The Reinvention of Me: What Comes Next

I have never had more beautiful scenery, upon descent, than I did flying into Salt Lake!

 

 

 

 

 

As I’ve said in my other two Belgium posts, it’s been 13 years, since I’ve been to Europe.  Lucky for me, I finally had a chance to return.  From September 1-6, my friends and I traveled around Belgium to take in all of its beauty, many of the towns, the languages and definitely some of the food and drink.  This travel itinerary will come in three posts: Brussels, Mons and Bruges, as there is just way too much to share!  Many, MANY thanks to the Smith Family for hosting us!!!!

Words cannot even describe how amazing Bruges is.  Imagine the perfect fall day with the perfect air temperature, the leaves rustling and it being just crisp enough that you want to stroll around the canals, the alleyways, the streets and the square with a cappuccino in your hand and take it all in.  There’s a reason it is called “The Venice of Belgium”.  It’s beautiful, it’s quaint and it’s romantic.  It is the one place in Belgium I am definitely returning to, to spend at least four days taking it in.

The pictures below don’t do it justice.  Since it was a Sunday, most everything was closed (other places close at 6 pm).  Thus, we missed the Michelangelo sighting, the Salvador Dali exhibit, the chocolate museum, a peek into numerous historical buildings, the horse carriage ride and the canal ride (hence why I need to return). Still, we happened to stumble upon the only thing going on that day -  a cheese festival (amazing) – and learned that no matter how many people pack into an area, it’s one of the safest towns in Belgium.

Shopping and Dining

Bruges is a hub of both common shops and boutique shopping, as well as home to many delicious cafes. We started our day with a wonderful cafe lunch at Cafe Francois, which sits inside of the Burg Square.  Our view allowed us to take in a beautiful view of City Hall, as well as the carriage tours, which started there.

The interesting thing about this restaurant, as well as most of the city, is that the primary language is Flemish.  However, almost all menus (and servers for that matter) can be found in English.  Needless to say, it made our dining experience the best yet.

When we were done, we headed down the main shopping corridor to just sort of wander around.  (I bought a beautiful black Chantilly lace Chinese fan).  From this point on, it was an incredible experience of stumbling upon more and more beauty at every turn.

As I said in my post about Brussels, it’s been 13 years, since I’ve been to Europe.  Lucky for me, I finally had a chance to return.  From September 1-6, my friends and I traveled around Belgium to take in all of its beauty, many of the towns, the languages and definitely some of the food and drink.  This travel itinerary will come in three posts: Brussels, Mons and Bruges, as there is just way too much to share!  Many, MANY thanks to the Smith Family for hosting us!!!!

Mons is where our friends live.  It’s a quaint town with lots of open fields and farms.  According to Wikipedia, “The first signs of activity in the region of Mons can be found at Spiennes, where some of the best flint tools in Europe were found dating from the Neolithic period. When Julius Caesar arrived in the region in the 1st century BC, the region was settled by the Nervii. A castrum was built in Roman times, giving the settlement its first Latin name Castrilocus; the name was later changed into Montes for the hills on which the castrum was built.“

Like all other towns in Europe, it too boasts a market square, which includes a belfry, Town Hall, shopping and many cafes. However, it’s history is much more dark and ridden with peril along the way, including an arson in the 1990′s.   It’s also much more expansive than Grand Place in Belgium.

Dining

On our first night in Mons, we ate at Le Saint-Germain Cafe – also known for their mussels.  The view of the market square, from our outdoor seats, included the local street bands, the fountains and of course, the belfry.

On our last night in Mons, we headed to a hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant, named Ashok’s.  It’s a beautifully decorated, authentic Indian cuisine spot that sits on the side of a quiet road, boasting breath-taking chateaus.  Definitely a must-eat place if you ever visit this little town!

Shopping

There is a ton of shopping, right off of Market Square.  I popped into a store called Jacqueline Riu, which carries affordable French fashions.  I scored a brand new outfit for about 82 Euros – picture to follow tomorrow.

Le Chateau d’Havre

Just outside of Mons in a town called Havre, sits a once elegant castle, which now stands in ruins.  Le Chateau d’Havre has had a lot of unfortunate luck, over the centuries, and the families that once were responsible for its upkeep have now abandoned efforts to restore it and looters had set in to remove artifacts.  Thus, it now serves as a public park and a site for events.

Although we didn’t spend a ton of time exploring Mons, we felt we got the true experience of such a quaint town.  Next time, I’m popping into a few chateaus for tea

Stay tuned for my next most on Bruges!

It’s been 13 years, since I’ve been to Europe.  Lucky for me, I finally had a chance to return.  From September 1-6, my friends and I traveled around Belgium to take in all of its beauty, many of the towns, the languages and definitely some of the food and drink.  This travel itinerary will come in three posts: Brussels, Mons and Bruges, as there is just way too much to share!  Many, MANY thanks to the Smith Family for hosting us!!!!

Best Posh Cafe in Brussels

Our trip started at  Wittamer Cafe in downtown Brussels (Bruxelles to the natives).  According to sources, this is the “creme de la creme” of places to take a leisurely coffee break.  It’s known for its decadent desserts and pastries, as well as amazing cappuccinos and hot chocolates!  Sitting outdoors affords you the opportunity to run into Belgian celebrities and sports figures, none of which I’d ever be able to pick out of a lineup.  Still, a great way to start the trip!

Grand Place Downtown Brussels

After our two-hour break, we decided to go explore downtown Brussels.  After taking several twists and turns down streets/alleyways, lined with chocolate shops, we made it to the Grand Place (pronounced plats).  As most European travelers know, almost every town has one – it’s just a big town square where people congregate.  (Click here for the complete history.)  In this particular case, it’s a famous one, as it started construction in the 1100s and boasts influences from the Medieval times, as well as Louis XIV.  On our first day there, we happened to stumble upon two things: 1) A meeting of princes at the Royal Windsor Hotel, where I could have stayed for the next hour or so to snag one ; but 2) a setup for one of the world’s largest beer festivals to celebrate the Manneken-Pis – more on that later.

Grand Prix Exhibition Race

Our first full day took us out to the former World’s Fair site, Expo 58,  for the Grand Prix Historical Exhibition race.  It was a day for car enthusiasts, allowing VIP ticket holders to race historical Grand Prix cars for 10 laps, as well as chance for spectators to see historical Grand Prix cars in motion from the 60s – 90s.  Check out my videos and pictures below.

Festival of Mannequin-Pis

As previously introduced, this same weekend that we’re here, the big Manneken-Pis beer festival was also going on, complete with parade (which we happened to stumble upon).  Thousands of people were jammed-packed into a roped-off, tented area to sample hundreds of beers from across Belgium, France and Germany.

Dining and Drinking

Our time in Brussels couldn’t be complete without tasting some of the local cuisine and hitting up one of the most infamous bars.  We started at a place called Chez Leon’s, which is known for their mussels (yes, I made that Mussels from Brussels joke about a half dozen times) and then headed to Delirium – a massive, world-reknown bar that brews its own beer, now found in the United States.  Given that I cannot drink beer, I was lucky to be able to try some Belgium pear cider, called Stassen.

If you notice, I didn’t say anything about chocolate yet.  That’s because the entire first day, just the smell alone fills you up but don’t worry, I didn’t leave Belgium without some

Stay tuned for my next most on Mons!

I LOVE travel – the ability to experience new cultures, speak new languages and otherwise detach myself from everyday life.

From August 21 – 25, myself and two of my wonderful friends headed to Cancun or rather, Isla Mujeres – the island off of Cancun’s mainland.  Below is a recap of our awesome vacation, including where we stayed, what we did and what I bought!

Accomodations

It’s off season in Cancun right now so packaged all-inclusive deals are CHEAP!  After much research, we selected three-year-old Privliges Aluxes Isla Mjueres resort.  It’s situated towards the west end of the six-mile island with beautiful blue water and plenty of white sand.  Upon arrival (think two airplane rides, a shuttle, a ferry and walking two blocks to get there), we were greeted with champagne and… UPGRADES!  Our friend Michael was upgraded to a beautiful Premium room, complete with three-person jacuzzi tub on his balcony.  Kate and I were upgraded to a Deluxe Suite (almost 1000 sq. ft.), with an expansive living room, full kitchen and gorgeous spa bathroom.  Our view was just as amazing.

Restaurants

There are three restaurants on the property.  Since it’s all-inclusive, we had our choice of those three options, room service and of course, all we could drink as well.  We found Sabor to be best for desserts and breakfast, as they had a great buffet, as well as dinner.  Cafe de la Mer, which sat directly on the beach was great for lunch (think awesome guacamole) and day drinks (as was the swim up bar).  The other option, Satay, was Asian fusion and not very good.  This was the only restaurant that took reservations and we were far from impressed.  My suggestion, at least have lunch off-property at some of the amazing restaurants this island has to offer!

What we Did

Watched Incredible Sunsets

I’ve seen some beautiful sunsets in my day but to see such a large, red fireball dip into the ocean never gets old.  It also makes for some great lighting, during an impromptu photo shoot

Visiting the Mayan Ruins

More than plenty of time was spent by/in the pool, over the course of our time there.  However, our second full day in and we made some new friends.  We agreed that we needed to go explore and thus decided to take a taxi cab ride to the other end of the island to go find the Mayan ruins.  As it turns out, the ruins are a bit harder to find and they are significantly less impressive than those you see in other parts of Mexico.  The site we ended up visiting was Goddess of Ixchel.  It looked more like a fort than anything else.  Thus, Michael and I took to an impromptu photo shoot while our friends visited the gift shop.

Turning into Nocturnal Amphibious Creatures

After a long day out with our friends and dinner, we all agreed that a night swim in the ocean would be perfect.  It’s something I’ve never done before, mostly out of fear of getting “nipped” and not seeing what did it.  Yet, that night, it was so perfect – the water so warm (and yes, I survived without a single scrape).  This was followed by “sneaking” into one of the massive hidden hot tubs to relax before turning in for the night.

A Day in the Town

One of things I love best about Isla Mujeres is that it is not commercialized.  You can’t find a single Starbucks, Burger King or other fast food/dining establishment.  The closest thing to it was the 7-11 on one of the corners.  In addition, most of the people can speak (broken) English but it gave me a chance to use the Spanish I know to get around.  Kate, myself and our new friends set off, in search of food and after speaking with their diving instructors, were given a recommendation to try El Poc Chuc.  This is definitely a must-eat.  Everything down to the corn tortillas was hand-made.  The food was so delicious that we wish we had tried it sooner.

After we ate, we decided to do a little shopping/haggling (something else I don’t get to practice much).  After visiting MANY jewelry and specialty stores, I settled on a place called Paw-Pao for a commissioned pendant.  I fell in love with the intricacies of the Aztec calendar and found many sterling silver pendants, encased in gold plating.  After a lot of negotiating, I had them encase the pendant in 14K gold instead.  It’s such a beautiful piece.  To read more about the Aztec calendar, click here.

The shopping wasn’t complete though – I also bought an abalone Mayan mask.  According to history, these masks represented functional and ceremonial purposes, such as protection in battle, weddings and birth celebrations.

My final purchase: a marble jewelry box that when opened, features two kissing seals.

Adios Mexico

Four nights and four days is plenty of time to do what you want on the island.  It was an amazing vacation with some incredible people!  Check out some more photos below.

Since Thursday, it has been non-stop celebrations of many different kinds.

First, a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS goes out to the new Mr. and Mrs. Richardson!  They were married at St. Brigid in San Diego on August 12th.

Shortly after their wedding, some of us headed out to Cass St. Bar and Grill to grab a drink and play pool.  I’m sure everyone can imagine how it looks to have a well-coiffed bridesmaid in her bridesmaid’s dress and flip flops, trying (rather seriously) to play a game or two… at a very “divey” dive bar.

After an hour, I did what I always do after a long night out in Pacific Beach – went down to the beach to listen to the ocean.  It’s one of the most peaceful times to go – it’s sparsely populated.  Definitely a romantic spot and one I never get tired of.

The following day could not have been more perfect.  It started with a long walk/run around the bay, followed by a late lunch at Firehouse – it’s hands-down one of my favorite places.  (Hint: Request rooftop seating) This was followed by a trip to Lahaina Beach House.  It’s the only bar that allows you to sip a cool beer and watch the sunset, right as it dips into the ocean, two steps from the beach.  (Note: If it’s cloudy, it’s still fun!)

That evening, I headed downtown with a friend to the University Club, which also owns the Tower Club, for those of you who live in Northern Virginia.  The swank interior (which makes me contemplate how I’ll decorate my next place) barely compares to the skyline view of all of San Diego and Mexico – it’s completely breath-taking, so much so I had a hard time wanting to leave.  Still, there was more to do.

I was able to organize a get together with new and old friends from both SoCal and DC.  We started at La Puerta in the Gaslamp District for dinner and moved onto a brand new club called F Six.  Not one for always going out dancing, this is definitely a place to check out – the DJ was amazing.

Shout outs go to Amy Senger, Damian Mendez, Amanda Myers (and her cousin and friend), Mark Leone (can’t believe I ran into you) and Tyler Everhart for an amazing time!!!

Boy, oh boy!  When I need a break, do I need a BREAK!  This past weekend,  I took a weekend getaway trip to Lewes, DE – a small fishing and farming town, acclaimed for being “the first town established in the first state established”.  It’s a sleepy little place, providing one an immense amount of peace and quiet, while offering them a rich historical experience.

Accommodations

I made reservations at Hotel Blue – a small boutique hotel in Fisherman’s Wharf.  Although small, they leave no detail unturned, including koi ponds (with fish) on the first floor suites, as well as fireplaces in all rooms, blue LED lighting under the sinks and light-up ice buckets. This is in addition to all of the artwork the hotel displays by local artists.

Dining

I spent time in both Lewes, as well as Rehoboth.  Below is a run-down of places I dined.

Purple Parrot

I was craving Mexican and this place looked interesting.  On the menu?  Parrot Poop.  It’s a dip of black beans, guacamole and cheese and it’s tasty – if you can get past the name of it.  To wash it down – a margarita.  For $9 you get a full pint glass.

The Buttery

Nestled in a Victorian Mansion, The Buttery is a quaint, romantic restaurant with historic charm and tremendous food.  My Server, Pat, was so incredibly delightful, as was the rest of the staff there.  I was given the “best table they had”,  situated in front of a window, overlooking the porch that was decorated with colorful blooms.  My suggestions for order: The spinach and goat cheese salad with beet chips, followed by the beef.  For dessert – I chose two mouth-watering options that included coconut sorbet and the best vanilla creme brulee I’ve ever had.

The Green Turtle

A well-known sports bar in the D.C. area, The Green Turtle has an impressive part of the Rehoboth Boardwalk.  Dining in-doors or outdoors, you get a great view of the beach.

Kilwin’s

Next to Candy Kitchen for salt water taffy, this is the place to get great, homemade chocolates and ice cream.  My favorite: Chocolate-dipped marshmallows on a stick – they are to-die-for.

Bricker’s French Fries

Boardwalk French Fries was in a league all their own 10 years ago.  Today, beach boardwalks all over the U.S. are giving other french fry companies a chance – it’s also promoting incredibly unhealthy eating habits of the average consumer.  While I did get a small cup of fries (size not small, event though ordered as such), there were sizes that ranged up to a TUB.  Worse yet, people were walking down the boardwalk with them (which goes back to the old saying, “Spandex is a privilege, not a right.”)  Our review of the place: skip the fries.

2 Dips

Walking back from the bay on our first full evening, not much was open, in the way of a late-night snack.  2 Dips was a perfect place to fill that craving.  Situated just a few hundred feet from the dunes, in an old firehouse, 2 Dips offers so many different flavors of ice cream, as well as a garage full of police memorabilia to look at (while you’re eating), since the town was erected in the 1600s.  The owner – a mid-50′s, jolly man, who loves his job and his collection.  It was definitely a unique ice cream experience.

Nottinghill Coffee

In a quaint coffee shop in the middle of “downtown” Lewes, there is a big aroma that hits you the minute you open the door.  Lined on both sides of the shop are home-roasted coffee beans of ever flavor imaginable.  Off to your right, extra large sacks of coffee beans with a shiny roaster.  Yes, this shop actually roasts its own beans and the owner – just a pint-sized woman with an extra large personality at the helm (or crank).

Not only are the coffees amazing (we took home a bag) but so are the baked goods – they had a crustless quiche lorraine that was delicious.

Shopping

.. and what would a getaway be without checking out a few boutiques?  After browsing through every magazine in the hotel room, as well as some other sleuthing online, I found a few.  However, one stood out from the rest – Azura Clothing - at Rehoboth Beach.  Look for a separate post on the pieces I chose.  All of their pieces are unique and very fashionable.

In Lewes, there isn’t much in the way of shopping. But, if you’re an antiques/estate jewelry collector, you’re in luck!  With so much rich history, Lewes doesn’t have a shortage of artifacts to purchase.

Things to Do

If you’re a history buff, walking the town is a joy.  Even on privately-held homes, there are plaques, giving the history of the home – there are a few notable haunted ones in there as well.

If you’re looking for a quiet beach, Lewes Bay offers a serene place to relax, read a book and enjoy a light ripple of water, splashing onto the beach.  Since it is so protected, the water is not just calm – it looks like glass, as it appears as though you can walk right on top of it.  It’s also protected by dunes, past the parking lot, which offers far less visitors.

If you’re looking for a crowd AND a beach, Rehoboth is your place to go.  There is definitely no shortage of people in every which direction.

Up for mini golf?  Try Jungle Jim’s.  It offers a hard course and an easy course – both are fun.  And if you need to cool down in the hot sun, try their water park (something we didn’t do).

Enjoy some pictures below:

After close to a year and a half of not being on vacation, I was definitely excited to take a road trip to somewhere I had never been before  - Charleston, SC.  Below is a review of my trip, where I stayed, ate and entertained myself.  I highly recommend going – especially if you can squeeze in 4-5 days.

South of the Border

Yes, I realize this isn’t Charleston.  But, nostalgia got the best of me and I hadn’t stopped there, since my college days.  Plus, it marked the time where I was able to put the top down on the car to enjoy the warm sun for the rest of the road trip.

For the next hour, the inner child got the best of me.  I walked through the novelty warehouse, ate at El Sombrero in their patio room and got ice cream, before heading to the fireworks warehouse to check out everything you can’t set off in Virginia.

Despite it being a tourist trap, South of the Border is a nice break in the trip and has an interesting history – even Bernanke worked there.

Accommodations – Market Pavilion Hotel

Once I arrived, I pulled up to Market Pavilion Hotel’s curb on East Bay St., and was greeted with very friendly valet staff.  Since parking is scarce in Charleston, it’s best to valet it at $20 a day.

The Market Pavilion Hotel is the perfect blend of history, luxury and modern chic.  Upon opening the door to my Luxury Level King suite, I was greeted with a modern entryway of wood flooring and lighting and a bathroom of marble with Hermes toiletries.  The bedroom itself was decorated in common luxury southern charm.

But, what sold me on this hotel was the Pavilion Rooftop Pool and Bar.  During the day, it’s a hip place to drink, listen to dance music, swim and lay out.  At night, it transforms into a club with lights, a DJ and talented bartenders.  Add to this a $50 voucher to spend at the bar each night and it made this the best hotel in Charleston.

Dining/Drinking

As I heard from those who have been to Charleston before say, the dining is one of the best parts about  visiting there.  They definitely weren’t wrong. Below are a list of places I visited when I was there.

Wet Willie’s

This was the place of my first celebratory drink.  When entering this place, you can’t help but stare at the wall of 20+ frozen drink machines and want to taste each one.  I ended up with a frozen white russian, which was amazing.  I highly suggest a stop there – or two.  Their site can be found here.

Tommy Condon’s

Tommy Condon’s is a rather large Irish pub with an expansive outdoor eating area.  Having walked most of the day and early evening, I was starving.  I wasn’t disappointed with the food, especially with the Baby Back Ribs – they melt right off the bone.  I also suggest, for those who love beer, trying The Crown Float – a combination of Guiness and cider.

Magnolias

Having come highly recommended by a few people, I decided to try Magnolias for lunch.  If you want a leisurely lunch with no time constraints, go there – it’s worth the wait for the food to come out.  For an appetizer, I tried the pimiento cheese, which is a popular appetizer.  If you like olives, you will love it.  For my main course, I dined on the bacon cheeseburger (bunless of course), served with sweet potato fries.  Everything is freshly made and so delicious.

Social

After a long day of sight seeing, I decided to take a break and get a quick drink and snack.  Social Wine Bar is a perfect spot for the young and hip after-work crowd.  It’s a modern-day design with delicious bar treats, such as the Jasmine rice coconut balls I tasted.  In my opinion, this bar is something we need in Arlington.

Grill 225

Named one of the Top 10 Steakhouses in America, Grill 225 rivals all other steakhouses I’ve ever been to – and is a tad less expensive than its competitors.  My filet was cooked so perfectly that there is no need for any of the sauce options they offer.  In addition, two sides is plenty for two people – I chose the asparagus and the scalloped potatoes to try.  My suggestion, skip the potatoes.  Otherwise, the meal was amazing.  Expect (without wine) to pay around $150 for two people (does not include tip).

Pavilion Rooftop Bar

This was, by far, my favorite place to be.  The vibe was hip and the drinks were perfect.  $50 can get you two shots and four drinks there. See the photos below for pics!

Rita’s – Folly Beach

If you’re looking for an expansive dive bar and restaurant with an outdoor patio, Rita’s a great place to go.  They serve traditional American fare, including a variety of salads, burgers and sandwiches.

Taco Boy – Folly Beach

Taco Boy serves great (and inexpensive) mexican fare with a great, small outdoor patio.

Sights and Sounds

There is so much to see in South Carolina, given its rich history that has been well-preserved within its buildings and grounds. Below are a list of places I visited.  My suggestion, spend some time at one of the plantations, which I didn’t get to see.  In addition, reserve a whole day for seeing some of the amazing historic homes (and their gardens) – many of them you can tour.

Historic Tours

- Old Exchange Provost and Dungeon – 122 East Bay Street

- Nathaniel Russell Mansion - 51 Meeting Street

- Calhoun Mansion – 16 Meeting Street

- Aiken-Rhett Mansion – 48 Elizabeth Street

- Joseph Manigault Mansion – 350 Meeting Street

- Heyward-Washington Mansion – 87 Church Street

Scenery

There isn’t one alleyway, driveway, park, garden, front yard or piece of a home that isn’t absolutely beautiful.  This town is a photographer’s dream.  See my photos at the end of this post to see why.

- Waterfront Park - one of few parks that allows you to play in the fountain

- Folly Beach - a great day to walk the expansive pier, the beach or down to the sections of the beach where there are tide pools.  The best time to go is during low tide for some amazing nature discoveries.

Shopping

There are two places that caught my attention, while strolling around Charleston – The Market, which brings in hundreds of local vendors to Market Street everyday and King St., which includes all the luxury shopping, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton and St. Johns.

Photos

My goal of going out to the west coast was to figure out what my next steps were going to be, both personally and professionally.  Never have I hit a crossroad where there is literally so much opportunity that I want to do it all but can’t.  Even more challenging, choosing the RIGHT opportunities that net me more success.  Should I write the fictional series I’ve been bantering about for the last year?  Do I stick with marketing consulting?  Do I search out another full-time job?  So much potential in all of these.

As I am pondering all of this at LAX, while walking towards Starbucks, I hear ” Excuse me”.  I turn around and a blonde woman with this really handsome man says, “I really like your outfit”.  Graciously, I say thank you without processing who it was immediately: Jessica Simpson and her fiance, Eric Johnson.  Finally!  A celebrity sighting at LAX

What was this outfit you ask?  It wasn’t anything special: Dark Hudson jeans, a Banana Republic cream hoodie sweater with a faux fur vest over it. It also included my Chinese Laundry gold gladiator heels (my new boots weren’t shipped to me until I had left already) and my Chanel sunglasses.

11 hours, two flights and 30 minutes in baggage claim later, I’m home, excited to see what will come of tomorrow.  Already, I have things brewing that I can’t wait to announce

One of the things I needed the most was a full day of girl time! My best friend and I agreed that visiting the outlets in Carlsbad was the best solution to this.  However, both of us being a lover of all things Christmas, we made a stop at City Lights.

City Lights is a gigantic warehouse with everything you could ever imagine person needing to deck out an entire dwelling (and maybe a few others too).  When you walk through the front door, you are greeted by Santa but he didn’t seem all that jolly.  I soon understood why.  Almost every single person in there had just about the most serious look on their face, as though they were about to make a house purchase.  People everywhere were having discussions about one ornament or another or would they be able to fit the entire Department 56 collection into their homes (even though I didn’t personally hear it, I’m sure there had to be one or two debating over a small loan to cover it).  It sent up quite an intense vibe in the place, especially since there was no Christmas music playing.  In fact, I’m sure closer to Christmas a few scuttles break out over “the last ornament of its kind” – I wonder if Santa then doubles as a bouncer?

Overwhelming intensity aside, the warehouse was quite spectacular.  They had one room dedicated to outside lights, another dedicated to fake trees but it seem like you were outside choosing a real one; a whole section dedicated to those mini towns by Department 56 (it was a cool display) and of course, space after space dedicated to just about every type of ornament one could wish for.

It was a really amazing place but given that I was flying home, there was no point in me purchasing anything, even if I did want to ship home that perfectly decorated tree in peacock colors.

Amidst a downpour, my best friend and I decided to still head to the outlets in Carlsbad, as we were armed with umbrellas and we knew some retail therapy would both do us some good.  But first, a celebratory drink to kickoff some holiday shopping.  If you ever head out that way, stop by Bellefleur Restaurant.  They have a vanilla martini that will change your life for a minute.

When the drinks were consumed, the shopping began.  We visited Banana Republic, Michael Kors, Coach, Gap, Nine West, BCBG Max Azria (that one also houses the Max Azria and Herve Leger labels), True Religion jeans (no real discount there) and Crate and Barrel (we passed by Salvatore Ferragamo but didn’t go in it).

Now, I’ve always been advocate of outlet malls thus, I’m pretty sure I know what a good deal is.  Store after store I commented on how nothing was really marked down and given that the sales tax is 8.75%, you’re almost paying 1/3 more that you would at any other outlet.  But, ask if that stopped me   I was able to find some great deals on some key pieces for this season and walked away quite happy.

On the way home, we decided that the perfect ending to a perfect day was to make some real hot chocolate, some snacks and watch Julie and Julia, followed by The Devil Wears Prada (by far, my favorite movie of all time).  If you love to cook or even love to just blog (or both!), Julie and Julia is a great movie.  It’s almost inspiring, especially for the blogger in me.  As for The Devil Wears Prada – I liken myself to a toddler obsessed with whatever children’s series happens to be popular right now.  I don’t say much, I just stare at the screen with big eyes, only I’m constantly processing the outfits and how envious I am of the pieces they can borrow.

When the the movies were done and the new purchases had been put away, I curled up in bed happy with a perfect ending to a wonderful trip!

Stay tuned for my final post on this trip: going home.