Hi Friends! So last month I vacationed to Acapulco and wanted to share some of my favorite stops with you!
If you are interested in seeing my layover adventures in Mexico City, I’ll have that blog post up soon!
Acapulco is such a lush and tropical beach destination just a few short hours (by plane) from Houston! For this trip, we decided to stay at a resort and the one we selected was The Grand Mayan – a Vidanta property. Just a short 10 minute taxi ride from the airport and we were there!
The resort was absolutely breathtaking! We checked in at night so we left exploring for the morning. That evening we stopped at the bar and watched the evening performance.
The room was spacious and comfortable with luxurious bedding and toiletries. After a good night’s sleep we woke bright and early to start our first day of adventuring.
While exploring the property I sported my Stronger athletic wear. This brand is so comfortable and perfect for any climate! After we checked out the grounds it was time to change and venture off property.
Favorite Places / Activities
So the two things I think everyone needs to stop and do/see when in Acapulco are: releasing baby sea turtles and visit the Diego Rivera mural.
Releasing baby sea turtles was seriously one of the coolest things I think I have ever done! Before the release you watch a short film on conservation and the life cycle of sea turtles that way you fully understand the importance of this release!
Holding the tiny turtle and watching it take its first steps to the ocean was so touching!
As for the Diego Rivera wall, I was taken aback by the sheer size of the mural, which seems to come out of nowhere! It is just off of the side of a building on a random street, as if it is nothing special…perfect for a photo op! There is so much detail in this piece, that I wish I could have captured it all for you! The mixed materials and mosaic design are so beautiful and entrancing, a must see!
Here are a few photos from our other Acapulco stops, enjoy! From learning about gemstone mining and jewelry, to food, poolside drinks, local iguanas, and scenic outlook spots.
For my birthday weekend I wanted to relax and have a staycation, and what better place to do so than the newest downtown Houston destination hotel, The Hotel Alessandra!
This beautiful, and might I add, glamorous hotel offers it all! From a sleek bar lounge, to a full dine in restaurant, spacious outdoor pool with a skyline view, and plush guest rooms I could not have picked a better place to unwind!
The Room
We were in a corner room so the views were spectacular! All of the appointments from bedding to the tile were perfectly selected to create a chic ambiance. I personally loved the emerald green accents, complimented by their white embroidered logo.
Amenities at a Glance
For dinner we dined at the Bardot. This in house gastro-plush bar features a fabulous view of downtown, and comfortable relaxed seating. We decided on chicken strips and a burger (so there would be plenty of fries) I must say the burger was spectacular! SO GOOD! I am thinking about going back just to eat at Bardot! The food and ambiance were perfect, and with the excellent selection of specialty drinks they offer, it is the ideal location for a date night.
Even though it was a bit chilly, I wanted to check out the other on site amenities! The Alessandra offers an outdoor pool area which was so beautiful! Again, the view of downtown seemed within arms reach and the patio chaise were perfectly placed for a retreat within the city. The the gym offered everything you need for a well rounded workout all nestled perfectly in a floor to ceiling windowed room. Soon there will even be a spa available on property – even better!
Check out the Hotel Alessandra if you are visiting Houston on vacation, or just want a weekend staycation like I did. It is the perfect hotel to unwind, but also keep you in the center of everything, just step outside and you are in the heart of downtown! I would also like to add that it is right next door to a Forever21 so shopping is just inches away! What else can you ask for?
Hi Friends!
If you haven’t had a chance yet to enter the giveaway I am running with Yosi Samra, it’s not too late!
I have teamed up with them to offer one luck winner a $250 gift card to use on the Yosi Samra website – just in time for the holidays!
To enter, visit this Insta post I have linked here – it gives you all the info. 🙂
Then complete this short entry form and that’s it!
Best of luck to you! Contest ends 11.12.17 at midnight!
I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with Leo & Nicole, a women’s apparel label and was able to try out, and review, a few pieces from their fall 2017 collection.
The pieces I selected included a transitional cowl neckline tunic length sweater, and a cable knit cold shoulder sweater. Both sweaters arrived promptly, and I must say, I was very impressed with the quality of the pieces. The sizing is true-to-size and the fit is flattering. The weight of the materials is excellent and the colors are vivid and beautiful.
I have enjoyed wearing both of these pieces over the past few weeks and have styled them many different ways! Leo & Nicole pieces are so easy to wear, and seamlessly fit anyone’s style! I love the classic woven designs they offer, but with a trendy spin like the cold shoulder detailing and transitional cowl neckline. These pieces are great for any age range, and are perfect for gifting and sporting this holiday season. You can accessorize to your hearts content and are sure to look ultra fabulous with Leo & Nicole!
To see some more of my favorites by this brand click here!
Hi Friends! So I have rounded up a few of my favorite dresses that I have been wearing on repeat lately and wanted to share! These are all perfect pieces to wear day to night, depending on how you style them, and are super affordable AND comfortable! I would also like to add that they each incorporate my favorite fall trends! From embroidery, velvet, to jewel tones these dresses will cover all of the fall trend bases!
Scallops & Jewel Tones
I stumbled upon this dress at a Nordstrom Rack online sale and just had to get it. Fit and flare dresses are my favorite silhouette because they are so flattering, and the color is what really sold me! I absolutely love the scalloped detailing along the neckline, as it adds additional dimension and interest to the piece. When wearing jewel tones I like to either go much darker or much lighter with my accessories and in this case I chose lighter. This cream faux leather jacket adds edge to this feminine dress, as does the matching booties. You can easily style it with heels and an up-do for a more sophisticated night out look. Best of all, this dress is constructed of a heavy stretch material so you are supported as well as comfortable in this piece! I have linked this dress as well as other jewel tone dresses here!
Mesh & Embroidery
Perfect for warmer days, before it gets really chilly, this dress is just so darling! The collar is such a feminine detail – I definitely feel like a doll when I wear this dress. The intricate floral embroidery brings this dress to life, and I think it will even look great with black tights, booties, and a faux fur coat when the temps drop, so it is easily transitional. For similar mesh and embroidered dresses click here to shop!
Bell Sleeves & Velvet
This dress is by far my favorite find! I actually was shopping at Marshall’s for a PJ set and on my way out spotted this amazing dress. Obviously I had to purchase it and have loved wearing it ever since! From the bell sleeves to the mock neckline, this velvet dress oozes style! Finished with a sapphire blue color and scrolling floral print, this dress is the perfect statement piece! I kept my accessories to a minimum, only pairing some blush strappy heels, my burgundy Coach Dinky, and a tassel chain necklace. If you are loving bell sleeves and velvet, I have linked some of my favorite dresses here!
Hope you enjoyed this dress round up! I’d love to hear what your favorite trend right now is!
This blog post was sponsored my Leo & Nicole. All opinions are my own.
You can never go wrong with a great sweater during the fall and winter months, but what do you purchase? The cozy cowl neck or the scoop neck sweater you can pair with your favorite statement necklaces? I say, get them both but when you can get both for the price of one, even better!
Enter the Leo & Nicole convertible cowl neck sweater! This ultra soft knit sweater features a removable fold-over cowl neckline with faux buckle detailing, a relaxed fit, and a rounded tunic length hem. This sweater seriously has it all! With the extended length, you can wear it easily with leggings and tall boots, and since the neckline can change so can your style. Here I will be sharing two ways I styled this one sweater so you can see just what a difference a collar makes!
For the first look, I decided to wear my hair up. When I wear tops with exaggerated collars I tend to put my hair up as it gets in the way. Since I chose a ponytail, statement earrings were a must. Here I went with my favorite handmade earrings from Berry & Leather. They are so lightweight and finish the look effortlessly. For jeans I am wearing distressed black jeans from Dear John Denim, and buckled ankle booties from XOXO. The booties add height and extend the leg keeping this look long and lean.
For look two I kept the same jeans and changed up all of the accessories to show how different this top can look! To complement the lovely red shade of this sweater I decided to go with gold-tone and cognac shades. To remove the cowl neck from the sweater all you have to do is detach it from 2 small clear buttons on the back of the neck. Since I am wearing the sweater as a scoop neck now, I wanted to wear my hair down and add long layering necklaces to balance the look. I decided to add a fun snake belt from Express, faux suede booties from Rampage, and my signature Henri Bendel bag for finishing touches.
This style looks great tucked in or untucked as I have demonstrated here. – It is just such a versatile piece!
Overall I think this sweater is really great quality and offers a variety of options for styling. Pieces like this one are amazing wardrobe essentials, and being offered in an assortment of colors, there is bound to be one perfect for you!
In my eyes, a look can go from good to great with just one piece. Sometimes it’s a necklace, shoes, a dress or in this case, a cape! *Not to be confused with a magician, or superhero! Capes are a chic and trendy way to add a layer of warmth, and to make an entrance. This is the first cape I have purchased and I must say it did not disappoint.
A cape is such a dramatic item to don. I selected this particular one because it was not made of thick coat material, but more of a blazer/vest construction. This item is perfect for an evening out, or amping up your transitional gear for fall and winter.
For my first styling with the piece I wanted to add a touch of sparkle, so I paired it with a sequin embellished tank from Express (similar). The hint of shimmer is excellent, and really makes this look special. I selected black skinny jeans and my favorite fall over-the-knee boots by Steve Madden.
For a final touch, I added a classic pair of black sunglasses (similar), my Kate Spade tote (similar) and this gorgeous branch necklace from Fascinating Diamonds. The delicate chain makes the branch appear weightless, such a shimmering and elegant piece of jewelry.
This is the perfect dinner, or evening out look! I cannot wait to start wearing this out and about this season and feel more cape purchases are in my future! I have linked similar capes and complementary pieces, so you can create your own fabulous look!
I am in love with all of the military inspired outerwear I have seen on the racks this season! The structure and metallic buttons has always been one of my favorites to wear, so when I came across this XOXO beauty, I knew I had to purchase it! The color and buttons all scream military refinement but the peplum hem adds a touch of flirty feminine fun!
So I noticed a trend in the majority of my ensembles this past month and that was – I have been wearing a lot of black and white! Not just to work, but also my casual ensembles have been black and white as well! Since I noticed this trend, I wanted to round up a few of my favorite looks and share the details with you, so if you are in the mood to sport some chic black and white looks you can get inspired here!
Work Chic
This is my favorite work look right now! This lightweight sleeveless sweater from Uniqlo, is the perfect staple piece for fall because it is layerable! I am wearing it with these elastic waist paper bag pants. These pants were actually an Amazon find, and I have linked similar here. I finished the look with oversized sunnies, this gorgeous Elaine Turner Ally bag, Stella & Dot feather earrings and black patent heels. This ensemble is both dressy and comfortable! Since the pants are high waisted, they give off the illusion of slimmer, longer legs which is ultra flattering.
Dinner, Date Night Chic
So I wore this dress for my first evening at NYFW and loved how beautiful and comfortable it was! Seriously, you can wear this dress all day and not want to change! I love the pockets, mock neckline, and back cut-out accent along with the tonal plaid print. I have paired it with my favorite fall OTK boots and oversized sunnies for the perfect finishing touch.
Second under this category, I’d like to feature this couture look I wore during NYFW! This black and white look is my ultimate favorite!! The white lace top contrasting against the crystal embellished mesh skirt from Danny Nguyen Couture creates such an amazing combination!
Weekend Casual Chic
I have been living in these ripped black jeans! Seriously, wearing on repeat! The rips are in just the right places and the construction of the denim is lightweight and stretchy. I love a comfortable pair of jeans and Dear John offers just that! I am wearing them here with an oversized white tie-sleeve top which looks cute slightly tucked in. This look is perfect for sneakers to pair with sneakers or even dress it up a bit with heels! Here, I have paired the ensemble with metallic silver sneakers I picked up at Target. This look is perfect for any and all weekend errands or traveling!
My second weekend look is all black with shades of grey! This beautiful color palette is perfect for when the weather gets a little cooler! I love how the light shade of grey pairs with black. I am again in my favorite Dear John jeans, and have styled them with a fleece oversized tie-front sweater top (similar). To dress up the look I’ve added matte grey stilettos and steel earrings from Berry & Leather to complete the look.
And lastly, a cute sweater look! Nothing beats a chunky knit sweater when the temps start to drop, and that is this great piece from Romeo+Juliet Couture (similar)! This sweater is such an eye catching piece with its bold angle stripe design. I paired it with black denim, a black and white structured tote and black loafer slides! This look is fun for casual Fridays of weekend outings!
I hope this lookbook of black in white ensembles has inspired you to create one of your own! No matter the occasion, or trend black and white transcends all!