House Beautiful

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A Love Letter To Anna Maria Island, FL

Published on October 31, 2011 in Fashion, Shout-outs, Stuff We Love, Travelista and Wedding. 4 Comments

Annnnnnd Wedding Countdown has officially begun, people.  Stephanie’s bursting into tears on the treadmill thinking about next weekend, while I’m somehow remaining calm and super excited.  Maybe it’s because I’m a gonna have alllll my besties and family around me during one of the best times of my life.  Maybe it’s because I know I’m marrying a wonderful man.  However, it could also be because the wedding’s happening at one of my favorite, favorite places on the planet.

But let me back up a little.  If you ask me where I’m from, I’m gonna say Indiana. The term “Hoosier” fits me like a warm cozy glove.  I can shuck a corn cob in 30 seconds. However, if you ask me where my other hometown is, where I watched my little brothers grow and spent some of the best times with my family for the past 15+ years, it’d be the glorious, sleepily charming Anna Maria Island, FL.

At the age of 16 my parents informed us chitlins they’d be packing up and heading south to sunny FL, and after scouring the area of my dad’s new workplace they settled on the cozy little island of Anna Maria.  Situated on the Gulf Coast, this island is actually the location of the nuptials of yours truly and I can’t imagine a more serene, wonderful place to have it.

(This is literally the view from the house where I’ll be getting hitched)

There are no high-rise condos, and 60% of the land on this seven-mile island is open beach.  The neighborhoods are quaint, and the sand is sugary-soft.  But even greater than the environment are the memories I’ve got of the place: of my brother (now 19 and in the Air Force) learning to swim in the ocean as a precocious 4-year old; of spending hours with my beloved grandma looking for shells along the shore; and summers spent with my family who I missed so much while away at college in Indiana.

Anywho, you get that I think this place is special.  And while we’re at it, I wanna give a ha-yuuuge shout-out to a new-ish business on the Island, one I discovered a couple weeks ago while in FL and which I just think is the bee’s knees.

It’s called Pink & Navy Boutique, and it’s a treasure trove. I mean, you’d think you’d just hit up a hot little corner in Venice, CA, or smack dab in Soho, NY, with the eclectic and incredibly cool goods they sell here.

The owner Janae (in below pic) is adorable and warm and has the most spot on taste I’ve witnessed in quite some time.

Ms. Janae

From clothes to knick knacks perfect for presents to delicious furniture, they’ve got it all.

Nothing’s stuffy about it; it doesn’t reek of Hipsterville, USA – just flattering, fashion forward stuff you’re just now seeing in the pages of magazines.  Por ejemplo:

(Left: The most glorious dress from the Spring Tibi line.  Right: A hunter green Charlie Jade romper)

(Left: Milly Tamara Blouson Sequin Dress.  Right: 6 Shore Road dress)

Last but not least, behold this new Gypsy 05 dress I fell in love with and took home with me:

I don’t know about you but I’m a huge fan of those whose creative expressions lead them to greatness, and that’s exactly what’s happening with Janae.

Now.  Back to Wedding Week.  It’s upon me, I need to sleep, not have bags under my eyes, etc etc.  So time for bed!

We’ll try and update you occasionally on fun stuff from the week, and look forward to posting peeectores!

Soon to have my toes in the water,

Miss

4 Comments

How To Throw A Kick Arse Bachelorette Party

Published on September 14, 2011 in Fashion, Good Times and Wedding. 14 Comments

This past weekend yours truly was lucky enough to experience three glorious days in Palm Springs to spend frolicking about for my bachelorette party. And I mean hey, it only happens once, so YOU GOTTA DO IT UP, right?!  My lovely ladies didn’t disappoint.  For a long weekend we basked in the sun, sipped on sizzurp, and re-connected (some met for the first time) all while celebrating yours truly’s last remaining days of being single (doh!!!).  Below, I’ve compiled a checklist for getting the most out of your virtual events to celebrate this day.

1) First, a spraytan.  ‘Cause Mama Bear’s unfortunately ravaged her skin by too many days spent scorching it in the sun.  Henceforth the days of getting a natural tan are bye-bye.  Oh, and I’m about two years from having the chest of a cougar. And I’m not talking about the animal persuasion.

(via)

2) A dress from Rent The Runway.  Y’all…seriously.  I know I’ve blown this site up on our blog and all, but this was the first time I actually tried it.  Verdict?  It’s absolutely as great as I thought it’d be.  It’s just so easy, and look at these adorable dresses I rented!:

(Left: Moschino Cheap and Chic, and right: Pencey Hit ‘Em Up Style Dress)

3) An inexpensive yet absolutely glam house for the weekend.  Instead of getting rooms at a hotel, check a local vacation rental website for a house with lots and lots o’bedrooms.  We used Vacation Palm Springs and the house we ended up had a pool, a jacuzzi, a firepit… and cost each lady only around 200 or so smacks for the whole weekend. Exhibit A:

(That may or may not be a penis-shaped floatie in the lower right hand side of the pic)

4) Your bestest girlfriends.  It doesn’t matter if that’s 2 girls, or 12.  Whatever you do, do NOT forget to bring your gubby.  Mine, Jonathan, or Gurrrrrrrrrl, has been my bestie for 10 years and was actually with my fiance and I in Hawaii when we got engaged.  Exhibit B:

5) Stock up on an inordinate amount of food, drinks and sloppy snacks; specifically, the biggest bag of Cheeto’s you can find.  We were going to hire a chef to cook one night for us but had so much food, we didn’t need ’em.  Again, saving us mucho dinero.   This one’s for Stephanie:

6) Hire pool boys.  Look for Male Strippers for hire and let them bring you whatever you need, without your having to ever set foot out of the pool.  Have them do it shirtless, because women are objectified so often that it’s nice to do it to the opposite sex.  Enjoy their drinks, which they give special names like the “Johnny Deluxe”.  Watch with amusement as one particular girlfriend tries to get Johnny Deluxe to stay past his scheduled time to go out with us later that night.

7) Speaking of going out, warm you and your gurls up at a great local straight bar. Have fun with the loads of attention being given to you and your friends.  Then, close out the night at a gay bar.  Dance on platform at gay bar and get kicked off, knowing that 30 seconds was so worth it.

Ocho) Head home for a good ol’ fashioned dance party.  Git yer ya ya’s out:

(I’m obviously pointing to Steph’s hoo-ha, which is probably hanging out of her dress)

9) Lastly, drive back home the next day blasting the song that will always remind you of the weekend and of your friends.  There are two for me… but this one in particular will always take me back to my drive to and from Palm Springs.

Lesson of the day? At the end of the weekend, my best memory was the feeling of having a few days of uninterrupted, un-grown up time with some of my most favorite people in my life.  My party could’ve been in Anderson, Indiana at Mounds State Park but with everyone around me, it would’ve been a blast.  Ok… maybe not Anderson, Indiana.

Have a great Wednesday!

xoxo,

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