Shell We Go to Carmel?

It's been raining in the San Francisco Bay Area for a good solid week and that has brought some much needed snow up in the Sierras.  However, the sun finally came out today and it's starting to feel like spring!  I was in the mood to get out of the house for a quick weekend trip.  We headed about an hour and a half south to Carmel to soak up the vitamin "sea"! 
   

Nothing gets me in the spring mood quite like Lilly Pulitzer.  The spring collection has arrived and I couldn't be more giddy to shop the fun new prints and styles!  I purchased this scalloped two piece shell print romper last summer when it was on sale.  I was waiting for the perfect warm weather weekend to wear it.  We made a stop at Carmel Beach for a fun day frolicking in the sand next to the infamous Cypress Tree! 

The trends for spring are ruffles, pop on prints, and crisp whites!  If you are looking for some Lilly Pulitzer inspiration for your spring break packing list, here are a few of my favorite spring dresses.  

Don't forget to pack your sandals! I hate to admit it, but shoes are always the hardest thing to pack.  This is especially true for winter getaways where the shoes are a bit bulkier and you need to plan for various winter weather conditions and activities.  However, when I pack shoes for a spring break getaway, I usually keep it to a minimum.  A good pair of neutral colored sandals, some flip flops for the beach, and a comfortable pair of sneakers is all you really need.   Here are a few of my favorites from Lilly Pulitzer that I have my eyes on to stash in my spring getaway bag!

 

Last but not least, as you are planning your spring break outfits, don't forget about the accessories!  My spring break packing list always includes sunnies to protect my eyes, a sun hat to keep the harmful rays off my face, a big colorful tote to store all my spring break essentials in, and some fun jewelry to accessorize my outfits!  Here are a few of my current favorites:

If you are planning a visit to Carmel, you will most likely want to explore the beautiful downtown area of Carmel by the Sea which has fantastic restaurants, shopping, and darling B&B inns.  At the end of the Ocean Drive you will find Carmel Beach.  It's one of my favorite beaches as it's super clean with gorgeous white sand and incredible views.  It's a dog friendly leash-free beach so on any given day it's full with happy pups and responsible owners getting exercise and having fun!  Cypress trees line the steps down to the beach with views that span from the the Big Sur coast south to Pebble Beach looking north.  This beach is known for some pretty incredible sand castle making and sunsets,  Grab a beach blanket and a picnic and enjoy the beautiful views while you relax and take it all in! 

For more things to see and do in and around Monterey and Carmel, check out the posts below or visit my Travel page. Also, if you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!



Happy Spring Break!

🌴🌴🌴
Hayley

   

Related Posts:

Sea Turtle Shift Dress

We are very fortunate to live in the San Francisco Bay Area where within a short road trip we can spend the day at some of the most beautiful and scenic beaches in the world.  One of my favorite things to do is pack a picnic lunch and hop in the car with my family to take a leisurely drive down the coast to Big Sur via Highway 1.  

One of our favorite beaches that we recently discovered is Monastery Beach in Carmel.  My niece, Brianna, was married on this beach last August and it was one of the most beautiful wedding ceremonies we have ever attended.  Here's our family photo that we took on the beach following the ceremony.  If you'd like to see more pictures of her beach wedding ceremony, check out her blog post here on www.lifeofsawdey.com.  

We actually took many of these photos last spring when my niece was scouting beach locations and potential reception halls.  She always dreamed of a beach wedding and Monastery Beach in Carmel was the perfect backdrop to a beautiful day.        

This "All For Color" dress is one of my favorites for spring and summer!  I immediately fell in love with the sea turtle print which reminds me of our family vacations in Maui.  It's the perfect dress to pack away for a warm weather vacation, in fact I also wore it on our Caribbean cruise last summer and received so many compliments!  This print has been so popular that it's s currently out of stock in this sleeveless style.  However, I found it in this tunic dress style which I absolutely adore!  Check it out here and see the picture below to view it in this style.

   

This dress is ultra flattering and easy to slip on. It has a comfort stretch fabric that is is wrinkle resistant, which makes it perfect for packing on vacation!  When it's hot and humid out it feels cool on the skin and also offers UPF 50+ excellent sun protection!  Just add flip flops, sunglasses, a sun hat and you will be ready to go!  

If you happen to love the high neck shift dress style I have on then you'll love the variety of fun spring/summer prints to choose from.  The names alone will have you dreaming of summer vacation!  

Here are a few of my favorite prints:

Shellicious - a pretty pink and light blue shell print perfect for Palm Beach!

Dancing Palms - a gorgeous palm print for your next tropical island vacay!

Lime-a-Rita - a vibrant yellow and mint green print for a trip south of the border!

Pink Prep - a bright pink geometric pattern for a girls trip to Palm Springs!

Birds of a Feather - a beautiful blue print to wear to your Hawaiian luau!

Sand Dollar - a pretty blue sand dollar print for your Carmel beach getaway!

Blue Lagoon - remember the movie with Brooke Shields?

  

If you ever get the chance to drive down the coast of California from the San Francisco Bay Area, you don't want to miss a stop in Carmel.  There is so much to see and do including the beautiful beaches, incredible vineyards in the valley, art, shopping, and darling bed and breakfasts and quaint inns to stay at.

Monastery Beach is known for it's natural beauty, blue waters, sandy beach, and rugged landscape.  However, please be aware it is not a swimming beach and may be unsafe for children.  There is a severe undertow and rip current that is extremely dangerous. My advice is to enjoy the natural beauty and views from afar and follow the warning signs posted.  You can catch beautiful sunsets and may even see some sea life close to the shore including dolphins, sea lions, and humpback whales!

If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

#allforcolor
#enjoylifeincolor

xoxoxo,
🌴🌴🌴

Hayley

Related Posts:

Bird of Paradise

I don't know about you but I have already been doing some warm weather vacation dreaming! I know it's only mid-February and we still have a month to go before spring blooms but I just can't stop thinking about sunny days, sun tan lines, palm trees, and flip flops!  What is your top travel destination for spring break?  Last year, we spent a week in Carmel and I recently stumbled across these pictures that I never posted about.  Remember when I was a brunette?

Featured:

Birds of Paradise Tessa Cut Out Dress by All For Color

(currently sold out in this print but available in the following prints)

Blue White Tile - perfect for Santorini Greece

Garnet Black Tile  - Crash my Playa?

Blue Navy Tile - watch the Maui sunsets

Flamingo Tango - fun print for a Palm Beach getaway

Maroon Orange Tile - Morocco sunrises !

Purple Gold Tile - Palm Springs girls getaway?

  

I immediately fell in love with the Birds of Paradise print and I knew it would be a fun dress to take with me on vacation to Carmel!  Try not to be blinded by my sunless white legs!  It was spring break and the first time these legs were seeing sun!  By the way, if you love this bird of paradise print as much as I do, you can still pick it up in other styles such as these shorts, this darling cut out tank , and this criss cross tunic - check out the back!

If you have never been to Carmel by the Sea, you will be amazed at how much there is to see an do!  I love history and architecture so on this particular day, we visited the Carmel Mission which is a historic Roman Catholic mission church than opened in 1797.  A US National Historic Landmark, the mission is known for it's Spanish Colonial architecture and notable interments:

Juan Crespí (1721–1782), Spanish missionary and explorer
Fermín Lasuén (1736–1803), Spanish missionary and explorer
José Antonio Roméu, (1742? – 1792) Spanish governor of California
Junípero Serra (1713–1784), founder of the Spanish missions in California 

 
The Carmel Mission currently serves as an active parish church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey.  In addition to its activity as a place of worship, Mission Carmel also hosts concerts, art exhibits, lectures and numerous other community events. 

I really enjoyed exploring the historic grounds and checking out the on site museums.  There are four specific museum galleries: the Harry Downie Museum, describing restoration efforts; the Munras Family Heritage Museum, describing the history of one of the most important area families; the Jo Mora Chapel Gallery, hosting rotating art exhibits as well as the monumental bronze and travertine cenotaph (1924) sculpted by Jo Mora; and the Convento Museum, which holds the cell Serra lived and died in, as well as interpretive exhibits.

This is one of those sun dresses that makes packing for vacation so easy!  Just grab a pair of sandals, a cute straw hat, some matching sunnies, and you have yourself the perfect outfit for a warm weather getaway!  You may want to bring a light cardigan or denim jacket for the evenings.  Carmel by the Sea can get a little chilly when the sun goes down or early in the morning when the marine fog layer covers the coast.  I brought my favorite straw hat that I bring on every spring/summer trip and I always have a few pairs of sandals to choose from.  Here are a few of  my summer favorites: 

   

  

  

If you've never had a chance to check out All For Color, you are going to thank me for the recommendation!  They specialize in bright and colorful apparel and lifestyle accessories for women of all ages.  If you are looking for something to bring on vacation but don't want to spend a lot of money but still get really great quality, I highly recommend checking them out!  I ended up buying several dresses, shorts, and tank tops that I literally wore all spring and summer long!  

If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

#allforcolor
#enjoylifeincolor

xoxoxo,
🌴🌴🌴

Hayley

The Restless Sea

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area offers so many reasons to get out and travel to visit the most beautiful destinations.  From the mountains, to the beaches, to the vineyards, and all the historic towns in between, there is so much to see within a short drive.  This past August I attended my niece's wedding in Carmel.  My husband and I decided to spend a few extra days there with the kids soaking up all the sun, doing a little shopping, and catching the most beautiful sunsets.  

What I'm Wearing:

1. Lilly Pulitzer Dress (similar here, here, and here)

2.  Summer straw hat (similar here, here, and here)

3. Sandals (other options here, here, and here)

Lilly Pulitzer is my go-to brand whenever I'm packing for a weekend beach trip!  I purchased this tunic dress last year but found a few similar options below in updated colors and prints for this year!  

Carmel by the Sea is a small and quaint beach town which is located in the Monterey peninsula on the central coast of California.  It's about 120 miles north of San Francisco and approximately a 2 hour drive.  There are many fun and family friendly activities to do when you visit Carmel and the Monterey peninsula including hiking, wine tasting, bird watching, scuba diving, shopping, museums, beaches, missions, etc.  

One of my most fondest memories as a child is the 17 Mile Drive.  Packed in the back of my parents Cadillac with my brother and sister, we took the scenic drive and visited all the iconic landmarks including the Lone Cypress, Ghost Tree, Pebble Beach, and Restless Sea (featured here) to name a few.  As you pass through any of the entry gates on the17-Mile Drive, you will also be given a brochure with extensive information and a map.  Just follow the dashed red line on the roadway and posted signs along the route.    

   

The best time to see the 17 mile drive is in the Spring or Fall season.  The summer can be foggy especially in the morning making it really hard to see the beauty of the expansive sea views.  If you go in the summer like we did, I would suggest waiting until the late afternoon/early evening to give the fog time to burn off.   Plus you'll get some amazing sunset pictures! 

Admission to 17-Mile Drive is $10.25 per vehicle, cash only (as of Aug 2017). The gate fee is reimbursed with a purchase of $35 or more at all Pebble Beach Resorts restaurants, excluding Pebble Beach Market. Admission is complimentary for overnight guests of The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay and Casa Palmero.  However, please keep in mind that gates are open to the public from sunrise to sunset and motorcycles are prohibited.

One of my favorite landmarks along the 17 mile drive is the Restless Sea (featured here). This area lies between Spanish Bay and Point Joe. The sea currents here are anything but calm and the waves seem to crash against each other causing a bit of a chaotic restlessness!  It's a beautiful point to snap pictures and take in the gorgeous views or the rocky bluffs and Pacific Ocean.      

If you're looking for lodging/accommodations near the 17 mile drive, there are many options to choose from including the luxurious resorts of Pebble Beach, quaint bed and breakfast inns, and family friendly budget conscious options.  For more information on lodging at Carmel by The Sea visit here!  

If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

Thanks for visiting!

xoxoxo,

Hayley