Photography by Richie Chance
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“What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Tag: cld style house
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Weekend Retreat: Palm Springs
Palm Springs | California
My cherry has been popped! I finally visited Los Angeles’ hip little sister city of Palm Springs. With as many vacation destinations as I’ve been to across California, Palm Springs had never been one of them. An easy 2 hour road trip will transport you from the bustling beehive of LA to a flourishing desert oasis with resort style living. Even with sweltering heat, its beautiful. It was 109 degrees fahrenheit and understandably, off season. Palm trees and lush succulents still stood tall as they outlined the streets just beneath the blue and taupe mountains.
Just a few minutes outside of downtown sat our quaint, European style villa. My partner in crime for the weekend, Holli, was just as eager to slip into a bikini as I was. I managed to stuff my overnight bag to the brink of splitting zippers. (Hey, a girl can never bring too many bikini options on vacation. It’s a fact.) So it’s no surprise that local fashion isn’t much of a priority in a small town where temperatures reach such highs…the enthusiastic ovation we got from a crowd of locals as we passed by proved that point. However, notable fashion and travel photojournalists still flock to the area to capture the vintage essence of the city and mingle amongst celebrity festival goers at the many events thrown throughout the year.
Here are a few fun facts and things you can anticipate when traveling to this modern meets mid-century city.
- Nicknamed the Golf Capital of the World – The 100th course was opened in 2001
- The city hosts an array of festivals and events
- Unique landscaping and mid-century modern architecture
- Wet’nWild water park helps to battle the hottest days
- The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway gives you a 12 minute long birds eye view of the city
- It’s going to be hot! Bring light clothing, bikinis, sunnies, a hat and plenty of sunblock.
- Downtown has a number of great restaurants to choose from
- Don’t judge a book by its cover. Some of the coolest places have the most drab facades.
- Kings Highway and The Amigo Room (Ace Hotel) whips up a mean brunch
- Casinos nearby
- Stop in Cabazon to shop at the outlets or snap a pic with the giant California Dinosaurs (as seen in Peewee’s Big Adventure).
Accommodations by Villa Royale InnMesh Maze Monokini by Alexibella Swimwear | Sunnies by Dolce & Gabbana | Flips by Havaianas | Pink Peonies Bikini by Siempre Golden
Special Thanks to CLD Style House
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Pelican Cove x Lychee Swimwear
Photography by Richie Chance
Location: Rancho Palos Verdes | CA
Swimwear by Lychee | Special thanks to CLD Style
Memorial Day weekend was one of maxin’ and relaxin’ at the beautiful Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes. Luckily, the ominous weather in the days leading up to the famed 3 day weekend dissipated into crystal blue skies and balmy weather. I was mostly excited to just lounge around in my bikini and order food by the pool but it’s in my nature to explore and that’s exactly what I did.
Just a stroll away are some impressive cliffs and rocky shorelines. If you follow my stories on Snapchat, you explored a small cave with me that was only accessible by climbing down a steep rockfall and timing your leap onto a patch of wet sand with the rolling waves…try doing that in a bikini! I happened to catch the eye of a few spectators on the cliffs, apparently inspiring two younger boys to follow suit into the cave and ask me to take a photo with them. I had to admire their initiative.
On the other side of the resort, far from the pools and restaurants, a precipitous pathway led to yet another beach, the shore made up of large weathered rocks. This one was more secluded and quite a trek to get down to the bottom but well worth it. If you want to feel like you’ve stumbled across a small European enclave, Pescadero Trail is your spot. I couldn’t pull myself away until the sun had already set itself behind the lonely lighthouse on the cliffs and it was a race against the remaining light to reach the top. Pastel clouds swallowed the sun like a delicate shell just as I made it back to the resort, forcing me to retire from my adventures for the day and hang my bikini up to dry for the following day’s shenanigans.
Anyways, since my favorite season is just around the bend and many more trips are to follow, I’ve been actively on the hunt for some new summer suits. I just adore the tropical vibe of Lychee swimwear and the navy birds of paradise print couldn’t have been more appropriate for my mini vacay. With my choice of pool, spa, beach and jacuzzi, I pretty much lived in this bikini all weekend long. In fact, its taken me longer this past week to adjust back into the real world than some of my international travels have. I guess that means it was a successful getaway. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m already plotting the next one and you’d better believe it involves a bikini or two!
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Dubai Miracle Gardens
Dubai, U.A.E.
One of the many reasons I love social media is the power to explore and learn more about any given place or thing. I was directed towards the Dubai Miracle Gardens via a recommendation from a fellow Instagrammer and vowed to visit before I left. With one free day remaining, we didn’t let a tiny dust storm hinder us from checking it out.
This colorful trail of umbrellas is what initially caught my eye and also happened to make the perfect place to take an interlude from the sun. The temperature over the past few weeks had actually been quite temperate but as luck might have it, it was dusty and muggy the day we were destined to go. Luckily my years spent living in south Florida prepared me well for days like these.
Just to get an idea of the size of the Dubai Miracle Gardens, the grounds feature over 45 million blooming flowers at any given time. As of 2013, it has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for having the tallest vertical garden in the world.
Each bend of the path offers something more wild and creative. 45 different species of flowers coat large structures shaped as peacocks and windmills, they billow off faux homes lining a path that mimics the streets in a neighborhood of houses and create a mesmerizing field of patterns. There is literally something incredible to gawk at in every direction you look.
I loved the imagination that went into creating this exhibit. I thought the concentric hearts had won me over until I saw this beautiful display of artistic landscaping.
Should you ever get the opportunity to play tourist in Dubai one day, the magical gardens are certainly a spectacular sight to see.
Dress by Endless Rose | Heels by Steve Madden | Jet Set Purse by Michael Kors | Sunnies by Coach
Special Thanks to CLD Style House
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“A flower does not think of competing with the flowers next to it, it just blooms”
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Coachella Inspiration feat. Free People
Festival season is just around the corner and it’s never too early to plan your wardrobe. Free People always has a great selection of pieces to mix and match with. I love this olive green lace dress by Free People. Wearing it already makes me want to sashay my way around the desert. Theses boots by Old Gringo are not only comfortable but totally chic and effortless. Each boot is hand stitched with intricate floral patterns that add such a unique flair over anything you’d ever find at the mall. The whole ensemble screams craftsmanship with ease. Pair this with a cross body purse and you’re set to go!
Photography by Richie Chance
Dress by Free People | Boots by Old Gringo Boots
Special Thanks to CLD Style House
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Coachella Inspiration feat. Old Gringo Boots
Desert vibes meet LA chic with these spectacular boots by Old Gringo Boots and Coachella top by Siempre Golden. I’m always a sucker for black and white and these studded kickers add the perfect punch to such a simplistic outfit. Love is an understatement.
Photography by Richie Chance
Top by Siempre Golden | Pants by Michael Kors | Boots by Old Gringo Boots
Special thanks to CLD Style House
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Swimsuit Feature: Tres Amigos by Siempre Golden
Siempre Golden has officially made it’s way into my heart. I love the super sexy cuts and interesting tweaks made to set their swimwear apart from the gazillion other bikini lines. This style is the grey Tres Amigos bikini with brazilian cut bottoms. I like this foggy grey color for it’s uniqueness of shade but also really love the woven friendship bracelet patterned straps. The top can also double as a cute bralette to be worn under low cut tee’s or racerback tanks, and you know how I love my multifunctional pieces.
Photography by Richie Chance
Swimsuit by Siempre Golden
Special thanks to CLD Style House
