Buying for the guys isn’t easy. In fact, for me, they’re the hardest people to shop for on my list – particularly Christian. He’s incredibly picky. His strategy is minimal and simple, always quality over quantity.
So when I heard him mentioning getting a new razor, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to get him the best razor I could find. Enter Braun’s Series 9 electric razor. One of the reasons I knew he would love this razor is that it shaves more hair in one stroke than any other razor. Therefore it leaves your skin softer, and the sonic technology creates a cushion that lets the shaver easily glide across the skin. It’s the créme de la créme of razors, so I knew my picky guy would love it.
He totally did! He immediately plugged it up to get it charged and was already using it the same day I gave it to him. It’s not often I hit the nail on the head for him, so it really felt like a holiday victory.
You can read more about this specific razor here (I mean…read some of those reviews). The team at Braun have put so much thought into making this product the best of the best, and you can tell by all of the detail and information they openly share about it on their site. It literally has me thinking… do I need to steal this razor from him!?
Do you know what splurge gift you plan on giving your significant other this year? Spill it! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
Yesterday I shared our experience in Marrakech, and today we’re going to take a deeper dive into La Sultana‘s sister beach property in Oualidia!
Christian and I only spent about 36 hours in this magical little town before we had to leave for the airport so he could get back to San Francisco for a Tuesday morning surgery, but we definitely soaked up the little bit of time we had there!
This location was around three hours from Marrakech, and I’m really glad we were able to split time between the two properties because they were totally different. Marrakech is exactly what you think of when you dream of Morocco – ornate, colorful and a mind and body trip for the senses.
Oualidia is its serene and peaceful sister that is bright, airy and water-inspired. I wish we could have spent a little more time at this gorgeous location, but all the more reason to return! Let’s get into the nitty gritty –
Oualidia
Where We Stayed
We stayed at La Sultana Oualidia, and this charming little property was so beautiful and intimate. It’s smaller hotel than Marrakech, and our room had this beautiful screened porch (pictured below) where I would work in the afternoon, while listening to Christmas Trap (#lolol). It was so lovely!
We also had a private outdoor tub and fell asleep to the fireplace crackling… talk about dreamy.
Where We Ate
We also had all of our meals in Oualidia at the hotel, and my favorite was this stunning beach picnic we traveled to by boat (pictured below). It was a Sex and the City 2 moment if I’ve ever had one in my life, and if I could transport myself back to that day, eating fresh fish while trying to sneak bread to a stray dog we found… I would in a heartbeat!
Activities
We visited the spa in Oualidia as well, and this time Christian got to take part in a massage himself! My massage was so peaceful, I almost fell asleep on the table.
One of the most beautiful things about Moroccan spas is that they all have these gorgeous heated pools in the center. It’s the kind of place you can spend a few hours, sipping espresso or mint tea, and completely unwind.
I’ve had so much fun reliving this experience through these posts, and I hope you guys feel like you got a sneak peek into the trip. I was so honored to be a part of such a OG group of ladies who have personally inspired me since day 1, so it was a very cool full circle moment. A gigantic thank you to the LiketoKnow.it team for including me on this magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Thank you so much for reading, and if you have any experience in Marrakech or Oualidia, I would love to hear where you stayed and what you did! XO –
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I’m so excited to share our Marrakech and Oualidia #ltkgetaway photos with you guys! I had full intentions of sharing it on Friday, but I unexpectedly got sick so I needed some time to rest up because this post has so much to cover! Morocco is stunning, and we had the most amazing time documenting it. That being said, there were literally around 1,000 photos to thumb through, so thank you for giving me grace!
I have been working with rewardStyle since around 2011, and my relationship with this company has naturally deepened over the years. I’ve explained how LiketoKnow.it works before, but rewardStyle is the parent company to LTK. By serving as the middle man between influencers and brands, they provide valuable and extremely useful tools to thousands of content creators.
I’ve loved working with this team of hardworking and driven women, and it’s been a privilege to be a small part of their growth and success. So when the opportunity came to join the LTK team for an #ltkgetaway to Morocco – I couldn’t wait to explore this gorgeous country with some fabulous people. I joined Jamie Chung, Christine Andrews and Wendy Nguyen (and their handsome significant others), and we had a truly magical time exploring Marrakech and Oualidia!
There were so many photos taken on this trip (I mean, as someone who loves capturing new places, how could you not), so today I’m going to dig into Marrakech, and tomorrow we’ll move onto Oualidia.
Marrakech
Where We Stayed
We stayed at La Sultana Marrakech and WOW. WOW WOW WOW. This hotel absolutely blew our minds. The detail in every single corner is breathtaking and will leave you speechless. It is exactly what you dream about when you think of the architecture of Morocco, and each room has different theme! We were in the camel room (which was amazing), and at night we would lie in bed and look at the ornate lantern above us and columns all around us. I’ve never experienced anything like it.
If you plan on spending time in Marrakech, I can’t recommend this hotel enough. If we were ever so lucky to return, this is absolutely the hotel I would choose.
Where We Ate
We ate all of our meals at the hotel and they were my favorite meals of the entire trip. There was one night where we had an huge round table that seated 8 of us with dozens of these small meze plates of appetizers. There had to be at least 30 of them. Almost all of the dishes were vegetarian (yay for me!), and there was so much flavor on these tiny plates it was my favorite meal of the entire trip.
Activities
Spa | La Sultana has multiple pools and their spa is absolutely stunning (pictured below). I was thankfully bold enough to try the traditional Royal Hammam, and I’m so glad I did. It’s this very peaceful yet intimate full body scrub, and you can read more about the treatment in detail here.
It was followed by a massage, and this spa treat was truly a beyond perfect way to start a vacation after 15 hours of travel. So therapeutic!
Market | You can’t visit Marrakech and not take a trip to the market (pictured above). When we went into town, it exceeded all of my expectations! We were lucky to be guided around by Yusra of Moroccan Must Haves, and she was beyond helpful making sure we hit all the best spots while also knowing how to be respectful of the culture (asking for permission before photographing, not showing affecting to significant others, covering our shoulders, etc.).
I purchased a traditional teapot, some vases, spices and soaps. Christian snagged the most darling espresso cup and saucer. I need to polish my teapot and make some mint tea to try to transport myself back to this dreamy trip.
Cooking Class | We took a group cooking class together (pictured below), and it was so interesting learning how to cook Moroccan dishes. Many Moroccan dishes are cooked in a tagine, and we learned how to cook fish tagine with peppers (similar to this). It was delicious, and I have a pretty strong feeling I could never make it as well at home!
similar suit here and here | earrings | hat courtesy of La Sultana (there is one on every pool chair, it’s adorable!)
Have you ever visited Marrakech or is it on your bucket list!? I think it would be the most epic honeymoon or anniversary spot. The hotel is so romantic. There were so many times I stopped to hug Christian and tell him how grateful I was that he could come with me. I can’t imagine having this experience with anyone else!
It was my first time in North Africa, and we really were completely blown away with its beauty and hospitality. It was sensory overload, in the best possible way. A trip of a lifetime, and I’m so thankful to the LiketoKnow.it team for including us on the opportunity to visit such an amazing country.
Thank you so much for reading and sharing! Tomorrow we will cover Oualidia, and it was gorgeous and wonderful in a completely different way. Stay tuned! XO –
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I cannot deny that I absolutely LOVE a matching pajama set. Even better if it’s holiday themed!
Old Navy just released six matching “Jingle Jammies” for the season and you seriously have to see how adorable these are. The ones I’m wearing are palm trees with twinkle lights, aka “beach Santa.” They also have skiing dogs, sloths in scarves, penguins in sweaters and you can even mix and match your own set.
How adorable would these be for siblings or a family to wear together on Christmas day? Everyone could wear the same set or make their own. And if you’re not a thermal kind of gal, they have all kinds of seasonal pajamas you can check out here.
When I put these on at home, Christian realized the palm trees had lights on them, even he was like, “those are awesome!” I just need Old Navy to make a mens matching set so we can be #twinning in our beach Santa ensemble (although these are pretty adorable). Until then, I did snag him this shirt that is so soft that even I’m a little jealous.
And I can’t go without mentioning this jacket. I actually already have two green military jackets, but when I felt the lining of this one, there was no question I had to snag it. It basically feels like you’re wearing a hug. I know it will be the perfect jacket for walking Bailey in the chilly mornings. And how cute is this one!?
Thanks so much for reading, and if you’re also an Old Navy pajama lover, I want to hear what set you have! XO –
One of the questions I get every year from my CBL girls is about holiday or dressed up outfits for the office. I shared a few in years past here and I think this would also be totally appropriate, but this year we’re getting a little spicier… stay with me!
I had a leopard pencil skirt back in my corporate days and I loved wearing it with a turtleneck or tucked in blouse to the office. Just because you have to abide by a dress code doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it. A fun skirt or pair of heels can take you a long way and is so versatile. Definitely worth the splurge, or even not a splurge considering this one is from Forever21… seriously! Scroll down for my affordable picks, all under $60.
What’s your work dress code? Is this something you could wear to the office? I’d love to hear so I can have a better idea of what is helpful to you ladies!
And if you have any other 8 to 5 outfit scenarios that would be helpful, I’d love to hear. Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
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I love creating different Spotify playlists, and I had a holiday playlist that I created last year just for myself and kept private. BUT I added some goodness to it recently and decided to make it public! I mean, there isn’t much better than some classic Christmas tunes, so shouldn’t we all share them together!?
If you love a good playlist, be sure to check out this post and this one.
And if you have any favorite holiday tunes, I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
I mean… did you really live in San Francisco if you don’t get a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge?
Obviously, I’m kidding but you know it was on my bucket list for our short year in the city, so I was so honored to collaborate with the talented Brittany and JB behind JBJ Pictures to make these photos come to fruition!
While shooting with these two, it became so obvious why a bride would choose them to capture their wedding day. Brittany and JB pay so much attention to detail, understand both the female concerns (Is my hair crazy? Is this a flattering angle? Do I have lipstick on my teeth?) as well as the male direction (Put your hand in your pocket, stand up straight, etc.).
They artfully and thoughtfully guided us through the shoot, which I loved, while also letting us naturally be ourselves. And they happen to have the sweetest love story I’ve ever heard. You can read more about them here, but if you have the pleasure of meeting with them, you must ask about how they met and fell in love!
I feel so lucky to have these photos to remember our year in San Francisco. I’ve shared with you guys here and here that it hasn’t been the smoothest transition, but I know I will look back on this time of my life and feel like I grew from the experience. You never know what you’re made of until you’re in the thick of it, right?
Fun fact: these photos were taken on none other than… a nude beach. We casually walked down the steps to the sand and there was a man just fully laid out right by the entrance. Christian thinks if you look closely at some photos you might see some buns in the background – I mean, it’s definitely not the wildest thing we’ve seen in the city but feels notable nonetheless!
A huge thank you to Brittany and JB for capturing a sweet afternoon and memory of San Francisco. If you’re a bride, I’d really encourage you to check out some of their engagement and wedding portraits (and peek at their swoon-worthy Instagram here). Their work is stunning, and they are the most fabulous duo to work with – so incredibly thoughtful and kind!
Comin’ at you December with some holiday gift guides! You can find all holiday related content in the “holiday” tab at the top of this site. You’ll also find a drop down tab from there that says “gift guides.” There you can find all gift guides from this year and years past to help serve some inspo for your holiday shopping!
For the guys –
1 | I mean, maybe this is dropping a hint (or is the Southerner in me), but every man should skim through this book.
8 | I saw a guy in the Apple store wearing Vans in this color and I thought they were SO cute. So different than the usual guys sneakers!
10 | Everyone loves some cozy slippers! C loves these.
11 + 14 | I think having games is such a fun twist from the traditional dinner and a movie night. I love the thought of giving beautiful board games like this one and this one.
12 | I know most guys don’t wear pajamas, but I think it’s important to have some decent ones when traveling.
13 | I bought Christian some drawstring linen pants years ago and he was like “I’m never going to wear these.” Cut to now and wears them around the house all the time. ALL the time.
15 | Clear travel bags – not a sexy gift but a practical and very useful gift for the traveler.
18 | While we’re talking about traveling, if you don’t have one of these slim multi-charge battery packs, you need one in your life ASAP.
2 + 5 | I love love LOVE these mini palettes (aphrodisiac and heat). They are perfect for travel and have everything you need for a day and night look.
8 | This is for the sister or girlfriend, but trust me – it’s the best face self-tanning product I’ve ever tried!
10 | I asked for these one year and keep them in the fridge, still use them on special days. I love that they make a less expensive version.
13 | This will last someone a lifetime – the gift that keeps on giving!
14 | On my list!
16 | I just got this bag and it’s so cute. I especially love that you can wear it year-round.
17 + 18 | There isn’t a mug cuter than this one. Pair it with some tea and give to a coworker!
20 + 21 | I have one of these gorgeous scarves and it looks so expensive. I think they’re so gorgeous and would be an amazing gift for a mom or mother-in-law!
23 | My favorite grocery bags. I have three and they’re the only ones I use because they’re so incredibly durable and hold so much.
I hope that gives some guidance and help in the small gift department! I’m going to be working on creating more gift guides in the upcoming weeks, so if there is something in particular you’d love to see (gifts for kids, coworkers, gifts under $100, etc.) – let me know!
If you’re looking for a little bit bigger of a splurge in the jewelry department, I shared this necklace in this post last week. You can customize it to make it your own, which makes it such a unique and sweet gift for a mom or mother-in-law! My favorite charms are the horseshoe, key, k, c and this feather. I also recently got this jewelry box and I can’t get over how much I love it. They make a smaller one too!
Thanks so much for reading – XO –
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– remembering this cozy and peaceful weekend in Timber Cove –
– some twinkle lights… the extent of my holiday decorating in our small apartment –
Happy Friday, friends! It feels so long since I’ve posted the week’s highlights. Too long!
Can you believe it’s almost December? October, November and December are my favorite months of the year (and probably most people’s favorite… right!?), and they always seem to zoom right by. I’ve been looking forward to living in the city during the holidays where I can walk around and spy on everyone’s Christmas decorations, and I have to say, it’s living up to my expectations.
We are actually out of town right now (more on where we are the adventures on Instagram – will be sharing on the blog next week!), but when we get back there are several holiday “to-do’s” I have on my list to experience with Christian, starting the the Fairmont’s Gingerbread House that I’ve heard is so incredible. Along with ice skating, checking out all of the retail windows (one year we visited SF and there were kittens up for adoption in the Macy’s window – brilliant!) and just soaking in the quick few weeks of the holiday season.
What are the December traditions in your neighborhood? I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
Remember a few weeks ago when I suggested a pre-holiday prep party for Thanksgiving? A time to get your friends together, have a fun time and get some things checked off your list?
I love different holiday party ideas, and this is on that same page, except a gift wrapping party before the holidays! Over the years I’ve found gift wrapping to actually be really fun. I love getting a little more creative, incorporating different hang ties (like these or these) and adding a touch of greenery or holly to each gift.
Why not have your friends over, bring out the appetizers, holiday music and Stella Artois and wrap some gifts together? Better yet, bring out the B.A.R.T., Bartending Automated Robotic Technology, and turn your robot vacuum into a bartender! This limited-edition attachment can velcro on any robot vacuum and is only $19.99 (while supplies last). B.A.R.T. cleans, serves snacks, beer bottles and chalices – truly the gift that keeps on giving.
I mean… if this doesn’t bring a hilarious element of fun to a holiday party, I don’t know what does. We have had a robot vacuum for several years now and I truly would never want to live without it. Having two pets, it’s a game changer. Another pro of the B.A.R.T. is that you can be like the Barnes crew and get your pre-party prep on a little early to clean up some of the house before your guests arrives. And it can also serve me a beer? NOW we’re talking.
You might be thinking, “Kathleen honey, do you really think you can put 4-8 bottles and glasses of beer on a vacuum and it won’t spill?” The answer is yes, sister! The way this bad boy was designed it’s guaranteed not to spill in transit. It’s magic!
Are you planning on hosting for the holidays this year? Or do you have a themed party tradition that you can’t imagine skipping (hello tacky sweater party!)? I’d love to hear what your plans are this year!
If you want to host your own gift wrapping party, I hope this party prep post will inspire your wrapping skills. And then you can grab a cold Stella and toast to your beautifully wrapped gift. So really, it’s a win-win.
And tell me if you’re also a robot vacuum lover and if you can see yourself using the B.A.R.T. I can’t get over how fun this thing is and I love that anyone can snag their own for under $20! I mean, that’s a good time.
I’m having a major pink moment right now and I can’t help but mention, “on Wednesdays we wear pink.” I think this would be such a fun holiday party outfit that is fun, festive but not expected! Throw some pink and leopard in it… why not!?
Pink faux fur, pink feather earrings and even better – the perfect pink matte lip that I recently discovered at the Bloomingdale’s YSL counter. I first discovered YSL lipsticks when I was lured to the counter because of their gorgeous Vulupté Shine lipsticks. I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of loving matte lipstick, so I tried their Slim Matte Lipstick and it packs some serious color!
I’m a believer that there are a few shades that work for everyone, and I think a mauve-y pink is one of them. And of course a bright red like this one. Which is why they’d be such a great holiday gift for your lady who loves trying new beauty picks!
Have you ever gotten lost in the beauty counters at Bloomingdale’s? I mean, especially during the holidays. Let’s be honest, there’s nowhere I’d rather stroll!
I’m excited to start sharing more holiday gift ideas with you guys on CBL in the weeks to come! You can find all holiday-related content on this site by clicking the “holiday” page at the top of this site. Underneath a drop down for gift guides is also available! Today I’m sharing a gift idea for the sister, mom or mother-in-law in your life from Kendra Scott.
I first discovered Kendra Scott while visiting my girlfriend Anna in Dallas around eight years ago. She was wearing the Danielle earrings and I was like, “who makes these because I can’t live without them!” I bought these and left town with my first piece of Kendra Scott (scroll down for my earring collection – clearly I still adore the Danielle earring).
Since then I’ve expanded my collection, and today I wanted to share their new Charms Collection! What I love most about this is that you could team up with a sibling to pick out a few charms to put on one necklace that have meaning to you or the person you’re gifting. Kendra Scott always does a great job of making the necklace chains adjustable which means their necklaces can be worn with any neckline and any outfit. So smart!
And of course I can’t go without mentioning this jewelry box. I have had my jewelry organized on a tray (blog post here) for quite some time, but when I saw this gorgeous piece I knew it would be so helpful in organizing my earrings and bracelets. I love how beautiful and sleek it is, and it would be the most GLAM splurge gift for the girl who loves here jewelry. I mean… who doesn’t!?
