Currently Coveting

I have a major shopping itch. There are so many things I am lusting after right now, despite the fact that I need NOTHING! But, as we all know "need" and "want" may as well be the same when it comes to fashion! 

This dress would be perfect for my upcoming trip to Mexico! 

 Ulla Johnson Mira Dress $402.50

Suited Up

The Mini Fashionista and I just got back from a week in Mexico. I posted this photo on my personal Instagram account and got a lot of compliments on the bathing suit, so I thought I would share. 

First, a shout out to my friend AS who actually gave me the bathing suit top on our trip. It never fit her to her satisfaction so she offered it to me, and I love it. The bottom is J Crew that I recently got on sale (here).

The suit is the Ripcurl Mirage Color Block Bikini. Here is what the back looks like.

And the front, which you see in the photo.

While you can't get the exact same top as mine, you can get the updated version on sale on 6pm.

You can also get it in a coral/black combination on ASOS. It's even on super sale (buy it here)

Currently Coveting

Katie found this dress, and I am OBSESSED with it! With the possibility of a trip to Mexico in October this dress just seems too good to be true. The back is over the top fabulous. 

The colors are vibrant and fun. And the price makes it easily justifiable.

Cozumel Dress $59

If only we hadn't just begun making some major updates in our kitchen, this dress would be mine! Instead I'll be buying $59 worth of concrete or subway tile. 

More to come on that in a future post. 

Mi Golondrina

Last week in Texas I got to spend the morning with the incredibly talented Cristina Lynch of Mi Golondrina. Inspired by her mom's Mexican heritage, she started the most incredible line of hand-embroidered dresses, shirts, and bedding. Golondrina means swallow in Spanish, and each of her pieces has a small embroidered bird included in the floral design. 

Each dress touches the hands of three groups of women in Oaxaca, Mexico who come from a long line of artisans. Her business employs many women that work from their homes, continuing on an art long-done by their ancestors.  

It was such a treat to visit her beautiful show room, see the incredible Mexican art on display, and chat with this incredibly inspiring, young woman who has entrepreneurship in her blood. And with my own personal affection for Mexico and its people, I love her passion for the Mexican culture and craftsmanship and wanting to bring a small piece of here it here to the states. 

And of course the hardest part of it all...having to decide which piece to buy. I came home this blue and beige top, which will be perfection with white jeans this summer or on our next trip to Baja. 

Cristina sells exclusively in two retail stores in Dallas and also on her website. No two pieces are the same and the detail is unlike nothing I've seen in this kind of garment - making it something I know I'll have for a lifetime. I'm already dreaming of my next Mi Golondrina purchase. 

Hasta manana. 

Sabine

Last week, Blaire Eadie of Atlantic-Pacific posted this photo of herself (the whole blog is photos of her) in this adorable top. Of course it was sold out. That is why clothing companies pay bloggers like her and give them free clothes...all she does is wear a top, post it on her blog and BANG, 20 minutes later...SOLD OUT! 

Since I liked the top so much, I figured it was worth checking out the other items offered by the brand, Sabine. Here are some of my favorite pieces, all available on Piperlime.

All of these styles are so easy. They scream " Mexican vacation". Maybe I should buy a few pieces so that I have a reason to go on a Mexican vacation. :)

C&C in the Kitchen

One of the best things about our recent week in Mexico was getting to spend time with my two cousins and their significant others. We had a great time eating, drinking and enjoying the warm weather. One of my cousins happens to be a highly skilled and acclaimed chef.  He is currently the Executive Chef at the Montage hotel in Laguna, California. Lucky for me he's family, and during our week in Mexico we got to enjoy the fruits of his labor at no cost. An added bonus of the family time and fine dining was that he introduced me to my new favorite seasoning.

Say hello to Chili Lime Salt. This stuff is crazy good. We ate it on vegetables, on eggs, in salads, on meat, etc.

I brought some home with me and have been using it daily. Earlier this week I made a salad with cucumber, tomato, avocado, red pepper, cilantro, lime, olive oil, salt and pepper and of course...chili lime salt.

How about on top of eggs with a little avocado...yes please!

Like I said, it has a wide variety of uses! My cousin suggested putting it on popcorn! I'll be trying that tasty snack sometime in the very near future!

The good news for you is that you don't have to go to Mexico to buy it. It can be found at many local grocery stores and speciality markets. And if you can't find it locally, of course, Amazon sells it too (here).

Enjoy!

C&C on the Move

Katie and I spent last week with our family in La Paz, Mexico celebrating my parents' 40th wedding anniversary! It was a week filled with family time, eating, drinking and recreating.

This was our first time spending a week in La Paz. We've spent 25+ years at Punta Pescadero, so it was hard for me to go somewhere new, but we had a great time, and I will be more than happy to go back again soon.

We stayed at Costa Baja, a resort, marina and spa. We had a pool right near the house (top photo) and a fantastic pool at the beach club (bottom right). The photo on the left is the view from my parents' place. 

Katie and I enjoyed some nice long walks, barre3 on the patio, and cruising on the boat. 

The Mini Fashionista rocked her beach style...she's far more fashionable than her mom! 

Katie and the Mini had lots of quality time (top left). The Mini and I drank a few limonadas (top right), and she spent hours in the sand and at the pool. It's a rough life!

Another fun highlight of our trip was seeing the Venus, a 236 ft yacht designed for Steve Jobs. I have named it the iyacht. Sadly, he never saw the boat. It was designed by Philippe Starck's design company Ubik and built by Fedship for nearly $170 million US Dollars. The design lines look exactly like an Apple computer. It's really a site to behold. Rumor was they filled up with gas: 29 Thousand gallons for $125,000 dollars! WOW! 

Anyway, for anyone who wants to visit Baja and avoid the crowds of Cabo, La Paz is a hidden treasure and so is Costa Baja. If you happen to go there, I have one last suggestion... Il Rustico. This is the most amazing Italian restaurant. It's owned and run by an Italian couple and the food is crazy good. It's a heavenly slice of Italy in Mexico.

Products We Love

We are headed to Mexico on Saturday to celebrate our parent's 40th wedding anniversary, so I have beach fashion on my mind. 

Wouldn't the Mini Fashionista look festive in one of these adorable Puebla Dresses from Superfussy? 

For only $35, they would make a great gift for your favorite little fashionista. 

Mexico Recap

Last week the Mini Fashionista and I took a quick trip South of the border to escape the dreary weather here in Portland. We spent 6 days in the 80+ degree heat having all sorts of fun in the sun! Here are a few photos from our trip.

Watching the sunset! 

"Cleaning" the beach, as she calls it.

My little Amiga!

Ready to go kayaking together!

My little Giraffe

Now it's back to the rain and gloom. Oh well, we enjoyed it while it lasted! 

Missing Mexico

I had hoped to be spending my Memorial Day in Mexico, but it didn't work out. So to transport my mind to the beachs of Mexico I thought I would blog about bathing suits. Back in February I posted about Vince Camuto's clothing line for Dillard's.  Just recently I found out that Vince Camuto has launched a swim collection. I like the basic, sleek silhouettes, and I am especially fond of the stripes! If I were on the beaches of Mexico I would wear any of these suits. 

So what do you think of the first Vince Camuto Swim Collection?

Missing Mexico

We spent six glorious days earlier this week in Mexico...enjoying the sun, paddle boarding, reading and chasing the now 1 year old Mini Fashionista. Here are some photos to sum up the fabulous vacation!

Our first evening, relaxing on the patio.

Punta Pescadero Hotel

Chillin in the kiddie pool

Fun on the beach

Digging

The token self-portrait

Showing off her walking skills

This view never gets old...

Birthday Cake!

A little Barre3 Plank in Baja!

Surfing with my Mini Fashionista!