Happy Friday, friends! I’m sharing a few photos of our journey from Rabat to Fes – with a stop at the Volubilis ruins in between – on this similarly warm and sunny day in D.C. I hope everyone has spectacular weekend plans! Mine involve brunching, working out, and more brunching with mom.
Cheers,
Jackietara
I can hardly believe it myself, but I’m back from my whirlwind trip to Morocco! We somehow managed to cram 5 cities into 8 days, with 2.5 days of car rides (and one camel ride) in-between. I enjoyed every minute of our week-long trek across the country, so I have decided that the best way to share my trip with you is chronologically… After an 8-hour plane ride from Dulles to Paris, a 4-hour layover, and another 4-hour plane ride to Casablanca, we finally arrived.
We were greeted by Aziz, who would be our amazing driver for the duration of our trip, at the airport in Casablanca. He had already met up with my sister, Natalie, who had arrived hours earlier from Senegal, so we all hopped in the car to travel from Casablanca to Rabat, our first destination. In Morocco, the hotels we stayed in were “riads,” traditional Moroccan houses/palaces with an interior garden or courtyard. Riad Kalaa, in the heart of Rabat, had a beautiful Andalusian courtyard with stone and marble architecture. The room I shared with Natalie was super cozy and had amazing amenities. It was so cozy, in fact, that Natalie and I didn’t want to get out of bed. Thankfully, Riad Kaala had a filling and delicious breakfast of traditional breads, yogurt, and fresh-squeezed orange juice that tempted us to leave our room.
Our stay in Rabat was a short one, but a great intro to Moroccan culture and hospitality. I would quickly learn that Morocco is home to beautiful medinas, delicious kefta kebabs, and cats – lots of cats.
– Jackietara
It’s official – I am a Stella & Dot Independent Stylist! I have developed a love for S&D jewelry and products over the past few years, so it was only natural for me to further my relationship with the company by joining it. A celebration was in order, so I hosted my debut trunk show, Bubbles and Baubles, in February and invited some of my favorite girlfriends over to take a look at some of my favorite pieces from the spring line.
Edgy delicates are super in this spring, so I was happy to see pieces like the Rebel Cluster Necklace (currently sold out but will be back!) added to the mix. I’m usually all about gold jewelry, but I am completely obsessed with the new Eclipse Pendant – a gunmetal-toned adjustable necklace with smoky, clear, and opalescent stones. So chic.
You can shop YOUR favorite looks from the Stella & Dot spring line here!
What are your favorite jewelry trends this spring?
Xo,
Jackietara
When I went down to Richmond a couple weekend’s ago, B and I found a couple of gems on our adventure together. Our first mission: eat all the donuts. Promptly after I arrived in RVA, we jumped in the car to get to Sugar Shack Donuts, known for their amazing – you guessed it – donuts. It was insanely hard to choose which delectable doughy rounds to include in our box of a half dozen, but we settled on a chocolate glaze, strawberry, banana, coconut, Samoa (which tasted just like the Girl Scout cookie!), and my personal favorite – a simple sugar.
And if you give a girl a donut, she’ll want some coffee to go with it… so we headed to Shockoe Espresso & Roastery for our second mission: drink all the coffee. Shockoe has a very impressive wall of beans – some they roast in-house, and others from roasters like Mill Mountain Coffee in Roanoke, Virginia. I ordered a cappuccino to sip along with our donuts, while B opted for a cafe au laite – both very good. I left with a very happy tummy and a bag of Mill Mountain’s Ethiopian Harrar beans that I have been using for my pour over coffee in the morning. Delish!
Shockoe had a great atmosphere with their light-filled space and brick walls, and was the first of three coffee shops we visited that day. Needless to say, we were hopped up on caffeine the entire afternoon. A day in the life of a coffee lover…
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Native Run Band Tee
Zara Houndstooth Blazer old
Gap Jeans
Frye Melissa Button Boots
Stella & Dot Charm Necklace
Vintage Leather Satchel
Some favorite 2014 moments from Instagram @jackietara
It’s been a little while since I’ve written a blog post, but I suppose that’s what the holidays can do to you. I am blessed in having most of my immediate family close by, but during the holiday season that translates into frequent day trips to spend time and have meals with my parents and grandparents. I didn’t plan my 2-week long break well, because now that all of the family activities are over, I’m sitting home alone having interpersonal interaction withdrawal. I’m one of those souls who needs down time every once in a while to recharge, but the process of getting to that I’m-happy-to-be-by-myself state is a rough one. Shoot me, I’m a people pleasing people person.
Now that I have finally reached that happy place, I want to share some reflections of 2014 rather than a typical style post. I would be lying if I said that 2014 was a great year, but some really good things did come out of it (much to my surprise and delight). 2014 was a year of change: a new demanding role at work; my sister moving across the world; a break up; and my brother growing up practically at the speed of light. Out of these momentous changes, however, I did find a strength within myself that I didn’t event know existed, along with these things:
The confidence to try a new workout routine and stick with it long enough to see results, both internal and external
Having time to rediscover my love of painting
A curious desire to learn more about brewing coffee at home (my new favorite hobbie!)
The unconditional love and support of my amazing friends, and the willingness to humbly support them in return
A little room in my heart for my new and amazing beau
An opportunity to work with my talented photographer friends, Paul B. Jones and Traci J. Brooks, who’s photos appear here often
An openness to meeting and working with new colleagues and friends
The appreciation for everyday things and neighborhood treasures
And a refreshed sense of wonder and excitement for what is next
The possibilities are endless, and I haven’t felt that way in a long time. Thank you for reading Jackietara and supporting this blog as I continue to learn and grow. Cheers, to the closing of this year’s chapter in each of our lives, and to the beginning of a bright and new year.
Jackietara
T and I don’t have the biggest apartment but we love [and live] to entertain family and friends and wanted to host Mother’s Day this year. Since having 10 guests over for brunch at our place wasn’t an option, we searched for brunch places in D.C. [with a very specific set of criteria] and settled on Le Grenier on H Street, in our very own neighborhood.
Le Grenier’s charming bistro-like ambiance [with its brick interior, shabby-chic chairs, and wire birdcages] and affordable $18 brunch deal was the perfect combination for our group. Their brunch offerings, including savory crepes, steak and fries, endless crusty bread, and the plat du joir [which happened to be flaky Arctic char that day] paired with a glass of Champagne Blanc de Blanc, were sure to please everyone at the table… and were a hit! To add a little personal touch to the table I made place cards and strategically placed everyone – a detail I recommend to anyone hosting a group of ten people!
The best thing about organizing Mother’s Day brunch at Le Grenier was having impeccable service [did I mention the endless the bread?!] that allowed us to relax, and more importantly to enjoy spending time with one another. I couldn’t have asked for a better day with my mom, and I hope everyone was able to celebrate their mother, near or far!
Photography also by Teddy Wolff
Jackietara
I’m back from a most excellent adventure with T in Mexico City and am quickly springing back into my hectic DC life. Things are much colder here than in lovely 70-degree Mexico, but I always love coming home after a great trip. I told Teddy on our drive home from the airport, “the best part about coming home after a traveling to an amazing new place is how it puts my life back in perspective.” There really is so much more out there than the minutia of the everyday, which really brings a wave of positivity into my life.
Teddy and I stayed in Roma Norte, a neighborhood just west of Mexico City’s historic center, with a couple in a renovated apartment that we found on Airbnb. If you have plans to travel to Mexico City, I highly recommend using Airbnb [here is where we stayed!]. The neighborhood eerily paralleled the charming Capitol Hill and Bloomingdale areas of the District, with its brick facades, scattered parks, cute dogs, and young families. It is very walkable, which T and I took full advantage of. The primary focus of our trip was food photography for Teddy’s portfolio [check out his blog for awesome photos taken during our adventures of Mexican cuisine and culture!] and then eating said food, so walking to work off our frequent meals was an absolute must.
We arrived in Mexico in the afternoon, which left us a few hours to acquaint ourselves with our bustling street. After a few minutes of exploring, we found a nice french cafe with outdoor seating [basically every restaurant and bar has a patio that sometimes extend into the street] and quiet charm. It was only fitting to order tequila and mezcal as our first drinks in Mexico, which we quickly learned from locals is meant to be sipped, not taken as a shot. Sipping these strong drinks is made easier and more pleasant by a spice mix frequently used on fruit [and on the rim of cocktail glasses], called chile de árbol. We both absolutely love the spice, so I need to see where I can find it in the states!
Photography also by Teddy Wolff
Jackietara
In addition to all of my 2014 goals, I also feel the need to majorly prioritize time with my family this year. My younger sister, Natalie, is heading to Senegal, Africa at the beginning of March for a 2-year service with the Peace Corps. I admire her adventurous spirit and dedication to fulfilling her goal of pursuing a once-in-a-lifetime experience in a foreign country, but I am going to miss her terribly while she is gone. My younger brother is a Sophomore in high school and is quickly growing up: in two more years and he will be off to college pursuing his dreams as well. I also have an amazing mother, who will soon be an empty-nester, so now is the time to take full advantage of the time we have all together.
A few days before Christmas, our family was able to visit Oak Shade Farm in Rixeyville, Virginia to pick out and chop down our own tree. This has been a tradition of ours for the past couple of years, and I was so glad we could do it again this year! We lucked out with some magical 70 degree weather that day, perfect for spending the day on a farm looking at trees, drinking warm cider, and cuddling with the most adorable 3-week old bunnies.
The truth is that everything is moving too fast and there’s not enough time to take it all in. It’s these moments that I will cherish now, and forever.
Photography by Teddy Wolff
Jackietara
Well, 2014, here we are. A new year, a new start. There are so many things to look forward to, to plan, to do. I’m at a good, steady, happy place in my life: we aren’t moving any time soon, and since we are renting, we have no real home improvements to make. However, I’m constantly looking for ways to organize our space. Our living room wall is in need of some face-lifting with a new frame design [it’s been virtually nonexistent since we moved in a year and a half ago] and the cabinet in our bedroom needs some serious organizing for all of my art and craft supplies currently floating about freely.
2013 was a crazy busy year with work, for both me and T. I transitioned into a new role as a facility rentals coordinator and T was full speed ahead with building client relationships and creating beautiful photographs for them. And it isn’t stopping! He’s been asked to join the ASMP 8×10 panel in January to talk about some of his work and I am so excited for him!
On the leisure front, we are taking our first vacation with just the two of us at the end of January to… Mexico City! I haven’t taken a vacation in a year, so this will truly be exciting and relaxing. A whole week of exploring and eating our way through the city, and documenting it all of course. T has a new camera and micro lens to test out, so Mexican cuisine will be the perfect subject to photograph.
2014 already has a lot in store for us, but here are some other goals I hope to accomplish in the new year:
A bad habit I’d like to break: Laziness
Usually after a long day all I want to do is sit down on the couch with a glass of wine and watch TV or a movie. I think it’s OK to do this sometimes, but my time can be used so much more productively! Instead of plopping down, I’d like to do a quick 10-minute workout [like Popsugar’s 10-Minute Tush-Toning Pilates Workout], read a book, practice my violin, or paint.
A new skill I’d like to learn: How to speak Spanish
Our trip to Mexico at the end of the month has spurred me to learn a little Spanish. T has basic Spanish under his belt and is brushing up on vocab, so why not learn a word or two? I’d also like to brush up on my Italian [I was fluent as a 4-year-old and re-learned it in college], but I need to take it one step at a time.
A craft I’d like to do: Transferring photos to wood or canvas
This is a craft I was hoping to get to this year, but alas, time did not allow for it. A Beautiful Mess has a great tutorial and I’m really looking forward to trying it!
A restaurant I’d like to try: Little Serow
A local D.C. favorite, Little Serow is on the top of our list to try in 2014. As a no-reservation and set menu restaurant it can be a little difficult to get in, but I’ve heard the food is well worth the wait.
A good deed I’m going to do: Volunteer in D.C.
I haven’t decided which organization to volunteer with, but I’d really like to give back to the city I live in and NeighborGood is a good place to start looking.
A book I’d like to read: This Is Not the Story You Think It Is…
I have always grappled with the question “what book should I read?” and this time it has been conveniently answered by my sister who has this particular book available for me to borrow. She hasn’t read it and doesn’t have a recommendation to offer, but I trust in the instinct she had to pick it up.
Personality trait I’d like to bring out: Adventurousness
This year is for trying new things! I’m going to try to not let anxiety and apprehensiveness get in the way of new experiences.
Don’t forget to follow my 2014 adventures on Instagram @jackietara! What are you looking forward to in 2014? What goals are you hoping to complete? Please share, and here’s to the new year!
Jackietara
There’s just something about New York in the fall that makes me feel all tingly inside. Work brings me to New York twice a year, but it’s the November trip that gives me the warm and fuzzies. Twinkling lights delicately outline branches on the trees along 50th Street all the way to Rockefeller Center, people briskly walk from store to store with loads of shopping bags in tow, and vendors line the streets on chilly Saturday mornings to sell fresh fruits and vegetables to eager customers. One of my favorite things to do during my free time on Saturday is to walk through bustling Chinatown. After a delicious dim sum brunch at Nom Wah Tea Parlor on Doyers St., we hit the streets to explore with friends. Not too long after, we were happy owners of 2 lbs of fresh bok choy and hot cups of freshly brewed coffee from Roasting Plant.
Wearing: aztec sweater: Urban Outfitters // mustard knit scarf: Zara // cognac leather boots: Frye
Photography also by Teddy Wolff
Jackietara
Jackie Tara 