Meet Tess of Tea Time with Tess {Blogger Interview}

Today Tess of Tea time with Tess is answering a few of my blogger questions.  Tess is the newest blog that I have come across recently and immediately loved.  We quickly became blog buddies and I'm so happy to have her on the blog today.  Tess married in 2012 and has an adorable fur baby.  She blogs about life in LA, work wear, her favorite things and much more.  I'll let her do the rest of the talking!

1. Occupation & Location

Hi! I'm Tess from Tea Time with Tess. I'm originally from Chicago, but my now-Husband and I moved to Los Angeles a little over two years ago. I really love LA, and we've been so fortunate in our adventure. LA has turned into home for now but we both hope that Chicago is where our future will unfold. And for work - I actually just started a new job in educational sales. I sell elementary curriculum to districts here in California.

2. What made you decide to start blogging?

I graduated from the University of Iowa in elementary education and we had to start "creative writing" project. I chose a blog and have stuck with it since 2009. Look at what BABIES we were back then!!

3.  Do you remember the first blog you read?

Pretty in Pink Megan, Blue Eyed Bride, Hello Happiness, Fly Through Our Window

Most of the blogs I started reading are still around which is pretty amazing. It's wild to have watched these women get married, have babies, move across the country, face hardships, and everything in between. I love this community so I try to remember that whenever blogging feels like a chore. 

4.  What do you love to blog about most?

My blog is pretty much a collection of my current life, and so there isn't as much consistency as you see in professional blogs. I really enjoy blog posts that show my real life. What my fridge looks like, what my pet peeves are, random facts...things like that. Those posts always generate the most authentic comments and responses and I love hearing connections with girls that comment. 

5.  Where is your favorite place to vacation?

My parents have a vacation home in Punta Mita, Mexico. It's our little slice of Heaven and it's my favorite place to vacation. We've been going for almost ten years so there is no vacation guilt about not seeing or doing everything while we are there. Plus, we now know the good restaurants, the best bars, etc. so every trip is spot on. Plus, it's so painless to get there, which is an added bonus. 

6.  Three favorite stores to shop for clothes?

J.Crew, Loft, Bloomingdales, and Marshalls. Also, my mom is going to kill me for saying this because she is trying to ingrain that I should buy less things of better quality, BUT Old Navy has been killllllling it lately. 

7.   Three things you can't live without?

#1 for sure is Wine. Which concerns me for when I'm pregnant! 

#2 DVR. I go to sleep early and I absolute love a full DVR. Is there anything better?

#3 Candles. I burn candles every single night, and a lot of them. I light them all over the house and just love the relaxing and romantic vibe they give off.

8.  Favorite room in your home.

We live in a 2b/2b condo with a pretty open floor plan. Since I don't have a ton of rooms, my favorite area of the house is the living room and dining room. I would love to paint, or add built-ins, but for a rental unit, we've done a good job with the space and made it feel roomy and comfortable.

9.  Three favorite stores to shop for home decor?

My favorite pieces have come from antique shops here in California. My birthday present last year was this china cabinet from a shop in Laguna Beach and I love it so much. It will always be a piece of California that stays with me, and I think it'll be really cute in a nursery some day.

Other than that, Crate & Barrel, West Elm, and Homegoods

And if I could, my house would be all things Restoration Hardware.

10.  What does a typical day look like for you?

Because I work in sales, my days vary from office hours to in-field time. My favorite "average" day is as follows -

7am - SoulCycle class. I like to shower and get ready in the locker rooms and drive over to my office about 6 blocks away

8:30am- 4pm: On an office day, I'll get a latte in the morning to help me get through the day. My office days include lots of cold calling, building of proposals, and conference calls. I share an office with my assistant, who I love, so we spend a lot of the day talking about recipes or her 5 year old son. 

4-5pm: I take our puppy Roscoe for a walk and spend some time cleaning the house and wrap up the work day on the couch.

5pm-6:30pm: I have a glass of wine, turn on music, and make dinner. I try to make dinner 4 times a week. I really enjoy cooking, and I've gotten a lot better at it, which makes it even more fun.

6:30-9:00pm: Joel gets home. We eat dinner, clean up dishes, catch up, have my second (& sometimes 3rd!) glass of wine, watch TV, and just catch up with each other.

9:00-10:00pm: Every night I take a bath and read my book. It helps to quiet my mind and settle me in to sleep so that I can wake up and do it all again tomorrow!

Thank you so much Tess for stopping by.  Be sure to check out Tess's blog here and follow along.  Show her some love by leaving a comment too!