Nashville Fit + Style

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

NYC Girls Trip Guide

Once a year I go on a trip with my girlfriends to The Big Apple. It's one of my fave places to get away + shop til your drop + and soak up city life. I'm sharing some of my daytime and nighttime looks that I've worn and some of my fave spots in the city!

Daytime Looks:

Camel Fleece turtleneck / Quilted Black Leather Bag / Spanx Faux Leather Leggings / Black and White Sneakers

You can't beat comfy turtlenecks and Spanx leggings for a casual day look filled with shopping. I'm obsessed with this fleece turtleneck (comes in other colors and shorter lengths here!) The length on this top is perfect for pairing with leggings because it covers up all the things. I've also been loving these new sneakers because of the little platform. They also come in a solid white color here.

Cabbing it with my girl Campbell!

Black Sunglasses / Cowl Neck Sweater / Black Coat / Black Ring Belt / Dark Wash Jeans / Suede Booties / Trapeze Bag / Similar Trapeze Bag

I wore this look last year during the day (notice my long hair) which is also based solely on comfort. You walk so much in NYC that during the day I always opt for a low heeled bootie or sneakers and these fit the bill. I always have loved a classic wool funnel neck coat. This particular coat is old but I found a similar one here and here. I also love this twist on the coat in a tweed version with leather details.

This pic was snapped in front of the fountain outside the famous Plaza Hotel. If you've never been to NYC this is a def must-see (at least just to see where Macaulay Culkin stayed in Home Alone 2) :)

Rockefeller Center with proof of our shopping with allll the bags!

This year I saw Mean Girls on Broadway which was hilariously awesome! I also recommend seeing Jagged Little Pill and Moulin Rouge! (didn't have time to see those but heard they were great!)

Nighttime Looks:

Black Wrap Dress / Rose Petal Earrings / Quilted Black Leather Bag / Black Tights / Red Booties

Y'all know by now that I'm fully obsessed with Amazon at this point and I found this dress for under $30! I love the ruffle detail and come in several other colors. Then I found these fun floral drop earrings on Amazon as well. You really can't beat all the convenience and fun styles that is on Amazon!

We went to a fun French restaurant called Le Bilboquet ( the Cajun chicken is to die for!) Then we headed to our fave midtown rooftop bar Salon de Ning which is at the Peninsula Hotel for after-dinner drinks. If you have followed me on Instagram stories then you probably saw that I fell and broke my right wrist last year. Well, I'm happy to report that I stayed safe this year and had no broken bones- ha!

Off-the-shoulder sweater / Faux Leather Pants / Gold Envelope Clutch / Open Toe Bootie

I wore this black-on-black look to dinner last year. We went to a beautiful restaurant called Park Avenue Autumn- where the menu and decor drastically changes each season. These faux leather pants have been a staple in my closet because I love the additional coverage these give you over a legging. And it doesn't hurt that these look like real leather and are under $100! Wore my fave open toe booties which I recently found on sale for under $60.

We found a dive bar after dinner that night with a great DJ and had a blast!

Hanging at Le Bilboquet on last year's trip!

Fave Places in NYC to go on a Girls Trip:

Brunch + Bubbles:

Balthazar - a true NYC staple located in SoHo, has the best eggs Benedict, perf for fueling up before hitting allllll the stores in SoHo

BG Restaurant - located on the 7th floor of Bergdorf Goodman with gorgeous views of Central Park, try their lobster mac + chicken salad sandwich with truffle oil

Freemans - rustic + quaint restaurant hidden down an alley on the Lower East Side

Two Hands - They have 2 locations in the city, simple but delicious food with amazing coffee

Brunching at the always amazing Balthazar!

The decor at BG Restaurant is one of my faves!

Shop Til You Drop:

SoHo - this is a mecca for shopping with literally over 300 stores. It is known to be one of the world's largest outdoor malls. Some of my faves are: Aritzia, Mango, Splendid, Top Shop, and The Real Real

Midtown - You can't beat all the luxury stores along Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue. The window displays alone are worth the stroll. Bergdorf Goodman is simply a must!

Shopping at my fave store- Mango

Dinner at It's Finest:

Beauty and Essex - I've been here 4 times and it simply never gets old! They serve champagne in the bathroom and the sharable plates make it a perfect atmosphere for a girls dinner. Head upstairs to the club after dinner to get your dance on.

The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges - We went there for brunch this year but I want to go back and try dinner next time! The decor is gorgeous and the menu has something for everyone.

Carbone - This Italian restaurant inspired by The Godfather gives off a hipster chic 1950's vibe.

Buddakhan - The decor is truly amazing with even better pan-Asian fare. They filmed an iconic episode of Sex and City here.

ABC Kitchen - This is a beautiful and elegant setting with amazing seafood

Vandal - This restaurant / nightclub has amazing + funky decor celebrating global culture

Quality Italian Steakhouse - We tried this spot this year and I will definitely be back! The filet meatballs were unreal.

Hanging at Quality Italian Steakhouse with my girls!

This is just a short + sweet list of some of my top faves. There are many many more! Comment below and let me know some of your faves. There is just never enough time to hit up all the places but you have to leave something to come back for!

XOXO,

Amanda

Sweatnet Nashville

Lululemon Top + Star Old Navy Leggings

If you are like me then you have been hearing some buzz about SweatNET in the fitness community. I got a chance to chat with my friend Meghan who launched SweatNET in Nashville. She was able to break it down for me: think of it as a workout, healthy eats, and self care exclusive membership! They are also giving you $5 off your first months membership to try it out with code: FITSTYLE.

SweatNET goes along with everything we are all about at Nashville Fit + Style....self care. Taking time to take care of you and focus on bettering yourself.

SweatNET (follow them @sweatnetnashville on Instagram) is a wellness membership platform that’s only $9.95/mo. Your memberships gives you exclusive deals and discounts to all things health and wellness (studios/gyms, healthy restaurants, spas, saunas, med-spas & more) and access to 4-6 FREE workouts every month! You can get discounts on class packages, lower drop in rates, healthy recipes and much more. You can also utilize your membership when you are in other SweatNET cities.

Here are some of things one's I am super excited about!

STUDIO NOVO- %15 drop in rate
CLEAN JUICE - 10% off purchases
JUICE BAR- 20% off purchases
CORE POWER YOGA - 20% off class packs
TAZIKIS- 15% off entire purchase
BARRE 3- $17 drop in + 10% off class packs
B.FAB FITNESS- $10 drop in rate
TITLE BOXING- $15 drop in rate
SCULPTHOUSE- $20 drop in rate
NEIGHBORHOOD BARRE- $15 drop in rate
SHED- $18 drop in rate
THE COOL SPOT- $25 whole body session
DEFIANCE FUEL- 15% all orders

I feel like the Tazikis and Juice Bar purchases would easily pay for the month membership fee itself! In my opinion "drop in rates" have gotten so high for classes, so this really does give you some relief and flexibility.

Remember to use our code that will give you $5 off your first month. Use code: FITSTYLE and give SweatNET a try. It is only going to get bigger and better!

XOXO,
Crystal

New Year Refocus

Happy 2020 friends! There is so much to reflect on over the past decade for me that honestly it kinda overwhelms me to think about. All I know is that I have so much gratitude and it makes me smile to think back on the last ten years.

So, where does that leave us for the New Year?? You see a lot of posts and hear talk about new goals resulting in change. I kind of take a different approach to things. Instead of “goals”, I like to think about it as refocusing. Maybe it's because I have been in sales my whole professional career. I get a daily sales report every day with a percentage to my goal, so I get a bit “goaled-out”- ha! So even if you write down goals- you can always think about refocusing things in your life for a positive change. There is my soap box on that- just switch out the words to make it easier to achieve!

As far as fitness and health go, I have a few thoughts....

Do I do or consider “dry January”? The short answer is no. In general I only really drink on the weekends anyways (minus the past few weeks of course.). That would make for a long, cold January honestly. Plus its not the lifestyle that I want for the long run. I like the cleansing benefits and feeling great, but other than that- it's not something I want to do. Maybe I would lose a few pounds from cutting back on the alcohol calories, but I would gain them right back when I started back up. So if not drinking a whole month seems overwhelming to you, maybe just try a dry Sunday-Thursday approach.

Don’t be intimidated to go to an exercise class until you are “in shape” for it. I feel like I hear this a lot and I wish people wouldn’t think this way. Try and change your focus to - I am going to do the best I can, give this a try, and work up to the intensity I want. I swear you could come in my Yoga Sculpt class and lay there half the time and I wouldn’t even think twice about it. What you really have to focus on is that people are so focused on their OWN SELF that nobody cares how fast you are running, much you are lifting, or how many reps you are doing. Try to take intimidation out of it and give something a try! The more excuses that you make the harder it is to ever do.

Whole 30 or drastic diets for the month of January? I am not totally opposed to these things. But is it a realistic lifestyle that you want to live or will you just go back to your old ways right when Feb. 1st hits? I think sometimes these things can be discouraging for people when you do something so drastic then go back to real life the next month. I would encourage you to make small and attainable changes that you can do the whole year instead of just one month. In my opinion this sets you up for success the whole year as opposed to just one month. Maybe do whole 30 clean eating 2-3 days a week then just healthy eating the other days that isn’t so perfect. Or start to incorporate Fiber into your everyday diet and build up to a goal off 35 grams like I try to get to on the F-Factor Lifestyle Diet.

In closing set yourself up for little victories and success all year! As always I am hear to help and love when you guys reach out to help encourage me to stay on track as well.

XOXO,

Crystal

Last Minute NYE outfit ideas

If you are like me then it's been a steady stream of non-stop fun +family over the holidays. New Year's Eve hasn't even been a thought for me because we rarely go out on this night (I gave up on getting babysitters on this night a long time ago). But for those that do get out and need last minute options I'm going to help you out! Even if you stay put at home and have friends over for a casual night - I got options for that as well. For last minute occasions such as these I rely heavily on Amazon Prime and Nordstrom order online with in-store pickup option.

Metallic Long Sleeve Wrap Dress + YSL Lipstick in #46 Orange Perfecto

I love a good halter style cocktail dress! This dress in black is classic + fun. Pair this with some strappy heels, fun earrings, a little clutch and you are done.

This gorgeous satin jumpsuit is available at the Nashville Nordstrom location. Check on availability at your city's store to make sure they have it in stock! You can simply order online and pick it up at a designated store pick up area. I loooove navy for an unexpected twist on the usual black. This also comes in burgundy as well.

I love this strappy sequin camisole that you can pair with velvet leggings or jeans! This would be a great paired with a classic blazer as well.

For a more casual NYE look- This slouchy sweater with your Spanx faux leather leggings + fun earrings would be easy and cute!

I love the idea of doing a pajama party for NYE! These satin short pajamas are so chic and come in 3 different patterns. Throw on a silk eye mask ala Holly Golightly in Breakfast with Tiffany's for an even more chic look. Don't forget some comfy + fuzzy slippers!

Shop more NYE ideas below. Happy shopping and Happy New Year!

XOXO,

Amanda

Dick's Holiday Shopping

We have always loved shopping at Dick's Sporting Goods! It has been a go-to for years for all of our Titans attire and our boy's sporting needs. We discovered recently that Dick's offers so much more for the whole family and is a great shopping option for anyone on your list year round!

We shopped til we dropped and got everyone in our fam covered!

We are all about some cute workout wear (because it makes you want to workout more right?!). We have seen so many cute pieces from Carrie Underwood's exclusive to Dick's line called CALIA and have been wanting to try it out. We both got cute workout tops and pullovers. This line also has casual wear that includes cardigans and hoodies that are super cute + comfy.

The CALIA by Carrie Underwood collection is amazing! Amanda snagged the cute peach pullover (pictured above in the bottom right) for herself!

The biggest surprise is that we were both so in love with another workout line that is exclusive to Dick's as well called the DSG line. This line is super affordable and has everything you need for yourself and also your child. We both love our sheer leopard long sleeve tank that comes in black and white. As far as sizing goes for women it runs a tad small, so would size up. The DSG line also has so many great options for kids and their ever growing needs. We both stocked up on lots of pants and shirts for all the kids. Amanda found a great puffer jacket for both of her boys. The cool thing about this brand is that 1% of every purchase goes to the Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation to help save youth sports in our local communities. Learn more at SportsMatter.org

Crystal rocking her fun DSG Leopard Leggings

How cute is this Quilted Jacket?!

Dick's has everything you need for all the sports. They also offer free bike assembly when you purchase a bike from them. A great gift idea for football lover would be the Wilson NFL 100th Anniversary Football.

Dick's offers free in-store assembly on all bikes!

A basketball goal is always a great gift idea for your kids!

There are so many great options for gifting the men in your life!

These Yeti tumblers are a great stocking stuffer and come in fab colors!

Dicks also offers an awesome buy online and pickup at the store one hour later to make shopping super easy! Also, they offer a price match guarantee and will match the price if you find something cheaper at a different retailer. We also both signed up for ScoreCard Gold which gives you points for every dollar that you spend. When you spend $500 in a calendar year you qualify! Be sure to check out Dick's Holiday Shopping Guide to help you with any last-minute gift ideas.

Happy Holiday Shopping!

XOXO,
Crystal + Amanda

Gift Guide for the Fitness Guru

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season. There is still time to do a little holiday shopping, if you wait til the last minute like me! My "wish list" always includes some fitness items, so I thought I would share those with you.

You all know that I think you should always have a gym bag packed everyday! I am loving this Black Marble Gym Bag to keep all your workout goodies in. It also has a ventilated shoe pocket which is a huge bonus. It is a perfect size + it would work great as an overnight bag.

Gym Bag

We purchased a treadmill for our basement last year for a Christmas gift to ourselves. I have absolutely loved having it as an option to workout at the house. Sometimes I literally only have 15 minutes to get a workout in. In that short time, this treadmill allows me to get in a quick run to give myself a little sweat and some sense of accomplishment. We purchased the NordicTrack T 6.5 Si Treadmill, which I have been happy with. This treadmill is not a commercial grade Barry's Boot Camp/OrangeTheory treadmill by any means, but for the price I am happy with it. The company also will come set it up for free.

Treadmill

You can find me in my car rolling around with my "third child" my Gallon Water Bottle with Straw. This is a great way to get a ton of water in for the day and keep you motivated to finish the daily gallon intake goal. It's a sense of accomplishment when you finish the whole bottle!

I love these Bala Bangle wrist and ankle weights. They are the most fashionable looking weights that you can wear all throughout the day. You can also wear them while you are working out to add a little intensity. They are also great if you sit at a desk or drive like me all day long. They are super comfy and easy to wear.

I find Christmas a good time to stock up on Lululemon. I have so many different brands of pants I like to wear, but Lulu is by far my favorite. I have a new obsession with the align pants. They are the softest and give great coverage. I look forward to wearing them! My Camo Align Crops have been my favorite purchase this year.

Capris + Sunnies

Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year!

XOXO,

Crystal

Cyber Monday

Now that I'm back from vacay it's time to hit the sales! Thank god for online shopping (ha!) I didn't have to stress about being gone on Black Friday because I knew that sales would still be available today (and alot of retailers extend the sales to Tuesday too)!