Friday, July 27, 2012

Lazy Resort Wear

We wanted to go into town on our third day in Jamaica, but when we tried to grab a cab, we were told it would be $40 round trip. It only cost $20 roundtrip to a restaurant 30 minutes away, but it cost $40 RT into town 10 minutes away? No, thanks.  We decided to buy all souvenirs in Negril the next day and went to relax around the resort.
Top & Sunglasses: c/o Michael Stars
Necklace: BaubleBar
Tank Top: Grace via Macy’s
Shorts: Joe’s Jeans; Flip Flops: Old Navy 
Bracelets: Target; Ring: Bottica
Bag: Joe’s Jeans c/o Dallas Tidbits
We spent the rest of the day at the pool and looking forward to our a-la-carte steak dinner for which we were fortunate to get a reservation!


After I saw these photos, I realized that these shorts are shorter than I like for casual wear.  I think they were okay for the beach, but I definitely can't see myself wearing them for casual weekends or lunches around town.  I went ahead and gave these to my sister because she is significantly younger and they look much more flattering on her.

What do you do with items that don't fit quite the way you wanted them to?

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Mix N Match: Swimsuit Edition

I have a serious swimwear habit.  I have so many swimsuits that we have a storage problem when I put them all away.  However, my sister is the queen of Mix N Match swimwear.  We always shop the clearance sales at Nordstrom, Marshalls, and/or Macy's and if she finds a top or bottom that she loves, she doesn't worry too much about ensuring that there is a matching top or bottom.  This has rubbed off on me and I no longer have to have matching sets when I shop either.  These are her swimsuits from last week in Jamaica and Austin where we met up with family.
Top: Perry Ellis; Bottom: Becca Swimwear
Sunglasses: c/o Tom’s 
Top: Hurley (buy here in blue); Bottom: Victoria’s Secret (buy here)
Sunglasses: Nine West; Flip-Flops: Old Navy
Top: Miraclesuit (buy here); Sunglasses: Nine West 
Bottom: Juicy Couture (several seasons old); Shorts: Gap
Tankini: Freya (buy here in black); Bottom: Robin Piccone
Sunglasses: Nine West; Flip Flops: Old Navy
We always have a hard time buying swimwear for her, because she is so busty.  She stands 4'11" and wears a 36DD or sometimes even a 36E!  Buying tops that fit her body is very important and when we find a great top, we usually pounce.  Often, we have to buy clothes that cover her bust and they end up looking like potato sacks everywhere else! Fortunately, Freya makes extended sizes in swimwear and this last top especially shows off her tiny waist.

Do you mix and match your swimwear or do you prefer to always buy the complete set?

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Kingston, Jamaica

The first full day in Jamaica was spent going to Kingston.  My sister and I decided this was definitely one of the best parts of our trip. I meant to wear some cute flip-flops but I got so many mosquito bites the night before when I tried to figure out the wifi in the lobby, that I decided to go with tennis shoes at the last minute.
Top: Halogen; Earrings: Banana Republic
Sunglasses: Marc by Marc Jacobs (buy here)
Necklace: Kendra Scott Rayne (buy here)
Shorts: Trina Turk for Banana Republic
Bracelets: Target & DIY
Bag: c/o Michael Stars
Tennis Shoes: Puma
I really liked these shorts that both Wendy and Khatu showed off during the Trina Turk for Banana Republic launch.  When I went to the stores on opening day, everything was sold out so I ordered the clutch online and didn't think much about it again.  Then the week before our trip, my sister and I were out shopping and I found these in my size at the Northpark store AND they were on sale for 39.99! I picked them up and refused to put them down because I knew they must have been a return.  While driving home yesterday I stopped at the Banana Republic store in the West Village and they had the zazzy zebra skirt that Kelly wore and I really wanted.  I just didn't want to pay $79.50 for it. Luckily, it was also on sale for $39.99 PLUS 25% off all sale merchandise.  I definitely didn't mind paying $29.99 for the skirt.  So check your stores because any items that were returned are now on sale!
Top to Bottom, Left to right: Spanish Town Emancipation Square; St. Jago de la
Vega Cathedral; Bob Marley Statue in Kingston; homes by the road; Jack fruit;
Juici Patties; a child running to his home; Kingston harbor; craft market; Bob Marley
mural; Statue at Bob Marley Museum; View of Kingston Bay from Beverly Hills;
Devon House.
During our drive to Kingston, we made a couple of stops to get some local food.  First we stopped to buy patties (similar to empanadas, but filled with beef, chicken, pork, etc.) and picked up some Jack Fruit, which was delicious! Our first stop was in Spanish Town, home of the only Georgian square in Jamaica, Emancipation Square and the beautiful St. Jago De La Vega Cathedral.  In Kingston, we drove along the southern coast and climbed to the peak of Beverly Hills before heading to the Bob Marley Museum. That was such a highlight and I definitely recommend a visit.  Getting to know the tragic legacy of such a talent was heartbreaking, but it made the drive back listening to his music go much faster. On a separate note, I don't think I would ever be able to drive in Jamaica.  It was absolutely terrifying and our guide made sure we knew that our driver's name was Gilly and not "Jesus Christ" or "Holy Moly"! We ended the tour with a visit to Devon House and bought some souvenirs and ate some ice cream before heading back to Montego Bay.

Have any of you ever been? What was your favorite place?

Monday, July 23, 2012

Jamaica: First Impressions

First, I am so sorry for the unexplained absence.  I took my laptop and fully meant to blog while on vacation, but the wi-fi at the hotel was so unreliable that it was impossible.  The only time we had uninterrupted wi-fi was in the lobby and even then it was throttled and you could not send photos or other attachments.
Now, on to the good stuff.  I had been in Jamaica before when I took a cruise many years ago, but my sister had never been.  I can honestly say that I would encourage everyone to spend more than one day in Jamaica.  It is a beautiful country with amazing people and you can't possibly experience it while on your way to one tourist excursion while in port.  I know I hadn't.
We stayed at the Riu Montego Bay, which is an all-inclusive hotel on the northern shore of Jamaica.  The property is gorgeous and the rooms are big and well organized with huge closets and spacious bathrooms.  I've stayed in plenty of all-inclusives before so I had no illusions about the food, but this resort managed to surprise me.  My sister and I ate this entire plate of mangoes and then moved on to the cheesecake while we were waiting for our room to be ready.  The staff was so friendly and attentive that we felt at home the entire time we were there.
The only downside if any, was the very tiny beach at the resort.  While white sand and turquoise waters greet you, the actual beach for the property is fairly small and there is a Sandals resort extension within kayak distance.  The beach itself is fairly shallow because if you wade out to where the water is past your thighs, you run into a great deal of seaweed and the seafloor starts to feel slimy and icky like a lake bottom.  I'm sure they have no control over this as I can't imagine that it would be as easy as pulling the seaweed from the ocean and they just decide not to do it.  In any case, we were content to stay near the shoreline when we ventured to the beach and that was a heavenly walk.  There are vendors who come on kayaks to sell you everything from jewelry and crafts to recreational herbs but you just have to say "No, thank you" and they don't really push.  Marijuana is technically illegal in Jamaica, but as many, many people advised us, it is tolerated throughout the country.  We found that a simple "No, thank you" was enough for everyone who offered us anything.
The best thing of the entire stay were the truly magnificent sunsets each night.  I will have some outfits and many more photos of the trip trhoughout the week.  That is my sister enjoying the sunset on our first night.

Happy Monday!