Travel, Travel Products, Wish Lists and Gift Ideas

Summer 2018 Style Wish List

summer style wish list graphic

The official start of Summer is just around the corner, but here in Florida, the season begins much earlier than June 21. It always takes me a bit longer to get into the habit of Summer dressing; I usually drag my feet until it is simply impossible to wear anything over my bare legs. My …

Destinations, Mexico, Packing Lists, Style, Travel

A Carry-On Packing List for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

A cover photo that reads "Puerto Vallarta Packing List"

Typically I title the posts in my packing series “Traveling Light,” but I didn’t feel that was a fair statement to apply to my Puerto Vallarta packing list post. In fact, I could almost title this post “summer travel capsule” as it includes nearly all of my warm-weather items! This post contains affiliate links and …

Destinations, Mexico, Travel

A Vibrant Travel Guide for Five Days in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Papel Picado hangs over the street in Puerto Vallarta

We were so delighted to receive an invitation to attend the wedding of two dear friends in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico over Memorial Day weekend. Neither Michael nor I had ever visited Mexico’s west coast, and we were grateful for the excuse to get away to a destination we might not have normally selected. Getting to …

Travel, Travel Products, Wish Lists and Gift Ideas

2018 Father’s Day Gift Guide

A calendar on the wall, flipped to the page for June

Father’s Day is rapidly approaching here in the USA (psst… it’s June 17 this year!). This post contains affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking one of these links (at no additional cost to you). All photos below are sourced from the brand/retailer listed. The holiday …

Destinations, Florida, Style, Travel, USA

Underwater Enchantment: A Day with Real Mermaids at Florida’s Weeki Wachee Springs

A wide view of the waterpark at Weeki Wachee

I was a little surprised by the results of an Instagram Story poll I conducted recently: most of the respondents indicated they had never heard of Weeki Wachee before. For the uninitiated, I highly recommend this gifted New York Times article as a starting point. I remember my grandmother speaking of the mermaids’ magic and …

Beauty, Style, Travel, Travel Products, Travel Tips

My Five-Minute Travel Makeup Routine

Mini bottles of makeup products on a tray

Confession time: I used to bring way too much makeup with me when traveling (actually, I used to bring way too much everything with me). But once I started unpacking mindfully, noting everything that was used during the trip and everything that was not used, I was able to whittle it down. This post contains …

Destinations, Florida, Travel, USA

Coastal Charms: A Floridian’s Day Trip Guide to St. Augustine

Alyssa stands in front of the entrance to Flagler College

Ask a Floridian if they’ve visited St. Augustine before, and odds are, they’ll say yes. The subject of Florida History is studied state-wide during the fourth grade, and many Florida students cap their studies with a trip to the oldest city in the continental United States. It’s also a place Michael and I have visited …

Destinations, Packing Lists, Pennsylvania, Style, Travel, USA

Traveling Light: A Packing List for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A closet of garments worn in Pittsburgh

I’ve always found packing for cities with a more “classic” style (say, Rome, Paris, or almost any Southern U.S. city) easier than packing to visit “cool” cities (New York, London, or San Francisco all come to mind) since my wardrobe is very low-key and contains very few “trendy” items. Still, I find I feel more …

Destinations, Pennsylvania, Travel, USA

Steel City Escapes: A Weekend Travel Guide for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Skyline as seen at Grandview Overlook

Part of me always knew Michael and I would make it to Pittsburgh one day; the art, history, and food culture rival many other large American cities, and its off-the-beaten-tourist-path status is a draw for us as well. I just never thought our first visit would be a by-product of a different trip. This post …