Happy Thanksgiving week, friends! A little over twelve hours in Louisiana, and I’m already testing out the stretch in my stretch pants. Thanksgiving week PLUS Louisiana food? This was bound to happen, and I’m not even mad at it.
Admittedly I’m a little behind on letting you guys know about some of the sale finds out now because tons of retailers just don’t wait until Black Friday any more. Both of my sweaters, the jeans, and the booties above are all on major sale. (The black cardigan is under $14!)
The Cyber Week sales right now are so good, and shopping them in your pajamas right from your computer (or phone) is even better. So below I’m rounding up some of my favorite sites to shop right now (and will be updating as the week goes on). Here’s hoping you find something for yourself and everyone on your list. Happy shopping!
Y’all, the past few nights and mornings here have been so gloriously chilly, it’s gotten me REAL excited for ALL of the cozy fall things. And if we’re talking cozy, then we’re talking grandpa (slash grandma?) cardigans because you know they’re my jam. Today’s comfy version is a GOOD one from cabi, and I’m rounding up a few more I love below.
In the fall months, I live in cardigans like these with skinny jeans or leggings and over dresses. They’re the perfect companions to transition some of your more summery pieces to fall. Plus, they’re just so good for all of that upcoming holiday travel. Can you guys believe that Thanksgiving is just over a month away? I may be jumping the gun a little on the holiday thoughts, but I don’t care. Bring on the turkey! And then, bring on the oversized cardigans to hide all those holiday sins.
Just another day over here in my favorite leggings ever. (Seriously, if you haven’t checked these out yet, get on it, girl.) But I’ve gushed about these before, so today’s post is not about the leggings, but what you’ll usually find me wearing with them. And well, there’s nothing I love more with leggings than an easy tee and a long knit cardigan. I’ve got a stack of boyfriend cardigans in my arsenal, and they’re the first things I grab for when it gets cold. And while a lush, expensive version may seem like the bee’s knees, you don’t need to spend a bunch to get a super-soft cardigan that you’ll wear with everything. So browse around below for fifteen versions that are under $100, or go for the one that I’m wearing above for right around $29. Steal of a deal, kids.
Also, if you’re looking for a crazy comfortable pair of black booties, these are pretty great. They’ll definitely be accompanying me this weekend for a little one-night getaway with the husband. Where to? I have no idea…yet. It’s my 30th birthday tomorrow, and Eric’s planned a little surprise and I’ve yet to break the case. Then on Sunday, we’re headed to the Sip’n’Shuck event at The Deck in Laguna Beach, and I’m so excited for it. It’s their annual charity event with lots of oysters and small bites, tons of wines and beers to try, live music, and just lots of fun. If you’re in the Orange County area, highly recommend making your way to Sip’n’Shuck – it’s SO much fun. What fun plans do you guys have for the weekend ahead?
Happy New Yearrrrr (again), everyone! Is this the worst Monday of the year? Well, maybe. But for me, I’m kind of OK with it because this Monday kicks off a week of rain for us in Southern California. Is that weird? I don’t care. Looks like El Niño is about to show his pretty face. I feel like we haven’t had a “winter” like this in Newport Beach in years, and I’m A-OK with it….as long as the firewood holds up. So today I’m bringing you my most comfy, cozy cardigan, and trust me, you need it, girl. I mean, this thing. I’d use it as a robe if that wasn’t as ridiculous as it sounds. And for a particularly chilly day in Orange County, it’s perfect when paired with a cozy cashmere sweater, grey jeans, and a favorite pair of over-the-knee boots that just don’t make it out of the closet often enough. Top it all off with a burgundy hat and matching lip, and you’re good to go. Let’s make this first full week of the year a good one, shall we?
A couple of weeks ago Eric and I spent three nights in Napa, and it was maybe one of the best trips we’ve taken. I had been to Napa once several years ago, but Eric had never been. To be honest, it wasn’t even fully on our radar because of the whole flying into San Francisco or Oakland and then renting/hiring a car for the hour plus drive to Napa thing. In general, San Francisco is just not on my to-do list for a long weekend, don’t come for me.
But game changer alert – JSX now flies directly from Orange County to Concord Airport, which was about a 25-30 minute Uber ride to our hotel. JSX is a great airline with no security, no bag fees, no BS – you show up 20 minutes before your flight and hop on. Where they fly is limited, but the prices are actually more affordable than other airlines – it’s pretty wild. We’ve had some delays with them, but for the most part, it’s been nice experiences.
So we booked the flight, made some plans, and once we were in Napa, it was pretty much all smooth sailing. We met some amazing people and had some great food and wine. When the weekend was over, I think we both agreed that we’ll be back soon. Below, sharing a little itinerary of our weekend and some places that are definitely worth checking out. Until next time, Napa!
Once we decided on a little trip to Napa, finding the hotel was the first piece of the puzzle. In random searches I kept coming across Stanly Ranch, and it stayed in my mind as the place I had to book. If you’ve ever stayed at an Auberge property before, then you know the level of service, the food, the rooms, the grounds and amenities – it just can’t be beat. It’s definitely a pricy choice, but after looking into a few wineries and dinner spots and being completely overwhelmed, I was sold on the fact that the Stanly Ranch Concierge would just figure it all out for me.
And that they did. Cam from Concierge killed it with the best itinerary. After a phonecall and a couple of emails figuring out our preferences, Cam booked all of our winery tastings, a driver for the day (if you can request Logan, DO IT), and dinner reservations for all three nights. His recommendations were spot on, and when we wanted to add a Sunday tasting last-minute, he was right on that as well.
The hotel itself is spacious and beautiful, and our room was just perfect. I don’t know how I didn’t get a photo of our bathroom with a standalone tub, outdoor shower, and heated floors – so nice. We loved having our little firepit patio to come home to, and it was the perfect spot to enjoy breakfast every day. I didn’t get a chance to check out the spa as it was fully booked for the weekend (should’ve booked ahead with Cam), but the restaurant is amazing and the boutique on property is a tiny Saks. If you contact them ahead of time they’ll stock it with your style and size. I didn’t do that but still managed to do a little damage. There are house cars on property, and when the valet isn’t busy, they’ll drop you off at local spots which was a nice little perk. Overall the stay was excellent, and I’d highly recommend.
Thursday
Dinner at Bear at Stanly Ranch – I knew that our first night in Napa we probably wouldn’t want to get to the hotel and then rush off to dinner reservations, so I scheduled an early dinner at Bear at Stanly Ranch. And after a couple hours of flight delays leaving Orange County, I was really happy about that decision. When we arrived to the hotel, we checked in, dropped our bags with the bell desk, and headed straight to dinner. (Luckily, it’s pretty casual.) We sat outside on their patio, and it was truly just a lovely, delicious way to start the trip. We loved the Kampachi and Crispy Rice apps followed by the Tiger Prawns and Whole Trout. Yum!
Friday
Breakfast at Stanly Ranch – We had tons of breakfast recommendations around Napa from friends, but we loved our room and our little firepit patio so much that we decided to just order breakfast to our patio every morning. And given the chance, I’d do the same thing again. I highly recommend the Spicy Tomato Poached Eggs, and Eric really loved the Wild Salmon Gravlax with the Buckwheat Waffle. So good.
Progeny– This was our first stop on Friday, our wine-tasting day, and it was a really beautiful start to the day. We were greeted by our host Anthony who was fun and funny and bubbly and just so knowledgeable – it was clear that we were in good hands. We booked a wine and cheese pairing experience, and it was a very private, personal tasting in their beautiful library. Literally, I think Eric and I were the only guests on the property at the time. Their Reserve Cabs are delicious, and we loved the thoughtful food pairings – I could eat that ricotta stuffed peach bite every single day.
Hudson Ranch – Our second winery stop was more of a (giant) ranch vibe and included a beautiful farm tour of their home-grown veggies, flowers, and championship gourds. (Seriously, gourds hanging from a lattice ceiling that were taller than us and destined for a local gourd competition.) We roamed around, tasted some fresh-from-the-vine tomatoes, and took in some giant sunflowers before sitting down to a beautiful sunroom style tasting. We tried their Chardonnays, a couple of red blends, fresh pressed olive oil, and some duck fat popcorn that Eric loved. Chardonnays aren’t really my vibe, but Eric said those were really good as well.
Hammel Family Wines – Our third and final stop of the day took us to Sonoma which was a little further out than I wanted to go, but I’m so glad that we went. (Also, it was only about 20-25 minutes, not bad.) Hammel Family Wines is situated up high and boasts some pretty incredible views. We had a private tasting in their indoor salon followed by a brief cave tour to see how the wines are aged, stored, closely watched, all that jazz. I thought it was interesting, and we loved their reds so much we decided to join their club.
Dinner at The French Laundry – It’s a Napa Valley staple and a place that Eric and I both wanted to try. (Don’t tell him I told you, but Eric has a French Laundry cookbook that you’ll find him flipping through from time to time.) Reservations are tough, but we got on a waitlist thanks to a friend’s recommendation about 3-4 weeks out. They called me the week of our trip to offer us a 4:00 reservation for Thursday and (thankfully with our flight delays) we decided to take a chance, turn it down, and get back on the waitlist. We lucked out and got in on Friday night, and it was an incredible experience. We chose a Chef’s Tasting Menu along with a wine pairing, and they took care of the rest. It was a splurge in every way possible, but it was something that we’re glad we did.
Saturday
Lunch at Morimoto Napa – After our very full Friday, Saturday morning started off nice and slow, and I was so glad that we hadn’t made any plans. After coffee and breakfast at the hotel and a quick dip in the spa, we decided to roam into downtown Napa around midday. We both love sushi, so Morimoto was an easy choice. (I’m also obsessed with their Black Cod dish after having it in Hawaii last year.) We sat at the bar, had a nice little low-key lunch, and then roamed a bit around Downtown Napa afterwards. There were some cute little spots for wine-tasting along the river, but we decided to skip and head back to the hotel for the afternoon.
Dinner at Press Napa – Press was another recommendation by our hotel concierge, and it was another hit. It’s a small-ish St. Helena Michelin-Starred restaurant, and anytime we mentioned to anyone that we were going to Press, they told us how great it was. We were seated on the patio, which to be honest was a little meh in atmosphere, but the service and food definitely made up for it. We did the Tasting Menu, and I’m sure I’m not supposed to say this, but I liked the food here better than The French Laundry. More my style, not SO out there. The soft shell crab app was the best I’ve ever had. Also, a soft pretzel served with caviar. Sign me up.
Sunday
Cuvaison – We only made wine-tasting plans and reservations on Friday and kept the rest of the weekend open, but by Saturday night, we realized we should pick out one more winery for Sunday since our flight wasn’t until 4:00. I emailed the concierge at Stanly Ranch and just asked for “something near the hotel” and he suggested Cuvaison. It far exceeded my expectations with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the entire beautiful property. It was more of a relaxed vibe with a couple of comfy couches which we loved for our last day. This was also the only winery where Eric could taste some whites and reds and I could stick to all reds. It was the perfect last winery for our trip.
Lunch at Bouchon – After Cuvaison, we decided to head into Yountville for lunch. We didn’t have reservations which can be a little problematic on a busy Sunday, but we were lucky enough to score a couple of bar seats (which we kind of prefer over a table anyway) at Bouchon. There we got a little rundown of the area (Yountville seems to be the spot to be, and next time we will definitely spend a little more time there), and I had the best French onion soup of my life. I tried to share it with Eric, but he was chatting and somehow it just disappeared. Before heading to the airport, we also managed to snag some to-go goodies from Bouchon Bakery up the street to take home with us.
I can’t even believe it, but Christmas Day is officially ten days away. Less than two weeks! And while my holiday shopping list is not yet done, at least I’ll be stress-free when it comes to getting dressed. From holiday travel to dinner parties to cozy couch hangs at home, Walmart seriously has easy, comfy pieces for every occasion. The knit set above seriously feels so luxe, and I can’t recommend the sweater dress below more. (Thinking I may need to snag the red version too.) Also don’t sleep on the Free Assembly denim – this pair fits and feels like a way more expensive pair.
Here’s hoping the next ten days are jolly and festive and filled with love…and some stress-free shopping.
H&M has been a favorite shopping destination of mine for years (and years and years), and truth be told, it’s where I find these fingers scrolling around when I’m bored – both bored with my time and bored with my wardrobe. It’s a bad habit that’s certainly found me some good fashion pieces over the years. In recent seasons, their selection runs the gambit from Gen Z’s bucket hats, crop tops and dad sneakers to the mumu dresses, comfy sandals, and super soft cardigans that I’m into, and this season is no different.
So today I’m sharing a few favorite spring finds from a recent scroll around H&M’s latest launch, and I’m not even gonna lie, a few of these pieces are currently on their way to me now. How CUTE is that little navy striped cardigan for your Memorial Day weekend plans? And the shoes, man I love the shoes. I restrained myself from ordering any shoes, but I do live dangerously close to an H&M store, so the restraint isn’t over yet. Hope everyone has a great end of the week ahead!
I was going to start this off by saying spring is just around the corner, but in Southern California, springtime is almost, pretty much, basically, depending on the day, kinda here. And I am READY for it. Ready for spring and ALL. THE. COLORS. Blame it on the times, but I’ve never been more ready to introduce a little fun into my wardrobe, and right now, the stores and interwebs are bursting with the prettiest, most colorful spring collections.
From soft pastels to bold brights in every color of the rainbow, you really can’t go wrong this season. Go all out head to toe, or just add a splash with a fun handbag, shoes, or out of your comfort zone sunglasses. Personally, I couldn’t pick a favorite, so today I’m rounding up some of my favorite pieces in a slew of spring colors. Which ones are you eyeing?
Sweata weatha, friends. And while I’m pleased as pie to surround myself with all the cozy knits, I’m just as excited to get back into denim-wearing days. I used to be mainly a dress gal, but these days, give me a relaxed pair of jeans and a comfy sweater and I’m one happy camper. And recently, I found so many jeans and sweaters to love from Free Assembly at Walmart.
Y’all, if you haven’t checked out the Free Assembly line yet, I’m telling you, it’s a must. It’s filled with quality, well-made pieces that you’ll be grabbing for over and over again. The collared sweater above could not be softer, and it’s just one of those pieces that goes with pretty much anything. (I sized up for a looser fit…and then I bought it in black too.) The denim above is right on trend and comparable quality to any designer pair I’ve tried. Seriously, if you like a good non-stretch 90’s pair, give these a try.
As for the comfy combo below, I’m 100% here for the jogger style of denim this season, and this easy pair comes in three great washes. Wear them with a sweater, or dress them down with a basic sweatshirt and sneakers. And while we’re on the subject of dressing down, don’t sleep on Free Assembly’s activewear. These leggings paired with this tunic sweatshirt (worn this week on my Instagram stories) look so expensive in person. I’m also mildly obsessed these perfect joggers and just may be posted up in them the entire holiday season.
So whether you’re on the hunt for some on-trend denim or looking to up your activewear game, you can’t go wrong with the Free Assembly line at Walmart.
It’s sweater dress season, friends, and while I was pretty gung ho about them in the past, I’ve gotten much more picky about them in recent years. I’ve had too many that just never made it out of the closet much: too tight here, to loose there, too short, too hot for SoCal, you name it. And while I’m passing on most these days, I couldn’t order this button-front, flowy cardigan version quicker. I seriously couldn’t love this silhouette more. (The v-neck was a little low for me, so I added a tank underneath.)
I’m loving it paired with short boots but think that a pair of taller or over-the-knee boots would dress the look up even more. It’s admittedly a little pricey, so I’m rounding up 25 more sweater dresses I’m loving below. Hope everyone has a great rest of their week!
Madewell jeans (30% off with code GIFTWELL); Amazon turtleneck tee; Scoop cardigan (on major sale); Marc Fisher booties (on sale); Ferragamo handbag; Amazon hat; Quay sunglasses; Beaded bracelets
Madewell jeans (30% off with code GIFTWELL); Amazon turtleneck tee; Old Navy cardigan (on sale); Marc Fisher booties (on sale); Saint Laurent handbag (look for less here); Quay sunglasses
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Breakfast at Stanly Ranch
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studded jelly sandals; pleated tie-neck dress; woven flat sandals; blue straw hat; croc-embossed handbag; bow heels; braided strap sandals; cropped rib-knit cardigan; jeweled headbands
