Shot by Paul Versluis
swimwear
Ralph Lauren for Macy's (black and white)
Jcrew red suit
Towel- Toteme
Sunnies - Illesteva
That's a Wrap
The travel wrap isn't just for planes, trains and automobiles anymore... it's ready for a permanent staycation this Fall. Elevate any monochromatic look with one of Mersea's luxe wraps, while keeping yourself warm and toasty in the process. A few of my favorite shades are the Driftwood, Oyster and Gold (Driftwood and Oyster seen above) . You can pair them with just about anything, but I prefer warm earthy neutrals for a timeless look (The Row and Ralph Lauren have been perfecting this style of simple elegance for ages). Also, not sure if you have heard but fringe is back and better than ever this fall season, so shimmy in style with these incredibly versatile and cozy pieces from Mersea.
Dress | Equipment
Pants | Mango
Tank | Raey
Belt | Rag and Bone
Boots | Aeyde
Earrings | Laura Lombardi
Bag | Proenza Schouler
Greece part 2- Paros, Antiparos and Athens
The second and third legs of our Grecian adventures were probably my favorite parts of the trip. Exploring new islands that weren't nearly as busy as tourist fave Santorini. We specifically picked Paros and Antiparos over the ever popular Mykonos so we could relax and not be overrun with hoards of people (cruise ships let off daily there) taking Instagram photos (lol). We rented two cars so everyone could do as they please whether it was visiting the gorgeous Kolymbithres beach and neighboring town of Naoussa or heading to the nearby fishing village of Alyki bay. We rented a gorgeous home at the south end of Paros and could easily take a 5 min ferry over to Antiparos (my fave part of the trip) to dine and shop at The Beach House. Their perfectly curated boutique was some of the best shopping I did in Greece. Parikia is another must see town on Paros for eating and wandering the picturesque cobblestone streets. Of all the travel advice I heard, none could have been more wrong than to get in and out of Athens... or skip it all together. It's a fantastic ancient city that deserves way more than a couple nights (maybe just not when it's 100 degrees). We stayed at the Electra Metropolis hotel and it had amazing views of the Parthenon and a rooftop pool, perfect for cooling down in the summer heat. It was within walking distance to the Plaka, shopping (both flea markets and chain favorites like Zara) and the Temple of Zeus. No better place to end a trip fit for Greek Gods.
Stay -
Paros- Blue Villas Collection
Antiparos- The Beach House
Athens- Electra Metropolis Hotel
Greece part 1- Santorini
Santorini has always been on my travel bucket list and I couldn't have been happier to tick it off the list with some of my favorite people. Being one of the most photographed places on earth it's almost like you have been there even before you arrive. So my favorite things we did were head to a few spots I hadn't seen before in pics and discover the island for ourselves. Perissa beach and Ammoudi Bay were among my top must sees along with taking a Catamaran around the crystal blue waters. We rented an Airbnb directly in the middle of Oia and it was absolutely perfect for our family of 7. We had a 3 year old in tow and I was a bit nervous with all the cliffside accommodations and restaurants but it couldn't have been safer. Beware the sunset crowds like a running of the bulls to get their Instagram pics before all stampeding back the other way as soon as the famous Santorini sun sets. Even though we were there in the mid July heat we definitely enjoyed our hot tub dips early morning and evening (this was something I debated for hours when choosing an Airbnb). At Perissa beach we spent the day at Seaside by Notos which was absolutely perfect (bring beach shoes if you have sensitive feet, it's slightly rocky like most of Santorini's beaches and very HOT). Same tip for Ammoudi Bay if you plan on swimming, comfortable shoes that can get wet are highly recommended. Also make sure you plan on having lunch at one of the gorgeous seafood restaurants at the bottom before embarking on your sweaty journey back to the top. Or you could take a donkey for 5 euros. Santorini was the perfect spot to recover from jet lag before heading to our next Cycladic island... Paros.
Greece part 2 - Paros and Antiparos coming soon.
Vietnam part 2- Journey to Hanoi
After finally recovering from our 4 day journey, 24 layover in Hong Kong and a 13 hour time change we were ready to rock and roll... spring roll that is. Northern Vietnam is home to hands down the greatest spring rolls on earth (pretty sure I ate them for almost every meal). Between spring rolls and Vietnamese coffees we were ready to roll (🤷🏼♀️) and our jet lag was far (east) behind us. After Danang we flew to Haiphong and took a car to Halong Bay (flight was an hour and the drive was another 1 1/2 hours). I researched Halong Bay cruises endlessly and finally decided upon Paradise Cruises for a 2 night/3 days cruise. We saw fishing villages (people actually live on the water with their families and animals), hiked different islands and explored caves. The sun rarely shone and it seemed to drizzle for days but it was such a gorgeous and calm place it didn't seem to matter. Bringing our 3 year old along was absolutely no problem and they had life vests for her and she participated in all the daily tours and activities. We had planned to take a seaplane from Halong Bay to Hanoi but due to inclement weather it wasn't possible and instead took a fantastic private car/van. It was much less time than the 3-4 hours I kept reading about, in fact we even stopped twice for shopping and food and still made it in under 2 1/2 hours. Hanoi was the icing on our Vietnam cake. The sights, the smells, the people.... cities like this are the reason I fell so deeply in love with traveling and all things that go along with it. The struggles of reaching these far away places all seem to be worth it once you are riding on bike taxis and eating street food. Which honestly I didn't get to eat much of because the doctor who administered our Typhoid shots made me a nervous wreck! We stayed at the Sofitel Metropole Hotel which has to be one of my favorite places of all time. It's like a little slice of Parisian Alice in Wonderland in the middle of a bustling Far East city. The swimming pool alone is reason enough to stay at this picture perfect hotel along with some of the best food in Hanoi. The things I miss the most are the Springs rolls, coffee and most definitely our nightly bike taxis through the busy streets of this magical city. So long for now Vietnam.... but I'll be back... hopefully sooner rather than later.
Stay - Sofitel Metropole Hotel (Hanoi) , Paradise Cruise (Halong Bay)
Eat - Hanoi Social Club, Street food in Hanoi's old quarter, Opera Club Novel (spring rolls), Le Beaulieu French restaurant
Wearing - Gucci Tshirt, Levis white jean shorts, black crane shirts, Everlane trench coat, Veja sneakers, Nomadic State of Mind rope sandals, JW Anderson skirt, Roseanna yellow knit, Zara pants
Packing list for Stella- ziplock bags filled with lots of small toys and figurines (plus we buy small trinkets along the journey), sticker books, iPad just for the airplane ride and in case they don't have English television (I don't do electronics normally so this is a treat for her and makes long airplane rides a breeze). Also I pack mostly clothes that can mix and match which is pretty easy in our case because everything is usually neutral colors.