As the sun began to set over the Scioto River, lanterns were launched onto the water carrying hope, love, happiness, healing, peace, and connection.

Last weekend the Water Lantern Festival was in Columbus, Ohio downtown right along the banks of the Scioto River, a location I frequent a lot during the summer as many great festivals are held there (one of my favorites it Food Truck Fest!). As luck would have it, summer decided to stick around for awhile longer and we couldn’t have asked for better weather to enjoy fare from the Aloha Aina food truck on a picnic blanket while assembling our water lanterns.

Water Lantern Festival is meant to be a reflective, emotional experience, writing down your hopes and dreams on your lantern to then send it out into the world. Unfortunately after a crazy busy day I blanked in the moment and went with the best thing I could think of, “B + E” inside of a heart. Then I added O-H and I-O on opposite sides to counter Bob’s own Penn State water lantern decoration. It’s football season and evidently our hopes and dreams are tied up in that at the moment haha. Despite our silliness, it was quite peaceful watching them float down the river.

Speaking of setting loose water lanterns into a waterway, at first when I heard about this event I was appalled. Who do we think we are willingly polluting just for our own pleasure? But then I found out this event is about exactly the opposite. The organizers of the festival are committed to leaving each community cleaner than when they arrived, cleaning up all the lanterns following the event and any existing trash that may have previously been in or around the water. It’s their “no trace” policy!

The lanterns are also made from rice paper and wood so they are eco-friendly. But wait, it’s a plastic LED candle? I was upset upon seeing this but after inquiring about it learned that the LED candles are recycled and reused. The use of the LED candles actually makes it easier to collect every lantern as they will continue to glow instead of burning out. But won’t they fall out? The wood bases have a slot to keep the candle secure. I swear every time I thought I found a flaw they had a solution.

Have you been to a Water Lantern Festival before? You should check if they are coming to your town!

Two years ago: Goat Cheese and Sage Pizza with Pumpkin Crust

Three years ago: Weekly Meal Plan #32

Five years ago: Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios, Cranberries & Parmesan

Six years ago: Tofu Lettuce Wraps With Cashew Sauce

Seven years ago: Mini Pumpkin Black and White Cookies

This post and giveaway is sponsored by Jord Watches. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

What is the perfect Father’s Day gift? I’ve compiled a list of gift ideas including a beautiful wood watch from JORD.

Remember when I teased my husband, the wood craft hobbyist, with my beautiful black wood watch by JORD? Well He finally got one of his own! No this is not a pregnancy announcement, I understand how that can is confusing given that this is a post titled “Father’s Day Gift Guide” but we can celebrate the purposeful lack of fatherhood as well, right? It just happens that he is a dude to whom I gifted a wood watch and thought it timely to share that it would also be a great gift, such as for Father’s Day!

Frankie

I actually got the Frankie Purpleheart & Plum for myself too while I was at it because I mean it’s purple! Granted it’s more magenta than purple but I still enjoy it. I actually liked both of our watches, in fact I threatened to steal his right after I gave it to him because it looked good on me too (and adjusting the links is just as easy as with a metal band – just saying). I wish I could have gotten him the new limited edition Black Palm Meridian watch but I already bought him a super fancy watch as a wedding present (but they do offer an interest-free payment plan) and honestly the Hyde Walnut & Black is pretty darn sharp looking as well.

Hyde

Is the man you are looking for a tech junkie or into fitness? He might either want or already have an Apple watch so you might not think a JORD wood watch is a good fit. But guess what, JORD also sells wood (and leather) Apple watch bands that are compatible with any series! So grab him a cool new wood band and if you want to make it a package deal you can throw in a baseball cap as well. Don’t forget the watches and cedar boxes can also be engraved, every watch has a one year warranty, and ships worldwide for free.

Need more ideas? If the dad in your life enjoys cooking, how about a quarterly shipment of Italian olive oil from Pomora? I’ve been getting olive oil shipped directly to me for years and it’s some of the best I’ve ever had. I love that they send both classic and flavored varieties. Get 25% off with code SPIFFY25!

Does dad like to mix up a cocktail at home? How about a cocktail of the month club from Simple Times Mixers! They are located right here in Columbus, OH which might not be a good thing for my wallet because I do both the cocktail of the month club and buy other flavors when I spot them locally. They provide deliciously unique mixers that can be blended with his favorite spirit. Get 10% off with my code SPIFFY10!/span>

So what are you going to get the important men in your life this Father’s Day? If it’s a JORD item, one of you will receive a $100 gift code towards their purchase! Didn’t snag the grand prize? Technically everyone wins because everyone who enters will receive a 10% off gift code upon the conclusion of the giveaway. Enter by clicking HERE!

Wooden Wrist Watch

Two years ago: Grilled Garlic & Peppercorn Pork Tenderloin with Corn Salsa

Six years ago: Twinkie Truffles

Eight years ago: Grilled Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

This post is sponsored by Jord Watches. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

When you think of watches, the image that pops into your mind is likely shiny and metallic. But I am here to pop that little thought bubble with Jord wood watches!

I interrupt your normally scheduled recipe post to talk about time – still a vital part of a recipe but in this case I am talking about the wearable type of time – a watch! But not just any watch, a wood watch! I have coveted these Jord (pronounced Yode, like Yoda without the -a) watches ever since I first spotted one, particularly the frankie series which comes in various colors but I am partial to the ebony & gold, thedark sandalwood & emerald, and obviously the purpleheart & plum – a purple wood watch<3!

I used to wear watches a lot, particularly for style, but the ever-growing attachment to my cell phone had diminished the functionality of watches as I relied on my cell phone to tell me the time. That doesn’t mean I don’t still wear watches from time to time, but let’s just say someone asked me what time it was once while wearing one, to which I responded I don’t know because the battery had been dead for ages. I did tell you I particularly like watches for style and I wasn’t kidding.

Needless to say it has been a hot minute since I last acquired a new (functional) watch. So even though I totally dig the emerald face and the all purple versions of the frankie, it was probably best for me to start with the ebony as it would pair with more things. My husband is @themakeshitcraftsman so needless to say he was quite jealous of my new wood watch. Don’t tell him but if I put the extra links back in he could wear mine because many of their styles are unisex.

But back to my watch. As you can see from the photos ebony is a dark, highly saturated wood with a glossy sheen. What you might not know is that is is found in East Africa.  It is also a very hard wood, making it challenging to work with – but that just means the watch is more durable! If you are looing for a different watch then the Rolex, Luxe watches will help you sell your rolex so you can get money to by a Jord watch. As for Jord, they are a St. Louis based company who likes to develop new designs that are natural yet sophisticated, while combining reclaimed materials with quality components. And yes they truly are made from wood! I’ve only seen one other wood watch brand before but Jord watches are the prettiest. They are light without feeling cheap, are beautifully made, and I loved how I could add some bracelets to change it up and go with my style for the day. Or I can wear it by itself for a more sophisticated minimalism.

If I do decide to be nice and buy Bob his own, I might just have to get his engraved – I could make him wait until our 5 years anniversary since the gift is wood haha. You can also get a cedar humidor box engraved as well. The sneaky part will be measuring their wrist without them knowing because you can have them sized to fit for the lucky recipient. Pro tip: I actually did buy him a watch for our wedding and I measured some of his other watches when he wasn’t home. There are also options for customization such as mixing and matching faces and woods! I would love to see that green or purple face on the ebony wood band. Other useful info is that every watch has a one year warranty and ships worldwide for free – FREE!

The best part about me bragging about my new watch? One of you will receive a $100 gift code towards the purchase of any watch from their collection! Don’t like the odds of being the one of many? Technically everyone wins because if you are not the grand prize winner, you will still receive a 10% off gift code upon the conclusion of the giveaway. Enter by clicking HERE! ***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Wooden Wrist Watch

One of the reasons we chose our venue (Dock 580-The Venue) was it’s courtyard next to the indoor space, but since this is Ohio we made sure we enjoyed the indoor option in case of inclement weather because we didn’t want to rent a tent “just in case”. Not only are they expensive to rent, neither of us would have liked how the outdoor space looked with a tent and it would have been there rain or shine. Spoiler alert: it rained on our wedding day so we ended up having the ceremony inside which I was super bummed about but alas it was out of our control and not worth getting upset over.

Since we are efficient, after the rehearsal we went upstairs to Juniper, a rooftop bar and restaurant for a few pre-dinner cocktails. The view didn’t hurt either. And in case you were wondering, yes Bob is in fact wearing an R2D2 suit. And yes I knew about it because am wearing a dress with a galaxy print on it to stay on theme. Originally I wanted to wear a gold dress for a nod to C3PO but I couldn’t find any that didn’t look totally obnoxious. Because R2D2 clearly is not obnoxious, except maybe obnoxiously amazing. But I digress, it’s time for dinner!

Bleu & Fig isn’t a restaurant open at all times to come in and dine. Instead they are a boutique event space and full service catering company. It is located just North of where we live in Clintonville and as such we make sure to snatch up tickets to any of their events whenever possible. In fact we have tickets to their brunch this coming Sunday and again in November. I’d say you should go buy tickets but they are both already sold out! There’s a reason, because it’s some of the best food we’ve had in town.

After we snacked on fresh veggies, chips, and dip, we got to dive into our customized buffet style spread complete with honey yeast bread (which sounds oh so simple but it’s oh so amazing), lemon basil chicken with tomato basil bruschetta, roasted asparagus with marcona almonds, summer vegetable orzo with Parmesan vinaigrette, and for dessert chocolate truffle buttercream brownies! As usual everything was beautifully plated and as delicious to eat as it was pretty to look at.

Obviously we love the food and service at Bleu & Fig but another awesome perk is that it is a BYOB event space which if you have ever planned a wedding or any big event with alcohol before you know that this definitely helps cut down on costs (heck we did it for our wedding day too). We kept it simple with a couple kinds of beer and wine but you are welcome to bring whatever your prefer.

We cannot thank Bob’s parents enough for trusting our judgement to book Bleu & Fig for our rehearsal dinner (as they live in another state), all of our family and friends who attended, and of course everyone at Bleu & Fig for continuing to serve up their best. Whenever anyone is searching for places to host an event I always chime in with Bleu & Fig. Heck you can even get married there! Our wedding guest list was a bit too large for their space but I know people who have done it and loved it!

P.S. We also ordered some of their lemon crinkle cookies to be served on our wedding dessert bar the next day. We almost got a couple towers of their candied bacon but thought we would have too much. Jokes was on us though because as I will share tomorrow our dessert table didn’t stand a chance!

P.P.S. You cannot turn me off. Exhibit A: this photo above that Haley caught of me taking all these pictures haha!

P.P.S. In case you were wondering, Bob got his suit from JCPenny, my dress was from Rent the Runway, shoes are Katy Perry (Macy’s) and jewelry from Rocksbox.

Two years ago: Weekly Meal Plan #35

Four years ago: Pumpkin Pecan Oatmeal

Five years ago: Pumpkin Popcorn Balls

Six years ago: Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

A little piece of Munich, Germany resides right here in Columbus, Ohio. You might not be able to ask for more than bier cheese, pretzels, and beer, but they offer lots more!

I’ve been to three locations of Hofbrauhaus in my life thus far, the first being Cincinatti, OH (technically Newport, KY and oddly enough I was still living in Memphis, TN at the time), the second in Berlin, Germany, and most recently my current town of Columbus, OH. Did you know there are only 8 locations in the US and three (if you count Newport since it’s on the border) are in Ohio. Told you Ohio isn’t a flew-over state! But let’s stay on topic.

On my recent visit to Hofbrauhaus with some of my fellow CbusFoodBloggers, we ordered an array of items from what you’d expect to see on the menu like sausage and schnitzel, to things like salmon and salads. So just in case someone wants to go to Hofbrauhaus and someone else doesn’t want German food, there’s no excuse because they have other options! But in reality, can you really turn down pretzels and bier cheese?

But seriously, to make sure we didn’t miss anything we started with the “yard” sampler consisting of fried pickles with Ranch, potato pancakes with applesauce, sauerkraut balls with honey mustard, and of course pretzels with bier cheese. We may have ordered some extra pretzels for good measure.

As per usual I had a hard time deciding what to order and thankfully Caroline sitting next to me was debating the same two menu items as I was so we ordered one of each and split them! Sure they are not drastically different, but that’s why it was that much more difficult to pick between the two! Yes they were both delicious, but my favorite discovery was bier cheese covered spaetzle – omg. But like I mentioned earlier, if you’re not feeling the heavy stuff, they also have a black and bleu steak salad that looked incredible as well as pan sear salmon topped with a Dunkel bourbon glaze.

So yes all the food was splendidly delicious and total comfort food perfect for this time of year, especially since we seemed to have skipped fall and have gone straight into winter (requiring more comfort than usual). But of course in my world you can’t have a meal without dessert so we then ordered an array of their desserts offerings as well. This included an apfel strudel, cinnamon sugar pretzel, and a variety of cream puffs including strawberry, Boston cream, and chocolate.

So I’ve talked a lot about the food thus far, but you might notice something is missing. Oh right the beer! Silly me. Yes we have Hofbrauhaus beer brewed locally right in Columbus, OH (and at the other 7 lucky spots in the US). And they make a lot of it! Here are some interesting facts that we learned while taking a quick tour of their facility located on site.

As you might have guessed, it’s busy season right now for breweries like Hobrauhaus, producing about 20,000 liters of beer per month.  (in slower seasons they still make 10-15 liters/month). To break it down, that means they are making two to three 2,000 liter batches every week! For perspective, how much do you consume in a week?

If you think the US made beer can’t possibly taste like the original in Munich, this again. In order to maintain the flavor, all of the ingredients except for the water are imported from Germany. Granted, the water can impact the flavor but I think we can all agree that importing water for brewing beer would be insane (especially being in a city where another big brewing company who-shall-not-be-named already spent the money to install a water system for the entire city making our water ideal for brewing beer).

Other fun facts that I cannot work into a conversational manner:

• Like many breweries, the spent grain is given to farmers who use it in their feed.
• They utilize something called the green tea leaf paradox to remove solids from the beer by spinning, causing the solids to collect in the center while the pull the filter beer out from the sides. Try it with your next cup of loose leaf tea, you’ll see that the solids collect in the middle when you swirl it around!
• All of their beer is naturally carbonated, which means they are not adding CO2 to produce those bubbles, it’s from the hard working yeast!
• None of their beers are ever kegged, instead the beer goes straight to the taps at the bar.

So the take home of my visit? Go there for the bier cheese and pretzels bigger than the size of your head and stay for the beer also served in glasses bigger than the size of your head.

Three years ago: Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Chili

Four years ago: Bagel Quiche

Five years ago: Easy Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Fudge

Six years ago: Guacamole Seasoning

Four years ago: Breakfast Quesadillas

We are taking a break from the food today for my latest Stitch Fix! As our engagement photos are this weekend I asked for some pieces to wear such as cozy sweaters and hopefully a turquoise maxi dress because we will be returning home to Rochester, NY in hopes of catching some fall colors. Here goes!

P.S. Some of the jewelry I am wearing is from my other favorite subscription, Rocksbox. To try it out, use ERINBFF367 for a free month! You can wear and return as frequently as you want every month and you can buy the ones you want to keep!

1. Cupcakes and Cashmere Mia Dress / S / $108: While this isn’t a maxi dress it is turquoise, but unfortunately shorter than I wanted for our engagement photos. Also, undefined waists are not flattering on me. I tried it with a belt but didn’t feel like it worked. RETURN.

2. Pink Clover Alysse Cross Back Pullover/ XS / $48: I really wanted to keep this sweater, but I envisioned all the thread pulls that would occur from necklaces like the pendant one I am wearing in this photo which is notorious for doing such things to sweaters like this. And I am about to go full purple for my hair on Thursday and I’m not sure I need more purple on my person. RETURN.

3. Mello Day Rizzo Mock Neck Pullover / XS / $46: This sweater was so stinking soft and cozy! I don’t usually like turtle necks but this shorter mock neck kinda works. However, while I’m not opposed to dolman sleeves, I felt like it should have been one or the other. On the other hand, my friend loved it so I kept it for her!

4. Boom Boom Jeans Julianna Cargo Skinny Pant / 2 / $48: Soooooo I have more than one pair of black pants. But dang it these fit so well and felt great and such a great price too! Not to mention the zipper pockets which if they weren’t there I probably wouldn’t have bought them. I’m a sucker, KEEP.

5. BC Footwear Ringmaster Faux Suede Bootie / 7.5 / $80: I really like the top stitch on this bootie but something about them shape wise seemed off to me. I ended up finding a similar colored bootie for cheaper at Nordstrom Rack anyway. RETURN.

What’s your verdict of this month’s fix? Make sure to tell your stylist if there’s anything you want to see in your next fix!

For more details on Stitch Fix and how it works, check out my post from December 2014 or my past fixes listed below. There is also Stitch Fix for men! I bet there are plenty of men in your life that would rather have his clothing mailed to him than have to go to the store (or even shop online).

• December 2014 Stitch Fix #6
• February 2015 Stitch Fix #7
• April 2015 Stitch Fix #8
• June 2015 Stitch Fix #9
• August 2015 Stitch Fix #10
• September 2015 Stitch Fix #11
• November 2015 Stitch Fix #12
• January 2016 Stitch Fix #13
• April 2016 Stitch Fix #14
• April 2016 Stitch Fix #15
• June 2016 Stitch Fix #16
• August 2016 Stitch Fix #17
• October 2016 Stitch Fix #18
• December 2016 Stitch Fix #19
• December 2016 Stitch Fix #20
• February 2017 Stitch Fix #21
• April 2017 Stitch Fix #22 
• June 2017 Stitch Fix #23
• August 2017 Stitch Fix #24

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post! I pay for these clothes on my own. However, this post does provide referral links for new sign ups which gives me a little credit to go towards my next box. Join me in the journey by signing up HERE. 

Two years ago: Chocolate Chip Peanut Pie

Three years ago: Homemade Peanut Butter Goo Goo Clusters

Four years ago: Crispy Gnocchi

Six years ago: Butternut Squash Soup

Sydney returned to me for this month’s Stitch Fix! Hooray! She gets me more than any stylist I’ve had over the years and last month was a bust without her. As usual she did a great job referring to my note and my style board and picked out pieces that were clearly inspired by them. Let’s take a look shall we?

P.S. Most of the jewelry I am wearing is from my other favorite subscription, Rocksbox (except obviously for the necklace I got). If you wanna try it out, you can use my code ERINBFF367 for a free month! I promise it’s addicting. Or maybe that should be a warning? Either way worth trying for a month for free!

1. Collective Concepts Carrina Dress / S / $74: While I appreciated the fulfillment of my request for a strappy dress, I was totally not digging the cut, print, or the crochet that I keep saying I don’t like. It was not flattering at all and does nothing for my waistline (which I work my butt off to maintain and I’m not about to make it disappear). But there always seems to be one item in my fixes that is just off the mark. Maybe I need to uncheck the box that tells my stylist to include a piece outside my usual? RETURN.

2. Papermoon Sandie Knit Top / XS / $34: In case you didn’t notice I asked for strappy things and my stylist totally delivered! Pardon my laziness to not change into a better bra for this (a bralette would be cute), but I really love how this top looks. However I’m undecided about the fabric. It’s a smooth, stretchy polyester which I have a few dresses in and love but I’ve just experienced it in shirt form. It’s really comfortable though. Maybe? See front shot below.

3. Margaret M Lani Short / S / $68: I also requested dark printed shorts and while my stylist clearly delivered on all my requests, I would have preferred something darker. But regardless of hue, I’m totally not digging the print. They are super comfortable, although almost too comfortable and feel like I should be wearing them to bed. Granted if they had been in a better print/color that would not be an issue. Alas. RETURN.

4. Bay to Baubles Remmy Fringe Pendant / $34: Guess what, I also requested a silver pendant necklace! When I first pulled this out I was in love. But then I put it on and the metal fringes kept getting out of line when I moved around and they jingled a bit. Not that I don’t have other necklaces that do these things, I’m just trying to decide if it’s worth $34. Maybe?

5. Papermoon Pensacola Strappy Halter Blouse / XS / $28: I saved the best for last! This strappy tank was a winner the moment I took it out of the box. I didn’t even have to try it on to know I wanted to keep it but of course I did just in case. And holy crap that price is just too good to be true! My favorite piece in the box by far and a definite KEEPER!

What’s your verdict of this month’s fix? Make sure to tell your stylist if there’s anything you want to see in your next fix!

For more details on Stitch Fix and how it works, check out my post from December 2014 or my past fixes listed below. There is also Stitch Fix for men! I bet there are plenty of men in your life that would rather have his clothing mailed to him than have to go to the store (or even shop online).

• December 2014 Stitch Fix #6
• February 2015 Stitch Fix #7
• April 2015 Stitch Fix #8
• June 2015 Stitch Fix #9
• August 2015 Stitch Fix #10
• September 2015 Stitch Fix #11
• November 2015 Stitch Fix #12
• January 2016 Stitch Fix #13
• April 2016 Stitch Fix #14
• April 2016 Stitch Fix #15
• June 2016 Stitch Fix #16
• August 2016 Stitch Fix #17
• October 2016 Stitch Fix #18
• December 2016 Stitch Fix #19
• December 2016 Stitch Fix #20
• February 2017 Stitch Fix #21
• April 2017 Stitch Fix #22 
• June 2017 Stitch Fix #23

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post! I pay for these clothes on my own. However, this post does provide referral links for new sign ups which gives me a little credit to go towards my next box. Join me in the journey by signing up HERE. 

Two years ago: White Chocolate Chip Key Lime Pie Oreo Cookies

Three years ago: Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Four years ago: Single Serving Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie

Six years ago: Eggplant Veggie Burgers

Come visit Ohio and try our wine! Seriously, it’s a thing here. Don’t believe me? Check out my recent visit to Camelot Cellars right here in Columbus, OH.

Did you know Ohio is the 8th largest wine producer in the U.S.? Kind of unexpected since it’s not the usual area of the country one thinks of when thinking about wine but 268 wineries call Ohio home! Ohio’s fertile soil and temperate growing climate are responsible for producing award-winning wines. For example, 216 Ohio wines earned medals in the 2017 Ohio Wine Competition, 92 at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, 40 from the 2016 Indy International Wine Competition, and Harmony Hill Vineyards & Estate Winery garnered silver medals for wines entered in the Great American International Wine Competition. A full list of Ohio wineries can be found here.

In celebration of June being Ohio Wine Month, I made sure to visit at least one. From Ohio’s lakes to its countryside, Ohio wineries each offer something unique and many feature restaurants, overnight accommodations, patios, live music and vineyard tours. Originally I had grand plans to venture out to Lancaster, Ohio to visit Rockside Winery and Vineyards because I’ve heard it’s beautiful out there and it happens to be near Rockmill Brewery which I’ve also had on my to-do list in addition to a couple restaurants and bakeries. But nature had other plans as it rained the entire day I had planned to do so. Instead I decided to show some love to one of the wineries right here in Columbus.

Camelot Cellars is an urban boutique winery that used to be located in the Short North but recently relocated to Olde Town East and if you didn’t notice from my photo above, they’ve won more than a couple medals. I love this winery because they have something for everyone from candy sweet to super dry. But not only do they make their own wine and offer tours and wine flights, you can also sign up for their wine club, rent their space for events, stay for happy hour and dinner, or even make your own wine! They always have something fun going on so check their event calendar to pick the perfect night to go.

Originally we had planned to just try a couple glasses of wine and return home to cook dinner, but after being enticed by their freshly made pasta by the same people who run Borgata, our plans quickly changed. Who wants to do dishes on a Friday night anyway? As for the wine, Bob chose the Camelot Sampler wine tasting which included Sonoma DC Chardonnay, Stags Leap Merlot, Mosel Valley Gewürztraminer, Italian Montepulciano, White Zinfandel and Australian Cabernet/Shiraz. Bob said it was the best Chardonnay he’s ever had! As for me, I chose the Pinot Noir flight because the owner suggested it would pair well with their basil pesto which I’m obsessed with. This flight came with Oregon Pinot Noir, Chilean Pinot Noir, and Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir which was my favorite.

As for the food, I had already visited recently with the Columbus Food Bloggers and as I mentioned fell in love with their basil pesto, so we made sure both of our orders involved pesto in some form. Bob had the Genovese which is house-made gnocchi with fresh house-made basil pesto – duh. I ordered the Antipasto Platter which was a spread featuring prosciutto di parma, salami, mortadella, and assorted Ohio cheeses served with Mediterranean olives, house-made basil pesto and toasted baguette slices. Yes pesto on a meat and cheese plate. Try it you won’e regret it. But it honestly was had to decide what to order because my last visit there were pretty much had one of everything and it was all delicious. Oh the joys of being a food blogger.

Which Ohio wine is your favorite? Show them some love on social media this month because the Ohio Grape Industries Committee is hosting a contest! To enter, share a photo on social media at an Ohio winery or enjoying an Ohio wine from a participating retailer and tag it with #OhioWine and #30CheersOH. Each day the committee will randomly pick a winner using those hashtags and give away something wine-related, including gift certificates, wares and souvenirs via participating wineries and retailers. At the end of the month all 30 winners will automatically be entered into a grand prize drawing for pizza, a winery tour and overnight stay at French Ridge Vineyards!

One year ago: Hot Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats

Two years ago: Sourdough Banana Nut Bread

Three years ago: Funfetti Stuffed Chocolate M&M Cookie Cake

Four years ago: Everything Bagel Bites with Bacon-Scallion Cream Cheese Dip

Six years ago: Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

For this month’s Stitch Fix, my usual stylist was not available so Laura filled in for her. While she wasn’t able to locate the exact items I pinned (which is not unusual) she did pull inspiration from my style board and picked items for my trip to Key Largo this weekend. I’m still without a kimono but one of these days I will find a bright colored one dang it! I’ve searched stores as well as tend to only find dark or neutral colors. If you have seen one let me know ;-). But I digress, this month’s fix wasn’t my favorite. Some of it had potential but just didn’t quite make the cut. What do you think?

P.S. Most of the jewelry I am wearing is from my other favorite subscription, Rocksbox. If you wanna try it out, you can use my code ERINBFF367 for a free month! I promise it’s addicting. Or maybe that should be a warning? Either way worth trying for a month for free!

1. Papermoon Wadsworth Crochet Back Knit Halter Top / XS / $38: Purple! We all know I love purple and although I’ve said that I’m not a huge fan of crochet/lace time and time again I actually didn’t mind it here (please excuse the exposed bra straps I was kind of in a hurry and didn’t feel like changing bras). However, as luck would have it I already have a very similar tank top. As in I  have a purple top with an incredibly similar print and cut and therefore it makes zero sense to keep. Alas, RETURN.

2. Alice Blue Johnson Crochet Detail Tank / XS / $44: I just can’t. This top is all sorts of wrong for me. First off, again with the crochet? I wouldn’t have necessarily minded those details on the bottom hem but having them on two other layers was just no good. Speaking of those layers they are completely unflattering. No hesitation, RETURN.

3. Your Story Donta Ruffle Trim Mixed Material Top / XS / $48: While the color of this top was pretty, I was again not a fan of the ruffles. I’m not 100% opposed to girly features in my clothing but when you are 32 and yet sometimes get mistaken for 18, you tend to shy away from frilly things. Besides the fact that in general I don’t find myself drawn to them in the first place. If this had had clean cut hems or some kind of studded or zipper details I would have been all over it. Instead, RETURN.

4. Level 99 Jenny Cargo Skinny Pant / 2 / $108: These pants had fun details and were so close to finding a home in my closet but I wasn’t completely sold on the cargo pockets. I probably would have gone up a size if I had decided to keep them but at the same time they had some stretch to them and may have stretched out with wear. I enjoyed the darker gray color and that they were soft/comfortable but in the end the price was the killer, RETURN.

5. Adorne Ayden Jersey Maxi Dress / S / $88: Bob loved this dress. Sure it fits me well, had a fun slit, and was a great material for a trip to Key Largo but dang it I just don’t like the print! You are probably all out there thinking I am a crazy person but I know what I like and don’t like and unfortunately the dislike of the print outweighed the approving fit. Even if I kept it I doubt I would have worn it again after Key Largo. Sorry Bob, RETURN.

What’s your verdict of this month’s fix? Make sure to tell your stylist if there’s anything you want to see in your next fix!

For more details on Stitch Fix and how it works, check out my post from December 2014 or my past fixes listed below. There is also Stitch Fix for men! I bet there are plenty of men in your life that would rather have his clothing mailed to him than have to go to the store (or even shop online).

• December 2014 Stitch Fix #6
• February 2015 Stitch Fix #7
• April 2015 Stitch Fix #8
• June 2015 Stitch Fix #9
• August 2015 Stitch Fix #10
• September 2015 Stitch Fix #11
• November 2015 Stitch Fix #12
• January 2016 Stitch Fix #13
• April 2016 Stitch Fix #14
• April 2016 Stitch Fix #15
• June 2016 Stitch Fix #16
• August 2016 Stitch Fix #17
• October 2016 Stitch Fix #18
• December 2016 Stitch Fix #19
• December 2016 Stitch Fix #20
• February 2017 Stitch Fix #21
• April 2017 Stitch Fix #22

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post! I pay for these clothes on my own. However, this post does provide referral links for new sign ups which gives me a little credit to go towards my next box. Join me in the journey by signing up HERE. 

One year ago: Chorizo Breakfast Burritos

Two years ago: Boozy Ginger-Lemon Fruit Salad

Five years ago: Baked Blueberry French Toast with Streusel Topping

Six years ago: Chick’amole Salad Sandwich

I’m taking a break from your regularly scheduled foodgasm to tell you about my latest experience with buying eyeglasses online. Last year, after much deliberation, I purchased my first pair of glasses online. I used the tools to upload my photo to virtually try on glasses, compared the sizes of the frame options to a pair I already owned, and got everyone’s opinion. In the end the glasses I got were larger than I anticipated but I admit they did grow on me. However, I tend to not leave the house with them on and decided it was time to get some that I felt more confident in.

The new website that I tried, GlassesShop.com, worked very similarly to the one I had used previously and at first I was a bit nervous to not be able to try them on in person, but decided it was worth the risk because heck I’m gonna be honest with you, I was going to get 2 complimentary pairs in exchange for a review. Conveniently I had just gone to the eye doctor so I had my new script ready to go.

GlassesShop.com focuses on online eyeglasses and sunglasses, and yes you can even get prescription sunglasses! But since I have contacts I wasn’t in need of prescription sunglasses. Once I picked my favorite glasses frames, I uploaded my photo to get an idea of how they’d look on me, narrowed down my favorites to 2, added my script, submitted my order, and then anxiously waited for them to arrive. Yes I’m actually going to show photos of my head and not a body with it’s head chopped off like in all my Stitch Fix posts!

Pardon my faded hair as I’ve been neglecting my oVertone. But I digress. The first pair I chose was maroon and they are slightly wide for my face, but I knew that when ordering because they showed up as such when I virtually tried them on. However, I don’t mind it that much (obviously because I ordered them knowing this) and enjoy that they are an every day pair of glasses that are not black. And they are not as huge as my previous pair.

For the second pair, I went out on a limb and got a pair of clear green frames and guys, they were actually my favorite pair! Not only are they the perfect size I love the color and how they look on me. Really making those green eyes pop ;-)! Now, why should you care about my free glasses? Well there is something in it for you too! Whether you want glasses frames just for fashion or if you need prescription glasses I have a special coupon code “GSHOT50” that gives you 50% off on eyeglasses and sunglasses with free lenses (sale frames excluded).

Disclosure: I was provided with two complimentary pairs of prescription glasses. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.