Printed Leggings for ALL!

Although they may not be the easiest trend to get in on, and some might think it is ridiculous to even think about wearing such a thing, printed leggings are a great addition to your fall wardrobe. You may be thinking this is one trend that should be left for girls with pin thin legs (because who wants to make their thighs look bigger?) or that you simply just can't pull them off. But newsflash ladies, any size girl can and SHOULD be rocking these this fall. While it's true that printed leggings are a ridiculously easy way to look cute and trendy, there are a couple rules you should keep in mind when putting together an outfit with these leggings. The key to making this look work has everything to do with what you pair your printed leggings with. I personally find it best to pair with a neutral top, such as a chiffon blouse, neutral sweater or tank and tie the look together with simple accessories, such as a solid color clutch or bag with simple jewelry. The idea here is to not make your outfit complicated and confusing. Keep in mind that your legs will be the focal point of this outfit, so it is important you tone down the rest of your look. Also, it is best to pair printed leggings with a heel, whether it's a bootie or a pump. This will help to keep the busy print of the leggings from overpowrering your legs, and instead elongate them. Don't want to wear heels with your leggings? A flat biker boot or knee high boot will work too!

1. Apartment 8 Printed Leggings
2. Zara Crossbody Bag
3. Zara Peplum Top

Get this look here!

Find these printed leggings here!

Get this look here!

Private Accommodations

Walls of Dubrovnik

My Mom loves hotels. Whenever I travel anywhere she always asks about my hotels. I never really understood her fascination. I see hotels as a necessity. After I am done exploring, I need a place to crash. I appreciate a nice hotel like anyone else but when it comes to budgeting a trip I would much rather spend less on the hotel and more on exploring. I had mentioned this to a friend when I was planning a trip to Croatia and he suggested I go with private accommodations. I did a little research and there were bed and breakfast accommodations that you could reserve in advance but my friend insisted that the best way was to wait until I arrived in Dubrovnik. He said,"When you get off the shuttle from the airport there will be these old ladies waiting around holding signs that say SOBE. Tell them you want a room for 20 euros and don't give them any money until they show you the room." I am fan of being flexible and not planning every minute but the idea of going to a foreign country without having a place to stay can be scary. The worst case scenario went through my mind where I am sleeping in some alley with my luggage, get arrested and spend the next 15 years in a Balkan prison camp. Okay, so maybe that was a little dramatic. I was nervous but he was so insistent that I decided to give it a shot.

View from my room

I arrived in Dubrovnik and the scene played out exactly as my friend described. I ended up getting an incredible room overlooking the water just outside the city walls in Dubrovnik. It was a short walk to everywhere I wanted to see and the woman who rented the room was better than any 5 star concierge. We talked the first night over a bowl of ice cream about my interests and she helped me develop a plan for the next few days. I started with a walk around the walls. You have to climb up a steep set of steps to get to the top but the walk around the top of the walls is astonishing. The view of the Adriatic Sea, the cliffs, the walls and the orange roof tiles create an image in your mind that you are unlikely to forget. 

Secret drink spot

While my host gave me a ton of great information there were two specific suggestions that she made that really summed up my trip to Dubrovnik. The first was a secret drink spot and the second was a trip to a War Museum at the top of the mountain. I asked for a recommendation for a place to have a drink with a view of the Adriatic Sea. She drew me a map on a napkin and told me to look for a piece of wood painted with the words " Cold Drinks" and a arrow. It wasn't easy to find and at one point I felt like I was a rat in maze but finally I found it. I had to walk through this mini-tunnel inside the wall but when I emerged on the other side I literally gasped. It was a bar on the side of a cliff with nothing but the majestic blue of the Adriatic ahead of me. I sat there for 3+ hours. I had a few too many beers and was entertained by the crazy Australian guy who climbed over the railing and jumped into the sea on a dare from his buddies. I may have stumbled upon this place on my own. Most likely, I would have walked right past that rickety sign and missed out on one of my favorite vacation experiences. 

View of Dubrovnik from the War Museum

During the first night ice cream session I mentioned that I was interested in Croatian history and how the country has changed since the war of the 1990's. My host suggested that I would enjoy the war museum located on the top of the hill in an old military bunker. She offered to drive me up and show me around. The museum was filled with photographs and weapons which were interesting to look at but the most interesting part was listening to my host talk about her personal experiences during that time. It put a real face on the war for me. The surprise of the trip to this museum was the view of the city from up there. I never would have found that museum on my own. 

Me overlooking the city

My experience throughout Croatia with private accommodations was mixed. This first one in Dubrovnik was by far the best but also the most expensive at 25 Euros a night. It had a wonderful view of the water and my host consistently went above and beyond. In Split, a city farther north up the Croatian coast, my room was tiny and in the basement. I saw my host when I got there and then never saw her again. She did leave me a note and a baggie of homemade cookies the morning I checked out. If one of your favorite parts of vacation is staying in a plush hotel, then private accommodations may not be for you. For me, the best part of vacation is trying to fit in as a local and private accommodations definitely helped me to do that. 

FALL in love

Fall is right around the corner and if you're anything like me you CANNOT wait! The weather, the clothes, I just can't contain myself..I love it all! But before you rush out to buy the latest fall fashions, here's some quick and easy tips on how to rock some of your summer gear well into the fall season.

Maxi dresses:
Maxi dresses are a staple in your summer wardrobe..and it turns out they're even better in fall! Pair with a scarf, jean jacket and strappy sandals for an insanely easy, casual AND cute look!

High-waisted shorts:
High waisted shorts may not be for everyone, however if you do like the look then it's definitely something you can carry into your fall wardrobe. Pair with tights, knee-high boots and a long cardigan or blouse and you're good to go! Want more?? Add a pair of ruffled knee-high socks to your look!

Chiffon/Sundresses:
Everyone loves a cute sundress or chiffon dress for the hot summer days. But if you want to wear your fav dress during fall simply pair with a leather jacket and wedges or flat sandals and you've transformed your cutesy summer dress into fall-wear. Belt at the waist if your dress is a little flowy to make it a more structured look! A little chilly to bear your legs? On those cooler fall days pair with tights and flats (or grab your knee-high boots!)

Ku'u Momi Makamae (my precious pearl)

Waikiki, O'ahu Hawai'i

In my quest to visit all fifty states I spent February vacation on O'ahu. I was pumped to finally make the trek to Hawai'i. I only had a week and two of those days were going to be travel days so I didn't have a lot of time. When I was doing my research for this trip I read that Kaua'i is the place for adventure, Maui the place for romance, the Big Island (Hawai'i) the place for space and O'ahu the tourist trap. Here's the thing, the two things I wanted to see most in Hawai'i are on O'ahu, surfing at the North Shore and Pearl Harbor. I didn't want to waste too much time traveling between islands so I came to grips with the idea of only being able to visit O'ahu. Every person I talked with before I left kept telling me not to go to O'ahu." Go to Maui! Go to Kuai'i." Something just kept telling me that O'ahu was the place for me right now.

Pearl Harbor 

I arrived in Honolulu on a Saturday evening and immediately crashed in my hotel room. I booked an early tour of Pearl Harbor with O'ahu Nature Tours. They picked me up at my hotel at 6:00 am on a Sunday morning and our whole tour group consisted of 3 people, the tour guide, one other woman and me. We were the first to arrive and practically had the place to ourselves for the first hour or so. When the alarm went off I questioned why on earth I picked a 6 am tour on the first day of vacation, but once I got there I was so glad that I did. At the museum I had time to stop and read things without crowds of people around me. Our boat from shore to the U.S.S. Arizona was not crammed with tourists. Pearl Harbor is an unique experience. The two closest things are the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC and the new 9/11 Memorial in New York City. It is a combination of serenity and eeriness. If you spent too much time thinking about it, it can overwhelm you. Our guide told us that a few weeks before we were there they had a ceremony where one of the last survivors of the Arizona had asked for his ashes to be sprinkled in the waters around the Arizona so he could be with his "brothers." Standing out there on the deck of the memorial and thinking about what was below it is hard not to image that day. Looking up at the sky for planes. Looking around at the other ships. Looking out at the shore. I definitely felt a sadness and wasn't ready to leave when it was time to go.

The Great Aloha Run

The next day was President's Day and people in Honolulu celebrate the day by participating in the Great Aloha Run. It is an 8-mile run through downtown Honolulu and ends in Aloha Stadium. The majority of the run in on a highway and the scenery isn't what I imagined until the highway climbs and you are overlooking Pearl Harbor. The best part of this run for me was the chance to spend time with the locals. Coming from New York I was in the midst of "Linsanity." The New York Knicks basketball team phenom of the moment was a young Asian-American named Jeremy Lin. He immediately became a superstar in New York and a hero to many Asian-Americans. Hawai'i has a huge Asian population. For the run I decided to wear my Jeremy Lin jersey. I cannot even begin to count the number of people who came up to talk to me or just yelled " Linsanity" during the run. People were incredibly kind and funny. It was a wonderful opportunity to chat with people and get some O'ahu insider tips for the rest of week.

Makapu'u State Park

 Now that I had seen Pearl Harbor and ran the race, the only other must-do I had on my list was to watch surfing on the North Shore. I took a tour for that and unfortunately the waves weren't huge (by their standards but pretty huge by mine) and the tour guide decided on minimal time on the shoreline and more time on the Dole Pineapple Planation. I was disappointed but that is the chance you take when you book a tour. You lose the freedom to choose. During the run one of the tips I received from a native to Honolulu was to check out the South Shore. I took one of the city busses to the end of the line to Makapu'u State Park and the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline. I arrived about 6:30 am on a windy morning. The park was empty except for a lone surfer. The blue sky with the even bluer water contrasting with the black volcanic rocks gave me my favorite picture of the entire trip. There are trails to a lookout with a lighthouse and trails that go through this valley along the coast. The valley is HOT. You really feel like you are traipsing through a desert and the view of the Koko Crater is just stunning. I am pretty sure I stood there with my mouth open for a solid 10 minutes.

Koko Crater

I never left O'ahu. Maybe Kaui'i and Maui are better but every native Hawiian I met said to go to the Big Island when I come back. I think I'll take their advice. People are right, O'ahu can be a tourist trap, if you stay in Waikiki and never leave. That gives O'ahu the reputation as being the cheesiest place to visit in Hawai'i. I don't think that is true at all. If you get out and explore you'll find out that there is a lot more to O'ahu. I've learned this over and over again on all of my travels, the most important thing to do on a trip is talk to the people. Tour guides are good but talking to native people about their home will be the best vacation decision you'll ever make. People are proud of where they come from and they want you to appreciate it. So, ask questions and say mahalo (thank you). You'll get great advice and a smile.

America's Treasures...National Parks

Denali National Park, Alaska

In college I did a large project for my Public Policy class on the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service (NPS). Before that I had taken part in a family vacation that took us in a van from New York to California and back in 5 weeks. I wasn't that excited about spending 5 weeks in a van with my parents and five younger siblings but it ended up being one of the pivotal experiences of my life. My parents aren't big on shopping malls or theme parks but rather on historical sites and national parks. I was raised with this appreciation for the natural wonders of our country and that has continued through my adult life.

Cape Cod National Seashore

This summer I purchased my very first National Park Pass. For a feel of $80, this one year pass entitles you to entrance to all National Parks, National Monuments, National Forests, etc. Recently we were on a family vacation in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and happened upon the Cape Cod National Seashore. I was pumped to show off my pass for my family and get us in for free. Cape Cod is beautiful. I have spent many summer vacations here and it has always been one of my favorite places but I had never been to the National Seashore. We spent about an hour walking through the sandy trails that weaved though these gorgeous sand dunes. My 9 year old nephew said, "Aunt Melis, this looks like Africa." It felt like we were in an exotic place.

African Burial Ground New York, New York

That is the beauty of our National Park system, they take you places. When you're standing on top of a mountain range in Alaska and overlooking the river valley you literally feel on top of the world. When you are deep in a forest in Olympic National Park with trees towering over you and ferns lining the forest floor you feel like you're in a child's imagination. In the middle of Yosemite valley looking up at the faces of rocks on both sides of you, you feel small and insignificant. Not a bad ego check. Even walking through the middle of Manhattan and you stumble upon the African Burial Grounds. By comparison, a small part of the NPS but no less inspiring.




Next time you're planning a family vacation or a vacation for yourself, consider visiting our National Parks and Monuments. Be careful, you just might get addicted.

The Valley of the Sun

Pool at Chase Field, home of the Diamondbacks

Let me just say this upfront, I hate the heat. I can tolerate it if I am close to a large body of water but given the choice between 10 inches of snow or 110 degrees, I chose the snow. Everytime. That's why a trip to Phoenix, Arizona was a little out of character for me. A friend of mine is from Phoenix and was harping on me to check it out. I finally gave in and gave Phoenix a week to win me over. I was pretty skeptical. I mean, their baseball team has a pool in the stadium. Really? I had this image of  Phoenix where a bunch of grandmas riding around in golf carts and frat boys chasing girls around town. Phoenix in my mind is pretty much the west coast version of Florida. I hate Florida. 

The Zovko Family

Despite all of these misgivings, I went anyway. Mostly, because I wanted my friend to stop nagging me and I would have a chance to spend some time with his family and I love the Zovkos. Okay, here's the truth. I could never live in Phoenix. Not only is it hot but it looks like someone copied and pasted strip malls up and down every street. The small downtown area, if you can call it that, leaves a lot to be desired. I also couldn't get used to this Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale conglomerate. Are these neighborhoods of Phoenix? Separate towns? Suburbs? So maybe the heat made me a little grumpy. I was on the verge of punching the next person who said, "It's a dry heat." A dry heat is still friggin' hot. When it is over 100 degrees it is hot. There is no way around that.

Desert Botanical Garden

There were two things that saved Phoenix from becoming my least favorite place in America, The Desert Botanical Garden and The Heard Museum. I wasn't sure what to expect from a botanical garden in the desert but it was surprisingly beautiful. The garden was full of flowers, animals and cacti. It is definitely worth a visit. It was hot walking around. I know, you get the point. It's hot in Phoenix. Bring your personal fan that spritzes water on you and enjoy your walk around. I saw some crazy looking lizards and the butterfly room was amazing. You walk into this enclosed greenhouse and butterflies are EVERYWHERE. It was like being a kid again. I had the urge to run after each of them. The only thing that would have made this better was if it was in an open field and Laura Ingells was running around with me. The flowers and displays throughout the garden were stunning but the landscape surrounding the garden was even more spectacular.

Heard Museum

The Heard Museum is one of the premier American Indian museums in the country. If you have an ounce of interest in Native American culture you will fall in love with this place. There was an elaborate display of ancient pottery and weavings. The exhibit that stuck with me the most was about boarding schools that the U.S. government forced American Indian children to attend in order to "civilize" them. The exhibit included photos and interviews with real people and how difficult it was for them to be taken from everything they have ever known and forced into a new way of life. I'm not embarrassed to say that I shed a few tears reading them. This museum alone was worth my entire trip to Phoenix.

Bottom Line. Phoenix isn't my favorite. I might go there again but only to visit friends. There are a few shining stars. As you may have picked up on, I do hate the heat and I do have a problem with the Diamondbacks because they beat my Yankees in the World Series in 2001 when New York really needed something positive to celebrate. The heat and my sports related hatred may have skewed my opinion. Honestly, it wasn't all bad. It is always fun to explore a new place and I got to hug a huge basketball. That's pretty cool.

Dress up your phone!

Phone cases are everywhere, you can buy them at just about any kiosk in the mall and they come in millions of colors and designs. But if you're looking for something a little beyond the case to accessorize your phone...read on. From studded and spiked phone cases to bunny ears and bows that plug into the headphone jack, different iPhone accessoires are becoming more and more popular (and I can speak from experience because I own some of the above...).  At first glance one might think it's ridiculous to be putting such things on your phone...and maybe it is just a little bit, but it's a cute and fun trend to give in to to spice up your phone even if it's just for a short amount of time. There are TONS of accessories to plug into your headphone jacks and stickers to put over your home button that can be found on many websites such as Amazon that are super cheap. As for phone cases, I've always loved LSD Fashion Lab's selection of crazy cases (especially their studded ones). For all that your phone does for you, the least you can do is let it play dress up!

THE bun.

Call it the sock bun, the doughnut bun, the doughnut sock or whatever else you want, but this trick is the BEST way to create the perfect full bun! Done in a couple easy steps, with either a sock from your drawer or a doughnut which can be bought at a variety of stores, this hairstyle is quick and easy and can be worn as a more formal updo or as a cute casual bun. The sock and the doughnut vary slightly in styling so I included tutorials of both...

Here's the sock bun:

I found this on Pintrest

And the doughnut bun:

I found this on The Coveted

Whichever way you choose to style your bun, both are quick and cute way to style your hair!