Five on Friday vol. 2 – how I edit photos, things to do in GSO & more

We made it to Friday! Woohoo! A few weeks ago I did a ‘Five on Friday‘ post sharing some random tidbits with y’all and I enjoyed it, so I thought I would make it a “thing!” Years ago, these type of posts were the norm, so I thought it would be fun to get back to the basics on Fridays and just share things with y’all.

This week I thought it would be fun to answer five questions. I posted on IG stories about this earlier in the week and people submitted some really great questions. So today I’m taking five of those questions and diving in and answering them! Let me know what you think about this kind of post – I really appreciate your feedback.

I hope y’all have a great weekend! I have an event tonight at Friendly Center (if you’re local stop by!) and we have a wedding tomorrow – it’s going to be a fun-filled weekend and I’m ready for it!

Q: IF YOU DIDN’T LIVE IN GREENSBORO, WHERE WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE? FAVORITE GREENSBORO RESTAURANTS & THINGS TO DO IN GREENSBORO?
A: Ooh great question! To be completely honest, I had ZERO intention of moving back to Greensboro after college. When I did move back I was constantly searching for jobs that would take me elsewhere. Over time, the longer I stayed here, the more I enjoyed it. I have a great friend group here, both of our families are local, and we have really grown to love it as our home. With that said, I’m not sure if we will stay here forever. There’s a chance in the next few years that we will be in either Raleigh or Charlotte for Nick’s job, but who knows! Both Nick and I really love North Carolina and don’t see ourselves moving outside of the state. As for the second question, there are so many great restaurants and things to do in Greensboro! I’ve really enjoyed living in Greensboro through it’s growth – I feel like there’s a new restaurant or business opening weekly!

RESTAURANTS
This is just a roundup of the places we frequent – there are SO many more incredible restaurants in the city!
Cugino Forno | favorite pizza spot & the owners are SO wonderful!)
Print Works Bistro | Delicious menu whether you go for breakfast, dinner, or brunch! We love their outdoor area. Also a great spot to grab a drink.
Green Valley Grill | Their chef does a wonderful job with the menu. Always have a great mix of classic seasonal items. We pop into the bar there often.
Lucky 32 | Another local favorite with great southern fare.
1618 Seafood Grill | We don’t go here as often as we’d like to, but when we do we are NEVER disappointed. The presentation is incredible and the food is superb. They also have a midtown and downtown location, but each offers a different menu.
GIA | One of my favorite spots for girls night or date night. They always have a delicious tapas menu & their bartenders make the best drinks.
Crafted | Both the original and the art of street food have unique vibe and really awesome food.
Southern Roots | Although it’s technically in Jamestown, Southern Roots is hands down my favorite restaurant. Give me all the southern comfort foods, please!
Char Bar No. 7 | We love their patio during football season & they have live music every week.
Scrambled Diner | If you can get in, they have the best breakfast food in town. But be prepared because there is ALWAYS a wait. Always.
Smith Street Diner | An old school favorite in Greensboro that serves a great breakfast. On Thursdays they have fried chicken (until it runs out) and it’s SO good! We love going on Thursdays in the fall.

THINGS TO DO
There are plenty of things to do here, depending on the season. There are SO many breweries in town that we visit, festivals going on & a lot of outdoor activities! We love grabbing dinner and drinks with friends and do game nights with friends often. We also do a lot of day trips to different cities like Winston, Raleigh & the mountains.

Q: HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHAT BOOK TO READ NEXT? AND DO YOU EVER GET TIRED OF READING? I’M WONDERING HOW YOU STAY SO CONSISTENT. 
A: My “to be read” pile is always overflowing, but when it comes time to choosing what to read next my mood plays a big factor! Some days I’m in the mood to read a twisty thriller, while other days I want to dive into a historical fiction novel. There have been a few times when I started a book that I wasn’t in the mood to read and ended up hating it. If that’s the case, I put it away and pick it back up when I’m in the mood for it! I believe that your mood can totally affect your thoughts on a book! I also try to mix up the genres I read. I typically don’t read two back-to-back thrillers or romance novels. Another factor that goes into selecting a book is if it’s an advanced reader’s copy (ARC) or an older book. If it’s an ARC from a publisher then I like to read those first, so I can share them here with you close to their publication date.

I never really get tired of reading. It’s something that I truly enjoy, it’s relaxing for me, and it’s part of my self-care routine. I try to read every single day (here is my post about how I make time to read) and that helps me stay consistent. Sure, I go through times where I’m reading more or less than normal – but it really just depends on what’s going on around me.

Q: DO YOU WASH YOUR HAIR DAILY?
A: No, I don’t! I was my hair about three days a week. It’s damaging to your hair to wash it daily. Over time I have “trained” my hair so that I can go two or three days without washing it. I have naturally straight, thin hair that isn’t oily, so I feel like that plays a part in being able to go days without washing. On the days I don’t wash my hair I use this dry shampoo and this texture spray. Some days I’ll put the texture spray in and use my blow dryer to give added volume since my hair doesn’t have much volume. When the seasons change I typically have to “retrain” my hair because it goes through this phase of being a bit oily haha!

Q: WHAT PRESETS OR EDITING SOFTWARE DO YOU USE? DO YOU USE YOUR IPHONE OR CAMERA?
A: FOR MY BLOG: When I’m editing photos on my computer I use Lightroom to edit my photos. I don’t use a specific preset for my blog photos I just edit them based on the lighting, etc. For my blog posts I use a Canon 70D DSLR camera and either a 50mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8 lens (depending on the situation).
FOR TRAVEL: I do a mix of my DSLR, my Sony mirrorless camera or my iPhone (I have the iPhone 8+). It really just depends on the situation, what I’m wanting to capture & the type of trip. If I’m doing a lot of sight-seeing (like Europe last year) I use my Sony because it’s compact and a great camera. I didn’t carry around my DSLR a lot in Europe or on our recent trip to St. Lucia because a) it’s heavy and clunky for long days b) I didn’t want to risk anything happening to it.
FOR INSTAGRAM: I use a mix of professional camera and iPhone shots! Sometimes my iPhone does better in certain settings and honestly it’s just easier if you’re wanting an “in the moment” shot. As for presets, I use VSCO! I made my own “recipe” from their presets by tweaking a few things and I use that on almost all of my IG photos. I like that they’re edited to be more cohesive but it doesn’t distort the color of my skin or of any clothing items!

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FIVE MUST HAVE ITEMS FOR FALL?
A: Fall is my absolute favorite season – for both the weather and getting dressed! In my opinion, there’s nothing better than layering up & feeling cozy in sweaters! With that said, I always make sure I have these five items in my closet for fall.
A JACKET THAT CAN BE WORN IN MILD OR COLD TEMPERATURES | For me, thats my Barbour jacket! While it’s an investment, it easily pays for itself per wear after one fall and winter. Another great classic? The J.Crew City coat!

A PAIR OF BOOTIES | My all time favorite booties are these. They fit TTS, are right at $100 and have lasted me for 4 years! I just bought a new pair this past month!
A NICE PAIR OF BOOTS | I finally invested in the Stuart Weitzman over the knee boots last year and I have worn them SO much. I am counting down the days until it’s cold out to wear them again! I’m creating a widget below of affordable boots!
A BLAZER | I really love blazers, especially in the fall. They are so chic and can really dress up an outfit. They look great over dresses, with pants, paired with sweaters, etc. I can think of about 3875 outfits to pair with my blazers. Plus, if you hate jackets, they’re a great alternative!
A PAIR OF CLASSIC JEANS | It goes without saying that everyone needs a great pair of jeans in their closet, no matter the season! I’m a tried-and-trie jeans girl, so I always have a great rotation of jeans – everything from boyfriend jeans, distressed denim, and no frill basic everyday jeans.