Author: Amanda Page 2 of 75

Mexico Travel Diary

We were so lucky to get away this February – especially since as soon as we returned from this trip it felt like the whole world fell apart. I’m grateful we got away, but we had a few other trips planned this year that sadly had to be cancelled. It’s been such a crazy time since we got back from this trip, so I haven’t been writing or posting much. COVID-19 came out of nowhere and obviously we haven’t experienced anything like this before. It’s a really hard thing to imagine, that the whole world could just be all of a sudden shut down for months on end. So many people now suffering from loss of life and jobs around the world and not knowing when this will end or what the after effects will be. There’s been so much uncertainty. It’s been incredibly hard to not see friends and family – I miss everyone so much – but, I am extra grateful these days. Grateful for my loved ones all safe at home, for our house, for the food in our fridge, for the ability to still go outside. As hard as this time has been, it’s also been a time of reflection, a time to slow things down and to focus on what’s most important in life.

Although it’s a little late, I did want to share some photos from our trip to Tulum. As soon as the world opens up again, I would highly recommend this trip. It was incredible and now means so much more to me given the circumstances. Going to include some of the key highlights for you below so that we can all daydream together about traveling again one day when this is all over.

Where We Stayed:

We stayed at Unico 2087 and I would highly recommend. We aren’t big fans of all inclusive resorts, but this one was perfect and didn’t feel like your typical all-inclusive. The grounds were stunning, the beach was beautiful and great for long walks, the rooms were great and the service was impeccable. The food/bev was also incredible, which really does make or break your trip.

I loved their attention to detail and little unique offerings – like “Unlimited Inclusions” where you can include things like spa visits, excursions and golf into your all-inclusive and just pay a smaller fee. There’s an app where you can do everything throughout your stay including ordering food, which came in super handy. They let you choose the scent of your room and when they do the turn-down service they turn on the diffuser so when you come back to your room the scent is filling the room. They have a pillow menu and also offer daily mixology classes. There was a ton to do and the resort is adults only, so it was a super relaxing vibe. I personally loved the movie nights, which they had a couple of times a week where they set up a big screen by the pool and you can watch a movie under the stars while eating popcorn and nachos – perfection! I’m also a sucker for an outdoor bath so the balcony was a major bonus!

We were blessed with nice weather every single day and I would totally go back here so that we can experience more of what this area of Mexico and Tulum has to offer. We spent alot of time at the resort this time since we just felt like relaxing, but would love to go back sometime and explore more. We did do one excursion to a cenoté which I will tell you more about below.

What I Wore

Outfit Details: This lemon bikini is old from La Vie En Rose and the skirt is from Shein. I loved how long/flowy it was and that you can wear it high-waisted. The resort also gifted everyone with these cute straw hats!

Outfit Details: This bathing suit is also Shein. I love the matching skirt and obviously tie-dye is so hot right now lol

Outfit Details: I got this cute tube top last summer and the shorts are from Shein – I also have a blazer to match these shorts. It’s cute separate or together which is nice to get a few different looks out of it. I love how high-waisted the shorts are!

A few of the beauty products I took on this trip and the books I read:

This new Coppertone Glow sunscreen is amazing! I love that it has a subtle shimmer to it and a gold/bronze tint – especially in the dead of winter, the tint is very much appreciated. Nivea SPF lip balm is a MUST. My lips always get burnt! I also bring my Sage essential oils with me any time I travel – They are calming and also help save me from weird smells on airplanes. I don’t travel without them. I packed a few Wet Brushes and they were honestly a lifesaver. I get super tangly hair, especially from chlorine and salt water – my hair is always in knots since it’s pretty dry from years of bleaching – these brushes untangle my hair as if it’s no big thing. It’s honestly miraculous!

I read two books on vacay – Daisy Jones and The Six, which is going to made into a mini-series soon. It was a good book, especially if you’re into music/brands and stories about touring bands – sex, drugs & rock n roll etc. I give it about 4/5.

I also read The Hating Game, which is about to be made into a movie and it was so so good! Adorable, funny and steamy. Good if you’re into rom-com movies and funny love stories. Can’t wait to see the movie! I give it a 5/5 because it really made me smile and I didn’t want it to end.

As I mentioned above, we also went on 1 excursion to a cenoté and snorkling which was incredible! We some some huge parrot fish when snorkling. The cenoté was not what I was expecting – I was expecting a cool watering hole that you could jump into. What we got was a deep underwater cave full of bats and scary as hell haha but I was so glad we did it because it was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I’m incredibly scared of bats, so I tried to ignore that part. We went deep into the cave and the water was crystal clear. Check out the video below:

Christmas Decor 2019

Christmas is my favourite time of the year and a big part of that is the fun I have decorating for the holidays. Since we are living in a new house, the decorations we were using from our condo days just weren’t cutting it anymore. This year, I decided on all new decorations and I am loving how it all turned out!

I found everything I needed at Bed Bath & Beyond. They have an incredible selection!  Including all of the details for you below.

I knew I wanted to do something special with the fireplace and dreamed of doing a garland. I love how it looks! I also knew I wanted to do flocked everything because I like the look of the added snow/white to all of the greenery. I think it makes it look chic and even more Christmas-ey!

Here is a link to the pre-lit garland, 2 wreaths and my Christmas tree. I also got these beautiful silver shatterproof Christmas ornaments! I’m also loving the two adorable mini trees I got to match my big tree!

The next area I wanted to focus on was the bar. Especially if you are planning on doing some entertaining around the holidays and throughout the rest of the year. A beautiful bar display or bar cart is such a great focal point. This Top Shelf 6-Piece Bar Tool Set looks amazing and is so heavy! It feels like great quality and I love the matching Top Shelf Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker. I gifted my husband the Godinger Dublin Crystal Decanter because he’s been really wanting a fancy whiskey decanter. This one looks incredible on the bar cabinet! It looks and feels really expensive (but the price was right!). To keep the display looking festive, I added this stunning Reed & Barton North Pole Bound Snowglobe. I have a bit of a snowglobe obsession and have them for every occasion. The details on this one is so beautiful!

These pink glasses are everything! They are really thick/heavy glass so they feel/look like really great quality. Can’t wait to make up some Christmas day mimosa’s in these babies!

And of course I had to fill under the tree with a couple of gifts from me to me J Bed Bath & Beyond has amazing gift ideas! I’ve been dying for a massager for years because I have chronic neck pain and I finally pulled the trigger on this amazing one from Bed Bath & Beyond – The HoMedics Shiatsu Deluxe Neck and Shoulder Massager. It has changed my world. I don’t know how I was living without this thing! It heats up and the fact that you can hold the straps on each side make you able to get into those little neck kinks and work out all of the knots. It’s a life-saver! If you have neck pain, do yourself a favour and gift yourself this year. You will not regret it! The other gift from me to me was a Cool Mist Humidifier. I have to sleep with background fan noise and had got into a bad habit of turning on our master bathroom fan – which was probably sucking the moisture out of the air. So now I have opted for a Cool Mist Humidifier which makes noise and also adds moisture to the air. It’s supposed to be really good for your skin! I’m loving it!

This post is in partnership with Bed Bath & Beyond. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Room Reveal: Master Bedroom

It’s been so fun to finally put together our master bedroom to the point where it now feels like a complete room. I love the way it turned out – feels like our little sanctuary!

There are a couple of key items that every master bedroom needs and I am so excited to have Bed Bath & Beyond as a partner for this post. They really do have it all to create the perfect master bedroom! I’m going to include my key products, tips and tricks below as well as links to all of the items at the bottom of this post.

GOOD BEDDING

In my opinion, the most important part of any master bedroom is good bedding.  There’s a reason everyone says to invest in your bed and your bedding – and it’s because that’s where we spend most of our lives. Also, setting yourself up for a good sleep every night is so important. Premium bedding is essential for these reasons. This duvet cover has been life changing. This is the best bedding I have ever owned and it feels like I’m in a luxury hotel bed every night. The key to good bedding is to invest in good quality sheets and a duvet that feels equal parts soft and also cold at the same time. Noone wants to feel too hot when they are sleeping, so the cold part is super important too. My other trick is to buy a duvet insert that is one size bigger than your duvet cover. We have a King duvet cover and a Caifornia King duvet insert. It’s a total game-changer. Gone are the days when the insert has moved to one side of the cover and someone is left without any! The duvet cover will feel full and super fluffy at all times and it’s amazing. Nothing is worse than a flat duvet.

CALMING ART

I love having calming art in the bedroom – something that puts you at ease and makes you feel at peace. You could go with family photos that bring back nice mem0ries, the ocean/water, or I personally love these phases of the moon prints. The lack of colour make it so that they will still go if we ever change up the bedroom and they stick with the theme of nighttime which is cute.

CUTE THROW PILLOWS

I’m obsessed with throw pillows because I think they help pull the room together. It’s also something easy that you can switch up whenever you want to give your bedroom a new look/feel. You can change them up from season to season or for the holidays – it’s a great way to add in some personality. I’ve had my eye on these banana leaf print throws ever since we got the navy headboard. I love the way they look together!

PLANTS

My theory on plants is the more the merrier. Not only do they add oxygen and purify the air, but they help fill in space and look really nice. You can find beautiful plant holders or even have them hanging from the ceiling. There’s so many options. Just make sure you have them near the windows and for the areas that aren’t close to a window you can use a faux plant or just move them back to the window during the day when you aren’t home.

    

Visit Bedbathandbeyond.ca for more information on these items!

SHOP THE POST:

Links to exact items from Bed Bath & Beyond:

Comfiest Bedding, Off White Rug, Art Print 1, Art Print 2, Art Print 3, Rope Mirror, Gold Lantern, Pink Velvet Throw Blanket, Pink Storage Hamper 

Links to similar items from Bed, Bath & Beyond

Pink Fur Rug, Pink Stool, Leaf Throw Pillows, Pink Throw Pillows, Gold Lamps, White Mid-Century Nightstand, Navy Tufted Headboard

Thanks to Bed Bath & Beyond for sponsoring this post. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Thanks to Nina Kabriaee from Shic Pic Photography for the beautiful photos!

Fall Fashion Favs

We are in full blown fall currently and this has really been one of the nicest fall season’s that I can remember. So many perfect fall days, the kind where it’s sunny and all you need is a cozy sweater. The leaves are turning and starting to fall. I really love this time of the year! I wanted to put together a post to feature some of the sweaters I’ve had on repeat lately. Each one is more soft and cute as the one before 🙂

This cute little tweed blazer with pretty buttons is my new fav workwear sweater – I am absolutely obsessed! Details HERE. (Use coupon 4pinkthe10 for 10% off)

This white sweater is unbelievably soft and I love the heart print of the little pom poms. Details HERE.

You can almost tell from the photo how soft and fluffy this cardigan is. The baby pink colour is perfection! Details HERE. (Use coupon 4pinkthe10 for 10% off)

I’m not sure it gets cuter than this hot pink pom pom situation. This cardigan just makes me really happy. Details HERE.

Is it even fall if you aren’t wearing a black and white checked poncho? Details HERE.

I also want to link to this scalloped black tank top because it goes perfectly under all of these sweaters! Details HERE.

Yes, more than half of my wardrobe is pink but the other half is grey cardigans. It’s a bit of an obsession. Probably from how well grey and pink go together… Details HERE. (Use coupon 4pinkthe10 for 10% off)

 There’s something about a leopard cardigan that screams fall and this one in particular is the ultimate in fall perfection! Details HERE.

I found this perfect pink ombre sweater when we were in Quebec City at a little boutique and I am so in love with it. It instantly became my new favourite sweater of all time. Also, these Numero black jeans fit so good and are so soft – they feel amazing and so comfy. Jean details HERE.

 

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