The Best Little Boutique in Waikiki

Good morning to you!  It's been a month since I returned from an amazing Hawaain  vacation.  You guessed it, I'm wishing I was still there!

A few days before I left, I discovered this chic little boutique.  It is located on Lewers ave, the same street my hotel was on.  Pineapple County is just a few short blocks from the beach.  This shop offers very trendy pieces at  affordable prices, and has excellent service.

Whatever your little heart desires, you will find it in this shop!  Dresses, skirts, shorts, adorable heels. sandal, bags, and clutches too.  There are even shabby chic décor items to add to your island haul! If you can't visit in person, contact them for orders on the website.  Pineapple County is also on instagram.(@pineapplecounty)

Time did not permit another photo shoot in paradise with my finds at Pineapple County. Fortunately there is plenty of beautiful scenery in the northwest!  Are you a boutique shopper, or do you prefer fast fashion and retail chains?

Photography: Dee Scheftic

Once Upon a Time in Stevetson B.C.

Good Morning!

I hope the weekend was fantastic for you!  I made another short trip back to my home town again in Canada. This time I visited a little village by the sea I had never seen before.  My daughter wanted to find the setting for the ABC series "Once Upon A Time."  It was fun to see the buildings used in the show and tour the town.

Stevetson is located 30 minutes  south of Vancouver BC.  It is on the west coast of Richmond, and is where the mighty Fraser River and the Pacific Ocean converge. This charming town has a very relaxing aura about it, the locals are very friendly, and it's perfect for a weekend get away.

What are your favorite weekend spots to visit in summer? Sometimes if a vacation is not possible, getting away for the weekend does the trick!

Have a great week!

Zaful Maxi Dress Review

Photography: Valerie Hansen

Shop: |solid color tie up-openwork maxi dress| 

TGIF!  I hope your week has been great.  Zaful, an online boutique reached out to me to do a collaboration. I chose  this lovely flowing maxi in powder blue. When the dress arrived, I tried it on and so did my daughter Ashlin.  It was a perfect fit on her, so I decided to use her as the model for my review.

 I love the cut out styling on the sides of the waist, and the comfortable flow of the skirt.  The dress has a draw string at the neck that ties on the side, as well as small bow detailing on the back of the dress.  It pairs well with a jean jacket, or you could throw on a cute bolero over it too.  Adding a pair of silver heels and fancy jewelry would dress this look up for a night out!

Zaful offers a wide selection of trendy styles for ladies of all ages.  Dresses, swimwear, jumpsuits, rompers, and accessories are just a small sampling of what they have to offer.  Trending on the site right now: backless fashion, New York high, and Street style.

 I absolutely love this retailer, the prices are very affordable and the selection is endless! Thanks for stopping by, I hope the weekend is great for you!

Valerie

Oh Canada: Why I love my home



MacarON Cafe NYC- Cookie Review





Photography: L.T. Hansen 

Greetings!

Mmmm macarons!! This café in New York City reached out to me for a collaboration and I am so glad they did! I received a beautiful white box in the mail with 6 delectable macarons.  I could hardly wait to tear into them. They tasted just as fabulous as they look! It was a lot of fun doing a photo shoot with the French cookies!

MacaronON café is located in New York City, and has 17 locations to visit.  A lunch menu is available in addition to the assortment of macarons.  If you can't make a visit, just head on over to their online store. They also offer recipe books to purchase to make your own cookies! Their stores have been recognized as the connoisseurs of this delicious French pastry because of the wonderful variety of flavors from their master chef, Cecile Cannone.

I would like to thank MacarON for the collaboration and the lovely cookies!  Eating them makes me want to hop a plane to NYC to see them being made!   What is your favorite French confection?  Have you ever made your own macarons? I never have but would like to try!

Have a sweet Wednesday, talk again soon!

Valerie
xo



Street Styling at the Royal Hawaiian

Hi friends, I hope your weekend was fabulous! I've been home from paradise for about 3 weeks, and am missing it terribly.   Besides the beach and all great sights to see, I enjoyed checking out all the beautiful hotels located on the beach.  My favorite was the Royal Hawaiian, probably because it looks like a great big pink palace where a girl can be pampered to the max!  This lovely complex is nestled right on the beach.

This cute outfit was so perfect for the warm breezy weather.  I love kimonos, they are so versatile. They offer the option to get really creative with your styling.  This kimono would  also pair great with a  straight cut solid colored sundress, sheath, skirt, or your favorite crop pants.

I hope summer is treating you well, have a great week and thanks for stopping by!


Shop the Look: |white shorts|orange flop flops(similar)|kimono(similar)|

3 Tips for Hiking Diamond Head

Good Morning lovely people!  I hope everyone had a super fun July 4th weekend!  I am still basking in the memories of our amazing Hawaiian vacation, and have a few more posts to share from my time there.

Prior to this trip, I've visited Oahu 3 times. I've experienced most of the touristy type things there, except the Diamond Head hike. On Father's day morning we decided to go for it!. My daughter, her friend and I, made it to the top in about 90 minutes.

 Now I've  proven I'm not as prissy as some might think!  I have to admit the hot sweaty part I did not enjoy. It was worth it though to see the stupendous view! I have to say it is the most breath taking sight I have ever seen!

A Few tips for Hiking Diamond Head:

1) Start your hike early in the morning.

We started at 10:30, it was too late of a start. It was already extremely hot by then.

2) Don't use spray sun screen

I always use lotion, and decided to change it up this time. Big mistake! I never burn, and this time I burned badly on my legs.  There is some breeze on the climb, which probably caused the spray screen to coat the air instead of me! 

3) Pace yourself 

I started up too fast, and then the steepest part of the climb- gave my breathing apparatus quite the work out!

On the way back down



 Some Fun Facts About Diamond Head

1) There is no lava in the volcano crater. Diamond Head has been inactive for over 150, 000 years.

2) The crater's name came about when British Seaman saw sunlight reflecting off its calcite crystals. They thought they sparkled like diamonds.

3) In Hawaiian, the name is Le'ahi which translates into English as "the brow of a tuna fish". From a distance, the crater looks like the back and fin of a fish.

4) The mount stands 760 feet above sea level, and about 560 feet above the crater floor
 of the Pacific Ocean.  On a very clear day you may see the nearby island of Molokai.

More Hawaii coming soon, have a great week!


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What to Wear for the 4th Of July



Happy July 4th to all of you lovely people that called this great land your home! Time to hit the beach, barbeque, and blast off tons of fireworks!  I am happy to call the good ole USA my home now for 33 years.  I am a transplanted Canuck, and the "Canadian" will always be alive inside me.( I will probably be excommunicated from my country, as I forgot to do a Canada day post on July 1st, shhh!).

 Today I am sharing this beautiful festive maxi I found at Macy's by American Rag.  It is the perfect dress for celebrating the 4th!  Dress it up or down by your choice of a handbag, shoes, or jewelry. You can also pair it with your favorite jean vest!





 

PHOTOGRAPHY: RUTH FAUSTINO 

I feel very blessed to be living in America.  I want to always be grateful for the freedoms I enjoy as an American citizen. Thank you to all the great men and women who paid the price for freedom!

Enjoy the time of celebration, be safe and live it up with your family and friends!  I leave with you some thought provoking quotes. Thank you for taking time to visit!

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves."  Abraham Lincoln

"It is too easy to take liberty for granted when you have never had it taken from you." Dick Cheyney

 SHOP:|Braid trim empire maxi dress|

           | Jelly casual slip on sandals|

           | Denim rhinestone clutch| (similar)