Wanderlust on a Sunday

Such a Vibrant Thing

I've often marveled at color's ability to alter one's mood.  Looking at the greens and purples of Van Gogh's Irises that hangs above my bed is instantly comforting.   When I wear my Vamp nail polish from Chanel, I feel beyond sophisticated.  And putting on my favorite hot pink sweater almost guarantees a good day.

When I stumbled upon these photos of Morocco, I was overcome with wanderlust.  Do you ever get that urge to travel?  To see places you've never seen, taste foods you've never tasted, meet people you've never met?  Yeah, I'm experiencing that right now.  And these photos provide just enough color and beauty to satisfy my need for all things foreign.

Word of the Day

I have a weekend in Nashville planned with some of my favorite bunkies.  I'm hoping, actually KNOWING, we will be experiencing lots and lots of hygge.   Some of the 'hygge' might not necessarily be 'calm' but, close enough... ;)

Back to Life, Back to Reality

Well, my vacation hangover is in full effect.  I'm missing days filled with beach walks, roaming markets, and swimming.  But I'm loving sleeping in my own bed, not drinking all day ;), and eating normal food (hello, salads!).   Below are some pictures of my trip.  It really was the most relaxing, laid back week and  my mind is slowly returning to reality. 

View from our room.

Holding the nicest baby lion ever.

Bars on the beach.

The infinity pool that we spent quite a bit of time at.

Dior Key Lock Sandals (from last year), BCBG Maxi Skirt.  

The beach in Isla Mujeres.

Knock off Ray Bans.  

Nothing like authentic Mexican food. 

A wonderfully beach ready bag - find it here.  

Vogue Mexico and Vogue Belleza were perfect "reads" while on the beach. 

Scent of the Trip - Bobbi Brown Beach, lotion and body oil.

The yummiest shrimp cocktail ever.

Coronas at an amazing hole in the wall bar in Isla Mujeres.

...Quite Excited...

Today I'm so excited to be guest blogging over at one of my favorite sites The Beauty File.  Please head over and check out my post on essentials for a day at the beach.  Inspiration was easily found for this post due to the fact that by the time you're reading this I'll be in sunny Mexico!  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Pretty Cool For An Advertisement

The Art of Packing

It is officially vacation time in the midwest.  Schools are having spring breaks and us working-folk who can no longer stand the leaf-less trees and brown grass are setting off to tropical locals.   My little seestore (that's my version of sister) jet off to Cabo last Saturday and managed a feat I've only dreamed of - packing *just* a carry-on.  For a week long vacation!  I was impressed.  It got me to thinking about my own upcoming trip - could I possibly pack just a tiny little carry-on?
I'm not so sure, but I've had a bit of an infatuation with suitcases for a while.  I love traveling, and the idea that your most important belongings are all packed away, organized neatly in a little satchel is actually a fun process for me.  And that being said, I've never been one of those people who could pack the night before.  No way.  It's a pretty drawn out process and below are some of my own tips for packing the perfect suitcase.

• Make Lists - I break it down by what outfits I'll wear on what days.  This gives me an idea of how much I actually need to bring and is a good way to avoid over-packing.  
• Choose Versatile Pieces - A good pair of jeans/shorts, a simple cardigan, and great sandals are all pieces I know I'll wear more than once on a trip.
• Travel Size Beauty Products - I always get shampoo & conditioner, face wash, tooth paste, and body lotion in travel sized forms.  That way I can just toss them when I'm ready to head home.  Same goes for disposable razors and toothbrushes.
• Cheap & Chic Jewelry - I have a little pouch I keep full of "basic baubles".  There's  a big gold cuff, some sparkly hoops, simple faux diamond studs, and a long, layer-able necklace that I always bring w/ me when I travel.  I keep my good (aka valuable) stuff at home where it's safe & sound.
• Two Pairs of Shoes Limit -  This is my toughest rule to follow.  I only allow myself to pack two pairs of shoes (in addition to the pair I'm wearing.  But it's such a space saver.  Shoes take up lots of space and often times you're going to be wearing one pair the most. 
• Make Use of Your Purse -  I always travel with a huge purse. You need space for passports, reading material, wallets, and other essentials - and it's nice to be able to grab that item you "almost forgot" and simply stuff it in your bag as opposed to re-arranging your suitcase. 
• Re-Pack Beauty Products - If you're anything like me, your makeup bag is full of products, but you only use a third of them on a regular day.  When I travel, I like to take just the basics and put them in a smaller cosmetic case. 

Today, I'd Like To Be Here

A cafe in Montreal.  Image Via Jackie Rueda.

Today I would like to be here.  This is the kind of place I want to walk to in the morning, holding hands with my love.  Then have a long breakfast with fruit, and a pastry, and lots of coffee.  It's completely quaint and I love the feeling I get when I'm just looking at this photo - I can only imagine how amazing it would be to actually be there.  It fuels my wanderlust and is just the sort of thing I need to get through my Wednesday.

St. Augustine

The downtown square was magnificent.

This past weekend I enjoyed a little getaway with my sister and cousin in beautiful St. Augustine, Florida.  I was ready for warmer temps and a beachy atmosphere but was amazed at how beautiful and interesting the town of St. Augustine actually is.  Packed with history and tropical charm, visiting seemed like taking a step back in time.    Below are some photos I snapped on the trip.    Highlights included visiting a gorgeous light house, a historical tour via segways (we looked real gangsta), and absolutely amazing food.  This is a destination I will definitely be visiting again.  

Bakeries were everywhere.  And they smelled amazing.

The Senator is a 600 year old tree that has been around since the time of  Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon.  

The most quaint little house downtown.  

A pretty little door to a courtyard.

Aviles Street is the oldest street in America.  Wonderful wine shops and stores.  

Trees strung with lights in the town square.

...In Brighton...

I visited Brighton once.  And it really was a bit of a dream.  Perhaps it was because I was so hungover, or maybe I was just exhausted (my days spent across the pond were jam packed), but the little time I did spend in the beach-side town was a magical blur that started with sunning on a rocky beach and ended with an amazing seafood dinner with my ladies.  When I stumbled across Mulberry's SS2012 ad campaign featuring Lindsey Wixson and Frida Gustavsson, I couldn't help but mentally travel back to that darling seaside town.  The whimsical, oversized props and bubble-gum bright attire are perfectly fitting for a resort town that truly could come from a story-book.

My girlies and I at Brighton beach.  

The Week Ahead

To look forward to...

 

Heading to Florida for a girls weekend with my sissy and cousin.  So excited.

I will be trying sock-bun curls.  If they turn out half as pretty as this, I'll blog about it. Promise

I'll be trying hot yoga with my girl Merryl. Maybe one day I'll be able to do shmancy positions like this.  At sunrise.  

Relaxing with what's most important (and my fiance of course!)