Back to reality!

I just returned home from a much-needed weekend getaway celebrating my sister DS’s birthday with her and her friend MC! It was incredible… massages, facials, pool time, tacos, margaritas, whale watching, an art walk in San Jose, lovely dinners, and most importantly, lots of laughs! Just what the doctor ordered!

This was my third or fourth trip to Las Ventanas in Los Cabos, Mexico over the last 12 years… my sis and I have fallen in love with it! From the great service, stunning setting right on the Baja peninsula, and beautiful decor — I was in heaven!

I’d like to introduce you to my new travel agent… Instagram!

I have been getting so inspired to travel and explore new places through social media. The colors! The history! Who knew hashtags could take me to some of the most beautiful and interesting places around the world.

Take a look through some of my favorite finds and awaken your own travel bug (below)!

What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with some online shopping?!

Here are a few products I’m obsessed with right now — not to mention, a couple of really awesome sales! No rhyme or reason here, just sharing as I find. Enjoy!

So, if you follow me on Instagram… you know… I have been making more noise than any normal person does about a vacation. I guess I must have needed it! I basically chronicled my life in a minute by minute instastories string of video (which meant anyone I was with was constantly being shushed or pushed off to the side to prevent ruin a shot for Instagram… clearly a lack of instamanners on my part!).

Anyhooo… now I am back and will tell you all about it… starting with my own Paris travel guide… really just a list of things I did while in the city of lights.

I am in Paris right now and this evening I leave for Greece.  So far, my summer vacation has been wonderful.  I got to Paris on Friday to visit my sweet mother at her beautiful summer apartment in the 6th arrondissement on Rue Condé.  Best of friend AT came via the Chunnel to spend time with me here.  Then on Sunday, I took a whirlwind day visit to London with AT. I got to see where she lives with her boyfriend HH and we also were on a top secret mission doing some market research!  Came back to Paris for a few more days of lounging…and then off to Greece to meet sis DS and her guy in Athens then Santorini!

All this to say…I have dreams of being a light packer.  And that is what this post is about.  I, however, in all honesty, did not pack lightly!  I wish I had.  I am now bogged down with a huge bag but I am just wearing the same 10 things over and over again.   In order to help you avoid my packing mistakes, we pulled together 10 summer vacation essentials to help you for your holiday travel!

On National Donut Day I have an admission.

I admit it.  Just this last Monday, on Memorial Day, after taking a Soul Cycle class with my friends, I ate donuts in the Hamptons.  An oxymoron as one of my friends put it.  As you may know if you follow me on Instagram, I spent the long weekend at bestie AM’s house in East Hampton.  On Monday, good friend MR signed us up for a spin class that I begrudgingly attended.  They had to drag me out of bed to go. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed the class because I needed the exercise after a weekend of parties and celebrating.  I walked out of the spin class feeling good about myself.  After a leisurely ladies lunch in Sag Harbor (we had left the guys at the house with the 5 kids), MR announces in only the way that MR can, “Ok, now we are going to get donuts!” and then she and AM raced ahead of me as I fumbled to get my coat on.  Wasn’t sure I heard correctly so I tried to catch up to them but couldn’t because they were speed walking at a very high speed.  When I caught up to them the door was just closing behind them at what I later found out was Grindstone Coffee and Donuts in Sag Harbor on Main Street…it happened to be quite a cute donut shop so I followed them in.

Of course, I will turn a donut shop visit into a design story…starting with the fab black tin ceiling!

I told my friend that I want to design a hotel.  I wanted to buy a small motel and turn it into a cute small boutique luxury hotel someplace idyllic. I suggested that my friend find the project, find investors and then I get to designing.  I gave my list of preferred locations for this dream project. Ideally, I would like the property to be on Pacific Coast Highway here in Southern California…overlooking the water.  My friend listened to me…indulged my luxury boutique hotel design fantasy and then said, “I don’t know about finding you that hotel project on PCH but I can find you a duplex out in the desert in Yucca Valley.”  Hmmm…not quite what I was imagining.

Anyhooooo….that brings us to this lovely luxury boutique hotel in Brisbane Australia called Durham House…a little well appointed and designed resort hotel.  I love love love the adorable black + white cottage on the property.  So cute and simple…some good design inspiration inside and out.

Today I bring you a tropical garden gate and a bit of chatter about fashion choices and red pants of all things…

I am still here in the Dominican Republic on a dream vacation. It is so beautiful here and so relaxing being with friends.  I must admit, I fell off the early morning yoga regime a few days ago…I may get back on it this morning…”may” is the operative word in that sentence.

Anyhooo…I felt compelled to put on a bright color yesterday due to the fact that best of friend AM and power fashion blogger Jenn Lake of Style Charade, who are both here at the Playa Grande Beach Club hotel and resort, are two women who know how to wear a beautiful mix of patterns, texture and colors.  I am usually dressed in safe blacks or whites in Los Angeles…I haven’t quite got the fashion confidence of taking on patterns (yet) but I decided to take bright color from AM’s and Jenn’s fashion play books…