A Weekend in Marco Island!

Last weekend, Stevie and I took a little trip down to Marco Island, Florida! We wanted to celebrate our 12-year wedding anniversary (I can’t believe it’s been that long!) and also get a little babymoon in before this little one arrives in a few months. 5 months is always a sweet time to travel because it’s not too uncomfortable yet, so we planned a fast 2-night getaway so we could connect, read, eat and talk without our other two cuties pulling on our time.

IT WAS THE BEST.

We had never been to Marco Island. We had heard about it and had some flight points, so we picked the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and just went for it. The resort is gorgeously situated on the water, has a seriously delicious buffet breakfast and a killer amazing spa. We weren’t expecting the food on the island to be so legendary, but it is basically all Italian and all INCREDIBLE. I’m not usually one for pasta and pizza on the beach because, I don’t know, I don’t want to feel carb-loaded when I’m in a bathing suit, but being pregnant has it’s perks. I’m always bloated! So we ate like we were in Italy! And it was magnificent. Really and truly.

EATS.
If you’re visiting, we ate a fancy, celebratory meal at Sale e Pepe (incredible fresh pasta and fish!) which was a quick walk from our hotel and has the most beautiful views of the ocean. The pizza and salad at DaVinci almost made us cry and of course we had to indulge in gelato at Dolce Mare where they also home make chocolate truffles. Get the caramel sea salt. More incredible pizza at Joeys and we also loved brunch in Naples at The Cafe on 5th where they had the best juices and crepes ahhhh. I’m drooling just typing all this.

We took lots of pictures, and these are all from my iPhone!

^ The view from our hotel! So lush and tropical.

^My 5 month baby bumps vs. Stevie’s (below)

A lot of the buildings lining the beach were actually condos and not hotels. This is a place for snow birds and we were actually visiting in the off-season! It was truly tropical weather. Like HOT and humid. Most of the snow birds hang out down there Jan.-May.

BECASA Beach Bangles & Cotton Pullover, c/o

Old Navy Suit (sold out in yellow, still in stock in black top and bottom)

^One morning we decided to split up and do whatever we wanted! I crave alone time SO much and Stevie always wants to play golf, so that’s what we did! I ate breakfast alone (SUCH a luxury), laid on the beach and read, and then went to the spa for a pedicure. It was seriously the most indulgent morning I’ve had in years.

^My tan is so fake you guys. I normally don’t lay out in the sun but since I was only out for about an hour on this particular morning I went for it and ended up spending most of that time in the ocean because it was just SO hot. But I really love getting an organic spray tan at RAW Bronzing Studio and that’s how I look and feel tan without actually baking for hours in the sun ;)

^Just having a mermaid moment

JCrew suit (past season, similar here) Target Hat, Target Sunglasses

Target Dress, Target Sandals

^It was so dark by the time we went to our dinner at Sale E Pepe, but it really is worth visiting! It’s styled like an Italian art museum, with frescos painted on the walls and arched walkways and fountains. It’s really special.

^That dinner view. I meannnnn.

^It was so tropical! I couldn’t get over the bird songs and the lush flowers and exotic plants.

^Downtown Naples! We didn’t get to spend a lot of time here, but we want to plan another trip to explore more because it was SO stunning. I mean, look at this pink building! Is this real life?!

^Pistachio and Hazelnut gelato. Glory be.

ASOS dress (sold out, similar here), Target Sandals

This trip was truly a dream. We ate SO well, we read on the beach, we even went to the spa together and got massages one morning! Stevie hadn’t had a massage in 10 years, so you could say he was due for a de-stressing morning. He was so funny when he came out of the massage room - we met up in the little spa garden and drank cucumber water and he was like, “I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW GOOD THAT WAS.”

I don’t feel bad about getting some pampering before entering into another season of sleepless nights and busy baby days. Feeling very grateful for the time we got together, to dream and talk and laugh and wonder about what the future of our family will be like with 3 kids! I am so so grateful to my parents for taking over and watching the big boys while we got away. This was an extra special trip, just getting Stevie all to myself for a few days of fun and relaxation. Hurray for beaches and babies!

Off to London!

We have a dear friend getting married in jolly old London next week, and I am so excited to dive across the pond and spend time celebrating this wonderful wedding! It is a 3-day Indian wedding, so I know the festivities will be gorgeous and lively and I am just so excited to be able to experience it! While it would be a blast to bring Everett, Stevie and I are treating this as our babymoon and leaving him in good hands back home. We are also going to be in 3 days of wedding events, which doesn't really scream "toddler friendly" - though I'll admit, I am getting reeeeeeally sad about leaving him. He's just so wonderful and funny and tender and the thought of spending a few days so far away from him is a little unnerving. Say a little prayer for my mama heart :)

Even though we will be really busy on this trip, I wanted to ask all of you if you have suggestions for places to go/see/eat/do. The last time Stevie and I were in London, we did a lot of delightful touristy things, like having high tea at Fortnum & Mason, seeing A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Globe Theater, touring the London Natural History Museum, visiting the Tower of London, shopping (and eating!) at Borough Market, riding the London Eye, drooling at all the dresses in Harrods, lounging in Kensington Garden and trekking around Notting Hill. I would gladly do all of these wonderful things again because truly, this is a magical town, but I'm sure there are a slew of other places we should visit while we're visiting. I would love your suggestions!

Below are a few of my favorite pics from the last time we visited London. Oh, we were just babes then, living the adventurous pre-baby life and traveling like hippies around Europe with two backpacks and a Rick Steves travel guide. I wouldn't trade my life now for what we had then - but I'll admit, our Euro Trip was the best, most fantastically adventurous trip of my life.

Note our odd outfits - we were seriously running out of clean laundry.
 

I am so excited about this trip I am almost itching. I am such an anglophile (in other words, a typical American girl) and I am excited to don a Kate-Middleton-esque hat and get my tea on. Seriously friends, trip suggestions are appreciated! Thank you in advanced! XOX