Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

If you're as a big of a fan of Nordstrom as I am then you probably know that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is going on! For those that are Nordstrom card holders, this means you get to shop the sale early before it opens to the public (score!). This sale is one of my favorites because unlike other sales where it the sale takes place at the end of the season, this one happens at the beginning. Some of the items I like to grab on sale for the season are timeless staples like coats, boots, bags and sweaters. I went back through the sale items I selected and made sure they were available in most sizes.

Below are my picks from the sale:

Sweaters:

Cable Knit, Tie Knot Sweatshirt, Cashmere Pullover, Cuff Turtleneck

Tops:

Classic Turtleneck, Crewneck

Pants:

Leather Leggings, Skinny Jeans, Basic Black Leggings

Coats & Jackets:

North Face, Raincoat, Blush Wool Coat, Trench, Field Coat

Dresses:

Red Dress, Chambray Dress, Lace Minidress

Pajamas:

Comfy Pants, Lounge Pants, PJ set 

Bags:

Crossbody Bag, Leather Tote, Leather Overnight Bag

Shoes:

Pink Running Shoes, Open Toe Mule, Over-the-Knee Boot, Winter Boots, Mule, Slip-On Loafer, Soludos, Water-Resistant Boots

Sunnies:

Cat Eyes, Aviators

San Francisco Sunset

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Jacket / Shirt (sold out similar here and here) / Jeans / Shoes

My husband and I spent two weeks in California this summer, traveling to major cities from south to north. Towards the end of our trip we decided to go to San Francisco spur of the moment and purchased plane tickets in the airport.

Our trip to San Francisco was quite an adventure! The first night, we decided to stay in Fisherman's Wharf area. When we got into our room, ear plugs were awaiting us as though they were chocolates on our pillows. We thought, man this is weird...in all of the hotels we have stayed in this is a first! We later found out why...the trash came through that evening making the most ear-shattering noises right outside of our window, making it impossible to stay asleep, despite our ear plugs. 

Walking around the area our first evening, we decided to try out a restaurant in the area a friend had suggested to us called The Franciscan Crab. It was incredible! Neither one of us was very hungry that night so we split the 3 course dinner option. We decided on the crab alfredo and we were not disappointed. The restaurant was not only delicious, but almost every seat in the house has a gorgeous view of the water. Every night we were in San Francisco we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

After having a not-so-great experience in Fisherman's Wharf at our hotel, we decided to switch accommodations and ended up at an Airbnb in Sausalito the second night. With crab seeming to be the go-to treat at most restaurants, we picked an outdoor, ocean-front restaurant called Fish for dinner that evening. The restaurant offers BYOB for a small corkage fee and the most amazing crab roll I've ever had!

Our hosts were only a ten minute drive away from the bridge! I found a beautiful spot that was not as crowded to watch the sunset and take pictures. 

A good friend of mine that lives in San Fran now accompanied us that evening for dinner and sight-seeing that night. "The summer has some of the prettiest sunsets in San Francisco", he told us. He wasn't lying. I couldn't even believe my eyes. The sunset started with beautiful rainbow pastel tones and as the sun went down, got deeper and deeper in color.

If you are planning a trip to San Francisco in the summer, the sun doesn't usually set until about 9:00 pm, which gives you a full day to enjoy yourself. We loved staying a little outside of the city in Sausalito and having some peace and quiet. The only downside to staying in that area is the closing time of almost all of the restaurants and bars. Most close around 9:30-10:30 pm, leaving us with nothing to do but head back to the airbnb and relax there.

Our second night in San Francisco was a dream and I am so happy we brought along our camera to have a physical image to match our memories. 

Gingham Swimsuit at the Hotel Del Coronado

Growing up in Florida, my family always preferred to get out of our home state for vacations. My mother grew up in California, so once I turned 13 we started traveling to different parts of California each year until we stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado. Once we stayed at this classic hotel we started coming back annually and it quickly became our most anticipated vacations each year. Just minutes from San Diego, this hotel is an amazing travel destination, boasting of celebrity guests such as Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant.

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swimsuit / also available in two-piece: top / bottoms / hat (similar here and here) / sunglasses

My husband and I took a trip this summer to California and went all along the coast from SoCal to northern California. Our first stop was San Diego! We had talked about visiting there several times in the past but finally got the opportunity to go. 

The Hotel Del is my favorite spot around because of how historic and well-preserved it is! It has beautiful wood ceilings, fun shops, great dining, an amazing poolside bar that overlooks the ocean and so much more. There are tons of great restaurants around the hotel just a small walking distance away. I would also highly suggest the hotel brunch if it is available during your stay. It is held in the crown room which features a wooden vaulted ceiling, chilled seafood bar, tons of delicious carving stations and fresh cheeses among many other foodie delights.

Outside of the hotel, some of my favorite places to dine near the del are: Miguel's for Mexican food, Maretalia Restorante, and Il Fornaio. There's also a great casual pizza place near the hotel called Village Pizzeria. I haven't been to that one in a few years but I remember liking it.

My enchilada from Miguel's...it was delicious!

If you go to Miguel's, ask for the spicy carrots. ;)

Aside from spending all day at the beach, you can rent bikes, walk around the cute island of Coronado and admire the beautiful homes, or take a day trip to San Diego.

Porch Makeover

Recently my husband and I decided to repaint our porch and buy some new items to add the finishing touch on our favorite spot in the house. We entertain outside a lot and wanted out porch to feel cozy and inviting.

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BEFORE

When we moved in the porch floor was painted barn red and the sides were dark tan. No matter how bright it was outside, our porch always felt dark and gloomy to me. I was apprehensive to paint the porch white because I thought it would get dirty so quickly, but decided to try it out anyway. I'm so happy we did!

AFTER

The floor and walls make the space so much brighter and set it apart from the rest of the house. Having a separate color makes the space feel like it stands on it's own, yet the color scheme ties it into the rest of the house.

As a die-hard lover of blue and white, I wanted to add delicate touches to the porch to make it feel pretty and relaxed. Once I found these plates and bowls, the rest of the design fell right into place.

One of my favorite new pieces from the collection is this champagne bucket. In the past I have used a traditional metal bucket, and it 'sweats' like crazy, creating a big puddle on whatever surface I put it on and it ruined a piece of furniture of mine. This new porcelain bucket doesn't let condensation through and holds the ice very well. My ice didn't melt for about 4-5 hours in it. Not to mention, it looks beautiful and has a timeless look.

The first-ever piece of furniture we purchased for our porch was this daybed. The daybed has been a fabulous investment. Everyone who comes over goes right to it and lays down. I'm switching out the pillows this month to match our new dining collection and will be grabbing this blue pillow and this floral one to tie the space together.

Always a fan of candlelight to warm up every spot in my house, I added two these large hurricanes to the table with giant pillar candles. The candles put off a good amount of light and create a very relaxing atmosphere.

We are so happy with all of the updates we have made to the porch. You can find either me or my husband out there and some point during the day relaxing and listening to the little birdies sing in our backyard.

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-EMILY