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Just got back from my trip… had this post saved and ready!
With wedding season just around the corner, I thought I’d share some tropical wedding bouquet pictures I had saved on my computer.
The major theme is orchids in all different colors. However there are peonies, roses, hydrangeas, camellias, gardenias, and lilies in the bouquets too.
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I’m headed to Paris right now… so there will be no new blog posts for about a week until I get back.
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If you haven’t heard by now, then let me tell you: Lilly Pulitzer is doing a collaboration with Target!! What???? Yep, that means there is fun Lilly stuff at affordable prices ($2-$150!).
Not only is there a collection for Women, but there is a collection for the home. It features plates, napkins, glassware, umbrellas, chairs, everything for your beach party!
Of course, I love a Lilly scarf. They have tons of them for a good price… $20. Normally they cost $120!
There is also a variety of espadrilles and sandals! How cute are the sandals with the pineapple??
They are tons of fabulous beach totes too…
The pieces go on sale April 19… when I’m in Paris. Boo. Sooo, I probably won’t be getting any of it as these colaborations usually sell out in like 2 seconds. Unless… you want to get me something from this list…. ya know…. hint hint-iwearamedium-hint hint. Click HERE to see the rest of the collection!!
Pictures are from Target. I was not paid for this endorsement, I just happen to love Lilly Pulitzer!
Written at http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com
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Here with another weekend whimsy… I’ll be taking a break for the next 2 weekends while I’m on vacation.
– OMG. you need to check out this French clothing label, Sezane. OR don’t. because I promise you’ll find something you’ll like. So… don’t check it out. your wallet thanks me.
– This blogger went to Paris for four months but then… four months turned into several years. She has the prettiest pictures and the most beautiful instagram. Y’all need to check out her blog.
One non-French thing…. Game of Thrones starts this weekend! Who’s excited?! (me!!!). Remind yourself here of what happened last season so you’re ready for the season 5 premiere!
Ok, hope you enjoyed this weekend’s French edition of Weekend whimsy!!
Written at http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com
We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.
I’m headed to Paris next week on what I’m calling my “Tour du Patisserie”. I’ve been to Paris a few times before, so I’ve “been there and done that” to some of the most famous attractions. My husband has never been, so we will be going to the Louvre and Eiffel Tower, but I have some other things in mind…
…It involves things like…
…This raspberry ispahan macaron creation from Pierre Herme…
Eating my *favorite* French cake… Le Fraisier! It is light sponge cake with yummy mousseline creme, with strawberries sandwiched inside… topped with a thin layer of marzipan and sometimes honey. It is so light and refreshing. My wedding cake was a frasier cake.
I want to try this rose ispahan croissant from Pierre Herme… I’ve read wonders about it… It is a buttery croissant glazed with rose-flavored almond cream, then drizzled with candied rose petals and filled with raspberry litchi pate. I’ve read even for those rose flavored dessert haters, this is like a bite of heaven!
Or perhaps trying this caramel eclair from Cafe Pouchkine…
This caramel mille feuille (napoleon in English) from Hugo et Victor is mouthwatering… layers of crunchy caramelized pastry with a caramel creme in between.
Perhaps we’ll enjoy a sip of Chocolat Africain (aka the world’s best hot chocolate!) at Angelina’s… when my family and I first went to Paris years ago, we stumbled upon this shop which was just down the street from our hotel. We didn’t find out until years later that our local little pastry shop that we’d go to in the afternoons was world-famous! Ha!
Maybe we will try a St. Honore from Arnaud Lehrer. The St Honore is a ring of puff pastry with pastry creme, then topped with pastry puffs that are filled with creme and dipped in either chocolate or sugar…
I’ve never had a Paris Brest before, but it is supposed to be like nutella in a bite. It has praline cream layered in-between two crunchy but soft choux pastry sides with some chocolate in the center. Patisserie des Reves is supposed to make a fabulous one…
I love the fresh fruit tarts… this tarte framboise pistache, aka raspberry pistachio tart from Pain du Sucre is supposed to be delicious…. It has fresh raspberries with a glaze, with a pistachio cake in the center.
Alright, so I know, technically, that ice cream does not fall into the “patisserie” category. But I’m adding it to my “tour du patisserie” anyway. The three flavors below are supposed to be amazing. They are from world famous ice cream house, Berthillon, and I’m going to wait in line to try them!
Apparently the chocolat noir (dark chocolate) is amazing, but the caramel beurre sale (salted butter caramel) is to-die-for!
left, dark chocolate, right salted butter caramel source
What I’ve read though, is if the fresh wild strawberry (frais de bois) is in season, it is a must try. It is different than the regular strawberry flavor, it contains whole fresh strawberries and is apparently like no other ice cream.
I also *love* croissants aux amandes (almond croissants)… even though most of them are made from day-old croissants. This one is from Laurent Duchene, and I don’t have a preference where I eat my croissants from! They are all delicious compared to the ones in America!
But let’s face it, my favorite favorite thing in Paris is just a plain ol’ croissant. I have been searching for croissants in the US that are similar to those in Paris and have only been let down. The perfect croissant is buttery, light and airy, but crisp on the outside. It has the perfect little crunch, but then it is soft in the inside. While I usually go for the plain croissant, the pain du chocolat (chocolate croissant) is always delicious. The shelf life of a croissant is 4 hours. Thus, we are to only eat croissants before 10am when they are still fresh…
Is there anything I should add to my “Tour du Patisserie” before I head off to Paris in 2 weeks??
Perhaps I need to add some pepcid and tums into my luggage, after seeing my list! I feel like a little piggy with this list, but I’ve read the best souvenir from Paris is the 5 pounds of pastry weight you gain. And as for the “diet”, I heard French women don’t diet, so I won’t either…
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I travel frequently and I thought I would share my guide about what to pack in your carry-on luggage bag.
I find that keeping these items in your carry-on makes you flight much more pleasant! This guide works for both domestic and international trips.
What to pack for vacation in your carry-on luggage bag
Nº 1 // Noise canceling headphones – I *highly* recommend noise canceling headphones, especially for your 12 hour flights. I have them both. I like the earbuds because they are less bulky (and the case is smaller too) and don’t mess up my hair. The over-the-ear noise canceling headphones work better than the earbuds, have nicer sound quality and are nicer for longer flights. Either way, it is up to you and your preference!
Nº 2 // Hair brush – 12 hours is a long time for your hair to look bad, especially in the dry environment . You are guaranteed to get sleepyhead after trying to snooze sitting straight up.
Nº 3 // Camera – you need to put your camera in your carry-on so it does not get lost or stolen in your checked bag. I have a GoPro camera and I cannot sing enough praise about it for a travel camera especially if you like to hike/do adventurous things. It is waterproof, you can take it surfing, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, biking.
Nº 4 // Hand cream – It’s really dry in the airplane. You will be wanting hand cream.
Nº 5 // Lip Balm – Your lips will get dry on the airplane.
Nº 6 // a Pen – You will need to fill out some customs papers at some point. Bring a pen!
Nº 7 // Granola bar – This is nice to have because you never know when you’ll need some sustenance. I am loving the Kind bars right now.
Nº 8 // Water bottle – I usually just buy one in the airport, that way if I’m desperate for space on the way home I can toss it. However, you can also bring your own!
Nº 9 // iPad – The iPad has everything I need… books, movies, music, and a notepad to jot down thoughts. I read my travel books on this on the way to the location I’m headed to.
Nº 10 // Keys – Don’t forget your house and car keys! Get this bluetooth key finder keychain if you tend to lose your keys like me!
Nº 11 //Make up bag – Trust me, you’ll want to do some touching on before landing so keep your make up organized in a chic make up bag.
Nº 12 // Hand sanitizer – Airplanes are full of germs. You’ll feel better after using this, even if you washed your hands in the loo.
Nº 13 // Charging Essentials For your Electronics! – I recommend a portable power battery pack so that way your phone or smart device won’t die on long plane! Also, when you get to your hotel room you will probably only have about two plugs and so many things to charge. We use this USB multi port charger – it has two USB ports that charge faster, and is foldable and compact for travel and has UK and EU adapters as well! It is the best.
Nº 14 //Ear plugs – You will wish you had these when the screaming baby or chatty neighbor sits behind you on your twelve hour flight!
Nº 15 //Mint gum – Gum helps your ears pop in ascent/descent and gives you some fresh breath!
Nº 16 //Munchies – You will need something to munch on, as I’m sure you’ll either get hungry or bored. I like to bring dried fruit or popcorn as they fill the munchie need but don’t fill you with tons of extra calories.
Nº 17 //Blanket scarf – The temperature of the airplane varies too much. A blanket scarf is nice for those temperature fluctuations.
Nº 18 // Evian water spray – This Evian water spray is so nice and refreshing during a long flight!!
Nº 19 // Passport and wallet – If there’s one thing you *must* bring on international travel it is your passport. If you’re traveling overseas, you will want an anti RFID theft one because apparently over there in crowded spaces/subways/buses they will use little scanners and steal your credit card information from your chip credit card.
Nº 20 //Travel size perfume – You’ll want to reapply your perfume just before you get off of your flight.
Nº 21 //Travel bag – You need a bag big enough to fit all of this stuff in that fits under the seat in front of you! My FAVORITE bag is this expandable longchamp bag – I have both sizes this larger one and this smaller one. However I LOVE this non-expandable version too and actually will use it as my purse on travel!
Nº 22 //Eye mask – You will want this for when the person next to you leaves their reading light on the whole flight. I like this silk one or my favorite one here. Nº 23 // Toothbrush and toothpaste – So, 10 hours into your international flight, it is now suddenly morning time where you land and you realized you haven’t brushed your teeth in approx 24 hours. You’ll be glad you brought this!
Nº 24 //Slipper socks – I always take off my shoes while sitting in my chair on international travel and put slipper socks on over my regular socks. It keeps my toes warm… just make sure you put on your shoes before you start walking around the plane. You could take these foldable ballet flats which are super comfy and then you can wear them on your trip. They are so nice because they fold up perfectly into your carry on!
Nº 25 // Carry-on Suitcase – I personally travel an older version of this Tumi International Bag. My Father used to travel all of the time (seriously, 500k miles!) and the Tumi bag has survived! I seriously cannot sing enough praise about Tumi bags. They are expensive but worth the money. If you are mainly a domestic traveler, then this Tumi Domestic Carry On bag is GREAT as well ( have that one too!). The Rimowa Bags are extremely popular as well, but I don’t use them so I can’t give a review. Don’t know the difference between International and Domestic Bags? The international bags are slightly smaller and fit within the regulations of the European airlines!
Nº 26 // Jet Lag Mask – Since I’ve created this list, a brand new beauty mask came out this year and I cannot sing enough praises about it! It’s called the Jet Lag Mask and it is seriously FANTASTIC. Like if you had to buy one beauty thing to travel with it is this mask! It makes your dehydrated sorry looking airplane skin look amazing! It seriously did wonders to my face. The great part is you don’t have to rinse it off – you just wipe off the excess after 10 minutes.
Nº 27 // A Travel Pillow – On a really long flight it is nice to have an extra pillow besides the one they give you. There is this one that has 3000 reviews on Amazon, this one that is more like a scarf/wrap/pillow. My most recent trip I got these blocks that blow up – they seemed stupid at first but I LOVED them so much I am never going on an international flight again without them.
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The pictures on this blog are so pleasing to the eye… but I have no idea what the blog says as it’s in another language. Take a look at these pretty Easter pictures!
//SIX//
I am in love with this hare fabric… I would use it besides Easter time!
//SEVEN//
These tussie mussie napkins have me just dying from cuteness! They are easy to make too, you could pull it off in time for tomorrow!
//EIGHT//
This rabbit menu card is so cute… the little bunny tail carnation is so clever!
//NINE//
I fell in love with the Pottery Barn glitter eggs but they sold out before I could buy them… this is the perfect Pottery Barn Easter copy-cat!
We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.
We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.
I’m headed to Paris in April and for my big 3-0 birthday I am going to get a Louis Vuitton from their store headquarters on the Champs-Elysees. Swoon. Dream come true!
Question is though… what bag to get?!? They have so many different types of bags, which is nice, but at the same time makes it hard to choose for someone who is a little indecisive about it.
So, I could appreciate your two cents. (No really, I could use the two cents to help me buy this bag! haha!!).
Let’s look at the choices that I’ve narrowed it down to… #1
Now this is the classic speedy bag. It’s what Louis Vuitton is known for. Iconic monogram, iconic shape. Here’s the problem though… this bag loses its cute shape when you put stuff in it. And the opening into it isn’t very big. But, they do make felt bag shapers to let the bag keep its shape.
#2
The speedy in blue. Same purse. Just in blue. What I like about this pattern is the Spring/Summer feel of it. But there’s one problem with the Damier Azur pattern and it’s this: the dye from your blue jeans will rub onto the pattern and stain it. Yes, ruined forever… unless you’re careful. I would be careful. #3
This “Dora” bag is a recent introduction to their collection. I like the classic lines of the bag and the fact that it keeps its shape. It also has an optional shoulder strap which is major bonus points to me because I’m more likely to tote it around town. All of the dora bags have optional shoulder straps.
I quite like the black edges around this one because it won’t fade like the traditional tan edges do. But the bag is stiff and it is hard to get your hand in and out of it.
#4
The Dora in a soft leather with a new pattern. It’s different. I am unsure how I feel about the red letters… definitely a Winter bag.
#5
The Marais bag. This bag is nice because it has three separate compartments to store your stuff. The only thing though, is that I don’t think it can fit on your shoulder. (I have to go play in the store to see if I can get it on my shoulder). So it’s really a hand-bag. I really need to be able to at least put the bag on my shoulder for me to use it… otherwise it will likely sit in the closet.
Apparently, however, this bag has been retired and will be unavailable for purchase!
#6
The Salina bag. I actually really love this bag. I think this color pattern would go better with my wardrobe than the classic monogram. Since this bag sits up high enough from your jeans you wouldn’t have to worry about dye transfer.
They are retiring this bag as well, from what I was told.
#7
The Neverfull. It’s a very practical bag. You can through anything and everything into it. But I’m not really that in-love with the shape. The straps on the side could allow you to adjust the shape. This is the most cost-effective choice, which is why I think I see this bag everywhere.
#8
The Neverfull in Damier Azur. What I like about this pattern is how Spring/Summer like it feels. This bag would probably not get dyed from your jeans.
#9
The Reviro. I like the black straps on it, it does zip. It has a nice classic shape and it wouldn’t lose its shape. The metal on the bottom of the bag would keep it from getting dirty.
Help me decide! Which one do you vote for?! Leave a comment!
Written at http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com
pictures are from the Louis Vuitton website.
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