Travel – Page 2 – PINEAPPLES AND SWEET TEA

Arizona,My Second Home, Everyday Life, Travel

5 Favorite Things To Do In Phoenix

April 5, 2021 No Comments

I love the desert and the Valley of the Sun. We have had a home here for quite a few years, and it is certainly always a nice break from the long and cold Midwest winters. White Sox Spring Training is what originally brought us here, and I also have family in the area. They all escaped the cold years ago. There is so much to do in the valley, and I put together a top 5 of my favorites.

Afternoon tea at The Phoenician. I wrote a blog on this a couple of weeks ago. Out of all the teas I have been to, this continues to be my favorite. The Phoenician is a beautiful resort. You can easily spend the entire day there, which is what I usually do. The tea service is perfect. Enjoy a glass of champagne outside afterward or treat yourself to a spa treatment at their beautiful spa.
Afternoon Tea at The Phoenician

Afternoon Tea at The Phoenician
The Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Gardens. These are right across the street from each other. You may think all zoos are the same, but the Phoenix Zoo is incredible. I have easily spent an entire day there. It is large and beautiful. The Desert Botanical Gardens is a fabulous place to explore. See plants native to AZ and beyond. The butterfly exhibit is an experience when it is in season. Thousands of butterflies all around you. The gardens show you that AZ isn’t all dust and dirt. Cacti in bloom are stunning.
The Phoenix Zoo

The Phoenix Zoo

Desert Botanical Garden

Desert Botanical Garden
Fiesta Mexicana is by far my favorite Mexican restaurant. They have locations throughout the valley and other states. I go there so much they know my order. The margaritas are fabulous as well. Authentic Mexican food in a fun atmosphere. It can’t be beaten.
Fiesta Mexicana

Fiesta Mexicana
Kierland Commons and Biltmore Fashion Park are my favorites to shop at. They are both outdoor shopping areas full of great restaurants and shopping. The Biltmore Fashion Square is the large mall in Scottdale, but it is indoors. I prefer a quaint outdoor shopping experience. I recommend Tommy Bahama or The Mission at Kierland Commons for lunch.
Kierland Commons

Biltmore Fashion Park
The Wigwam in Litchfield Park is an old-world western resort that was built in the ’20s for the Goodyear Tire Company executives. It always housed airmen during the war. Luke Air Force Base is nearby. When you think of old Arizona, the Wigwam is it. Three golf courses, an Aveda spa, restaurants, and a lounge are all at the resort. You really don’t even need to leave. Across the street are many other restaurants too. I love that there are always fresh oranges in the lobby for you to take.
Wigwam Arizona

Wigwam Arizona

Arizona is really so much more than just mountains and dust. Although there can be a lot of dust at times. I love to explore new places and there are so many, it’s always an adventure. I hope you try one of these on your next trip to The Valley of the Sun.

Carrie Kelly is an Interior Redesigner Industry Specialist and Lead Designer at Carrie Kelly Designs specializing in interior redesign, seasonal, and home decor helping clients create beautiful spaces in their homes without the time and expense of a full remodel. She is also a Senior Outfitter with Initial Outfitters, a boutique featuring all things monogrammed and personalized for your unique style. Carrie is also the author of Pineapples and Sweet Tea, a Lifestyle blog, and co-author of the #1 best-selling book The Art of Connection.

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Travel, Uncategorized

Charleston & Isle of Palms

July 27, 2020 No Comments

Last spring, we were lucky enough to attend a round at The Masters. A once in a lifetime experience. We were only a few hours away from Charleston, so we decided to spend a few days in the Charleston area. A few days relaxing at the beach and enjoying all the area has to offer was the perfect way to spend the rest of the week. I love the South I am really a southern belle stuck in the Midwest.

There are so many beautiful resorts and beach properties to choose from, and we decided to stay at Wild Dunes Resort. Wild Dunes is on Isle of Palms, just a short drive from Charleston proper. The property and grounds are beautiful, and we chose to rent a townhome. The location was perfect, beachfront with a pool. Our unit had one bedroom and bath on the main level, with the living area, laundry, and kitchen. The upper level consisted of the master bedroom, bath, walk-in closet with a gorgeous view of the beach and ocean. The unit also had a nice balcony overlooking the water. I went out one morning and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise.

Wild Dunes consists of the main resort, The Boardwalk Inn, and many cute little villas and townhomes. A golf course and tennis courts are also on the property. A few shops and a spa line the boardwalk as well. We enjoyed dinner in the casual bar and sat by the fire pit in the evening in the most comfortable rockers. The staff was so accommodating and I know it is definitely a place I will visit again.

Isle of Palm is a combination of old beach homes and newer modern homes. It had a casual feel and we enjoyed exploring the shops. Coconut Joe’s is a must for beachfront dining, and they make a great daiquiri. I love going to the local spots when I travel. Miniature golf and dinner at an Irish pub made for a lovely evening. We spent two days just relaxing and enjoying the beach.

We headed into Charleston proper for a day of exploration. The old towns of the south are my favorite places to visit, so much history. You can just imagine the families that lived in these beautiful, old homes and the stories they could tell. I bet the balls and parties were simply amazing. I had to make a stop at Isaac Jenkins Mikell’s home. If you are a fan of the Bravo series Southern Charm you will recognize this house at Miss Patricia’s. I was waiting for Michael to come out and bring me a cocktail. We spent the day wandering along the old brick roads and looking at all of the architecture. The homes are truly stunning. Of course, I somehow managed to find the Lilly Pulitzer store on King Street. King Street is the high-end shopping and restaurant area. There were some adorable boutiques on the street. A bar-b-que restaurant was a nice break for lunch. Charleston is known for its amazing bar-b-que and it did not disappoint. Our last stop before we headed over the Ravenel Bridge was the local firehouse. Being a fire mom, I always like to check out the local firehouse.

If you have not been to Charleston, put it on your bucket list. It was everything that I hoped for and more. I am looking forwards to returning and exploring more that the area has to offer. One trip was not enough to see it all. Happy travels.

Carrie Kelly is an Interior Redesigner Industry Specialist and Lead Designer at Carrie Kelly Designs specializing in interior redesign, seasonal, and home decor helping clients create beautiful spaces in their homes. She is also an Independent Consultant with Initial Outfitters, a boutique featuring all things monogrammed and personalized for your unique style. Carrie is also the author of Pineapples and Sweet Tea, a Lifestyle blog.

Find her at: https://carriekellydesigns.com

https://pineapplesandsweettea.com

https://www.facebook.com/carriekellydesigns

https://www.initialoutfitters.net/ckelly

carrie@carriekellyesigns.com

Lilly Pulitzer, Travel, Uncategorized

Lilly Con! The Pink Retreat

June 8, 2020 No Comments

Lilly Con! The Pink Retreat was a Lilly themed weekend in Palm Beach Florida, founded by Tosha Davis Williams in 2018. I was lucky enough to secure a spot for the 2019 event. Let me tell you tickets sold out like hotcakes. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the event was canceled for 2020 but I am already registered for 2021. It can’t come soon enough. I thought I would share some of the fun from the 2019 event. I went only knowing one person and left with so many new Lilly loving friends from around the country.

The home base for the event was The Colony Hotel, a stunning boutique hotel. The Colony is what you think of when you think of old Palm Beach. It was stunning. The staff was amazing and anything you needed they were happy to help. Turn down service, chocolate, and little gifts every night made you feel special. The hotel has pink bikes available to ride around the island and car service as well. The pink golf cart was certainly a hit. Beach chairs and supplies are also available and will be set up for you at the beach. Beautiful gardens and pool area just invite you to sit, relax, and enjoy a cocktail. They do think of everything. I highly recommend The Colony to anyone wanting to experience the old fashioned Palm Beach charm. Coming in a day early gave me time to settle in, explore, and do a little shopping before the events started.

The entire weekend was a whirlwind of activities. Friday morning started with check-in and shopping at Lilly on Worth Avenue. Their juice bar and adorable shift cookies were certainly a hit with all of us. Everyone was so welcoming and it was so fun finally meeting people that I had connected with on Facebook. We headed to The Breakers for lunch. Wow, the hotel is breathtaking. We walked around the grounds and explored. The Colony hosted a Happy Hour that night by the pool and it was just a sea of Lilly dresses. Michelle Kelly, CEO of Lilly Pulitzer joined us and she was so sweet to chat with us all. Lilly’s granddaughter also stopped by. It was a fabulous evening.

Saturday started with sunrise yoga and mimosas. I can’t think of a better way to start the day. I signed up for the Worth Avenue tour with Rick Rose and he is a wealth of information on the history of Palm Beach. We saw Lilly’s original store as well. Walking through Via Mizner made you feel like you were stepping back in time. The shops are made to look like an old Italian market with crooked windows and pieced together. Lunch at the historic Ta-boo was delicious. Our next adventure took us to Palm Beach Gardens Mall for a little shopping. Paint night was next and we created a Lilly inspired painting to take home. It was fun seeing everyone’s different styles. GNO rounded out our evening at The Colony. We were having so much fun that we decided to head to The Breakers for cocktails to finish out the evening. We really didn’t want the evening to end.

Sunday was a farewell brunch and print tour. The print tour with Lilly artist Melissa was so interesting. She showed us some of the local places where she finds inspiration for her prints. What would be a trip to Palm Beach if we didn’t see Lilly’s house? We stopped there and took a photo. I decided to stay until Monday and see more of Palm Beach. Quite a few other ladies did as well and we enjoyed a quiet evening in the lounge at The Colony after the busy weekend.

One of the highlights of my weekend was custom designing my very own Lilly shift dress. This is only available at the Worth Avenue store. I chose the Palm Beach toile print exclusive to this store. My dress is beautiful and it was so much fun picking out the fabric and lace and designing it. The girls at the store were so helpful and work with you every step of the way. When my dress arrived it was in a beautiful bag and my name is sewn on the inside of it. A once in a lifetime personal experience.

Honestly, the very best part of The Pink Retreat was making new friends. I have kept in touch with many of the ladies and have taken some vacations with friends I never would have met if not for TPR. We all keep up with each other on Facebook as well. I have enjoyed catching up with fellow Lilly girls on some of my other travels as well. I can’t wait until 2021. We all share a love of Lilly and to all be together was so special. Lilly would have been proud to see how her legacy lives on. After all, it all started with a juice stand.

Carrie Kelly is an Independent Consultant with Initial Outfitters. She is available to assist you in creating a beautiful, personalized, and welcoming home, bridal planning, personalized jewelry, and accessories for yourself and to help you select the perfect gift for every occasion. She is also the author of Pineapples and Sweet Tea, a Lifestyle Blog.

Find her at: https://www.initialoutfitters.net/CKELLY/

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pineapplesandmonograms@gmail.com