Travel :: Paris, France

Ryan and I spent a few days in Paris over the holiday season, and it was pure magic. It was my fourth time to the City of Light and every time I return I seem to fall more and more in love with the city. We stayed at the beautiful Grand Hotel Du Palais Royal and, having already been to most of the popular tourist destinations on other trips, we didn't feel pressured to try to fit everything into our four days.

Amsterdam

Our three days in Amsterdam were grey, misty, and wonderful. Even in cloudy weather the city absolutely shines. Our hotel was ideally located on one of the most beautiful canals surrounded by quaint shops, restaurants, and bars. We would literally spend the entire day from dawn to dusk just wandering the picturesque canals, stopping into antique stores, and admiring the architecture. Our last day we rented bikes {a must} and visited the stunning Rijksmuseum, then took a boat cruise down the canals to admire the illuminated art installations of the Amsterdam Light Festival. The city was incredibly accessible and welcoming, within about an hour we were already talking about how we could easily imagine ourselves living there.

The Hoxton, Amsterdam

If you follow me on Instagram you probably already know that we recently traveled to Paris and Amsterdam over the New Year. It was a spontaneous trip which I think could actually be the best kind! I had about a month to plan everything from our flights to our transportation to our accommodations, which was surprisingly a lot easier than I had excepted {one of the many perks of traveling in the “off season}. 

Travel :: Pinel Island

One day while in St. Maarten we took a ferry to the nearby Pinel Island, a natural reserve accessible only by boat.  The beautiful island was filled with white sandy beaches, swaying coconut palms, and iguanas!  Two small restaurants with beach chairs were set-up on the south eastern side of the island - the rest of it remaining untouched.  We swam in the crystal clear water, hiked in our swimsuits to a deserted beach, and ate lunch by the sea {the mussels and frites were phenomenal!}  It was a picture-perfect tropical island and if you're ever in the St. Maarten area I couldn't recommend it enough!

Travel :: The Beaches of St. Maarten

The great thing about our vacation to St. Maarten was that since we rented two cars we were able to explore the island to our heart's content.  The island is quite small meaning that nearly ever beach can be reached within a 45 minute drive.  Two beaches we explored were Baie Rouge and Great Bay Beach.  

Travel :: Our St. Maarten Villa

It's safe to say that our family vacation to St. Maarten was absolutely perfect.  So perfect in fact, that I'm suffering from a serious case of post-vacation blues.  One of the best parts of our trip was the gorgeous villa we rented for the week - La Croisette.  The open-air villa featured a huge pool overlooking the ocean and the island of St. Bart's in the distance.  I loved the coastal chic decor and framed antique prints scattered across the house.  Our king-sized four poster bed with it's silky French Linens was one of the more comfortable I have ever slept in, and waking up to a view of the Caribbean from our French Doors wasn't bad either.

Hello from St. Maarten!

Well hello there!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Things are going to be quiet over here this week as I spend time with my family in our lovely villa on the beautiful island of St. Maarten.  But I'll be back next week sharing photos from our vacation.  XOXO.

Travel :: Five Dream Beach Vacations

Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles

Happy Friday!  We leave for St. Maarten on Sunday and I absolutely cannot wait.  A week of relaxing in the warm sunshine with family is just what I need.  Inspired by our trip, here are five dream beach vacations I'd love to go on someday.  Have a great weekend!

Algarve, Portugal

Calanque d'En-Vau, France

Phra Nang Beach, Thailand

Matira Beach, Bora Bora

Images via {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} 

Travel :: Pimalai Resort & Spa, Thailand

When Bri of DesignLoveFest posted about her Thailand trip, I eagerly read through her posts and comments time and time again.  The major takeaway I had from doing this was that we need to visit Koh Lanta.  Many explain the island to be what Ko Samui was 20 years ago...before it became covered with hotels, American chains {McDonalds!!}, and tourists galore.  We were looking for something quiet, tropical, and peaceful with just the right amount of seclusion.  After doing some research we decided that the Pimalai Resort & Spa fit the bill to perfection.  It is on what many say is the most beautiful beach in Koh Lanta.  It is set in 100 acres of lush tropical gardens and while it has four different restaurants on the property it also is within walking distance of several beach bars & restaurants to allow us easy access to cheap and authentic Thai food.

On days we want to be active, the hotel has it's own Dive Shop on property if we want to visit some of neighboring Koh Rok's famous dive sites.  It offers complimentary sail boats and kayaks.  We can rent a car or hire a driver through the hotel and spend the day exploring the island of Koh Lanta.  We can go on a sunset cruise with canapés and wine.  Or, if we want to do nothing we can relax on the golden beach or in one of the hotel's infinity pools.  The beautiful spa is personally high on my list, and I definitely think we are going to take a cooking class.  All in all it looks like five days in heaven and I can't wait to visit!

Travel Style :: Beat the Heat

DAY: Joie Darlena Sleeveless Belted Cotton Shirtdress // Karen Walker Anywhere Sunglasses // Sachajuan Ocean Mist Spray // Longchamp Large 'Le Pilage' Packable Tote // Calypso St. Barth Packable Raffia Sunhat // Shiseido 'Ultimate Sun Protection' SPF 50+ // Zinke Bikini Top and Bottom // Joie A la Plage Sable Sandals // Supergoop SPF 30 Lip Balm // Sam Edelman Sandal

NIGHT: BaubleBar Beaded Fan Collar // Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain {Reckless Pink} // NARS Illuminator {Copacabana} // Maria Black Darling Double Ring // Rory Becca Deep V-Back Dress //    Diptyque 'Do Son' Eau de Perfume // Tory Burch 'Molly' Clutch // Ariel Gordon Jewelry Love Knot Ring // Aveda 'Pure Abundance' Hair Potion // Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow Palette

Good morning!  I'm guest posting today on 702 Park Project about my favorite rooms inspired by The Greenbrier, so be sure to check it out {and while you're there, take a look at pictures of Sara's gorgeous historic home renovation...love love love it!}

I have two warm-weather vacations on the horizon - a weeklong trip to St. Martin with my family followed by a two and a half week trip to Thailand next winter {yes, I know it is still 9 months away...but there is no harm in getting the planning started early!} - which means I need to start strategically planning what I want to pack.  Both destinations will be hot hot hot, so I'm thinking that lightweight, breezy pieces will be best for me.  Since luggage space will be an issue {especially in Thailand where I would prefer to pack as little as possible}, I want to make sure that everything I bring can be dressed up or down and can be rolled up into a little ball without being completely destroyed.

For daytime exploration, lunch by the sea, and island hopping I plan on picking up this simple cotton shirtdress that can be easily worn many different ways.  I will be squeezing in my Longchamp tote and a Calyspo St. Barth hat, both of which can be be folded into my suitcase.  And of course since we will be in the hot tropical sun I will be loading up on SPF.  I'm loving these Sam Edelman sandals and can see them easily going from day to night in a flash.

For nighttime cocktails and music on the beach I'll be wearing light and airy slip dresses like this little Rory Becca number.  Makeup will be minimal...think dewy skin, neutral eyes, and a glossy lip.  I'll be sticking to my favorite vacation scent, diptyque's Do Son.  Add a statement necklace, a tropical clutch, and voluminous hair and I'll be good to go!

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Travel :: A Day in Positano, Italy

It has been nearly two years since our trip to Positano, but I still find myself mentally visiting and revisiting the beautiful gem of the Amalfi Coast almost every day.  The five days we spent there were some of the most memorable of my life, filled with more *pinch me* moments than I could ever explain.  If you're planning a trip to Southern Italy I could not recommend enough making time to visit the stunning Amalfi Coast.  Positano would be my recommendation of places to stay, but Capri would also be quite wonderful!  Splurge for a sea-view room at your hotel {if you're feeling very luxurious, stay at the world-famous Le Sirenuse...and while you're at it, invite me to join you!} and wake up to the sky turning pink and purple over the Mediterranean.  And for the perfect day...

Fashion :: A Winter Getaway

Joie Silk Floral Top // Bobbi Brown 'Beach' Perfume // Aerin 'Rose' Lip Conditioner // YSL Eye Palette // JCrew Pleated Poplin Skirt // Converse Chuck Taylor // Coco Palms Pouch // Ban.do Twist Scarf // Serena & Lily Beach Towel // JCrew Lemon Crystal Necklace // Prada 'Crow' Sunglasses // Polka Dot Dress // JCrew Panama Hat // Loeffler Randall Jude Scalloped Sandal // Lacquer Palm Drops // Rebecca Minkoff PVC Crossbody // Tibi Magenta Silk Top // Heidi Klein Bikini Top & Bottom // Frends 'Layla' Headphones // Hair Ties // Ole Henrickson Sunscreen // JCrew Silk Snood // Loeffler Randall Starla Plank Sandal

Good morning dears!  I hope you all had a lovely weekend.  Friday night Ryan surprised me by taking me to see a silent film accompanied by the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra at The Museum of Art, followed by a relaxed but romantic dinner at one of our favorite local spots.  We got another six inches of snow on Friday, plus a few more over the weekend, and this week are supposed to see rising temperatures & rain which means a good chance for flooding...ick!  

Suffice it to say, I am in serious need of a winter getaway.  I keep daydreaming about laying in the sun, the warm breeze on my skin {which isn't covered up with layer upon layer of wool}, and drifting away to the sound of the ocean.  Lucky for me, we are heading to Florida in a month for a destination wedding and decided to extend the trip a week.  I can't wait to lay by the water with a few good books, eat fresh seafood, and mostly be able to walk around all day in short sleeves!  What a novelty :) And since a beach vacation always requires a little bit of pre-holiday shopping, I have rounded up some of my favorite goodies to get you warm-weather ready.  Enjoy!

Lucca, Italy

We stayed in the Cinque Terre for five days, and on one of which decided to take a day trip to the fortified medieval town and UNESCO World Heritage site of Lucca.  And can I just say that I. fell. in. love.  Seriously, such a gorgeous little city that I would totally want to go back and spend a couple more days in.  The ancient stone wall surrounding the old town has been turned into a biking/walking/running path that is filled with postcard views of the city and the beautiful surrounding countryside.  We rented bikes for the day and biked around the wall as well as through the city.  The narrow, winding streets truly take you back to another day and age, I just kept imaging Romeo and Juliet to walk by me.  We stopped into tiny shops, climbed two of the medieval towers for amazing views of the city, and spent a few hours eating pizza and pasta, drinking wine, and splitting a gelato banana split under umbrellas in the Piazza Anfiteatro while it rained and a man nearby played the accordion.  Truly perfect!

Genoa, Italy {We're Back!}

Well hello there!  I am sorry for the radio silence over here, I had big plans to schedule a bunch of posts to run while we were on vacation, but life got in the way so here we go :)

We got back from Italy last night and, like always, I am feeling like I am in a bit of a post-vacation funk.  It felt like we were gone forever, yet went by so quickly at the same time.  Our 2.5 weeks in Italy were absolutely wonderful, and the next few days will basically be me trying to download and edit the thousands of pictures I took on the trip.  So get ready for an Italy overload here on Dreams in HD.  For now, I will leave you with photos from our first stop - the port town of Genoa.

We were set to visit our first stop, the Cinque Terre, on Saturday the 14th, but I decided to fly into Genoa a day early to give us a little time to get acclimated to the time change and also to allow us to get up the next morning bright and early so we could have the full day in the Cinque Terre.  I didn't have many expectations for Genoa {a port town, famous for being the hometown of Christopher Columbus} other than finding a decent hotel with a comfy bed, just in case one of us was too jet-lagged from the 18+ hour trip.  

However, like usual upon arrival I was too excited to sleep so we headed out of our hotel {The Hotel Bristol Palace which had the most gorgeous oval staircase I have ever seen} to explore the town.  I have to say I was quite pleasantly surprised and we really enjoyed our time in Genoa.  Would I plan on going back for an extended period of time?  Probably not.  But if you are ever flying into the airport or leaving for a cruise out of the port I would really recommend staying an extra day to check it out.  We visited the gorgeous Romanesque San Lorenzo Church, a black and white striped masterpiece {totally reminded me of something out of a Tim Burton film} and wandered around the town.  It was an interesting mix of old and new, ornate and gritty.  Plus, there were virtually no tourists there which is always so refreshing.

In the evening based on a local's recommendation we hopped on the bus and headed to Boccadasse, an old fisherman's village about 4KM away from downtown Genoa.  We didn't really have any expectations other than hopefully finding a decent place for dinner, so imagine our surprise when we turned the corner and found the most gorgeous little cove surrounded by tiny boats, colorful houses built on top of one another, and a picturesque view of the sea.  We spent the evening drinking wine with the locals at a lively enoteca along the water {didn't hear a word of English all night...score!} and dining at an elegant seafood restaurant perched above the sea.  It was an absolutely perfect start to our trip and to really begin living La Dolce Vita!