island! We lucked out and avoided some dreary weather (but did get hit with a surprise cool-front!). 

I'll admit, I was a little sad about being back in Louisiana, but I'm working on being thankful and appreciative and that goes for my little hometown, too. Thibodaux can be beautiful… 

But Massachusetts was absolutely gorgeous! These are some of my favorite pictures from the trip :)

Nautical outfits with Mom at the Hingham Shipyard Marina. We stopped near Quincy to eat lunch at Walburgers. Apparently, there's a reality TV show that her friend watched and since it was on the way to the cape, we had to stop for lunch. The food didn't disappoint. 

Next stop, Cape Cod. We hit some serious traffic, but finally made it to our hotel. We stayed at The Hyannis Resort and Conference Center. It was really nice, and only a quick car ride away from the beach! 

This is at Kalmus Park beach; it's got a lovely view of the harbor. Since it was late in the afternoon and still early in the season, it was completely deserted. 


So much fun! 

#LoveMyJacks

It was Figawi Race Weekend, so we saw all the sailboats on the ferry from Hyannis to Nantucket! 

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say, "Where the Figawi?", I'd be able to take another trip to Nantucket next weekend! 
The whole island is absolutely delightful. 

The Lilly Jeep! If only my dad would let me wrap my jeep like this...

We attended mass at St. Mary's (Our Lady of the Isle). It was beautiful. 

Check out the serious cobble stone street. And I thought New Orleans was hard to walk through...

Mom snapped this as we were heading back to the ferry. Wishing we could have had another day on the island! 

I cannot wait to go back because this trip seemed to fly by.

I'll definitely experience another Figawi weekend again, hopefully with friends after we turn twenty-one so we can fully appreciate the experience: Mimosas on the ferry (the girls seated next to me seemed to be having a ball), Dark & Stormies, and all the fun at Cisco Brewery ;)  

To see a few more pictures from my trip, check out my Instagram!

Inside My Carry-on Bag

Cape Cod and Nantucket are only one sleep away! (Well, technically two since the first night of the trip will be spent in Boston. One sleep until adventure!)

That means packing, second-guessing, unpacking, repacking, and over-packing until tomorrow afternoon.

"Inside My Bag" posts are some of my favorites to read (#NosyRosy) and write so I thought this trip would be another great opportunity for one.





































Unplanned color coordination :)
Longchamp 
I love my large navy Longchamp Le Pilage tote! I bought it in the fall and it's quickly become my favorite everyday bag. I can fit so much in here and don't have to worry about it falling apart; it's made to last. From school to the gym to work to travel, this bag is definitely an investment piece. Currently trying to talk myself out of buying a black one, too…

Book or Kindle & Journal
I'm still torn between my love of paper and my love of digital convenience. I picked up The Boys in the Boat from the library, but have a few extras on my Kindle (not pictured) just incase I finish it too quickly (Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and The Last Tycoon by Fitzgerald).

I've already written about how much I love journaling, especially when I'm traveling!

Phone & Charger
Does anyone else feel like their phone's constantly drained? My iPhone 4 is overdue for an upgrade but I'm trying to hold out for the iPhone 6 (Fall 2014, fingers crossed) with hopes that battery life will be improved. For now, I use this portable charger from J.Crew (Mine's been discontinued, but this one is similar).

Eyeglasses & Sunnies
My glasses are Warby Parker (Ainsworth in Walnut Tortoise) and my sunnies are Raybans (Retro-Cat in Black)

Wallet
This is an older Coach wallet, probably from Marshalls. (similar & similar)

Red Vines
My favorite summer-travel-snack! Doesn't everybody have one?

Essentials Clutch
I found this adorable little clutch in the France gift shop at Epcot in Disney World. It makes the perfect just-incase bag!

It's actually a lot bigger than it looks!

It's filled with:
gum (only for the plane ride - I hate smacking)
mints
headphones
an extra hairband
nail polish for touch-ups
a pillbox (with Ibuprofen and Midol)
chapstick (EOS is the best!)
contact case & solution


I can't wait until tomorrow! I'll be back next week to share all about my trip.

What are some of your travel necessities?