It’s been a while since I have been able to offer you all a fun giveaway, and after experiencing the glorious scents of Antica Farmacista, I thought it was a must to pass on the goodness…
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(CLOSED) $150 Antica Farmacista Giveaway
March 30, 2016
Sweet Dreams: Leesa Sleep Mattress
March 23, 2016
Let’s talk sleep for a second, shall we? Gabe is convinced he would thoroughly appreciate being a professional mattress tester. (I don’t doubt it.) We take our sleep very seriously around here, so when the online mattress company Leesa asked if we would try a Leesa Sleep Mattress, guess who was more than eager to give it a try?
We knew we needed to replace the mattress in our guest room, but weren’t quite sure where to begin. Many mattresses cause neck and back pain for me, and I certainly didn’t want our family and friends experiencing the same thing when they visited. I couldn’t wait to put this Leesa mattress to the test since I had only heard good things about it.
The mattress arrives in a box and you immediately think, there is no way my solution to blissful sleep fits in this box. When you pull out the mattress, it is compressed in the plastic wrapping, so as soon as you unroll on the box spring, it starts to rise and take shape. It was quite fascinating to watch actually!
I beat Gabe to the testing it out, and we are fighting over who gets to move into the guest room thanks to the blissful sleep it indeed provides. Needless to say we are contemplating getting one for our own room now. A few more details about it: It is a 10 in. hybrid foam mattress with several layers designed to support a restful sleep, including a 2” high-density memory foam layer and 2” of a cool foam called Avena, which is perforated to keep you cool. Which of course, all makes perfect sense considering I woke up with no body aches and uninterrupted sleep for the first time in months! Anyone raising little ones at the moment knows how valuable an uninterrupted REM cycle can be, right? 😉 It’s also important to note that Leesa donates one mattress to a shelter for every ten purchased.
The Leesa mattress is available exclusively online, with free shipping right to your door, and a 100-night risk free trial. (I am all about a risk free trial! I’d risk free trial my caramel lattes if I could!) I am excited to share a discount code just for readers: use code HONORDESIGN for a $75 discount off your purchase. I wish you peace filled slumber!
*Thank you to Leesa for sponsoring this post, all opinions are my own.
Best brunch spots in Atlanta
March 22, 2016
With Easter break and spring break hitting the area, I know like our family, many of you will be looking for ways to spend time with each other. These are (in my humble opinion) some of the best brunch spots in Atlanta:
Ponce City Market – New to the east side, Ponce City Market was a giant warehouse completely re-done to host a numerous amount of shops and eateries that reminds me so much of Chelsea Market, NYC. You can eat outside or indoors, with ample space for big parties and lots of exploring to do. A wide variety of brunch foods to love.
Julianna’s Crepes – (Pictured above.) You feel like you step into a movie scene at Julianna’s. It is a located on a quieter street, but there is a steady stream of regulars who have discovered the mouthwatering crepe spot. Remember this post?
Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits – A perfect pick up on the go spot for arguably the best biscuits in town. They just opened! Pick up a few and take it to a local park for a morning picnic.
West Egg Cafe – Chicken and Waffles. Need I say more? Also conveniently located next to Westside Provisions District where you can find a bunch of fun shops, Jeni’s Ice Cream, and the new coffee.
Sun in My Belly – A really cool atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a killer brunch menu you won’t soon forget.
Superica – In the mood for Tex-Mex? This is your brunch spot. Located next to one of my favorite shops on the east side, and a delicious spread for a mid morning feast.
If you are outside the perimeter and up for a drive north:
BB’s Bagel’s – Bronx style bagels right in the suburbs. It is small joint, but worthy of a mention, because their bagels and cream cheese spreads are the best in the area. Take them to go or eat in their airstream sized diner.
Drem Waffles + Coffee – Nutella and Banana, Egg and Bacon, Yogurt parfait….loads of options for the waffle fanatic. This is tucked in an unsuspecting corner of Suwanee, GA.
I hope you get to hit up some of these gems! Any to add to the list? Doughnut shops deserve their own post. Happy Tuesday!
P.S. Best coffee shops in Atlanta.
Photo by Chelsey Heidorn
Who were you named after?
March 21, 2016
One of my favorite topics to discuss with friends is baby names. I have always had a running list of favorites. I find it fascinating who people were named after or how their name was coined. While it used to be more of a common thing to name your child after relatives, it’s seems to be more frequent to just use whatever name strikes your fancy. ie: North, Cricket, Axl, Tennessee, etc.
I have also heard so many cool stories where the meaning of the name ends up relating to a circumstance in their life or has a parallel to a life event they experience. Has this happened to you?
We use the tradition of naming our kids after saints and relatives to give them good role models to look up to as they grow. They all have nicknames too of course. Fact: Veronica was nameless for 24 hours (I like to see their faces before I name them!), and we couldn’t decide on a middle name for Rocco until we were out of time and had to sign the birth certificate!
Gabriel Joseph – Named after his dad + St. Gabriel. Joseph is my father’s and brother’s name (now two important people in his life).
Veronica Rose – Named after St. Veronica, and after my own middle name Rose.
Maximilian Francis – Named after St. Maximilian and St. Francis (two of our heroic stories).
Rocco Samuel – Gabe chose this name after St. Rocco and the Samuel of the old testament.
So what about you? What is the story behind your name? Did you agree with your significant other on names? I have a couple sisters who are expecting little ones, and they are still debating their husbands on names! I’ll be sending this post over to them to turn their wheels;) My sister Tricia just named her son Joseph Bennett. Such a good one isn’t it?
You can check out this site if you are curious to find out really thorough details on ethnicity history, similar namesakes, and meaning behind a name.
Spring Brunch
March 19, 2016
(Photo by Rachel Anne)
(Photo by Brewing Happiness)
Months can fly by without seeing friends when life gets busy. I was so happy to sneak in a little time with these ladies this week. We all have the creative industry in common here in Atlanta. We all have different backgrounds and occupations, but we get so much creative energy from getting together in the same room. They are all so talented as you can see by the details in this spring themed brunch Brittni of Paper n Stitch and Haley of Brewing Happiness put together. Every detail was eye candy let me tell you. I left with some great new breakfast ideas and Easter table setting schemes. Rachel Anne hand wrote that stunning menu and party invites. Thank you gals for the effort to keep us all in touch!
Happy weekend!
Easter Basket Stuffers
March 17, 2016
Here are a few adorable Easter basket stuffers I found this year! I am always looking for ideas so I thought I’d share with you all in case you need some sugar-free ideas too.
Girl Basket:
Chalk
Confetti Popper
Balloons
Bamboo Eatery set
Garden tools (similar)
Oh Joy! Bandaids
(Almost all items found in the Target dollar bins!)
Boy Basket:
Fork and Spoon set
Handmade Bunny Bonnet
Lollacup
Bunny Lapin Rattle
Chalk
Garden tools (similar)
Wooden bunny push toy
Easter is a really special time for our family. We observe the 40 days of Lent in honor of Christian tradition of God’s 40 days in the desert, so Easter Sunday is a big celebration of the Resurrection. The little treats and surprises we explain are just a part of that big party and the reason we celebrate. We also have a feast with family (here’s my traditional menu lineup!), egg hunts, and sunrise Mass. Do you have any Easter traditions?
The IHOD Print Shop:
