Palm Desert

5.20.13

What did we do in Palm Desert, you ask? Nothing. Glorious nothing.

Well, not exactly nothing. I mean, we cooked and ate delicious food with some of our best pals. We lounged by the pool. We even got our fitness on and worked out, believe it or not. But really, you don’t go to the desert to run around and kick up dust. You go to chill. And chill we did.

It’s so, so beautiful out there — I love the landscape. I remember when I was little I never really liked cactus plants or palm trees. I wanted things to be really leafy and green and lush. But now that I’m a little older I find something so fascinating about the minimalism of a desert landscape. The wide open space punctuated with tall, simple trees is so lovely. And the more you look, the more wildlife you see.

We did find some time to toodle around the shops at El Paseo, which you should definitely do if you ever visit. It’s a gorgeous little shopping area full of some of my faves, and the stores are small-ish but so beautifully stocked and merchandised. I wanted to just look more than I actually wanted to shop. The J.Crew and the Anthro there are particularly pretty.

We also headed into Palm Springs for a dinner on our last night, and if you’re there you have got to try Workshop Kitchen and Bar. Oh my gosh. The outside is all Palm Springs-y with white stucco and tile and cactus plants, and the inside is all minimal cement with these gorgeous hanging light fixtures. So good. It’s all fresh, farm-to-table, local ingredients, too. Get the Palm Springer if you need a sweet sip with a little kick. And while the entrees were delicious, if I were going again I’d just split a bunch of the salad bowls among friends and be happy as a clam. (Definitely have the beet salad and the asparagus & lobster chop.)

We left the desert feeling refreshed, clear-headed, and so lucky to have spent some time there with good friends. If you’ve ever been, I’d love to hear some of your faves, too! xoxo

Dispatch from the Desert

5.16.13

You might have noticed from my Instagram feed that I’m hanging out in the desert! Mr. Lovely and I had planned a little trip to Palm Desert with my bestie and her fella, and we’re out here having a grand time. The trip just happened to fall on the same week as my mom’s surgery, so I’m checking in with family like crazy. And you’ll all be happy to know that everything went beautifully — my mom’s a champ and already fighting her way through recovery. (And she’s got a brand new hip to show for it!) After we leave the desert I’ll be heading home to stay with family for a couple of weeks to help with her rehab. I can’t thank you enough for the kind words, thoughts, and prayers — I’m so grateful for all of it.

So for now, I thought I’d leave you with a few snaps from out here! Keep following on Instagram, and next week I’ll share a full recap of our trip. xoxo

Eat Out // fōnuts

5.1.13

Sometimes you just really want a donut. And sometimes you want that donut to have bacon on it. Enter fōnuts. Like, faux donuts. Because the deal at fōnuts is that nothing they serve is ever fried — it’s all either steamed or baked. So naturally, Mr. Lovely and I had to go and check this place out to see how good a steamed donut can be.

We popped by on a lazy Saturday morning and found a seat in the sunshine. While we were trying to decide on our order the kind folks behind the counter let us try a mini version of the Strawberry Buttermilk, which tasted like the best strawberry milkshake I’d ever had. After much deliberation, we decided to sample a few and got a half dozen: Rosemary Olive Oil, Maple Bacon, Chorizo Cheddar, Blueberry Earl Gray, Lemon, and a good old Glazed with Sprinkles.

We just wanted a couple bites of each, so we got down to business. Weirdly, I think my fave was the Chorizo Cheddar! It was like a breakfast sandwich — savory and filling. Mr. Lovely was loving the Maple Bacon. Each one kind of had its own vibe — the Rosemary was like bread before a meal, the glazed was cakey, the blueberry made you feel like you were 8 years old again and you needed a glass of milk. Truth be told, I can’t vouch for the lemon; that was Mr. Lovely’s choice through and through. I don’t really do lemon pastry. Blech.

But long story short, it was all delicious and it’s a quick, easy stop for sharing a sweet! Grab a couple of coffees and split a fōnut or two. You won’t be sorry. xoxo

Oh, I Want To Go

4.25.13

Image by Jeremy K. Spencer.

Serious case of wanderlust happening over here right now. And it’s a good thing, because we’re going to be away from home for about 6 weeks soon — May and June are full of work trips, play trips, and family business that’s taking us out of town (lots more details to come).

But I think that Mr. Lovely and I have lived this crazy, on-the-road life for so long because of all the touring that now if we are in one place for more than a few months, we both get a little itchy. And I’m pretty cool with that. I’ve always had a desire to go and see everything. Just everything. To be honest, it’s almost overwhelming sometimes because I feel stressed about seeing as many places as I can. I want to get to know the whole world.

For today though, I’ll have to trick myself into thinking that I’m jetting off to somewhere amazing. I think if I could go anywhere today, it would be Paris. And I’d run around with my camera in one hand and a baguette in the other, just doin’ my thang. I’d stop at a flea market and then a flower shop, and then go sit on my patio and sip something delicious while the sun went down. There. That sounds good.

Come on, play! If you could go anywhere today, where would it be? xoxo

Old Navy Upgrade // Spring Dresses

3.26.13

I’m so stoked, because the day is finally here when I can tell you about Lovely Indeed’s new partnership with Old Navy! They’ve totally upgraded their game, and for the next few months I’ll be featuring a monthly style post with some of my favorite Old Navy pieces. I’ve been loving all of their bright colors and looks recently, so I can’t even tell you how over the moon I am to spread the good word about what they’re doing.

This month is all about dresses, y’all. I went looking for a Spring dress or two and had a heck of a time narrowing it down (I know, sounds like a serious problem). But I finally chose this belted chambray shirtdress, which fits in perfectly with the rest of my wardrobe. Mr. Lovely and I took the dress out for a spin on a recent trip to the Santa Monica Pier.

Aren’t the shoes so adorable? I feel like I’ll be toodling around in these canvas boat shoes all summer. The coral belt was also perfect to toss on over the dress.

And in case you’re wondering, the jacket is from Forever 21, and the bag is from J.Crew. And the coral necklace is from my very first trip to Hawaii!

So big thanks to Old Navy, and make sure you keep an eye out in the coming months to see what else is new! Also, watch my Instagram feed for more bits and pieces of my ON faves. xoxo

This post was sponsored by Old Navy. Check out Old Navy’s latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com.

Travel // NYC

12.12.12

I’m not gonna lie — it’s kind of weird to be a visitor here in the city. After having lived here, coming back sort of feels like coming home. After we arrived at the airport and hopped in a cab to where we are staying, I half expected the driver to drop us at our old apartment!

But whether we live here or not, NYC is still one of the best cities in the world – especially during the holidays. So we’ve been making a point to soak up the festivities and hit up all of our favorite spots. Here are a few peeks at our trip so far — come back later this week for more! Also, lots more photos here on Instagram. xoxo

how to do disneyland with a two-year-old

11.13.12

Disneyland with a little one is kind of awesome, and here’s why. Usually when I go to Disneyland, I push really hard and try to run around and do everything that I can possibly fit into the day. But with my sweet niece, we had to kind of slow down a little bit, and that’s awesome! I saw things that I wouldn’t usually notice with an adults-only crew. Like how cute the details are on every little thing, and how much interactivity there really is in the park. So here are some friendly suggestions if you’re doing Disney with a little one.

Hang out in line and get excited.

Once you’re in the park, hop on the train at Main Street (take your stroller), and ride it to Toontown. Hop off and let the kid run amok. Goofy’s house has a playground where the little ones go bonkers.

Take her to Mickey’s house. Try to convince her to take a picture with Mickey, and show her it’s not scary by taking one yourself. Fail at getting her close to any character whatsoever. (Kid quote: “I mostly like to look at them from far.”)

Get her some baby sunnies. Preferably the kind with Minnie Mouse ears on them, that flip open like Dwayne Wayne.

Head to Fantasyland early, especially if she wants to go on rides there. It’s bonkers how the lines on some of the baby rides are the longest in the park. Peter Pan’s flight is awesome, but a 90 minute wait? Really?! Opt for the Carousel instead, and other storybook rides like Pinocchio or Snow White. Walk on with no wait and feel awesome.

Take her to Tomorrowland and ride the Astro Blasters. Let her steer the cart. (Kid quote: “Auntie, are you blasting them away?”) Eat lunch at the Pizza Port but check the expiration date on the milk, because you may later suspect that it was responsible for a bout of the pukies.

When you’re all tired and could use a rest, head through Downtown Disney to the lobby of the Grand Californian. Snag a rocking chair in front of the fireplace and warm up your toes.