Go Red for Women Fashion Show

Like fashion and have a passion for helping and promoting an important cause? Then you can’t miss this year’s Go Red for Women Fashion Show. Everyone knows the American Heart Association, but not as many know about the Go Red campaign. This component of the AHA focuses on promoting heart health and lifestyle changes in women.

I started as a volunteer with Go Red a little over a year ago. My grandmother has suffered from heart problems for quite a few years. Thankfully, she’s been in pretty good shape heart-wise—woo hoo. But because of her, this campaign has become such a strong passion of mine.

Go Red has many fundraisers throughout the year, however my focus is the fashion show. Last year we had almost 500 people attend our “Picture Perfect Health” show at the Wyndham Grand in downtown Pittsburgh, and this year we are expecting even more at our “Driven to be Heart Healthy” show than last year! It’s really pretty awesome. The clothes are from Macy’s and all of our models have a relation to either some sort of heart disease or they've made a healthy lifestyle change. We have an amazing “Chinese” auction and a live auction for some of our larger items, PLUS there are a ton of cool local vendors who come and sell their stuff.

My mom, grandma and aunt came last year and we had so much fun. It’s so inspiring to see the models up there and hear their story. So walk, drive, pedal or swim—whatever, just get there!

PS: Here's the post of the Plum Advance Leader article on us volunteers from Plum!

Pittsburgh's North Shore

There is no denying my love for Pittsburgh. I was so lucky to have the chance to travel the country after graduation, and although I loved every minute of it, it completely reassured me of how much I love this great city. I read recently that Hermoine, I mean Emma Watson, said that she was dreading having to live and work here while filming The Perks of Being A Wallflower, and at the end it turned out being one of her favorite places in the world. Crazy, huh? You'd never think that a little Brit like her would end up loving this city.

Anyway, I can ramble on for hours about all the great restaurants, shops, scenery, and hidden gems of Pittsburgh, but I'm going to make the rest of this simple. The North Shore is amazing. How can it not be? It's home to the Steelers and the Pirates, some great sports bars, a beautiful view of the city, The Warhol and other great museums and much more. Every single time I get through the city and start going across the bridge I get butterflies. The view of the stadiums, especially when there's a game that day, just takes my breath away. Cheesy, I know, but I can't help it.

I took a little walk to other day--one of those days at work--and found myself in where else, the North Shore. Check it out.

The Dark Side of the Moon

Free People recently opened a new store in Pittsburgh in the Bakery Square complex in East Liberty. Bakery Square quickly became an up-and-coming area in the city. The I Made It! Market is a frequent visitor and the shops and restaurants include Anthropologie, Boxwood, Learning Express, Panera Bread and is home to Pittsburgh’s Google office.

I love Free People’s new line inspired by various models and musicians including Stevie Nicks and Florence Welch.

Be sure to check out all of Free People’s current collections—Caravan Dreams is another 

one I’m lusting over. 

Terrain

Have you ever visited Terrain? I stumbled across it the other day and since then I can't stop going back. I haven't purchased anything yet but I have my eye on a few things. I love the simplicity, yet unique and beautiful colors of many of the items. Gardening has always had a special place in my heart and there are some amazing outdoor items on the site. Here are a few of my favorites:

Engraved Vines Copper Cocotte

Floating Wall Terrarium

Starburst Mirror

Jadeite Cake Stand

Patchouli Powder Box Candle

United States Chalkboard Map

Lyric Chrysoprase Necklace

Be sure to check out their blog, The Bulletin, for ideas, inspiration and easy DIY projects.

Autumn Leaf Festival

I think everyone in the world knows how much I love Clarion--the town, the university, the scenery, it's all completely perfect to me. I spent four amazing years there and I still think about all the memories, friends I made and skills I learned. The Autumn Leaf Festival has been going on forever (I'm not going to even try and guess the year it started). My family used to take me up when I was younger--one year Chris Kirkpatrick from N'SYNC, a Clarion local, was in the parade--I obviously attended while I was in school, and now I've gone back the past 3 years as an alumni.

It's become something that I look forward to every year. My roommates and best friends from college and I get a hotel room, go up Friday to walk around the craft show, eat at our favorite places, enjoy a few or maybe more than a few beers at our favorite bars, and wake up anxious to talk about the night before--something that we always loved doing when we were in college.

Since so many of my family members attended Clarion, and almost all of them were Greek, it's always exciting for us to go back and visit with sorority sisters and fraternity brothers, meet the new people in the chapter, and see the floats in the parade! Seeing all the beautiful new members and hearing all the amazing things the chapter is doing always makes me so proud of my Zeta Tau Alpha sisters! Three Zeta's were on Homecoming Court this year and of course a Zeta was crowned Queen!

Seriously though, even if you didn't go to Clarion, ALF is definitely worth a visit. Actually the drive alone is worth it--all the leaves are changing and it's just so peaceful. And make sure you get a Poorman's Caramel Apple, Vinny's Buck-A-Slice, a beer at the Loomis, wings at Toby, and maybe a coozie from the school store. Ahhh I'm already counting down the days until next year :)

Photo by Clarion University 

Photo by Clarion University - ZTA and TKE Float

Photo by Clarion University

Roommates! Excuse the hotel room-haha!

Drive to Clarion.

Outside of our "home," 518 South.

My handsome cousin Caden!

The Loomis.

iPhone photo-Kev.

My mom and Uncle Rich--founder of KDR at Clarion!

Being silly with my cousin Richie!

More great pictures on the Clarion University Facebook page.

Find Your Stylescope

Need some inspiration? Take this easy Home Goods Stylescope quiz to learn how to find your style and cheap and creative ways to make it come to life! I ended up being "The Traveler" with a touch of "New Country," and I have to say Home Goods was pretty much spot on. I'm "curious about all corners of the world, whether she's visited them or dreams of going." Um, how did they know?