Friday Favorites #103: Travel Essentials

I'm writing this post from up in the air, as I'm currently California-bound to visit Ashley! Since I'm traveling this week, I thought it might be fun to do an updated version of a trip necessities Friday Favorites post; I did one last year, but this one has some new additions. I'm admittedly not a huge adventurer, as travel (and packing, especially) tends to stress me out. I'm the kind of person who always needs to make a list, so here's a handy dandy guide to my travel must-haves:

I'll just say it: I'm horrible at packing lightly. I always fear that I'll regret not bringing a certain item or that I'll forget something. I'm definitely better at paring it down than I used to be, but even so, I end up coming home with a bunch of things I never used or wore while away. I've tried to rectify that by packing only a few accessories that pair well with everything I bring.

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For instance, I wear my black Aerosoles flats on the plane and pack a white pair (I swear by these flats – I walked all over New York City in them in total comfort and without getting a single blister), and make sure all of the clothes I bring will work with one or the other. I wear a white purse with everything, and since packing a petticoat would be troublesome, I wear a thinner pettiskirt on the plane (and no one can even tell). I've forgotten my sunglasses before on trips, and I hope I never will again!

I'm sort of high maintenance when it comes to makeup and toiletries and tend to pack things I could probably live without for a few days. However, there are a few lifesaver items that I could never leave behind.

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I use my portable clothes steamer on a daily basis, even when I'm at home, and it's perfect for getting out wrinkles from packed clothing (and if you hate to iron like I do). I don't usually travel with a lot of jewelry, but I love this jewelry carrier because it has little individual compartments for everything; having to untangle necklaces is the worst, so being able to avoid that is key. Fashion tape is amazing – I use it all the time to keep belts, collars and other embellishments in place. I recently started using the Colorescience line because of a dermatologist recommendation, and I'm obsessed with the color corrector palette! It's the perfect size for traveling and you can achieve both full-face coverage and quick touchups with it – everything from red blemishes to dark under-eye circles. Oh, and a portable makeup mirror, a cute cosmetic bag and a quirky sleep mask will definitely come in handy!

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And then it's time for tech! Since I usually take lots of photos on my trips, a travel tripod is a must. If you're a blogger, I also highly recommend investing in a camera remote timer – it's been a Godsend for me! (Be sure to check if your DSLR is compatible with the model I linked... if it's not, there are tons of other options on Amazon.) I love my backup mobile charger from ban.do, which also comes in other styles, and it's perfect for long layovers or a day at Disneyland! And of course, I had to pick adorable + delicious tech gear: a donut print laptop sleeve and pastel earbuds with a macaron carrying case!

What are your never-leave-home-without-'em items? Let me know in the comments!

Have a great Friday!

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Pals + Pastels

Look where I am! Or was, rather. I was lucky enough to be able to spend the weekend with Kate! I'm so glad we finally had the chance to meet, and I had an absolutely lovely time hanging out with her and her family. Living in the digital age definitely has its pitfalls, but it's pretty amazing when an internet friendship translates so well into real life. Also, her room is just as dreamy in person as it is in her photos! I definitely need to step up my decorating game.

I also got to meet Arrietty, which was quite a treat!

Since Kate and I both own this dress, she had the great idea of taking some photos in our matching outfits. We headed over to a nearby park with some beautiful gardens, and we even tried our hand at some jumping photos (my first attempt ever!). 

Outfit Details

Bernie Dexter dresses: ModCloth (similar style here)

My flats: Aerosoles (similar)

Kate's shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear

On Friday, Kate was kind enough to accompany me to go see a friend from college in his production of Rock of Ages, and I ran into some other college friends while there. The show was great, and it was nice to see all of them. On Saturday, I met up with my two closest friends from school, and we had the most wonderful lady teatime date I could ever imagine. We had a delightful lunch at Alice's Tea Cup (consisting of peach tea, triple chocolate + lemon blueberry scones, and curried chicken salad sandwiches), and I haven't laughed so hard in quite a long time. The weather was perfect, we did some window shopping and walked through a street fair... it was pretty much the perfect afternoon. Oh, and Kate and I saw Shaun the Sheep at an awesome movie theater (with the comfiest reclining chairs you can imagine), and it was such an adorable movie and everyone should go see it immediately.

There are times where I still get a little sad going into the city. I tend to be prone to nostalgia, and I have a lot of memories of New York, both good and bad. I spent a lot of time in the city in college, and it simultaneously feels like ages ago and just yesterday. I haven't remained close with that many people from my time there, and sometimes I feel like a failure because I'm not currently living there (and am frankly really intimidated by the prospect of moving back). I'm also reminded a lot of my previous relationship when I'm there, and sometimes still fear that I'll run into my ex; as unlikely as that seems in such a big place, I always bump into someone I know, so it wouldn't be unheard of. Maybe most of all, being in New York reminds me of how much time has passed since I lived there, and how I'm not the same person anymore. Ultimately, I think that's a good thing, but I still don't know if it's really the place for me or not. I think I'd regret it if I didn't find out for sure. And luckily, I do have some wonderful friends in the area – both old and new – with whom I'm still close, and that brings me a lot of joy, even in times of uncertainty.

Have a great day!

Fairgrounds & Flowers: Bloggers at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

I've finally gotten around to posting photos from my New York trip!  I met up with Kristina and Midge on two separate days; we went to McCarren Park in Brooklyn for a picnic on Saturday, and then we headed to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens on Sunday.  It was really nice to hang out with them and be in nature (especially in a city where green space is a precious commodity), and we had a lot of fun getting to know each other.  I didn't take any photos on Saturday, but have plenty from our botanical garden adventure!

Photo credit: Midge

I was cursing myself for not bringing along a floral print dress for this trip.  As a group, we had initially talked about heading to Coney Island later that day, which is why I brought this carnival print dress with me.  However, it was collectively decided that it was simply too long a schlep, so we instead had a delicious dinner at a Mexican restaurant Kristina recommended.  I'm still really undecided about what I want to do, as far as whether or not I want to move back to the New York area, but it's comforting to know that if I do decide to move, I'll have some friends waiting for me.  And I'm sure I'll make it to Coney Island someday.  :)

Photo credit: Midge

Even though nothing on my trip really went according to plan (i.e., we were a much smaller group than we'd anticipated, I got super-lost on my way to the park on Saturday, etc.), we still managed to have a great time together, and I'm glad that I decided to go.  Many thanks to Midge and Kristina for snapping pictures of me (and dealing with my ignorance when it comes to photography) -- and for being as lovely in real life as you are on the internet!  :)

Outfit Details

Hell Bunny dress: Amazon

Flats: DSW

Sunglasses: old

Have a sensational Saturday!

xox Sammi