An Indian Summer Giveaway with Aplaya!

September 8, 2014

Los Angeles, CA.

On this Monday, I'm excited to be partnering with Aplaya Jewelry on hosting a giveaway!  They are giving one of my lucky readers all three of their latest pieces: Tiki Bracelet, Arrowhead Necklace, & the Surfboard Outline Bracelet (all pictured below).  If you are unfamiliar with Aplaya, it’s a local Southern California jewelry boutique that perfectly captures the lifestyle and essence of the California coast.  All of the pieces are one of a kind, handcrafted with REAL seashells, and the entire collection is as affordable as it is beautiful.  It’s truly my kind of shop! I have featured and worn their jewelry a bunch already this summer but since the weather has continued to stay so warm, these pieces are actually perfect for last minute beach getaways and Indian Summer weekends.  In fact, wearing pieces like these actually help to keep a bit of summer alive all year long! 

TIKI BRACELET

ARROWHEAD NECKLACE

SURFBOARD OUTLINE BRACELET

To enter the giveaway, just follow the instructions below in the Rafflecopter form. Open to all readers. You can also gain bonus entries by liking them on Facebook.  Oh and leave additional comments below for bonus entries.  This giveaway will close and be announced on Friday. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekend Getaway!

September 8, 2014

San Diego, CA.

Sunny Los Angeles will forever be an ideal vacation destination.  Complete with delicious restaurants on every block, year-round beach weather, and jam-packed cultural offerings, the opportunities for entertainment are endless.  But sometimes, even in the most beautiful of places, a change of scenery is necessary. Luckily, with California as my backyard, weekend getaways are made easy. A quick car ride may transport a Los Angelino to the tranquil wineries of Santa Barbara, or the steamy desert of Palm Springs.  A welcomed retreat from my everyday city life, I find these little breaks to provide me with wonderful relief and clarity.  Thus, regardless of where you live, finding a nearby oasis may be as simple as camping out in a local park or renting a room in a bed & breakfast in your town, playing tourist in your very own city because the truth is, changing up your scene is really the best way to relax and it may not even require a two hour drive!

This weekend, my sister and her husband flew in, and we all drove a couple hours south to San Diego.  Instead of showing them around this time, I enjoyed playing the role of tourist too! 

We packed a lot into a couple of days.  Sometimes I find that is the best way to explore a city or a town.  From the beaches of La Jolla, to the nightlife of the Gaslamp Quarter, to Point Loma Marina, to hitting up shops all around the city, and exploring the USS Midway Museum, we really did it all!

The ocean was incredibly warm this past weekend, so we swam for hours between the sea of surfers at La Jolla beach and we even saw a couple of small Sand Sharks and blue ‘Sailor’ jelly-fish in the water! Although everyone kept telling us that the sharks were harmless, I was a little afraid.  I mean they’re called sharks for a reason right?  I have to admit swimming amongst them was oddly invigorating!  We also enjoyed eating big brunches.   My favorite was at Searsucker over in the Gaslamp Quarter, and when we weren’t busy beaching  or brunching, we explored the city on bicycles!  We rode down to the USS Midway Museum and I fell in love with the stories that lie in the nearly 50 years of world history kept treasured inside this colossal Navy aircraft carrier.

My Casual Bicycle/Museum Day Look:

Polka- Dot Sweatshirt: Forever21

Denim Shorts: Urban Outfitters 

Sunglasses: Forever21

Oxfords: Dolce Vita via Macy's 

Cheers to a great week!

Shop this Look!

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September 5, 2014

Los Angeles, CA

Now that Labor Day has come and gone, everyone is gearing up for cooler temperatures, the return of cozy nights, and apple flavored EVERYTHING.  The change of seasons brings about a wonderful opportunity to allow us all the chance to refresh our tired summer outfits.  However, to all of you who tend to jump the gun and overdress, don’t make that mistake this year and find yourself sweating in your best dress at the office!  September often brings about some of the warmest days of the year, meaning your wardrobe really doesn’t and shouldn’t undergo a drastic shift- at least right away.  Sure temperatures are bound to drop a bit, especially in the east coast, but I have found that there are great ways to transition your summer clothes into fall with the addition of a few basics.

 I took one of my favorite denim summer dresses, from Urban Outfitters, and simply added a navy and white cropped turtleneck from ZARA and booties from Ruche.  I eliminated the summer sandals and bohemian necklace and voila the dress is instantly transformed into a classic fall look.  It is still breezy and light enough for warm days but the turtleneck adds a layer of warmth for chillier temperatures, making this a perfect outfit for this time of year.  You can really achieve this look with any of your favorite basic summer dresses.  I say basic because I think I lot of prints might make pairing tops a bit more challenging but you can certainly play around with that.  Add a tomato or a mustard colored turtleneck and make this look really pop!

Dress: Urban Outfitters (Similar) 

Booties:  Chines Laundry via Ruche  

Turtleneck: ZARA  

Rings: TOPSHOP 

Happy Friday everyone! I am thrilled to announce that today's full post is featured on AppareledAbode.com. Please be sure to head over and check out the full story and subscribe! You can also follow AppareledAbode here: Instagram  Facebook  Twitter Pinterest 

Get These Booties!

Photos By: Courtney Locks