Vegas Getaway, Mandalay Bay

Thinking about a weekend getaway? Take a look at my new photos from Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas on my Facebook page. "The Hotel" section is amazing.  All rooms are suites, and the wave pool, lazy river, cabanas, and sand make it worth staying at the end of the strip.

Image via madalaybay.com

Have dinner at the House of Blues restaurant and enjoy live music, or have drinks at Mix for the best view on the strip. Mix has a glass elevator that takes you up to the 64th floor.  If you have time for it, the spa looked pretty snazzy also!   You won't need to leave "The Hotel" during your getaway.

Wrap it Up!

When it comes to gift giving, it's the thought that counts.  But nice gift wrapping can add excitement and style.  My favorite store for cards and gift wrap is Paper Source.  In addition to two San Diego-area locations (La Jolla and Carlsbad), Paper Source products are available online.

I always like to select wrapping that hints at the surprise inside, or reflects the gift recipient's personality.  For a friend obsessed with cycling, I might pick a cute bicycle bag:






For a colleague moving to the east coast, I'll wrap a New York travel guide in this Brooklyn map wrapping paper:

LUXE linen

Shop for your linens at Bloomingdale's Fashion Valley.  They carry Hudson Park, which just came out with a LUXE collection.  Amazing!!  Bloomingdale's has unrivaled sales, and a great Loyalist program.

Check out the new collection online, but make sure to shop in the store for personalized service.

Bloomingdale's LUXE

Image via bloomingdales.com

Good Hair Day

Nothing pulls a look together like a polished hair style.  And isn't it so much easier to achieve bouncy shiny hair with professional help? Enter Drybar, a Los Angeles mainstay with an outpost in San Diego.

Image via thedrybar.com

San Diego Restaurant Week 2012

With 3 more days left in Restaurant Week, take advantage!  My favorite is the Marine Room.  You can make your reservations right there online through open table.  It's also a great way to try out a new place.  You can search for restaurants by cuisine.

http://www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com/

Blogs I Love: Viva Luxury

Viva Luxury is a blog by the distressingly fantastic Annabelle Fleur.  Annabelle's style is pure California and so fun to follow.  Think of Viva Luxury as a west coast counterpoint to the "streets of Milan" aesthetic of The Sartorialist.

Are You Hip to Hipmunk?

Need to book a flight?  Try Hipmunk!  As a frequent traveler, I have established very specific travel rules:

1. I never fly before 9 a.m.
2. I never take a flight with more than one layover,
3. Said layover must be less than 1.5 hours long, and
3. I always try to find the best deal.

Unlike other travel websites, Hipmunk sorts flight options by "agony" level, and presents the nice short affordable flights first.  Scroll further down the list to view the nightmare flights that depart at 6:00 a.m. and take you though three snowy midwestern cities before you arrive at your final destination without your luggage.

October is the Month for Museums

Don't forget that during the month of October kids receive free admission to 14 museums in Balboa Park!  (Limit 2 children per paying adult.)


Image via http://www.sandiegomuseumcouncil.org/museum_directory/san_diego_air_and_space_museum/

 Participating museums include the Children's Discovery Museum, San Diego Air and Space Museum, USS Midway, Gaslamp Museum, and the William Davis House.  Follow this link to see the complete list:

http://www.sandiegomuseumcouncil.org/kids-free-2012/

With the money you save on admissions, you can take the Old Town Trolley Tour to your desired destinations. 



Weekend Trip to San Francisco

“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”  So true…where else do you see people walking around in trench coats in mid-June?  Thankfully the fall weather is usually fantastic, making September and October the perfect time for a weekend trip.  Unlike the sprawling cities of San Diego and Los Angeles, San Francisco is compact, and relatively easy to traverse in a short period of time.  Just make sure to bring your walking shoes!

How to Handle your Guilt

With the weekend approaching, check in with your mood.  The busy week brings a lot of stress and anxiety.  Read this article about dealing with guilt.  It lists 6 strategies that help you put things back into perspective.  Check it out, and enjoy the weekend guilt free!

Refresh Your Shower

Go over to Tuesday Morning in Pacific Beach.  It is a discounted home store that is not oversized or alarmingly disorganized.  I was able to refresh the look of my shower for under $30.00.  They offer all home goods, but the best deal I found in this store was in their bath department.  They have an assortment of styles for all preferences.  I like the solid colors with stripes.  They remind me of hotels :)  Take a look at what I found and there today:

This is what ended up in my shower:

Take a look at how their prices compared to Target:

Target:
Shower liner: $10-$15
Shower hooks: $9-$20
Shower curtain: $20-$30
Total- $39

Tuesday Morning:
Shower liner: $4
Shower hooks: $7
Shower curtain: $17
Total: $28

Laundry Tips and Tricks

Why spend hundreds of dollars a year on dry cleaning bills when you can hand wash your cashmere and silk garments?  Hand washing is better for both the environment and your pocket book, and requires a minimum amount of investment.  Keep reading for my favorite products and tips.

Image via thelaundress.com

Try Making a Mahi Mahi Salad for Dinner

Try making a mahi mahi salad for dinner this week.

Ingredients: 2/3 pound mahi mahi, 1 bag of mixed greens, 1 avocado, 1 cob of corn, 1 cucumber, 1 small package of cherry tomatoes, 1 bottle balsamic vinaigrette