Au Revoir August!

Summer is coming to an end, but I refuse to let it go without a BIG celebration weekend! Have an amazing Labor Day Weekend!!

What are your plans?

PS. It is not too late to enter the 30 Day Nutritional Group Cleanse Challenge!

{photo 1 via Cherry Blossom Girl}

Room of the Week

This is the perfect living room. Subtle colors, different textures, and a pop of animal print. LOVE!

Tuesday Tablescape

Ok. This might be my all time favorite tablescape... like ever!

Labor Day Group Nutritional Cleanse Challenge!

Happy Monday!

Hi loves! Happy Monday!! This week I am blogging from the beautiful island of LBI. I already had a relaxing and fun weekend soaking up the sun, shopping, and spending time with my family (sadly, cocktails not included). I plan for the rest of the week to be pretty much the same *smiles*

How was your weekend? What did you do?

Enter the Labor Day Group Nutritional Cleanse Challenge!

{photos via The Alternative Wife}

Group Cleanse Challenge!

Whether you are a bride or bridesmaid that wants to get healthy and fit for a wedding or someone who has overindulged just little too much this summer, this challenge is for you!

It's time for a Labor Day Group Cleanse! A new season, a fresh start! I'm enrolling new shoppers over the next few days so our simple nutrition kit is ready to roll on September 4th. You worry about 1 meal a day, we do the rest. NOW is the time to order your supply. You do not want to miss out on the power of a group cleanse!  Message me NOW!! 

What you can expect: RESULTS

5-15 pounds of toxic fat removal in less then 2 weeks! (fat cells won't burn while storing toxins) Better sleep, more energy, building of lean muscle, clear skin, better moods- and MORE. And of course we stand by with an unconditional guarantee.

No artificial colors, sweeteners or refined sugar. No gluten or casein. Pure, grass-fed whey protein with original living enzymes and probiotics. Adaptogens, minerals, lymphatic cleanse (not colon cleanse). We address yeast, bacteria, growth hormones, etc. Give your body something it recognizes and knows how to utilize and watch it turn into a fat-burning machine. Fatigue goes down, energy goes up, cortisol is regulated, you SLEEP better!

If you would like to be part of this challenge please e-mail me or leave a comment below with your e-mail address so I can contact you!

Who Takes the Cake?

Come on, everyone loves cake! Which one is your fave? What is your favorite cake flavor?

{photo 1 via Ellas Cakes photo 2 via Society Bride; photo 3 and 4 via Style Me Pretty; photo 5 via Brides; photo 6 via Gourmet Gallery}

The Dress

I could literally look at wedding dresses all day long! It is funny that we put so much thought and time into choosing this one dress that you only wear for a few hours, but I definitely remember the feeling of finding the one and saying "this is it!" There is definitely a sort of "princess for the day" sort of feeling, no matter what dress you choose, but all I remember thinking on my wedding day was what Kevin was thinking. On that day no one else really mattered, not even the dress, it was just me and him.  Well maybe the dress mattered a little *wink*...

How did you choose your wedding dress? Was it an easy breezy process, or was it difficult? 

PS. You can see my wedding dress HERE 

{photo 1, 2, 3, 7 via Style Me Pretty; photo 4 via Once Wed; Photo 5 via Wedding Bee; photo 6 via Art of Love}

Tuesday Tablescape {Wedding Week Edition}

There are so many things to think about when you are planning a wedding; the dress, the venue, the theme, the colors...Table settings are probably one of the last things you think about. I remember the Kevin and I walking into our reception room, just the two of us, and looked around at how beautiful everything looked when it all came together. We got married at the Players Club located in Gramercy Park, which is still a private club for actors to this day. Our theme was "old hollywood glamour," and our colors were blush pink, champagne, and cream. Here are some beautiful table-scape and theme ideas...

Modern Glam

Romantic 

Rustic

Beachy

What is your favorite tablescape theme?

{photo 1 and 4 via Style Me Pretty; photo 2 via Merci; photo 3 via Elizabeth Ann Designs}

Wedding Week!

My brother is getting married next month so weddings have been front and center in my mind. To celebrate, I will be posting all things wedding related this week on Lilac and Grey!

The minute I layed eyes on Emily Riggs' Handmade Heirloom Bridal Accesories, I was in love. The attenttion to detail is superb! 

Each piece is so unique and would make the perfect bridal shower/ wediing gift for the bride-to-be! Love love love! You can check out the rest of her collection at Emily Riggs Bridal.

{all photos via Emily Riggs Bridal}

Quote of the Day

"A real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken a new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided."
Tony Robbins

{photo via}

Are you Toxic?

An overload of toxins and stress damages our bodies in the following ways:

• Assassination of the Intestinal Flora and growth of other bacteria that resist the poisons that kill the good ones (preservatives, conservatives, pesticides, insecticides, antibiotics).
• Decreased absorption of nutrients.
• Toxins lodge in your cells, soft tissues, and muscles, and overwhelm your entire immune system.
• For several years, we have seen growing rates of cancer, Alzheimer's, autism, diabetes, fatigue, obesity, heart disease, allergies, infertility. Almost all of these can in some way be linked to toxic overload in our bodies.

As far as toxins, what are some of the worst culprits?

Red meat, dairy, sugar, gluten, anything artificial/processed...these cause a whole array of symptoms and can lead to many health problems both immediately and down the road. 

Why Cleanse?

• Toxins and stress in our environment subject our bodies to continual risk of poor heath. Once you begin cleansing, you will noticed that you will feel more energized, sleep better, refreshed, and cleaner.

Assuming you are the "picture of health" why should YOU cleanse?

According to the National Geographic and the EPA:

• * There are more than 77,000 chemicals in active production in North America.
  
  * There are more than 3,000 chemicals added to our food supply, including pesticides, insecticides, antibiotics, steroids and hormones.
  
  * There are more than 10,000 chemicals in the form of solvents, emulsifiers and preservatives used in food processing and packaging.
  
  * There are more than 20,000 chemicals that our bodies cannot metabolize. These chemicals have the potential to alter our metabolism, cause enzyme dysfunction and create hormonal imbalances.

I am no stranger to "cleansing." I started cleansing annually the second week in January about 4 or 5 years ago (you may remember these posts). I am a BIG researcher, so when I started researching the toxins we ingest and inhale everyday,  I knew I need to do something to "clean" out my body. I found the Clean Program designed by Dr. Alejandro Junger, through Gwyneth Paltrow's blog Goop. I loved this one week cleanse, because you are actually eating on the cleanse (very, very important to me!). The problem...wayyyyyyy to time consuming to make the shakes and specific meals that are on the menu. Not to mention the grocery bill to buy all the ingredients and make sure everything is organic. Another problem? The maintenance...you need to eat clean, all day everyday. This is great, but again, I don't have time to be picking through my very small organic section (no farmers markets around here!) of my food store trying to figure out what I am going to cook clean for 3 meals per day, 7 days a week! I have tried, a few times, and the food usually goes to waste and the grocery bills are over $500 per month!

When I found Isagenix Nutritional Cleansing and Maintenance Program, I really felt like I found-home.      
The 30 day cleanse program is very easy to follow and the maintenance program allows you to continue to nourish your body with the nutrients its needs to function like it was brilliantly designed to.

Are you toxic? Click Here to find out!

We all clean our oil tanks in our cars and our air filters in our homes, why do we neglect our most important filter- our bodies??

If you are interested in a nutritional cleanse or want more information go to www.caragardner.isagenix.com or e-mail me!

{Photo 1 via, photo 2 via}

Dog Days

I was really excited when the great people at Dog Training Collars asked me to do a review on their new Safe Glow LED dog collar for Boomer. Boomer was equally excited!

Boomer is the kind of dog that we can let out the front door, sans collar and leash, and he will do his business and come right back in. So before the Safe Glow Collar was delivered, he was not even using a collar or leash (I left it at the groomer about 2 months ago, and never picked it back up). However, we live in a fairly wooded area with some wild animals. In fact, we saw a little fox eating out of our landscaping bed one night. My mother in law, ALWAYS tells us to put Boomer on a leash, because "one day we will be sorry!" I don't disagree.

When the Safe Glow Collar came, we immediately started to use it. The collar is made of lightweight nylon with a light -transmitting polymer core that illuminates the collar when it is turned on. A reflective stripe adds additional reflectivity. 

There are three safe glow settings, steady glow, slow flash, and fast flash. Doesn't Boomer look like a little fox?

The clasp on the collar is a little difficult to clasp at times, but once it is clasped, it is very secure. Boomer has a lot of fur, so I am always worried that I am going get his fur stuck in the clasp. He has the size small (he is 13 lbs) so I adjusted the strap to the tightest it could be, and Boomer still slipped out of the leash a couple of times (my little Houdini!)

Overall, I am really pleased with the collar. If you have a dog that runs away, or you let out at night, this collar makes it easier to find him/her. It is also good for early morning or late night walks. I am not going to lie, we sometimes still let Boomer out without his leash, but for the most part we have been using the Safe Glow Collar, especially with that fox lurking around!

Disclosure: I was provided the collar for this post, but the opinions expressed are my own.

Tuesday Tablescape

I have posted glittery and sparkly table linens before {check them out here and here}, and I just can't get enough! This one is paired with {my favorite flower} peonies! Just like heaven!

{photo via Style Me Pretty}

Back to Monday

Happy Monday friends! Is it just me, or do you feel like this summer never even started and it's almost over? I can't believe it! The weather has been more like a tropical island's rainy season climate then the Jersey Shore.  The sun is FINALLY out today, so I think I will take my laptop outside so my skin can get a little sun-kissed. 

Quote of the Day

{via}

HATCH Collection {Maternity Clothes}

As I approach the 24 week point in my pregnancy (tomorrow) I have yet to purchase any maternity clothes-but that may change very soon... My belly is really starting to pop, and squeezing into my regular dresses is not going to cut it anymore. The problem: I don't want to spend money on anything that I will only wear for a few weeks and then never again. Then I found the HATCH collection. 

"HATCH was conceived in 2011 by new mom and founder of twobirds Bridesmaid, Ariane Goldman, in response to a (hah!) expanding group of style-savvy expectant mothers who you'd never EVER see in any ordinary "maternity" section."

Hmm...sounds like...ME!

If I had unlimited funds, I would by every. single. item in the HATCH collection. What I love most is that the collection is designed to wear before, during, and after pregnancy. Check out the collection HERE.

If you have any other maternity collections similar to this one, please tell! I am all ears!

Mermaid

I LOVE these photos that the Cherry Blossom Girl posted on her blog. If you aren't currently reading her blog, you should. Her photos are magical. 

Sequin Dress Available HERE

Shoes Charlotte Olympia

{photos via Cherry Blossom Girl}

Revel: The Review

This past weekend we decided to take a ride down to Atlantic City and check out the new Hotel and Casino, Revel. Unfortunately, our first impression was not really a good one. Their customer service is mundane to say the least. You have to wait 30 minutes or more to speak to a representative over the phone, or you can give the answering machine your phone number and they will call you back. We decided to go for just the day and did not stay over, so I do not know if the customer service improved if you actually stay at the hotel.

When we first arrived we were impressed by the hotel immediately. It reminded us of a hotel in Miami or Vegas. We checked into the spa, Bask, and then headed to the In-Out Pool...

The pool was crazy packed! We got there at around 11 am and all the chairs were already taken. I happened to find one lounge chair and sat there while Kevin went to the lower level to see if there were more seats there. He reported back that it is $80 per day to rent a chair at the lower level pool, and $2000 per day to rent a cabana. We decided to stay upstairs with our one chair. The pool water was warm, so as a pregnant lady, not drinking, it was hard for me to stay there long...we left about and hour later.

After we left the pool, we headed over to the "taco truck," Distrito Cantina, for some fresh guacamole and fish tacos..both VERY good!

We then headed back to the spa about an hour early to just relax and unwind and use all of their amenities before our treatments. We loved that they had a Co-Ed pool, hot tub, and salt room where we could relax together. The Himalayan-salt grotto is supposed to help with your respiratory system, at least that is what the lady that took me on the tour told me *wink*

I had the prenatal massage (my first ever) which was definitely very relaxing, but not as deep as  I needed it to be. The next time I will try their signature facial. Kevin had the fusion massage, which he said was the best massage he has had in his entire life! After our treatments we got ready and headed out to dinner.

We chose one of the Revel's signature restaurants, American Cut, for dinner. We have been to many great steakhouses, and this one definitely compares with some of our top choices. We both had filet mignons, which were cooked to perfection and tasted amazing. We ordered the twice baked potato and creamed spinach as our sides which were both delicious! Hands down a very good restaurant with very good food. The service was wonderful as well! 

After dinner, we walked around the casino, hotel, and shops. What we really love about the Revel, is that there are so many different options for food and entertainment. The casino is by far the nicest in Atlantic City. Kevin enjoyed the black jack tables. Next year, when they finish the beach club, it will just propel this hotel to another level. 

While poking around in one of the shops, I discovered the handbag line leghila, which I immediately fell in love with. All the bags are made of scuba material- so light! They come in all shapes and sizes, but my fave was the little pouch with the chain strap.

Although we got off on a little shaky start, the Revel proved to be the best hotel and casino that Atlantic City has to offer. There really is something for everyone there. We will definitely go back, and I can't wait to try more of their restaurants and spa treatments!