An afternoon sipping wine with Martha Stewart, totally casually right? I was lucky enough to attend the launch party for Martha Stewart Wine Co. to get a first look at the wine selections and I have to say I am so excited about this launch!

Martha Stewart has been the go-to household name for all things entertainment, DIY, home decor so adding a wine company to her brand only seems natural. Martha Stewart Wine Co. is a curated online wine service that brings wine (including selections from Martha) right to your door. You can buy by the bottle, wine packs, or they also offer a wine club.

The service has curated wine selections from across the globe to help make every celebration or a casual night in top-notch. Dinner party? You got it! Girls night? Done! Date-night in? They've thought about that too. No detail has gone unnoticed and the brand also highlights pairing suggestions with Martha's recipes to make your next get-together even easier to plan.

During the event, I got to taste a variety of the line's offerings and it was tough, but I have a few favorites that I'd highly recommend!

3 of my Favorites from the Collection:

1. The first being the Bear Hug Chardonnay, it was smooth but with a classic Chardonnay taste. Being from California it also reminded me of my last trip to Napa which was an added bonus.

2. If you like a nice sparkling wine the Fincalegre Cava Brut is a great option! It was tasty on its own and would be great for a celebration or can you say brunch cocktails?! Count me in.

3. If you're a Rosé lover then you should definitely check out the Villa Ruby Rosé -- which also happens to be one of Martha's favorites!

I have to add, in addition to a great selection the pricing for the line is very affordable too -- which is always a perk! The bottles range in price from $12.49-$29.99 and they're also offering a special on their 6-bottle pack for $59.99. WIN! If you're someone who enjoys always having wine in the house, you might also be interested in their wine club. They offer a half case and full case offering with either 6 bottles every 6 weeks for only $8.33/bottle or 12 bottle every 8 weeks for $7.49/bottle, plus that includes free shipping. You just can't beat those deals plus you won't even have to leave your house to pick them up.

It was a fantastic event and  I was very impressed by the line. I definitely know I'll be ordering some of the selections for Spring and Summer entertaining! You can learn more about the line or order some bottles yourself at the link below.

Photo Credit: Cover photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Wine Co. Facebook

Lobster rolls and burgers... with a menu like that can you really go wrong?! I'm so excited to share my latest restaurant adventure to Burger & Lobster with you guys because to be frank, it was bomb.com!

Located in the Flatiron district (with a second NYC location coming soon!) the concept was started in 2011 by 4 friends who wanted to perfect a restaurant on two main ingredients -- burgers and lobster. Flash forward to 2017 and they have locations across the globe including spots in Bangkok, Dubai, London, Kuwait, Manchester and Stockholm, just to name a few. 

It turns out, they weren't the only ones who thought the concept was a great idea and I just happen to fall into that category! So let's get cracking -- see what I did there?!

We started dinner by checking out their drink menu which I ordered The Apothecary's Secret -- a cucumber mint vodka cocktail. I'm such a sucker for the refreshing cocktail and this one hit the spot. It would be a great option for when the weather warms up too!

Next up? We're talking lobster rolls. I've fallen hard for lobster rolls over the last few years so I could not wait to get my hands on these puppies. True story, I used to look forward to trips to Connecticut to meet with my business partner partly because I was obsessed with the lobster rolls up there. Burger & Lobster offers 3 varieties The Original, The Seven Samurai - with ginger infused mayo, cucumbers, cabbage, sesame seeds and togarashi sprinkle and The Fiesta - with chipotle mayo, corn, cabbage, bell peppers and pico de gallo. I mean... how's a girl to choose?

We decided we had to try The Original and then also decided on The Fiesta. Both excellent options! The Original is just what you're looking for when you're craving a juicy lobster roll -- buttery roll, mayo and topped with chives. One thing I've found in the city is that some places kind of skimp you on the lobster, but Burger & Lobster really loads you up. The Fiesta was another delicious option with a bit more kick than The Original. It was the perfect combination of a little spice without going overboard. The lobster rolls also come with fries and a side salad all for $20 or $25 -- which I thought was a steal for NYC! I should also note the dressing on the side salad was delicious and you know me, I'm not much of a salad girl so that's saying something!

Next up we decided we also had to try a burger to cap off the full Burger & Lobster experience. We opted for their 6 oz London Burger which was cooked perfectly to order and topped with the works, their burger sauce, and sandwiched between a sesame seed bun. Seriously solid burger done right to the last bite! I'm definitely going to have to come back to check out their Beast Burger too which has lobster meat topped on a 6 oz burger with swiss cheese and truffle mayo. Insane right?! Insanely delicious that is.

This spot is on point and I cannot wait to come back. It's the perfect spot to grab a bite after work, a cocktail in the bar, or for date night. Nice atmosphere and the staff was top notch! Burger & Lobster you treated us dang good, two thumbs up from me! 

One of the many perks of living in New York City is having access to some really cool events. Especially career related because there are so many media and business headquarters here! If you caught my Instagram story earlier you might have caught that I went to a great event put on by XO Group called #XOGroupFoundHERS. The event series highlights women making waves in biz and the latest event featured Co-founders of BaubleBar! It was such a great evening learning about Amy Jain and Daniella Yacobovsky's story and while we work in entirely different industries, I really identified with a lot of their stories. So today I wanted to touch on some of the topics they discussed and the lessons I learned.

Making the Transition From Friends to Biz Partners

They started out by sharing how they met and started their business, and true story I texted my business partner Mallory and said, "Soooo umm basically we're like the BaubleBar girls 2.0. Like the way they describe their partnership was on point." Maybe a slightttt exaggeration but their story gave me all of those familiar vibes. 

They originally met in a professional atmosphere in investment banking and after sitting by each other ended up becoming friends and then later decided to embark on their business journey together. When asked if they were worried about going into biz together since they were friends or if they ever butt heads, they said honestly we don't really have that problem and usually end up with ideas in the same direction. Part of the reason they attribute their success as biz partners? Because they originally met in a professional environment!

While they're a few years, and a few funding rounds, ahead of us 😜, this is something I really related to because Mallory and I met in the same way. While we certainly had no idea or plans to ever start a business together back then.. Working together for 3 years did give us ample time to realize we made a badass team and worked very well together. Going into biz with friends isn't for everyone, but I think working together previously allowed us to make that transition easier. 

Some of the key things to easing into a partnership seamlessly? Making sure you're on the same page with your visions for the business. That's obviously a BIG topic but finding middle ground on what you're trying to accomplish is essential. Next up? Having honest conversations about what you really like doing and what you're not as great at. Finding someone whose strengths are your weaknesses can be so beneficial too! The term divide and conquer hits home hard when it comes to partnerships. The ladies also talked about how they still find ways to separate their friendship and their business. While business is def a HUGE part of their relationship and lives they also talked about how they are able to hang out and focus on the personal aspects of their friendship.

Don't Stress as Much Over the Small Details

They shared great advice about how people probably won't remember every newsletter you send or every web update. If you're on point most of the time people aren't going to notice. They told a hilarious story about how they used to hold hands and press the send button together when sending their newsletters out because they were so nervous. The truth is, give it your best shot and get it out there. Over time, you'll learn, you'll grow and you'll keep improving! You'll also get a better idea of what resonates with your audience so instead of being afraid, just DO it! You may look back and laugh at your designs and tactics but everything will come into place in time!

Do Consumer Research

Since they came up with the idea for BaubleBar while in business school they used that to their advantage to do market research. While market and consumer research sound like such fancy words, it doesn't have to be and they shared the scrappy techniques they applied. Whether you're doing online research about competitors, setting up focus groups, or simply posting an online survey and getting it into the hands of your target market -- the goal with any form of research is to just get some feedback before sinking dollars into that plan.

No matter what approach you decide to take on, the key is to get to know your target audience better so that you can adjust your model and products based upon their feedback. This advice is SO crucial no matter what industry you work in and I think it's something that you consistency need to pay attention to throughout your business journey. Being successful in biz is all about solving a problem others have or offering something that fills a void.

Don't be Afraid of the Unknown

Something else they spoke about that really hit home was not being afraid of the unknown. Coming from an investment banking background they spoke about their concerns about what would happen if they failed. Would they be employable? What would others think? They said that we've been so trained to be afraid of the unknown and that no matter if you crash and burn or succeed, it will be a learning process which is always useful.

I can 100% relate to this feedback. I've been suchhhh a planner my whole life and starting a biz def wasn't on my radar. Hello, the unknown is scary! But hey, shaking up my plan and moving to NYC from Oregon 6 years ago was pretty scary too, but I did it! And before that? Moving to Portland after college graduation in the dead of the recession just hoping to get my foot in the door in the industry. The truth is, those big scary unknowns? They may be scary and they might not be "in your plan" but they are game changers in directing your life and always come along with a heck of a lot of lessons. 

While it's certainly easy to say don't be afraid of the unknown, isn't it scary not knowing what could have happened if you gave something your all? Personally, I'd rather try and fail, than to have that idea always on my mind wondering what if. Maybe things won't turn out like you'd want, but maybe they will! Let that fear drive you forward instead of hindering you.

I hope you've found some of this advice useful! I had SUCH a great time learning from the BaubleBar ladies and know their words will have a lasting impact. If you'd like to catch the whole session yourself, the XO Group also did a Facebook Live for the event so you can check it out below!