Carrie Bradshaw Lied

Guide to Kauai, Hawaii: Part II

I had so much fun sharing our first Kauai recap post last week here (most of the outfit items in this post can be found there), and today I want to take you on a little Hawaii journey outside of the hotel where we stayed on the southern side of the island.

We usually split our vacations up into one part relaxation and one part exploring. In Kauai, we spent an afternoon at Old Koloa Town, getting Hawaiian shaved ice and eating the most amazing fresh poke at Koloa Fish Market.

We spent an entire day exploring the North Shore, visiting three different beaches. First (pictured above), we visited was Tunnels Beach. This beach is really easy to get to and has an incredible view of the mountains. We stopped on the road for smoothies and fresh coconut water – the best!

Another big activity we did that was truly breathtaking was a helicopter tour of the island. We didn’t get around to doing this in Maui, but it was at the top of the list for this trip and definitely did not disappoint. So much of this island is featured in the first Jurassic Park film (as well as many other movies, but seriously, watch this), so it was really incredible to see Waimea Canyon and the Nå Pali Coast from above. So many waterfalls… you can’t even keep count! I didn’t take photos with my camera because I really wanted to take it all in, but I shared a peek on Instagram here.

Restaurants that we ate at that we ate at and I would recommend –

Lunch:

Da Crack – fish tacos and burritos = 100

Makai Sushi – little hut in a grocery store, but so good!

Tiki Tacos – we actually had dinner here, but it would be great for lunch too. This may have been the best meal we ate the whole trip.

Savage Shrimp – tacos, rice bowls, burritos – if it’s served with shrimp they’ve got you covered.

Dinner:

As I shared in this post, we had dinner at the St. Regis Princeville on the North Shore so we could enjoy the sunset, and the meal and view was worth every bit of the splurge. If you can get to the St. Regis for sunset, I highly recommend it!

The Beach House – another great restaurant with beautiful sunset. Breathtaking!

Keoki’s Paradise – if you want a great meal and an umbrella in your Mai Tai, this is your spot. We loved Mama’s Fish House in Maui, and this place had a similar vibe.

Bangkok Thai Bistro – we ordered several things here and shared and it was so delicious! There was live music and it was a easy, laid-back dinner.

One of the most magical moments of the trip was visiting the absolutely jaw-dropping Ke’e Beach. I don’t even know how to describe it! It’s right next to the well-known 11-mile hike, Kalalau Trail. When Christian and I walked up, we started walking along the shore and chatting. Something made me turn around to see the absolutely gorgeous mountainous Nå Pali Coast and tapped Christian’s shoulder lightly saying, “Christian, turn around.” His reaction was one I will never forget! Bliss.

We also visited the well known lighthouse on the island. I thought this was a little underwhelming… but it is an iconic landmark of the island. The third beach we visited was Hanalei Bay Beach and we walked along the pier (this beach is pictured above). It was a little busier than the other beaches, but still absolutely beautiful, and it was fun to see everyone snorkeling and paddleboarding.

A few other notable landmarks we visited and loved, the Maluhia Road Tree Tunnel, National Tropical Botanical Garden and Queens Bath.

SO, that’s my spill! Thank you guys SO much for sharing all of your recommendations in the comments and on social media – we read all of them and appreciated your help and guidance so much! I hope these recommendations might help any of you looking to make the trip. Thanks so much for reading – XO –

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Military Vest

I’m all about that vest life. I snapchatted (CBLied) some of the Who What Wear collection for Target, but I knew I had to have this trench vest when I saw it in the store! I find that a lot of times when I’m putting together an outfit, I’m looking for that final something. Sometimes it’s a chambray shirt tied around my waist (like in this post), other times it’s the right accessory, but I find that a vest can really pull everything together. That could be a long classic trench vest (like in this post) or a sleek one (like in this post). I’m excited to throw a long military vest in the mix!

When it comes to the right accessory, I find it hard to leave the house without a watch. I love not having to pull out my phone to check the time, and an oversized watch is something I’ve been into for years. This Daniel Wellington watch is actually a mens watch (so the face is a little larger than the womens) trimmed in rose gold and displays the date. It’s so lightweight and comfortable, and Christian has a brown version he’s been wearing for years. Scroll down for a 15% off discount code!

photos by Kim Le

sponsored by Daniel Wellington

PS – I had two new posts go up Saturday and Sunday – so if you didn’t see them they’re below!

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Modern China Cabinet

sponsored by World Market

If you’ve seen our home tour, you’ve seen that we used to have inexpensive metal shelving in our kitchen and breakfast room that served as storage. It served its purpose for years, until recently when I decided I wanted something a little more polished. Every Southern woman I know has a china cabinet, and I wanted something to store some of my prettier china and serving pieces, but a a modern gal’s china cabinet, if you will.

This World Market metal display cabinet fits the bill perfectly, and they have so many great display cabinets of all sizes. This one is a little more rustic, clean and simple, while still being extremely sturdy and durable. It stores our fine china, Annieglass serving pieces and McCarty and Peter’s Pottery (the brown pottery… it’s a Mississippi thing!), along with some bulkier appliances. Half of our fine china and many of our wedding gifts are still being stored in Mississippi, and I can’t wait until the day when I can have everything in once place!

Some tips to the modern girl registering for her wedding – the best thing I did was ditch Christian and take my sister-in-law to register. Christian wasn’t into it, and my SIL had gotten married three years prior, so she knew exactly what I needed and didn’t need, so helpful! The most useful thing I registered for: nice pots and pans. The best tip she gave me when choosing china: what colors do you like to decorate with? For me, it’s usually white and silver, so I went with a simple china pattern with silver accents. And my personal tip? Ditch registering for super expensive linens. Etsy and White Elephant Designs both have beautiful, affordable linens with monogram options!

Thanks so much for reading – hope you guys are having an amazing weekend! XO –

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Spring Blush

I was happy to put away the coats, scarves and gloves once I came back from New York and am already thinking all about spring! I love that the pantone colors of the year (rose quartz and serenity… aka blush and light blue) are everywhere right now because I find both colors extremely wearable and perfect for spring and summer. Mix that with off the shoulder (I am in love with this top!) and I’m in heaven.

And on that note, I’ve been on the hunt for new spring lip, so I spent an afternoon at beauty counter at Nordstrom. I knew I wanted a pretty nude and a light pink, and with so many choices, a woman at the YSL Beauty counter was so helpful and helped color match me to two amazing shades I am so excited about! Today I’m sharing the nude and tomorrow I’ll be sharing the rosey-pink. This shade (in 44 Lavalliere Nude) is so great for everyday and goes on so incredibly smooth and nourishing. A part of the exclusive Nordstrom collection, the new YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Oil-in-Stick lipstick collection is not only beautiful, but also feels so good! The shades are light and feminine, while feeling really moisturizing and hydrating.

photos by My Style Diaries at the Montage Laguna Beach

Sponsored by Nordstrom

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Shopbop SALE

1 | 2 comes in 10+ colors! | 3 comes in multiple colors and in dresses too! | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Shopbop is having a major spring sale, and I have been excited to pull my favorites for you guys! And let’s be honest… it’s also an excuse to stalk the entire website for what I want. WHAT!? Did I just type that? #ShopaholicsAnonymous… although it’s not anonymous because I just put it on the Internet.

SO, above are my favorite options, with extra picks in the scrolling thumbnails underneath the collage. Discount info below –

spend $250+ and save 15%

spend $500 and save 20%

spend $1000+ and save 25%

with code: BIGEVENT16

Happy shopping and thank you so much for reading! XO –

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Friday’s Five

– coming home from traveling to see the bougainvillea on our patio in full bloom –

– sharing a quick breakfast with C and our new Nespresso – so good! –

– spending a day cleaning and organizing my “cloffice,” and happy that I can finally work at my desk again –

– trying to lure the birdies to our patio with birdseed… but I don’t think they can see it! –

– spending a few days this week in Laguna working on an exciting project –

This week has been so great to finally get back into the swing of my normal time zone, hallelujah! I feel really fortunate that I can travel more now that I am working from home, but I am a creature of habit and routine… and thrive off of it! I always feel more in control when I am organized and focused, so it’s been really re-energizing to have that back. I’ve jumped back into a lot of meetings around town, but after a small Oscars get-together on Sunday, I plan to be a total hermit. I always say this and it never happens… get it together, Kat!

A highlight of the week was shooting something fun with OC Style Report at the Montage Laguna Beach. I am excited to share more in the next few weeks, and I can’t thank the amazing teams involved enough for making me feel like a superstar for this fun collaboration. Such an awesome time!

Lastly – if any of you are in the LA area, I’ll be hosting a DIY Denim event at the Forever21 in Santa Monica tomorrow, 2/27 from 12 – 2PM! I’d love to meet any of you and help you jazz up your jeans or chambray with some fun DIY additions. Come play!

Thank you guys so much for reading – and tell me who you’re pulling for on Sunday’s Oscar show! XO –

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Beach Yoga

I’m so excited to share a different kind of “style” post with you guys today! I love my yoga pants. Who doesn’t? I wear them when I’m doing Pilates, yoga, walking the dog, and often with no makeup on my sofa while working (let’s be honest). I shared the cutest, colorful workout gear from Carbon38 back in September here, but today I’m sharing an edgier, sleek look with yoga pants (yes those are stretchy yoga pants) that are so cute, I think I could wear them with heels and a sweater. Obsessed!

With the new year having just kicked off, it’s time to fall in love with fitness again, and when you have cute gear (cue one of my favorite Portlandia skits, “get the gear“), it can be the extra push you need to get started. Carbon38 has so many stylish exercise pieces that can take you from your class to lunch – I love that. We’re talking real life wardrobe pieces!

Personally, I fell into a fitness slump once I left my full-time day job in September to work on my blog full-time. All of the studios I loved (yoga, pilates, spin) and the beach where I would walk Bailey after work – all of these locations are now 20+ minutes away, and that distance doesn’t motivate me to get in the car to go exercise. I’ve been floundering trying to find my new spot and routine (although I really want to try this place out), and it’s time to stop making excuses and get to it!

It was such a privilege to meet with Aerial in Corona del Mar to learn some new moves and enjoy a quick yoga session on the beach. Stretching out your muscles on the beach with the water washing up on your feet… I think this is what heaven is like.

photos by Taylor Cole

Can we stop and talk about how ridiculously cute Aerial is? When she walked up, her energy was so positive and infectious, she had me doing all kinds of poses and things I don’t think I would normally have been so open to, but she’s that kind of person. I loved every minute with her, and if you are in the LA area – you’ve got to hit up one of her classes! She is cute as a button and just as beautiful on the inside. Adore!

I linked this exact outfit above, and I also included some of my current favorites from Carbon38. What’s your exercise of choice? How do you get all the stress from you day out? I’d love to hear what you guys love, and if anyone has tried the spin/pilates two-in-one class, tell me what you think!

Thanks so much for reading!

Sponsored by Carbon38

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Guide to Kauai, Hawaii

swimsuit here & here c/o, hat

I was planning to put together just one post on our trip to Kauai and my recommendations for anyone making the trip, but when pulling all of the photos from our week I realized I needed to break it up into two posts! It’s like The Hunger Games: Kauai – get it? How the finale is always broken into two parts? Am I delirious? Let’s move on.

We knew we would be vacationing in February, but had originally planned to go to Cabo. After struggling to find a resort that we were excited about (if you have Cabo recs, I’d love to hear!), we said… let’s just go back to Hawaii (my Maui recs can be found here)! We stayed at the Koa Kea Resort, and had the most amazing time.

Christian is more interested in smaller, adults-only hotels rather than large resorts with multiple pools, etc. I like both, so I’m happy to go with his preference while we are a family of two! We chose to stay on the south side of the island that doesn’t get as much rain as other parts of Kauai, and there are so many beautiful resorts in the area. Today I’m going to share photos snapped at the Koa Kea, and for my second Kauai post I’ll share the other restaurants and beaches we visited! We usually divide our vacations into one part relaxation and one part exploring – so today, let’s relax.

hat, sunnies, similar swim top (under $25)

hat, sunnies, swimsuit here and here c/o

hat, sunnies, similar swim top (under $25), sarong

nightie, similar robe c/o, majorly obsessed with these right now

hat, sunnies, swimsuit, sarong, bag c/o

dress c/o, similar heels here and here, hat, sunnies

coverup c/o (also love this one), hat

Then I asked Christian to let me take a photo of him, and this is what I got…

swimsuit c/o, sunnies

dress c/o

dress c/o, hat, clutch c/o

other photos taken at the hotel here and here

The Koa Kea has an amazing breakfast and dinner at Red Salt. We had breakfast in the restaurant one morning and room service for breakfast on the balcony on our last day and both times it was fantastic. The Lemon Pineapple Soufflé Pancakes and the Avocado Toast = yes. A few nights a week they also have a sushi chef who comes to the hotel, and we had sushi on our last night – it was delicious!

Watching the sunrise each day from our balcony and watching the sunset with our toes in the sand had to be the peak of each day, and every day looked more beautiful than the last. There was one night we sat on the beach drinking out of a coconut, watching the sunset and laughing deliriously (que Christian’s karate chop above). It was one of those moments that I know I’ll never forget and reason 1349349387 why C is my favorite travel partner in the world.

At the pool, the mojitos are fantastic, but we also bought some Patron, Frescas and limes at the beginning of the week to make fresquilas. I think I got Christian hooked! Every room at the Koa Kea has an empty refrigerator which is fabulous if you want to buy some fruit to snack on or of course, cocktails to sip on.

At the pool they offer snorkel, surf, bodyboard and stand-up paddleboard rentals, so we paddleboarded one day and Christian surfed one day. Paddleboarding in Hawaii is my favorite because the water is so calm – it is so peaceful. C was paddlin’ all around, getting his cardio on and I was like… I’m just going to lie down. If there’s a shark, someone yell at me, kthanks.

Thank you guys so much for sharing all of your amazing recommendations with us while we were on vacation! My second post is going to share all of the other places outside the hotel we visited. I took notes while we were there so I wouldn’t forget, so stay tuned! Thanks so much for reading – XO –

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Tips for Layering an Outfit

While I thought this look was going to be my favorite outfit I packed for fashion week (and I do love some black and gray), but on our last day in New York, I was rummaging through my suitcase to find something to wear. I packed for the trip when it was around 90+ degrees in California, so I wasn’t as meticulously planned as I usually am!

SO, I pulled out the faux leather pants I’m obsessed with and the cutest two-in-one shirt/sweater (it’s only one piece of fabric so it cuts some of the bulk that happens when layering). I still needed a little something, so I layered the vest, and I thought… why didn’t I think of something like this sooner?

The lesson here – there’s always something brand new in your closet. When you’re in a rut, just try pairing some pieces together you may not have considered before, sometimes you will really surprise yourself! Maybe it’s the Carrie Bradshaw in me, but I love playing in my own closet and seeing how I can maximize pieces I already own. Layering is a great way to do this – pairing a dress with a sweater, layering a top over a dress, wearing a short dress with denim, tucking a sweater into a skirt… get creative! Before you know it, it’s like you went shopping again, except you spent $0 and your husband isn’t lecturing you about your “shopping budget.” Oy!

photos by My Style Diaries

Thanks so much for reading – and if you have any creative outfit pairing ideas that have worked for you, I’d love to hear! XO –

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Suede Fringe

I wasn’t sure if I could make this suede fringe skirt work in New York for fashion week (it was like… 12 degrees), but I was determined because suede fringe goodness is what my closet dreams are made of. While it looks so cute with strappy sandals, I thought it worked with over-the-knee boots, and this crop top with extra long sleeves was the perfect top for the night!

I also snapped these photos with Nikki earlier on in the week… because by the end of the week I was in flat boots, sweaters and jeans! No shame in starting off ambitious, right?

photos by My Style Diaries at The Dream Downtown

Thanks so much for reading! XO –

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Friday’s Five

– the view from the rooms at The Dream Downtown –

– missing eating out every meal in New York… back to cooking! –

– a quick stop in Palm Springs, had to visit #thatpinkdoor (full post at this spot here!) –

– lunch at The Parker in Palm Springs –

– finally creating (what I think is) the best avocado toast: toasted Ezekiel bread + mashed avocado (with salt, pepper and lime juice), sliced boiled egg, cherry tomatoes, a little crushed red pepper flakes and sriracha –

I am so excited to be home and resting from back-to-back weeks of travel… I always say this, but my hat goes off to those of you who travel a lot for your jobs. It always takes so much out of me! My stomach acts crazy from eating out so much, my sleep is all backwards from different time zones, my room is a wreck from packing and unpacking – and I always leave something. Usually a phone charger, #oyvey. I realize this are not real problems (cue Christian singing to me “cry me a river“), but still, it’s tough!

New York was so much fun – I know everyone was talking about how cold it was (it was legitimately crazy cold – can’t feel your face cold), but honestly, it was an amazing trip and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Being with girlfriends, attending fashion shows, playing in the city – these are things I never dreamt I would be able to do for my “job.” I always leave fashion week thanking my lucky stars and of course each one of you for allowing me to chase my dreams. Love you, mean it.

After being delayed seven hours for our return flight, I got home at 5AM and went to Palm Springs for the day with Christian at 7:30AM. Being apart for five days, I was happy to make it work so I could spend that time with him (he had some morning otolaryngology lectures to attend and we played in the afternoon). We spent that evening eating pasta in bed and watching The People vs. O.J. Simpson with our pets. That’s my favorite kind of date night, #lazybones.

ON that note, I have some really exciting news to share… Lula LaShonda went to the vet on Wednesday for her annual quality of life checkup (she was diagnosed with cancer in 2014), and the vet took follow-up x-rays of her lungs after her annual exam was healthy. They really believe the blemish we keep seeing in her x-rays might not be cancer and if she is still healthy this summer they would say she is cancer-free. I plan to share a full post on this, but I literally got in the car with her and burst into tears. We’ve had such a long road and I am so grateful that amputating her leg was the right decision (she had a myxosarcoma tumor that turned out to be malignant). We had wine for lunch that day (when I say “we,” I clearly mean me) and spent the afternoon cuddling and working in the bed (her favorite… and my favorite, let’s be serious). I know I always tell you guys about my three-legged cancer rescue kitty – but I had to share that I think we have all loved her back to health!

Thanks so much for reading and being on this journey with us! XO –

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NYFW Back to Black

Packing for fashion week was much easier this time around because I knew I’d just be wearing a coat the entire time! I was able to bring two fabulous wrap coats from Dawn Levy (this is the other one I brought, on sale until 2/28!), and they kept me both warm and stylish while out and about!

When in doubt, black on black always works in New York (it’s more like white on white in California), and I love that the tie-waist gave me some shape while being bundled up. You can’t go wrong with some fur accessories to complete the look!