couldawouldapica: vacation

Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts

take me back

when i first moved to dc, i used to see obx stickers on cars. my curiosity got the best of me and i had to google what that meant.

most people know it stands for outer banks, but it was new for me. i'd never heard of it.

this year, i finally experienced it and had one of the best vacations of my life. we rented a place on the beach and stayed there with two other couples and one dog.

we stayed there for a week that included the fourth of july and a category 1 hurricane. luckily, besides some really loud wind, there was no damage where we were staying. even after living in florida for college, the thought of riding out a hurricane on the beach freaked me out.

i hope we make this a regular thing, because it was a blast.

san francisco vacation, part II

here's the rest of the san francisco pics.

we really had an awesome time.

links to the places in these pics:

crissy field

sea salt cookie, biscuits + jam

state bird provisions

san francisco vacation, part I

i took a ton of pictures while we were out in california, so i'll be spreading these out over today and tomorrow.

enjoy!

links to where we went:

divisadero farmers' market

4505 meats

snack time

ferry building marketplace

historic trail

now boarding all rows

i travel a lot.

in 2012, i think i traveled more than any other year.

and as much as i hate unpacking after a trip (isn't it awful?), i actually love packing (psst: roll your clothes instead of folding them to maximize suitcase space).

i haven't done a 'very necessary' post in a while, so i thought i'd share my carry-on essentials.

starting from up top:

scarf: i like to bring a lightweight scarf for chilly airplanes and drafty airports. you never know what the temps are going to be and i hate feeling cold.

comfortable clothes: for me, dresses offer the most comfort when sitting down for a long period of time. you can always find me in a dress when traveling.

socks: if i'm wearing flats or sandals, i always throw a pair of socks in my purse when i'm heading to the airport. there's nothing worse than having to remove your shoes in the security line and walk around that nasty airport floor barefoot. not happening.

a large purse with some structure: something big enough to hold all your essentials. for me, this includes travel reading material, something to snack on, a travel wallet, my precious mascara (can't buy it at CVS if luggage gets lost), toilet seat covers for airplane/airport bathrooms and a jewelry roll that holds all the accessories i'm bringing. i take no chances with my luggage being misplaced and potentially losing these forever.

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what are your travel necessities?

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check out my other 'very necessary' posts on tailgating, road trips, dressing for extreme heat and wet weather, and my office and outerwear essentials.

completely unplugged

well, my break is over and i had to drag myself back into work today.

vacation was awesome. instead of trying to force myself to blog over the break, i decided to completely unplug (instagram doesn't count, right?) and it was really really nice to forget about the internet for a little bit.

but now i'm back! and i don't know about you but i'm pumped for 2013, even though i'll probably never get used to the post-2000 set of years. they still look weird to me.

crazy week

well, we missed sandy.

all of it.

thanks to my twitter addiction, i was able to keep fairly close tabs on what was going on back in dc, but it was strange being "stuck" in florida after our flights got cancelled. we were scheduled to fly out monday afternoon but didn't make it home until yesterday.

not complaining though. we got to spend a few extra days with some of our really good friends down there, and since work was cancelled back home, i didn't miss much.

my little brother's wedding was a good time. and it's so fun to see him so happy. never seen him smile quite so much, and i couldn't be happier for him and his beautiful new wife!

here's some pics from our trip and the trek back home.

pre-rehearsal dinner happy hour with the fam

at cocktail hour | a beautiful no filter florida sky

first kiss!

at the airport way too early | this book is really good so far if you're wondering

dc. always lookin good.

back to work | the commute

hope you all fared well in the storm, especially anyone reading this who might be in the ny/nj areas. some of the pictures i saw were just insane.

i was also excited i made it to november without busting out tights on some of those cooler october mornings. once the real cold weather hits, you can find me in a pair of tights on a near-daily basis. but i really try to resist the urge to wear them in october. i love em, but by the time march rolls around, my legs are so sick of their sausage casings that pulling on those wretched things makes me want to barf. so as eager as i am for winter outfits, i try to hold off.

happy november!

jewels on a plane

a few days ago, i was running late and completely forgot to put on earrings.

i felt naked all day.

i'm a person who always wears accessories. no matter what. and because i travel somewhat frequently, i need to bring my jewelry with me.

a few years ago, my sister got me a foldable jewelry case as a gift. at the time, i'd never used one before, and usually stuffed my rings, bracelets and earrings into a not-currently-being-used makeup bag. but i've come to really love the case my sister got me; i use it all the time when i travel.

here's a few more that i like:

to purchase: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

most of these roll-up cases are made from leather or cloth and lined with suede. and they all have nice compartments for sorting and organizing your travel jewelry needs. this case and this one here are also a little cheaper.

i should also mention that if i'm traveling by plane and need to check some luggage, i always throw my jewelry case in my purse or with some other carry-on items. luggage gets lost, things happen, and your jewelry collection is usually something that's been slowly accumulating over many, many years. i don't want to risk losing pieces -- some of great sentimental value -- by shoving my jewelry in a suitcase.

just be smart. carry it on.

and enjoy your trip!