it's been awhile...

Wow, it sure has been awhile since my last post.

School, work, and my internship has been absolutely crazy!

I promise personal posts and inspiration posts will be coming more frequently 

now that I'm back in the hang of everything!

In the mean time, here are some pictures of things that have happened 

since my last post over the holiday season to catch you all up on my semi-interesting life.

1. Brought Brooke home from study abroad by spending Christmas & New Years in Florence and Venice, Italy with the fam!

2. Rooftop parties with my best friends.

3. Four Peaks Brewery adventures.

4. Wine bar outings with co-workers.

5. Waste Management Phoenix Open with Nick!

6 & 7. Vegas with the bests.

How have all of you been?? I've missed you!

❤

from paris, with love

Last week, I got back from the most amazing trip of my life.

I've been fortunate to do a lot of traveling in my life, but this was the first out-of-country trip 

that I took without my parents.

My amazing sister, Brooke, is studying abroad in Milan, Italy

which I'm sure you know if you follow her blog...and if not, you should.

Since the longest we've been apart previous to this study abroad experience was one week,

we decided to cut our four months away from each other down to two.

I had the most AMAZING time & got to hang out with her best friend from exchange, Sheri!

We stayed in Milan for the first night and the last night,

but we spent most of our time in Paris!

I had gone when I was ten, but I sure do appreciate it a lot more now that I'm older.

The city of love really lives up to its name, and I did fall in love with it.

I can't wait to go back...and if you've never been, GO!

I'll let the pictures do the talking :)

Our "French" sight-seeing day!

Reunited @ The Louvre

Our constant "pick me up" cappuccinos!

Arc de Triomphe!

Le Tour Eiffel

Recommended for Paris' best macarons!

Love locks on Pont des Arts <3

Luxembourg Palace & Gardens

Moved to the best table in the house!

Getting ready for our Girl's Night Out in Paris!

Le Milliardaire on the Champs Elysees
Free entry + free table + free bottle of champagne + American R&B/Hip Hop Music = Perfect Night Out.

From Paris, with love.

❤

finally no labor on labor day

Olivia and I decided to take a spontaneous Labor Day Weekend trip since we amazingly didn't have work!

We started our little road trip late on Friday night, 

so after plenty of little snacks and coffee/energy drinks to keep us awake, 

we arrived in the valley around 2 am.

Saturday morning, we woke up and had delicious bagels at Bagel Bagel Cafe 

in Porter Ranch where Olivia's sister works.

Afterwards, we drove with the windows down and the music up to Malibu for a beach day!

It was absolutely gorgeous outside.

After the beach, we went to get our nails done (I finally got the mint green I've been wanting!!) 

and headed back to Olivia's parents house for a fun BBQ.

The food was incredible: hummus, baba ganoush, taboule, eggplant salad, veggie burgers,

skinny girl margaritas, and someone brought Diddy Riese for dessert!!

Sunday was filled with fun.

Our friend Oren had a pool party that turned into a night time party as well.

I was carried out of the kitchen on a bar stool and thrown into the pool...totally bat mitzvah style.

We went home to change into our night time clothes and stopped at In-N-Out on the way back...

might I just add that adding the sliced peppers to the "grilled cheese" changes everything.

It was incredible.

We left Monday morning at 6 am and got back to Arizona around 1 pm.

I was insanely tired, but the view of the sun rising on our drive out was beautiful, and it was great to have a full day ahead of us once we got back home.

I hope you all had a fun Labor Day Weekend!

I don't think I've ever celebrated Labor Day...usually I'm working, so it was fabulous!

Italia Bound

Today, my family and Paige took our darling Brooke

to the airport today for her four month departure to Milano, Italia.

We're going to miss her so much,

but we cannot wait to live vicariously through her amazing stories & adventures that are to come!

So, in honor of my lovely sister who is currently on a plane watching movies 

on little television screens on the back of cushiony chairs...

Here are some of the magazine covers that she'll be seeing on newsstands across her new home:

(via 1, 2, 3)

[dreaming of] mexico

I've been to Mexico twice...

but I can't really count either of those as an amazing Mexico experience.

Once was as a stop on a cruise when I was eight,

and the other was freshman year of college with my friend's fraternity.

Brooke got to go on a fun Mexico cruise for our best friend's brother's wedding,

but there was only room for one, so I was left out of the jet skiing, parties, & street tacos.

Ever since I saw one of Bloomspot's travel deals for a $100 all-inclusive 3-night

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico stay for two, I've been dying to just plan it and go.

Too bad the plane ticket's the heftiest part of the price...

But, a girl can dream :)

Images via (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Also, everyone really should check out Bloomspot!

It's just like Groupon & Living Social, but having all three will give you more deal options!

www.bloomspot.com

viva las vegas

Last weekend I went to VEGAS for the first time 

as a member of the 21 Club (as our server today called it haha).

It was everything I imagined and more.

Brooke & I had the best time with our friends,

met new ones,

and danced the nights away.

Sure, I lost my purse for about 10 minutes,

and by the time I'd found it, 

my cash, iPhone, and camera were nowhere to be seen.

But, we also went from staying in a corner of a Venetian room

to staying in our friend's upgraded Planet Hollywood Westgate penthouse suite

complete with an in-room jacuzzi & floor-to-ceiling views of the strip.

I can't wait to go back :)

Brooke. Me. Kaytie. Deb.

Brooke. Kaytie. Deb. Me. before Marquee Night Club

Our new British friends at XS

 ❤

take me awayyy

Take me here....now.

FIJI.

Definitely on my list of places to visit that I've never been, 

which I've updated a bit :)

1. Greece

2. Fiji

3. Morroco

4. Maldives

5. Bali

6. Caribbean

7. India (for the food)

8. Costa Rica

9. Ireland

10. Norway

I have the travel bug again :)

Luckily, I know for sure that I'll be visiting Brooke in Italy in December 

& hopefully Paris again with Olivia after finals!

❤

bahama breeze

If you follow my twinnie's blog,

this post might be a bit repetitive since she beat me to it!

A picture description of our lovely mommy & me trip to 

THE BAHAMAS!!

1. The view outside Senor Frogs at Nassau, The Bahamas

2. Mommy & Me at Senor Frogs sipping pina coladas

3. View from the water taxi to Paradise Island

4. Taking a poolside-cruise break with Brooke

5. Atlantis!!

6. We snuck into the underwater aquarium at Atlantis

7. Gorgeous colored buildings

8. I won a t-shirt & a key-chain at the casino!!