Good gosh do I love Key West.
I first went to Key West in February of 2020.  A friend & I drove down from Miami, spent a day, & then headed off to another island.  We vowed to return as soon as we could. Then, you know, March of 2020 came.
Fast-forward through all those crazy months to June of 2021 & we made it back, & we've already said we'll be back again soon. Key West has just the right vibe for people looking to enjoy good food, good drinks, independent shops, history, live music everywhere, & water views at every turn (it's a pretty small island).
This time, we got a great flight deal from Jet Blue & flew straight into Key West.  If you can, I highly, highly suggest it.  First of all, the drive from Miami is about 3 hours.  Second of all, the Key West Airport is a small airport that's a real throwback, & you're immersed in the island immediately (you can grab a drink the second you enter the airport :) ). 

If you want to get right into the island vibe, grab that drink & start walking.  If you stay at Hampton Inn, you can WALK to your hotel from the airport-- it's .4 miles away, & you can walk along the water the whole way.  The hotel itself has a nice pool, a great poolside bar/restaurant, & VIEWS.  The breakfast was better when Covid wasn't a thing, but it's still ok, & you can always get coffee in the lobby (#1 reason why I love Hampton Inn :) ).  They also offer a free shuttle to the Duval St area, so you don't have to worry about getting a car or Ubering. 

After checking in & having a relaxing drink by the pool, I'd suggest heading to Duval Street for shopping, entertainment, & dining.  Without question, our favorite dinner spot is Fogerty's.  It's popular & right in the middle of everything, but we've never had to wait to eat.   The food is wonderful.  We got the bruschetta the first night & it was SO GOOD (& a smart idea if you're also having one of their alcoholic drinks).  The salads were fantastic, too.

For brunch, I suggest Blue Heaven.  Get there early... or at least don't get there too hungry.  It's busy, but worth the wait for yummy food & the coolest atmosphere.  We listened to live music while chickens wandered around. It's not gross like it sounds (I may have made a TikTok there if you don't believe me :)-- I"m @BeyondMomJeans).  It just feels chill because that's how Key West is.  Chickens are all over the place, & even though I'm not a big bird fan, I found myself cheering on little chicks as they crossed the street.  Everyone's kind to everyone here. 

My favorite sale of the year has arrived!  If you have a Nordstrom card, you can start shopping on the 16th; if you don't have one, you can start on the 28th.  I have a card, so my big day is almost here!  For more details on the logistics of the sale, click here (my blog post over on Coupons, Codes, & Killer Deals).

This post is about THE GOODS.  What do I recommend, & what do I want to try?  The answer is: LOTS. 
I always buy:
1. A Barefoot Dreams cardigan-- the softest, & they never pill or get less soft. I live in these.
2. Bliss Plush Throw-- these also hold up well to washing. They make a great gift, too.
3. Zella leggings-- they don't sag on me even during a good workout (or a bunch of hanging out on the couch :) )

Those are my tried & trues... & here are the things I've added to my wish list to try out this year.
1. Free People Leo Henley Tee. a pretty, casual long sleeve for fall~
​2.   Sperry boots. really unique colors this year!
3. Bomba socks!!  I have one pair & they really are next-level comfy
4. Sorel boots- Save $70!- I have one pair... but I love them so much that maybe I need two...

Please let us know what you snag!!
#Nordstrom #Nordstromanniversarysale #barefootdreams #sorel #freepeople #bomba #sprerryboots

I went on my first girls' trip (post kids) a few years ago. My oldest friend & I went to Washington DC for three days.  We stayed at a beautiful old hotel on Embassy Row, wandered around the embassies, visited museums, ate sushi, checked out the remodeled Watergate, read, talked about our kids, talked about things other than our kids, and checked out an amazing bakery/coffee shop that a student of mine had recommended.  It was the perfect escape, & we're brainstorming for our next one.

Since that trip, I've gone on three trips with another girlfriend.  We hit up Epcot's Food and Wine Festival for my 40th, & while we were there, I mentioned that Key West was on my bucket list because I was afraid it wouldn't be there forever (darn you global warming).  We decided we'd have to check it out, & went back to Florida a few months later.  We did one day in Key West, 1 in Marathon, & a couple where she had a home in Palm Bay.  From that trip, we learned that Key West deserved more than one day, & vowed to go back.

A year & a half later, post-quarantine, we gave Key West its due & spent three days there (I highly recommend this affordable hotel, btw).  The food, the music, the relaxed atmosphere...I am madly in love with that town (it'll get its own post at some point). ​

 I'm also madly in love with girls' trips.  Here's what I've observed about girls' trips that make them uniquely rejuvenating:

1. Someone else makes half the plans. I know that all relationships have their own divisions of labor, but I think generally speaking, women do more of the vacation planning.  When you go away with another woman, someone else does half the work-- the hotel hunting, the restaurant research, etc. It makes it so much easier to be relaxed going into the trip, & if something doesn't work, less of the pressure is on you to feel bad or fix it.  
2. The packing is easier.  It's just your stuff.  Now granted, my husband can pack his own stuff & does, but I'm currently planning a Disney trip for our family of four & I'm already strategizing about the packing, the weights of suitcases, getting the right clothes clean to get packed, etc. When I'm just worrying about me, I fit everything in a carry on & off I go.
3. Perhaps most importantly, women know women's stress.  We're more intuitive about what another woman might need to really recharge on vacation. I think it's easier for another woman to understand the need for alone time even when traveling together, to appreciate slowly starting your day & having your morning coffee & reading your book.  To enjoy shopping for hours :). 

Now I don't mean to sell men short, & obviously there are exceptions, but this is my ode to girl trips, so of course I'm going to highlight what's awesome about women as travel companions. We rock, & if you haven't traveled with your gals yet, get to it!

Anyone else feel like this as they emerged from quarantine??  I feel like I "get" this doll.