Today I’m sharing one final look from our staycation in Laguna Beach a few weeks ago, and looking at these photos, I WANNA GO BACK! I had so much fun soaking up the first beach weekend with Kathleen, Krystal, and Jenn, and the weekend was only made better surrounded by beautiful clothing and accessories. Case in point, this new favorite Calypso St. Barth kaftan that makes any beach and post-beach day better. Paired with the newest addition to my Becca swimsuit collection (If you have boobs, this brand is THE best.), it’ll pretty much be my summer standby. And speaking of the beach, it’s seriously calling my name today – I just may have to take the afternoon off to sun my buns. Happy Friday, everyone!
I’ve said it before, but one of the most amazing things about this blog has been the people that I’ve gotten to meet along the way, and in particular, the fellow bloggers that have become close friends. This weekend Kathleen, Krystal, Jenn, and I checked into the Surf & Sand Resort in Laguna Beach, and I’m not gonna lie, I’m currently researching ways to discreetly move into the resort. It’s crazy nice, and we got so lucky with the first perfect beach weekend of the year.
And what’s a weekend at the beach without the perfect resort-wear to take along? We were so thrilled to team up with Calypso St. Barth who provided the perfect getaway looks including the coverup above that I’m mildly obsessed with. It’s lightweight and perfect for throwing over a swimsuit for a day at the beach but beautifully detailed enough to pair with a camisole and skinny jeans for a warm dinner out. Looking back at the weekend, there really is nothing better than waking up to the sound of crashing waves, grabbing for your swimsuit and a beautiful coverup, and hitting the beach. (I know, #spoiled.) If you’re currently planning a little getaway of your own (or even if you just need a few pretty pieces to reassure yourself that spring actually is in fact on its way) then you’re in luck. It’s the perfect time to shop Calypso St. Barth’s gift card event. Take $50 off $300, $150 off $600, or $300 off $1000 now through March 16th with code “GCSPRING2015“. So stock up and get ready: warmer weather awaits.
According to the calendar, fall is in full swing, but despite a few chilly mornings here lately, the days have still been pretty warm. So today is a little ode to resortwear (always a favorite of mine) and Kenna + Maxi, a beautiful new line of coverups and kaftans all made in Los Angeles. I can think of pretty much nothing I’d rather wear all day than a pretty, flowy kaftan that moves with every step or bit of wind. In less than a month I’ll be heading to Hawaii for a friend’s wedding, and I’m thinking this line has Hawaii written all over it. If you’re heading someplace warm this winter, I’d definitely suggest taking a look at this line before packing your bags. Hope everyone had a great weekend!
xoxo
Summertime is officially upon us, and I’m teaming up with Veet to declare this the Summer of Smooth. For me, summer is all about letting loose, taking a trip or two, and spending as much time as possible at the beach. Lucky for me, I live only a couple blocks in from the ocean in Newport Beach, California. I really am so fortunate to be able to step out of my front door and take a three-minute walk to the beach, and I try to take advantage of it as much as I can. I keep my beach bag packed and ready to go so that anytime I get a couple of free hours, my toes are in the sand. My summertime essentials definitely include tons of sunblock, a favorite swimsuit, and smooth legs.
Whether I’m headed for the beach down the street or packing for someplace tropical, nothing brings me down like discovering I forgot to shave. (After all these years, how it’s possible to still forget, I have no clue, but I do know that fuzzy gams aren’t my favorite beach accessory.) Although I’ve never really been into the whole waxing thing, this week I checked out Veet’s Ready-To-Use Wax Strips for legs and body, and I must say I am impressed. The process is really easy (simply warm the strips by rubbing your hands together, peal, stick, rip – you know the drill), and the results last up to 28 days. Seriously – 28 days. Kiss that accidental fuzz goodbye, and forget about packing a razor for your next beach getaway because it’s the Summer of Smooth, people! What would you do if you had 28 days of freedom?
xoxo
Veet® helps you feel smooth all summer long. There’s nothing like the feeling of freedom that summer brings.https://www.facebook.com/veet
“Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Reckitt Benckiser via MODE Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Reckitt Benckiser.”
These days, there’s nothing I’d rather do than go to the beach. The weather has been so perfect, it’s a constant battle to remind myself that being a beach bum doesn’t pay the bills. Bummer. But on the weekends, it’s free game, and if we have no plans, I’m there. I live in breezy coverups that take me from the beach to, well, wherever. Clover Canyon is one of my favorite brands for bold prints and statement looks, so when I found this coverup at Marshall’s (on the sale rack, even better), I couldn’t resist. It’s definitely a piece that gets people talking. The print reminds me of roadtrips through Arizona, and I love the easy, oversized fit. Sadly, this one is sold out, but check out some of the other great prints below. Hope everyone is having a great week!
xoxo
It’s been one whole week since I was taking in the sights, twirling in the flower fields, and eating ALL the food in La Jolla, and I’m already wondering how soon is too soon to go back? I’ve wanted to check out La Jolla for the longest, so when Kathleen and I got the chance to skip town for a couple of days last week and post up at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, it was a real no-brainer.
I love a good Hyatt (like this one in Huntington Beach), and this one in La Jolla was definitely no different. The people were all so nice and accommodating, and our room was seriously perfect. We ended up getting a suite with an extra adjoining room, so we had our own space but also a little common living room area for computer and wine time at night. We also each had our own bathroom which is so great for spreading out ALL of the hair and makeup things. (If only we could have rooms like this at New York Fashion Week!) We had access to the Club Lounge for all the snacks and coffees and an honor wine bar in the evenings. (Winner, winner!) The hotel also offers a junior sized Olympic pool, a gym, and a coffee bar that kept those almond milk lattes flowing. Overall, we had an amazing couple of days in La Jolla, and if you’re headed to the area soon, here are a couple of things not to miss.
What We Did:
Sightseeing at the Cove – The Cove is the area along the coast of La Jolla and 100% needs to be on your list. It’s where you can get views like this, beach hangs like this, and a front row seat to watch SO many sea lions sunning themselves on the sand. There are also a bunch of restaurants in the area, but we unfortunately didn’t have enough time to try any of them. (We got tons of suggestions about Puesto though, so if you go, it’s probably worth a try.)
Sunny Jim Sea Cave – There’s a little place called The Cave Store, and for $5 you can access a tunnel of stairs inside the store that leads down to Sunny Jim Sea Cave. Once you’re down there, you can’t really go far, but it’s still pretty cool to see the cave up close and think about how crazy it must have been building that tunnel. (Photos in the cave were really hard to capture, so unfortunately I don’t have any.) We were hoping for a repeat of the time that a curious little sea lion climbed the steps and roamed around the Cave Store, but for $5, we felt like it was still worth checking out.
Murals of La Jolla – If you paint it, the bloggers will come. Downtown La Jolla is all about a little outdoor art, and I, for one, am here for it. Kathleen looked up a few walls before our visit, and this one was calling our names. It was just about a 10-15 minute drive from the Hyatt, and the shop owners nearby didn’t seem to mind that we were trying to park it there for a little while. Hashtag, doin’ it for the ‘gram.
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad – The Flower Fields were on our way home, so we figured we might as well stop. And we were so glad that we did. I had heard great things, but once you see them in person, it really is pretty impressive. Rows and rows and rows of the prettiest flowers, all organized by color. Red, pink, white, yellow, orange, and then some areas of mixed colors – it was seriously something to see. (And for the record, still kicking myself for not trying out the strawberry Dole Whip stand.)
What We Ate:
Breakfast at Barcino Grill – This is the breakfast grill at the Hyatt, and, y’all, it’s so freaking good. We skipped the buffet option and ordered off of the menu which I think is definitely the way to go. On the first day we split the breakfast sandwich (with bacon jam on a pretzel roll, yasssss) and SoCal scramble bowl and loved both so much that we ordered them again via room service on day two. (And added on an oatmeal, for good measure.)
Lunch at Cafe Japengo – This sushi spot is technically part of the Hyatt, but it’s actually located right across the street. And it was delish. We thought we might have a light sushi lunch before hitting the beach, but then “a couple of rolls” turned into SO much sushi, truffle fries, pork belly bun sliders, a little wine, and one large food coma. And it was all worth it – now if only we could get a Cafe Japengo in Orange County. (Seriously though – please?)
Happy hour and dinner at DRIFT eat + drink – We had dinner reservations here (inside the Hyatt) for 7:00 but thought we’d pop down earlier for a glass of wine. Well, turns out we were just in time for happy hour. As, you know, journalists, we just had to check out the happy hour, and it was a good one. There was a special on carafes of wine, so…journalism. We capped it off with the nachos and butternut squash dip, pushed our dinner back to 8:30, and headed back to the room before showing up for round two – salads. (And more wine, desert, and coffee, if I’m being completely honest.) The food was delicious, the staff was super friendly, the space was so pretty, and that tile floor was shoefie ready.
Dinner at the Red O La Jolla – The Red O is a favorite of mine in Newport Beach, so when I saw that their newest location in La Jolla was just about a mile from the Hyatt, we had to check it out. True to form, the new location is beautiful, and the food was worth talking about days later. While I love their steak and fish options, I switched things up this time with the Mariscos Chile Relleno and holy dankness. I couldn’t switch things up in the margarita department though because the Alacran has my heart. (If you like SPICY margaritas, this one is the jam.) We left FED. So full that we actually skipped the Uber ride home and walked the mile back to the hotel instead. Needed, and so worth it.
xoxo
Brought to you by Hyatt Regency La Jolla, but all opinions are my own.
A little over a week ago, Kathleen and I headed to Mexico for Jenn’s wedding in Cabo and stayed at the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica resort. We had been planning the trip for what seemed like forever, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Last week I shared a little peek of the hotel, but today I’m so excited to share a few reasons to L-O-V-E this place.
The People. This to me is far and beyond, without question, my numero uno favorite thing about staying at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica. The people here were JUST so nice, and the level of service was pretty amazing. We were lucky enough to stay in the new Towers at Pacifica which boast a 24-hour butler service. Shoutout to our main man Manuel who seriously hooked it up – everything from scheduling dinner reservations, booking beach cabanas, arranging transportation, mixing up the prettiest cocktails (gotta do it for the ‘gram), and even showing up with duct tape when we had a little luggage snafu. From the moment we arrived to the time we checked out, we were pretty blown away by the friendly faces and beyond helpful staff.
The Beach Cabanas. This was by far our favorite daytime activity. The pool looked really nice and had a swim-up bar, but when the ocean is just a few steps further, it has to win, right? There is a flat option and swinging bed option, and no worries about walking over to the bar for your next drink. Rene and Juan will be by periodically to make sure you never need to get up. You have to book the cabanas ahead of time as they do tend to fill up, but for around $40 a day, it’s totally worth it.
The Location. The location of the resort is really pretty great. It’s located on the beach (hello, panoramic ocean view) but just minutes from the main part of town. It was also a perfect fit for us as it ended up being about 15 minutes from the wedding venue.
The Food. Pueblo Bonito Pacifica is an all-inclusive resort which means you can leave your wallet in the room and just bring yourself to breakfast. (And lunch and dinner actually.) I’ve been to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico before, and the food was just pretty, meh. This time around the food was definitely better (especially the breakfast – loved it). I’d definitely recommend the nachos by the beach or pool, room service shrimp fajitas, and the Sunday brunch for sure. Oh, and that whole all-inclusive thing, it also includes the booze. Get yourself a piña colada and live your best life, girl.
The Spa. Kathleen and I both enjoyed massages at the Armonia Spa on our first full day at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica, and let me tell you, there’s just no better way to kick off a trip. Breakfast, massage, and then an afternoon in a beach cabana? Sign me up, sister.
The Views. Is there anything better than waking up and looking out at the ocean? In my book, probably not, but Pueblo Bonito Pacifica takes it a little further because everything around the hotel is just plain pretty. From giant cacti to tons of bougainvillea, water features to daily hand-designed sand art, and even the buildings themselves, there’s just no shortage of pretty scenery.
Overall we had an amazing four nights in Mexico, and next time, I’m definitely dragging Eric back to Pueblo Bonito Pacifica with me. If you’re looking for a laidback vacation filled with the friendliest people to help make your stay easy-peasy, then this is your spot.
We had been planning the week in Palm Springs for months, and I was so looking forward to some pool time and a little tan. BUUUUT, then the day arrived and things were looking more like sweater-and-shorts weather than anything warm enough for taking a dip. So we stashed the flamingo pool floats, snapped a couple of swimsuit pics (I mean it is Palm Springs), and then settled in with ALL the snacks and a little wine and made the best of it.
We stayed at our home in Palm Springs and made sure to check out a couple of my favorite restaurants while there. You just can’t go to Palm Springs without a little food on the agenda. This time around, these are the spots we picked.
Dinner at Las Casuelas Terraza – Palm Springs has a handful of Mexican restaurants that I really enjoy, but this one is probably my favorite for a skinny spicy margarita and shrimp fajitas. The place is HUGE, but don’t be fooled – it can get packed and sometimes has long wait times. Reservations are usually a good idea – especially if you want to be near the live band.
Lunch at Melvyn’s – It’s a bold statement, but I think I’ll say that currently this is my favorite place in Palm Springs for lunch or dinner. It’s an old-school restaurant that’s been around since the 70’s, and the food is just plain GOOD. Lunch is served on the prettiest little patio (the Chinese chicken salad is my favorite), and dinner is in a swanky, dark dining room. If you’re going for dinner, the lobster pot pie is what dreams are made of.
Dinner at Tropicale – So this one isn’t exactly a rave review, but I have friends who have eaten at Tropicale and loved it. So maybe I need to give it another shot? We ordered Vietnamese Spring Rolls and the Firecracker Shrimp as appetizers, and those were great. My entree though, as well as everyone else’s, was just kind of, meh. (For reference, I ordered the fried chicken salad which was supposed to be amazing. I guess I was thinking it would be boneless chicken, which to me makes much more sense in a salad.)
Breakfast at Norma’s (located in the Parker) – On our last day in Palm Springs, we figured we’d leave town on a high note. A REAL high note. Breakfast at Norma’s is pricey, but if you haven’t been, it’s definitely worth a try. We ordered a few things to split and loved every bite. The “Waz-Za?” and the Huevos Rancheros are seriously where it’s at, and taking in the pretty scenery at the Parker is a nice little bonus.
Overall it was an amazing few days, and I’ve already got the itch to go back. Eric and I are always looking to try out new restaurants in the area, so I’d love to know – what are some of your favorites?
Happy Friday, friends! And what a Friday it is. If you’ve been following along over on the Instagram, you’ll notice some south of the border vibes and the prettiest views thanks to my current location in Cabo. I’ll be sharing so many more photos in the coming days, but for now, I’m throwing it back to this sunny weekend spent at the Hyatt Huntington Beach and the Trina Turk caftan that I seriously can’t quit.
Over the past years living in California I’ve certainly developed a thing for caftans. Does that make me sound like an old lady? I’m not sure, but I’m not mad at it. They’re just so comfortable, and when done right, I think they can be so chic. I love throwing one on over a swimsuit, but when the weather is nice, I can always skip the suit and layer one over a nude slip. (This slip is my current favorite.)
For the hotter months, I love the loose fit and billowy sleeves. Long, short, or somewhere in between, there’s nothing better than a good caftan for that upcoming vacation…or maybe just to pretend. So today I’m rounding up a few current favorites that are just hovering in my cart, waiting to come home with me. Here’s hoping everyone has a fab weekend ahead!
Confession: I know one blogger who’s spending just a little extra time working from her bed in her pajamas today. (Insert raised hand emoji here.) Kathleen and I just spent the week playing Southern California tourists with Jenn and Krystal, and I, for one, am pooped! I mean, eating your way through Orange County can really take it out of a girl. Did you guys see our snaps and Insta stories from Anqi Bistro a couple of nights ago? That meal will go down as like, a lifetime favorite. Crazy, crazy good. Jenn and I and the boys rounded things out last night with some surf-watching from the Huntington pier and the yummiest fish at Duke’s. The gals headed home this morning and I’m thinking I could use a few days of fasting or cleansing or hibernating or something, but it was SO good getting to hang with them here for a few days. Next time we’ll all be together is in NYC for fashion week which is coming up so quickly.
And onto today’s post. Now that the crazy Nordstrom sale is over, I’m finally getting around to sharing one last look from Miami Swim Week. I’m not usually one for crazy colors and patterns, but when I saw this Lilly Pulitzer romper, I just couldn’t say no. It’s the coolest, breeziest little romper for the summer heat, and the fit is just easy. And isn’t that what we’re all looking for in the summer? Hope everyone is having a great week!
Photos thanks to Valorie Darling
Fountain at Hyatt Regency La Jolla
Outdoor happy hour at the Hyatt – so good!
Sushi and truffle fries at 
Tile at 
Room service breakfast from 
Outside of 
Becca tunic (
dRA jumpsuit (c/o) 
It’s really not that often you get to have a laugh-filled girls’ weekend in someplace sunny, and this month, somehow I managed to have two. I’m fresh off of an amazing long weekend in Mexico (more on that coming soon), but today I’m throwing it back to a 
Lilly Pulitzer