This past week was quite the adventurous one! I spent it traveling around like crazy throughout California, visiting family and friends from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills to Newport Beach. I am honestly having the best summer, and I feel very lucky that my job gave me the opportunity to take the summer off and enjoy it with the people I have in my life! My family has been visiting the LA area since I was born because my mom was born and raised in Santa Monica, CA. Since my grandpa passed away about 8 years ago we have been holding annual family reunions each summer. Our family reunion locations have ranged from Cape Cod, MA to Yosemite, CA. This year we wanted to land back where it all began in The City of Angels! I couldn’t have been happier to be back and we spent a lot of our time wandering our old favorite spots. Especially our family club, The Beach Club off Pacific Coast Highway and biking into and along Venice Beach during the days. We spent our Fourth watching fireworks on the beach, strolling along Third Street Promenade and drinking with friends. (I had a few whiskey gingers and Corona’s) 🙂
I also couldn’t help but LOVE the amount of flowers in bloom around California. This is something you don’t see so often in the Midwest. I swear everywhere we walked these beautiful pink flowers were in bloom and I made someone stop and snap a couple pics. The scenery in Cali is just unlike any other. At the tail end of my trip I visited two of my sorority sisters that live in Westwood (outside of UCLA campus) and Newport Beach. I had never been to Newport Beach but I fell in love with the area Corona Del Mar and the constant liveliness I felt when there. We were always doing something outside, like beach volleyball or a even a beer olympics. Which my team unfortunately lost but not without a tough fight, I might add!
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Sounds like such a fun vacation and a wonderful summer so far!!
I grew up in Napa Valley and so funny that you should mention the flowers because the last time I went home earlier this summer, I kept saying how there were so many flowers and I didn't even realize that we didn't have them in the Midwest until I went home!!
Loving that little white dress too, perfect compliment to your bronzed skin (jealous)!
xo Mary-Katherine
gold-hatted lover
Thank you so much! I have been working on that tan for awhile now, so happy that you noticed! Being back in Indiana I am really missing those flowers already 🙁
Courtney
Great post. You can never go wrong with a lovely white dress. Not to mention the backdrop, GORGEOUS.
I'm loving the knee high gladiator sandals. I knew they looked familiar, I knew I'd seen them somewhere. I was in the market for a pair myself and fell in love with the Stuart Weitzman but didn't want to spend that point after having purchased a new Gucci clutch. After lots of research, I found an extremely low priced pair… from Charlotte Russe! I've never purchased anything from there before but I pushed my thoughts to the side & purchased them anyway. Do they look inexpensive, yes. However, I figured I'm only going to wear them at night and with some much needed embellishment, they'll be just fine. I literally just posted a pic of my work on instagram no more than 15min ago. NYC girls, thinking alike.
http://www.stylegonerogue.com
I always think that too when I purchase from sites like Charlotte Russe but with a little glam up, they look expensive! Totally agree with you 🙂 I will have to check out your Instagram!
M&M
Courtney