Weekend Getaway!

September 8, 2014 Kelly Donohue

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!

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Cape-Codders.

July 10, 2014 Kelly Donohue

July 11, 2014

Nantucket, MA.

Vacationing on the Cape is a yearly tradition for my family, and because we stay and travel on our boat, it gives us the freedom to hop around from port to port. Every year we set out to explore some new places that we haven’t yet seen, while peppering in ports that we know and love, which makes for an always interesting vacation! This year, we were able to get over to Nantucket, and because of the windy weather conditions and high seas, we were able to stay there even longer than we expected, which I loved!

Nantucket is an island that has a very specific feel to it and as soon as I step off the boat, walk along the pristine docks, lined with hydrangeas, quaint artsy shops, and waterfront bars, I know exactly where I am. The cobblestone streets make walking in heels a near impossibility and I’m sure it makes for a bumpy car-ride too, but the charm it adds to the town makes it all worth it!

Highlights so far:

Singing the night away to live piano music at the island’s famous Club Car restaurant. (Nantucket, MA).
Wine, Sangria, & Beer Tastings at Cisco Brewery w/ live music and delicious pizza! (Nantucket, MA).
Exploring the island in jeeps and watching the sunset while enjoying fresh local seafood. (Menemsha, MA)
Eating homemade ice cream after every meal at Mad Martha’s (Oak Bluffs, MA) and Stars (Nantucket).
Diving into Hurricane Arthur-sized waves at South Beach (Vineyard Haven, MA).
Finding new treasures in all of the quaint little shops (Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, & Nantucket MA).

After a day of shopping and spending time at the brewery, Erin and I snapped a couple of quick photos in our dresses- both from Ruche. It was a cloudy, humid day on the island- perfect for a day away from the boat and beaches. Erin is wearing a flowy, bright maxi dress- perfect for any summer getaway or a day at the winery. My dress is from Ruche’s collection last summer but I was waiting for the perfect getatway on the boat to wear it. The colors are great and call for nautical adventures! I paired it with some of the new bracelets I’ve picked up along on my recent travels, including my most recent find, the nautical pink and navy anchor wrap bracelet from Keil James Patrick Brand, a local Rhode Island company. I found this gem at the local shop, Town Pool, located just a couple steps away from where my boat was docked. It’s always great to find local treasures! Not only are they adorable, but they’re great reminders of all the places I’ve been.

Kelly's Look:

Bracelet: Keil James Patrick Brand
Dress: Ruche (Last Season)

Erin's Look:

Dress: Ruche (Similar)
Earrings: Forever21

Shop Similar Summer Dresses Here!

Back in the U.S.A.

July 4, 2014 Kelly Donohue

July 4th, 2014.

Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Happy Fourth of July!

After 7 flights, several timezones, and more delicious meals than I could've dreamt of, I have returned from Europe- and just in time for good old Independence Day! What’s even better is that this year I’m lucky enough to spend it with my family and in one of my favorite places on the Cape - Martha’s Vineyard. We just arrived here on my parents boat yesterday and I’m looking forward to all the festivities the island has in store. So while I’ve been embracing the many cultures I’ve been lucky enough to explore throughout my European adventure, I’m proud to be an American and excited to celebrate today!

My sister and her new husband are too adorable not to feature in today's post and I'm so glad they were both able to get time off to spend with us!

Our looks today are patriotic, a bit preppy and very comfortable- ready for a day of BBQing and fun at the docks. Hope your day is complete with sparklers, hotdogs, pool parties, cold beverages family and friends!