Part of the fun of travel, aside of the anticipation that comes with the planning, is traveling in style with chic luggage (oh and a cute and comfortable travel outfit of course!). I am currently obsessing over this fabulous line of hand baggage- Paravel. With practicality as a core aim, they have created a beautiful and durable line of carry-on bags. Their excellent quality is evident in their extremely resilient canvas material that is both waterproof and spill-proof, they are lightweight and very durable. There is one style that folds completely flat, so you can bring it with you in your suitcase in case you buy one too many souvenirs and need more room. I need stat! Here it is-
School is back in session and because I'm a creature of habit I could not be happier. I am ready to enjoy and immerse myself in this school year as I just arrived from a much needed 7-day reset bootcamp retreat at The Ranch in Malibu, CA. What an incredible experience. The Ranch is a not just any bootcamp but a luxury one where you can shed some weight through daily mandatory hikes and exercise classes, disconnect (there is no internet or cell service), detoxify (the food is all plant based. no coffee. no alcohol.....you get the gist), and believe it or not you can relax. I have a big birthday coming up this fall and so I wanted to start this new decade right by toning-up, eating better and centering myself. And this trip did all this for me and more- It was a tough but wonderful experience. Let me share some photos with you-
We finally went to Marfa. I have wanted to visit ever since we first moved to Texas almost ten years ago, and we finally made it! It's an eerie place unlike any place I had ever been, but very worth it for a max of two nights. Not more. It is hard to get to (it is a three hr car drive from the nearest airport). But, if you love art and have a sense of adventure you will enjoy Marfa. We only spent 27 hours and loved every minute of it.
Finally I have photos of our trip to The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. This trip was a feast for the eyes and soul. It was incredible to visit such an important place and get so close to the wild animals in such a spectacular backdrop. It was amazing for the kids. The Galapagos are is an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Pacific ocean off the coast of Ecuador of which they are a part. These islands are well known because it is where Charles Darwin made observations which contributed to his theory of evolution. We had been planning this trip with my college roommate and her family for some years. We were just waiting for our kids to be old enough to appreciate the experience. This added joy of sharing this trip with such good friends made the trip extra special. We reminisced about those unforgettable college years non-stop. Nothing like getting together with your old roommate which I'm lucky to count as one of my best friends!
Some photos were taken with my Nikon D5100 and others are iPhone photos. I'm sure you will be able to tell which are which. I will have some travel tips at the bottom.
We leave today for a family trip to West Virginia to visit the Greenbrier hotel. One of my best friends from high school goes often so I have known of its existence for a while, but it was only after I started blogging that I learned about its famous interior design by Dorothy Draper. Us interior design bloggers just love Dorothy Draper, her color combinations, her furniture designs and her fabulous fabric and wallpaper designs. So it will be such a treat for me to visit. I have heard it is bright in there and since it will be really chilly during our stay I will look forward to all those vibrant colors. And hopefully we get some snow so we can take a horse drawn sleigh ride. Fingers crossed.
Since I was researching restaurants last week and then pretty pink furniture this week I came across this amazing restaurant in London called Sketch which is comprised of several rooms and ambiances offering different types of food. The concept was conceived by three-star Michelin chef Pierre Gagnaire and famous restauranteur Mourad Mazouz. This specific room is called The Gallery, a Gastro-Brasserie, which serves tea and dinner. But don't be fooled the other rooms are equally as interesting. Pink girly heaven indeed.
I'm really into the monochromatic look lately and this room was just so beautifully executed I cannot help but adore it. Brass and pink really are a match made in heaven. And how perfect are the shapes of those club chairs? London needs to be on my list for this summer. I have been trying to make it happen for a while as I have a good friend who lives there and I would love to visit. But as luck should have it we have not been able to make our summer plans coincide. This year, perhaps!









