Staycation at 21C Durham: Vera Bradley PJ Party

{My Vera Bradley pajama top and bottom, Angela's pajama top and bottom, Meghan's pajama bottoms received c/o}

A few weeks ago I had the best girls weekend in Downtown Durham, NC. Angela from Head To Toe Chic, Meghan from I'm Fixin' To,(you've been seeing a lot of them lately!) and myself decided we needed a little staycation. So we spent the weekend at the coolest hotel called 21C Durham Museum and Hotel. Whether you are traveling to the RDU area or are just local and looking to getaway, it is a MUST for you to cross off your list. 

We arrived to a delicious cheese plate awaiting us along with an even more delicious bottle of wine. Our hotel suite was absolutely beautiful with stunning views of downtown Durham, plush pillows everywhere and of course, their signature pink penguin. The hotel itself was actually built in an old bank building that has a secret vault you can rent out for private parties (more on that later!) 

I can't wait to share more details about our room, our experience and the food (oh my goodness, the FOOD!) But for now, check out our Vera Bradley pajama party, as the 3 of us rested and had some down time before we explored Downtown Durham. Did I mention that Ang brought us a bottle of Veuve to toast to our staycation? YES PLEASE! 

These pajamas are so freaking cute and cozy! I'm just waiting for the Scottie Print to come back into stock so I can get those too. Pssst the lighting in the bathroom was purple and matched my PJs perfectly! 

y'all - this cheese plate was out of this WORLD

Make sure to check back for more of my review of 21C Durham and all the neat experiences the hotel has to offer! 

Thank you to 21C Museum and Hotels for providing the accommodations for this post. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of  21C Museum and Hotels.

To The Beach ---->

 

I swear I had every intention of blogging on my vacation.. outfits lined up.. wish lists to be posted.. comments to respond to....

 

But after taking 1 look at our "backyard" for 8 days (above) I knew all those good intentions had completely floated away. I promise I'll be back on Monday with new posts. Until then I'll be drinking Coronas and playing in the sea!

 

P.S. ILY Couture picked a winner for my Retail Therapy sweatshirt giveaway.. congratulations to Melissa from Melissa's Sweet Style! :)

 

The Beginning of the End [photos]

So before we move back east, Bill and I decided that we wanted to visit our favorite places here and around in L.A. We started last week by visiting Disneyland, Santa Anita & Las Vegas. Here's just a few of our photos from those adventures! Oh & make sure you're following me on instagram or Facebook to keep up with our favorite spots!

 

 

I had to get a pretzel at Disneyland - especially when I saw it was shaped like Mickey's face!

 

Visiting Santa Anita with our good friend Amy

 

My best equestrian look for a day at the races

 

Night 1 in Vegas - Black & White

 

We splurged and ending up seeing the Beatles Love Cirque du Soleil show. 1 word - Amazeballs.

 

Me & Bill at Beatles Love - I promise he owns more than 2 red plaid shirts ;)

 

Headed to the Eiffel Tower restaurant at Paris - notice what's on my feet?! Yes sir! I found these babies! ahhhhhh!

 

Next up is Hawaii! We've never been and I am so freaking excited!! If anyone has any suggestions about what to do - please send them to us! We're visiting Kaua'i and I think we've already got a helicopter tour planned... Eeeeek! Happy weekend everyone!! xo

Travel Beauty Favorites

I just got back from visiting my family in NC & I thought I would share with you some of my favorite travel beauty products. I always keep these items in my carry on or purse, for airport and plane touch ups. No, I'm not that vain, but I often take the red-eye back to the East Coast, so it's important that I greet my parents or friends as a fresh faced gal and not a hot mess!

1. Neutrogena Make Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes

These little guys are my new favorite product that I discovered in one of my NYFW swag bags. The 7 pack is a perfect travel size & spokeswoman Hayden Panettiere recently told PeopleStyleWatch that she finds other uses for them while on the road. They can double as a patent leather polisher or take deodorant stains out of clothes!

 

2. Arbonne RE9Advanced Travel Kit

A few months ago, I started using the RE9 skin care from Arbonne and I'm not exaggerating when I say that it completely changed my skin! I am totally in love with this stuff. Luckily with my last order, I got this handy travel set with all my skin care products (+ a few more) in travel size. It comes in a super cute case that fits in any carry on and is perfect when I need to wash the plane air off my face.

 

3. Maybelline Baby Lips

It's a known fact that planes dry out your skin - lips included! So I keep this tinted lip balm on hand as much as possible. It keeps my lips super smooth and really helps reduce cracking/drying.

 

4. MAC Bronzing Powder & Revlon Lipsticks

I'm not a huge foundation gal - but I do love a little bronzer. I usually like to wait until I'm off the plan to put makeup on (unless the flight is quick & easy). My favorite bronzer is MAC's - it's super lightweight and doesn't make me look orange. I also don't go anywhere without these 3 shades of lipstick from Revlon: (L-R) Fuschia Fusion, Fire & Ice, Wild Orchid. Just a swipe of 1 bold color with a little bit of bronzer and I'm good to go!

 

5. TRESemme Dry Shampoo

I actually never leave the house without this product whether I'm traveling or not. Dry Shampoo is such a fabulous pick me up and can turn greasy hair into fab hair with just 1 spray. This travel size Tresemme version slips into your purse with ease which means you'll begin to have an emotional attachment to it. Trust me - it's a game changer.
 

please note all products mentioned are actually used by me and I was in no way compensated for this post. I just wanted to share my current favs with you! :)

Gone Palm Springsing

We're off to spend Labor Day at our home away from home, Palm Springs! I've been feverishly packing, shopping and prepping for my trip to NYC. Okay, it's all I've been thinking talking about for the past 3 weeks. So this weekend will serve as a much needed break before I jump feet first into conferences, meetings, dinners, shows, etc..!

I wanted to share a few photos of the place we always stay during our PS excursions. Dana and Steve's home was showcased in an issue of California Home Design magazine not too long ago. They have amazing taste in everything (decor, clothes, food - you name it) and yes, it's always this clean. I'm so grateful that they always greet us with open arms & margaritas. Now you see why we can't get enough of the desert? Hope you have a GREAT 3 day weekend!!

all images via CA Home Design

Giveaway: [Travel Beauty Bag] *closed*

Ok! It's time for the first ever Bedazzles After Dark giveaway! In honor of my Guest Blog about what to pack when you go on your honeymoon for Witty Whit's Words, I've got a great little giveaway lined up for you! I've packed an adorable cosmetic bag with a few of my personal choices for traveling beauty essentials. Read below to find out what you'll be winning and how to enter!

{1. Pink zip-around travel case with 4 zippered pockets 2. Travel shampoo & conditioner 3. Travel dry shampoo 4. Travel lint roller 5. Travel shaving gel 6. Travel body lotion 7. Travel face wash 8. OPI nail polish - I'm Really Not A Waitress 9. Travel mouthwash 10. Toothbrush carrier 11. Travel toothpaste}

I love packing my travel bag with mini replicas of the beauty products I use on a daily basis. Here are a few of my every day go-tos, in mini travel form, that I added to the bag:

One of my favorite things I've included is the dry shampoo [#2]. This is an every day staple that every woman should have. After I found the travel size I was so excited I literally screamed. It has totally saved me from the day after weddings when my hair needs a little pick me up but I don't want to wash it completely. I love it. Whenever I take a trip I also always pack a bottle of nail polish. It's always great to have a pretty red or pink on hand, so I threw in one of my favorite OPI colors ever [#8] It never lets you or your outfit down. I also love carrying a travel size lint brush [#4] You just never know when fuzzies or dog hair might pop up!

The rest are regularly used items but in mini bottles and packaging that will keep your luggage light and keep packing a cinch.
Here's how to enter:

1. Follow Bedazzles After Dark (You can do that by clicking the Follow box in the top left corner of your screen or by clicking that little box to the right that looks like this:)

2. Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite place you've ever traveled to and why.

That's it!! So easy, right?

Please note: Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. 1 entry per person. Winner will be chosen at random via Random Number Generator. Giveaway ends at 9:00pm PST on November 21, 2011. I will announce the winner on November 22 in a blog post. The winner must contact me by email {bedazzlesafterdark[at]gmail[dot]com} within 3 days of the announcement to claim the prize. If there is no contact by the 4th day or the winner is not a follower, I will choose another winner at random.

Good luck and don't forget to read my packing picks for your honeymoon trip!

Ask Bedazzles: Packing For European Vacation

Happy Friday Loveys!!! It's time for one of my favorite sections that hasn't gotten very much attention lately. Ask Bedazzles! I got an amazing question from a reader a while ago but I've just been too swamped to answer it. So finally I carved out some time and here it is!

Hi Nikki!
I saw that you went on an Italy trip recently. We are going to Sicily in mid-September! Do have any recommendations for me concerning staple clothing pieces to mix and match so I can pack light? Muahh!
Katie, North Carolina

Yay! A perfect question. I've covered what to wear when you're at the airport but packing is a whole other subject!! Katie, you've already picked up on one of the most important parts of packing. Basics! The key is to pick pieces that can double up with another item or be worn again. Mixing and matching is exactly the way to get pieces to go further. Let's see what I've come up with:

Kate Middleton's Travel Style Secrets

Kate Middleton (aka Catherine Duchess of Cambridge) and Prince William (Duke of Cambridge) arrive at the BAFTAs

Kate Middleton stunned the world with her fashion choices during their 11 day North American tour a few weeks ago. She wore fabulous designers (of course) and always looked impeccably styled even on their most casual day at a lake. And while I was in awe of her beauty just like every one else, I noticed that the princess is quite a smart packer! She knows that one of the keys to traveling is rotating accessories and picking pieces that can work for all your ensembles. Let's take a peak shall we?

Ask Bedazzles: My First Guest Post!

With summer rapidly approaching it's time to start pulling out the suitcases and figuring out what to take on your next vacation! But there's another part of your trip you shouldn't neglect... What to wear to the airport? This is a question I get all the time which is why I am so excited to share with you my first Guest Blog! It's for my good friend [AKA Queen of Travel] over at Witty Whit's Words to give you readers some tips and ideas on Airport Fashion that doesn't include sweatpants! (I promise you will still be comfy!!)

Head over here to read the full post! Let me know what you think!

Final Stretch Of Italy Trip: Cinque Terre!

 Love these houses built up on the cliffs

Today marks the last of our travels through Italy as Bill and I go into the home stretch of our trip. Arriving in Cinque Terre this morning, items on the agenda here will be much more relaxing than all the site seeing we had planned to do in the other parts. Today will mainly consist of a beach day and visting [many] restaurants in town. Tomorrow we have a big hike planned along with a sunset cruise (complete with prosecco, cheese and more!) It's apparently one of the greatest things to do in Cinque Terre. Then we head back to Florence to catch an AM flight on Monday. Can't wait to share all the details with you guys! Have a fabulous weekend!! xoxo

image via Enthusiastic Traveler

Ciao! I'm Off to Italia!

Today marks the first day of my vacation! Well almost.. we're leaving for the airport around 1:00 pm and boarding a plane to Rome!! I am so excited and I can't wait to eat tons [and I mean tons] of pasta, drink lots of wine and just marvel in the amazing country of Italy. It's also where my ancestors are from so I can't wait to be in the land of where my Great Grandfather was born! :) I'll be gone for 11 days with no real access to a telephone, computer or (gasp!) fashion! So luckily I've lined up some amazing Guest Bloggers to take over while I'm away. I can't wait for you guys to read their posts - they're fantastic! Thanks again to you gals for doing this. And thanks to my lovely readers! I've been getting a lot of emails, comments and tweets lately about the blog. All your feedback is GREATLY appreciated! I promise. So stay tuned to Bedazzles After Dark and I'll see you guys in 11 days! xoxo


image via World Travels

Let The Packing Begin!

This time next week I'll be 3 days into my Italy adventure! We leave on Wednesday afternoon and arrive in Rome on Thursday morning. I can't even begin to explain how excited I am but I've been so pre-occupied with what to bring that I've yet to actually start packing. I'm totally open to suggestions from you guys on packing tips.. I'm trying to go as light as possible but I'm starting to feel like my suitcase will look worse than that picture....

On another note.. I've lined up a few Guest Bloggers to help keep Bedazzles After Dark going while I am on vacay! I hope you enjoy their writing and posts as much as I do! Can't wait to show you what they've got lined up. Have a great rest of the weekend! xoxo

image via guardian.uk.co

Viva Las Vegas!

After a crazy couple of weeks I feel like life may be back on track! After the madness of the Olympics was over, I worked an amazing Sample Sale for James Perse in Newport Beach, CA. While standing for 10 hour days is never easy, being surrounded by amazing clothes and clients desperate for laid back California chic style made the whole experience fantastic. :) So after 5 days of that my hubby and I woke up on Wednesday and he said "Hey want to go to Vegas?" I mean how do you say no to that?

So we packed a small suitcase (I brought my Leopard coat - nothing screams Vegas like leopard) and drove straight to Sin City. The weather was perfect and we got our hotel for 28 bucks a night! On the strip! Craziness!!! We really love Vegas even though we don't completley crazy while we are there. We more enjoy the people watching, walking around the amazing casinos and standing around while we watch other people gamble thousands and thousands of dollars. (Seriously - how do they do that? I swear I sweat just watching them...) My husband knows me all too well and always plans for dinner at the Eiffel Tower and a show. If you haven't been to the Eiffel Tower restaurant at Paris - O.M.G. are you missing out. It's literally probably one of my favorite restaurants ever. The food is absolutely delicious and 100% French. While I usually sip champagne the bartender convinced me to try their signature cocktail - The Eiffel Affair - and it was pretty sinful :)

Although the chef took their famous escargot off the menu to perfect it even more (I seriously thought I was going to cry) that meant we got to go the extra mile on the dessert. White chocolate and bananas. I was dying. Then it was off to the Lion King! We actually got 2nd row tickets for 1/2 price! It was the most amazing show and I actually got a little fashion inspired from it... I'll have to tell you about that soon. :)

All in all it was the perfect little getaway. Just what Billy and I needed. :) What are your plans for the weekend? Do you love Vegas? What's the best trip you ever took on a whim?

vegas image via The Travel Peach

Vegas Bound!

On our way! :)