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.
This past weekend myself, Kristine, and Alessandra went on a girl’s trip to Dallas for StyleCon. We had the pleasure of staying at the Fairmont Dallas for the weekend which was not only convenient, as it was located right across from StyleCon, but also a luxurious and relaxing getaway for the three of us!
Upon arrival, we were welcomed to a table of evening snacks and a bottle of wine. The traditionally appointed rooms are spacious and decorated elegantly leaving a relaxed at-home feel. One of my favorite special touches was the personalized toiletry items!
Since we are bloggers we travel with quite a bit of accessories. To keep everything organized, here is our shoe and handbag set up! We found the best space for these items to be the living area. I will also add the closets are spacious and provided enough hangers for the three of us to hang all of our clothing!
We stayed in an adjoining King Suite and a Double Room. The bedding was plush and extremely comfortable. When I stay at a hotel usually the first night I cannot sleep well just because I am in a new place, but at the Fairmont I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow!
In the morning it was just a short elevator ride and hallway walk to Starbucks! We loved that there was one conveniently located in the hotel, perfect for getting the morning started on the right foot!
After that, we spent the day at StyleCon, which I will chat about in a separate post. Once we arrived back at the hotel, we found lemonade and sweets in the entry to welcome us back, along with a beautiful fresh floral arrangement. After refreshments it was back to the room to change and get ready for dinner!
We met up with our fellow blogger friend Zaira at Mercat Bistro, a short 0.4 miles away from the hotel. We dined in the gazebo on steak, beet salad, shrimp ravioli, bread pudding, and creme brulee! The French inspired restaurant was beautifully decorated and elegantly appointed with printed china, linen table cloths, string lights and dark green rot-iron scrolled posts.
I would also like to add in the evening turn down service was provided by the hotel including a fresh bag of ice and a bottled water.
Since the weather was so beautiful while we were at the Fairmont Dallas, we had the opportunity to check out the amenities on the Terrace floor. Here they have lovely gardens and a sparkling pool overlooking the Dallas skyline.
If you are planning a trip to Dallas, or just want a relaxing weekend getaway, this is the place to stay! You will feel comfortable, welcome and leave well rested! Thank you Fairmont Dallas for the wonderful stay, be back soon!
For NYFW, I partnered with a super cute boutique located in Tulsa named Posh! They were so sweet to provide me with two looks for my trip, which I happily curated.
So I wanted to select something travel-friendly, that would be cute and be easy to pack. Following these guidelines I selected the white split sleeve top, versatile black jeans by Dear John in the style Joyrich, a lightweight mixed print romper from Olive + Oak, and sparkling bracelets by Rustic Cuff.
Co-owner Melissa, was amazing communicating with me throughout the process! And I must speak to Posh’s customer service, which is wonderful! They boast about their superb customer service in-store, but I must say, that translates to their online experience as well! Just wonderful!
The pieces were packaged so thoughtfully and arrived to me in time for my travels, despite shipping delays from Hurricane Harvey. I tried everything on and all of the pieces fit perfectly! I especially loved the way the jeans fit! I am hard to size when it comes to denim but Dear John is apparently a great brand for my figure! This is something else I would like to call out about Posh. They sell clothing that fits how it should fit nothing is misleading, or unflattering which I really appreciate! You can tell their assortment was well thought out with no fillers, just excellent merchandise!
So the first look I created was for my air travel to NYC. I wanted something comfortable, but also cute…something oversized but not baggy. This look was the perfect match for what I was looking for in a traveling ensemble! The white top I am wearing is in a size small for reference. I kept my accessories minimal with just the white Rustic Cuff bracelet and my favorite pair of oversized sunnies.
For the second look I paired the adorable, Olive + Oak lightweight button front romper with my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Steve Madden boots, a burgundy lip, this oversized felt hat that I picked up at Marshalls, and a slouchy grey hobo from Kenneth Cole. I seriously wore this ensemble all over Manhattan! The relaxed fit and dual pocket design make it the perfect piece to trot around town in. From fashion shows, to meetings, and even the subway I managed to stay comfortable, confident and cute in this piece!
My experience with Posh was fantastic! Every piece on their site is of quality, and in my opinion, all pairs well together. The pieces’ compliment each other from department to department and the prices are extremely affordable for what you get!
If you are interested in shopping at Posh Tulsa, the great news is they have a website so you do not have to live in Tulsa to shop with them! Check out their site today and receive 25% off of your order with the code “HALEY”
Hi Lovelies!
So I am currently embarking on my first New York Fashion Week, and wanted to go ahead and share with you what I am taking with me to look fabulous over the next 4 days! I have packed all of these pieces and more in my Merona Weekender for Target so yes, packing skills required! 😉
I will of course be creating stylized posts and will share all of my exciting NYC adventures with you when I get back, but wanted to give you a sneak peek of all of my looks ahead of time so you can shop them!
Enjoy!
Click on the photo or (here) to shop!
As for the outfit I am wearing for travel (featured image) you can purchase those pieces from Posh Tulsa! They are a boutique that offers a variety of beautiful clothing items as well as shoes and accessories! I’ll give a full write up on my experience with them and their products when I get back. 🙂
You may have also noticed the couture items in my instastories, those are from Danny Nguyen Couture! I am super excited to wear his designs, and look forward to sharing pics and a blog post with you all in regards to his label!
Stay tuned for posts of my NYFW experience, and follow me along of instagram to see what I’m up to in real time!
New York is beyond my favorite city. I will take a trip there any chance I can, which is why Jhonathan and I headed up there a few weekends ago.
This trip was just for fun. To get away, and spend some time in the city. On this trip, we visited a few of our regular stops, but added in some new places that really made this particular trip unique.
Food:
While in New York street food is a MUST! I always get myself a hot dog and a chicken kabob first thing! There is just nothing in the world quite like a Manhattan hot dog. We also stopped in at John’s Pizza. This is by far my favorite pizza spot in the city! Located in a converted church, this brick oven pizzeria is not only delicious, but also extremely beautiful!
After dinner we walked over to Junior’s to get some cheesecake – yes this is another “must” stop for me! I have a massive sweet tooth and their cheesecake is simply the best.
Our other food stops included the Chobani cafe in SOHO which was excellent! I have never visited a Chobani restaurant before, and was extremely impressed with the ingredients atmosphere and variety. Our next stop was The Wren we ordered brunch there and had a few drinks. This bar is so lively and offers a delicious assortment of curated options.
Shopping:
I will say I kept the shopping to a minimum on this trip to really enjoy the sights and the city, but I did make the time to stop in Birchbox SoHo to create my own box and check out their store! This was such a fun experience, I truly felt like a kid in a candy shop! There is makeup, skincare and hair products galore! I wanted to spend all day in this shop, and was so glad we decided to stop in. I also made a trip over to the flagship Henri Bendel location to walk through and check out their new offerings, and amazing wall art! Henri Bendel is one of my favorite handbag and accessory locations, so it is inevitable, every time I step in one I have to get myself something!
Aside from these stops, we also strolled through Central Park, Grand Central Station, and over by the Brooklyn bridge. I have to say this was one of my most loved trips to New York. Not because we had a million places to go, but because we didn’t. This was a relaxing trip to really explore the city and enjoy enjoy all it was to offer.
I recently had the opportunity to travel to Mexico. On this trip, we would be stopping in Mazatlan, Mexico City and Durango. This was my first time to go into the country (aside from border cities) and I was very excited to explore, try local foods, and take in the culture!
Here I will share a brief photo diary of what all I experienced in a nutshell. I honestly had a wonderful time, and cannot wait to go back! There is so much Mexico has to offer! From mountains to beaches, remote locations to major cities–not to mention gorgeous architecture! For me, the flight was only about 2 hours, so this getaway is totally doable for a weekend trip or 3 day holiday.
Mazatlan
Although our trip was in October, it was quite toasty in Mazatlan! Shorts and dresses kept me cool throughout the few days we spent there. We stayed to the Park Royal Hoteles Resort, which had an amazingly breathtaking view of the ocean from their infinity pool. For dinner, we opted for poolside service not to miss a minute of the gorgeous sunset. Exploring Mazatlan was a bit of a task in the heat, but we drove out to the strand and watched cliff divers jump into the clear blue-green water and marveled and their skill of perfectly diving between the rocks.
Durango
Mountains, markets, and museums…Durango has it all! This beautiful city is centrally located, and offers many scenic locations. I enjoyed the variety of museums and local goods the city had to offer. (especially mango chamoy popsicles)
Mexico City
Last month I was blessed with opportunity to vacation to Rome. This trip was my first to leave the continent…so it was a very big step for me. While on my trip I visited Rome, Tavullia, Naples, and Pompeii. From what I had the chance to see, Italy is a beautiful country. There is just so much to see! The history, the wine, food, people, views, I tried to absorb as much as I could on our 4 days there. Here are a few of my favorite images from the trip. Enjoy!
Traveling to a new destination is always fun, and exciting, but can also be very nerve racking. To ease my nerves as much as possible, I reduce the amount of products I travel with. By only taking a carry on, I avoid long baggage check lines, additional fees, and extra time at the airport.
I always thought being prepared for any and every possible situation by packing “everything but the kitchen sink’ was smart, but ultimately I just got weighed down carrying heavy bags, and would arrive with way more than I could ever wear. On top of that, more items means more to keep up with and remember. Honestly, it is much easier to buy an umbrella if it rains, than attempt to pack one and never need it.
As a blogger, I would say I pack more than the bare minimum, but at the same time, do not over do it. For this particular trip, I am packing for a 6 day vacation to Rome. It is January so the weather there is in the low to mid 40’s. I decided chunky sweaters and layering pieces would be my best bet for style and warmth.
The only negative about packing sweaters is they take up A LOT of space. Luckily, I have space saver bags to assist me! The particular bags I purchased come in assorted sizes and do not require the use of a vacuum. (I will link similar bags here if you are interested.)
The first image is of everything I need to bring, clothing wise.
I then removed my travel outfit, boots, and coat, as those pieces won’t actually be packed.
And then I began to place my items into the space saver bags.
Upon finishing, this is what my stack looked like.
Everything fit perfectly into my bag with space to spare! Not only do the space saver bags provide you with more precious luggage space, they also protect your clothing from spills! I personally enjoy that they are clear so you can see exactly what is in each bag before opening.
If you are curious as to where my purse, chargers, makeup etc. are? Those are in my “personal item.” Instead of taking a backpack, I have decided on a large tote to carry all of these items, as shown below.
Traveling “light” has really worked well for me over the years. I am a nervous traveler by nature so anything I can implement to ease my nerves, and make travel more enjoyable, I am on board for!
I hope this is helpful for anyone out there who has difficulty when it comes to packing, and if you have any tips that work well for you, feel free to comment with them below! 🙂
Happy traveling everyone!
- Luggage Bag: Jessica Simpson (similar)
- Luggage Tag: Henri Bendel
I recently had the opportunity to travel to Louisiana, and stay at the beautiful Houmas House. All I can say about this plantation is; it’s totally breathtaking and…when can I go back? Every little detail of the property is perfectly thought out and elegant. Walking through the beautiful gardens on property will seriously transport you through time. All thoughts of city life seem to fade away and its just you, in the moment.
Our cottage was decorated to perfection and included a sitting room, working desk, and coffee bar. I loved all of the wood accented carvings and antique furnishings. No detail was left unturned, and even though our group took up the majority of the cottages, you still felt the quiet and peacefulness the vast plantation and gardens had to offer.
We ate at the restaurant on property which was decorated beautifully and was beyond elegant. I was taken aback by the size of the main room and the vast table we were served at. Each chair was upholstered and armed. Mixed patterns added charm to the room and the high ceiling with intricate carved crown molding and crystal chandeliers seriously gave the appearance of old world glamour and timeless beauty.
Thankfully while here the weather was pleasant, and the mosquitoes were tolerable, as I have an allergy and would have not been able to explore the grounds otherwise. I took full advantage of daylight and walked the beautiful gardens taking in all they had to offer.
Now, what brought me to Baton Rouge may not be what you have expected. No, I did not come out for vacation or to see the sights but actually to volunteer with the Red Cross and assist in the efforts of helping the victims in need after the devastating floods hit that region.
This was my first time volunteering with the Red Cross so I was a bit anxious and unsure of what to expect. All I knew is I wanted to help in anyway I could, and give back. After checking in I was assigned warehouse duty and spent my time volunteering loading totes of cleaning/household supplies into care packages, being prepped to be delivered to families in need. It took some practice but before long we were a streamlined assembly line. I’m not going to lie, this was hard work but is totally fulfilling. Knowing that my time and work was doing going to help someone else in need is an amazing feeling. Being sore and uncomfortable for a few days seemed trivial in compassion, and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to help out.
I definitely recommend volunteering if you are able to. It is an amazingly fulfilling and humbling experience and touches so many lives! Also, if you are looking for a wonderful place to stay near Baton Rouge I would hands down recommend the Houmas House! It was so wonderful, I could not have asked for a better stay.