BeachBum.

Hi, hey, hello.  While running errands on Saturday, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of exhaustion.  Like, I knew I had two more stops on my list (Trader Joe’s + the butcher) and I had to legit give myself a pep talk to prevent myself from turning my car around and speeding home.  I spent some time reflecting on this abnormality (normally I genuinely enjoy bopping around town, crossing things off my list, especially if it means enjoying free samples and snagging my favorite yellow juice from TJ’s) and have decided I really need to carve out more downtime for myself.  This is not a particularly novel impulse, I know.  And there are many people that have even more stressful and time-crunched lives than I do (including a friend of mine who is participating in my women-in-technology accelerator program — she is founding her second business after successfully exiting her first and she has FOUR children under the age of 12…mind blown).  But I think that I am burning the candle a little too much at both ends.  The problem, though, is that I don’t know how to correct for this.  I was chatting with my bestie a few weeks ago and it feels as though I need to be juggling six or seven balls at any given time (family, work, exercise, blog, friends, sleep), but I can only truly juggle three well at a time, and two of those HAVE to be family and work right now.  And even then, it’s…juggling.  So it never feels like I’ve got it all under control.  So where can I carve out the time to fit sleep and exercise in there?

Who has the answer?

I kid.  No one has the answer to this question.  We just all have to make do and come to peace with the fact that we’re never going to be able to master everything at once.  But for right now I might need to make some allowances in other areas of my life to let myself zone out, relax, read, go for long walks (a long walk!  yes!  I went over to check in on my sister’s house while she was out of town a few days ago and walked there — it’s only a few minutes away by foot — and the whole time I felt like there was a freaking Disney soundtrack playing, I was so jolly and happy to be out in the sunshine smelling the flowers with nowhere else to be right then), feel OK with just killing time.

Mr. Magpie and I are trying to be cost-conscious these days but we’ve both been kicking around the idea of taking a little getaway for a weekend.  Right now, I’d like to be parked on a sunny beach with a stack of books, no cell phone service, and a fruity cocktail.  In that vein…some things I’d like:

+Missoni bikini ($520).

+Ancient Greek sandals ($200).

+Isabel Marant embroidered caftan ($395).

+Anya Hindmarch tote ($795 — or get the look for less with this steal from Anthro).

+This whole look is very Mediterranean…finish it off with this Medi-inspired perfume ($85).

Love these bright, cheery colors.  Speaking of, get yourself beach-ready with this Brazilian “beach bum” cream ($45).  The jury’s still out as to whether applying cream will lead to Gisele-esque results (ha, ha), but every little bit counts, I guess.

Though I love the funfetti colors of the look above, I’m also mega drawn to simple whites…something like this dress ($295 — but guys, THIS MANGO DRESS is under $100 and is the stuff of dreams) with this epic horn necklace ($235) and these two-tone espadrilles ($195), which look a lot like my Chanels, which I wear all.the.time.

BTW.  I always go to J.Crew or Joie for coverups — how sweet are this and this?  And from Joie, this or this?  I also love Roberta Roller Rabbit’s styles — like this and this (sensing a pattern here?).  And if you have a mini-me, she also makes these styles in kid’s sizes.  Adorable.