Tag: summer
Summer in Pacifica
Pacifica is a pretty, beach town destination just south of San Francisco that’s popular for surfing. When I pictured going to Pacifica, I envisioned the whole Instagrammable scene unfolding like this: me, sitting on the warm, soft sand in a light breeze for hours in the shade of my sun hat.
That didn’t exactly happen. Why? Because it’s not SoCal, that’s why. Pacifica in the summer is windy, chilly and best experienced in a wetsuit. I’m not a Pacific coast newbie by any means, but I’m honestly still a little disappointed by the lack of warm beach weather in NorCal. But I did manage to get some pictures of the coast, the wildflowers and my straw hat (a summer must-have essential).
The views from Pacifica are lovely, as are the sunsets. It’s a great little daytime destination when you want to get away from San Francisco.
Note: the front of this pink tee is so cute-It’s in the last picture so scroll down to see it!
Notice that I’m wearing a fleece in this next picture…in the middle of summer. Ha, you win this round, windy NorCal beach weather. And here’s another hot tip: stick a few bobby pins through that straw hat to keep it on in the wind.
Wildflower season in California
Spring through early summer in California has pretty wildflowers. It’s the dry season, so the pops of purple and yellow really stand out.
When I started traveling to National Parks last year, I began collecting patches to commemorate the parks I’d visited. I thought of affixing them to a bag or jean jacket as I’d seen some other parks patrons do, but I couldn’t find the right piece to put them on. The solution became clear-the dog would have to display them on his jacket. Perfecto.
Summer outfit details
A special shoutout to Parc in Minneapolis, where I bought this lovely Just Female brand tee. It looks like there’s one left in stock so someone should snag it! I’ve long loved shopping there for its ethically sourced brands, and the store will be moving neighborhoods to North Loop in downtown Minneapolis. The new location will be open soon and I can’t wait to visit.
The hat I found at DSW and I’m bummed that I can’t find it online to share with you, so I’ll use my affiliate linker to share a collection of adorable and very affordable summer hats below. I love the Anthropologie one with white flowers and I can’t believe it’s under $30!
Natural Sun Protection
Protect your skin from the sun
It’s part of Beauty Secrets 101 to wear SPF all the time. It’s common sense, because sun exposure promotes aging, damage from free radicals and skin cancer. But maybe you’re concerned about the chemicals in most sunscreens. What then?
Coconut oil is popular for pretty much everything right now including sun protection, but it only shields from 20 percent of harmful rays, says Mayo Clinic. Better than nothing, you may say. But keep in mind that coconut oil is comodogenic and can make you break out, which no one wants. Then I found out about two other oils that are promising. They’re raspberry seed oil and carrot seed oil.
Natural oils for sun protection
A Canadian study done in 2000 found that among the characteristics of raspberry seed oil is an SPF protection factor of 28-50 against UVB rays, and an SPF around 8 for UVA rays. Notice that it protects against UVB and UVA. Not all sunscreens do! When I lived in Switzerland for a summer, I learned that European sunscreens are higher quality than American ones, because they filter against broad spectrum rays. The FDA hasn’t yet approved widespread use of these filtering agents, according to the Environmental Working Group.
I had this problem where my ultra-fancy, natural face moisturizer didn’t have SPF. Have you ever encountered this? Solution: combine it with a little raspberry seed oil or carrot seed oil. I use a high quality oil by affiliate partner and sponsor Leven Rose. If you’re not sold on raspberry seed oil as a sunscreen option, it also makes a great face moisturizer. Carrot seed oil is also touted as a remedy for thinning hair.
Now, to my knowledge there has only been that one study done and it was 17 years ago. So more research needs to be done on the topic.
The Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Sunscreen advises that it’s wisest to not rely on sunscreen alone for sun protection. Hats, sunglasses, clothing, and umbrellas are all part of a good sun protection plan.
How do you stay sun safe in the summer?
Summer in Jacksonville, Oregon
Visiting Jacksonville Oregon
On the great Road Trip 2017, the last stop we made before California was visiting Jacksonville Oregon. It’s a small town in the Southern part of the state with cute main street with shops. I actually found Jacksonville on a suggested list of ghost towns to visit in Oregon. It’s far from a ghost town, but it is quaint and full of historical buildings. It’s definitely worth a visit!
Where to Eat in Jacksonville Oregon
For lunch, I chose a little cafe called The Cheesemonger’s Wife. They had a cheese plate for only $11 that came well stocked with plenty of cheeses, olives, crackers and jam. The restaurant was gluten free friendly and many of the ingredients were local. They made delightful sandwiches and coffee too.
What to wear when visiting Jacksonville Oregon
I found Jacksonville to be an Instagrammer’s paradise. The historical details I mentioned earlier include brick facades, antique murals painted on walls, and pretty flower gardens. So put on your best outfits, bloggers! Shop Lilly Pulitzer dresses like the one in these pics here.
Do you have a favorite small town to visit in the summer? Tell me about it in the comments! I’d love to add more destinations to my travel wishlist.
Welcome Summer with a Gingham Headband
Gingham for Summer
You could say that gingham is the fabric of the summer. Its midcentury appeal is gracing everything from sundresses to bikinis. I found the perfect gingham headband in red and black to wear while traveling this summer. In fact, I used it to keep my hair in place while ghost town hunting! The hunt was somewhat successful since the photo above is taken in an old schoolhouse is Oregon. I have more pictures of it for a future post which I am so excited to share with you! But back to the gingham. To add to its versatility, I also used the headband as a hat ribbon to decorate an old straw hat for summer.
Get the gingham headband look
You can even get a gingham headband that to show off your college athletic team pride. Or go more traditional with this Anthropologie gingham headband. The store also carries this one by Dauphines of New York, which is a brand I partnered with in 2015 that makes quality headbands. Excitingly, it also comes in pink.
Best of all they’re all on sale right now.
More gingham looks to love
Here are some more gingham inspiration looks to jump start your summer. I’ve seen a lot of gingham dresses in an off-the-shoulder silhouette, another trend of the season. If you’re wondering how to wear a gingham headband, gingham pairs with florals and solid colors (especially white).
Will you be wearing gingham this summer or saving it for your picnic tablecloth?
Colorful Summer Entertaining
Thanks for Sparkling Ice for sponsoring this post. Words, photos and opinions are all by me.
This is one of the first posts I’ve written from California, and wanna know one thing I really love about this place? There are no mosquitoes here, you guys. None! You can sit outside into the evening without risking your life to the bugs. So let’s celebrate that! When you’re hosting a gathering (or a get-together, as they say in the Midwest), you want it to be colorful, engaging and memorable. And since my California house has a backyard with a dining area, here’s a display I made for an evening on the patio last night.
Refreshments for all
While on a family trip as a teenager in a very hippie west coast town, I found a book about clean eating and natural beauty. I read the whole thing, because I was wild teen with a bustling social life and was not at all nerdy.
This book was a real joy killer, because it talked about how we all must give up sugar and anything indulgent to be healthy and beautiful. Instead of soda, you could learn to enjoy plain sparkling water with a dash of juice.
Who would ever want to live like that? I thought. What a sad, sad existence.
But fast forward a decade, and it happened to me. I never touch soda (pop for my MN readers- love ya!). Instead I reach for sparkling water drinks. Now I drink it, well, like water.
Sparkling Ice is a drink that will please all your guests, from the health conscious to those who need something a bit more, shall we say, flavorful. It’s flavored and sweet, but without the sugar of other sparkling beverages so it would make a great soda replacement. And it’s caffeine free, which I appreciate. Grab it for a picnic, for lunch, or for your awesome summer adventures I know you’re busy planning! Get it easily in time for your parties and events on Amazon.
Cute drink ware
Grab those canning jars I know you have and add a decorative straw made of paper. Paper straws are not only decorative, they biodegrade and don’t hurt wildlife in the ocean! I just love when Eco-friendly and decor-friendly intersect, don’t you?
For an Instagram-worthy drink, I added fruit slices to color coordinate with the fruit flavored water.
Watermelon skewers
Healthy, colorful and tasty! Skewered triangular slices are easier to eat and they look great on a platter. The skewers are biodegradable as well, so toss ’em in the compost.
Simple charcuterie board
A charcuterie board with various meats and cheeses is an easy way to make a dish with a pretty presentation. Adding a sprig of rosemary is a time-honored tradition, as well as a cluster of grapes or handful of blueberries. I like to add something unexpected, such as sliced peppers for a little color and flavor. The end result looks fancy, but it’s actually just cheese on a wooden cutting board. Congrats, you just leveled up to Hosting Level: Expert.
Last minute decorating details
I made this centerpiece (and I use that term loosely here) with the flowers I bought and hadn’t gotten around to planting yet. Who says procrastination doesn’t pay off?
Pop on a vintage apron or other colorful apron for some more fun color. Plus you can wipe your hands on it when they inevitably get sticky from rearranging the watermelon skewer tray. Win!
Need more hosting ideas? Try a tropical dip recipe that’s a colorful crowd pleaser.
The flavors used in this post are Kiwi Strawberry, Pineapple Coconut and Pink Grapefruit but there are tons more – find your favorite flavor here.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my summer hosting tips! Use them to add a little color and flavor to the table and help distract people from the fact that your backyard, like ours, might be covered in pine needles and garden hoses.
Are you a sparkling water or fruit flavored water drinker? Tell us in the comments ?
