Off to LA

Image via Pinterest 

Claudia and I are off to Los Angeles tomorrow to do casting for our upcoming film, After the Wedding! I've been to LA several times and Claudia lived there a few years ago, but surprisingly, we have never gone together. So I'm excited not only to do our casting, but I also love traveling with my sister and I'm glad she knows the city better than I do. I'm also looking forward to seeing old friends, driving, and being in the warm sunshine.

Any suggestions or must-see spots we should check out while we're in town? We'd love recommendations!

Greetings from Los Angeles!

Hello, lovelies! I didn't mention this earlier, but I have been in LA the last couple of days. And let me tell you, it has been amazing! I will write a more detailed post in the next week or so, but in the meantime I wanted to share with you a review of a really great restaurant out here. My friend Brooke (pictured above) took me out last night to Real Food Daily and it was exactly the type of LA cuisine I was looking for. Healthy, fresh and local (and affordable!) After gushing about it to some of my other friends about it there, I did learn that there are a ton of other equally amazing places just like it, but since it was the one I tried, just wanted to share it with you. If you're LA based or ever find yourself in these parts of town, I highly recommend.

More to come in the next few days!

(Food photos via Maryellen Baker via Facebook)

Dreamy Escape: Mykonos, Greece

(pictured above: Apanema Resort Hotel, images via NYTimes)

I vowed not to make New Years resolutions this year, only because I rarely keep them past March. However, the desire to travel is so ingrained in my set of goals for the year, I know I'm going to make it happen! I have recently become obsessed with the idea of traveling to Mykonos, Greece. Everything about the culture and landscape seems incredible. The perfect winter getaway for 2011. :)

Have any of you been to Mykonos? Would love to know your thoughts!

P.S. Check out Beaches and Peaches photos from her trip there -- Wow!

Sexy Swimwear

Do you, sweet peeps, have any upcoming winter travel plans? The hubs + I are hoping to get away for a few days in February just not sure where yet. But my new criteria may be anywhere where I could possibly wear something from this ooh la la collection . :)

(MIKOH Swimwear via Junebug Weddings)

Hip Hotel: UXUA Casa Hotel, Trancoso, Brazil

Since it is now officially fah-reezing here in NYC (hello, 20's!), I thought we'd put the hot chocolate down this morning, and take a little imaginary trip to hot and tropical Brazil. How gorgeous is this hotel in Trancoso? Aren't those canopy beds dreamy? Escape: UXUA Casa Hotel

This morning...

Wouldn't mind to be here.

Weekend Escape: Hudson, NY

Happy Monday, sweet peeps! Hope you had a nice and relaxing weekend. Alex + I went on a little weekend escape to Hudson, New York, and I would love to share the details from our trip, in case any of you are considering visiting. It's a really lovely town and only two hours from Penn Station, a prefect way to see the foliage around this time of year without renting a car.

We took the 9:45am Amtrak train from Penn station to the Hudson station Saturday morning. I was surprised by what a nice, even romantic, train ride it was. Yes it's no Eurorail, but still enjoyable nonetheless (travel note: sit on the left side to get the best view of the Hudson!)

(Photo above via flickr)

We arrived around noon just in time for brunch. We ate delicious Croque Madames (mimosa for me) at Le Gamin, a cute French cafe filled with antiques and friendly service. Then the shopping began. Warren Street, the main street of the town, is known for its great art galleries and antique and vintage shops, and it definitely did not disappoint. I purchased a cute vintage sweater at Sideshow for $18, which I recommend checking out.

And fell in love with the modern + mid-century furniture at Historical Materialism, on display and out of my price range, nearby. (Drool. :) We also checked out the cute bookstore, The Spotty Dog, where you can drink ales, while reading your favorite books, and Olde Hudson where we bought local fig jam for souvenirs.

In the late afternoon we checked in at the St. Charles Hotel. It's not fancy by any means, but gets the job done in terms of price and locale, the shops literally at your doorstep. But if you're looking for something a bit more upscale, it seems that the cute Ca' Mea Inn is the spot.

Later in the evening, we had pre-drinks at the lively Mexican Radio, and dined at the upscale DA |BA, where we had dirty martinis and tried Elk Carpaccio. When in Rome, right?

Overall, it was a great weekend escape (without breaking the bank). If you're looking for a quick, easy jaunt out of town, I definitely recommend. xo | See more at: Visit Hudson

Hip Hotel: St. Regis, Bora Bora

Let's do a little traveling today, shall we? I watched Couples Retreat this past weekend (totally cute btw for a lazy Sunday afternoon; and yes, I can be incredibly low brow. ha!), and cannot stop thinking about the crystal clear water in the film. It is absolutely breathtaking. (Watch the film and you'll see what I mean.) So I did a little hunting and discovered the film was shot, almost entirely, at the St. Regis in Bora Bora. How gorgeous is this hotel? And the locale? I've never been scuba diving (no sharks, please!) but this is the kind of place that may make me rethink my relationship with the fishies. :) Visit: The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

(Photos via The St. Regis)

Have a Dreamy Weekend!

Photo of Guatemala via Quasebart.

Happy Friday, kiddies. I am super excited it's the weekend already. One of our fave cousins, Helena, is in town this week from Guatemala and we are really looking forward to showing her and her family around Brooklyn. We were planning to check out Park Slope and Prospect Park today, but given yesterday's tornadoes, not sure if that's still a good idea. I guess we can always go to Eataly instead!

Anyway, a little bit about our cousin: she is awesome and she always brings us amazing Guatemalan gifts. On this visit, she's brought us delicious coffee, table linens, and messenger bags. They are all so beautiful and I wish I had a better camera to show you everything, but instead I have just created a wish list of other Guatemalan goodies. It is seriously making me want to plan a trip down there soon!


Image via This Next.



Image via True Fair Trade.


Quilt by Priscilla Bianchi.


Have a lovely weekend! ♥

The Gilt of Vacation Packages...

I'm usually a bit skeptical of "invitation-only" websites, but when I came across Voyage Prive recently, via a friend's Facebook post, I was willing to put my skepticism aside (pretty pictures work!). Voyage Prive is a website with flash sales of vacation packages. As of this post, they are posting some pretty good deals in case you wanna book a last-minute-summer's-almost-over trip (photos from top to bottom): 5-night deluxe package at The Corinthia Hotel in Malta $429.00; 2-night deluxe package at The Excelsior Hilton in Palmero $189.00; 7-day Mexican Rivera Cruise package $459.00; 14-days Viking cruise from Iceland to Greenland $4,109.00) Consider yourself invited: Voyage Prive

Giada in Paradise

I ♥ Giada. Have you seen her Food Network show, Giada in Paradise? It's pretty awesome. I was feeling a bit under the weather the other day so I curled up in bed, and caught a few episodes, and it was the perfect remedy. If you're in need of a little escapism, check your local listings or if you have Time Warner, its available on Lifestyle On Demand (or YouTube.) Maui, Santorini + Capri from the comfort of your living room. Ahhh... xo

P.S. -- Oh, and her line for Target is pretty cool too.