The Colony Hotel West Palm Beach & Swifty's Restaurant Review

We recently stopped by the iconic Colony Hotel in West Palm Beach to have brunch at Swifty's Restaurant, their on-site eatery, which offers great fare in a chic and relaxed pool-side setting.  Swifty's Palm Beach carries on in the spirit of the beloved New York, Upper East Side institution that closed in 2016.  

For breakfast, I recommend the Full Vegan Colony Breakfast or The Benedicts (sauce on the side, of course!) or The Colony Breakfast (photo below). If you're hungrier, start off with some Gazpacho, or go with the Bacon Wrapped Designer Meatloaf as an entree. 

After you've finished eating, stop in for some shopping at the Dolce & Gabbana boutique inside the hotel. 

Sunglasses are by Diff Eyewear 

Easy vacation outfit!

For brunch, I wore a cutout top from Tularosa which is a few year's old and a draped, loose sage green skirt from Zara (I found a similar one on Amazon and an almost identical one here.)

 Also, I'm bringing back the turban trend from 2012! This one is from Ulta. My metallici clutch bag is the only new item featured in these photos. I've linked similar items below.

There is not one square inch of this hotel that is not covered in something chic. From the wallpaper to light fixtures, upholstery and the accent plants - they thought of it all.  There's a Dolce & Gabbana boutique in the hotel lobby, monkey and flamingo wallpaper throughout. And talk to me about the beautiful pink marble interiors in the bathroom? Unique and beautiful.  Also, my outfit was unintentionally retro which matched the theme. 

The styling on this outfit is all about the loose pieces that drape in different ways.  I also feel like a boxy, lace cut-out top, like the one I'm wearing here, is a summer staple. You can style it in so many ways, such as with high 

Wallpaper inside the lobby of The Colony Hotel, West Palm Beach, FL

Swify's Menu, The Colony Hotel, West Palm Beach, FL

Easy Vacation Outfit featuring Farm Rio & Maria La Rosa

Here is an easy vacation outfit featuring the this blue and white maxi dress by Farm Rio. It's perfect, unique and great quality. 

The dress has minimal give and runs true to size. This dress has cutouts throughout at the waistline and zips up the back.  It's a versatile dress because it works for both day and night.  I paired the dress with some Stuart Weitzman pink sandals and a new bag by Maria La Rosa - the Game Clutch in the color Cielo.  

I am obsessed with how roomy this clutch is and how you can opt to use it with or without the chain strap. The inside has one tiny interior pocket which is credit card sized. It's got a ton of space, and you can easily fit your phone, camera along with all of the other essentials. 

Bag: Maria La Rosa Game Clutch in color Cielo

TRAVEL DIARY: EAST HAMPTON, NEW YORK

I recently traveled to East Hampton, in New York, for a weekend trip to celebrate a good friend's engagement.  You can read about how we got around, in this post.  Below is a roundup of what I wore, where we ate, and what we saw.  Click below for my Hampton's Travel Guide. 

Finishing the night off right, with a side walk shimmy outside of Lulu's Kitchen and Bar in Sag Harbor. Wearing a bustier by Laveer; one of my favorite pieces because it can be dressed up or down. 

Where to Stay:
We were a large group so we opted for a 4 bedroom house through Air BNB (5 Longboat Lane) nestled deep in the hills.  Every morning, little deer would graze on our front lawn. The location is remote, with spotty internet and cell phone access which allowed us to disconnect. The area was peaceful and quiet, full of wildlife and beautiful scenery.  We were about a 15 minute drive to town, and Sag Harbor.

What to Do:

• Sightseeing: Montauk, Sag Harbor, East Hampton are beautiful. I recommend renting a car and just exploring the surroundings. We were very fortunate to have Volkswagen sponsor our ride, and really enjoyed driving the Tiguan through the beautiful neighborhoods (full review on the VW Tiguan here). The homes are gorgeous. In town, you'll find a Soul Cycle (of course), a farmer's market, and so much good shopping.  

• Shopping: if you're a fashion girl you will find all of your faves located along the strip; Zimmerman, Intermix, Tory Burch, Alice Olivia, everything within arm's reach.  

• Surf Lessons: we also drove to Montauk and took surfing lessons on the beach. We used Corey's Wave. Really nice and patient instructors. 

• Wildlife: make your way to the Duck Pond. It's a peaceful spot where you can feed the wildlife, walk nature trails and find a bird sanctuary. Be on the lookout for the muskrat! 

• Hire a Private Chef: it's really nice to stay in from time to time, especially while on vacation! Chef Kevin Des Chenes (Food Network alum) prepared a fantastic lobster and clam bake for us, with all of the trimmings. He was a great sport, and a one-man-show who handled everything from meal prep, plating and cleaning. More pictures of the meal below.

Surfing in Montauk.

Where to Eat: 
Lulu's Kitchen and Bar in Sag Harbor: beautiful restaurant with delicious food and cocktails, friendly/knowledgable staff and a great atmosphere. You know it's good when you see Eric Ripert having dinner with his family and then he graciously drops by your table to congratulate the bride.
What to Eat: have the skirt steak, mussels, roasted cauliflower, and a Spicy Paloma cocktail.

The Lobster Roll: I will admit that I had a total fangirl moment when we stopped at The Lobster Roll on our drive back from surfing. Those of you who are fans of The Affair will recognize this restaurant from the series.
What to Eat: have the puffer fish (seriously amazing - you will not believe how good), fried clams, and a lobster roll, obviously. Skip the Bloody Mary - not the best.

Lobster Roll at the Lobster Roll.

La Fondita Mexican Restaurant: located in Amagansett off of Montauk Highway, this Mexican restaurant came highly recommended but was somewhat of a letdown. Still, I wouldn't say it was bad, but the lines / wait were long and there was nothing I ate that was too memorable. Note: only outdoor seating.

THE 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN REVIEW: THE PERFECT TRAVEL COMPANION

We recently took a trip up through New York, to East Hampton, Sag Harbor and Montauk. The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan accompanied us every step of the way and made for the perfect travel companion.

The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan

Montauk

The Tiguan is VW's version of a compact, cross-over SUV; seating up to seven people when you fully utilize the the third row seating option, (although the last row of seats is much smaller in size and probably more kid friendly than adult friendly.). A variety of driving packages make it a fun car to drive. It boasts a 5-inch color touch screen that was useful on our trip as we navigated the long and windy Hamptons' roads. The Tiguan synchs to your Apple iPhone, and mirrors your phone on the dash, allowing you to select your destination from Maps and access other things like your Contacts.  In addition to Apple CarPlay, it also has Android MirrorLink options. You can also opt to display your text messages or have them read to you so that you can keep your eyes safely on the road.