LATELY....

We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we WISH you a Merry Christmas.. & a Happy New Year! Hi guys! I've been a little mia. I had my very last trip of 2014 last week in Baltimore Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. The rest of the week I celebrated Christmas with some of my nearest & dearest friends. Here's a little look into my world lately.. I wish you all a Holiday so lucky as mine. xo Annie

^^^ All those many, many times I say I am traveling - these are the goones I am with. We had our company Christmas party on Friday. It was so fun to kick it outside of the office with the people I spend so much time with.

^^^ I am THRILLED to announce 2015 will bring with it the marriage of one of my best friends. Morgan (center) & her college sweet heart Ben (not pictured) are tying the knot next fall. I'm in the wedding (yayyyyyyyyyyyy!) (first one!!) & this weekend we toasted to the happy couple. Random note: I can't even tell you how many of this exact same picture we have from our high school years. 

^^^ The great cookie bake of 2014! This is the first year my friend Kate (who recently  re-debuted on this blog as "my friend who was as obsessed with Gossip Girl as I am & ate rolos & drank cheap wine with me after our long, hard days of interning" (I jest. I realize now the internship was the perfect amount of long & hard. I was dramatic in my youth)) invited me to her family's cookie bake. Basically, there were like 400 cookies in her garage at the end & I brought a bunch of them home. Heaven. Random note: see that picture above? It's an upside down ginger bread man! Isn't that genius??

^^^ I ended the weekend at a blogger clothing swap (keep your eyes tuned for something extra great coming from this group in 2015). We each brought the clothes from our closet that were headed for the donation bin & thought we'd check with each other before we sent them to Good Will. It was so fun to try on clothes & new styles & I came home with a gold mine.

AH what a phenomenal week. Only to be followed by an even better one. Christmas is my favorite <3 Sending you all love. xoxo 

HOW TO: MAKE A MAGICAL BIRTHDAY FOR YOUR TWENTY-SOMETHING FRIEND

Birthdays. As we get older we’re supposed to care less about our birthday. “It’s just another day.” “Oh I hardly even realized it was this week.” “It’s no big deal, just another year.”

Lies!!!!

Birthdays are little slices of magic. It’s a day where all your closest friends & family tell you how much they love you. So here’s a question, how do you show someone in physical gifts how much they mean to you?

I start with balloons. Go to your nearest Party Store (Cincinnatians – I suggest The Party Source in Newport) & pick up a boatload of colorful balloons. They are seriously $1 a piece & it’s the perfect way to inform every person your friend encounters (at work, at the restaurant, at wherever you are) that “Why actually, yes! It is my birthday!” thus spreading the birthday love as far as the eye can see. Also, I know from experience that it’s really fun to tow around a bunch of balloons.

The card: There’s not much better than a hand written card. Am I right? & you know what makes it even better?  Attaching it to,

The baked good: So for me, it’s easy. I drop hints to people all year about the kind of desserts I like. (S’mores!) (Icecream!) (Dark Chocolate + Peanut Butter!) (& it’s actually not hint dropping, I guess . Sweets are just always on my mind, heart & tongue). If this is your good friend, then you probably know what makes their heart skip a beat. If you’re having a brain freeze (no pun intended) (but kinda because I wanted to go make myself some ice cream after I started writing this section), go with something neutral & easy, like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (my secret recipe coming soon). But let’s be serious: no one is going to be mad when you give them any plate full of baked goods, no matter what kind. Plus: birthdays are the one day a year where calories all equal out to zero. Soo….

P.S. Don’t worry about decorating the packaging– the balloons help brighten up the scene J

The Beverages: As a good friend, you’re probably A) going to see this lucky lass or lad first thing in the morning (before work or at work). If that’s the case, you should greet them with their favorite coffee beverage (Ask the barista to write “Happy Birthday!” on the cup... they won’t mind!) (I know because I used to be a barista.) But if you’re not going to see them til lunch or dinner – you better believe its time to put a drink on your tab! Also – try to hint to the waiter that it’s their birthday. You’ll probably get a free dessert or embarrassing song out of it.

The Bill: On your birthday, you shouldn’t have to pull out your credit card ever. I’ve found the best way to ensure this is to divide the guest of honor’s meal amongst everyone who is with you celebrating. It’s easy to do for the server (take it from a former waitress) & it only adds a few bucks to each other ticket.

Sometimes you might want to add a gift: I’m trying this new thing that as people mention items during the year that they like, I write them down in a note on my phone. I.E. Jake: Set of kitchen knives.  Courtney: Be Proud Ohio T Shirt. Annie: Sunflower wine glasses. It makes it a whole lot easier when gifting time comes around. But if you’re late to the party, I also like the "let me treat you to a pedicure!" route.. because then you can benefit too.

& that’s my advice! Take it or leave it. Take one, take some, take none if you wish. Because, honestly, the truest friends will just appreciate that you remembered their birthday at all :)

& finally, to you, my two best friends who turned 24 this week & brought my mind to this topic… Have the happiest, most magical, most fabulous amazing year. I love you entirely.

p.s. if the balloons start leaking, its always good to seize the opportunity (Sorry for the low quality! I only had my phone on hand for most of these).

TOES IN THE WATER

I'm taking a little hiatus, y'all. Just a brief one! I'm crashing my good friend Courtney Jo's Family Vacation in Siesta Key & taking every minute to soak up the sun with this glorious set of perfect people. I'll check in & out of course -- but I hope that y'all have a FANTASTIC week. I'm coming back soon - with sun kissed & even tan (yea right - I'm already burnt as can be). Xoxo, Annie

STYLING WITH: CINCIN-NATALIE

Annie Wearing: Shirt/Daniel Rainn/Nordstrom Rack; Black denim/Thrifted; Shoes/Madewell; Fedora/Borrowed from Natalie; Purse/London Fog/TJMaxx; Make-A-Wish Necklaces/Dogeared/Gifted.

Aren't good friends just the bomb? I know, I know. "Annie, you think you have the best friends in the all the land." Well, this is one of those kind of posts. Meet Natalie Folchi: street name, CincinNatalie. I've told you once before that Natalie & I met when we were kids - back in the good 'ole uniform days of a Cincinnati Catholic Grade School. You wouldn't have guessed it then by my hand-me-down jumper (have I ever mentioned I'm the third of four Butler Girls?) but we were both budding fashionistas. Why can I call myself that? Easy. In my eyes, if you want to be called a fashionista you are a fashionista. Self empowerment, people!

Natalie Wearing: Peplum Top/Love Culture; Skirt/Thrifted; Necklace/Target (Neon DIY); Shoes/Old Navy; Lipstick/LAQA & Co. in Lambchop.

Armed with flowers, wine & a cute print for the wall, Natalie came over to see the new studio. We would have hung out on my *cough cough* balcony.. but my apartment is a disaster. (Moving into an apartment 1/6 the size of your old house is a (rewarding) challenge.) Quickly, we progressed to a shared hobby: blogging.

Get two amateur photographers together with a (omg still obsessed with my new NikonUSA) nice camera & you get something like the following. 

Good friends are such a blessing. I know I take it for granted, but I really do have amazing people in my life. I've been dealt a very good hand & I know it. p.s. Natalie did a post about our session as well. You can click here to see it. J

Photography: Natalie Folchi, Annie Butler & Courtney Boeckman

CINCY STYLE: TASTE OF BELGIUM + LUNCH DATE WITH CINCINNATALIE

Three words: WAFFLES & CHICKEN (updated: #thewafflecomesfirst #respectthewaffle). It's the perfect meal. It's savory & hot & oh so sweet. But let me back up a little to explain myself. 

This past Friday I had the distinct pleasure of lunching with CincinNatalie. You know, Natalie was a big reason Magical Simplicity went through a rebranding & relaunch back in April. She's a dear friend of mine (we met at the ripe age of 10(!) & reconnected when we both landed a post-college job at the same downtown ad agency). We've been learning the whole blog business together, often over coffee after 5:45a.m. spinning classes.. but this time, over lunch J.

We met downtown in a mutually favorite neighborhood: Over the Rhine. It only took a moment of waltzing around Vine Street before the sweet smell of waffles drifted our way (okay, I may have imagined the smell after Natalie suggested Taste of Belgium, but, nevertheless...).

Taste of Belgium is an OTR icon. It all started at Findlay Market in 2007. A few short years later, Taste of Belgium has grown to multi-establishment Cincinnati staple. Why the expansion? It's crazy delicious. 

I swear the idea to combine Waffles & Chicken came from God himself. & unlike any of the chicken & waffles I've had before, Taste of Belgium serves theirs with hot sauce. For real. I wanted to cry of happiness just knowing I was eating something so beautiful.

I like the vibe in Taste of Belgium - it's fancy food in a laid back atmosphere. Kind of how I think about myself. You know, when I fancy the thought of comparing myself to a meal.

Anywho, Natalie & I had a great time talking strategy, posts, editorial calendars, e-courses, etc. We're really trying to meet up with other Cincinnati Bloggers to do the same type of thing. Sooo, if you're interested in a Cincy Blogger Meet-Up... contact me J. I promise we're really fun. (p.s. she wrote a corresponding post about our date HERE.)  (Apparently this kind of collaboration is called "linking up.") (See, we're already learning!)

Moral of the story, y'all, head down to Taste of Belgium. Get the Waffles & Chicken. Thank me later.

P.S. How do you like my NEW CAMERA!?!? I LOVE IT. So much. & I cannot wait to bring you more posts. xoxo

Photog: Annie & Natalie

#ROOMIEZ4LYFE

Flashback to about this time in 2008. People still called me Little Annie Butler & I had just been randomly paired with a roommate for my first year of college at Miami University. She was an Indian girl named (& this is really how I thought it might be pronounced) Anne-JOL-eeee koh-TAG(like the game)-al.

Fastforward six years & I know that's not at all how you say her name, but also, I know I can't imagine any part of my life without her. This past weekend we asked my mom to come down to our house in Columbia Tusculum to document... well, us. Today is our last day as roommates.

Annie Wearing: Skirt/Ann Taylor; Shirt/Ann Taylor; Shoes/Dolce Vita/Nordstrom Rack; Fedora/Borrowed from Anj; Leopard Bow Clip/TJMaxx (p.s. I call this move the shopping cart.)(p.p.s. It doubles as my gangsta' dance.) (They see me rollin', they hatin'...)

Anj Wearing: Dress/Madewell; Sandals/Target; Fedora (pictured here)/old; Free Bird Fedora (pictured other places)/Borrowed from Anne/Nordstrom Rack.

It's definitely going to be weird. Anj just graduated with her Speech Pathology Masters from the University of Cincinnati & is moving to Hyde Park. But before we knew she was staying in Cincy, I signed the lease at my studio in Mt. Adams.

Yet, somehow through our incredible six years of growing up together [my first beer, the start of her serious relationship with (my now favorite) Dave, our many late nights studying/laughing/crying/jamming out to Hootie & the Blowfish (me) & Taylor Swift (her), etc, et. al.] I've come to realize that true friendships outlast the house you live in. In fact, they outlast everything.

We got a few honks while taking these pics. I think, because it looked like we were in the midst of an engagement shoot (The bride! En blanc. Groom: black.) (I totally see it). Though not quite on point, it was a photo shoot celebrating a different kind of eternal love, of the #Roomiez4Lyfe variety.

Raise a glass (or a fedora!) to our impossibly entwined lives. & go hug your best friend.. because if you have someone like this in your life, you'll want to hang on to them forever.

P.S. Moments after meeting, our moms made us pose for a picture in front of a tree by our dorm (hollla 131 Dodds Hall!). The result was so awkward & hilarious that we decided to continue the tradition.... forever. Take a quick second to be entertained by the below J.

Photography: Jackie Butler

HOME TO MIAMI UNIVERSITY: FOREVER & A DAY

This post has moved... you can see it HERE!

RE:BEL

A few weeks ago I went to Concert:Nova's Re:bel at Rhinegeist Brewery. It was all about rebelling against tradition: an Anti-Gala with scrumptious buffet spread from Jeff Thomas, but then also a surprise delivery of boxes & boxes of pizza; We had donuts for dessert instead of breakfast (God bless you, Holtman's!); There was very unassigned seating at community tables & we listened to the entire concert from folding chairs. There was dancing, video installations, live painting, harpists, countertenors, the list is endless & counterintuitive.

We wore delightfully rebellious clothes & tried to be as hip as possible. & the music, oh the music! So intriguing, intoxicating, thoughtful -- rebellious.

There are just some things that make you feel really cool, ya know? Rhinegeist on a Sunday night at a semi-secret anti-concert celebrating rebellion, that's one of those things.

GO-GO (BIRTHDAY) PALEO!

Hey everyone! I've been saving this post for the perfect occasion (I wrote it  just before Magical Simplicity's Birthday) & today is the day! Why, you ask? Because today, Thursday, May 15, 2014 is drumroll please National Chocolate Chip Day!

I'm about to be on a sugar high all day, but anyway...

My friend Ashley recently decided to go paleo - & the decision came just in time for her birthday! So, with my go-to Oatmeal Choco Chip Cookies out the window (lots o' oats & lots o' butter...  maybe Not-So-Paleo), it was substitution time.

Enter Dark Chocolate Walnut PALEO Cookies from Fed + Fit. Now I don't necessarily know if Honey & Dark Chocolate Chips could have been gathered in the forest - but, I mean, the word paleo is literally in the title of this cookie (yes, I added it myself).. but now its on the Internet, so it must be true. Extreme bee enthusiasts probably could gather a fourth cup of honey from a bee hive, if they really wanted...

DARK CHOCOLATE WALNUT PALEO COOKIES | YOU WILL NEED

1 | Three Cups Almond Meal, Half Teaspoon Kosher Salt , Half Teaspoon Baking Soda

2 | One Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (Ghirardelli, anyone?), One Cup Chopped Walnuts

3 | One/Fourth Cup Honey, Half Teaspoon Coconut Oil (melted), One Teaspoon Vanilla Extract, Egg

Preheat oven to 350.

First, sift & mix dry ingredients |1| in a bowl.
Evenly mix in walnuts & dark chocolate |2|.
In a separate bowl, whisk honey, coconut oil, vanilla and egg |3|.
Craft a small crater in dry mix bowl. Pour honey mixture & stir evenly.
Spoon dough onto tin foil lined baking sheet, flatten. *Note, the cookies will likely keep this shape. 
Bake 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool at least 5 before removing!

The house smelled amazing while these baked & my taste testers said they were shockingly nice (we have a natural distrust of baked goods that don't call for a big cup of sugar!). I'm going to try it again after Lent so I can give you my own review. Ghirardelli Chocolate... twist my arm :)

Happy Birthday, Sassy Ashley! I hope this year brings you everything delightful.