Travel Recommendations

Misleading photo for this post as I took it in Paris because that was the last time I was in Europe! 

I hope you all had the best holiday weekend! We are headed to Rome and then on a 7-night Celebrity cruise that goes to other areas of Italy, France, and Spain. We are SO excited. We spent so many hours this past long weekend researching and planning.

We are going to be staying in Rome for 3 nights before the cruise and then 2 nights after the cruise. Neither of us has ever been to Italy. Our cruise will stop in Portofino, Italy, Cannes, France, Ajaccio, Corsica, Barcelon, Spain, and lastly, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. 

We have come up with a handful of hotels after doing a ton of research and literally looking at every single Tripadvisor page we could find for reviews and photos. 

Anyway, I know so may of you have been to Rome and probably have way more knowledge so I thought I would share our list with you all that we came up with and would love your input if you have ever stayed at any of these places and if you would recommend them or not. I put them in order of our top favorites but we loved the look/location/reviews of all of them. 

St. Regis

Singer Palace 

JK Place

Hotel de Russie

Maalot Roma

Palazzo Dama

We would like to stay at two different hotels since the trip is split by our cruise. So we will do 3 nights at one hotel, and 2 nights at another. We are running into an issue in the latter half (the 2-night portion) as a lot of hotels that we liked are already booked since it falls on a Saturday. 

Anyway, we are leaning towards 3 nights at the Singer Palace and then 2 nights at the St. Regis. But would love to hear any feedback you have on this! JK Place and Hotel de Russie are our two secondary options but we are running into availability issues with both of those. 

I'd also love any recommendations for meals, can't-miss sights, things to skip, and whatever other recommendations you have!

I have to admit, I kind of forget how to travel for a long period of time... things like taking a long red-eye flight, dealing with the time change, and all of that seem daunting. I haven't been to Europe since 2017- I am rusty and that makes me a little anxious. Whenever I get anxious I just try to prepare and plan as much as possible! 

Thank you all so much for your time in recommending things- I appreciate it so much! I will be sure to do a big travel guide and give you all of the details upon our return (it's still a few months away!). 

4th of July Holiday Weekend Sales Roundup

Swimsuit

I wasn't going to do a big sale roundup for this weekend but when I started seeing some of these sales pop up, I knew I should because there are way more than I thought and they are good!

I'll edit this post throughout the weekend as I come across more things I am loving that are on sale! 

This is the most stunning swimsuit ever. It's embroidered and beaded so that it looks 3D in person. It's so cool and 'special'. It's still a splurge even on sale but I love it and wear it more than any other swimsuit. 

Placemat

Tory Burch is offering an extra 25% off sale items. The placemats I have are available in a beautiful pink and are currently $60 for a set of 4 which I think is a really great deal! I use them all the time, they remind me a lot of D Porthault. 

Woven Straw Clutch

This has been my most carried bag of the summer. It's nice and neutral so it pairs well with everything. It looks small, making it elegant, but it surprisingly holds a lot. I love the gold detailing and it has a longer strap if you want to wear it over your shoulder! With the sale, it's under $70 (originally $98).

Fleece Joggers

It's kind of odd to buy fleece joggers at the height of summer, BUT that's always when you get the best discounts on fall/winter items. These joggers are easily one of my most worn lounge pieces during the colder months. They are not only wonderfully comfortable but they are so flattering. I feel polished when wearing these, even though they are sweatpants! I typically size up in DS tops but for their joggers, I get a size small, which is my true size, so I would say get your true size. They are roomy and slim at the same time, I don't know how they created these perfect joggers! Use code FLEECEFOURTH for an extra 40% off at checkout! 

White Jeans

These stove pipe jeans made my top 3 jeans of 2022 list. I wear them so much because not only are they cute but the relaxed cut of them is just so incredibly comfortable! Right now, they are 40% off! 

Dress  (use code YOURULE for an extra 20% off)

I wore this the other night out to dinner. It's SO comfortable. The ties at the shoulders are completely adjustable and the smocking has a good amount of compression. This runs true to size but is roomy so you could easily size down. The quality is incredible- in the photos, the design looks like it is printed on, but it's all embroidered. It looks $$$ in person. The skirt is fully lined. I am telling you, this is such a good dress. 

White Shirt Dress (use code YOURULE for an extra 20% off)

This is the ultimate 'lady' dress. It looks so polished and proper. It's not see-through at all, the fabric is like stiff canvas cotton so it looks really nice and doesn't wrinkle easily. I would say size down as it runs pretty roomy. I have a small but really wish I would have gotten an XS. 

Dress

This beautiful navy blue and white block print dress is so lightweight and breezy- perfect for the heat! It's adorable and one of those things you just throw on and look cute with minimal effort! I would suggest sizing down as it runs roomy! 

Down Throw Blanket (aka THE green blanket)

The Company Store is doing up to 30% off. To give you an idea, for Cyber Week during the holiday season, they did 20% off so if you are buying quite a bit, this is the time to shop for the biggest discount. We have 3 of these 'green blankets' throughout our house and they are the best thing to give as a gift. 

Gingham Detail Leggings (use code YOURULE for an extra 20% off)

These are some of my favorite leggings, especially for walking Henry because they have pockets!

Mirror// Placemats

Rug

Serena and Lily is offering 20% Off Everything or 25% off $5,000+ with code SPLASH. We have so many beautiful S&L pieces in our home. I don't have a coastal home by any stretch of the imagination but I love incorporating touches here and there to add some interest and texture throughout our decor! Also, check out this post about our dining room light fixture that I am obsessed with. It's also included on sale! 

Things I Want On Sale

- This scarf. It's still pricey even on sale but I have always admired the beautiful colors in these scarves. A dream for the fall season! 

- These Frame jeans are 55% off. I love the dark wash and the cut of them. Even with the Nordstrom sale coming up, you cannot find jeans for this big of a markdown!

- I don't have a Juliet Dunn dress but have always been drawn to them. I love the print on this one!  

- I love this wicker light fixture but have nowhere to put it! 

- This patchwork jacket has long been on my wish list! 

Honorable Mentions

Anthropologie// 50% off sale 

Barrington// 15% off with code USA15

J.Crew// Up to 70% off and 25% off almost everything else using code GOFOURTH.

 

Banana Republic// They are having a huge sale up to 50% off!

Lately

My outfit is linked in yesterday's blog post!

Henry's New Giraffe Toy (hard to destroy)

Happy Thursday! So excited we are heading into a holiday weekend. We don't have anything big going on this weekend. Just hanging with some friends, sitting by the pool, low-key stuff! 

I'm proud of myself because this week I made time to clean out and organize our refrigerator. I would say I'm a pretty neat and organized person, but the containers on the door of our refrigerator were becoming ridiculous with so many sauces and condiments! I also was able to clean out the cabinets under my sink in my bathroom- that was also getting a little wild and it felt so good to tackle that. I am hoping to take some time to tackle under our kitchen sink this week. I'd say once every 6 months it needs a good re-organization. 

My husband has been super into the Ooni (which is a pizza oven) and so we are going to grab all sorts of different ingredients to make a few pizzas one night. So far we have just done a cheese pizza but now that he has perfected that, we want to try to mix it up. He seriously spent hours researching dough ingredients and then making the dough and perfecting his recipe. It was a lot of trial and error to figure out the best tomatoes for the sauce and the best cheese and all of that. It's crazy how it tastes SO much like our favorite pizza spots like Il Pizzaiolo and Cucina Bella. I want to make a prosciutto arugula one with balsamic drizzle! If any of you make pizzas frequently, let me know if there is a good pizza combo I should try! I love hot honey on pizza, so I think we might do pepperoni with hot honey, too. YUM!  

This week wasn't too busy so I made time to go to lunch with my parents, was able to hop on my rower a few times, take Henry on long walks, and make it to several Orange Theory classes. I was glad I was able to make time for some leisure and working out, last week was a little hectic so this was a nice change of pace! I find that when I make time for working out and walking outside, life is so much better- I sleep better, my mood is better, I feel better, etc.

Wearing: I am OBSESSED with this hat I tried on in Orvis the other day. I am ordering it in a size medium- it's a men's hat and so the medium is the smallest size that it is made. The large size they had in store was just too big. I would say I have an average size head, not totally sure, ha! Anyway, the quality is better than any other women's hat I have seen! 

Drinking: I have been loving an unsweetened black tea with a tiny splash of lemonade with light ice from Starbucks. It's so light and refreshing and just a nice little treat for summertime! 

Sale: There are so many sales this weekend, I think it might be worthy of a sale roundup so stay tuned. But on the top of my head, Bloomingdales is having a big up to 65% off sale, Gap is offering up to 75% off markdowns. 

Watching: I just watched the new YA/Teen show on Amazon called 'The Summer I Turned Pretty'. It's a book turned show and I have never read the book. Anyway, the show is good- nothing amazing, but good but what is amazing are the clothes that the moms wear as well as the beach house they are living in! Eye candy and worth the watch just for that! Also, we just started season 2 of Only Murders in the Building (which is on Hulu). We loved the first season. It stars Steve Martin and Martin Short and Selena Gomez- honestly, the three of them together are fabulous. I am also so excited to see part 2 of Stranger Things come out tomorrow! I guarantee over the long weekend my husband and I will find time to binge the entire part 2! 

Tank// Skirt

Loving: These workout tanks have been on repeat this summer. I love them for on the rower (light impact) or just while walking Henry. It has a shelf bra with decent compression. I love the soft, stretchy fabric and the flattering square neckline. It is somewhat similar to the Lululemon align tank (which I also have) but I much prefer this! Right now, several colors are on sale. It runs true to size. 

 Wanting: I have been into anything that says 'plumping' lately when it comes to a lip product so when I saw this new lip plumper from one of my favorite makeup brands, I knew I had to order it! I used to think it meant bigger lips or an annoying tingling sensation and that to me is just never something I craved, but I read something about lip plumping products and basically, it said it helps aging lips look less wrinkly rather than actually making the lips look bigger. Kind of like an iron to hydrate and smooth out fine lines. Once I read that, I was sold. So now I want to try all of the plumping products! Anyway, this lip plumper is saying it's 7x more effective than the gloss that they sell. I love their gloss so that is what made me even more intrigued!! I'm hoping they come out with tinted versions in the future! 

Wanting II: This bag is high atop my wish list right now. So chic and classic! I have so many woven/rattan/wicker bags for summer so that's the only reason I am even hesitating! Ok and this blue and white dress?! I haven't shopped from this brand in ages but I absolutely cannot resist this dress!!!!! And how about this green printed dress? LOVE!

Hand Lotion

iPhone Screen Protector

Amazon Rec: I love this Hand Lotion. I just ran out last week and always keep a second tube as backstock as I never want to be without it! It smells delightful and is so rich and creamy but sinks in quickly. I put it on every night. 

I also love this iPhone Screen Protector. I am (unfortunately) the queen of dropping my phone. I swear I am so clumsy and drop it 10x a day. These protectors are the highest quality I have found to make sure my actual phone screen does not crack. I just replace the protector when it cracks. This is a 3 pack which is great because I am able to have extras on hand so my phone is never without a protector! I've used others in the past and my screen itself has actually cracked so now these are the only brand I will use! 

You can find more of my Amazon favorites, here!

Traveling: We are planning a trip to Rome and then we will be going on a cruise around Italy, France, and Spain (Portofino, Barcelona, Marbella, Cannes, etc.)! It's going to be a 2-ish week trip and I could not be more excited!!! You all will have to tell me where to stay in Rome- what area or what hotels are best? Neither of us has ever been to Italy! We are going to do 3 nights before our cruise and then 2 more nights after our cruise so we will have 5 nights total in Rome but I think we would like to try out 2 different Rome hotels in slightly different locations since there will be a split in our stay! I think we are looking to book a middle-of-the-road (price-wise) hotel for the first 3 nights and then get something fancy for the last 2 nights (or vice versa) but TBD! Any and all recommendations are welcome! 

Quoting: 'Focus on the step in front of you, not the whole staircase.' // See more of my favorites, here.

The Best Neutral Summer Sandals

Striped Top (full review here, use code YOURULE for 20% off)// Linen Pants

Sunglasses(inexpensive from Amazon!)// Sandals// Wicker Bag

I got this Striped Top last year and the number of times I have worn some variation of this outfit is easily double digits by now. I've also had these Linen Pants for a while now and they're just so darn comfortable- like pajama bottoms almost! Both pieces run big- I am wearing size small in both which is my true size but I could have definitely sized down one or two sizes in both but I don't mind the oversized fit! 

But for today's post, I really wanted to highlight these brown leather sandals. I have found myself wearing them more than any other sandals this summer! They're a beautiful neutral brown leather that pairs with pretty much anything. I love that the footbed feels cushioned so they are comfortable to walk in. Sometimes super flat slides can be hard for me to wear as I have a really high arch but the cushioning in these is so nice. The bamboo buckle detail is so pretty and adds a nice mix of textures. The toe is slightly squared off which makes it feel a little elegant and elevated. 

I have the Hermes Oasis sandals and have had them for many years now. I considered buying the Hermes oran sandals in brown this year when I was in the Hermes store in Palm Beach but as soon as I got these, my desire for the Hermes sandals waned as I just really love these and think they are a good alternative and much less costly! 

They run true to size. I got a size 9. I shared that I wear a size 9 shoe in my Instagram stories once and I got so many DM's saying they were surprised about my big feet, HA! 

Anyway, the bottom line of this blog post is if you are looking for a high-quality, comfortable pair of neutral flat sandals, these are totally it!