Long Weekend: Palm Springs

 If you follow my Instagram, you're probably sick of hearing about Palm Springs by now. If you don't, well, get ready for the onslaught of cactus pictures! I've got another blog post planned featuring just photos from our outing to Moorten Botanical Gardens.

This was, like, our first real vacation. You know, the kind where it's really hot and you wear sunhats and sit by the pool and can start drinking whenever you feel like it? Now I know why people go on these things.

 We stayed at Alcazar Palm Springs. It's a lovely, little boutique hotel in the Design District. Our room had its own private patio, which I enjoyed in 10-15 minute intervals. As expected, it was very hot, but the humidity was a surprise (61% the day I flew in). It's the middle of the desert and we managed to arrive right in the middle of a weird weather pattern!

Luck and the wrong bus stop led us to Ernest Coffee. They serve Stumptown, which is always delicious, and both our baristas had connections to the Northwest. It was like being home.

Palm Springs is so beautiful and the grounds at Alcazar were no exception; shady and green.

"Hey Trevor, go stand by that rock wall and look sullen. Perfect."

♠

Long Weekend: San Francisco

Last week, Trevor and I celebrated our 4th anniversary. To celebrate, I spent the weekend in San Francisco with him. Cool, cloudy weather put a damper on our little vacation (especially since we both forgot jackets), but it was otherwise a fun weekend!

The one thing I wanted to find was a new perfume, so on Sunday, we ventured to North Beach. We stumbled upon this amazing bakery called Stella Pastry. The cherry danish at the top of the page is one of theirs. They have tons of traditional Italian pastries to choose from and sell mini sandwich cookies by the pound.

 So chill.

I finally found my perfume at Nest in the Fillmore District. My choice? Evening Edged in Gold, by Ineke. It's a heady mix of Gold Osmanthus, Saffron, Leather & Woods. It's warm, and like all good perfumes, tells a story. I'd had a sample of their perfume a while back and was terribly sad to find that no shops in Washington sold it anymore. I've been waiting to visit San Francisco, their home city, to buy a full sized bottle.

Nest was listed as one of the stores that carried their line, so we made our way over from North Beach after our pastry lunch. What a beautiful little shop! Handmade quilts, luxe sleepwear & clothing, and perfectly curated antique trinkets, Nest is what Anthroplogie dreams of being.

The sun finally came out as we made our way back to the hotel.

♠

Fall Favorites: 4 Different Looks

Right around this time of year, inexplicably and without fail, I start getting excited about dressing for Fall. Maybe it's that I'm tired of the heat (if you can call it that in Seattle) or maybe I'm just tired of sandals and shorts. Whatever the case may be, my mind starts wandering and I soon have my Autumn wish list. This year, my main focus is shoes! Now that my feet are starting to feel better, and with fancy new custom orthotics in hand (er, shoe) I have more options! At the moment, my favorite place to drool over shoes is on ASOS. They have a great collection of super stylish, super affordable women's shoes!

For Work

It's off to work oui go! by fleur-d-elise featuring a pencil skirt

First and foremost: I want more classic flats! I like these ones because they add a bit of texture, but will still go with a lot. I don't really need another vintage Coach, or more stripes, but I am in desperate need of a cocoon coat! It's been on my list for years!

Weekend Getaway

weekend wear by fleur-d-elise featuring a double breasted trench coat

I can't begin to tell you how badly I want a pair of Chelsea boots. ASOS has several different versions, all pretty well priced, considering they're made of leather. Here, I've paired them with a look I would wear on a weekend get away. Most people take their vacation in the summer, but our's is always in the Fall, on account of my husband's busy summer work schedule.

Blogging Event

blogger event by fleur-d-elise featuring wedge shoes

I always save my crazy pants and loud patterns for blogger meet-ups and girl's nights out. My husband doesn't "get it", but I know the ladies will :) These t-strap wedges are so fun and totally different from all the other shoes in my wardrobe.

Night Out

hot date by fleur-d-elise featuring an envelope clutch

On date nights, I wear outfits my husband understands: shorter skirts, balanced with more coverage on top, in this case, a great motorcycle jacket from H&M. The leopard print pointed court shoes add another touch of "ooh la la," but the lighter shade of lipstick will keep the look from going too red-light district.

vacations are so tiring

I spent all week on my mom's farm. It was so tiring.

Playing with my niece, eating croissants every day (really good, locally made ones), playing Drawsome with my sister, going to the Olympia Farmer's Market, etc. You get the idea; it was a really strenuous week.

So today I recuperated by going to acupuncture and having lunch at my favorite cafe here in Seattle, Cafe Presse. The cafe was full of  chattering diners and bright April sunlight. I enjoyed a cup or two (or three) of the strong chocolately Vita coffee they serve and munched on grilled sardines and a fresh baguette. The latest issue of Marie Claire kept me company.

And now for Friday's Fashion Fact. Today it's a new word that keeps popping up in magazines.

Soigné
 

adj. -\swän-ˈyā\-

(As defined by Merriam-Webster)

1. Well-groomed, sleek

2. Elegantly maintained or designed

Glad I looked it up cuz I woulda pronounced it "Soy-nay"

hello there!

Oh goodness! This always happens. I go on vacation and my whole flow is completely interrupted. It takes me weeks to get back into the swing of things. I'm surprised I am even back on my regular work schedule. And, of course, breaking my camera on vacation doesn't help in the blogging department. It's just the LCD screen that's broken, but it still makes it hard to take pictures since I can't tell what it's focusing on and I can't use any of the menu options. These pomegranates were photographed just 2 days before the fateful drop. I have never seen them "out in the wild."

We had a wonderful trip, my feet felt quite nearly fantastic, and I was even able to go shopping at Zara! We don't have any in Seattle, so it was a real treat. I'm a little disappointed in the quality, but I'll leave that topic for another post.

Hope you are all well! xoxo