My ode to fall continues with my first Fall City Guide listing all the unique fall things you can do in a city near you.  Miami, Seattle, Chicago, Austin, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.  This guide covers all the fun things you can experience close to home. Events are happening all over this October and November. And I’m not just talking about pumpkin patch photo ops.

Not every fall activity is the same and no two cities have the same interesting things to offer.  I suggest reading some of the interesting things going on in other cities too!

Maybe your town goes all out for Oktoberfest or celebrates fall with some mojitos. This fall, be a tourist in your own area and take advantage of the unique things your town or city and the surrounding area has to offer. Here are some of the unique events and sights to see near other US cities. Why not go out and explore?

If you know me, you know I was admittedly OBSESSED with the Royal Wedding!

I am still on a detox after days of being glued to the TV, live streams, and social media soaking up every detail I could about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. I can’t be the only one who cared that much, right?? Help me please.

One thing I can’t stop thinking about from the magical weekend is the Cliveden House, the exclusive hotel property just outside of Windsor where Meghan and her mother, Doria Ragland, stayed the night before the nuptials.

As you can imagine, the dreamy seventeenth century estate located in the quaint Berkshire countryside is incredibly historic and sits on about 400 acres of land. Surrounded by trees and gardens, the venue also offers stunning views of the River Thames. Inside there are ornate chandeliers, gold-plated furniture, heavy-canopied beds, oil paintings, and velvet couches. The definition of glamour!

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!