Rehoboth Beach Getaway

Hi and happy Friday readers! This past weekend I took a girls trip out to Rehoboth, DE to go to the beach! I've been feeling pretty down lately and I think that I just needed a healthy dose of "vitamin sea". We packed up the car and headed about 3 hours East to get just that!

We arrived around 10:30AM and found the cutest coffee shop called Dreamer for a mid-morning snack. I got a cold-pressed juice and was basically transported to heaven! This had a tropical juice-stand feel with a feminine twist. I absolutely loved their coffee cups and couldn't leave without a photo!

 

This beach was absolutely packed! I am used to the SC/GA/FL coasts, and have never seen a beach so full of people. We lucked out and found the perfect spot, rented chairs and umbrellas, and got settled. I was very nervous about frying since I haven't spent a ton of time in the sun this summer and was careful to reapply my sunscreen frequently! Thankfully, I made it out with a light tan and no burns! Wahoo! We read, chatted, tanned, went swimming, took walks, and pulled out some rusty gymnastics skills in some clear spots far down the beach. It seriously was a blast!

For dinner, we ate at a cute little restaurant called Fins. We had delicious cocktails and even tried oyster shooters before dinner. Once we got to our table, we had a delicious feast of raw oysters and entrees. I had grilled fish tacos that were the Bomb.com! I have never enjoyed fish tacos that much in my whole life. If you ever head to Rehoboth, I recommend them!!!

Who can pass up a cute pineapple photo opp?! Not me!

For breakfast, we headed back to Dreamer for juices and bagels to eat on the beach. I listened to my church sermon from my iPhone (I love technology!!) and was totally at peace on the beach. I was completely overwhelmed with contentment and gratitude for everything that I do have in my life. It's amazing how good preaching can really change your outlook. I snapped the below photo in hopes of capturing my feelings and to serve as a reminder that I can find peace if I try.

I'm already dreaming of being back with my toes in the sand!

A little confession/peek into my life.. I absolutely love salt water taffy! I hadn't tried it before going to Savannah for the first time in middle school and I've been hooked ever since! It's almost a curse though, because nothing compares to fresh taffy! Whenever I go to the beach, I always try to find a candy shop that makes their own and stock up. I keep a little candy bowl on my coffee table and like to keep it stocked with these pretties.

 I couldn't leave without a bag of fresh sweets!

I'm so thankful that this trip was able to happen! I already can't wait for the next one, I hope it's soon!

Have you taken a girls trip? What is your favorite trip? Are you going to squeeze in one last trip before the end of summer?

Beach Weekend Essentials

Hey y'all! I hope this week is going well for you. Can you believe it's already August?! I'm freaking out a little bit. This year has been a wild one and I am just in shock that it's already the 8th month of 2015. This past weekend, I took some of my own advice and headed out for a spontaneous trip to the beach with a few girlfriends. I had the most rejuvenating time! We packed up the car and drove to Delaware for what was supposed to be a day trip, but we ended up finding a hotel vacancy and turned it into a little weekend getaway. More to come about my trip on Friday- be sure to check back! We had packed contingency bags just in case we were able to find a room but to say we were ill-prepared is an understatement! While you definitely need fewer items for a one night stay, there are a few things you shouldn't forget. To help you avoid my same issue, I wanted to put together a list of essentials for a quick beach getaway!

Well-packed beach bag. A beach bag is the first essential for a beach trip- for obvious reasons! You need a bag that you're ok putting on the sand and won't be upset if sand gets in. A few things I don't want to be caught on the beach without are sunscreen, chapstick (with SPF), a snack, headphones, a sunhat, and a coverup! Here are a few cute ones out there:

Towel. I'm a fan of the over-sized towels or beach blankets out there! It's nice to spread out. Also, if you're going with a group it helps you to claim more space on the beach. This is super helpful on some of the more crowded beaches.

Reusable water bottle. These are great for the beach- especially if it's insulated! That way, you are able to get some refreshing sips of water while you're out in the heat. There are usually water fountains to refill at, or if your beach has nearby restaurants you can full up at their drink stations! There are so many cute bottles out there, I couldn't help but share a few!

Beach read. I've been making reading more of a priority, and the beach is absolutely one of my favorite places to read! I'm not sure that there is better place. The sounds of the beach in the background, the warm sunshine... total relaxation! I'm usually able to get through my books quickly because I'm undisturbed when sitting out on the sand! Check out some of my reads as of late here.

Flip flops. It's so useful to have a pair of rubber flip flops when visiting the beach! I usually don't like to bring expensive shoes just in case they get wet or messed up another way! Sand can be cruel.

Thankfully, I had most of these packed. I did forget my water bottle and was seriously regretting it every time I had to pay $5 for water! But you've gotta stay hydrated on the beach. Hopefully you'll be perfectly prepared for your next getaway, and I hope it's soon!

What are your beach essentials? Did I miss anything?

4 things you should try alone

Hey out there! If you've been following along with me for some time now, you've probably gathered that I'm currently living alone. I've been through periods of life with roommates, but can honestly say that I've experienced some crucial growth since I've moved to be on my own. When you live with a roommate, you constantly have companionship (which is good and bad sometimes). This means that you can always have a partner-in-crime for binge watching Netflix, grabbing meals out, going to grocery store, etc. This may lead to the misconception that you NEED someone else to do these activities to have a good/productive time. Y'all, that is SO FALSE. Doing certain things alone can be scary but totally worth it. Here are a few things I think every adult should do alone at some point in their lives:

1 Live alone. While there's absolutely value in co-habitating, I think that everyone should experience living alone. There's nothing quite like it! You have the flexibility to reach out when you want company or just relax in your own awesomeness within every square foot of your place if you want to be alone. You are forced to identify your own design style/taste and I think it's healthy to learn how you live naturally. Do you make your bed everyday even if you know no one else will see it? Do you leave dishes in the sink? Are you tidy? It's absolutely a self-discovery experience and will prepare you to understand what you bring to the table (both good and bad) when you live with someone else again!

2 Eat a nice dinner out alone. The idea of this used to terrify me. When I worked in a restaurant, I always felt pity for people who came in to eat alone. I caught myself thinking "Aw, how sad! I hate that they don't have anyone to come out to eat with!" Maybe it has come with age, but I never realized the courage and confidence it takes to take yourself out to a nice meal. It's absolutely easier to stay at home and order Chinese if you don't have a dinner date. And while it does feel weird at first, I now find it to be empowering. If you want a steak, go get yourself a steak! Bring a book, or your iPad, and enjoy a quality meal. Why? Because you can and you deserve it!

3 See a movie alone. This is another silly thing that I used to care too much about! I was embarrassed to go out alone to see a movie, no matter how badly I wanted to see the film. When you actually think about it- this is the EASIEST thing to do alone because it's a solitary activity! You go and sit down in a dark theater to stay quiet and enjoy a movie. Then you leave. I promise you, no one cares if you walk in and out alone. They probably won't even notice. Go and get yourself a popcorn, icee, and some twizzlers- or wine if you're at that kind of theater!

4 Go to the grocery store alone. Now that I do this alone every week, I am not sure that I want to do this with company again. It is so much easier to get through the store and to get everything you need (and nothing extra) when you are alone. You don't really need to discuss much while in the store, especially if you come with a list, and if you're going slowly to socialize- you're probably holding up others!

Do you have anything that you are afraid to do alone? I urge to you give it a try, it can be so invigorating to challenge yourself and step outside your comfort zone! Let me know if you've done something that was scary at first (or if you plan to tackle something soon) in the comments!

Clutch This

Happy Thursday, y'all! We are so close to the weekend- I can already taste it! I look forward to unwinding over the weekend, regardless of what plans I have in place. I find though that my weekends typically fall into 2 categories: totally chill or jam packed! I've been having lots of busy weekends lately, and have noticed a deficit in my wardrobe. I don't have any clutches! I used to have a couple in college, but they've either gotten lost in my moves or have fallen apart.

I suppose I'm ok with it for 2 reasons. First, I love a legitimate reason to shop for something new. And second, there are practically unlimited numbers of cute clutches out there right now! So today I wanted to share a few of my favorites with y'all.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7

Honestly I'd be thrilled to get any of these into my closet. I'm just not sure what price point I'm comfortable with for such a small bag! Purses are always a hard purchase for me because I have a difficult time stomaching the cost of the smaller ones. I'll be sure to let y'all know when I decide on one!

Do you have a favorite clutch bag? Where do you shop for purses? What's your most difficult accessory to purchase?

Dream Travel Destinations: US Edition

Hi readers! I hope you had a lovely weekend. I've been itching to take a trip to the beach this summer. Let's be real- I am always wanting to head to the beach! But traditionally, summer is the perfect time to get away. While I have a decent number of vacation days left for 2015, I'm not really in a place at work to take a large chunk of vacation this summer. So I thought I'd plan out some dream vacations in an attempt to satisfy my travel bug for a little while!

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1. Alaska

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This destination has been on my list probably since I watched the movie Balto for the first time. Growing up in Georgia, the idea of snow everywhere was completely foreign and magical to me. Although it's a fairly touristy destination, I love the idea of exploring nature and seeing once in a lifetime sights! I imagine taking a cruise (I'm nervous about planning a trip like that all on my own) and being able to spend plenty of time taking in the sights at each destination. Also- who doesn't want to see the Northern Lights?! It truly seems like a fairytale trip.

2. Seattle

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Seattle is a city that has held my interest for quite some time now.  It's on the totally opposite corner of the country and seems unlike anything I've ever seen before. A few things that would definitely be on my to-do list: visit Pike's Place market, take a walk along the waterfront or maybe a ferry ride, stop by the Space Needle, enjoy a cup of coffee at the original Starbucks, and go on a hike in Mt Rainier Park.

3. Chicago

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 I'm not sure when this jumped onto my list, but I've heard excellent things about Chicago! It seems to be full of culture and yummy food- which are right up my alley as far as trips go! I'd love to visit the Art Institute and see the famous pieces. If possible, I'd love to take a bike tour or maybe plan a self-guided bike tour through the city. So many places (DC included!) have excellent bike-share programs that make this an easy way to explore a new city. Obviously, I'd have to snap a photo with the famous Cloud Gate sculpture!

4. Hawaii

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 I've yet to make it out to Hawaii, so naturally this tropical paradise is on my list! I absolutely want to spend some time laying on the beach here, but I'd love to dive into all of the nature-based activities offered out there! Kayaking through sea caves, visiting hot springs, seeing volcanoes, exploring glass beach, viewing the water falls, hiking in the forests, and so much much more is absolutely calling my name! I'd have to spend a substantial amount of time here to knock it off my list (and to justify the cost of the flight! YIKES!).

5. Maine

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 Maine is another destination that's been on my list for quite some time now. I had a friend growing up who would go to Maine every summer and come back with the best stories. I absolutely know that I need to eat lobsters and blueberries while I'm there, but I'd love to see as many lighthouses as possible while there. The coastline is supposed to be absolutely beautiful so it'd be a great time to work on my photography skills. The towns dotted throughout the state seem adorable, so this would be a great romantic get-away to go cuddle up in some B&Bs in between the exploration!

What places in the US are on your list? Have you been to my top 5 destinations? Did I miss any good activities/attractions?