All Women Stalk Roundup: October 9, 2013

It's been a little while since the last update, but for those who are following along, here's my latest (and final) roundup of All Women Stalk posts. Even though I'll no longer be blogging over at AWS after this, I'm hoping to continue sharing new advice-focused pieces right here on High Heels & Flip-Flops in the near future. Are there any specific topics you'd love to read about? Feel free to let me know!

Image Source: All Women Stalk

INSPIRATION

7 Awesome Things About Turning 30 That Will Get You Excited

MONEY

7 Simple Ways to Start Planning for Retirement While You're Still Young

MUSIC

7 Romantic First Dance Songs You and Your Sweetie Will Love

PARENTING

7 Fantastic Gender-Neutral Nursery Themes You'll Love

TRAVEL

7 Amazing Northern Virginia Wineries to Add to Your List

7 Iconic California Cities You Must Visit on Your Next Trip

7 Fun Things to Do in Washington DC This Summer

WEDDING

7 Classic Home Essentials to Include in Your Wedding Registry

7 Great Reasons to Plan a Destination Wedding

7 Great Reasons to Plan a Small and Intimate Wedding

7 Helpful Tips on How to Make a Seating Chart for Your Wedding

7 Unforgettable Wedding Gifts Your Fiance Will Love

7 Fun Hawaiian Wedding Ideas for Tying the Knot in Paradise

30th Birthday Weekend

Well, it’s happened. I’m officially 30 and happy to say that so far, things are looking good!

My birthday weekend started off Friday night with a trip into DC for an early dinner at Sweetgreen, my favorite gourmet salad shop, followed by a performance of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde at the Kennedy Center. While the show was long (4.5 hours), the singing and staging were absolutely phenomenal! I also received an awesome gift pack from my family in California, which included my own little Despicable Me minion buddy. Speaking of great gifts, I just have to share a photo of the colorful bracelet my dear friend Joycelyn picked out for me during her recent trip to Mexico, too. 

Saturday, my actual birthday, was a low-key and relaxing day complete with a walk down to Old Town for cannoli and lemon lavender cupcakes, plus a taste of the free pistachio ice cream and blackberry pie being given out at a recently opened Sur La Table cooking store. Other than that, I enjoyed munching on the delicious blueberry pancakes Stephen made for breakfast, kicking back with a couple good books and magazines, and closing out the day with a home-cooked meal of mushroom ravioli and Vinho Verde wine.

Next, pushing the fun over into Sunday, Stephen and I headed back into the city to meet up with my longtime blog bestie Diana from The World Around Her, who had driven down from Pennsylvania with her husband Mike. We all had a great time exploring the Air and Space and Natural History museums on the National Mall, along with stopping in at the popular Capitol Hill hangout Tortilla Coast for margaritas and a Tex-Mex dinner. Isn't the Vintage Vinyl Journal birthday present she gave me cool? 

I guess 30's not quite so scary after all! 

Turning 30

Right on the heels of my amazing trip to California comes another exciting (yet also somewhat unnerving) event – my 30th birthday! Yes, like it or not, this Saturday I’ll kiss my 20s goodbye and welcome a new decade for the fourth time in my life.

Do I feel “ready” to turn 30? No. Do I feel like I’m in a better, happier, more secure place than I was when I turned 20? Without a doubt, yes. In fact, those I’ve talked to who are already in their 30s say that this decade has been by far the best time of their lives to date, which I certainly hope will be the case for me, as well.  

In an effort to focus on the positive, I recently wrote a post for All Women Stalk on “7 Awesome Things About Turning 30 That Will Get You Excited” and have been putting together a goal list for the next 10 years. But before I become too focused on the future, I also want to look back and remember all of the best memories from my 20s, including the 10 listed below.

Even though I can't actually head back to Hawaii for my birthday, I'll definitely be raising a glass to the next 10 years!

1. Being editor in chief of my college’s paper, Daily Sundial, during undergrad

2. Graduating with my bachelor’s in journalism

3. Moving cross-country from California to DC eight years ago

4. Meeting and marrying my wonderful husband

5. Adopting Molly and Twix, the sweetest fur kids ever

6. Obtaining my master’s degree in publishing

7. Traveling to cool places like Hawaii, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama and, of course, California

8. Making memories with my grandparents during our final years together  

9. Writing, editing, being a congressional aide, coordinating weddings and working on various other professional projects I've loved

10. Taking ongoing steps (both forward and backward) toward living a healthier life

What’s next? I’m about to find out! Do those of you who are already in your 30s or about to celebrate this milestone birthday have any tips or advice for me? 

Beaches, Veggie Burgers & Vineyard Weddings

There are so many things I love about my home state of California, from the sandy beaches and mild weather to the delicious food and, of course, all of the loved ones I get to reconnect with each time I visit.

As those of you who follow me on Facebook and Instagram surely noticed, I took another much-anticipated vacation and blog break last week in order to spend a little time out on the West Coast, where I happily snacked on lobster tacos and veggie burgers, took in the beauty of the state’s Central Coast and attended the gorgeous vineyard wedding of my dear friends Jess and John.

As always, I’ve recapped my adventure below in photos. 

No visit to the Golden State would be complete without stopping by The Habit for a veggie burger with sweet potato fries. Another must-have? A grilled cheese from In-N-Out. 

There's nothing like the beauty of California's Central Coast, as seen here at Avila Beach, where I joined my close friends Bridget and Gianna for good food and music at the city's popular seaside Farmer's Market.

A group wine-tasting excursion hosted by the bride and groom was the ultimate way to kick off the wedding weekend. Here, Gianna and I are taking a quick water break before joining the others for a picnic lunch. 

Rolling hills, wine barrels, a candy bar, hand-drawn chalkboard signs and more set the stage for a fun and memorable wedding reception at Sanford Winery in Lompoc. Isn't the "Ring for a Kiss" bell too cute?

From the artfully designed centerpieces to the twinkling candles, Jess and John's table decor helped create the perfect rustic chic vibe. 

Hanging out with Gianna and Bridget during cocktail hour, then staying warm and getting ready to party with beautiful bride Jessica. 

Thanks for a wonderful trip, everyone! Now, it's back to DC in time to welcome the official start of the fall season, which promises cooler days, colorful leaves and, in just a little over a week, my 30th birthday. Yikes!

Sponsored Post: 40 Percent Off New Cantoni Font for Weddings, Parties & Events

Back when I was editor of the Weddzilla Blog, I had the honor of working with many amazing contributors, including talented lettering artist Debi Sementelli, owner of Dallas’ Lettering Art Studio.

Like other former Weddzilla bloggers, Debi has kept in touch throughout the past couple years, and I was thrilled when she recently contacted me to announce the launch of her new Cantoni font, which strikes me as being just perfect for a rustic wedding, whimsical baby shower, end-of-summer BBQ or just about any other type of event for which you're looking to create eye-catching invitations, signs and more.    

In addition to the gorgeous lettering itself, I absolutely love the unique graphic ornaments seen below! 

Best of all, now through October 5, Debi’s offering a 40 percent discount to all of my readers who purchase this one-of-a-kind font. Simply visit the Cantoni page at MyFonts.com to see an overview, view pricing options and make your purchase using the code heatherw. Depending upon the number of sales, I may also become eligible to receive my own discounted or free font package. 

Check it out today, along with Debi's other two original fonts, Belluccia and Dom Loves Mary.