Category — travel

Cabo San Lucas, Lover's Rock. Reminds me of that Sade album that I played on repeat "Won't pretend, that I intend to stop living..."

never happened!!  (ba-dum-pum)  This is especially true if you go to Cabo San Lucas to soak up the sun and take an extended siesta all day on the beach, then repose by the pool, gorge on salsa and tortilla chips only to siesta in your room and tuck in early to catch Kourtney & Kim Take Miami on E! Latino.  But if I was in Cabo with my girlfriends at 21, I would be that girl drinking pina coladas in the infinity pool, doing the hotel dance and waking up my neighbours at 4am from a late night dance session to latin house.  How can I judge the kids on Spring Break?  I was that girl.

Cabo San Lucas is a resort town on the southern tip of the Baja California.  Nestled amid the scenic mountains are million dollar mansions and a marina filled with bright white yachts.  This charming town has restaurants, bars and a few outdoor shops.  Perch yourself on the pier at La Casa Country, enjoy a plate of fish tacos, a major pina colada and people watch until the sun sets. Or indulge in some retail therapy at Ondade Mar for vibrant Columbian swimwear or uniquely latin caftans.

Much like an observer of street trends, I thought I would share some insights straight off the beach…

• Day Glow Neon – Perhaps you feel you’ve already done neon but it was huge on the beach.  To avoid neon overkill, many gals paired their bright bandeau with a black bottom or toned down the fluorescence by wearing a print accented with neon.  For the less fashionistah adventuress, muted neons in coral, pink and chartreuse are the way to go. 

Free People Yellow Neon Bikini with your matching straw fedora. Fedorable!

Fun fact: There were less string bikinis and more hipster bottoms. Mix it up with your J. Crew Neon Swirl Bikini

• Stacked Bracelets – Oh, you can never wear too many at once! The look is a mashup of skinny bangles, round beads, braided leather or string friendship bracelets.  To elevate the look add a few simple gold bangles, charm bracelets or a skinny watch.

Try this at home! Alexis Bittar and Cara bracelets c/o Nordstrom

• Haute Hippie Headwrap – Perhaps the beach is the best place for fashion risk-taking.  Swim turbans and headwraps abound!  Function meets fashion!  Not only are you shading your pretty little head from the sun, you are also making a MAJOR statement. 

This is my favourite way to wear a silk scarf on the beach. Take a rectangular scarf and tie at the crown of your head. Secure with bobby pins. Secret Garden Head Wrap

• Return of the Crop Top – Oh yes, 90′s resurgence. Save the fitted crop top for the teens and the 20-somethings.  Go oversize for that Flashdance/Let’s Get Physical, off the shoulder, laisser-faire, I’m casual vibe.

Nothing's better than a super oversize soft cotton tee. Roxy Sea Crop Top

Say cheese! We totally took this photo inspired by Vogue 1993 Beauty & the Beach. The memories are all flooding back!

I have a slew of friends who are packing their luggage for warmer destinations come mid-December.  There is only one word: jalouse! (that’s jealous in French).

Recently, at our annual fashionistah holiday brunch, we reminisced about our university graduation trip to Cancun. A few years later, older and wiser, I went on a girls vacation with my bestie C.  Before departing for the airport, I told her father not to worry if he saw bloody beaches on the news; it would be the trail of broken hearts we would leave behind.  Can you believe he let her go on vacay with moi? 

Two girls in Mexico?!!  It was a make or break trip for our friendship but somehow we managed to get into heaps of sketchy fun without the drrrrama.  Stuff that brings back fond memories of Mexico:

Tan faster! Australian Gold so you don't blind the locals with your pasty white legs.

Chloe sunglasses with the rhinestone heart detail. I still have mine. Do you have yours?

Dress for that tropical climate in an emerald green TBags Maxi dress. The best air conditionning is 'no pants.'

This Jemma Jube crochet bikini via Vogue Australia reminds of my bestie's from Preloved circa 2001. Cutes.

We drove into NYC as the July 4th fireworks lit the city skyline. Le sigh!

This blog post is alternatively titled “WWCD,” the acryonym broken down as ‘What Would Carrie Do?’ Get that on your very retro, 90′s throwback, nameplate gold necklace, why dontcha?  I love New York.  Do you love New York?  If you don’t, you should!  There is a frenetic energy that underscores the city, a dash of glamour punctuated with personality, heart and grit. 

Classic Carrie: Did you have a nameplate necklace too? I need to find mine...

OMG, do payphones still exist??! Carrie Bradshaw uses a payphone after throwing her cell into the ocean (rage shame spiral) SATC movie

All of my travels to New York are filled with wild adventure and enough sketchy tall tales to fill a screenplay in which incriminating names and places have been changed to protect the innocent. (Ahem, said film would be directed by Wes Anderson, young me played by Vanessa Hudgens, older me Thandie Newton).  While I would love to share all my secrets, my hair would deflate. 

Here are some fun places to see and be seen, that both Carrie and I quite enjoy….

The iconic Manolo Blahnik shoe. Love this blush satin version of the ones that Carrie left in her walk-in closet.

 Manolo Blahnik (31 West 54th Street) –  My friend C dragged me to the store in search of perfect wedding shoes.  Surprisingly, the store is in a tiny brick building (blink and you’ll miss it) with Manolo’s strewn about on ledges and divans like an Upper East side apartment of an aging socialite.  Apparently, the ladies of Manolo need to take a siesta between 2-3pm.  So make sure you go post-haste, guzzle your brunch Mimosa before they shoo-shoo you out of there.  If you are going to spend a wild fortune on shoes, you should languish in a chaise, take your time and try on high heels a la Cinderella.

BOHEMIAN: Free People gives me crochet and tassles for Summer 2012! I'll have a second helping of that.

Shopping in SoHo – I think this neighbourhood (SOuth of HOuston) in Lower Manhattan has such character with its cobblestone streets, funky boutiques, artsy galleries and cafes.  It is a tourist mecca on the weekends but more casual and chilled out on a weekday.  You can get your boho on at Free People or Madewell, max your credit card at the Bloomingdales shoe department, rock leather and lace at All Saints, run into Clinton & Stacy at Scoop NYC or stalk your fave Kardashian at DASH (mine is Khloe for laughs, Kourtney for clothes).

Madewell: Good enough for It/Hipster Poster Girl Alexa Chung.

Buddakan (75 9th Avenue) – This Chelsea supper club was in the engagement dinner scene of the SATC movie.  The Asian fusion menu is tapas style, perfect for sharing and reasonably priced…until your waiter starts free pouring the Grey Goose.  But it’s ok, you’ve had dinner so the hangover won’t be that bad.

A plethora of inspiration boards.

I like to think of myself as a renaissance woman.  Inspiration for me is everywhere but I do have an abundance of sources… 

On Fashion – Working in the industry, I am constantly surrounded by clothes and accessories.  Like a chocoholic in Serendipity.  I have many wonderful fashionistah friends who always have their own distinct personal style.  Brunch is never just brunch — it’s a lookbook.  Reading magazines (my faves are Harper’s Bazaar & Vogue) and fashion blogs will also keep you up to date on how to adapt a trend. 

Whoa gorgessity! Emma Stone covers July Vogue. As far as I'm concerned, it's the fashion bible.

On Beauty – The best resource for beauty is Allure.  I learned how to apply makeup from reading the tutorials, collecting books from Kevyn Aucoin and practicing on my friends.  I still beg them to let me before we go out; but they willingly oblige because I do a fierce smokey eye.  In my early 20′s I visited my first Sephora in Paris.  As you can imagine, the clouds parted, the rays of sunshine beamed down and angels sang ‘Alleluia.’  Then I entered, sprayed glitter in my friends’ hair, sampled eyeshadows and played with lipgloss for two hours.  A heavenly experience.

The glorious Sephora on Les Champs Elysees, Paris.

To Live Well – As a bohogi, it sounds cliche but I value every experience from having sangria with friends to afternoon walks in the park.  I love to travel and experience different cultures, so I constantly look at Conde Nast Traveller and dream of an exotic adventure.  I never know how or when I will get there, but I put it out there and make a plan to go.  The universe always delivers!   

Read more about finding inspiration on living well on BlogHer and don’t forget to enter the Life Well Lived Sweepstakes.

My absolutely favourite museum Caixa Forum in Madrid, Spain. They have installations, documentaries, live performances and an amazing gift shop.

Art Deco on Ocean Drive. Take cover at Waldorf Towers, Hotel Victor, Tides or any other boutique hotel that meets your fancy.

But you can’t take the Miami out of the girl.  You know what I love about fashion in South Florida?  That people are vibrant, tanned, and sport colours found on the feathers of a parakeet.  They are tropical caliente (hottt), they got it and they flaunt it. Oh yeahx3!

As we enjoyed a very late lunch at the Waldorf Towers on Ocean Drive (which serves delightful mussels in a white wine sauce and BOGO drinks during Happy Hour), torrential rain pounded to the thumping beat of Calvin Harris.  We pondered our Resort fashion choices that deter the attractions of the male species. This post is alternately titled, “fashion summer-y things I like to wear that have no appeal to guys whatsoever.”

Oversized Sunglasses – Why?  Because apparently oversize sunglasses can be deceiving and you can’t tell if a woman is really attractive until she takes them off.  Sorry boys, I only wear my oversize to the beach!  You will have to check out my other ass-ets.

Olsen Twins Do It Better! MK & Ash say go big or go home. Pruuuunes!

Loving the gradient hue of these Tom Ford Oversize Sunnies. For Sobe, I chose a mosaic tortoise shell DVF pair and my friend Jo went with a very retro pair of Vince Camuto gold rim aviators (channelling Johnny Depp).

R-r-r-ruffles (roll your R) – Dudes, I live for ruffles.  I don’t really get this one but I just want to say that ruffles are my lifestyle choice. Like if I’m going salsa dancing and you want to come with me, you better get down with those ruffles and shower me with compliments.  And when that Tito Puente song comes to a close, I nonchalantly wrap my left leg around your thigh, you better go in for the dip!  Crowd-pleaser.

The appropriately named Rebecca Taylor Cha Cha Dress.

Scarves Worn on your Head – I have been tying scarves on my head since I was a teenager and if it’s good enough for style icons Sophia Loren or Audrey Hepburn, your opinion doesn’t matter.  Once watching a performance on the steps of Notre Dame in Paris, a mime mocked my fashion choice.  “Um, you’re a mime.  Why are you talking?”  I like taking a vintage square scarf folding it in half to make a triangle and tying the ends to make a hankerchief on my head. 

Echo Sundial Scarf can be worn a la hipster or as I like it, on your head gypset style!

Too Taboo: Nicole Richie doesn't care what you have to say about her oversize sunnies or McQueen scarf.