The Sarcastic Blonde

:: weekend things ::

December 12, 2016

Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Friday we went to Cinebistro at Town Brookhaven to see Office Christmas Party.

It was our first time to Cinebistro and we both loved it. It’s a fancy movie place where you have a waiter and eat dinner and drink during the movie. It’s definitely an extra cost, but its 21 and up and a great date night spot, and our food was delicious!

The movie was great too!
Really silly and stupid, but we laughed a lot. I would definitely recommend it.

I got a much needed mani/pedi at the NailTalkTan in Town Brookhaven Saturday.

Why do I need to share this? Just stay with me……

I normally go to a different salon so this was my first time there.

I settled into the pedicure chair and was so excited to turn on that massager that I couldn’t believe what was happening when I hit the power button.

A large forceful massager knob/ball was coming at me right in my girly bits.

Seriously. It was like….. a sex chair. Sorry there’s just no other way to say it. I was so confused and finally just started cracking up and said to the female stranger next to me that I had no idea what was going on but that I didn’t feel comfortable letting it continue for the next 30 minutes. She told me she’d had the same thing and it was the “Buttocks” button that I needed to turn off.

I mean…. while I appreciate that the chair can give a butt massage…..
unless I am anatomically different then every other female, the placement of the butt massager was NOT at the butt.

Saturday we had a Tacky Christmas Sweater Party
and I wore this lovely ensemble. The necklace lights up, too!

my phone screen is popping off and the camera is barely working 🙂
time for a new phone for this girl….

I made this lightened up avocado and corn dip, which didn’t look very pretty (next time I’ll add in the avocados RIGHT at the very end and keep the pits in there to help keep the green color) but it tasted delicious.

// LIGHTENED UP MEXICAN CORN DIP //

Sunday night we went to my sister’s house for dinner and for “Lighting of the Way”, where you put the white bags with sand and candles and drive through the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights.

My 3 year old nephew loved it and was so cute in the car staring at all of the lights.

One of my favorite Cyber Monday purchases arrived and I am obsessed!

Best part is, right now J.Crew still has it on SALE for 40% OFF
and they have FREE SHIPPING today!

// J.CREW FAIR ISLE SWEATER // OVER THE KNEE BOOTS //
40% off and free shipping today – sweater runs large, SIZE DOWN.
and the most comfortable boots EVER.

Please ignore my isnanely awful roots.
I had to cancel a long overdue hair appointment when I got sick over Thanksgiving, so I am finally getting my hair done this week.
I am very nervous… it is my first time not seeing my girl in Chicago that I am obsessed with and saw for probably 7 years. I was lucky enough to sneak back to her this summer when I visited Chicago, but we have no winter trips planned so it’s time for me to try someone down here.
Hashtag pray for me.

Thank you to everyone that recommended Dollar Shave Club.
I love it. So inexpensive and such good razors.

And it came with this hilarious bathroom reading material and cute packaging, so that’s an added bonus. I will definitely be sticking with this and saying goodbye to my super expensive Venus Embrace razor blades.

Hope you have a great start to the week!

fashion, gift guide, Lifestyle

:: GIFT GUIDE : THE HOSTESS ::

December 9, 2016

My second post of the day!? WHO AM I?!
See my FRIDAY THINGS post from earlier this morning below.
not being able to sleep is benefitting you all today 🙂

Tis the season for parties and cocktails and entertaining!

This is arguably the most social time of the year, so hostess gifts need to be ready to go out the door with you to all of your festive occasions.

It can be hard to give someone something special as a token for hosting you at a party; it’s especially difficult if you don’t know a persons taste, or more often if it’s the kind of person that has everything!

But there are so many amazing little gifts, at equally amazing prices, that will wow any hostess and really show how much you care!

Everyone has a cookie cutters, but one you can personalize for any occasion?!

Everyone has an apron, but one that looks like an adorable dress that you can wear while you finish up in the kitchen? Yes, please!

Everyone has pot holders, but polka dotted ones with gold!?

alright you get the idea…… enjoy some favorite finds below!

and don’t even get me started on the little mini bar cart

for drinks and canapés! too cute!

column 1 : // CUSTOMIZABLE COOKIE CUTTER // EMOJI COCKTAIL NAPKINS // LOVELY CUTTING BAORD //

column 2 : // EMBELLISHED APRON // PINEAPPLE MEASURING CUPS //

column 3 : // POLKA DOT BAR SET // GOLD COUNTDOWN FLUTES // TORTOISE SERVING SET //

column 1 :// VOLUSPA MERCURY GLASS CANDLE // ULTIMATE APPETIZER COOKBOOK // KNOT SERVING SET //

column 2 : // POLKA DOT POT HOLDERS // MINI CART DRINK AND CANAPE DISPLAY //

column 3 : // NAVY + GOLD PEDASTAL BOWL // MARBLE + WOOD CUTTING BOARD // GOLD 4-IN-1 BAR TOOL //

// CUSTOMIZABLE COOKIE CUTTER //

this is perhaps my favorite gift of the entire list.

it’s not just a one-time customizable cookie stamp, but you can change the letters out over and over again depending on the occasion!

and it’s only $15!!!

// EMOJI COCKTAIL NAPKINS //

fun and different and unexpected!

// LOVELY CUTTING BAORD //

an adorable cheese + cutting board is always a perfect gift option for anyone.

the gold detailing instantly makes it seem fancier.

// EMBELLISHED APRON //

this is just the cutest thing ever. you can throw this over your outfit while finishing up dinner and cocktails and still look nice for any occasion.

// PINEAPPLE MEASURING CUPS //

we all pineapple are all the rage right now….. this would be so cute sitting out on the counter as a kitchen accessory while not in use.

// POLKA DOT BAR SET //

cute and easy gift to give – and you can never have too many bottle openers when having a party. if you’re anything like me somehow everyone is always hunting for it and you have no idea where it is!

// GOLD COUNTDOWN FLUTES //

I have numbered wine glasses that I got as an engagement gift and love them.

these not only help with the “was this my glass?” predicament, but these are perfect for a New Years Eve celebration!

// TORTOISE SERVING SET //

we still somehow don’t have a cake serving set?

I am obsessed with tortoise shell so I love these pieces.

// VOLUSPA MERCURY GLASS CANDLE //

ever since receiving a large one of these mercury glass candles I am obsessed.

it perfectly completes a coffee table or nook anywhere in your house too which is an added bonus.

// ULTIMATE APPETIZER COOKBOOK //

you can never have too many cookbooks!

and appetizers are my favorite food of all 🙂 I could do sides and apps and no main dish all day everyday.

// KNOT SERVING SET //

perfectly classic, any lady would love it.

// POLKA DOT POT HOLDERS //

I don’t know about you, but my pot holders look absolutely NOTHING like this.

I am obsessed. they are just too cute.

// MINI CART DRINK AND CANAPE DISPLAY //

anything mini is an instant win for me, but a mini bar cart to display your treats and cocktails!? be still my heart.

this would be such a crowd pleaser at a party for presentation.

// NAVY + GOLD PEDASTAL BOWL //

gorgeous serving piece in my favorite colors.

// MARBLE + WOOD CUTTING BOARD //

there’s no such thing as too many serving pieces!

// GOLD 4-IN-1 BAR TOOL //

this aesthically pleasing bar tool will look great sitting on the bar, and then instantly transforms into an ice breaker, corkscrew, liquid measurer, and bottle opener all in one!

friday randoms, Lifestyle

:: FRIDAY THINGS ::

December 9, 2016

image

Cheers to Friday!!!

I’m posting another gift guide immediately following this post,
so make sure to check out that post too!
I’m trying to get them all completed as soon as possible so shopping can be done and over with!

5 links to get you to 5 o’clock :
1. Healthy Gifts that Keep Giving. The best healthy monthly subscription boxes.
2. Two good money saving reads :
11 ways to save during the holiday season and
I cut 5 unnecessary spending habits for 30 days and here’s what happened
3. You know how yesterday I joked about the bachelor-incestual-dating-pool? Well 2 time Bachelor candidate Becca has taken up with Bachelorette + Bachelor in Paradise Alum Robert.
Perhaps 3rd times the charm for them?
4. 10 December Fashion Tips
5. How to open a bottle of champagne the right way

:: EASY WAY TO GIVE BACK ::

I’ve been meaning to comment on this for weeks and I’m fairly positive I never have!

If you are like me, you order from Amazon every week – even if it’s something tiny. Amazon Prime is a lifechanger.

If you go to smile.amazon.com instead of amazon.com, they’ll donate a portion of every purchase to the red cross!

So if you can try to re member smile.amazon.com because it doesn’t always remind me to switch over and sometimes I forget!

:: BEST TRAVEL ACCESSORY ::

For my Travel Gift Guide, I forgot to include my favorite thing ever, my travel steamer!

Kip brings this on all of his business trips and I always have it on hand for my dresses and tops that get supremely wrinkled during the flight.
It’s the best and you get a full size + the travel size for under $30!
It comes in 5 colors too.

// MY LITTLE STEAMER //

:: TACKY CHRISTMAS ::

I was a little late in shopping for my tacky Christmas sweater and ended up with a men’s sweater that says “best package ever”. It was slim pickings.

// BEST PACKAGE EVER //

whoops.

hopefully this’ll still fly for the Tacky Sweater Party??

I just showed it to my husband and he seems to think it’s a fail.

I also snagged this Christmas light necklace that lights up 🙂

// CHRISTMAS LIGHT LIGHT-UP NECKLACE //

It’s under $10 and it’s from Target…. so how do you walk past that and not throw it in your cart?

PLUS. Guess who is wearing it in the holiday commercials promoting their HGVT Show?

That’s right. Chip and Joanna Gaines. I don’t jump through walls or climb trees or do any manual labor really, but we have our taste in Christmas fashion in common.

:: AMAZING SALES CONTINUE ::

J.Crew : 30% off your entire purchase, and then 40% off your purchase of $200 or more!

Neiman Marcus : $50 off your purchase of $200 with code DEC50

Lord and Taylor : extra 30% off almost everything for a total savings of up to 75% off.

Off 5th : up to 70% off, plus take an extra 20% off with code GIFT4U

GAP : up to 50% off your entire purchase, and an extra 25% off with code EXTRA

Old Navy : up to 60% off sitewide

:: BEST BEACH BOOKS ::
we’re heading to Grand Cayman for our annual Christmas trip and I already have 3 books picked out for our week there.

// THE NEST // SUPERFICIAL // PRIMATES OF PARK AVENUE //
any suggestions or books you’ve read lately and loved?
I feel like I need a dark and mysterious one…. you know me, still chasing the dream of finding another Gone Girl and I don’t think it’s going to ever happen.
Here is a link for The Best Audiobooks for Commuting and Holiday Travel for those of you that prefer the audiobook route!

coffee talk, Lifestyle

:: COFFEE TALK ::

December 8, 2016

discuss amongst ya-selves………

:: VANDERPUMP RULES ::

Everything Schwartz says while he and Katie are at the wedding venue…..
oh my goodness. I mean Katie is a total mean girl with a bad personality, but WOW. Schwartzy is really trying to run from this wedding situation and saying the worst things possible in order to try to put this thing on pause.

Also…..

I mean.
Underwear model?

So, do we think Lala is dating a married man?
I was discussing with my girlfriend and I’m conflicted. Part of me thinks yes, she is, because she seems guilty in her facial expressions and her reactions to the accusations.
But then I think, she doesn’t give a crap about anything and she has no shame. So, that makes me think she isn’t dating a married man because she would just admit it?
Ooooorrr my other theory.
He is technically married but separated?
Like, how LuAnn acts like Bethenny was with a married man when he wasn’t at all but the divorce wasn’t final?
WHO KNOWS. But let me know your Lala thoughts because I just can’t decide what I believe.

OK and wait!!!
How did I miss this:
I just saw this photo on Us Weekly, and is this Tom’s hair?
WHAT? THE? HELL?

He never ceases to amaze me.

On WWHL that night, my-boyfriend-andy-cohen asks Katie how she thinks its okay to slut shame but not okay for the summer body comment and she cant even form words.
This girl. I just can’t.

Sorry not sorry but I would be team Lala over team Katie any day.

At least Lala tries to make things right and feels bad for things that she says.

After I type this, then it continues with Katie not answering any questions. Some of them she doesn’t even understand. You know my-boyfriend-andy-cohen is so annoyed; he, rightfully so, seems so pissed when people don’t answer anything and bring nothing to the table in 30 minutes.
She literally doesn’t answer any questions.

His mom took the words right out of my mouth by tweeting him
“This is the most filthy boring show”
YEAS-my-boyfriend-andy-cohen’s-mom. YES IT IS.

:: MARIAH’S WORLD ::

She is insane.
I mean, from the moment the show begins she is dressed as her “alter ego/mariah’s nemesis” talking in a fake accent.
WHAT?

and then we are introduced to her fiance AND the little dancer boy she has now left the fiance for.
This is going to be a good one…….

:: THE BACHELOR ::
Nick returns for his 17th time on an ABC Bachelor spin-off to be, you guessed it, The Bachelor in January.

UGH. I’m just so not into him?
But I know so many girls are? I just don’t see it or get it AT ALL.
Here is a look at the 30 contestants vying for ~~instagram fame + a lifetime of bachelor incestual dating + avoiding a real profession forever~~ a chance to win Nick’s heart.
// READ ALL ABOUT THE GALS HERE //

:: VS Fashion Show ::

You know I love the VS Fashion Show SOoOoO much!
2 years ago it gave me my first angry comment and my life was made!!

see that post HERE and my excitement about the comment HERE

I loved that Gigi cried about her and her sister walking together. So sweet.

oh, and here are 19 Hilarious Tweets about the VS Fashion Show

:: LADIES OF LONDON ::
um…. I’m watching VERY late before bed and all I know is
Marissa just said “prolapsed vagina” and I REFUSE to google what that is because I’m fairly positive I will never birth a child everrrrrr if I find out.

:: RHofBH ::
Lisa VP’s outfit in her confessionals is unreal.

It’s a purple off the shoulder number with her breasts shoved all up to her chin and all up in our faces.
SERIOUSLY?! You look ridiculous!!!

Mauricio walking into Pump for dinner: “Do you see them anywhere?”

Just look for the cameras Mauricio. Real difficult to spot LVP and the camera crew all set up in the garden.

Dorit, the new girl, is introduced to us.
I’m going to want to type Dorito every time I write her name now.
OR want to eat one. Damn.

So glad that Kyle immediately calls her out on her having the Madonna situation with an accent where she has no business having an accent.

I feel like I spotted a giant lifesize picture of her and her husband at her house (top of the grand staircase to the right) and if so, ughhhhhh. How can you be a “designer” and do something like that?

AH then the moment I finish typing, her little side shuffle intro (you know, the part where they cut to the next cast member and show their name and the girls do an akward hip movement back and forth?)
She is wearing this awful glittery-green dress with a HUGE bow the size of her head.

Oh my gosh every time I pause to type and hit replay there is more.

CAMILLE GRAMMER ALERT (although post-season-one, we all came to love Camille).

She has nanny after nanny after back up nanny after seventeen housekeepers.

Ugh. Insert eye roll.

I don’t care that you aren’t “lying in bed eating bonbons”!

Erika prepares for a big Studio 54 birthday party with her gay-lam squad.

I like that even Erika opens the window and yells out to her husband like a normal housewife.

I’m still luh-ving her.

She makes a joke about that era being when cocaine wasn’t addictive and then says whatever who cares while throwing back champs. Still dry humored and fabulous. Love it.

Oh. My. God. Dorit’s boobs in this dress for this party.

And then they cut to LVP doing commentary and her boobs are eating the diamonds dripping down from her necklace.

I mean….. I think I got enough boobs on Monday during the VS Fashion show, thanks ladies.

editors note : lies. you know I am boob obsessed ever since my presidency of the itty-bitty-committee in my younger years. if only those mean boys could see my A/B cup that still fits into an A cup bra now! who’d have the last laugh now huh!?

another editors note : I’m seriously insane but have no shame so no, I’m not editing that and deleting it. It stays. You’re welcome.

Apparently Studio 54 is all about the boobs for these ladies because goodness they’ve all got it out there.

Rinna’s daughter that is modeling is gorgeous.
I sense her following in BH-daughter Gigi’s footsteps as the next
BH-daughter-supermodel.

This party is AWESOME.

I love that she has it all set up like bottle + table service around the pools.

OMG COMMERCIAL FOR GIRLFRIENDS GUIDE TO DIVORCE I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR JANUARY 11th!!!!!

I can’t believe we are just now learning that Erika Jayne is named after Erica Kane! And I also love that Eileen and Erika are BFF.

I love Eileen…. she’s just so nice and level headed. “Things change, people change.

I mean look what happened after the Vietnam war? And everyones going to Vietnam on vacation now!”

Oh wait…. Erika, I care about the food at a party.

I know in California they probably don’t… but yes, feed me.

Feed me carbs especially when drinking.

I thought it was a great first episode!!!

Thoughts on the new girl?? Too soon to tell….. next week is her birthday so we’ll get more info then!

:: OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY ::

I really, really, really, want to see it.

And we never, ever go to the movies.

:: MAZEL ::
I mean This is Us is just the greatest show ever.
EVER.
So necessary to have a TV show like this – it is desperately needed amongst all the trash and garbage that, yes, of course I watch 🙂
I love Milo re-enacting his push ups with Ellen on his back instead of Randall.

see the clip HERE

and truly if you are not watching This Is Us
1. What is wrong with you?
2. I am jealous…. I wish I could start it all over again. I watched the first episode a second time when my mother-in-law was visiting and she wanted to see it and I cried like a baby even MORE the entire hour.

:: Mazel/Jackhole ::
or I guess I should just say
:: 1st World/White Girl Problems ::

I was talking with my girlfriend about how insane it is that there is SO MUCH television on right now.
So much. More than I can recall there ever being on at one time.
And now there is Netflix shows being added in to the stress…..

I started 2 episodes of the Crown, still haven’t watched the 4 episodes of Gilmore Girls….. THERE’S JUST TOO MUCH.
Even for me!
Tuesday night alone had this:
Below Deck Finale
Ladies of London
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
WWHL
Lea Remini Scientology
Fixer Upper
American Housewife

I MEANNNNNNN?!?! THAT’S JUST ONE NIGHT?!?!
Even professionals like myself can’t handle this kind of stress + excitement.
I’m going to start breaking out into uncontrollable laughter and tears like that weird commercial for a real condition that seems like an SNL commercial for a made up disease.
Ya know what I mean????

deep breath……pause and re-group….. LOCK IT UP.

and that’s not including anything with premium channels like HBO and Showtime because we don’t get those. Which I want to say THANK GAWD
….. but I am really sad that I don’t watch The Affair, and even more sad now because Heather McDonald is starting to discuss it on her podcast Juicy Scoop and I never miss an episode. So I feel like I need to get on The Affair ASAP.

Ok….. but really….. I couldn’t even watch Hairspray Live! last night.

Was it good?!?!

Was it as good as Grease Live!?

EDITORS NOTE :
as always, ignore my own blatant grammatical errors whilst I make fun of others poor grammar during coffee talk on a weekly basis.

#hypocrite #sorryimnotsorry

I write these posts late at night while simultaneously watching Bravo, taking snapchats of my snoring husband, and making to do lists of everything I was supposed to do and didn’t do that day and likely won’t do the next day either. or the day after that.

gifs and images via giphy, ABC , E!, Real Housewives Tmblr, and Bravo

US Weekly, Entertainment Weekly

home, house, Lifestyle

:: home updates : living room ::

December 7, 2016

I’m finally sharing some living room photos of our new house in Atlanta.

Some of these I took before the Christmas decorations were put up and when things were still very plain and not much was on the walls.

Like any house it is still very much a work in progress.

As I keep reminding my husband, it always will be. He likes to have everything up on the walls the day you move in and I need to live in the space for awhile and think every single purchase and picture placement through for a century!

Because otherwise as ladies we are known to change our minds. Just every once in awhile…..

PLUS I’m trying to only spend money where needed and reuse as much of our things from Chicago and repurpose or borrow things from my mom and sister’s house!

Here are some pictures from October before it had a bit more going on……

the recent photos have awful light but we’ve had so much rain and gloom the past few days it was the best I can do!

We recovered our ottoman from West Elm in this blue printed fabric that I am obsessed with.

I have this huge tray from Pottery Barn that I used when it was the old fabric (to cover it up a bit since it was so big and red), but for now I’m using this smaller tray so that more of the print stands out.

The legs go so well with our big grey console table and I love that it’s on rollers.

The rug is from my mom – she moved into a new house in February so I hit the jackpot with “borrowing” things. You’ll sense a theme from where I get most of my things that are “new”.

This was my favorite piece in our place in Chicago that we got from Nadeau.

Chicago ladies – hit up Nadeau. The one there is so much better than the 2 here.

I was SO relieved when it made it through the move!!

There are cracks on the back of it but luckily you can’t see any of that.

Quatrefoil lamps are from HomeGoods – they still have them sometimes.

I’ve had the black and white chair for years and years (old chair of my parents) and haven’t decided what to recover it in yet….. so for now it’s the odd man out. Somehow it doesn’t bother me at all so who knows when I’ll actually get around to recovering it.

The sofa was one of my moms old formal living room sofas and we had it recovered. It is SO comfortable and I was very excited to get a new sofa.

This chair used to be in my dad’s office so I was really happy that I got to have it and recover it for our living room

This has ironically become Kip’s spot and he doesn’t sit anywhere else. It’s perfectly worn in and the new blue fabric looks great with the ottoman and rug.

…. but now we have more items and a lot more going on with the Christmas decorations all unpacked.

We turned what was originally the dining room into a den, because the two of us don’t really need a full dining room that we’ll only use a handful of times per year.

This way we got a whole other living space like we had in Chicago with our basement living area.

You know me…. the more places to veg on a couch and watch TV the better 🙂

We didn’t want to block the french doors with a round dining table, so instead I got this sideboard that turns into a dining table when you want!

I convinced Kip to hang my favorite mirrors above the console/dining table. {He hated them because in my old apartment I had him hang all 5 and it was IMPOSSIBLE to get them even. It always drove him nuts}
I’m trying to decide if I want 3 or 5 there?
For now I’m happy with just the 3 hanging.
I’m afraid 5 may be too much for the wall?

It had little arms that pull out, and then the top flips open, and it becomes a full dining set when needed. I love that we can repurpose it in the future when we actually do have a dining room.

The little red runner I grabbed from the dollar section in Target to make it more Christmasy but normally I have more pictures here.

// CONSOLE + DINING TABLE //

that’s our booze wreath on the closet door – it has mini bottles of liquor tied to it and was the best white elephant gift EVER. I’m making one for an upcoming white elephant gift exchange.

// LIGHT UP GARLAND //

giant light ornaments are from AtHome, the decor-crack store. enter at your own risk.

I had been on the hunt for a large piece to put at the entryway by the front door, but I decided it would compete with my favorite grey piece on the other wall.

So we hung one of my favorite prints that used to hang in my parents wet bar.

Now I just need to find a small entry table to put below it.

I’m also in love with all of the old AC vents in the house that you can see in this picture below.

The lighting in these is awful but hopefully you can see the little bartender mixing the drink and his hair and outfit all a mess at the end 🙂 I had hoped to put this in the den but it wasn’t right on the wall and I wanted it somewhere I would see it every day.

I’m past due for updating my days until St. Patrick’s Day sign from my dad’s old bar.

Now it’s only 102 🙂 I know those of you in Chicago are counting the days ’til one of the best days of the year!

// GINGER JARS //

two different sizes + a total steal! and they can illuminate with a timer

pillow from Stein Mart

There’s still a TON that I want and need to do,

but I figured I might as well share what we’ve done since we moved in!

And as always, you’re welcome for my killer photography skills.

Maybe Santa will bring me some photography lessons to help my 2017 posts.

I’ll be sharing photos of our den next week, but wanted to share this little corner of the room because I love it so much.

I love this coke cooler that I got from my mom’s house, and the little baby Christmas me tree on top is just too cute for words.

ALSO, Christmas trees are 5x cheaper here than in Chicago, so I told Kipper we deserved a second one for the den 🙂

christmas, fashion, favorite things, Lifestyle

:: gift guide : for the traveler ::

December 6, 2016

Today I am sharing another gift guide for the holidays,

this time focusing on gifts for the traveler!

In the past couple years, I feel like I have traveled a crazy amount. For someone who doesn’t travel for work, I am always at the airport + on an airplace. First it was weddings and bachelor/bachelorette parties, and then I was flying back and forth from Chicago to Atlanta to see family, and now friends are scattered across the country from me and I’m lucky enough to use any excuse to hop on a plane.

Having a Companion Pass and traveling for free with my husband has also added to the increase in traveling.

Thank you Southwest 🙂 I heart you.

I’m on airplanes far too often and I did extensive planning for our long flight for Italy, so take a look at some great gifts below for the frequent flier or for anyone who just wants to pack a little smarter for a vacation!

a lot of these are the perfect stocking stuffer size and price!

:: GIFT GUIDE FOR THE TRAVELER ::

MASON TRAVEL BAG : you know I am obsessed with this thing. and I will never stop recommending it. ANDDD I was just watching The Big Bang Theory and it is Bernadette’s Hospital Bag! She has the burgandy/ox-blood color 🙂 It seriously would be a perfect hospital bag….. the characters and the writer’s of that show are obviously geniuses, so if you don’t believe me, believe them.

MINI STRAIGHTENER : trust me when I say that having small hair products is a life saver. this travel straightener is only $30 which makes it a complete steal, and it’s so much less space in your travel bag. hotels always have hair dryers that you can use, but they are usually straight out of 1980. this lightweight and COLLAPSIBLE HAIRDRYER would be a great thing to have too.

PORTABLE PHONE BATTERY : because let’s face it, they come in so many cute prints, but this FLORAL CHARGER and PINEAPPLE CHARGER are my favorites.

PINCH PROVISIONS AIRPLANE KIT : trust me. you’ll need something, if not tons of things, from this when you are on a flight. plus it takes up zero space! this makes such a great inexpensive gift for anyone and everyone – and is the perfect stocking stuffer size.

CASHMERE SCARF : it starts out hot, then gets freezing, then hot again. Pick a nice scarf that will last you, in a lightweight but warm material, and ideally in a neutral that will match as much of your clothing for the trip as possible.

SPANX LEGGINGS : I prefer to wear maxi dresses in the warm months, but basically anything but shorts (ew…. bare thighs and skin touching the airport seats and airplane seats…. nay nay fluffy) but if I can’t get away with a dress I wear leggings. and if you’re like me it’s something you would be packing to wear at some point on your trip anyway.

FOLDABLE TRAVEL FLATS : pick a pair of flats you’ll wear on your trip, or stow these foldable beauties in your carry on to change in to when needed. I love these TORTOISE SHELL FLATS but a great SOLID FOLDABLE FLAT in cream, black, or navy would be perfect too.

LUGGAGE SCALE : just do it. don’t act like you haven’t needed one in the past.

TAKE CHARGE CHARGING ORGANIZER : keep all of your necessities for your phone/computer/ear-buds all in one easy to access, super-cute spot. another perfect stocking stuffer!!

COMPRESSION PACKING CUBES : some people may only use these for bigger trips, but Kip and I use them for every trip, even a short weekend. It is a great way to fit as much as you can into your suitcase but also to pack in an organized manner.

a few more specific items, especially perfect for longer flights :
MOTION SICKNESS WRISTBAND : if you are one of those people that could even possibly get neaseous, have some on hand. people swear by them. I’m getting some for my sister for our flight to the Caymans for Christmas because she had a rough time this past weekend on our flight to Boston.

COLLAPSIBLE WATER BOTTLE : I’m insane and drink more water than anyone I know. Especially for long flights or for big trips, this is a necessity. It was a lifesaver for our Italy trip.

MOLDED EYE MASK : a necessity for long flights. this one will keep from messing up any eye make-up (or from smooshing your eyelashes for you lucky ladies I envy with super long lashes)

UNIVERSAL MINI ADAPTER : again, if going abroad, gotta have it and this one will work for any trip to any other countries you take in the future. plus, it’s mini and has cute colors!

I’ve been e-mailing with a few readers about our Italy trip a year or so ago answering some questions.

I realized I never did a Rome recap …. oops…. so unlike me right? 🙂

I’m adding that to my list!

We are possibly going back to Italy for a wedding in July….. not completely finalized yet if we can make it, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that we make it to Lake Como!

In the meantime while I get my act together and finish the final recaps,

check out my travel necessities for long international trips with this

PACKING FOR 2 WEEKS IN ITALY POST

and also my recap of the following cities

VENICE RECAP

SIENA RECAP

FLORENCE RECAP

POSITANO RECAP PART I

POSITANO RECAP PART II