We’re back from vacation — our first since mini was born nearly a year ago! Ay ay ay! We visited my parents, who have a beautiful winter home in Naples, Florida, and it was balmy and sunny and we ate so well (stone crab claws! fennel-flecked italian sausage on the grill! big eye tuna in a basil marinade! juicy shrimp in butter and garlic! mint chip gelato! wedges of melon! flakey pompano cooked until crispy in butter on the stovetop, capped off with fresh lemon!) and drank so well (my mother has excellent taste in Sauvignon Blanc, or “S.B.,” as they call it) and did not sleep so well, as mini had trouble adjusting to sleep in her portable crib and woke up every two hours or so at night. On the final morning, as we scurried about, rounding up toys and packing snacks for the flight while keeping an eye on a very mobile mini, my father observed: “Vacation’s not really vacation anymore with a baby, is it?” I had been trying not to see things in that light, but the dynamic certainly has changed: we’re in a whole new season of life. Still, the trip offered a number of delicious luxuries, like an hour-long pilates class, a trip to the grocery sans baby, an afternoon in a cabana at the pool, and a four-mile walk around my parents’ palm-tree-lined development while mini snoozed in her stroller, during which Mr. Magpie and I talked about nothing and everything.
At any rate, a couple of discoveries from this trip:
+My mother let me raid her department-store-like cosmetics cabinet, and I came across a few new obsessions, and at the top of that list is the Belif True Tincture Cleansing Stick. It’s like a ginormous stick of chapstick that you glide over damp skin; it lathers up nicely and then you rinse it off with warm water. I couldn’t believe how clean my skin felt afterward — it left a feeling of squeaky clean tightness that I rather like in a cleanser. A great travel pick, since it’s not a liquid and therefore not a part of the old TSA 3 oz or less category of concern. (The price is also enticing!) I also very much enjoyed her Laura Mercier rose oil, a more affordable but no less effective variation on the Chantecaille original that I have splurged on from time to time. Finally, I found a sample of Davines’ Love conditioner (smaller sized sample here) in the shower and my hair has never felt softer — this, despite multiple trips into chlorine-treated poolwater!
+This tennis-inspired contrast-edged t-shirt brought to mind a Royal Tenenbaums vibe had to be mine. I snagged that, along with this simple henley tee in the heather gray. I have found myself living in these shirts with distressed jeans the past few weeks.
+I mentioned that Outnet has a number of chic Dodo Bar Or finds recently, and then I came across this lookalike style on sale for $87 for those of you still struggling to pony up over $300 for a dress (on sale!)
+Florida-inspired, I suppose — these heels are EPIC. Pair with a simple LBD and huge statement shades.
+OK, these espadrilles are too good. They remind me of Christina Bryant’s global chic aesthetic!
+I nearly always travel in an olive green anorak — the perfect traveling companion, as it’s lightweight enough to throw on over a sundress after the sun sets in a warm-weather location, versatile enough to weather rain or wind, and compact/easy to fold and stash when not in use. Mine is an old J. Crew style, but I really like the length and color of this $88 Everlane find (hood FTW!). I particularly appreciated the easy-to-access, sizable pockets on this trip — I stashed sanitizing wipes (<< the best; a passerby commented: “woah, this part of the plane smells like a spa!”), boarding passes, and my phone in them. I wore this, a frilly white blouse similar to this, jeans, and my go-to mules on both travel days and felt pulled-together but practically-dressed. I swapped out my usual diaper bag for my zipper-top Cuyana because it’s bigger and the zipper top is CLUTCH so you can zip it closed and toss it under the seat or throw it over your shoulder without worrying about things flying out. I also like the little pocket on the inside of the Cuyana — the right size for my phone and other must-have-close-by items.
+I saw a kid with one of these ride-on suitcases in the airport — genius and super cute.
+The most random thing ever, but I’m contemplating getting one of these for our shower, as it has no cut-out or ledge to assist with shaving. Just read the reviews!!! I also feel like it’s chic in a spa kind of way…
+Currently devouring this.
P.S. 8 things I never travel without.
P.P.S. What I want to wear RN.
P.P.P.S. That time I bowed to Caroline Kennedy…
Love this post. So glad you were able to get away, though it must seem like forever ago at this point (I’m so behind, per usual!)
I like the look of that Everlane anorak — I just bought 2 striped tops and 2 pairs of pants from Everlane and am eagerly awaiting their arrival. I have an olive green cotton anorak from APC that I love, though.
I reeeally wish my Cuyana tote had a zipper! I’ve been contemplating one of the MZ Wallace Metro Totes, but I can’t decide whether they are a bit much for the $. Do you have any experience with their quality?
Hi! I haven’t ever used MZ Wallace, unfortunately…BUT I can vouch for the quality of the Cuyana zip-top tote!! Love it 🙂
Cool, thanks! I do have an older (circa 2013) Cuyana tote SANS zipper, but I might look into getting a new one with zipper so I can upgrade my laptop bag! I’m currently using a canvas zip-top tote from ESPRIT x Opening Ceremony and it is kind of dingy. Haha!
As my mom said, “Vacation is just parenting in a new location”
True true. That said, I think it’s essential to continue to travel and vacation for your own sanity and to encourage adaptability in the baby. And from experience, what you will remember are the walks and the meals and the sunshine and not the difficult nights!
TOTALLY. I’m determined!
Super helpful, thank you! Yes, the “mushiness” was something I was concerned about as well. That kind of structure is great for something like a carry-on (when you might need to jam it under a seat) but maybe not ideal for my needs. I had originally been thinking about their Structured Tote for that very reason but hesitated because it doesn’t have a zipper…decisions, decisions.
I get the quandary you’re in — I’ll keep my eyes peeled for other options!! xo
I know so many people who swear by the Davines conditioner but it didn’t do anything for me. Nothing I’ve tried works as well as Pantene. My heart always covets the fancy hair products but my hair prefers to stay humble 🙂
I’ve been debating pulling the trigger on that Cuyana (or the structured tote) for weeks. What do you think of it as a bag for a grad student who wants something very functional but also pulled together and sharp? I need to carry my laptop, a notebook, sometimes a textbook (so much is online though – books are so yesterday), a couple of pouches (makeup, techie stuff, etc) and then the usual wallet keys phone routine. My current bag is too big and so I either overstuff it or struggle to fish out things I need because they’ve floated to the bottom.
HAHA – your hair is going Kendrick Lamar on you. “Sit down / be humble.” Hehe.
I love the Cuyana. The quality of the leather is remarkable for the price. I think it would be a perfect school tote — it’s super roomy and could easily tote all of the belongings you listed. My only hesitation is that it doesn’t have structure/doesn’t stand up on it’s own and it’s easy for things to get jumbled up/lost if you toss it all in there (with the exception of the side pocket, which fits a cell and keys and maybe a slim wallet!). I remember a lot of my girlfriends in college complaining about the Longchamp totes we all carried at the time for that reason — no structure! Still, I never could find a bag with structure that I thought looked chic enough (no one wants a boxy diaper bag for class!). Another thing I like about the Cuyana for school is that the straps are long, meaning that you can easily throw it over your shoulder even when wearing a bulky coat. The Goyard tote, which I adore, has much shorter handles and I honestly cannot tuck it under my arm unless I’m wearing a very lightweight coat or no coat at all.
At any rate, I think you’ll be pleased with the understated sophistication of the Cuyana, but wanted to issue a caveat emptor about the fact that the Cuyana does not stand up on its own!
Thank you! I ordered the Cuyana tote straight from your link! Love the zipper top and have been looking for a tote like this to replace my decades old nylon Prada!
YAY! I know you’ll love it. What color? I bought it in the gray and love the shade!
xoxo
OMG!!! My Wahoo girlfriend was down here in Naples when I was too!! It’s been so hot here. Looked at that darling blouse you wore on the plane and couldn’t bear the thought of those long sleeves right now! Glad you had a good time. Traveling is about to become “questionable if all the packing, planning, and sleep adjusting nights are worth it” topic for you on every trip. It’s work girl! I’ve noticed you have another Claire commenting frequently, so I’ll use my other name, Cynthia from now on. Bc of course I do not want you to confuse me with just another reader. LOL. Now that you’ve had a good dose of Florida sunshine, maybe your Spring in New York does not seem so terribly far off. Thanks for your writings. I too enjoyed Mr Magpie yesterday. My husband and I met on a plane (as in “get lost you jerk”!). Lots of funny stories out there I am sure!
It was BLISSFULLY hot down there! I could have lavished in the sun for hours and hours and days and days…you are so right that traveling has now assumed a new level of economics: is it “worth” the trouble? And the added cost (of checking bags, paying for the ridiculously overpriced Manhattan boarding fees for our dog, renting cars, etc, etc?) I hope we stay in the camp of “it’s always worth it for the experience alone,” but can see why parents are gunshy about it.
Glad you enjoyed yesterday’s post!! Your getting-to-know-you story sounds HILARIOUS!
I used to love Davines and then I searched it on the ThinkDirty app
Gross! I hadn’t even heard about this app! Terrifying! Thanks for letting me know.
I always forget about Think Dirty, but now am going to look up my Oi All in One Milk … scared of what I’ll find!