1. I noticed one of you, Brooke I believe, bought the Peloton bike. How do you like it so far? I want one so badly and I’ve never even taken a spin class lol.
3. What was the lash serum you posted on instastories?
It’s the neuLASH serum and it is SO good. We both use it and saw results within a week & to be honest we were shocked – we didn’t think it would work!
4. Are you both full-time bloggers? Your feed is amazing! Do you ladies have any tips for a new blogger? Sometimes I feel really discouraged. And who takes your pictures?
Thank you! Blogging is our full time job (along with full-time mom duty). Our guys take our photos for us, but we’ve also worked with photographers a few times. We’ve talked about this before, but we didn’t start our blog with the goal of making it our full-time job. We both had jobs that we really liked, and blogging was totally our hobby & something we loved (and still do!). Our tips for new bloggers include: don’t rush it – it takes time to grow a blog/brand, make sure it’s something you’re truly passionate about (and would do for free), connect with other bloggers, go to as many events as you can, post consistently, and post quality content. Good luck, and try not to get discouraged!
5. Meggan – I live in Chicago (born and raised in the burbs) and have an opportunity to move to Dallas in the next year or so for work. Knowing what you do about the midwest, do you enjoy living in Dallas? I have nothing holding me back, but I am a little nervous to move since I love Chicago so much! I love the heat so that’s definitely an upside for me – but do you have any major opinion on Dallas vs. Chicago?
This is a hard question because I truly love both cities! Here are my Dallas pros and cons. Pros: warm weather, lower cost of living, the people are extremely friendly, I feel safer, there’s lots to do (sports teams, tons of restaurants (a lot of healthier options too), bars (lots of fun patios), shopping, museums, concerts etc.), no state income tax, cute neighborhoods, and you can park anywhere for FREE or extremely cheap (I still can’t get over it lol). Cons: not as much culture as Chicago, you don’t exactly get a city feel (downtown is small), summer heat is brutal (I haven’t experienced this yet but everyone keeps telling me its HOT!), and there’s not as much architecture. There are trade-offs to both cities but I would say go for it if you are looking for a change 😉
6. Brooke – I love what you’ve done to your house and all the incredible decor touches. Would you mind sharing the lighting in your entry way and family wall picture frames over the stairs?
Thank you! The lamp in my entry is from Pottery Barn & is sadly sold out, but it’s very similar to this one (loooove!). The photo frames are actually also PB – these in different sizes and colors – I mixed black and white frames (they’re on sale today!).
7. Also Brooke, what technique did you use to hang the frames to ensure the arrangement looked correct?
Honestly, all I used was my husband lol. We started at the top of the stairs and simply placed the first frame where we felt like looked best, and added on to it (working our way down) from there! It turned out great, and I loved that there was little planning involved. I would just have him hold up the next frame we were going to hang and if I didn’t like it, we would adjust the position or switch to a different frame. If you’re wanting to create a gallery wall, try to eyeball it – you will know what looks good/what you like once the frames are going up. Lots of inspo here!
8. I saw you girls post about swim suit bottoms and I totally agree with you – what is with suits covering only half your a** lol! Do you have any good full coverage recommendations? Also a good tankini that doesn’t look too mom-ish?
Hahah the struggle is real!! It seems like every suit I find and love the bottom is Brazilian cut and I just can’t rock that! There are some super cute suits with full coverage though. Here are five we’re eyeing: one, two, three, four, five.
9. I remember awhile ago you posted on Snapchat about a self tanning lotion that you love. What was the name of it again?
I’ve posted a couple on there before but this one (just ordered more b/c I saw it was on sale!) is my absolute, all-time favorite! You leave it on for 3 hours MAX – yes please, I haaaaate sleeping in that stuff! I use this mitt to apply it to my body and a makeup brush (in circular motions) to apply it to my face.
10. Meggan – you had those killer abs in a post awhile back – I’d love to know how you got them and how you’ve been able to maintain them?
Oh gosh thank you! I was on a kick then but sadly didn’t maintain them, lol. I’m in the process of getting back in shape for my wedding though. I do a lot of HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts followed by weights (low weight, high reps). I like to switch up my cardio so I do HIIT on the treadmill, stair stepper or even with a jumprope. For my diet I try to eat clean most of the time (80/20 rule) and do high protein, low carb meals. I did a post here with one of my workouts and some easy + healthy meals. The nice thing about HIIT is you can make it up as you go.
11. I will be going with a small group of couples to Napa in May. I would love some outfit ideas – pieces that can be transitioned from day to night, lightweight and comfortable! I’m thinking rompers, midi dresses, jean jacket, etc.
This jumpsuit would be cute with flat sandals and a jean jacket (love this one) during the day and for night it can be worn with heels. Dying over this romper, this dress is versatile (can be worn with sneakers/booties/wedges), this maxi is cute, and this top would be a good option too!
12. I am obsessed with the look of the Marysia bikinis (specifically this and this) but really have a hard time justifying spending over $300 on a bikini. Any dupes you’ve seen or other look-a-likes? Or even discounted sites you’ve found? I’ve looked everywhere!
Ugh we feel you on that girl! We both want one so badly but not sure we can justify the price (if anyone has one, let us know your thoughts!). But luckily we found a few dupes – this one from Target is identical (we both ordered!), same with this one from Express and this one by J.Crew!
13. Thinking of going to NYC with 3 kids. What are some kid friendly things to do in the city for a couple days?
There’s a ton to do in NYC with kids & here are some of my recommendations – Seaglass Carousel, Jane’s Carousel & Brooklyn Bridge Park area (right there together – beautiful views of Manhattan), walk the Brooklyn Bridge, visit Central Park, The High Line, Teardrop Park, visit 9/11 Memorial (not necessarily for kids, but easy to take kids to and it’s a must see when you’re in NYC), the Bronx Zoo (if you’re willing to travel a little), and a few great children’s museums (although probably my least favorite thing to do b/c they get so crowded and not great for younger kids under 4)! My favorite kid-friendly restaurant is Bubby’s, but there are tons of options here!
14. I will be traveling to England and will be doing a lot of walking. I want to be comfortable but cute! What are the best sneaker recommendations you have? I prefer the color black 🙂
Meggan: The three comfiest pairs of sneakers I own are: these Allbirds (definitely the most comfortable), the Nike Roshe, and the Adidas Tubular (go down a full size).
Brooke: My vote is for the Allbirds! I have (and love) all 3 Meggan listed as well so you can’t go wrong with any, but honestly the Allbirds are SO comfortable & they will go with everything!
15. I’m on the hunt for a green utility jacket, preferably around $100 or less. What are some of your faves?!
This one is super cute (love the cut), the pockets on this one are super cute, and we’re also loving this one and this one (how amazing is the back detail?)!
16. I’m happy to see you recommended Miami for an anniversary trip in last weeks #coffeetalk. I am planning a 5 year anniversary trip in June and was considering Miami but didn’t know if it was too party and not enough romantic/fun/relaxing. Do you have any specific recommendations for things to do/places to go?
Miami is definitely romantic – it’s a city that has a little of everything, and can easily be what you make it! It’s where I (Brooke) met my husband ;). You can relax by the pool or on the beach, go for a walk on the beach, have drinks at sunset, go to the spa, walk around Lincoln Road, go to Bal Harbour Shops (beautiful outdoor mall with some great eats), and go to fun restaurants as a couple. My favorite romantic restaurant is Casa Tua (so pretty, request a patio table!). We’re going in April, so I might have some new recommendations after we get back!
17. I have an outdoor wedding in Austin at the end of March. Any suggestions on what to wear?
A few options are: this dress (obviously not in white lol), this maxi, this midi, this open back one, or this maxi dress (it’s a little pricey but the color and texture is stunning!).
18. My boyfriend and I put an offer in on a house that has not closed yet. I am already having regrets about the location and the amount of work that needs to go into the house. I’m wondering if you have any advice or if either of you have experienced this?
No, neither of us have experienced this – it sounds stressful, we’re sorry! 🙁 We would recommend discussing your options with your realtor!
19. My sister is getting married labor day weekend and I’m her MOH. It’s a two-day event with the ceremony and formal dinner taking place night one, large party and dancing night two. I’m struggling to find a dress for the first night! She wants it in the mauve-y/rose-y color scheme and it must be formal/black tie. Any advice on where to look or any dresses that come to mind would be so appreciated!
This dress is so chic – we love that you can read the reviews and see other girls in the dress! We love this dress – sooo pretty, and this one is another great option! Not sure if this dress is formal enough, but we’re obsessed!
20. I’m going to Europe and want to pack super light since we’ll be traveling around from city to city. Do you have any baseball style hat suggestions (plain black since I’m not loyal to a team and don’t watch the sport lol)? Also black sneakers that are comfy for all the walking and any other basics that can be re-worn!
So fun! Some great black hat options here and here. Sneakers we love that could easily be worn again – here, here (sooo comfy), and here! Have fun!
21. I just bought OTK boots and am looking for an outfit to wear with them for a girl’s weekend. I would like to find an outfit under $150, thanks!
We love mini dresses with OTK boots, especially for a girl’s weekend – we love this one and this one (we would tie a denim jacket around the waist with this one). If you wanted to do a more casual look, you could wear jeans with an off the shoulder sweater, or a band tee with a moto jacket! Have fun!
Please leave your questions below or email them to brookeandmeggan@somewherelately.com with #coffeetalk in the subject. Thanks so much for sending your questions each and every week, we love hearing from you guys!
M&B