#coffeetalk
1. Meggan – how are you liking Orange Theory? There’s one by my house and I’m thinking about starting!
I love it! I’ve been going twice a week and already see results (I feel leaner and stronger). I especially like it because it makes you push yourself and workout muscles you wouldn’t usually. I don’t know about you buttttt sometimes when I go to the gym I lollygag and tend to do the same workouts over and over. With Orange Theory it’s never the same which makes it more enjoyable and efficient. I signed up for a monthly membership but you can try a couple classes before you make that commitment! I think you get your first one free and single classes are $16 (I could be wrong on that). If you buy a membership the classes are about $12 each. I say definitely give it a try!
2. I’m looking for some cute graphic tees appropriate for a “50s something”. Can you give me some ideas on where to look?
3. Brooke – where is your wood holder from next to your fireplace? Is it still available?
It’s this one from C&B – looks like it’s still available! I also have the matching fireplace tool set – love both!
It’s this one from C&B – looks like it’s still available! I also have the matching fireplace tool set – love both!
4. I’m going wine tasting in Napa next month and wanted some cute day dress ideas!
This stripped shirt dress is super cute (paired with this hat would look adorbs), love this off the shoulder dress (especially with sneakers!), this maxi is pretty, and so is this golden mini.
This stripped shirt dress is super cute (paired with this hat would look adorbs), love this off the shoulder dress (especially with sneakers!), this maxi is pretty, and so is this golden mini.
5. Meggan – please share all the advice/tips you got about the night sweats. I am so glad I’m not alone and was so happy you shared that!!
OMGGG I got SO many messages after posting those (TMI) snaps! I couldn’t believe how many other girls have the night sweats. Mine have been so bad the last 4-5 months and I can’t take it anymore! Every inch of my body sweats and I have to change my clothes in the middle of the night – sometimes two times! TMI again lol 😉 The worst part is waking up with wet curly hair! Anyway, my doctor said it might be a thyroid issue so I got some blood work done to test that. I’m convinced it’s hormonal though because it get’s worse during my period. Okay so here goes the huge list…
– A TON of girls mentioned their mattress pad caused theirs (easy fix phew!). They trap a lot of heat and you can get a mattress topper (Amazon has a huge selection) to help with cooling. I have this one in my cart but wanted to see if anyone has any recommendations!
– Someone said to try this Mother Dirt Probiotic Spray. She said she uses it every morning and before bed and rarely ever sweats anymore!
– One girl said her doctor determined it was her anxiety that was causing hers. She got on a different medication and they went away.
– A girl I know had the night sweats for a year and went to a natural doctor for a second opinion. Her thyroid, testosterone, and progesterone levels were all off. After 3 months of hormonal therapy her sweats went away. Her reg doctor told her that her thyroid was in normal range but the “normal range” is huge and almost everyone under 50 fits in that range.
– A few girls said their medications caused theirs – mainly birth control and antidepressants.
– If diabetes run in your family, that could be the cause.
– Change your sheets to bamboo and use alpaca blankets instead of a comforter
– A lot of girls said they had their hormone levels checked and they were terribly imbalanced. I swear my hormones are wack because everything makes me cry (literally everything). I’m going to get mine checked!
– One girl said Peachskin Sheets are the best for keeping cool and she knows people that swear by them.
– One girl said to take Chaste Tree (herbal hormone balancer). She started taking it after having the night sweats and they stopped happening. Also recommended taking black maca (she puts it in her smoothies) to help with hormones.
SOOO MANY NIGHT SWEATERS! Thyroid and hormonal imbalance seemed to be the #1 answers I got from people. Isn’t it nice to know we aren’t suffering alone? Let’s all go to the doctor and get this figured out lol!
6. Do you ladies have any ‘clean eating’ dessert ideas? I’m trying to stick to my clean diet, but really missing sweets!
We love finding great replacements for sweets when we’re trying to stick to a clean diet! Just saw this cashew chocolate chip cookie skillet on instagram and it looked SO amazing (def going to try it!). We have both made these cookies before (dangerous, hard not to eat the whole pan lol), and banana nice cream is seriously delicious (shocking)! I used chocolate protein powder and almond butter in mine. Hope that helps!
OMGGG I got SO many messages after posting those (TMI) snaps! I couldn’t believe how many other girls have the night sweats. Mine have been so bad the last 4-5 months and I can’t take it anymore! Every inch of my body sweats and I have to change my clothes in the middle of the night – sometimes two times! TMI again lol 😉 The worst part is waking up with wet curly hair! Anyway, my doctor said it might be a thyroid issue so I got some blood work done to test that. I’m convinced it’s hormonal though because it get’s worse during my period. Okay so here goes the huge list…
– A TON of girls mentioned their mattress pad caused theirs (easy fix phew!). They trap a lot of heat and you can get a mattress topper (Amazon has a huge selection) to help with cooling. I have this one in my cart but wanted to see if anyone has any recommendations!
– Someone said to try this Mother Dirt Probiotic Spray. She said she uses it every morning and before bed and rarely ever sweats anymore!
– One girl said her doctor determined it was her anxiety that was causing hers. She got on a different medication and they went away.
– A girl I know had the night sweats for a year and went to a natural doctor for a second opinion. Her thyroid, testosterone, and progesterone levels were all off. After 3 months of hormonal therapy her sweats went away. Her reg doctor told her that her thyroid was in normal range but the “normal range” is huge and almost everyone under 50 fits in that range.
– A few girls said their medications caused theirs – mainly birth control and antidepressants.
– If diabetes run in your family, that could be the cause.
– Change your sheets to bamboo and use alpaca blankets instead of a comforter
– A lot of girls said they had their hormone levels checked and they were terribly imbalanced. I swear my hormones are wack because everything makes me cry (literally everything). I’m going to get mine checked!
– One girl said Peachskin Sheets are the best for keeping cool and she knows people that swear by them.
– One girl said to take Chaste Tree (herbal hormone balancer). She started taking it after having the night sweats and they stopped happening. Also recommended taking black maca (she puts it in her smoothies) to help with hormones.
SOOO MANY NIGHT SWEATERS! Thyroid and hormonal imbalance seemed to be the #1 answers I got from people. Isn’t it nice to know we aren’t suffering alone? Let’s all go to the doctor and get this figured out lol!
6. Do you ladies have any ‘clean eating’ dessert ideas? I’m trying to stick to my clean diet, but really missing sweets!
We love finding great replacements for sweets when we’re trying to stick to a clean diet! Just saw this cashew chocolate chip cookie skillet on instagram and it looked SO amazing (def going to try it!). We have both made these cookies before (dangerous, hard not to eat the whole pan lol), and banana nice cream is seriously delicious (shocking)! I used chocolate protein powder and almond butter in mine. Hope that helps!
7. Do you have location recommendations for a couples shower in Chicago (in June or July)?
Hmmm…I had my baby shower at Jane’s Restaurant and it was super cute. A couple other places I think would work are Orso’s in Old Town (they have a pretty patio), Fulton Market Kitchen, or Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba in LP. Oh and Zed451 Rooftop could be a cool spot too!
8. Meggan – where are your lamps from?
My bedroom nightstand lamps are from Target (here) and the lamps in my living room are from West Elm (here) and World Market (here). I am obsesssssed with the one from West Elm but if you want the look for less, this one from Target is similar!
9. I need a new makeup bag (real bad). Which makeup bags do you use? Brooke, I think yours has your initials – where is that from? Love!
Brooke: Yes, I just got it! It’s this one from Barrington and I’m obsessed. I have the black cube print with black leather. I love how it opens up and I’m not digging blindly into the bag like I was with my old one.
Meggan: I honestly have no idea where mine is from! It was a gift I got a few years ago. I just saw some supppper cute ones at Target though. Love this orange one – the poms are great!
10. Any Mother’s Day gifts under $100?
Some things we wouldn’t mind getting – this sweatshirt (lol) along with this cute mug, this initial necklace, this portable phone charger (love the eyes!), these planters (obbbsessseeddd!), and these wine glasses!
11. I’m looking into investing in my first designer bag – inspired partially by y’all and partially by Tradsey’s mega Louis Vuitton sale going on right now. I’m torn between the LV Speedy 30 (in damier ebene) or the LV Speedy Bandouliere 25 or 30 (in the classic monogram). Do either of you have these or have a preference? I want this bag to last me for years even if I’m buying it a little pre-loved. Would love your insight even if you have another similar bag to throw into the mix 🙂
Both are great classics, but we’d probably go for the Bandouliere since it has a crossbody strap or it can be carried with the handles! We definitely prefer our crossbody bags these days, so that would be our preference!
12. Wanted to get some recommendations for your favorite non-distressed skinny or straight leg jeans. Thanks!
Meggan: My two favorite pairs of non-distressed denim are this pair by Paige and this pair from Abercrombie!
Brooke: I love this pair from Paige (see them in this post), and these from DL1961 (these run large, order 1 size down…I swear they make you look skinnier!).
13. What are your tips for first time home buyers? We are apartment dwellers and are looking to invest in a home possibly in the next year or so and wanted to know what advice you would give. Maybe a tip you wish you would have known before starting to house hunt.
Brooke: I feel like I have a lot of tips, so sorry this is going to be kind of long (and I’m obviously not an expert, but this is just from my personal experience)! First, take the emotion out of the buying process. It is emotional no doubt, but you don’t want to get caught up in everything and end up regretting your decision! Just because you’re approved for a loan of X amount doesn’t mean that’s how much you should spend. You don’t want to be spending all of your money on your home/mortgage – try to remember that when you feel like you found your “dream house” but it’s at the top of your budget. You still want to be able to travel, have date night, and buy things without the stress of debt! Also, remember the bills that come with a house, you’re not only going to be paying for your mortgage. Think about re-sale. You’re probably not going to stay in your first home forever, so consider things that most home buyers are looking for (good school district if possible, backyard, and functionality of the home). Finally, don’t get caught in a bidding war! This kind of goes along with taking the emotion out. If you end up in a bidding war, you’re most likely going to be overpaying for a home – it may not appraise at that amount, and you could end up losing money when you go to sell. We were actually out-bid 3 times, and we lost a house due to a bad inspection before we ended up finding our house! Now, I’m so happy it turned out that way even though I was sad and frustrated in those moments! Being patient will pay off in the long run.
Meggan: Those are all great tips from and to be honest I don’t have many because our process/experience was SO fast and easy. We knew we wanted to be in Kyle’s parents neighborhood so that narrowed the housing options down. His mom posted on the neighborhood blog to see if anyone was planning on selling that weren’t on the market yet. A couple responded that they we’re planning on moving soon so we flew to Dallas to look at their house. We ended up loving it and put in an offer the next day. The owners let us come and look at it several times and they answered all our questions so it was pretty easy. This isn’t our forever home and I’m sure when we start the house hunt again it won’t be easy. This time it all just kind of fell in place!
14. I have a wedding to attend in June in New York City. I don’t have anything to wear yet except I know I want to wear my nude/blush Valentino Rockstud heels. Any dress suggestions to match?
With blush rockstuds, we would keep it pretty simple with the dress so your outfit doesn’t look “overdone.” We love this dress, this one, this one (so pretty in the blush color), this one (uhg, so good!), and this one.
15. Do either of you use self-tanner? If so, what brands do you recommend?
Meggan: No but I need to use the one Brooke has because she always looks so good! I’m ordering it right now lol. I usually just use the Jergens Natural Glow lotion if I want a base tan.
Brooke: Yes! I do not go in the sun (or if I do I always load up on sunscreen), so self-tanner is a must for me! This express tan is my all-time favorite & I’ve tried a lot of different brands…this one wins hands-down (this one is runner-up)! No streaking, and you only have to leave it on for 3 hours max which is the best part! I use a kabuki brush to apply it on my face (in circular motions), and this mitt to apply to the rest of my body. I also used this instant tan the other weekend when I forgot to do self tanner and wanted a quick tan and was really impressed with it (wearing it in this post)! I also used the mitt to apply this.
16. I’m going to Chicago in a few weeks for my birthday and I’m staying a few blocks away from Michigan Avenue. I love to shop and love some good food/treats. Any recommendations?
Michigan Ave has everything for shopping so you won’t have any problem there! My fav stores on it are Nordstrom, Topshop, Aritzia, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Free People, F21, Bloomingdales and you need to stop in the Burberry store. I’ve never bought anything but the store itself is amazing! You for sure have to pick up some Gerrett Popcorn – the cheese/caramel mix is soooo good/addicting (beware). I honestly didn’t go to a lot of restaurants around there but Eataly is a must! Sooo many good treats and food in there…and wine 😉 If you want to explore other neighborhoods, check out my recommendations on this #coffeetalk (question 8). Have fun!
17. I know you get these questions a lot, but my brother is getting married this July in Lake Geneva, WI and I would love your suggestions on a dress to wear! preferably not form fitting and I’d like to stay around $100.
Ahhh love Lake Geneva! A few dress options we’re loving are here, here (so pretty in blush), here, and here (formal option). All under $100!
18. Can you guys suggest cute heeled slides/mules? I’d love a nude or cognac pair for summer!
This Sam Edelman pair is cute (and the heel isn’t too high!), obsessed with this pair, kinda want these (the bow is so fun), and this pair is in my cart!
19. Going to a bachelorette party in Chicago next weekend (May 5th, Fiesta! Ayyy). Where are some fun places for groups at night? Also, weather will be mid 60s to 70 degrees, so beautiful! Any fun outfit ideas?!
Okay honestly I didn’t really go out that much my last few years in Chicago because I was pregnant then had a kid lol so I hope these suggestions aren’t dumb (Chicago girls please chime in!). So many new places have opened since my “going out days”. Since it will be Cino De Mayo you should pop into Big Star for a marg or five (they are sooo good) but get there early because it gets packed. Some fun bars are El Hefe, Bottled Blonde (I’ve never been but a lot of Chicago girls I know seem to go a lot), Pops for Champagne, Hub51/Sub51, and Fremont (fun for brunch too). If you want to go to clubbing the only ones I really went to are Underground and Paris Club. Oh and you have to go The Hangge-Uppe for after hours. Best dance music ever. As for outfit ideas…obsessed with this dress (scandeloussss), this bodysuit (looks cute with a skirt or high waisted jeans), or this jumpsuit with some cool heels like these or these (is anyone else into the clear heels or just me!?).
Feel free to leave your questions below or you can email us at brookeandmeggan@somewherelately.com with #coffeetalk in the subject. xx
M&B
