Easter Treats + San Diego Encore

Hope you're all having a fabulous Easter! I indulged in too many coconut M&M's and a mimosa over brunch and have spent the rest of the day reading, relaxing, and watching the Masters. I feel so accomplished after giving up sweets and alcohol for forty whole days. To be honest, I missed the sweets much more than the drinking! It's nice to be able to have a little sweet bite of chocolate or candy after dinner. I also finished uploading the rest of my pictures from California (a little behind on that, oops!). It's hard to believe the trip was almost two months ago! Most of these are from an afternoon spent in La Jolla and a few of the church at the University of San Diego.


late lunch at Paradise Point


fresh-squeezed margarita


pina colada


perfect sunset view


seared ahi salad


Pacific Beach


La Jolla Cove


twisted trunk


pretty flowers


cafe entrance


at a local brewery


souvenir penny from the zoo!


inside the church


perfect day for a wedding

Valentine's Day in La Jolla

I can't believe how quickly my week in California passed by! I got back to Providence last night and am definitely still on west coast time. Here are some snapshots from last Tuesday, which was spent exploring la Jolla. I think this was definitely one of my favorite days of the entire vacation. La Jolla is so picturesque and the weather that day was nearly perfect. I enjoyed spending the entire day with M, something that we haven't been able to do in past years.


I started off my morning with a blowout at the Drybar in Del Mar.


The perfect beachy cosmo-tai, which made me feel like a celeb!


We found out what all the hype was about at In-N-Out (so good!).


Lots of pretty Valentine's flowers for sale in La Jolla.


Clear blue skies and an intricate mosaic on the front of a church.


Hearts decorated all of the boutique windows.


Arcade building at sunset.


Gazing out at the Pacific in my favorite scalloped blazer.


La Jolla cove and Torrey Pines in the background.


A breathtaking California sunset and red + pink balloons.

The day could not have been more perfect and relaxing!

Sugar Rush

I am head over heels in love with Planet Blue's collaboration with Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere for their summer lookbook. This should not come as a surprise to any of you, as I will use any excuse to reference her blog (because I am obsessed). The photo shoot took place on the Santa Monica pier and has a playful & vibrant feel to it. All of the outfits were styled by Emily and I think she did an amazing job! I love how she mixed in props like cotton candy, heart shaped sunglasses, and a vintage camera. These are just a few of my favorite shots and pieces from the summer collection. It makes me want to drop everything and jet to California to soak up the sun and wear dresses all year round.

Which item from the lookbook is your favorite? I keep revisiting this maxi dress and this military-inspired jacket, which could transition nicely to my fall wardrobe.

Dry Bar

It's places like this that make me think I'm living on the wrong coast. Dry Bar is such a simple, yet brilliant concept. It's a salon that doesn't cut or color hair. Crazy? No way! Genius? Yes. What they do specialize in is drying hair, specifically blowouts. You know that feeling that you get when you walk out of the salon with freshly styled locks? It's part confidence and part sex appeal. You just know you look amazing. A good trip to the salon can turn a day from terrible to fantastic.

Dry Bar does just that. They offer a wash and blow dry for $35 flat and even have five adorable styles to choose from. Personally, I'd go for the Mai Tai, a beachy, textured blow out. They also have a sleek & smooth "Manhattan" style and adorable loose curl "Cosmopolitian" 'do. Check out the menu for all of the descriptions and photos. If you go on a Saturday or Sunday, you can enjoy mimosas and croissants with your salon experience. They offer parties, which would be so much fun for a group of girlfriends or sisters. Bottom line: please, please, please open an East Coast location! I'm dying to give it a whirl.

P.S. Isn't the decor amazing?! The yellow is so cheery.