Happy Wednesday everyone! I have the first what’s in my bag post of the year. Lately the purse I’ve been carrying the most frequently is the Celine Belt Bag in the mini size (review of what fits inside plus thoughts on style in this post here). I own two of the same style, just in different colors. I alternate between the Light Taupe (shown) and Black. For the spring 2017 season they added another size called the Micro which is smaller, has a longer removable strap and can be worn as a crossbody. I took a quick peek while in LA at one a couple months ago and promptly walked away so I would not be tempted – but I will say it’s really cute!
I picked up some new sunglasses from J.Crew called the Irving Sunglasses in the Smoke Olive color. I love the ones that come in lighter colors because they’re fun and different. These frames are small enough for my face size and shape so I could not resist! The store near me only carried it in two colors otherwise I would have probably bought the light clear pink ones.
I’m currently carrying multiples of the Clarity Clutch in the mini size from Truffle. I ordered the Nude and White last fall during one of their sales and like that they are small enough to throw in most of my purses. They’re just the right size and proportion to fit what a few things and keep contents edited.
As usual I have one too many lip products carried with me. I have my two favorite balms of the moment the Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade and Lanolips in Strawberry. I’ve used them repeatedly for weeks now. The weather has been on the cold side so we’ve cranked up the heater in our place which makes everything dry. Plus I’ve still been trying to get over a cold so my lips have been extra dry. These have kept my lips from peeling and cracking – I’ve been sure to apply on clean fingers instead of directly on the lips to keep them clean and free of germs.
Other staples for lips include NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight which I like to layer with MAC Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare, Whirl or Dervish (neutral nude lip liners swatched and compared in this post here). The Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme (c/o) in Truth or Bare and Slow Burn have been worn frequently the past week. The Chanel Gloss Volume is pretty basic but it’s one of my favorite clear lip glosses for the pretty shine it gives and cushiony feel.
For fragrance I’ve been reaching for Byredo options a lot, I’ve been loving Oud Immortel although I probably need to switch things up to something a bit lighter and more cheery to lift the mood. I’ve still been dreaming about splurging on the Unnamed Perfume. It’s one of those scents I spritzed at the counter back in August and it still haunts me even months later. However I have promised myself to save up for the Creed Virgin Island Water before I buy any other perfume. Right now I don’t think it’s quite appropriate for the current weather or season, but in a couple of months I think it will be perfect and by then it will be mine! It’s the ultimate dreamy tropical vacation kind of scent I want to wear all spring to summer.
Last but not least I can’t help carrying the Tom Ford Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette. It’s not really all that practical to carry around but I love the sturdy compact and large mirror makes reapplying lipstick so much easier compared to the tiny mirrors you get in most compacts. If you haven’t checked them out I recommend you do (review on both colors here). They are both 100% worth the splurge.
Hope your first week of the new year is going well! I’ll have some reviews on MAC Shadescents and the Louis Vuitton perfumes coming up next! They’ve been on the to-do list for weeks now – I know many of you have been waiting so thanks for your patience!
Happy New Year! I’m excited for the new year, new opportunities and new adventures. My first review of the year starts out on a positive note with a post on the Chanel Coco Codes for spring. I ordered a few pieces from spring 2017 sight unseen. Based on the online stock photos I did not really expect to be wowed as the colors looked pretty but fairly basic and almost boring. After extensive testing I am pleased to report that everything far exceeded my expectations! The Coco Codes collection might appear to consist of standard color options but everything performed really well. Quality and textures are great true to usual Chanel quality standards and as a whole, the collection works well for a pretty updated modern but classic look. What I ordered:
The cheek colors for this collection run on the neutral warm side on me both the Coco Code Blush Harmony Quad and Elegance Blush look very similar on me, the first is slightly deeper and more luminous because of the red and caramel brown tones. The Coco Code Blush Harmony is the most beautiful item in the collection. It’s a quad with a mix of satin and soft mattes that you can swirl for a warm peachy bronzed cheek. The colors can be applied individually but since each portion is on the small side you’ll need a small detail brush to pick up one color at a time. The colors swirled together give a naturally luminous glow – no frost or overpowering shimmer. They blend nicely for a smooth finish that is easy to layer.
Elegance Blush is a soft peachy nude. It has a slight sheen to it and I’m pleased to find that the one sold in the US is indeed the regular US version versus the baked option you see in other countries. For those not familiar with Chanel blushes there are two versions, most of the time the ones released in the US have a different finely milled perfect smooth texture. Countries outside the US receive blushes that are baked, pull very powdery and chalky on my skin and don’t show up as well.
There are two eyeshadow quads Les 4 Ombres and both are excellent in texture and pigment. They come in the round pans but aren’t the baked version. They are similar in texture to that of Les 4 Ombres in Tisse Rivoli and Vendome – almost creamy in texture with rich beautiful shimmer pigment but still powders. Codes Elegants is the golden option which pulls on the yellow side but is still very wearable even though I tend to prefer more neutral gold colors for my olive skin. Codes Subtils is prettier in person than online stock photos show. It has a unique and pretty mix of soft pink, salmon, bronze and brown.
For the lips I picked one lip color in the Rouge Allure Velvet formula called Libre. It’s been a while since I’ve paid attention to the lip velvets launched so I’m not sure if it’s a new or repromoted shade. It’s new to me and is a perfect flawless neutral rose. It has a velvet matte finish but still looks like it has a very subtle luminous sheen to it – perfect for me as pure matte lips often make my lips look dry. I would have liked to see some glossimers or rouge allure glosses for the launch but if you follow sneak peeks on social it appears they are reformulating the formula sometime in the spring. Back to the lipstick, Libre has smooth medium to full coverage with a moisturizing feel. It feels comforting on the lips and lasting power is pretty good.
Some comparison swatches, to me it looks almost identical in color to MAC Liptensity in Smoked Almond:
MAC Liptensity in Smoked Almond and Toast and Butter – swatched here
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Stoned Rose – swatched here
Tom Ford Lips and Boys 2016 in Christopher – swatched here
Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick in Mademoiselle – swatched here
Tom Ford Lips and Boys 2016 in Ashton – swatched here
Last but not least are the Le Vernis nail polishes. I bought two shades, one is Blanc White which is a sheer white cream color. I need three coats to get the color to show up. I think it makes the hands look polished and clean and even though I know it’s supposed to be a sheer I do wish the pigment was a bit more opaque. Beige Beige is a warm beige that looks almost tan. It’s not the most unique color but I like that it doesn’t have too much of a yellow base like some beige colors do which can make olive skin look sallow or sickly. This one seems to have enough peach to give it some life. Coverage on this one is perfect and I get full smooth coverage with two coats.
How the cheek colors will vary depending on your skintone – I found both the face quad and blush have a similar effect on my skin so I wouldn’t call them both must-haves. The blush is more subtle and lighter in color for a more natural look while the cheek quad has more pigment and more color. I don’t favor one over the other however the Coco Code Blush Harmony is more unique and more versatile in the event you want to use individual colors on the eyes or to highlight the cheeks.
Quick look with the Coco Code Blush, Codes Elegants Quad and Libre Rouge Allure Velvet:
For the quads I was really surprised by how wearable Codes Elegants is – especially since it has yellow gold tones that I find usually clash with my already yellow-olive skin. I do favor the other option Codes Subtils for the color selection – the shades are just so pretty and pigmented. If there were two things I would pass on they would be the nail colors I picked – they’re nice and pretty neutrals. Great for conservative work environments for for those who want a natural polished look, but they aren’t must-haves to me. That being said I do think finding a good beige can be challenging, so Beige Beige wins for being wearable without looking too sallow or yellow. Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think?
You can find the collection now online and in stores. Most of the pieces are limited-edition. I bought my pieces online from Chanel and Nordstrom. Also available at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
This year my husband tested quite a few products, razors, face cleansers and moisturizers in search for the best in men’s grooming. Several of you have sent me e-mails asking for a list of his favorites to share with your husbands and boyfriends. I’ve incorporated men’s grooming bits here and there over the past year and I’m always thrilled anytime I receive feedback from you! Most of these he did the research on his own to pick and purchase what to test out. There are a couple items I bought for him as gifts over past years that he ended up loving and repurchasing. In the past he always used an electric shaver but recently decided to try razors for a better closer shave. Finding the right one along with the right blades was a tedious process for him, as you can imagine one of the biggest challenges with shaving is finding the right items to avoid razor burn. He had quite a few misses for moisturizers and cleansers. Some either were too heavy or greasy feeling, others dried out the skin, some didn’t lather to his satisfaction. For the final cut, here is my husband Andrew’s top 20 for what he considers his grooming and skincare essentials for the year.
Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette – in his top three for everyday light and fresh men’s fragrances, his brother stopped by smelled this one and promptly asked for me to buy one for him as well
Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing Facial Wash – energizing and deep cleaning, he tried approximately a dozen face cleansers over the year designed for men, this is his favorite
Clarisonic Alphafit – he’s dedicated to using this daily and has improved texture of his skin, reduced the number of breakouts drastically and helps exfoliate
Baxter Grooming Lotion – favorite hair grooming product to add a tiny bit of shine and it’s also weightless and doesn’t get greasy or heavy as the day progresses
A quick note on the sequence of products and steps used for shaving for those who don’t know when to use the items. His shave process to get a clean shave and avoid razor burn is:
Clean the face with the Kiehl’s Facial Fuel + Clarisonic Alphafit to exfoliate and smooth skin
Sometimes double cleanse with the Jack Black Deep Dive Facial Cleanser to tighten the skin and draw out impurities
Apply the Jack Black Epic Moisture Nourishing Oil to hydrate the skin and help create a good barrier for shaving, allow this to absorb and dry
Apply the Art of Shaving Cream
Shave
Use the Baxter Shave Tonic as an aftershave to tighten pores, tone skin and seal in moisture
If your husband, boyfriend, brother or any of the men in your life have grooming favorites you know of, please share in the comments! Always love hearing what you recommend, in particular if you have any eye cream recommendations for men let me know.
That wraps it up for 2016! I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful New Year!
Today I’m rounding up my top picks in skincare and haircare for the year. I discovered a lot of great items for my sensitive skin – it was a challenge to narrow it down to such an edited list. I used up quite a bit over the course of the year – to do a post listing all the items I used and repurchased in the last 12 months would be quite extensive. Part of me wanted to do a favorites roundup for every category, perhaps I’ll do one in the new year, but for now here’s are my top picks:
Oribe Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray is something I bought based on recommendations from readers, it’s worth every penny to protect hair from heat and smooth for a perfect blow out
Shu Uemura Wonder Worker (review here) is another favorite pre-heat treatment to smooth and detangle hair, you can still find it in the Limited-Edition Murakami packaging at Barneys
Face Cleanser and Toner
Bioderma Sensibio Tonic Lotion is a toner I discovered a few months ago, it’s gentle and perfect for sensitive skin to balance and soothe, it’s available in two sizes and I bought the full size as well – wish I had discovered it sooner! Now I don’t have to spend $90 to replenish my La Mer The Tonic because I’ve found a great alternative
Glamglow Supercleanse Daily Clearing Cleanser (review here) is a mud to foam cleanser, it’s the best clarifying one that helps absorb excess oil, reduce redness, and prevent breakouts, in the summer I use this daily in the evenings or post-workout, during non-hot months I use this 2-3x per week
Kate Somerville Gentle Daily Wash (reviewed here) is the cleanser I reach for the most and have repurchased the most, best gentle everyday cleanser I’ve tried that doesn’t dry out the skin but still leaves it clean, I’ve tried all of her cleansers and they are all great (yes ALL of them) but this one is the best for me for daily use (my brother loves this one as well), she just launched an EradiKate Cleanser and I rarely say this these days but this is something I absolutely feel the NEED TO TRY, it’s in my shopping cart right now
Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment (reviewed here) a stronger option but draws out all excess oil and helps clear up the skin, if you have broken skin or extremely sensitive skin, I’d recommend using this as a spot treatment or patch test first
Tatcha Pore Perfecting Water Gel Moisturizer (reviewed here) is the best gel moisturizer I’ve used, I usually don’t like gels because they’re often not compatible with foundation, this one works for me with the foundations I use while minimizing pores and smoothing the skin
Night Treatments – as someone who has extra sensitive skin, I cannot use most creams with any Vitamin C or Retinol without peeling or redness, Kate Somerville is one of the best lines for me in terms of night treatments
Kate Somerville Mega-C Dual Radiance Serum is something new I discovered this year, I alternate with the RetAsphere at night to help improve texture and brightness of the skin
Armani Prima Day-Long Skin Perfector (reviewed here) best primer I tried this year and I’m kinda an anti-primer girl because they usually don’t do anything for my skin to extend makeup wear time
Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Remover (reviewed here) is the key product I use to keep my cuticles looking groomed and healthy, I know an updated hand and nail care post is long overdue – I’ll do a 2017 version in the new year
Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade (also featured here and here) one of the best nourishing treatments, it’s so good I bought a second one to keep in my purse and one to keep at home
Kate Somerville DermalQuench Liquid Lift (review here and here) combines hyaluronic acid and oxygen to help prevent wrinkles and give the skin a more even looking texture, this is probably the best thing I have discovered in skincare
Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Treatment is the best pimple treatment, the key is to use it the minute you feel something start to surface and don’t use it on open wounds or broken skin, my husband uses this and it makes me giggle when we have matching pink spots on our faces at night because it looks so ridiculous, but it works!
Lavanila Deodorant is the only deodorant I’ve used for the past two years, I don’t sweat a lot so I can’t report on that aspect, but I love that it’s natural, keeps odor away and lasts all day long for me, I’ve tried around 4 different scents by now and all of them were great, the travel-sized ones are perfect to throw in the purse or to travel with
In the upcoming year I plan to be more diligent about testing and using eye creams. I’ve gone through a few this year but did not use them on a regular basis (mainly because I was lazy). I know with the eyes, wrinkle prevention and sun protection are key so I need to stop procrastinating and start acting now! If you have any recommendations for someone who is 35 years old (me) let me know in the comments and I will be forever grateful.
I hope you enjoyed this roundup! I feel as though I left out quite a few good discoveries but tried to keep the list to under 30 products so I wouldn’t end up regurgitating the entire year of blog posts for hair care and skin care.
What were your 2016 favorites in skincare and hair care?
I can hardly believe another year has flown by! Thank you to each and every one of you who followed me along on my beauty journey this past year. Today I have a round up of my 2016 favorites in makeup (skincare to follow in a separate post). As a long-time nail polish junkie I was surprised to find this past year was pretty light on the nail polish features and reviews – I remember in past years going through tons of nail wheels and bottles of polish remover. Perhaps by now I simply have collected all the possible colors? 2016’s focus seemed to be all about lips and highlighters for me. As always I’d love to hear what your favorite makeup discoveries were for the year! I picked out items that were new in 2016 (they’re listed in alphabetical order by brand):
Lips
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche wins for creamiest most opaque lipstick launch, the colors I reached for the most were Honeycomb and Sake
Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss in Super Nude (review here) is one of the prettiest wearable nudes, it’s limited-edition and I bought a backup
Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Super Cindy was part of one of the best lipstick launches of the year, I splurged on all the colors (and swatched them in this post here)
Dior Addict Lip Glow in Lilac (review here) could possibly go under skincare as it’s more of a balmy kind of product, the lilac color is just so pretty
MAC Liptensity Lipstick in Doe, Smoked Almond and Medium Rare (review here) is one of my favorite lipstick launches of 2016, I loved the colorful packaging and intense opaque smooth color
YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Oil in Stick in Beige Blouse #47 (swatches here) is another great nude, after my review quite a few of you e-mailed me saying you picked up the same color and finally found your HG nude – yay!!
Louboutin had the best colors and formulas for me this year, I loved Miss Mars and the Hawaii Kawai Trio minis were so fun to shoot, there were three Red Nail Extensions that I was able to play with back in May to swatch for you, months later I ended up buying Jazzy Doll and Edgypopi
What were your makeup favorites this past year? They can be new launches, rediscoveries or new-to-you products! I love reading about your favorites so please feel free to share in the comments below. Several of you have asked that I bring back the monthly roundups on a regular basis, some have asked for a hits and misses roundup as well. I’ll be starting a monthly review series in the new year!
I featured six of the Armani Lip Magnets back in October of this year and many of you asked for more swatches of the colors that fall in the neutral zone. For those who haven’t tried these yet the Armani Lip Magnets are a unique weightless non-drying liquid lipstick that offer beautiful long lasting coverage. I’m more of a gloss or sheer lipstick kind of person for texture and finish. Even though liquid lipsticks last a lot longer most formulas tend to look dry, too opaque, flat or darken drastically on my lips. The Armani Lip Magnets are hands down the best in formula for a natural looking liquid lipstick that dries down to a soft matte finish without that dried-out look. Unfortunately for those who only wear light neutrals or nudes all the colors pull on the dark or deep side. Even the ones that fall in the “natural” category are all rather deep. The color in the tubes can look a little bit misleading in my opinion. Some of the shades look like they could be true neutrals but once you see them on the applicator and swatch you’ll find the colors are a bit on the deeper spectrum of color. Still there are some lovely shades to chose from. I’m not opposed to having a rosy lip or coral pop of color on the lips even though I tend to gravitate towards lighter neutrals. The formula is so good I think it’s definitely worth a try. I do hope Armani expands the color range into lighter territory – the formula is so unique and the perfect liquid lip texture/finish for the person who just doesn’t like the dried opaque feel or look of the traditional liquid lipstick. You can read my original review on formula in this post here. Quick take: it’s long-lasting, unscented, has a unique applicator for precise lining and the ability to fill in the lips, has full coverage, feels weightless and is non-drying.
I bought five more shades to review, I searched a number of websites and it appears 506 and 507 are on backorder until January at most retailers. You may still have luck finding it at your counters.
503 is described as a reddish peach, on me it’s a bright coral
504 is probably the lightest and most neutral out of the current lineup, but it pulls peachy and
505 is a medium-bright rose pink
506 is a soft natural rose (also reviewed in the original post), depending on your lip color it may pull more pink or rose, on me it’s a slightly deeper rose
507 is the perfect mauve plum for me, most mauves are either too red, too grey or too purple, this one is PERFECT!
The Lip Magnet lip swatches lined up side by side:
My favorite for color is still #506 with #507 tied for my perfect plum. Formula-wise these are among the best I’ve tried in liquid lipsticks because they have a soft matte finish, they don’t dry out the lips, they have a nourishing feel but don’t have any slip, they last a remarkably long time, they don’t budge and coverage is perfect. For those who don’t like scented lip products the fact that these are unfragranced is a huge plus. If Armani expands the formula to include a few lighter shades I would be thrilled. Bottom line a winning formula.
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday! I took a few days off for Christmas to recover from a cold but I’m back with a travel roundup today! Earlier this month my husband Andrew and I packed our suitcases for a mini getaway to Florida. We spent a week exploring Tampa, Clearwater Beach, St. Petersburg, Naples, the Everglades, and Key West and had a great time. For those who read my packing post, you know Miami was originally on the list but the week we arrived in Florida the weather was rainy, cloudy and unpredictable so made a few last minute changes and went to Key West to chase the sunshine.
For this trip I left all the planning to my husband since this was his pick for a vacation spot. This was my first time to Florida so for me everything was new. If you’ve read a few of my previous travel posts, you might remember that my husband literally plans things on the go. We stayed in a different city each night and booked hotels sometimes only an hour before we checked in. Since we were traveling before the busy season, everything worked out and we were able to find rooms easily at good rates. For those curious my husband used Hotels.com to book almost all of the hotels we stayed at and also checks TripAdvisor for reviews and ideas of things to do or see. It was definitely more of an adventurous kind of trip (versus relaxing) since we were on the move exploring and driving a lot each day, but we had a lot of fun. Even with last minute spontaneous changes we enjoyed our week playing tourist and were able to see quite a bit of Florida in a short period of time. I’ve added links for all the places we visited, stayed and ate in case you want to see more about each location.
Tampa:
Our trip was mainly focused on exploring the beach areas but we did drive around some pretty areas in Tampa.
What we saw: We made a stop at the Florida Aquarium in Downton Tampa which was on the small side but still a lot of fun. We spent quite a lot of time driving around the bay side of Tampa along Bayshore Boulevard. If you’re visiting the area I highly recommend you do so, you’ll see some of the prettiest views and neighborhoods in that area! My in-laws were with us for two days of the trip so we made a stop at one of the malls International Plaza and Bay Street to check out a few of the stores. I didn’t buy anything for myself but picked up the Kiehl’s Scented Hand Cream Trio (restocked online at Neimans) and Ultimate Strength Hand Salve for my mother and father-in-law as they asked for a recommendation on a good hand cream for cold dry climates. I’ll have to ask them to see if the creams worked for them!
Where we ate: When it comes to travel I love exploring new restaurants. We made a breakfast stop at The Oxford Exchange which is one of the most charming restaurants I’ve ever seen complete with a book store, gift shop and coffee shop. The interiors are to die for gorgeous and beautifully stocked with Cire Trudon candles, an Aesop store and lots of little gifts. Later in the day we picked a gastropub called Datz for our dinner spot. We’ve been trying to eat healthier for quite some time but the reviews we saw of this place made us change our minds for a splurge. I had the Carolina On My Mind sandwich and my husband had the Waffles N’Tweet. If you’re on a weight watchers plan or want something healthy this is not the place for you, but if you don’t mind indulging, I highly recommend it. There’s a Donut store next door called Dough, since we were already on a roll breaking our healthy habits we picked up a few and they were well worth the extra calories.
Clearwater Beach and St. Petersburg:
We stayed in Clearwater Beach at the beginning of our trip and I fell head over heels with the gorgeous white sand beaches they have there. The beaches are pristine with the softest sand I’ve ever felt between my toes, making California sand almost seem like sharp rocks in comparison. We returned to this beach area on the last day or our trip to sun bathe and relax and would definitely go back.
Where we stayed: We booked a suite at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort. The rooms were clean and spacious and we picked a room with a partial gulf view. I found the rooms to be slightly dated, but everything was nice clean so I had no complaints and we had a lovely stay.
What we saw: In Saint Petersburg we drove around the beach areas, visited St. Pete Beach, and along one of the beach areas we saw kiteboarding and windsurfing near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on one of the windy days. In Saint Petersburg we ate at a cute European-style restaurant called the Cassis American Brassiere.
Naples:
After exploring St. Petersburg we drove 2 hours south to Naples which was absolutely charming!
What we saw and where we shopped: We stopped by the beach areas near the pier and walked around main street on Fifth Avenue South. Before we left for our trip we saw temperatures in the mid 80s so we packed tees and shorts for the entire week. When we arrived weather was more in the 60s so we had to make a few stops to pick up a few pieces of warmer clothing. We stopped by the Waterside Shops and the Saks Fifth Avenue there was one of the prettiest Saks stores I’ve ever seen! The staff was really friendly and the rep in men’s department recommended we stop by either Bar Tulia or Osteria Tulia for dinner and it was a cute restaurant spot. There is a more casual bar side and then a more traditional dinner side. They both looked similar and we went with the one that had tables available immediately which was the Osteria. The ambiance and food was phenomenal. It’s a cute rustic Italian restaurant with fresh quality ingredients – we both highly recommend it.
Where we stayed: My husband booked our hotel during dinner at the Inn on Fifth right in the heart of downtown Naples. By the time we booked it, there were only two rooms left so we booked one of the Club Level Suites which comes with concierge level amenities in a separate building. The service was excellent and concierge welcoming and friendly. This was one of the cutest boutique hotels I’ve ever stayed at and I did not want to leave.
Key West:
The last couple of days on our trip we had a few options of what to see: Orlando, Miami or Key West. Based on the weather forecast we went for Florida Keys to avoid the rain and were glad we did. It took us around 7 hours to drive from the mainland through the Everglades and the Florida Keys to get to Key West and we can’t wait to go back. This was my first time to Florida so I had never seen the Everglades before. On the freeway there are areas and swamp banks where alligators hang out and of course crowds of people pull over to see them. My husband being one of them. I refused to get out for obvious reasons but there is a fenced off area called the Oasis Visitors Center where there are solid chain fences in between the parking lot and the water where the alligators are so I felt ok looking at them there. We saw a lot of people fishing alongside the roads which to me did not seem safe but as a non-local I can’t really say for sure.
The drive along all the keys takes quite a bit of time but the views are unlike anything else and the color of the water is almost unreal! By the time we arrived the sun had just started to set, we checked into the Hyatt Centric Key West Resort and Spa. The hotel is in a great location and has a nice laid back kind of vibe. There are turtles in a few of the areas which I thought was cute. Our stay was pleasant but I don’t know that I’d go back – our room had a very humid, slightly damp and dusty kind of feel to it. The humidity level was pretty and as one who always gets bitten by mosquitoes or (as they call them there no-see-ums) I was really worried I would be covered in bites. Luckily I did not get any bites although we did buy some bug spray at the CVS there to be safe.
What we saw: We spent a full day exploring Key West. Most of the areas we wanted to go to were within walking distance from our hotel. We took one of the hop on and hop off Old Town Trolley Tours to see all of Key West in a short period of time. Two places of note included the Ernest Hemingway Home and because my husband likes to watch documentaries we stopped by the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.
Where we ate: The evening we arrived we decided to stop by Blue Heaven based on Yelp reviews. The food was excellent and the restaurant had a really fun and carefree vibe. One of the most interesting things to me was to see wild chickens and cats that roam the streets and outdoor areas. Even in restaurants we saw wild chickens and roosters walk by our table. We were tempted to go back again the next morning for brunch but decided to try something different and stopped by a cute cozy breakfast spot called Le Bistro on Duvall Street. Our last stop in the afternoon before we headed back to the mainland was Garbo’s Grill which made THE best tacos I’ve ever had. I would go back to Key West just for those tacos.
Blue Heaven during the day and at night:
Hemingway House and Museum:
What we missed: We would have loved to stay a couple more days to enjoy the water. We had hoped to rent some jet skis but missed the last cut off – note if you’re visiting they recommend you book and check in at least 30 minutes before their listed take off time.
Roundup of our eats:
The last night we were in Florida we drove back to St. Pete Beach to stay at the Kimpton Hotel Zamora so we would be relatively close to the airport. We considered staying in Key West another night but since the drive back to Tampa would be 7+ hours we decided it would be cutting the time too close. The hotel was very modern and seemed freshly remodeled as they had to repair a lot from hurricane damage. We had a really lovely stay here and our room had a view of the beach although it’s not one of the beach front hotels. We would definitely stay again although next time we want to try one of the ones right along the water.
There were a lot of other things we wanted to see but we were really happy with how much ground we covered in a week’s time. My husband and I were a bit worried with all the driving we might get bored or possibly drive each other nuts being in such close proximity for 7 days straight but I’m happy to report that we had plenty to keep us entertained (even in the long car drives) and had a really great trip. The highlights of the trip for me included visiting Clearwater Beach and Key West.
I had a packing post planned for this trip and I’ve photographed everything we traveled with. I’m not sure that I will post it because we packed all the wrong things hoping for heat and sunshine but arrived to clouds, partial clouds and rain. Let me know if you still want to see it! To those who followed me on Instagram, thanks for following along on my trip and on Insta-stories! I’m recovering from my cold but beauty posts will resume in the new year starting with Chanel spring and later this week I’ll have the best of 2016 posts go live.
Have you been to Florida, in particular any of the spots we visited? What did you see or do? Any recommendations for what we should see next time? We have so much on our list that we didn’t get to but were beyond thrilled to have covered the ground we did this trip 🙂
