Life Lately: San Diego

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! This post is long overdue, but I wanted to share photos from my trip to San Diego earlier this month. The weather was perfect every day we were there and it was so nice visiting my sister and seeing my dad who flew out there from Wisconsin!

My dad rented a 2015 Mustang convertible which was awesome since my Mustang is still in the shop from last month's accident! San Diego is the perfect place to ride around in a convertible.

On my first day there, my sister took my dad and I to Coronado to ride bikes around the island. Here's a little known fact about me: I'm terrified of riding bikes. I flipped over the handlebars of one in middle school, bit a hole straight through my lip and needed plastic surgery, so I do not get on a bicycle unless it's absolutely necessary. My sister reassured me that I'd be fine on the bike paths, and I'm glad she did! It was such a beautiful, fun and freeing way to explore the island.

Oh, and the fact that they had a pink bike didn't hurt!

Visit: Tower Hill Botanic Garden

One of my favorite things about living in New England is that we truly get to experience all four seasons. The older I get, the harder I fall in love with fall - the crisp weather, the pumpkin and apple spice everything, the sweaters and boots, and most of all, the foliage. This past Monday was a holiday for me and I had the day off work, so my mum and I visited Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, MA, just under an hour's drive from Boston. I had never been before and was blown away by the natural beauty of the grounds! I took about a zillion photos to show you all just how gorgeous the gardens were, and I highly recommend making a trip out to Tower Hill one day this fall to see the beauty for yourself. I can't wait to go back in the spring when all the flowers are in bloom - that should be an entirely different but similarly amazing experience!

loved the contrast of this fire red maple against the cottage on the grounds...

a peaceful place to relax...

through the winding trellis arches...

Weekend Recap: Mirbeau Inn & Spa

This past Saturday, I was fortunate enough to be treated to a lovely day at the new Mirbean Inn & Spa at the Pinehills in Plymouth, MA. Just about an hour south of Boston, Mirbeau is a French inspired retreat that has an inn, spa and two restaurants so you can sleep well, dine well and be pampered. When I heard they opened in June, I knew I had to stop by for a visit because it was right up my alley! {You guys know how obsessed I am with Paris and all things French.}

When I first pulled up to Mirbeau, I felt like I was being transported to a chateau in the French countryside - the building itself was just gorgeous!

First up on my itinerary was lunch at The Bistro & Wine Bar. Since it was such a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky, I sat outside on the patio and had a beautiful view of the pond and gardens while I ate. 

The menu was French inspired and there were plenty of vegetarian options which was great for me! They also had a very extensive wine list. I decided to go with a glass (or two) or Rose 

Weekend Recap: NYFW

This weekend was such a whirlwind, but my first experience at New York Fashion week was an exciting one! I flew to NYC after work on Friday evening and stayed at the Ink48 hotel in Midtown. I had an amazing experience with the hotel and would definitely recommend it to anyone staying in that area!

I brought the hotel concierge some of my glitter wine and champagne glasses to keep on hand for special occasions and celebrations at the hotel, and he sent me this bottle of rose as a thank you! 

How amazing was the view from the roof? I had a similar one from my room just a few floors down.

Lately on Instagram & a Giveaway! {CLOSED}

Today is my first day back to reality after my little beach getaway to Plum Island, and I have to say it's tough being back to work and admitting that summer is basically over! I'm really missing the beach and the cozy little cottage I rented with Phoebe & Oliver. {Yes, I vacation with my cats...}

our little cottage

beautiful Plum Island beach

they still sleep on my head no matter where we stay!

Travel Inspiration: European Castle Hotels

As a lover of fairy tales and all things whimsical, I've dreamed of living in a castle since I was a little girl. When I went to the Magic Kingdom in Disney World for the first time, I remember asking my parents why we weren't sleeping in Cinderella's Castle and were staying in a boring old timeshare instead. :) I got to experience my first real castle when I studied abroad in Spain and took a weekend trip to Segovia to visit the Alcazar, and at 20 years old, I almost cried when it was time to leave.

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Unfortunately, you aren't allowed to sleep over in the Alcazar. I've heard you can stay over in Cinderella's Castle in Disney {can anyone verify this?} but I'm not entirely sure. Fortunately though, there are plenty of European castles that also serve as hotels, so us adults who are obsessed with castles do have the opportunity to make our childhood dreams come true!! Today I'm going to share 9 gorgeous European castle hotels that aren't ridiculously expensive...I hope to stay in them all someday, and maybe get married in one! {Don't even get me started on that...}

Let's begin our journey across the pond...

1. Kilronan Castle, Ballyfarron, Ireland. Restored in 2006, this Irish castle was converted into a luxury hotel. Have you guys ever read the Outlander books? This is exactly what I picture Ireland looking like when I'm reading that series. :) Rates start as low as $170/night.

What I Wore: Ombre Maxi

When I was visiting my sister 2 weekends ago in San Diego, I took her out for a birthday dinner at Bo Beau and we decided to dress up a bit. {If you're ever in San Diego, you MUST get dinner here - it was the best meal I've had in a long time!} Since the weather was warm, I wore my favorite maxi dress from C&C California that's about 3 years old but I only had hemmed to fit me last year! I normally don't buy things that are low cut, but I loved this dress so much that I had to make an exception. I love the colors of the ombre pattern and the silk that flows in the wind when I wear it :) What do you think of my maxi?

PS: Congrats to Ellie for winning my Scarves.com giveaway!!

Linking up with WIMIHH/The Fashion Canvas

Lately on Instagram: San Diego

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen a few of these photos as I was posting them, but for those of you who don't, I wanted to let you see my trip to San Diego last Thurs-Sun! I was there visiting my sister for her 24th birthday - she's been living in the Ocean Beach neighborhood for about 6 months now and I had yet to visit, so this was the perfect time. :) It was nice to get some sun and relax for a few days.

I was so proud of myself for packing light and only bringing carry-on luggage!

my rental cottage had a beautiful patio complete with gorgeous landscaping and a hot tub.

Guest Post: Wedding Party

Hi Cupcakes & Couture readers! My name is Stephanie and I’m from Wedding Party. I’m excited to be doing a blog swap with Amy today -- you can read her post on engagement rings over on our blog today! Anyway, I’m going to be sharing a few ideas on one of those stressful-yet-fun tasks every girl will experience when asked to be a bridesmaid: planning the bachelorette party!

As weddings get bigger and more extravagant, we at Wedding Party have noticed that other wedding-related celebrations like engagement and bachelor/bachelorette parties are doing the same! The bachelorette party especially has changed from being a one-night event to a weekend event, with brides and their best friends taking a few days to party in an amazing destination. And no, I’m not just talking about Las Vegas -- bridesmaids are getting way more creative and planning bashes in more interesting place than the strip! Here are a few of my favorite ideas for a destination bachelorette party; maybe you can find the perfect place for the next one you have to plan!

For a beachy bachelorette party: Mexico

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If you’ve got money to blow and know the bride would love to spend her Bachelorette in the sun and sand with margaritas, you really can’t go wrong with a trip to Mexico. However, different towns offer different experiences, so consider the bride’s ideal vacation past booze and beaches. Will she want to party every night till the sun rises? An all-inclusive resort in Cancun might be the ticket. If the bride would rather wander through cute, culture-filled towns by day and spend the evenings wining and dining by the sea, towns like Tulum or Puerta Vallarta may be just the right speed.

Shopping List: Winter Travel

This morning I have a guest post for you from Emily of shell chic'd, a fellow Bostonian and lifestyle blogger! 

While I, along with the rest of the region, would love to escape Boston’s frigid temperatures and blizzard warnings for somewhere tropical and warm between the months of January and March, my schedule and budget just doesn’t allow it. Thankfully, New England is full of winter wonderland destinations that are easily escapable to over a weekend… no airplane required!

Personally, I find picking the place the easy part. It’s the packing I struggle on. I don’t know the environment//What will the weather be?//Will it snow?//What will be spend time doing? And most importantly, how the heck do I fit all the options in a single bag?!

I follow a few simple rules and stick to a few key items whenever a travel in the winter (and truly the fall as well!)...

Shopping List: Paris Vacation

Hey y’all! I’m Elle from Wonderfelle World where I (mostly) blog about luxury fashion, beauty and travel. I’m happy to be guest blogging for Amy today, and since I know she and I love Paris (really, who doesn’t?), I put together a little post on what I would pack for a Parisian getaway!

Amy's note: can I just say how obsessed I am with every single thing on this list?! Elle and I definitely have similar taste! :)

Paris: Day 7

Last night, Ellie and I went out to a very traditional French restaurant called Saveurs de Savoie at 83 Rue Mouffetard in the 5eme. They had delicious fondue and raclette and the decor was so cozy and interesting - I definitely recommend checking this place out!

Then we decided to get dressed up and celebrate our last night together in Paris with some fancy cocktails at Hotel Le Meurice on Rue de Rivoli. It was the most beautiful hotel I've ever seen in my entire life - everything inside was so ornate, including the cloud painted ceiling! If you're in Paris, you must stop in for at least one drink...you won't regret it.

Paris: Day 6

And now I'm all caught up with my posts! Today was day 6 for me but Ellie's last day in Paris. We went for an absolutely beautiful walk along some of Paris' nicest streets in the 1 and 2eme arrondissements. 

Paris: Day 5

Day 5 in Paris also involved a lot of walking. Ellie and I started out in the Marais which is very up-and-coming and features a lot of trendy stores and cafes. 

Paris: Day 4

I'm sorry for the delay in posting the last few days - Ellie and I have been having so much fun that I haven't broken out my laptop at all! Day 4 was our longest and busiest day yet.

We started off the day by having brunch at Les Deux Abeilles, a pretty famous cafe in our arrondissement that serves amazing tea, coffee and pastries. I had the "french toast"...amazing!

Paris: Day 3

Happy Friday! After I wrote last night, Ellie and I went out and had a great dinner at Cafe de l'Alma a few blocks away from our apartment. We were able to sit in the covered, heated outdoor patio and enjoyed a great modern French meal and a whole lot of Beaujolais. ;) Here's a great photo I snapped on the way to dinner...

While we were eating, we asked the waiters at the restaurant where a good place to go out and get drinks would be. They pointed us in the direction of an underground cave that's been turned into a bar and plays jazz music. It was so much fun! I definitely recommend going if you're in Paris - it's right on the border of the 5eme and 6eme arrondissements. 

Paris: Day 2

Bonjour! Ellie arrived today in Paris and I waited for her to arrive at the apartment before I set out for the day. We ate a quick brunch at a cute brasserie near the apartment, and then decided to start off the day with a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower! I got to visit the 2nd level last time I was in Paris but not the very top level, so I was really excited to visit the very top floor today.

Paris: Day 1

I have officially made it to Paris! I've been planning this trip for almost a year and now it's here! I am so beyond excited that I can't even begin to describe to you how I'm feeling. Today I arrived at Charles de Gaulle around 10.30am CET and made it to my apartment around noonish. I was met by a super friendly rep from Paris Perfect who gave me the keys and a tour of the apartment and the building. It looked exactly like the photos, only better now that I had finally arrived!

Here's a mini tour I made using Instagram...

...and the view from the bedroom window. Seriously! I almost died and went to heaven!

Travel Inspiration: Paris

If you read my guest post on I Am a Lifestyle Blog last week, you  know that I'm planning a trip to Paris in November! :) I'm already counting down the days til my trip and I am more than excited to be visiting Paris for the second time. I visited Paris in 2009 with my company at the time and didn't get to see very much, but this time I'll be renting an apartment through Paris Perfect in the 7th arrondissement for a week so I'll have more time to explore, walk, eat and shop! I wanted to share some photos of my apartment rental so you can all get excited with me!! Let me know what you think of it in the comments below. :)

view from the living room

the living room

A Bit of Whimsy: Beach Day

I've been back from my Antigua trip for almost 4 weeks now and I'm really missing my days at the beach there! The rain is supposed to stop and the sun should come out this weekend in Boston, so I'm hoping to make a trip to one of the harbor islands or a nearby beach and these photos have me totally inspired. :) Have you made any beach trips yet this year?

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