Let's Go To The Lake!

(This gorgeous New Hampshire getaway provided the the backdrop for the film On Golden Pond).

Good morning all!  I just got back from a great weekend in Denver last night and am already missing being on vacation!  I went fly fishing for the first time and it was so much fun!  I've come to realize I'm a bit of a mountain girl and would love to spend some time on a lake for an end-of-summer vacation.  There's still time!  Vogue Magazine shares some of North America's best lakeside retreats with us, and I have to admit, I'd be more than willing to visit any of them.  Take a look:

(Once the playground for wealthy New Yorkers escaping the summer heat, this spot in the heart of Adirondack ski country—the nearby Lake Placid was home to the 1980 and 1932 Winter Olympics—offers plenty of diversions in the warmer months.)

(After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, many wealthy Chicagoans cooled their heels on the shores of Geneva Lake while their city homes were under repair. And today revelers still flock to the shore, just an hour-and-a-half drive from Chicago.)

(Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack used to be regulars on these shores. Today, the north side of the lake, the second deepest in the USA, caters to those who want adventure coupled with R & R.)

(The eco-chic Cedar House Sport Hotel feels like a tree house—albeit one outfitted with European linens and a gourmet restaurant downstairs. Sign up for one of the hotel’s bird-watching trips or sunset hikes—then soothe tired muscles in their al fresco hot tub.)

(Straddling the Utah and Arizona border, Lake Powell’s pristine turquoise water and stunning red rock formations call families back year after year. Many opt to spend the summer cruising around the lake on houseboats, but a nearby resort offers a deluxe desert experience.)

(Covering 600 acres in southern Utah, the low, earth-toned buildings of Aman Resorts’ Amangiri blend into the surrounding desert, with suites decked out in a contemporary Southwestern style, personal courtyards, and private pools. Daily group fitness and yoga classes are included in the rates.)

(An all-American summer vacation awaits where two Great Lakes converge. Lake Michigan’s shores offer classic warm-weather diversions, while a landmark resort, the setting for the 1980 Christopher Reeve film Somewhere in Time, perches on an island in Lake Huron.)

(Seventy-five miles from Atlanta, Lake Oconee overflows with Southern charm and water sports like kayaking, sailing, and wakeboarding.)

(All photos and text descriptions of properties courtesy of Vogue Magazine)

What do ya think?  Ready for your lake trip?

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"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." -- Ephesians 4:31-32

Summer's Last Fresh Breath

It's Friday, so I thought it only fitting to share a little bit of fashion.  Being a teacher, we try to get as much longevity out of our summer as possible.  I fight to the death until that last day I have to finally be in my classroom to get ready for the coming year.  Does that mean I don't love my job?  No, not at all...there is a part of me that looks forward to back to school and a fresh start, but, the reality is, I love summer.  So, that being said, I have a few more mini vacations coming up, and of course will need to get in my last pool time while I can.  

The summer allows us to be much more casual, take in each breath, and really enjoy our surroundings.  Fashion Associate Kelly Connor proves she knows how to relax with her recent trip to Shelter Island, New York.  Vogue shows us her five days off with five different laid-back looks.  Which one is your favorite?  Have a great Friday all!!!

DAY 1

(Loving this entire look.  Kelly is wearing her mom's Plein Sud polka-dot dress that she bought at Maxfield's in the nineties.  She finishes off the look with adorable McQueen sandals, and fabulous Rag and Bone Sunglasses)

DAY 2

(The look here is casual, yet pretty.  Kelly is wearing a La Perla camisole, that is actually part of a pair of pajamas! and vintage Levis.  The look is finished with a pair of Der Dau riding boots)

DAY 3

(Day 3 we get to see Kelly in an Elder Statesman cashmere t-shirt with Missoni pants.  Love that she completed the look with a good ol' pair of Birks)

DAY 4

(This was my favorite look of the five, simply because of the natural details and the photos are gorgeous.  Kelly is wearing a Citizens of Humanity denim skirt, with a Rag and Bone fisherman's sweater tied around her waist.  What I love though is that little crocheted crop top.  Kelly purchased it in Tokyo after being inspired by Gwen Stefani.  The sandals are Miu Miu)

DAY 5

(On the last day, Kelly wears a mustard and navy Suno sweater with a white, Jo de Mer bikini bottom)

All photos courtesy of Marko MacPherson for Vogue Magazine

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Up A Tree

(The long deck to this Cave Junction, Oregon, tree house—which calls itself the “Calypso” and rents year round—features pine-tree cutouts in its railing. )

Happy 1st day of summer!  I've mentioned (a few times) that I think summer is the most romantic season.  So many vacation options, warm weather, and reading on a porch.  What better way to celebrate summer than with a tree house vacation?  There's such a thing?  Yes!  What could be more romantic than hanging out in your own hideout with your loved one?  There are many to choose from.  Take a look, and what are you waiting for?  Book it!

(AirBnB’s most popular tree house is in Burlingame, California, overlooking San Francisco Bay. According to the site, co-owner Doug—who created the tree house originally for his children—is now looking into a career as a tree-house builder.)

(The French tree house “Monbazillac,” a shingled interpretation of the original Chateau de Monbazillac in southwestern France, sleeps two and has WiFi.)

(For $361 a night, the French “chateau” is a rare tree house that includes its own bathroom with walk-in shower and these dramatic, verdigris-esque doors.)

(They call this Oregonian house the “Shitake,” a reference to its Japanese architectural motifs, and it was designed to look like a hanging lantern.)

(A tiny little tree house in Quebec, Canada.)

(The bedroom at the Hawaiian tree house, which is available for $215 per night.)

(If staying in a flammable, moves-with-the-wind structure isn’t edgy enough for your family vacation, try the Kilauea Volcano tree house, located near one of Hawaii’s volcanic parks! Built, essentially, as a honeymoon suite to the property’s nearby events pavilion, this tree house lists its city and state merely as “Volcano, HI.” )

(A stunning exterior of a tree house in Italy—located in greater Alessandria, roughly equidistant between northwestern Italy’s Genoa and Turin—which rents for $136 per night. )

(Rustic outside, the Alessandria, Italy, tree house calls itself “shabby chic” on the inside, with white-washed walls, plump pillows, and a full suite of high-end indoor plumbing. Coffee and local wines are served on the deck.)

(The $250-per-night Calypso has a four-poster bed and eating area—though cooking is strictly forbidden. )

All photos and captions courtesy of Vanity Fair Magazine

Clare Vivier Tote Bag Clare Vivier Studded Clutch Clare Viver Wallet 

On the Road Again

It's Thursday...so that means in 2 more days, I will be pulling out of the driveway and heading for Colorado.  It's about a 16 hour drive, and I'm really looking forward to it, since I've never driven past Vegas.  There's something romantic about a road trip.  It's something about the adventure, the unknown, the experience that excites me.  I can't wait to take photos along the way to share with you all.  In the meantime, here's what I'm thinking I'll experience.  

All images courtesy of Pinterest

And here's my traveling partners in crime:

Bosley and Bailey!  Photos taken by Kori Donahue for Blonde Episodes

Get your Fashion Friday posts ready...the link will be up later this evening!  I can't wait to see this week's fashions!

5.5 Days Left Until Summer Vacation!

Ok, so it should be 6 days right, but let's count together...Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday, 1/2 day Wednesday, 1/2 day Thursday, 1/2 day Friday...so technically that's 5.5!  As you can see I'm ready for summer.  It's part, (not all LOL) the reason I became a teacher.  I live for my summer's off.  There's just something about that last day, where that "romantic readiness" as Nick Carraway would say kicks in and the possibility for summer love is there.  Wow that sounded a little mushy huh?  Oh well, here's what I plan to do this summer.

Yep, that's about it.

All these fabulous photos are from Tonya Williams' Pinterest Boards

Don't forget to get those Fashion Friday posts ready for later!