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ETERNAL SUMMER

08.10.15

Hello! Another weekend has zoomed by and now we’re here — Monday and in desperate need of ALL the coffee. Scott and I had a busy, but really fun weekend. On Friday, we picked up a few things for our friend Sarah’s baby shower. We hit up all the good stores — Costco, Fry’s and Target, before heading home and working on a couple of last minute projects. We may have stayed up way too late arranging flowers and getting things ready for the big celebration, but it was so worth it!


On Saturday, we slept in and grabbed brunch at our go-to breakfast/lunch/dinner spot, The Original Chop Shop Co. After brunch we packed up the car and headed to our amazing friend Georganne’s home to set up for the shower and start welcoming guests. The baby shower was a huge success and it made my heart SO happy and full to see Sarah and baby boy Rhodes being showered with love and lots of teeny, tiny clothing! Haha! After the party wrapped up, we headed home for a relaxing evening — complete with dinner in bed and a Real Housewives marathon! Sunday was all about our usual routine — breakfast, grocery shopping and cleaning up around the house. We also celebrated one of our dearest friend’s birthday a bit early with delicious food and lots of family fun! 




One of many outtakes I often find on the camera roll — thought you all might enjoy this one! Haha! 😉 
Outfit Details:
This week is shaping up to be pretty laid back, and also very hot! It actually feels like we’re in a state of eternal summer with these 110 degree days and 100 degree evenings. We’ll be escaping to Northern Arizona in a few weeks during the holiday weekend and I just can’t wait to wear a sweater and  go out for hot coffee — it’s going to be amazing! Anyways, I hope you all have a wonderful week — stay cool, friends!
-Chelsea xo
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A STORMY DATE NIGHT

08.05.15

Hello, friends! I hope your August is off to a smashing start! Right before the new month started, Scott and I went out for a little date night to one of our favorite local restaurants — Liberty Market! After I finished up my work on Friday, I threw on this summer dress, my favorite denim jacket and my go-to strappy sandals and then we headed out the door. Since we’re in the middle of Monsoon season, I knew there would be a chance that it would rain that evening, but I didn’t expect the downpour that we ended up getting caught in while walking (errrr-running) into the restaurant. Most of these photos were taken post-rainstorm/while it was sprinkling, so please don’t mind the raindrops and frizzy hair! 😉

Since we hit up the early bird special at Liberty, we ordered and got to our seat in record time (a rarity on a Friday night — locals, you know what I mean!). Thanks to the gloomy skies and torrential downpour, Scott and I decided a couple of cortaditos were needed to “warm us up!” Liberty makes the best cortaditos (expresso + milk + raw sugar), and I highly suggest them to any and all coffee drinkers. Beware though, they’re strong! 




For dinner, I went with my usual — the farmer sandwich with no roasted red peppers and sweet potato salad, and Scott got the pizza special of the evening — chicken and veggies! Both were SO delicious, in fact, I barely got a bite of Scott’s pizza before he completely devoured it! While eating dinner we also ran into two different sets of friends, one of which ended up having dessert with us later. I love how Liberty has such a fun of bringing people together, and always makes you feel so welcome and right at home. Not gonna lie, I can be very picky when it comes to restaurants (the food, atmosphere, even the table we sit at), but Liberty never disappoints! 




Outfit Details:
Madewell Silk Dress (similar + on sale!)
Madewell Sightseer Sandals (similar!)
While Scott and I love going out for dinner, we’re also pretty into making and having dinner at home together — which is exactly what we did tonight. We had veggies and rice, and may have gotten a couple of yummy drinks at Sonic after our usual, two-mile evening walk. It felt extra hot and muggy tonight (my car said it was 104 degrees outside – woof!), so an icy cold drink afterward was a must! Have a great Wednesday, ya’ll!
-Chelsea xo

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THAT AUGUST GLOW

08.04.15

Happy August, loves! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t waiting and waiting for this month to come — we’re now closer to fall and “cooler” weather and I couldn’t be more excited. While the past few days have been hot and muggy around here, I’ve been dreaming of sweater weather and my first PSL of the season (sources say it comes out September 1st, but don’t quote me just yet!). Our monsoon season is in full swing right now, so we’ve been having a lot of rain and lighting storms lately — which never seem to last long, but leaves us with the most gorgeous sunsets and what I like to call “that August glow.”



Scott and I had a busy, but really fun weekend! On Friday we got caught in rainstorm on our walk to dinner, but ended up having the most delicious meal (more on that later) and spent time with family and friends that randomly showed up at the same time we did (this seriously happens more often than not when we go to Liberty Market — they really have a way of bringing people together!). On Saturday we had breakfast with our sweet friend, Georganne, and worked on plans for Sarah’s baby shower this Saturday. I don’t want to give anything away just yet, but just know that it’s going to be darling and that we’re so excited for little baby boy Rhodes to be here in less than three weeks!



Saturday evening we spent time with family celebrating our cousin’s birthday and watching the UFC fight. WHAT?! I know, I know! We watched all 34 seconds of the Ronda Rousey fight and it was intense! If you follow me on Snapchat (UN: Chelseabirdd), you may have seen my scared face pop up while the fight was on. Not too sure I’ll be watching another one of those anytime soon — :/! Sunday was our slow day, so we went back to Liberty Market for breakfast, went grocery shopping, filled up our iced coffee growler from Peixoto Coffee for the week and did a little cleaning. 

Outfit Details:
Madewell Linen Miracle Tee (my fav + on sale!)
Etsy “C” Charm Necklace
Alex and Ani Bracelet
Coach Crossbody Bag (similar)
Madewell Silk Skirt (similar + on sale!)
Madewell Abbi Slingback Sandals 

This week is set to be a busy one with getting ready for Sarah’s baby shower, work and just every day life. Speaking of work, my awesome bosses were interviewed by USA Today this morning and their interview is already live on their site — you can check it out here if you’re interested!

Ok, I’m off to eat dinner with Scott (we’re having chicken, sweet potatoes and veggies — a staple meal in our home) and then I think we’re going to head out to do a little shopping for a certain baby boy. Have a great evening, sweet friends!

-Chelsea xo

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JULY LIGHT

07.29.15

One of my favorite places in the city is only a couple blocks away from our home — the grove. I know you’ve seen many photos from this secluded spot on my blog before (in fact, we took our engagement photos here), but to me, this place will never ever get old. I love seeing the grove change through the season, giving off different kinds of light and views as the year goes by. While October will always be my favorite time of year among the pistachio trees (when we took our engagement photo), I’ll always have a soft spot in me for this gorgeous July light. 







Our days have been full, yet amazing around here lately. Over the weekend, Scott and I attended a local Instagram Camp which had over 100 attendees and some of the most creative local folks teaching who specialize in photography, blogging, styling and more. Going to this workshop made me realize how much the blogging scene has changed over the years, and how many bloggers have moved to solely Instagram only. While it’s tempting, I don’t think I could ever give up this ol’ blog of mine. Tea Talk turned six back in June, and I’ve been blogging in one way of another since my early teens years (hello Xanga, LiveJournal and more!). My experience this weekend was definitely eye-opening, and also refreshing — getting me excited for the fall months ahead and what else this blog will see Scott and I through in the coming year. Sometime’s it’s wild to think that the last six years of my life are well documented in the archives of this blog — isn’t it?




Outfit Details:
Sam Edelman Paige Booties (on sale via the Nordstrom sale right now!)
Scott and I don’t have any big plans for the rest of the week — just working and resting as much as we can. Did I mention we woke up at 4am on Sunday to do the most amazing sunrise photoshoot with Tish Carlson? She’s an incredible photographer based out of Albuquerque who was in town for the workshop. Her work is beyond magical, and you just may be seeing a few familiar faces up on her blog sometime soon! 😉
Have a great day, ya’ll!
-Chelsea xo

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JOYRIDE TACO

07.28.15

If I’m being honest, date night is a favorite around here. Usually on Tuesday or Wednesday nights, we go out for an evening of good food and good company (sometimes it’s just us, sometimes we go out with our friends). Last week Scott and I decided to go out for Taco Tuesday at one of our favorite local taco shops — Joyride Taco! After a long work day for the both of us, it was exactly what we needed to take a break — yummy food, a few laughs and each other. 



Scott and I have always been pretty good about going out for date nights, but sometimes when life gets too busy we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of things. For us, date night can consist of trips to get coffee, walking around the mall, a dinner date at one of our favorite restaurants, or even just making dinner at home and spending quality time together. However, you look at it, for us, date night is more so just about spending quality time together — whether that be over dinner and a movie, or just a walk around Target. I love the thought of always dating your spouse, but don’t like to make it overcomplicated. My motto is and always will be, “do what’s best for you and our family.” Anyone else agree? xo 





Truth be told, during most of our “photoshoots” Scott and I always end up making a funny face or two, or even jumping around to get the perfect floating shot. Scott was pretty proud of the photo above, tongue sticking out and all, haha. I really should have posted the outtakes from my jumping photo, though, but we’ll just say that I definitely looked more like a robot than a moon walking lady. 😉


After a 20 minute wait (Taco Tuesday at Joyride is always busy — so get there early!), we sat down at our table and enjoyed some chips and salsa while we waited for our tacos to arrive. They serve delicious, homemade chips, which we usually devour a basket full of before our meals even arrive. I always end up too full to finish my tacos + a side of yummy black beans after all the chips, but they’re so worth it!


Joyride also serves delicious Agua Frescas (alcoholic and non!). My favorite is the cucumber mint, but I hear that every one they serve is just as yummy and fresh. What kind of agua frescas do you enjoy?


Outfit Details:
Embroidery Top (similar!)
We’re always look for new “date night” ideas, so I would love to hear your favorites! We love going to the movies, eating out, walking around the mall (for reals — we’re those kind of mall walkers), and running around our local desert track. Also, do you have a Taco Tuesday tradition? Tell me all about it!
-Chelsea xo

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LA JOLLA COVE

07.28.15

Hello! This weekend was a whirlwind, but I’m back tonight to share one of our last adventures from our California adventure. On our last morning in the golden state, we visited one of our dearest friends, Courtney, for a quick coffee date before she headed into work. Per Courtney’s suggestion, we decided to drive up to La Jolla before hitting the road home. With hopes of spotting sea lions and taking in a gorgeous view, we headed toward the cove — up and down a windy road until the ocean was finally in view once again.


It had been years since I had last been in La Jolla, so we’ll just that this time around it felt like a whole new experience — wandering around the gorgeous cove and rocky shores with my sweet husband by side couldn’t have felt more right. 




During our entire trip, Scott and I did our best to take a photo of a lifeguard station at every beach we visited. Well, the photo series didn’t turn out quite as planned, but we did think this one was pretty cool — not really the picture-esque ones you always seem to see in engagement photos, or on Laguna Beach, though. 😉





Outfit Details:
To wrap up our California adventure, I’m hoping to a share fun video of our trip very soon. I’ve really been missing making + editing videos, and also being involved in the YouTube community. I’ve been planning a comeback to my channel, but would love any and all suggestions on what kind of videos I should focus on. Beauty favs? Summer picks? Fashion favorites? Let me know what you think!
Hope ya’ll had a wonderful Monday! Here’s to an amazing week!
-Chelsea xo

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CORONADO ISLAND

07.24.15

While on our San Diego getaway, taking a trip to Coronado Island was on the top of our “must-do” list. As a kid I had visited this little island town with my family, and had actually been back for a quick trip in December of last year, but Scott had never been before, so we thought it made perfect sense to spend the majority of one of our days taking in the sea and sights of Coronado Island. After failing to find any street parking while circling Hotel del Coronado, we caved and spent a silly amount of money to park close-by in an underground garage and then headed toward the beach!



We took a few minutes to walk along the beach and scope out the perfect spot to lay out our towels and set up our umbrella (best, last-minute Target purchase ever!). With the Hotel Del in the background, we laid out our beach towels and applied SPF 100 (truly!) before walking toward the ocean for our first real dip in the Pacific. 


The water was COLD! Now I knew it would be cool, but I didn’t quite expect the numbness that overcame my whole body the second the water hit above my belly. The last time I took a dip in the ocean was well over a year ago in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and I guess I was secretly hoping it would be the same (gorgeous – yes, warm – NO!). Coldness aside, it felt so good to take a dip in the water and splash through the ocean together. 



Outfit details:
H&M Swim Top (similar!)
Forever 21 Swim Bottoms (similar!)
After spending a few hours along the shore, Scott and I packed up and headed toward the hotel for a sweet treat — frozen yogurt for him, ice cream for me. We spent a few minutes wandering through the ornate hotel, which was built in 1888 and is said to be haunted by the ghost of Kate Morgan, a hotel guest who’s cause of death will never quite be known. Spookiness aside, we had a beautiful beach day on Coronado Island and will definitely be going back one day soon. 
-Chelsea xo

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A DEL MAR SUNSET

07.22.15

One of my favorite adventures during our California road trip was our last-minute stop at the beach in Del Mar to see the sunset. We had just spent a few hours at the San Diego County Fair, my first time back since I was little and Scott’s very first time. Since we were feeling pretty beat from an afternoon in the sun, we decided to head out early and drive down to the beach. We had a little issue finding parking, but once we caved and pulled into a paid lot we parked the car, grabbed our beach blanket and headed toward the ocean waves.

As you can, the see view from the beach was breathtaking, absolutely breathtaking. 

To be here and to experience this amazing view with my love felt so, so special. In October we’ll have been together for nine years, and to be quite honest — he still gives me butterflies. 



It felt almost magical to watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. We saw a few surfers enjoying their last swell of the day, along with the most darling kids splashing in the water as the waves pulled back and forth, back and forth. After taking a little walk along the beach, we found a spot in the sand and rolled out our blanket to watch the very last of the sun set over the oceans waves. I had always heard that Del Mar was beautiful, in fact, I spent a good portion of my first few years of life living along the Pacific Coast and visiting Del Mar often. While I was too young to remember any of this, I never doubted anyone’s comments about the beautiful beaches and charming town square in this area, but to finally be able to see all of this with my own, matured eyes was definitely special. Del Mar, you’ve  won our hearts and we’ll be back for you soon!
-Chelsea xo 

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OLD POINT LOMA LIGHTHOUSE

07.20.15

Our trip to San Diego was almost a whole month ago, but with the whirlwind of the past few weeks — jetting off to SLC, Scott starting a new job, and simply being busy and just resting in our down time — not all of our seaside getaway photos have made it up to this ‘ol blog. However, it’s a new week and I’m changing that starting now — with a few snaps from the Old Point Lola Lighthouse. 

After a windy drive from Sunset Cliffs, we parked the car and made the short walk up to see our first lighthouse. Being the desert rats we are, neither of us had ever seen a “real” lighthouse. My sweet friend, Tieka, has an affinity for lighthouses and has visited more than anyone I know (for reals, take a peek at her lighthouse adventures here!). So when I heard that this one was open to the public, I knew we had to make the drive up and walk through our very first lighthouse together.



The Old Point Loma Lighthouse kept a watchful eye over the entrance to the San Diego Bay for 36 years. At dusk on November 15, 1855, the light keeper is said to have climbed up the winding stairs and lit the light for the very first time. While the lighthouse seemed to be in a good location at 422 feet above sea level, it had one serious flaw — fog and low clouds often obscured the light that so many relied on to lead their way through the ocean waves, and often foggy days. On March 23, 1891, the light was extinguished and the keeper moved to a new lighthouse location closer to the water at the tip of the Point, leaving the Old Point Loma Lighthouse abandonded and no longer needed.





Today, the lighthouse still stands watch over San Diego, standing sentinel to a vanished past. The interior of the lighthouse has been completely refurbished to resemble the way it looked when it was still in use in the 1800’s, complete with multiple bedrooms, a kitchen and a tiny hideaway spot up on the second story. Many visitors have claimed over the years that the lighthouse is haunted, noting that they’ve heard the sounds of heavy foot steps coming from the upper rooms, have experienced cold spots at the entry landing to the spiral staircase, and have heard a moaning sound coming from both bedrooms. The final lighthouse keeper, Captain Robert Decatur Israel, is said to be the ghost of Old Point Loma Lighthouse, where he remains on-duty — even in death.

Outfit Details:
Madewell Necklace (similar!)
I’ll be back with another adventure soon! Until then, have a great week, sweet friends. Here’s to being productive, staying cool and drinking ALL the iced coffee because it’s summer! 😉

-Chelsea xo

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ALONG THE MILL

07.15.15

Over the weekend, Scott and I met up with our good friends, Josh and Sarah, for a breakfast date in Tempe. With all the traveling we’ve been doing the last month, we haven’t seen our friends as much as we would like, so it was really nice to all get together over a yummy breakfast and just catch up on life.

Scott and I were also pretty smitten about getting to spend time with Josh and Sarah’s little girl, Imogen. Just under two years ago we were standing in a hospital room holding her for the first time, and now, in just over a month, the Rhodes family will be welcoming a new baby boy into their life. Seriously, where has the time gone? Sometimes I still can’t believe that Scott and I met and fell in love almost nine years go, and now — we’re a married couple with two crazy kitties, two Master’s degrees, two amazing careers and so, so much love between us. Weren’t we just a couple of 18 year olds trying to figure out life together? Yes, yes, we were. 😉


After finishing up breakfast, we all headed down the street to the old mill to snap a few photos. Sarah and I have been talking about swapping photos, so it was fun to finally have the time to do this together. Sarah has been taking our photos for years now, in fact, she’s taken photos of us during every stage of our relationship – dating, engaged and when we became husband and wife – which is pretty special, if you ask me!



Aside from catching up with friends, we’ve really been doing our best to spend time at home cooking, cleaning, going on evening walks, spending time with our kitty cats and really just catching up on every day life. I’ve always been the type of person that likes to go, go, go, but sometimes it really is nice just to take it easy and slow. Wouldn’t you agree?




Thank you so much for snapping these lovely photos, Sarah! You can see the photos I took of her, and also read a few thoughts on motherhood, in Sarah’s blog post — 34 Weeks!
Outfit Details:
Cream Lace Blouse (similar)
Loft Jeans (similar)
Here’s to a wonderful rest of the week! 
-Chelsea xo

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