Palm Springs!

Hey friends! How is everybody? So we finally took a honeymoon! I suppose plenty of people wait longer than 6 months, but I was so grateful to get the chance to get out of town for a few days! Now here's the punchline: I went to Coachella on my honeymoon. *Jazz hands emoji* I've been wanting to go to the Parker hotel in Palm Springs for a few years now; we had talked about heading to Coachella when my lifelong obsession -Guns 'N' Roses- was announced as one of the headliners but it sort of fizzled out. Then LCD Soundsystem was added at about the same moment we were looking into tropical island trips and it all just came together. It was most likely the most fun honeymoon ever. I'll break it up into a few posts, but I wanted to give you guys a smattering of pics from the Parker. The Parker is basically a Slim Aarons photo come to life (again). It was originally Gene Autry's residence and it's down the hill from Bob Hope ('s crazy spaceship house), Steve McQueen AND Tom Selleck's homes (or former homes). You would probably recognize it's insane orange lacquer doors and gorgeous concrete entry breezeway from many an Instagram--see: MINE. It was redesigned by none other than Jonathan Adler and is home to it's own Trina Turk boutique. There is a spa, PSYC (Palm Springs Yacht Club), that is so dedicated to making you relax that they serve you cucumber infused vodka shots when you check in. I may or may not have been found curled up in a ball in my robe by my hubs on the spa patio after my treatment. The pool scene is marvelous: umbrellas, rosé, cabana boys, people watching! It is all very California. Anyhoo, I'll be posting more in the next few days, but I can't say enough about how wonderful it was; Palm Springs is magical and the Parker should definitely be on your places to go list and if you love music, Coachella is soooo much fun! Oh! And big shout out to my Paintbar ladies for making this trip possible! Go get your Beyoncé nails done tomorrow! We're also adding Beautycounter to our retail lineup, check it out here if you aren't familiar with the line; we love their mission and products and we're excited to be able to offer them to our customers soon. 

Travel: Luggage Love

Since I've been on a travel kick this week, I naturally went down a luggage search internet rabbit hole and wound up on Kate Spade's travel shop and obsessing over this ^^ chipper green floral print- which is clearly on par with my floral fixation. I also love the classic Cobble Hill "Sami" duffel; you can't go wrong with a pretty tan duffel in my opinion. You can toss in your travel wallet or passport (this passport holder is stinkin' adorable), your jewelry or makeup bags-even another handbag. I also love the black and white striped Lyla weekender, a good weekender really is a top-notch overnight or long weekend bag. (Duh.) While you're scoping out your new Kate Spade luggage pop over to the sale section, there are some great finds there, like this little crossbody mini. 

Wanderlust: Ocean View Club

The glimpses of spring and sun and warmth are giving me a major case of wanderlust, and I find myself Frequenting the Ocean View Club’s website and Instagram account over and over again. They have an almost cryptic website; it’s full of gorgeous pictures (like all of the ones you see here) but little else by way of actual “hotel” information. And I don’t really think they even consider themselves a hotel; they essentially say as much, instead calling OVC “like a second home to those we call our guests”. Whimsical no? The property is home to a menagerie of animals including dogs, a handful of goats and a donkey, which I adore. Rooms are full-on shabby chic, beach style. No carpet, no whirlpool tubs. A place where shoes are likely discouraged. Outdoor showers. Heck, outdoor clawfoot tubs…looking into the deep blue yonder. Reviews are mostly good, some folks don’t love the more rustic elements of the accommodations, but I’d think you’d be better off if that is what you go there looking for. It’s a family run business, so there isn’t a large staff. But again, if you want to unplug on an island, and you love real beach living, I feel like this is paradise. Besides, the OVC is located on the spectacular Harbour Island, and there are plenty of gorgeous places to check out if you find yourself needing a bit of nightlife or a change of (exquisite) scenery.

Travel: Wes Anderson Style

Since we're snow-bound today, I found myself going down a good, old-fashioned Instagram rabbit hole and found this amazing Wes Anderson-inspired luggage collection from a company called Very Troubled Child. I'm a big Wes Anderson fan and, unless you're new here, you know I'm pretty much a sucker for fine leather goods featuring giraffes and elephants and the Darjeeling range of travel bags has both + ZEBRAS (and other adorable exotic creatures). Add the monogram and I'm all in. With luggage as magical as this, you essentially have to take a fabulous trip. Where to? 

Shop the Darjeeling bags here and VTC's range of Wes Anderson goodies here (which are great gift ideas for Wes Anderson fans).

Images via Very Troubled Child

Travel: The King & Prince

I recently paid a visit to St. Simons Island for a quick stay at the beautiful King & Prince Hotel. They were in the midst of preparing the recently-renovated hotel for the holidays, so I got a peek at what they had in store for their holiday guests. For instance, check out Chef John's holiday hot chocolate recipe here!

I became familiar with St. Simons when I lived in Savannah, when I would go for day trips to the Tibi outlet (real life, true story) or to go visit with vacationing friends. The island is a tight-knit beach town, with plenty to do and see if you’re not just there for beach bumming. The King & Prince is really the place to stay; it’s a sprawling, gorgeous beach-front property with a long history. I don’t know how to explain it but you can almost feel the history-the way you can when you visit the Biltmore estate. It's like an old-fashioned Gatsby-style glamour. They’ve added a gorgeous bar and restaurant adjacent to the lobby, complete with ocean and poolside views. Very nautical chic. I could go on forever about the staff. They are attentive, but it is more about the attitude; more than once I tried to hug one of the hotel employees. 

While the property is super family-friendly, I can’t wait to go back down for a long girls’ weekend. It’s a half-day trip from Raleigh, and only a few hours from Columbia or Charleston making it an ideal spot to meet up with some of your BFFs. Did I mention the Tibi outlet? It’s less than five minutes from The King & Prince. The hotel also has several houses for rent, which is ideal for a pack of ladies on a mission to unwind, or for a bachelorette party for that matter. All the amenities of the hotel but more room for dance parties. It would be so much fun to plan to be there for one of Chef John’s cooking lessons. While there are plenty of spots (Del Sur. Do not miss.) to dine out, dinner at ECHO and drinks at the bar makes it hard to want to leave! I took a zillion pictures of the tile floors and mirrored walls. It's gorgeous. The kind bartender even saved me from a painfully awkward pickup attempt, for which I will be forever grateful. That is some serious top-notch service.

My friends at The King & Prince also directed me to some of the islands’ top spots to visit and best-kept secrets. I took a shrimp boat ride, a bike ride, and a trolley tour that included stops at the historic and stunning Christ Church as well as the best barbecue restaurant, possibly in the South. The dudes at Southern Soul are so serious about their Q it’s almost a religion. The trolley tour was narrated by the very handsome Cap Fendig, who is practically an island celebrity, due to his charm and abundant kindness. I can’t tell you how gracious and welcoming everyone you cross paths with is and how much they love their island. Even for a no-kid having, hard-core relaxer like me, I loved getting out and exploring in a way I hadn't in past visits. The K & P helped me truly explore St. Simons, and helped me love this island even more. 

If you’re looking for a romantic, last-minute New Years trip, book a stay at The King & Prince. They have a spectacular NYE dinner menu at ECHO, at an amazing price,  and really great winter rates you can take advantage of for your getaway. Now is also an excellent time to get a jump on your spring & summer plans, they book up fast in the high season! 

*The King & Prince graciously accommodated me; this post represents my own opinions*

Chef John's World-Class Crab Cakes