This weekend: Quarantine and chill? I'm naturally an introvert so socially distancing and working from home has not been a challenge for me. I have been working from home for 8 years now (I like to say that I've been training 8 years for this), so life hasn't really changed for me except that my husband is also working from home.

• Time has really gotten away from me. I can't believe it's been a year since I've posted anything. We've been busy with a new job, pandemic stuff, a little bathroom remodel, etc. I'm hoping to share the remodel here soon.
• I turned 35 (!) a few days ago and restaurants are open here for dine-in, but we decided to do takeout at one of our favorites instead (Houston's). Nobu Scottsdale will be the first place we go to when we feel comfortable, though.
• We should have been in Hawaii this week, but our plans got hijacked by the pandemic. We had booked a room at one of our favorite resorts (Moana Surfrider) for the week and were looking forward to it, but are hopeful to still be able to go in late Summer/early Fall. Late August/Early September is one of our favorite times to be there anyways, because [1] The water seems warmer [2] Fruit Season [3] This is around our anniversary and that's always a good excuse to travel.
• Wanderlust has hit me hard. I've bought all the things during the quarantine so that I can be prepared when we can start traveling again. I bought a new Canada Goose jacket (ok, TWO Canada Goose jackets) for that trip to Banff I'm planning in my head. The Fairmont Banff Springs is high on my list of places I want to stay at.
• I wasn't expecting to write a pandemic-themed post, but here we are, and it wouldn't be a proper ending if I didn't say 'Stay Safe', so I hope everyone stays safe and healthy out there.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: Just tying up some loose ends before my next trip. I'm traveling back-to-back weeks again, so between this weekend and next I need to get all my errands done. Good news is I'm traveling to much cooler places, so it won't be 100 degrees! Bad news is none of the travel is personal, but I don't mind going to the midwest since I lived there for 10 years (On Wisconsin!) and my husband grew up in Minnesota and still has family there.

• So, I don't need this for my upcoming trips (or anytime soon), but it will be very nice for Fall. I have the Rideau Parka and love it, but living in Arizona, I don't need anything that warm.
• Speaking of Canada (goose), we want to visit Banff at some point. I'd love to go in the Fall and am eyeing the Fairmont, but I have no idea what you do there except hike so I probably need to do more research before I commit to it.
• We are back on our Home Chef deliveries again. This week's Home Chef box included: Sunday Supper Pot Roast Steak (we've had this before and loved it), Shrimp Lo Mein Noodle Bowl (we've already cooked this and it was so good, I requested chicken instead of shrimp), and Pork Chop with Mushroom Gravy (we love their pork chop dishes - last week's was so good!).
• I just got back from Nordstrom and picked up these two Adidas Orignals items that were price matched: {1} and {2}. I took my normal size in both items, but could've gone a size down since they are a relaxed fit.
• And finally, head over to my LIKEtoKNOW.it page to shop more of my looks. I usually post there before I post to Instagram or to my blog.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend's post is all about our kitchen remodel. It really made a world of difference in our downstairs living area because not only did it open up the space, it also gave us more usable space. Oh, and not having to clean black granite is a giant bonus (white Quartz is so much easier to maintain). We wanted this to be a minimal renovation (honestly, our kitchen wasn't bad), so we kept the original cabinets and floor and instead added more bottom cabinets to extend the countertop out by 14 inches.

• I agonized over backsplash tile for weeks. I hit up all of the tile stores (multiple times), had nightmares about tile, hoarded all the samples, and then when I finally made a decision...I changed it again. Finally, we ended up with a white/stainless glass tile backsplash and ceramic Encaustic tile under the countertop (I knew I wanted to incorporate this tile somewhere in the house, but wasn't sure the kitchen was a good fit. Looking at it now, it was a great decision).
• I wanted to extend the upper cabinets out a little to the left, but didn't want to close off the space by putting more cabinets, so I added this planter from Crate and Barrel. Currently, the plants in there are fake (Hearth and Hand from Target), but eventually I may want to plant real basil and mint.
• Of course, I got my farm sink (must have). Our divided sink setup was cumbersome for cleaning (there just wasn't enough room) and this deeper, one-basin farm sink is just a better setup for cleaning dishes. Bonus - we also replaced our garbage disposal with a quieter more powerful one (I stressed over this decision, too).
• We kept our existing faucets because they are Grohe and nothing that we looked at came close to quality (Nick and I spent a good chunk of a Saturday morning polishing those bad boys with Barkeeper's Friend). We probably saved ourselves a $1000 by re-using the faucets.
• I wanted a black and white theme with rustic accents (inspiration here), so I bought up all of the matte black accessories from Crate and Barrel and am in the process of convincing Nick to let me get a cognac leather couch and counter stools.
• And finally, some lessons learned: it will get dusty so cover up everything and don't try cleaning before the reno is done (guilty), yes - you can match wall paint color (just take a 1"x1" wall sample from a non-shaded area to Home Depot and they will work their magic), and it will always cost more than you thought it would but it'll look great in the end (see below for more photos).

xo

This weekend: Enjoying the long weekend after our week in Maui. The weather has been perfect here (78 degrees today! That's unheard of in Arizona in late May), so this weekend is extra good. We've gotten a lot of chores done and I feel like we can finally enjoy our newly completed kitchen renovation (I'm writing this post on our new counter-top height kitchen island and it's fantastic as opposed to the unusable high bar top we had before).

• So many good sales this weekend! My favorites have been: Ssense (so many great designer items including GG, YSL, and Givenchy - will be showing you what I got in upcoming "In My Closet" posts), American Eagle (restocked on my favorite shorts for the Summer), and Williams-Sonoma (only because we got a Nespresso Vertuo machine for $119!).
• Being in Maui made me realize that I needed new swimsuits (one of the ones I brought ended up not working out because it was an accident waiting to happen), so I bought these for the rest of the Summer: {1}, {2}, {3}, and {4}.
• Express is having a 40% off everything sale, so I picked up this Rocky Barnes x Express Kimono I had been eyeing. The lilac color is so pretty, but I thought the white would be more versatile as a beach cover-up/Summer outfit.
• Crate and Barrel is having a 15% off all full-priced items sale. This is when I wished I would have waited to purchase all of those kitchen items for our remodel, but I don't have any regrets since I'm sitting here admiring how great my new serving bowl, utensil holder, and olive oil dispenser look in our kitchen.
• And finally, Target is having a 15% off home sale, so I picked up this pouf for our living room to replace the one we currently have which may or may not have been a pee magnet for our newest pup when we got him.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: Oh hey, hi! I'm catching up again. I haven't had the energy to write a blog post in a while, but now I'm back at it. The only exciting thing that has happened in that time was our friends' wedding. Our other friend, Karla, did a great job with the decor and here are some photos.

• I finally learned how to use a beauty blender. Actually, I purchased these dupes off of Amazon (recommended by Courtney Shields) and they were amazing. I used it to apply my IT Cosmetics CC cream and NEW Charlotte Tilbury concealer.
• I also purchased this new YSL lip stain to try. So far so good, but I'm apparently drawn to the same lip shades because it's exactly like the Lancome one I already have.
• I've been meaning to try this Mac Contour Kit (recommended by another blogger, Emily Gemma).
• We tried Unbaked for the first time this week. It was delicious, but I didn't realize until after eating half the cup that each tablespoon was the calorie equivalent of one cookie. Guess that'll be a once-a-year indulgence.
• And finally, if you don't see me on here, you can always catch me on Instagram: @cocoaandpearls. I'm usually pretty active on there.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: Celebrating a friend before she walks down the aisle. Nick will be officiating the wedding (his second one), so thank you Universal Life Church of Modesto California for making another wedding possible.

• Girls night out on Saturday, we'll be going to dinner at El Chorro (a Scottsdale favorite) and then hitting up the bars in Old Town. Since I'm not used to staying up past 10PM, I'll need to have a few 5-hour energies available #TooOldForThis
• Still deciding on my outfit, but it will include this faux leather skirt I've been dying to wear and inspired by this photo.
• Speaking of outfits, I've decided on a dress (will reveal later), now just need to decide on shoes. Considering the Valentino's I'm wearing in the post photo, but I'm thinking the Louboutin sandals I wore for my own wedding would be more comfortable. Hmm...
• I'm giving away a $400 gift card to Nordstrom. If you haven't yet (ends tonight at 10PM Eastern Time!), go enter the giveaway on my Instagram: @cocoaandpearls.
• And finally, I got an invitation to LikeToKnowIt. Go follow me here: www.liketoknow.it/cocoaandpearls. I'm still working on getting posts up, but you can also shop my outfits on my shop page.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: My last weekend to be on call! Ever. It's a running joke in my company that whenever I'm on call things always go wrong, so the guys try their hardest to make sure everything is all in order before I'm on the clock.


[Dinner views @ Desert Mountain Golf Club]

• Looking for a casual brown designer bag for Summer. I think I'm leaning towards the Gucci Soho Bag.
• No Home Chefs this week, so I've been making a lot of soups on-the-fly. I made my own Shirataki Noodle soup and it was downright delicious. The noodles are 0 calories, so I could indulge without the guilt. I get my noodles from Sprouts (House Foods is the exact brand I get), but you can find them online.
• I purchased a few more dresses as options for the wedding: {1} and {2}. Hopefully, one of these will work...
• Also, still vacation planning, so I picked up these dresses for Hawaii: {1}, {2}, and {3}.
• And finally, scheduled my first SNS Dip manicure this week. I'll probably write a review on my experience in an upcoming post.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: Getting caught up on life in general. Had a great time at the Desert Botanical Gardens Electric Desert show last weekend, but planning on getting some work done around the house. I still have mums on my patio from last Fall...Yes, I am well aware it's already March. Needless to say, they are pretty dead and I'm sure my neighbors will start complaining about them soon.

• We've decided! We'll be going to Maui this year for vacation. Nick and I are big Westin fans (their beds are so comfortable!), so we will be staying at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka'anapali.
• These two Free People dresses will be perfect resort wear: {1} and {2}. On a side note, I also purchased this tunic dress for our upcoming Vegas trip.
• This week's Home Chef box included: Yang-Yang Beef with shishito peppers (this is soooo good!) and Pork Chop with Pine Nut & Parmesan Butter with garlic Swiss chard.
• The Bronx and Banco dress from last week did not work out for me (I'm petite, so midi length dresses are tricky). Looking at these options now: {1}, {2}, and {3}.
• And finally, if you love sheet masks, you should check out Nordstrom Rack. I just ordered a bunch of Karuna masks and they are so much cheaper per mask than Sephora!

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: First full weekend at home, so I'm going to hit up the local mall and do some shop therapy. Also, I'm looking forward to doing all the mundane things I've been putting off. Funny how being away from home makes you appreciate all the little things.

• Thinking of trying this Sunday Riley UFO Clarifying Oil, but it's a little pricey so I think I'll wait until the Sephora Rouge sale. Also, anyone else notice that Sephora went from 3 free samples to just 2? Bummer.
• Back to Home Chef again - this week's Home Chef box included: Roasted Bone-in Skin-on Chicken “Pot Pie”, Pork Chop with Garlic-Butter Mushrooms, and Ginger Steak and Peppers.
• Trying to decide on our next vacation: Australia + Bora Bora or Amalfi Coast + Greece?
• Wherever we go, I need to be near a beach, so I better get to buying some more swimsuits and working on that beach body: {1}, {2}, and {3}. Everything is on sale with the code GOBIG19!
• And finally, I purchased this Bronx and Banco dress for an upcoming wedding. Not sure if it will work out, but it's really cute. I plan on wearing it with my Valentino heels and a Chanel bag I haven't posted about yet.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: Late post, but we just got back from a weekend trip to Vegas. I am literally writing this post while trying to unwind with a beer (Papago Orange Blossom - yumm!). Las Vegas is about 5 1/2 hours from our house, so it's really convenient for us to drive there on a Friday and back on a Sunday. I even won some money while I was there!


[Sweets from Eataly @ The Park MGM]

• We stayed at the Park MGM (formerly Monte Carlo) during this trip. It has been completely remodeled and now that the renovations are complete, we really enjoy the property and all the convenient ammenities. Eataly, the new restaurant marketplace, was a favorite of ours and I had an amazing cocktail at NoMad Bar. Also, if you drive to Vegas, they have a convenient parking garage connected to the hotel.
• The Park MGM offers free craps lessons every day at 11AM and we took advantage of it since we've never played before. I don't think it's my game, though. I'm more of a Roulette kind-of-girl.
• We saw Zumanity @ New York-New York. I thought it was fun, but it was very risque so I would not recommend it if you are uncomfortable with nudity (we saw a couple people walk out as soon as they realized the performers were topless).
• During this trip, we didn't walk around as much as we normally do (mainly because it was freezing). We're planning on going back in April with my sister and her husband, so the weather should be more cooperative.
• And finally, I'm anxious to get back to our regular routine. The dogs and I had been really good about going for multiple long walks and getting our steps in before my trips, so we're all ready to get back to it (except Ranger because that guy is so lazy). This new Apple Watch strap should help get me motivated again.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: I'm back for a little bit before I have to head out of town again, so I'm just going to chill and unpack/re-pack my suitcase. Unpacking is the worst, though, because if I don't do it right away then it won't happen for days (even weeks). Fortunately for me, this needs to get done this weekend, so I don't have a choice.

• When I go to Madison, I like to stop at Target on my way to the hotel from the airport and buy socks. I do it every.single.time. #CreatureOfHabit or #insane?
• No Home Chef this week, so we're trying to make our own meals at home (steak and lobster tonight - clearly we are roughing it). When I get back, though, I'd like to try some of the new restaurants coming in near us like Ocean 44, Nobu (yes, a real NOBU!), Farmhouse, and Pitch Pizza!
• Packing all my flannels and fleece for a trip to the midwest this weekend. I am packing this Abercrombie one which is on sale for $13!
• When I travel, I always pack the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask and a couple of my favorite sheet masks: Dr.Jart+ Clear Skin Lover Rubber Mask and Dr.Jart+ Clearing Solution Mask (you can get these at Nordstrom Rack for half the price!).
• And finally, I need to put some effort into creating new content for the blog and social media. It'll be a busy day!

Have a great weekend!
xo

Since it's Valentine's Day week, I wanted to share Nick and I's wedding story. It took us 11 years before we said 'I do' (I guess we just really wanted to be sure). Nick and I both wanted a small wedding with zero stress (I didn't grow up dreaming of my wedding or anything like that)...so, we didn't tell anyone and only invited our parents (again, sorry family). Once we decided we were going to do it (no fancy proposal or anything - I think we made our decision at a Yard House over a couple beers), I had all of our vendors booked within a week and all that was left was to order a dress (or two) online, pin a bunch of useless wedding stuff on Pinterest, and wait for the day.



True story: I bought two dresses. The first one was a strapless Maria Lucia Hohan stunner with a thigh-high split in the front (I still have it). It was (and still is) beautiful, but when I saw the Needle & Thread dress, I knew it was the one (I fell in love with the beading and thought it would look better in pictures). I ordered my dress online and it fit perfectly right out of the box. I only needed to shorten the hem because #shortgirlproblems.





My something old was a diamond tennis bracelet my grandmother gave me from her jewelery collection when I graduated high school. My something new was these Christian Louboutin Sandals (I made sure to find ones I knew I could walk/stand in for hours). My something borrowed was a pot of lip gloss from my make-up artist and I painted my toenails blue (OPI's Mint Candy Apple) for my something blue.






It was very important that our dogs were part of the wedding. Just 4 months before, we found out Zuzu had cancer and we didn't know how long we would have with her, but luckily she made it and even gave us 5 more amazing months before we had to say goodbye.





This is probably one of my favorites from that day. We forgot to put Ranger inside during the ceremony, so he photo-bombed all of our ceremony pics. He must have wanted to show off his new tuxedo collar...




I would've liked to say that it was completely stress-free, but we had a few hiccups with the engagement ring and some last-minute guest list changes. Overall, things went pretty smoothly and we ended the best.day.ever. eating the best.steaks.ever. in a private room at Mastro's.

Venue: The Haehn Family (Nick's parents') Arizona Home
Photographer: Vienna Glenn
Florals: Flower Bar
Hair + Make-up: Andrea Sanchez Make-up
Lashes: Let's Lash
Brows: High Brow Scottsdale
Dress: Needle & Thread
Shoes: Christian Louboutin


xo

This weekend: Prepping for a busy couple of weeks ahead. Lots of travel with short stints at home in between giving me just enough time to unpack and re-pack my suitcase. Also, thinking of getting a Tumi suitcase as a backup to my Delsey Chatelet Carry-on (which I love) to avoid having to unpack between trips.


Cloth & Flame Dinner @ Papago Park

• Wow, Thursday night's Cloth & Flame dinner was amazing. The event was co-hosted by Huss Brewing, so each course (it was a 5-course meal) was impeccably paired with a different beer. My new favorite beer is the Papago Orange Blossom, but I really enjoyed the Coffee Milk Stout, too!
• This week's Home Chef box included: Jerk Chicken Bowl, Bento Box Chicken with carrots and cremini mushrooms, Maple Cranberry Bone-in Pork Chop with rosemary Brussels sprouts and turnips.
• My obsession with the hot pink Flamingo color from Alo Yoga is still going strong: {1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, {5}, and {6}.
• In other wish list news, this Anthropologie Edith Dress is pretty high up on the list.
• And finally, check out my Insta and Pinterest for more things I'm lovin' right now!

Have a great weekend!
xo

This was my second half marathon (my first one was the Lululemon Half a few years ago). Was I prepared? No. Did I train? No. Did I finish? Heck yeah, but it took sheer will power. I was winded after the first 3 miles and spent a lot of time walking (and taking pictures and texting my friends and family). Why didn't I train? Well...because I was lazy. I started running a few weeks before the marathon and that was the extent of my "training" (and by running, I don't mean long distances, just short little jogs). I knew I wasn't going to take this one seriously, so I wasn't too worried about my time (all I cared about was that I finished). I would NOT recommend doing it this way, though.



[The day before the race, we hiked to Horseshoe Bend (half a mile hike there and back from the parking lot) and carb-loaded at the only Italian restaurant in town.]





[I may not have had the fastest time, but I did get some spectacular photos during the race.]


xo

This weekend: We went to the Phoenix Open - it was raining on and off while we followed the leaders around, but we were able to get tickets to The Greenskeeper right off of the 18th hole and get some reprieve from the rain.


Waste Management Phoenix Open 2019

• Yikes, February already. Anyone else feel like they are not ready for it?
• Thinking of getting Golden Goose sneakers, but still on the fence about spending $400 on them. Hmmm...
• This week's Home Chef box included: Arroz con Pollo with Chicken Thighs and charred poblano slaw, Cheddar & Crispy Potato Crusted Chicken with Parmesan-roasted vegetables, and Shrimp Pad Thai with carrots, roasted peanuts, and cilantro.
• The new Flamingo color from Alo Yoga has me really inspired to work out (or at least look cute while pretending), so I bought this set: {1} and {2}.
• And finally, more shameless promotion - I have a new pinterest page. Follow me here.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: Recovering - I had a Lasik retreat on my left eye, so I have to take it easy. It's been exactly one year since I got my first Lasik procedure on both eyes and I love my results (even with my rebel left eye). I would do it all over again, even knowing that I would have to go in for a second procedure a year later. Not having to wear contacts or glasses is a dream come true.


It took almost a year for us to host a wedding reception after our elopement. These flowers were a replica of my bouquet from that day.

• These eye drops are life right now.
• Current favorite hair products: Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray (this is the best.ever.), Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo, Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil, and Oribe Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray.
• This week's Home Chef box included: Chicken Paillard with broccoli and lemony garlic-tomato sauce, Teriyaki Chicken Thighs with Smoked Almonds and green beans, and Pork Chop au Poivre with Swiss chard and acorn squash.
• Style inspiration to reality: BB Dakota Conrad Leather Mini Skirt and Adidas Trefoil Tee. This outfit will be perfect for our trip to Vegas next month.
• And finally, currently stalking Alice Lane Home's website. This closet is amazing.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: I am on-call for work, so I'm just hanging around the neighborhood. Funny story: I got a call while at a restaurant once and had to ditch Nick to pay for the check while I frantically biked home. Lesson learned...sort of, I also was at a Homegoods once and got a call. I had to ditch my cart and get home ASAP.


Link to original shoe post here.

• This post would have gone up much sooner today except that I got my eyes dilated earlier and I still cannot see very well!
• This week's Home Chef box included: Sherry Wine Demi-Glace Sirloin Steak with mashed potatoes and balsamic Brussels sprouts, Huli Huli Chicken Rice Bowl with charred pineapple, and Coconut Curry Butternut Squash with basmati rice.
• Madewell is offering an extra 40% off sale items using the code DOUBLEYAY. Here are my favorite sale picks: [this sweater is so soft}, {this shirt is currently in my cart}, {staple for Spring/Summer}, {favorite cardigan ever}, and {ridiculously cute}.
• I am trying out Skin Laundry's The Laser and Light Facial for the first time this weekend. Will follow-up with a review soon.
• And finally, a little bit of shameless self-promotion...if you haven't yet, check out my other social media pages: Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Poshmark.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: Putting the last of our holiday decor away. Our tree is gone and most of our Christmas stuff has been replaced with Valentine's Day stuff, but we still have our wreath up. I always say I'm going to be more organized with putting my decor away, but it never fails that I just throw everything in the box to deal with later.


We had custom cookies, macarons, cupcakes, and donuts for our wedding.

• This week's Home Chef box included: Pork Banh Mi Bowl, Pork Chop with Parsley-Garlic Butter, and Sweet Vidalia Roasted Bone-In Chicken (sweet Vidalia onion dressing may be my new favorite). I made the Pork Banh Mi Bowl and divided it up into 3 containers for easy lunches the rest of the week.
• New year, new bag? {1}, {2}, and {3}.
• Gathering some ideas for a potential kitchen remodel: {1}, {2}, {3}, and {4}. We plan to keep our floors and change the countertops to a white marble-like quartz (I hate our black granite), but I wasn't sure if I wanted to paint the cabinets yet. I'm starting to come around to the idea, though.
• I don't have a link for this, but the Trader Joe's Frozen Vegetable Panang Curry with Jasmine Rice is sooo stinkin' good (I'm Thai, so I know what I'm talking about).
• And finally, loving this dress for a Spring wedding.

Have a great weekend!
xo

This weekend: Scheming up plans for our next room update. We have a lot of ideas from bathrooms to kitchen to buying the place next door and knocking down the walls between our townhomes. Too bad the HOA would never approve of that last option. It would be the ideal solution to get more space without having to give up our location.


We went from 'meh' to glam.

• The bed is the Monroe Bed from Macy's. It has built-in storage which allowed us to get rid of a large dresser that was taking up too much floor space. Also, the extra tall headboard was perfect for our high ceilings.
• Our lights are the 9" Clarissa Chandeliers from Pottery Barn. I had to hang each crystal by hand (each chandelier had over 100 of them!).
• Our bedding and rug are old from Homegoods (I think our Duvet is Cupcakes and Cashmere and our sheets are Kate Spade). Pillows are from West Elm and IKEA.
• The nightstands are also IKEA! We replaced the plastic knobs with brass metal ones to spruce them up. They look great in the space, but I'm still chafed about having to give up my mirrored nightstands from Pier 1.
• And finally, the mirrors are the Montclair Leaner Mirrors from Z Gallerie. They weigh over 60 lbs each and were a beast to hang (I'm lucky I have a DIY husband that can do all of the contractor work including electrical).

Have a great weekend!
xo

First New Year's Resolution: be present.

I've been blogging on and off for almost 9 years. There were years (like the past few) where I just didn't have the motivation or the inspiration to write a post (I don't think I wrote a single post in 2018 and only four in 2017). Much has happened in those years - things I should be sharing with whoever's listening: our wedding, the loss of our first baby - Zuzu, additions to our extended family.


[Source: Pinterest]
I have so many more photos from my time blogging than not. Can remember so much more of my life during that time. I remember I really enjoyed blogging. Really enjoyed expressing my thoughts in words and pictures, and even now I really enjoy going back and looking through my old posts (even the cringe-worthy ones). That's gotta be good for my mental and emotional health, right? Right. So let's do this!

xo