Hey! How is your late summer going so far? The tourists are starting to clear out in La Jolla which means the beaches are much less crowded. This weekend Matt and I took advantage of the perfect weather by hitting up La Jolla Cove. There are tons of seals and sea lions who live in the area so we grabbed some snorkel gear to check them out in their natural habitat. It was my second time snorkeling there but this time the sea lions were so active. They would swim up within just a few feet of us. They are shockingly HUGE up close though, and we didn't want to bother them of course; therefore, we would watch them play underwater from a short distance away. It was downright magical. I can't wait to go back out there before the water gets too cold again. Long live San Diego life!

Coral and white striped tank top: Old Navy

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Light wash cropped boyfriend jeans (also seen here): Old Navy via my sister 😉

[similar - 40% off!]

Cognac espadrille wedges (also seen here, here & here): Gap

[similar - currently on sale!]

Silver hoop earrings (also seen here, here & here): c/o Happiness Boutique

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Silver crescent necklace: c/o Happiness Boutique

Long silver bar pendant necklace (also seen here): c/o Happiness Boutique

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Hammered silver cuff bracelet (also seen here, here & here): Souvenir from our trip to Greece

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What's on your end of summer bucket list? Or are you so over the heat that you're just focusing on your fall to-do list? (I totally get it, if so. Even though I am loving the beach time, we have had some crisper mornings lately and it makes me oh-so-ready for autumn.)

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Joyful In Julian, California: Day Trip Travel Guide

When Matt and I first announced we were moving to San Diego last summer, multiple people immediately told me "When you get there you have to go to this little town not far from San Diego called Julian. They have the best apple pie you'll ever taste!" Well, the hype for Julian did not die down upon becoming a California citizen. When we meet locals, they too are quick to mention our dire need to make the road trip. Therefore, when I woke up on Saturday morning with a desire to go for a hike somewhere wooded, this apple-obsessed town popped into my brain. Matt was down for an adventure, so we piled the dogs into the car and hit the road for the 50 mile trip from San Diego to Julian!

Check out our recommendations for a day spent in Julian below:

Places To Dine (& Wine)

Julian Hard Cider - This was our first stop upon arriving in Julian. We ordered a flight of 8 different flavors of their hard cider, all of which were fan-freaking-tastic. We had a difficult time narrowing down which bottles to buy to bring home with us, but ultimately ended up choosing the Apple Pie -- we had to pick something apple-themed, seeing as we were in Julian after all -- and Pearanormal flavors. (Insider tip: Popping open a bottle when we got back home was the perfect end to a day on the road and post-hike.)

Granny's Kitchen - I was a little worried that a small town wouldn't have any solid vegan options, but a quick search on Yelp proved me wrong. I was able to get a delicious veggie wrap at this cute cafe and Matt had an apple (of course) grilled cheese sandwich that he loved.

Candied Apple Pastry Company - I asked around to see if anyone had vegan apple pie, but I wasn't able to locate any, unfortunately. (If you know of a place, please let me know!) Therefore, I can't speak from personal experience about the apple pie from this bakery, but Matt devoured their sour cream apple pie with cinnamon ice cream on top. He seriously ate it in about sixty seconds flat. (Even though I can't vouch for the baked goods, I can tell you that the ambiance of this little bakery was too cute!)

Turquoise necklace: c/o Buddha Blossom | Aviator sunglasses: Old Navy

Things To Do

Hike Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve - The views are stunning and the air is so crisp. But hikers beware: this is a pretty tough, uphill hike. There were also tons of red ants when we went, so if you are hiking with your pooches (like we were) be careful to look where they're stepping. Also make sure to check your pups for ticks before getting back in your car afterward. I say this because our dogs are treated monthly with Frontline and we also sprayed a second natural flea and tick spray on them before we hit the trails, just to be safe... and yet we still found a tick when we got home. Not cool, nature. Not cool at all. But, oh well. The sights totally made it worth it, so don't be swayed from the hike!

Stroll Around Town - Even if hiking isn't really your thing, there is plenty to see just walking around Julian. The streets of Historic Julian look straight out of a wild west story. The whole area is so idyllic. Plus, there are people who are journeying on the Pacific Crest Trail stopping through. Grab a slice of pie at one of the many bakeries in town and eavesdrop on tales of their PCT adventures. (I overheard more than one conversation involving people swapping blister horror stories... Thankfully, I wasn't eating at the time...)

Take A Joy Ride - The winding roads from San Diego to and around Julian are so picturesque. There are also tons of roadside produce stands, farms, and wineries that you can check out along the way!

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One of my favorite things about Julian is that no matter what your taste, you'll find something to do. From getting active on the mountain, to choking down as much apple-centric food as you physically can, to popping in and out of wine tastings, just about anyone can discover something they'll enjoy on their trip!

One of my favorite things about life in the Southwestern United States is how easy it is to road trip. Both Arizona and Southern California have so many different types of climates to offer, and most are just a quick drive away! When we lived in Phoenix, we loved driving north to Sedona for the best desert views in the world (in my opinion), but if we craved snow there was Flagstaff, too. Even though we haven't lived in San Diego County for long, we've taken a day trip to Idyllwild to play in the snow with the dogs, driven through the desert, and now gotten a taste of apple Julian which I am so excited to go back to for the fall foliage in a few months!

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Where are your favorite day trips near you?

PS: Don't forget to enter the $50 PinkBlush gift card giveaway before it ends in a few days!

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10 Things I Learned From Completing a Vegan Version of Whole30

Whew! We did it!!! Matt and I successfully completed a vegan version of Whole30. We decided that, like many other people with New Year's resolutions, we wanted to kickstart our health in 2017. As strict vegetarians, we didn't eat terribly, but we (especially me) definitely loved sugar and processed food for quick fixes. Personally I also strongly believe in the benefits of a vegan diet (for animal welfare, a positive environmental impact, and for one's health) and I wanted to commit myself to it; thus, we decided a vegan Whole30 was the perfect fit for us!

As for getting through the actual 30 days, it was... the hardest thing I've ever done tough. But joking aside, Matt and I actually agree that it wasn't nearly as bad as we expected it to be. We started off with the typical apprehensions ("How can we function without CARBS?!" and "Why must we inflict such self-hatred on ourselves?" and "Why does 30 days feel sooooo damn long?"). However, we quickly realized it wasn't too difficult to complete, and would totally recommend trying it out!

Outfit details can be found here.

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Below are the 10 things we learned during this month-long Whole30 journey:
1.) I am actually a much better cook than I previously thought. (We always knew Matt was the more naturally talented chef in our family, but it turns out I am not bad at all in the kitchen. That is when I actually put my mind into it.)

2.) Recipes that you find online are SUPER helpful -- especially when you are going the unprocessed and vegan route. (Thank you, Pinterest & Google Gods!)
3.) Said recipes can act as perfect guidelines, because sometimes what you create by loosely using a recipe is even better than the original itself. (My personal example would be the BOMB.COM guacamole I created based off of a recipe I saw on the interwebs. Seriously. It is better than any other guac I have ever had. Modest? Nope. The cold, hard truth? YES.)
4.) Being vegan is so much easier than I could've imagined. (I will admit though that for the first few days of the cleanse while my body got used to the new norm, it took secondly daily self control for me not to dream of my favorite indulgences: chocolate and cheeeeeeeze.)
5.) If you are anything like Matt or myself, you may have random cravings, on and off, throughout the month; however, a quick search online helped us to find healthier alternatives to make it through.

6.) Even though we were buying all organic groceries which, yes, are expensive, we still ended up saving money since we couldn't really eat out as easily. (We knew of very few places that served unprocessed food, so we ended up cooking at home so much more than usual; therefore, we saved a little ca$h money!)

7.) People were much more supportive than we initially expected them to be. We thought some would be all "You dirty hippies and your crazy fads!" It turns out a lot of your loved ones may have already done their own Whole30 and can offer advice to make it to Day 30 and beyond!
8.) Healthy snacks are just as easy as "convenience food." It takes just as long to use that apple core cutter thing (this guy) as it does to pull out chips and salsa. We just have to make it a priority in our home.
9.) Matt and I both agree that Whole30 totally helped to "reset" our tastes, and get us on a path to a healthier lifestyle beyond just the 30 days. For example, we now love the flavor of fruit so much more than we ever have, and we realized we definitely were overeating before. It was such an eyeopening experience, and made us really examine our relationship with food.
10.) Completing a goal like Whole30 is truly an amazing feeling. Not only because you crushed a goal (which is always a fist-pump worthy feeling), but you know this particular goal made you a healthier version of yourself!


Hopefully these insights can help motivate you, in case you are ever interested in doing your own Whole30!
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Are you currently doing or have you previously done a version of Whole30? What was your experience? Any advice you wish someone would've told you before you began?

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If it's somehow not already apparent, I am not a medical professional. Before starting any new fitness or health regime, check with your doctor - and not just the World Wide Web. (Duh, but it needs to be said, juuust in case. 😉)

Victoria's Secret Sport Bra & Leggings Influenster Review

I need to work out, guys.  I know, I know.  "It's good for you, Allie."  "Don't you want to live to be at least 100 years old?"  "Your metabolism is starting to slow down, ya know..."  I get it.  Exercise is healthy for one's body/soul/mind.  I just have never been the type of person who likes to work out, especially by going to a gym or running (blech!).  I just get bored... and sweaty.  What's with the sweat?  Anyway, I digress, per usual.  Recently, I have truly been trying to force myself to go to my apartment's little gym to run on the elliptical for at least a teensy bit of cardio, in hopes I will get the gunk out of my veins and live past 40.  I also have been joining Matt in his P90X Pilates and Yoga sessions, because those are two forms of exercise I actually do enjoy, shockingly.  I think that's because I used to do gymnastics, so flexibility comes easier to me than endurance (hence my distaste for cardio).
Well, it is all in good timing, because I received the new Victoria's Secret Sport bra and leggings, and  let me tell you: they are AWESOME.  Seriously, I love them.  This is going to be TMI, so I apologize in advance; however, I want to be open and honest in this review, so here it goes: I am a D-cup in the brasserie department.  That kind of chest weight pretty much guarantees a little bit of pain when running/bouncing/jumping.  Therefore, the search for a quality sports bra can be equally as painful.  Most of them dig into my shoulders or get flimsy after one wash, but that all changed when I got the VSX sports bra.  It is, by far, my favorite I've ever worn.  Plus, the leggings are amazing, too!  As soon as I got them, Matt & I did a round of that aforementioned P90X yoga, which usually makes my workout attire slip up, down, and sideways, but not with the VSX clothing - not even the slightest!  The pants had fabulous stretch and stayed right where they should the entire time.  I would seriously recommend this new line to anyone looking to upgrade their exercise garments.  You won't regret it!

Oversized gray tank top (also seen here & here): Victoria's Secret PINK

Multicolored floral sports bra: Victoria's Secret Sport via Influenster

Black leggings: Victoria's Secret Sport via Influenster

Nike black & pink sneakers (also seen here): DSW

Gold necklaces (also seen here): Target & c/o JWjewelrybox 

Black high top sneakers (also seen here): H&M $15 (on sale from $24.95)

Will you be trying out the Victoria's Secret Sport line?  I sincerely recommend it!  As you can see, along with a yoga session, we also took a road trip up to Sedona for some hiking in the mountains with the pups.  Once again, the bra & pants exceeded my expectations in comfort, quality, and all around wearability.  Perfect for a weekend adventure!

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This is a sponsored blog post. Influenster provided me with complimentary Victoria's Secret products to test and review as part of a contest.  The views expressed here are solely my own, however. #VSSportBra #VSSportTester

Life Recap: Sedona Stories

Last weekend, I had my first whole weekend off since I started my job back in September.  Matt had also just started his new job and I'd recently purchased my new Prius, so a road trip was necessary [obviously].  We headed 100 miles north of Phoenix up to the one of the prettiest places we've ever been: Sedona, Arizona.  And, lucky for you, I'm sharing loads of photos so you can experience the natural beauty too (and yes, the "natural beauty" I'm speaking of is our dog, Dakota, of course ;D].

Try not to judge my hat, please -- It was cold out and it was all I had :(

Black & white flannel shirt (also seen here): Target

Sky blue sweatshirt: Old Navy

Black leggings: Old Navy

Nike black & pink tennis shoes: DSW

Have you ever been to Sedona?  It's now one of my favorite places that I've ever been.  During our hikes, we were able to let Dakota off her leash, and just run through the rocks, and be freeeeee.  I'm not sure if that was an illegal move, but since we're such rebels we did it anyway... She was just so happy, skirting around, like a dog should :)

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