I wanted to update daily…honestly I did. I have been so overcome with my experience in London so far…I’ve plenty to write about…but I’ve experienced so much, too much, crossed so many things off a bucket list…that once I return back to Washington I’ll have plenty to write about then.…
Where is this year going? I feel like I’ve been saying the same thing for the past 3 years. I can’t believe it’s August already. I love August though. I can always sense a change in the air, summer is still present but I can feel autumn creeping in, and I adore it. We celebrated the meltdown of summer by heading to Darrington, WA last weekend, camping, and rocking out to music at Summer Meltdown Festival. Nothing beats a small festival. I’m officially hooked again. A good group of our friends were there, there were good vibes all around, good music & river floating. And of course, I saw Slow Magic again, and was right smack in the middle of his drum circle when he got off the stage. I touched him, I was that close. So my happy self danced back to the tent and collapsed. It was a wonderfully adventurous weekend & we made new friends who live in the Seattle area. I can’t wait for next year! Have a fabulous weekend, xoxo, Steph…
It’s barely the end of August, and I should be savoring the last few weeks of heat and sun Seattle has been blessed with. But darkness was beginning to fall around 8:30 and as if in acknowledgment of my sudden awareness of the looming season, the next day’s breeze had a crispness about it that finally indicated Autumn was already on her way. The feeling of the breeze always makes me nostalgic & yet filled with anticipation. Boots, pumpkin spice things, pretty colors, and the overall coziness that comes with the season. For some reason I associate the fall with the UK and start listening to Celtic music more & dreaming about fall in London or the Scottish Highlands. I couldn’t tell you why or when this association started, it’s just always been in the back of my mind. So as I cling to the end of summer…autumn is beckoning me into September, with cozy dreams of what’s to come, not just this autumn, but next, when I finally go to London and make some dreams come true. xoxo Steph Follow Me On: BLOGLOVIN’ | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM…
I love my job. I’m blessed to be doing something I love, but about every June/July, I find myself burning out. Overloaded, uninspired and in need of a break where I am completely cut off from email & any thought of work. It’s just how it goes. A few back to back 60 hour work weeks in June this year after no real break in 6 months made me thankful that at the last minute we booked a trip to Mexico with another couple. This was my first trip to Mexico & it was lovely. Cabo is vibrant and full of culture. The people are kind & personable. And the food is fucking delicious. I may have permanently ruined enchiladas for myself. A wildlife conservation booth by the marina let’s you hold a tiger cub that is eventually sent to a wildlife reserve. You donate to reserve to hold the cub. I would never do this if it was purely for someone else’s profit. I love animals & this little guy was too cute. They rescue these animals from black market sales & we were happy to support this cause. Senor Frogs was awesome. Cabo Pulmo is home to the…
It’s been a little over 2 weeks since my return from tropical paradise (and oh how I wish I was still there basking in the sun) – and as I’ve sat down to think about what 2014 holds, I see more travel if things go as planned. I wanted to share a few of my travel essentials that are all carry-on friendly. 1. Aveeno Pure Renewal Dry Shampoo. To be honest I’m not sure if this comes in a carry on size but there are other dry shampoos that do come in smaller sizes. Dry shampoo gets rid of that greasy look and freshens your hair up right away. 2. Dior Airflash Foundation. Want to look like a million bucks after hours of travel? Spray onto and apply with a brush and your skin looks even toned & dewey. I was exhausted & comments had been made about how tired I had been looking. After I used Airflash one night, a few people in our group asked if I was feeling rested because I looked much better. It was the Airflash). 3. Halo Portable Charger. This was a Christmas gift and works better than the other portable charger I own,…
Last year started the same way – in Kona, Hawaii – being sunburned & loving every minute of it. This year was no different, I was just happy to escape rainy, gray Seattle and spend a week in beautiful tropical Hawaii. I fly Hawaiian Air whenever I go to Hawaii – their service is great & they still serve meals on the longer flights from the mainland to the islands. Tasty Passion Fruit Boogie Boarding at Hapuna Beach After a day at the beach we stopped at the Lava Lava Beach Club for drinks & appetizers. BEAUTIFUL view – great spot to sit & have drinks. I probably would have been happy going there every single day. Snorkeling at Kahaluu Beach – great spot for Sea Turtles, was pretty crowded though. The Sheraton Resort in Kona has a great bar with a boardwalk that you can walk out onto at night and watch people snorkel with Manta Rays Dolphins frequently swam back and forth past our condo everyday. We took a pontoon boat out to Captain Cook’s monument & went snorkeling – absolutely beautiful snorkel spot. My baby humpback! Highlight of the trip for me. This little guy breached over…
Where did 2013 go? Seriously, I’ve failed pretty miserably at blogging this year, but I’ve been in my own quarter-life crisis mode trying to get it all figured out. It’s not all figured out but I’m feeling better than I was a year ago. I’ve been so busy with a move (no more commute!) and work – always work! It’s a good thing I love what I do. But I am working on posting more regularly, and for the first time in a long time I started sketching again. I still got it. Amazing what a little focus will do. And with that… It’s already been more than 2 months since my vacation in Newport Beach & Las Vegas. And another one is fast approaching! When I take a vacation somewhere in the U.S. I’ve been grouping multiple cities into one trip. Last year was L.A. & Chicago. This year was Newport Beach (for a wedding) followed by Las Vegas. Newport Beach & our dear friend’s wedding was beautiful. It was on a boat & I’m so glad we made the trip to share this day with them. Their family & friends were SO welcoming & kind. I left feeling…
Hawaii was a much needed vacation away from the grey, cold, rain filled skies of Seattle. There is no better way to reset for a new year than with a trip to paradise. We stayed in a condo on Ali’i Drive, about a mile south of Kona. Our family friends have a condo so we had our own little party the whole time. It was a short trip, 4 full days, 2 days of travel but I completely relaxed the entire time there. Every morning we would go sit down at the waterfront and watch for dolphins and whales. I am a master whale spotter for some reason and the whole time I was spotting whales left and right. Made my trip. There are dolphins just to the left of the boat. Unfortunately the iPhone camera isn’t that amazing with range. We spent one day driving the whole island. Hilo is too rainy even by Seattle standards and that is saying a lot. The east side of the island had some beautiful but fierce looking coastline. The drive to the volcano & through the park was my favorite part about the trip. We passed through as we did the island…
I ended up switching hotels halfway through the week to stay in Beverly Hills for two nights, and it was an experience I will not easily forget. I stayed at the Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel & Spa and could not believe the size of my room. It was a one bedroom apartment, complete with living and dining rooms and a kitchen that was bigger than one of my apartments in college. It was a classy hotel, while it did seem dated compared to say the Ritz Carlton, it was dated in an old Hollywood kind of way. Very clean, very very kind staff, I’ve honestly never been treated so well at a hotel. It was a fun upscale experience, and the pool was a god send on our 95 degree October day, Villa Blanca was on my list of must go to places while in LA. I am a huge fan of Lisa Vanderpump and had wanted to eat in one of her restaurants. The decor was stunning, the service was amazing (the waiter who served us was also adorable). The food was unbelievable and the mojito I had was delicious. Will definitely be returning whenever I make it back.…
Louis Verdad Check out more of Louis Verdad here Dar Sara The Dar Sara show was absolutely amazing. Sponsored by Swarovski, the pieces were dripping in crystals. The intricacy of each piece was absolutely amazing. The show started with a “fight” between two models in what resembled chain mail. It was Haute Couture chain mail. A model walked the runway after the two sparring models left the stage, playing the violin. Again, stunning. The rest of the show began and had viewers jumping up to take pictures. It created such an energy, everyone could tell how unique this show was. The energy from the crowd was tangible. It was truly innovative and inspiring. Check out more of Dar Sara’s collection here Again, stay tuned for another post on Los Angeles and my stay in Beverly Hills and the rest of Style Fashion Week.…