Mondays with Mac

Monday with Mac – Chicago Weekend

Guys I’m back with a breakdown of my girls’ weekend in Chicago! Chi-town is another cool city that I think everyone should take a trip to at some point! It was the perfect city for a three day weekend. My friends and I took an early flight on Friday morning out of Boston, and were in Chicago in 2h40m. It’s a super quick trip!

There is a lot to do in Chicago that you could definitely spend a whole week there. But for 4 girls looking to have a fun spring weekend, we did a lot of walking around, enjoying outdoor activities, cute brunch spots and rooftop bars! Here’s what we were able to fit into 3 days.

Activities we did:

SkyDeck Chicago in the Willis Tower (this can get pretty crowded, but it’s a must walking out on the glass deck 103 floors above the city!
Grant Park
Millenium Park (beautiful outdoor theater – close to the Art Institute of Chicago which is a great art museum!)
The Bean
The Riverwalk
Navy Pier (a fun carnival atmosphere with a ferris wheel, swings, and lots of fun shops and restaurants!)

Places we Drank:

Cerise Rooftop Bar (on top of the Virgin Hotel- great views and vibes all around)
Raise Rooftop (on top of the Marriott Renaissance – great view of the river!)
City Winery (on the chicago riverwalk- great place to grab a glass of Rose on a sunny evening and watch the boats pass by!)
Joy District (very fun nightclub vibe with a great dance floor and adorable rooftop!)

Places we Ate:

Pizzeria Uno (The ORIGINAL Uno’s Restaurant)
Broken English Taco Pub (very cool atmosphere, very good tacos)
Do-Rite Donuts (gfree donuts!!)
The Hampton Social (the CUTEST brunch spot ever)
Public House (upscale pub- very cool milkshakes)

I would recommend anyone who is curious, to take a trip to Chicago! It is well worth the visit! Thanks for reading 🙂

Monday with Mac: Spring Weekend in D.C.

It is my opinion that everybody needs to go to Washington, DC at some point in their lifetime. Besides being our Nation’s capital, it holds an immense amount of historical information and knowledge. Beyond that, it is one of the most beautiful cities on the East Coast.

Now, being someone that grew up 30 miles outside of Boston and who was constantly visiting family in NYC this takes a lot for me to say, but it’s true: DC is an awesome city.

Even though I’m just a 7 hour car ride away, my gal pal and I decided to fly. The flights were cheap on Southwest and we wanted to maximize our time. Ronald Reagan Airport is very easy and it’s a short drive (or metro ride) away from the “downtown” area if you will.

I highly recommend everyone go in the springtime and if you can, catch the beautiful cherry blossom festival. It was an absolute dream come true to see this amazing plethora of cherry blossoms! Spring is the perfect time to go for a long weekend, even though you could spend a month in DC and probably still not do everything. Here’s what we could manage in about 4 days:

Smithsonian National Zoo:

The zoo is located in Woodley Park which happened to be right up the street from our hotel. If you are staying downtown, there is a Metro Stop right down the street from the Zoo, so it is very easy to get to!

The main attraction here has to be the pandas, but they have other highlighted animals like elephants, zebras, cheetahs, gorillas and tigers; plus a lot of cool indoor exhibits for reptiles, small mammals, and Amazonia. This is definitely a great place for kids, but also for adults too. Who doesn’t love animals?

American History Museum:

For me, this one was a no-brainer. To be in the nation’s capital where there is so much history, it was so exciting to go see more highlights from America’s past. Here, we were able to see an amazing exhibit on food- including Julia Child’s kitchen- as well as a transportation exhibit and an exhibit on the First Ladies which was a personal favorite! (All of the beautiful inauguration gowns were there *heart eyes*)

National Air & Space Museum:

This museum is so cool. It takes you through the history of flight, with different exhibits at different times of the amazing evolution of air travel. Amelia Earhart, the Wright Brothers, the Tuskegee Airmen, along with some other amazing pilots. They also had some very cool exhibits on space travel, the planets, and time and navigation. This museum was very educational, and very fun. Who doesn’t love giant planes and rocket ships hanging from the ceiling??

U.S. Botanic Garden:

Absolutely stunning. This was such a cool stop and I am so glad we decided to go in, as it wasn’t on our original list. Walking in, I was mainly just happy that the building was warm, as it was a little windy out. But they had the most beautiful gardens to walk through. There were different rooms for different climates. Watch out! Some of the rooms mist the plants every few minutes so you may get a little wet!

Tidal Basin and the CHERRY BLOSSOMS:

The tidal basin is already a beautiful location to walk around, and see the Jefferson Monument and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. I highly suggest it. BUT WITH THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS ITS EVEN MORE AMAZING!!

The cherry blossoms are one of the most incredible sights on the East Coast. The amount of cherry trees alone is purely jaw-dropping. So if you have the flexibility and can plan your trip around the forecast for the year, you definitely should because this is not to be missed! (The peak bloom is usually only a few days, but the festival goes on for a few weeks and the cherry trees are still beautiful!)

Monuments/Memorials:

All of the monuments and memorials in Washington DC are amazing. Unfortunately, we were not able to see all of them, but here are the ones we saw that I highly recommend:

Washington
Lincoln
(Reflecting pool)
Martin Luther King Jr.
Jefferson
World War II

And of course, you must see the Capitol Building! We didn’t go inside, but we hung out on the lawn for a bit and took some pictures- it is stunning!

Cool Neighborhoods:

Woodley Park
DuPont Circle
Georgetown

The Metro:

This is going to sound so silly, but the metro was one of my favorite parts of this trip. We stayed in Woodley Park, which meant that we needed to take the Metro a lot, but it was SO easy! The stations were beautiful and clean, and the trains were as well! It’s very easy to navigate and definitely cheaper than ubering everywhere. You also do enough walking in DC as it is, so sometimes it’s nice to just grab the metro back. I highly recommend it!

BONUS! As some of you may know, I have celiac disease, so I eat completely gluten free. Below are a few gems I found with gluten free options in DC!

District of Pi Pizzeria – Gluten Free Pizza!
Wicked Waffle – Gluten Free Beligan style Waffles!
Rise Bakery – Everything is gluten free- bagels, croissants, cookies, etc! Some things are dairy/egg free as well depending!
Plan B Burger Bar – Gluten free burger buns!
Rosa Mexicano – Gluten free chips/ taco shells and other options! (the guac is amazing!)

Thanks for reading! Caitlin and our dad went to DC for the Cherry Blossom Festival also a few years ago! You can read her posts about it here and here!

Monday With Mac: Apple Picking

Hey everyone, happy Monday! I hope you all had an awesome weekend. Yesterday morning, before a busy Sunday of activities, Michaela and I were able to shoot over to Northborough to visit Tougas Family Farm for some apple picking! As I mentioned in this post, my parents have been going for almost 30 years, so it’s really the only fruit farm that exists in our eyes! From family excursions in the early morning and school field trips during elementary school, the last time we went together was my senior (her sophomore) year in high school, so we were due for another sister adventure!

IMG_2972 (1)

We both clearly had the same mindset, showing up in shades of green and jeans. We also knew to head straight to the honey crisp – a family wide favorite!

Monday with Mac (Winter Edition)

I’m backkk!!! Hi friends, I know it’s been a while since I did a featured post on Caitlin’s blog, and I’m sorry. Life has been really crazy lately and if I’m being honest with you, since it’s cold here always I haven’t been motivated to get it together to take photos. But I decided to put on my big girl pants today and get myself outside for a photo shoot!

I definitely would not call winter my favorite season, but as a native New Englander, it’s pretty much just part of life around here. We bear down for 4-5 months of freezing cold weather, sweat our butts off for 3-4 months and then the other months we get some pretty leaves and flowers and stuff. But in all seriousness, growing up in Massachusetts my parents always taught us that no matter what the other kids are wearing at the bus stop, you need to wear a coat, hat and gloves because you need to be warm no matter what you look like. Now that I am a grown-up, I don’t even step outside without a coat and gloves on because being uncomfortable and cold is not fun. I’ve just assumed that people have learned that being warm is the smart option. Yet, on my morning drive to work, I STILL see high schoolers wearing only sweatshirts in the 15 degree weather, waiting for the bus. HAS NO ONE TOLD YOU THAT WINTER WEAR CAN ALSO BE CUTE?!?

I hope some of those high schoolers are reading this post because LOOK- I have three different winter looks on here that are all v cute, and are all v smart. Each of these looks can be worn in a different type of weather. There are some warmer winter days, and there are some freezing cold days, and living in New England, we’re used to that. So being able to adjust to the weather should be easy for us!

This first look is for those warmer days like this week, where the sun is shining and the temperatures are oddly up in the 50s. All you really need is a vest for when you’re running in and out of stores. Some cute little booties, a sweater and a vest and you’re in business.

This next look is for when your outfit is a little bit fancier, but you’re still in those cold weather days where you need a heavier coat. So I threw on this surprisingly warm peacoat and this cute blush hat and I was ready to go.

Finally, the last look is the actual cold-weather winter look. This outfit will keep you warm from head to toe. This jacket is usually my ski jacket, but it’s so comfortable that sometimes I throw it on with these warm Helly Hansen boots and this beanie. It’s a casual yet warm winter outfit that is quickly becoming one of my favorites. (Hopefully it won’t last too much longer! )

I really can’t believe that it’s already February! It feels like two seconds ago that we were ringing in the new year. Personally, I know that I didn’t get a lot of my new years goals started in January like I wanted to- but my horoscope said that I should try again in February and so I have! And you can too! That’s the thing about goals and resolutions- we can start them whenever we want! We can start them in August if we want to! Personally, I wanted to have more fun working out- because I was having a hard time getting myself to the gym. It’s never too late to start doing something that’s going to make you happy. My sister and I started signing up for more fitness classes- we’ve done Yoga, Spin & Zumba- and I have to say it’s made working out a lot more fun!

So let’s not get stuck in that February Funk. 2017 is just getting started and I know that I am too. Thanks for reading everyone! I hope you have a wonderful winter season, find some cute wintery activities and don’t forget to wear your coat! (At least just do it for the sake of your Mom, you know?)

Look #1: Vest: Marshall’s || Sweater: Banana Republic || Jeans: American Eagle (similar here)|| Boots: Sam & Libby @ Target || Sunglasses: Quay Australia

Look #2: Coat: Kohl’s (similar here) || Boots: Nordstrom Rack || Hat: BP at Nordstrom || Sunglasses: Quay Australia

Look #3: Boots: Helly Hansen (similar here) Coat: The North Face (found it at Marshalls!- similar here) || Beanie: Loft outlet store || Sunglasses: Quay Australia

Disney Outfit Recap

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend! Today I’m rounding up some of my outfit details from our Disney trip, and since I barely took any pictures alone I’ll also be sharing Michaela and Kevin’s as well! At the end I rounded up some of my favorite crossbody bags that are available right now as well!

On Michaela – Shirt: H&M | Flannel: H&M | Shorts: H&M | Shoes: Nordstrom Rack (similar here)

On Kevin – Shirt: | Shorts: American Eagle | Socks: H&M | Sneakers: Vans

On Me – Tee: J.Crew | Shorts: J.Crew | Sneakers: Converse | Bag: French Connection | Sunglasses: Betsey Johnson

On Me – Tee: J.Crew | Shorts: J.Crew | Sneakers: Adidas | Sunglasses: Betsey Johnson | Bag: French Connection

On Michaela – Tank: Target | Flannel: Banana Republic | Shorts: H&M | Shoes: Nike

On Kevin –

On Me – Top: Express | Skirt: J.Crew | Jacket: Lucky Brand | Bandana: J.Crew | Purse: Coach

On Kevin – Shirt: Tommy Hilfiger | Jeans: American Eagle

On Michaela – Top: Banana Republic Factory Store | Skirt: Banana Republic Factory Store

On Michaela: Top: H&M | Shorts: H&M | Sneakers: Converse

On Kevin – Hat: Rawlings | Tee: Routine Baseball | Socks: Feat | Sneakers: Vans

On Me – Top: LOFT (old) | Pants: GAP | Shoes: TOMS | Bag: Coach

My Outfit – Tee: J.Crew | Jeans: GAP | Jacket: Lucky Brand | Sneakers: Nike

Michaela’s Outfit – Top: H&M | Shorts: H&M | Sneakers: Converse

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a great week!
xo, C

Tis the Season

Hey guys! Welcome back. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed a long weekend. Since it’s officially Christmas season my siblings and I celebrated with some tree hunting and holiday decorating (and photo shoots, of course).

Whether you purchase a real tree or break out your artificial one every year, a trip to a Christmas tree farm (or nursery) is a great activity to kickstart the holiday season. I love the fresh smell of pine surrounding me and the overwhelming sight of dozens of trees in one place. There is really nothing quite like sharing this event with your loved ones!

Kevin’s Outfit – Shirt: Nautica | Khakis: American Eagle | Shoes: Sperry

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you all have a great week!

xo, C

Monday with Mac Pt. II

Hi There! It’s me, Michaela, back for another “Monday with Mac” I love making guest appearances on this blog! (Plus it gives me a little extra bonding time with my sister when we turn the tables and I make her take my photos lol)

Now let’s get down to business (to defeat the huns). But for real, these new boots I found at Target are my fashion focus right now, and I’m doing anything I can to work my outfits around them. They are the perfect shade of “fall” as I like to call it, (otherwise known as a camel color) But seriously they go well with any fall shade such as olive green, burgundy and cream.

Here I decided that on a sunny, yet kind of cool day I would pair them with these olive green pants that I found at T.J. Maxx (such a score) and with this warm but not too heavy off-white/cream sweater. Personally, I love it’s design because it’s almost a turtleneck, but not quite which means I wasn’t going to be sweating in it.

I want to be fashionable but also comfortable in my outfit when I go on long fall adventures. This outfit is perfect for my fall activities such as apple picking, looking at foliage, outdoor shopping or just grabbing a hot apple cider with someone. It makes me feel more casual than the work week, but also still like I still go it going on. (Huge thank you to whoever created heeled boots cause they SLAYED the game)

So if you haven’t done so already, get out there and get your fall activities on! Swing by Starbucks, grab a cozy drink, and drive around to see the foliage or stop along the way to pick some apples! This time of year is so unique (especially in New England) and I think we sometimes forget to treasure it (at least I know I do) So put on your boots and enjoy this weather before the icky cold weather blows in! Thanks for having me back for another “Monday with Mac”

Until next time friends! xoxo

Top: H&M

Jeans: T.J. Maxx

Boots: Target!!

Sunglasses: Betsy Johnson (found at T.J. Maxx)

Salutations! My name is Michaela, otherwise referred to as “Mac”. I’m Caitlin’s younger sister and I am so excited to be guest starring on The Sol Compass. My sister does an incredible job of bringing light into my life, and I hope she does the same for all of you with this blog! Caitlin and I are best friends, we have been for life. We have a lot of the same interests, but we are different in a lot of ways as well.

A little bit about me; I’m 22 years old, and I recently just graduated from Endicott College in Beverly, MA. My siblings are my best friends and I am the middle child out of three. Family is super important to me and there is nothing I love more than being home with all of them. I have an insane addiction to Smartfood and I absolutely love love love baseball. I help coach baseball in my free time. My favorite movie is the Avengers and I am mesmerized by giraffes.

One of my favorite parts about my job is that I get to dress up everyday in cute business clothes (no shame whatsoever about that.) Don’t get me wrong I love what I do. My job is the perfect combination of business, customer service and event planning. So I’m hoping to show you guys a few of my favorite work looks in some of these posts! This look is a great transition from the summer wardrobe into the fall by adding some pops of brown while still keeping it bright with the fuchsia top! This outfit is currently one of favorites.