this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

Minttu Saarni via Intimate Weddings

• So much spring inspiration in this Finnish bridal shoot.
• From APW, a colorful Brooklyn wedding/dance party.
• Rarely have I geeked out so much about a laundry room.
• I'm a sucker for a Craftsman - love this fresh makeover.

SMILE.

• March desktops: Jessica Haas, Designer Blogs, Smashing.
• Bookmarking The Everygirl's list of healthier fast-food orders.
• Eyeing these quilted sneakers for spring (these are cute, too).
• Currently filling my Pinterest boards with St. Patrick's ideas.

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: St. Patrick's Day pinspiration and favorite fictional foods.
• 2015: spring style picks.
• 2014: all about Pinterest, green pieces for spring, dog-sitting, and a St. Patrick's mani.
• 2013: A DIY decoupage Easter egg wreath, 1920's-inspired wedding ideas, and Art Deco home office picks. 

My July Favorites

Disclaimer:  Amazon links contain an affiliate code.  Thank you for supporting Beyond the Aisle!

Here's what I'm loving this month...

1. J. Crew Factory Collector Tee - After collecting all of my tropical style inspiration in one place before vacation, I got to that gotta have it place regarding a pineapple top.  I felt like I was seeing girls in pineapple shirts wherever I went.  Williamsburg Premium Outlets to the rescue!  I love the gold pineapple print and can't wait to style it!  My pineapple mania is not quite cured, but I feel much calmer :)

2. J. Crew Factory statement necklace - Unfortunately, this necklace no longer seems to be available online.  I almost didn't buy it, but Mr. Q reminded me that outlet shopping is a YOLO situation, and the color scheme went perfectly with a lot of the things I bought that day.  The coral, mint, and navy makes me really happy.

3. Oana Befort desktop wallpaper - I installed this bright fruit illustration as the background on both my laptop and phone and it cheers me up every time I look at it.  An added benefit is that it reminds me to eat healthy food!

4. FitSugar's 21-Day Flat-Belly Challenge - I totally overindulged on vacation to the point that I am actually afraid to weigh myself this week.  Instead, I am trying to detox with lots of fruit, veggies, and lean meats along with drinking lots of water.  FitSugar's breakfast and exercise recommendations came along right on time!

5. Biotin - I started taking the supplement after reading another blogger's "secrets for great hair and skin" type post.  After taking it for a couple of months I'm starting to notice a difference in how healthy my hair, skin, and nails are.

6. Veggie chips - Now I can satisfy my chip craving in a way that makes me feel less guilty.  Yum yum.

Linking Up With:

Friday's Fab Favorites at Style Elixir
Little Friday Link-Up at The Grits Blog
Social Media Mixer at A Peek Into My Paradise

Sunday Funday with The Foley Fam

My May Favorites [Favorite Things Link-Up]

1.  Lia Sophia Valencia necklace - I'm on a statement necklace kick right now thanks to the obsession with Lia Sophia that's been going around my social circle.  I resisted this beauty at first because I couldn't see how it would fit into my wardrobe, but I finally had to give in to temptation.  The orange, coral, and cream beads are so pretty together and the matte silver chain is really unique.  I've paired the necklace with tan, white, gray, and navy blue so far.

2.  Sam & Libby flats - I love that Target has picked up this classic brand!  I live in flats, and these have a nice comfortable lining.  The bow is so cute and I like the fawn color for spring outfits.

3.  Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer - I swear by this stuff!  I am a very pale person by nature and this moisturizer helps me build a nice, natural looking color on my face while actually protecting me from the sun's harmful rays with SPF!  It's a win-win and I've never had any problems with streaking.

4.  Total Divas - I included this show in my entertainment round-up for April and called it a guilty pleasure.  I felt much less guilty when I found out that my BFF Breeze is also addicted!  The drama-filled world of WWE divas just happens to be very entertaining.

5.  Pandora - How awesome is Internet radio?  I have stations based on my favorite songs, favorite artists, and my moods.  On our eighth grade field trip earlier this month, one of my students who is going through a tough time right now came to sit with me and we swapped phones to listen to each other's Pandora stations - it was a really neat way to bond with a student through our love of music!  I love having the Pandora app on my phone so that I can listen to my favorite music no matter where I am.

6.  Yoga - I've been taking yoga for two semesters now through our local parks and recreation department.  I am the youngest person in my class by a LOT of years but I absolutely love it.  I tried yoga in college but was usually intimidated by the pretty, skinny, put-together girls who came in full makeup and pearl earrings!  My class is more of a t-shirts and sweatpants kind of group, everyone supports each other, and my teacher is wonderful.  She always explains and models the poses with modifications for people suffering from injuries as well as those ready for a challenge.  I push myself every week and I've noticed that my muscles look more toned and my flexibility has improved - my goal for this semester has been to put my heels all the way down on the mat when I'm in Downward Dog, and I'm almost there!

Blue Diamond Almondmilk Coconutmilk - I know it's a little weird to have a milk substitute on my list of favorite things, but hey, I love this stuff and drink it every day in my cereal or in my coffee (shaken up it makes an awesome latte-like foam).  It has 50% more calcium than dairy milk, which I really appreciate because my grandmother and mother both dealt with osteoporosis and I want to keep my bones dense!  I find that my skin is clearer and that I have fewer allergy symptoms when I avoid dairy.

Camelbak Podium Chill - My cyclist husband bought me one of these awesome water bottles with fuchsia accents to match my bike and most of my exercise gear.  It's the perfect fit for the bottle cage on my bike but also great to throw in my yoga bag.  The best part is that the valve locks to completely prevent water from leaking out in transit!

Linking Up With:

Friday's Fab Favorites at Style Elixir

working on my fitness, and becoming more adventurous along the way

At the beginning of the month I shared a little teaser image of the bikes Mr. Q and I got each other for our first wedding anniversary.  We've both been trying to get into better shape this summer, primarily because both of our fathers have diabetes and we knot that becoming overweight could lead to really bad news for either of us, and the bikes are a nice way to see that goal made tangible.  "Real" bikes- his is a Giant hybrid bikes, meaning it is kind of a cross between a mountain bike and a road bike and ideal for life in a somewhat rural area, and mine is a Giant entry-level mountain bike- are certainly an investment.  The man who owns the amazing local specialty bicycle store compared it to buying a car because they have trade-in value.  I am by no means an experienced biker- I don't think I have even been on a bicycle since maybe seventh grade- but I'm excited about my new bike!

I'm not so excited about my safety equipment, but I love my brain.  Right now I'm rocking a basic white Bell helmet from Dick's Sporting Goods and saving up for a prettier Nutcase helmet.  I did invest in some fancy gloves because the fuchsia stitching made them a perfect match for my bike's fuchsia accents.  Nothing like special equipment to make one feel like an athlete!

My biggest tools in getting a little stronger and healthier this summer have both been delivered via a television screen- I feel like I'm getting better and better at Jillian Michaels' Extreme Shred and Shed video, and when I'm in a bit of a rut I turn to Just Dance 3 on Sweat or Medley mode.  My other go-to  workouts are Gin Miller's Power Abs with the medicine ball, and Michael Jackson Experience on the Wii.  I've also been trying to get outside early in the mornings when the heat index is not too high and either walk or run; hopefully my new bike will get me outside even more.

Keep reading to see me in Katniss mode!

celebrate: brazilian heart of palm & avocado salad

My next foray into Brazilian cuisine is a salad packed with healthy ingredients: heart of palm, avocado, tomatoes, and olive oil.

What is Heart of Palm?
Heart of Palm is considered a vegetable; it's harvested from the inner core and bud of palm trees.  Brazil was  once one of the highest producers of heart of palm.  Heart of palm is sold in cans; in my grocery store it is sold near artichoke hearts, pimientos, olives, and other briny canned foods, and in the international aisle.  The texture is slightly fibrous and the taste is similar to canned artichoke hearts.  Heart of palm is very high in sodium, but low in cholesterol, fat, and calories, and a good source of protein, potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin c, folate, and calcium.

The Salad:  Brazilian Heart of Palm and Avocado - Serves 4
Adapted from Hearts of Palm Salad from AllEasyRecipes.com

Ingredients:

- 1 bagged salad or 1 small head lettuce, washed and chopped

- 1 can hearts of palm, drained and chopped into ¼-inch slices

- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced (here are Real Simple's directions for dicing an avocado)

- 1 large tomato, chopped

- Fresh basil leaves, chopped

- Salt and pepper to taste

- 1/3 cup olive oil

- 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1.  In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce, chopped hearts of palm, and diced avocado.  Add chopped tomatoes and basil.

clicks of note.

It's really feeling like summer here in Virginia - evening thunderstorms are a regular occurrance and the temperature may even get up to 100 degrees this week.

LISTEN.

• This song's getting some airplay on commercials - "Ho Hey" by the Lumineers.  Fans of Mumford and Sons, the Avett Brothers, or Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros will probably like this one.

WATCH.

• My new favorite summer show is... Bunheads (Monday nights, ABC Family). It's from Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator of Gilmore Girls, and has a similar too-cute-to-be-real small town setting (Paradise has just as many strings of fairy lights as Stars Hollow) and witty banter (the main character, Michelle, played by Sutton Foster, is just as quick with a comeback as Lorelai Gilmore and her mother-in-law is played by Kelly Bishop a.k.a. Emily Gilmore herself!).  Gilmore Girls meets a small town ballet studio= perfection.  The first episode is available for free download on iTunes.  

SWOON.

100 Layer Cake

• I love engagement/love shoots that seem like a day in the life of a couple.  100 Layer Cake featured a great Austin engagement shoot from Nessa K that absolutely fit the bill - check it out here.

LAUGH.

• If you need a summer time-killer and it's too hot to go outside, I suggest Slaughterhouse 90210, which pairs quotes from classic literature with surprisingly appropriate sitcom screencaps (Snookie and Salman Rushdie, for example) in trendy tumblr format.

EAT.

• My favorite meal this week: Healthy Breaded Shrimp from Skinny Taste and Clean Eating BBQ Rosemary Sweet Potatoes from The Gracious Pantry.  Potassium!