What's in your beach bag + GIVEAWAY

Memorial Day is just around the corner, and I am certainly hoping to be celebrating it in sunny Florida along 30A - where are you planning to celebrate?  If you're headed to the coast too then here are a few things you must have for sunning on sugar white sand!

Seagrove Beach . FL | 30A

Seagrove Beach . FL | 30A

Alys Beach . FL | 30A

Now that we have gorgeous scenery - we can't forget our beach essentials....my picks for this weekend are

 

 

Cotton + Quill | Cotton-Voile Scarves

 These scarves from Cotton + Quill are the perfect accessory for breezy beach days - find them here

 

 

 

Cotton + Quill | Beach Bags

 These bright bags are also from Cotton + Quill and are the perfect size for toting all your beach necessities - find them here

 

 

Tilley Hat | R2 Women's Raffia

Also on my list is one of my favorite hats not only for their chic look but also for their excellent sun protection - this little beauty offers a UPF of 50+ which is the maximum sun protection rating...but don't forget to pair it with a little SPF as well!

Purchase here

Mary Kay Andrews | Ladies' Night

And you can't forget a good book!!  I am a true Mary Kay Andrews fan....these little books got me through the frigid winter months of living in New Jersey...I even stayed at her home on Tybee for my bachelorette weekend!!  Find her books at all major bookstores & online - get Ladies' Night here

The Breeze Inn | Mary Kay Andrews Beach Home | Tybee Island, GA

A little throwback to a mini vacation to Tybee with girlfriends - also a must place to visit and not far from sweet Savannah!

And don't forget that beach playlist!!

What's on your playlist??

AND.....since we are so excited about having a LONG weekend + much needed break, we are doing a GIVEAWAY!!  Just follow the steps below ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Italiano...

If you ever have the chance to travel to Italy, one place you absolutely MUST visit is the Amalfi Coast.  Tyler (the hubs) and I were fortunate enough to be able to honeymoon there, and it was hands down one of the best places I have ever visited.

We began our trip in Sorrento which is a little town located right on the Amalfi Coast and known for their phenomenal Limoncello.

Lemons of Sorrento

Sorrento Lemons

Yes, the lemons were really this big....so I guess you see why Sorrento is known for its Limoncello!

Sorrento's Version of the Green Man

Limonoro in Sorrento

Limonoro is a limoncello factory located right in the heart of Sorrento and this lemon liquor oh so tasty!  Limoncello is also perfect to sip on after a meal as it acts as a digestive.

Societa Operaia | Sorrento

Above is a local meeting place in downtown Sorrento....the mural is just gorgeous don't you think?

Not far from Sorrento is Pompeii, which will easily take a full day to visit, and what better way to visit the remains of Mt. Vesuvius's wrath than with an Italian picnic?

Local Deli in Sorrento

Tyler and I made a pit stop at this quaint deli in the heart of Sorrento before our day trip to Pompeii.  We made sure to get their wonderful cured meat, fresh cheese and bread, a small bottle of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and to wash it all down, a bottle of Prosecco! 

Tyler & I at Pompeii w/ Picnic in Hand | Mt. Vesuvius in the Distance

Since that picnic day, Tyler and I have come up with our own version of bringing a little bit of Italy home...

Italian Sub

Recipe ::

(1) Hoagie Bun {we like Pepperidge Farm}

Mayo {Bama or Duke's is oh so yummy}

Cheese {Provolone or Muenster is a nice pairing}

Pepperoni

Genoa Salami, Capicola, Prosciutto

Lettuce

Dried Basil and/or Oregano

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Drizzle of EVOO

ENJOY!

Wash down this tasty Italian sub with sparkling water, or if you're feeling really Italian, a carafe of white wine or Prosecco!  Afterwards enjoy a piping hot espresso or sip on a little Limoncello.

Italian Espresso

WINE!!!

Literally they brought out an entire carafe of wine with every meal.....

Another stop you must make while visiting the Amalfi Coast is Positano, a quaint boating town right on the coast.....and you have to take a bus, or if you're really daring, a scooter, to get there...

Ride along Amalfi Coast

You may not want to look down on this exhilarating ride down the Amalfi Coast full of hairpin turns on a road built originally to only fit mules....

Loved the detail on these steps!

Positano

Having a Cocktail at a Positano Cafe

Positano Market

Make sure to visit the markets before you leave!

I could fill this post with pages and pages of beautiful pictures along the Amalfi Coast, but there just isn't enough room!!  So, I hope you have gotten a little peek of why you simply must put the Amalfi Coast on your list of top places to visit!!

View from Hotel | Sorrento

Ciao!

Another day in paradise...

Paradise, we all have our own take on what paradise is, but I will have to say that enjoying a few sunny, breezy days on the coast is my definition of paradise.

I am now back from my short little paradise, but in light of the unseasonable freezing weather now in our wake, I want to send a little bit of warm weather your way - enjoy!

Morning ritual at the beach is to start off with a hot cup of coffee out on the deck or by the pool...  Also still loving this little number I snagged from Anthropologie a few years ago...perfect for sunny,breezy days on the coast!

You absolutely can't beat this view...loving the palm trees surrounding this yummy pool.

If you're still in need of a little more coffee and are starved, a visit to the Donut Hole is a must if in the Destin or 30A area....a new location just opened outside of Rosemary Beach - good to know if staying on that side of 30A!

For my breakfast for champions, I went with an egg white pimento cheese omelet - DIVINE!!! My husband chose his usual - the "diet plate" which of course is certainly the opposite of diet {try biscuits, cheese, scrambled eggs, + sausage smothered in gravy}.

After a meal like that you definitely need a walk on the beach so at least you feel like you have done something productive while enjoying gorgeous scenery.

But, I would highly suggest doing so with a mimosa in hand - after all this is paradise!!

And what's a trip to paradise without a "parrot heads" sign and....

A pirate's flag of course!!

Hope this brightens and warms your day!!  Enjoy your week and welcome to paradise!