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06.06.18

The Emerald Coast

There’s a not-so-secret spot that almost everyone in Nashville likes to visit in the summer…it’s the “Emerald Coast”.

When I first heard it was called this I was a little skeptical that it was a popular destination for people in Nashville, let alone the US. It sounded like some enchanting place off the coast of the French Polynesian Islands. But the Emerald Coast actually much MUCH closer than that! It’s about a seven hour drive south from Nashville to a stretch of Florida called 30A.

My first chance to visit was several years ago on a long weekend. It was too cold to swim in the ocean, but not too cold to sit on the beach and take in the beauty! This stretch gets it’s name from the green blue water and the “sugar sand” beaches. What the name doesn’t tell you is about the stunning sunsets. Watching the sun set on the coastline is so serene and peaceful. Truly a beautiful way to end a day at the beach.

Having been here a few times now, I have a couple favorite spots and one of them is George’s. George’s is an adorable little restaurant in the beach community called Alys Beach. The menu centers around seafood, so if you enjoy good seafood add this to your list! We then went for a stroll along what can only really be called a promenade. It’s lined with towering palm trees that line the road and sidewalk.

After our little walk we headed to the beach to catch the sunset, which is maybe my favorite part of any trip to 30A. Some beach communities present themselves as a little more relaxed than others, but the view from the beaches is equal in my opinion. Which means, if you’re staying in Destin or Alys Beach, the view of the sunset is still going to be lovely.

06.04.18

Sucre baby!

I love a good treat, and especially a sweet one! Which is why I had to seek out Sucre!

Sucre is a bakery and chocolatier in New Orleans and they are WELL KNOWN for their eclairs, but I happen to really love their macaroons. Sucre is french for sugar, which is so fitting for a bakery in New Orleans that has combined southern and french flair. I stumbled upon this shop several years ago before this blog existed but when I found it again I knew I just had to share it because it’s absolutely worth stopping to take in.

Before you even enter the shop you can see fun and whimsy through the windows. The fun only continues after stepping inside. The walls are a beautiful medium between mint and almost lime. The entire atmosphere is like the children’s birthday party you wished for as a six year old adoring glitter and unicorns.

We got an eclair and the tea infused and flavored macaroons which were just scrumptious. There was another customer in the shop, who upon finding out we were not locals, gave us some great recommendations. The shopkeepers also chimed in with recommendations which only made the whole experience even better!

As our order was being finished up I noticed something large and sparkly on the back counter. After asking about it I was told it was a giant macaroon with confetti like decorations! Naturally I had to have one, and this ended up being my most favorite treat out of everything we got!

If you’re in New Orleans please do yourself a favor and stop at Sucre. Specifically the Magazine Street location. You will not regret it, and it may even be one of your favorite stops in the city!

05.25.18

I’m on a River Boat Cruise!

I love boating, I think it’s so relaxing to be out on the water. Especially on a river boat cruise!

I love boating on the lake, taking a ferry, or crossing the English Channel. It’s so peaceful out on the water and the view as you depart and arrive is just so beautiful, especially if you’re talking about a big boat or a city with a skyline like New York City. I’ve been on dinner cruises before, but this river boat cruise in New Orleans was such a great time!

It was so much fun, and while the food was decent, it was really the experience that made it worthwhile.

Actually, the gumbo on the cruise was DELICIOUS, the rest of the food was pretty typical. However, the stories from the captain, the views, the history of the city, it was all such a beautiful way to take in another side of New Orleans. The cruise is a couple hours long and you boat out on the Natchez River and then dinner commences in two sessions.

There is a Dixieland Jazz band that plays great music (as one would expect in New Orleans) while your out on the water. The captain also gives all sorts of educational information about landmarks and sites, one being the Domino sugar factory. The boat has lots of historic older elements that the captain talks about as well. However, the real gem of these tourist attraction is watching the sunset over the city of New Orleans. We were there in May and so the sun was setting behind the French Quarter which made for some stunning views of the city.

Once we were docked back at shore we were in the perfect location to talk the nightlife of the French Quarter; specifically Jackson Square and Bourbon Street. While the nightlife of the French Quarter isn’t my typical cup of tea, it’s still an experience that most should see when visiting New Orleans.

Have you been on a boat cruise? What was your favorite part?

05.16.18

Lafayette Cemetery #1

I had read about Lafayette Cemetery #1, or #3 if you haven’t yet learned, and that it was full of history.

It was also located in a beautiful part of the city. What I found to be the coolest about this cemetery though was that while I was there and trying to find a wikipedia page with some history about it I stumbled across an amazing resource. It’s called Freetoursbyfoot.com and it has SO many tidbits of information that you can read it while your at the location! (This is how I found out why it’s actually Lafayette Cemetery #1 not #3)** It also has guided tours so it will give you step-by-step instructions to guide you to a a landmark and then tell you about it! I found this to be a great way to learn about New Orleans, because our schedule while we were there was too hectic to fit a guided tour into.

Back to the cemetery and why you should visit.

It’s beautiful. The tombs are all above ground so they are like small shrines to individuals, but really to whole families. We were curious about how this actually works, if you are to, you can read how that works here. The tombs were so ornate and beautiful, and this is really where I discovered the Free Tours By Foot to be such a hidden asset. It guides you to notable and interesting tombs and artistic aspects of tombs throughout the cemetery.

I thought the cemetery would feel spooky, but it really felt more like an educational museum. There was so much history about the families who lived there. If anything, the French Quarter felt spooky, but perhaps Lafayette Cemetery #3, even though the sign said Lafayette Cemetery #1, is located in the beautiful Garden District. I’ll tell you more about that in a very soon to be posted blog because I LOVED the Garden District. It was so rich in architectural beauty and truly earns it’s name as the “garden district”.

** When they filmed Double Jeopardy in this cemetery they changed the #1 to a #3 but there is no Lafayette Cemetery #3 as of yet.

05.03.18

Travel Skincare: 5 Favorites

I’ve recently changed my focus. I’m now into skincare. But not just any skincare, travel skincare! Or TRAVEL FRIENDLY I should say. I was focused on makeup and finding the greenest and most pure (for makeup). Now however, thanks to newly becoming a low-key FANGIRL of The Skinny Confidential, I’m into ALL kinds of skincare. I have always been very good at having a morning and evening routine comprised of a clean face and then a great moisturizer or serum. Now though, I have a wedding coming up (MY OWN) and I want the most dewy, fresh, well rested, looking skin I can achieve!

However, I have some particular needs because of how much I travel. So I’m going to share with you my new favorite 5 travel skincare items!

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

I bought this because it said “sleeping mask” and who hasn’t woken up with dry lips before…ESPECIALLY IN A HOTEL. After the decision to purchase I found out that Laneige is one of those “cult beauty” products that people just love. It’s not hard to see why, because it just does so much for your lips! You have to be religious about using it every night, but I swear my lips are fuller. It’s also a god send to carry on the plane with you because it’s like a moisture locking barrier that insulates your lips!

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

This night cream combined with my nightly serum has made the texture of my skin so soft. The story behind the Drunk Elephant brand is fun too and has to do with ingredients. You can read that here. I also love how hygienic the dispensing of this product is. You press down on the top and it squeezes out, instead of having to stick your fingers into the jar.

Avene

I just bought this a few days ago and I’m already loving it. It’s a french skincare product so of course it’s fabulous, but it literally melts makeup away. WATERPROOF EYELINER? buh bye. I don’t LOVE the smell, it smells very clean, but I can get past that for how well it does it’s job.

Suntegrity 5-in-1 Natural Moisturising Face Sunscreen

I have the full body sunscreen of this as well and I just adore both. Traditional sunscreen has MULTIPLE ingredient that are considered toxic, and this product was designed to be as green and pure as possible. It’s also tinted so it’s a great light foundation!

Glow Recipe Watermelon Pink Juice

THIS SMELLS SO GOOD. If you like watermelons, which I do. But it also is such a great daily moisturizer! I put it on in the morning before all my makeup and it hydrates my skin, smells amazing, and helps my makeup sit even better on my skin. I also love the design of this product, it’s beautiful to have sitting out on your vanity.

If you enjoyed this travel skincare guide Into The Gloss has a similar guide you can find here!

Those are the five products I’m loving and have been taking with me on all my travels lately. What skincare secrets do you have?! Share with me in the comments!

04.26.18

Royaltea or Royal Wedding?

We all know a royal wedding is coming up! No, I’m not just talking about my wedding, I’m talking about Megan and Harry!

It’s going to be quite the affair I’m sure, but I’m actually wanting to share with you a different kind of “royaltea”! It doesn’t make me feel like a princess the way that Kleinfeld’s bridal wonderland did in January, but it definitely is a fun stop for a sweet treat. Royaltea is a bubble tea bar!

In Chinatown in Toronto is wear I happened to find the cutest bubble tea I think I’ve ever seen. It also had some of the most original flavors for bubble tea that I’ve been able to try. (Although I wasn’t as adventurous with all my choices.) It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside it’s totally on trend. The menu is extensive, and what I like about Royaltea is that they have already done all the work in terms of finding amazing flavor combinations!

We tried the COOKIES AND CREAM bubble tea and the EARL GREY bubble tea!

The cookies and cream we got in the gummi bear bottle and the earl grey is in the light bulb bottle. Both tasted amazing! It might be my favorite bubble tea of all time! But more than just the flavor, I got so much joy from enjoying the drinks out of such fun bottles.

I recently read in a book I’m reading that most people think that wine tastes better out of a specially and thoughtfully designed glass.

After doing blind taste tests, it turns out that the wine doesn’t actually taste any different, but what is actually happening is the EXPERIENCE is better with the special glass. The wine IS BETTER because people BELIEVE it’s better. That’s how I feel about the bubble tea from Royaltea! So, what’s your favorite bubble tea? What fun flavors have you tried? Tell me all about it in the comments!