J u s t a s e c o n d

Mai Tais In The Sky

 

Thank you United Explorer Credit Card from Chase for sponsoring this post.

 

To celebrate the all new United Explorer Card, we jetsetted to Maui — one of Tyler’s and my favorite vacation spots. Upon arriving to SFO before our departure, we felt immediately spoiled — since the credit card is rewarding cardmembers with more points at just about every step of their trip,  United and Chase were holding a surprise giveaway where I won a $200 gift card, plus scored some inflight drink tickets. As we were sipping on mai tais from the sky, we were rewarded with another perk; 25,000 bonus miles for everyone on the flight!

 

From lounging on our hotel lanai to eating our way through the second-largest Hawaiian island, we left refreshed and well-fed (and excited to plan our next trip!). Check out our Maui snapshots below:

 

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Our first night consisted of happy aloha hour and dinner at Leilani’s. We sat in the newly renovated dining area and were completely wowed with the moody, contemporary decor (and of course the ocean view).

 

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The next morning, we drove northwest in search of the Olivine Pools. Once we arrived, we made a fairly short trek down the cliffside and saw the large tide pools surrounded by lava rocks.

 

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Since we were on Hawaii Time it felt like we had three extra hours to do more of what we love; taste local dishes, sip on frozen cocktails, and watch the most epic sunsets.

 

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Can’t thank United Explorer Card from Chase enough for experience!

 

With the all new United Explorer Card you can earn 2x miles on United purchases and now 2x miles at restaurants and on hotel accommodations. Meaning more miles to start planning your next vacation. Plus, up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck® credit and event 25% back on United inflight wifi, food and drinks! 😉

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What To Get (& Not Get): Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

If you think this is just another Nordstrom Anniversary Sale post, you’re wrong. It’s the complete opposite! As opposed to featuring the best-of sale, I’m showing you what not to get and a few alternatives instead. Disclaimer: I don’t think the following items are bad, ugly, dumb, etc., I’ve simply weighed the pros and cons against their counterparts… plus, how else was I going to get your attention?

 

See what not to get from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale below!

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  • DON’T collect another pair of lounge pants (although these look ridiculously soft, $50 $33). 
  • DO try  cargo pants ($69 $46). They’re just as comfy and can be worn outside of the house. And if you still really, really want lounge pants, there’s these too.
  • DON’T travel with a faux leather duffle bag (despite the 4.5 star reviews, $85 $57) that can easily be scratched up.
  • DO carry a nylon weekender ($300 $200) — it’s durable, lightweight, and can easily be shoved into overhead bins. 
  • DON’T go lightweight with a basic  utility jacket (they’re so versatile, you might already own one, $119 $80).
  • DO slip into a warm puffer jacket ($98 $65) with an adjustable cinch detail to prevent you from looking too much like the Marshmallow Man. 
  • DON’T drag around a slouchy purse (even if the price is as good as this, $59 $39) that can lose it’s shape when not in use. 
  • DO grab a structured tote ($54 $36) for the same modern feel. It comes in navy and a the perfect shade of red
  • DON’T run errands in a half-zip pullover (though, this one may be an exception, $78 $52). See full-zip version here.
  • DO go on a coffee run in a moto-hoodie combo ($98 $65). Wear it over a graphic tee and jeans for a model off-duty look. Bonus: the hood is a removable!
  • DON’T get lost in heavy in funnel-neck sweater (specifically for my fellow petites, $79 $53). 
  • DO kick back in a slouchy, cropped knit ($78 $52). The v-neck will elongate your neck and the length is perfect for tucking into jeans. I love both the “do” and “don’t” so here’s a combination of both styles ($49 $32). 

 

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale officially starts on July 20th and ends on August 5th. Okay, I couldn’t help myself — here are a few more favorite sale pieces:

Naked Shoe

 

What I’m Wearing:

ASOS Petite Overalls, Forever 21 Stripe Cami, ASOS Oversized Denim Jacket, Rebecca Minkoff Metallic Backpack, Ray-Ban Hexagonal Sunglasses, Topshop Darla Block Heel Sandals

 

 

Outfit Details

The naked-shoe trend has slowly been trickling into my wardrobe. My first pair (now on sale for $40!) was for a wedding and last week, these Topshop sandals arrived from Nordstrom (PSA: Nordstrom Anniversary Sale round-up coming soon!).  Here are some of my favorite naked shoes from save to splurge:

 

 

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