Catching up, again.

Oh, hello! I seem to have forgotten I have a blog this week. Sorry about that!

Believe it or not, I do have some more substantial things to share with you—but until then, here's a quick rundown of some cool (local) things that I've stumbled upon in the last little while.

+ Trader Joe's! It's opening in Sarasota! I am so excited I can't stop exclamation pointing! (Here's a little piece I wrote about the store for work, if you're interested. Also, I am going to need to adjust my snack budget, I think. I'm just saying.)

+ Camilyn Beth dresses. This Bradenton-based designer makes some of the prettiest clothes I've seen in quite some time (you can see two of her dresses in the photo above, which is from the Camilyn Beth Instagram feed. Hello, sparkles!).

+ The Table Creekside restaurant. Situated right alongside pretty Philippi Creek, this restaurant—which is a reincarnation of its former Hillview Street location—is one of my new favorite spots in town. Go for the great happy hour, the $20 chef's tasting menu (seriously) or the wild salmon served over creamy quinoa and a pool of yellow lentil sauce, which is what I ordered, although everything is good. Seriously. You won't be disappointed. (By the way, one of these days I really am going to write up a little guide to Sarasota, I promise.)

And:

Reading: I finished Gone Girl (disappointed in the ending, though it definitely kept my attention) and have started The Art of Fielding, which I'm reading at an entirely different pace. I think Wild is next for me. I'm kind of on a mission to read as much as I can before the end of the year.

Thinking: About re-prioritizing. September and the promise of fall always does this to me; it's like First Day of School Syndrome, or something. Anyway, I'm making a conscious effort to get my ducks in a row—or, as Holly put it, balance my buckets.

Also, I am considering getting bangs.

Eating: Aside from healthy things like salmon and quinoa, um, Starbucks pumpkin scones are back, and this is bad news for both my wallet and my diet. I love them, you guys. But! I think I've found a copycat recipe, which I intend to try out as soon as possible, and if it's tasty, well, then, hey, I can make them at home! (Oh, wait. That might not be a great thing. Damn.)

Feeling: Considering my brother is coming home this weekend for the first time since last November (which is also the last time I saw him), I've got a bunch of fun things to do coming up this month and September means that within the next 30-60 days we'll finally (finally, finally) have a break from the sweltering Florida heat—and so begin my favorite time of year—I feel pretty good. Pretty good, indeed.

More soon. xo

Photo: Camilyn Beth