vacation Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Popcorn and Pandas

Happy New Year!

The past year has been a bit of a roller coaster. My family has suffered a lot of loss, but we have also shared in a lot of joy. There have been changes in my career, trips across the country, exciting wedding celebrations, babies born, and interesting adventures. Watching my son grow this past year has been the most amazing part. He turned one in August with a nautical birthday party, and he has been soaking up knowledge like a sponge. He amazes me every day with the way he communicates and how much he can remember. He is sweet as pie and shows so much love and affection. I feel incredibly blessed and lucky.

I also feel extremely lucky to have so much love and support from all of you. Thanks for sticking by me this past year through the good times and the bad. There were moments when it was tough to find the time or energy to continuing blogging and creating, but this is always a place I love to come back to, and I appreciate you all coming back here as well. Some of your favorite posts from this past year included the beautiful fairytale wedding of Melissa and John, some creative ideas for engagement gifts, and when I tried out these fabulous new hair extensions. I also heard from a lot of you about how I survived the first year of motherhood and the gear that got me through. As always, please let me know what types of posts you would love to see more or less of in the coming year.

I can definitely say I am excited for what 2015 has to offer. I’m going to jump into a P90X program starting TOMORROW, and I am so excited to get back into shape again. I have always been athletic having played soccer and basketball my entire life through college and beyond. After having my child, I have struggled to find the time and the energy to get into a regular workout routine. When I was working outside of the home, I quite frankly hated to spend my free time away from my son. Now that I am home most days, it’s tough to even have free time! I received the P90X DVD program a couple years ago as a Christmas gift. It was on my wish list and also on my bucket list as something I wanted to complete as a challenge to myself. Although the program is still in the shrink wrap, it’s something I have not been able to let go. I despise the feeling of not being in shape anymore, and although I have lost all of my baby weight, I do not feel like my healthy, energetic self anymore. I plan on joining an online challenge group to keep myself motivated on this journey, and I am looking forward to feeling good again and setting a good example for my son. If you are also interested in joining me in my fitness journey, please let me know and I would love to give you more information about the group.

Aside from getting fit and healthy, I am setting my sights on a family vacation to Tulum, Mexico! I have never visited, but I have heard so many amazing things. Our itinerary is completely open, so if you have any ideas or suggestions on where to stay or what to do while we are there, please share!

The photo above is from New Year’s Eve on my friend’s rooftop in Baltimore, MD. We had a blast on our trip, although we are now trying to recover from the yucky sickness we managed to catch while away. Poor lil guy has the croup plus a fever! We have finally unpacked all of our Christmas goodies from the car, took down our tree, and put away all the decorations for the season. I’m always sad when Christmas is over, but I am excited for a fresh start in 2015.

Hope you all had a wonderful year, and I am wishing you all the best for a happy, healthy new year in 2015!

XO,

Gina

Outer Banks Vacation Photos

I can’t believe it. The official start to fall is next week, so I thought I would end this week with some of my favorite photos from our last summer vacation to the Outer Banks, North Carolina. Hope you enjoy them, and have a great time on this last weekend of the official summer season!

We are headed to Maryland to celebrate our nephew’s 1st birthday and our friend’s child’s 3rd. Party party! These kids are growing up too fast! Time for me to get to packing.

XO,

Gina

{27} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Finished beachy read, Another Piece of My Heart, by Jane Green. Nothing groundbreaking, but a decent vacation read.

writing A deposition for a court date. I’m a witness! Don’t get too excited, it’s just traffic court…

listening To lots of upbeat music, because Friday I returned to the gym after a 20 month hiatus. And I actually went again on Monday, and went for a run this morning. Hoping to keep this momentum going, because I’m already feeling more energized (apart from my sore limbs).

thinking That we had a really great time last Sunday at the Industry City Dance Party in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Zack was eager to go, and I was a little worried that we would be “those people” bringing a baby into an entirely inappropriate situation, but I was happy to find all sorts of kids and babies rockin’ out on the dance floor with the best of them. It was definitely a party. And not a kid’s party. But the fact that kids were welcomed and deemed appropriate there was pretty cool. Nico (not surprisingly) loved it, and our little fam had a really great time getting our dance on.

smelling My fav scent, Light Blue.

watching All the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos. I was a little annoyed by them at first…people dousing themselves so they didn’t have to donate…didn’t make a lot of sense to me. But after reading this blog post, I have a new perspective.

wishing Nico an early Happy 1st Birthday! He is turning ONE on Friday. I just can’t believe it.

hoping That I can get my act together this week for a party planning extravaganza. And by extravaganza, I mean myself, a glass of wine, my living room, and some DIY crafting.

wearing In the photo above I’m wearing my new ModCloth dress that I got at their 70% off sale! It’s sold out, but check out some of their other sale dresses here. Did I mention I was able to go shopping this weekend…ALONE? It was kind of amazing.

loving My new haircut (also seen in photo above) from the amazing Tim Dueñas. Feels so much lighter and loving having some layers again.

laughing At this adorable friendship on Daily Laughs.

wanting The summer to stick around a little longer. I’m not ready for the beach days to end…

needing To start checking some more things off my bucket list. And as I’m looking at it…thinking about making some edits.

feeling Incredibly nervous as today is Nico’s first day with his new nanny and new playmate. We are going to miss our old one so much, and it’s going to be a tough transition week for all of us, but I’m hoping he will adjust quickly.

craving These sweet cinnamon oven roasted peaches. Thinking this is just the recipe I need for the peaches in our yard this year.

clicking Looking for a few sweet new baby gifts for little ones on the way.

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you are all having a fantastic week!

XO,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Porch Swing

On me: Top: J. Crew / Tank: J. Crew (available in other colors) – also similar here / Shorts: J. Crew (available in other colors here and here) / Sandals: Sam Edelman (sold out, but many color choices here) / Sunnies: Francesca’s (similar) / Necklace: Baublebar (similar) / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Henri Bendel, Baublebar, Stella & Sparkle / Earrings: ALDO / Lip: Lancome Red Haute

On Nico: Bathing Suit Top & Trunks Set: Carter’s

Feeling nostalgic today from our vacation to the Outer Banks. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already noticed I’m protesting my post-vacation blues. The photos above show some of my most favorite times in the OBX. Doing. Absolutely. Nothing. Relaxation in it’s purest form. There’s just something about a porch swing at sunset that immediately resets my zen. After a long day in the hot sun, taking walks and building sandcastles, it feels great to come back to the cottage, have a nice shower, and climb into the porch swing and just sway. Feeling the breeze as the sun drops down below the horizon brings an immediate feeling of calm and a sense of peacefulness that I haven’t been able to really recreate anywhere else but here. Sometimes I will even bring a book into the swing and get lost into some other dream world. This year, I brought Nico onto the swing with me, and for a kid who otherwise at this age is squirmy and adventurous, I was mildly surprised with his ability to just snuggle and relax with me on the swing for awhile. It was as if he was silently saying, “Oh hey Mom, yeah I could get the hang of this relax in the porch swing thing.” I’m lucky that my little one still does love to snuggle with me often…usually at night before bedtime. But as he approaches his first birthday and becomes more independent, I start to see him squiggle away from me more and more as he explores the world around him. It makes me sad, but at the same time I know he has to grow. Part of me wants to cling and keep him small forever though and that part of me is going to soak up every moment I can while he is still little enough to be wrapped in my arms cuddling on the porch swing.

XO,

Gina

{26} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Finished a few good ones recently. First up was The Fault in Our Stars. I wanted to read the book before watching the movie. Of course, it’s predictable and a total tearjerker, but I was pleasantly surprised with how well a male author (John Green) was able to capture the mind of a sixteen year old girl. Next, I read Dark Places, by Gillian Flynn. This author never disappoints. Although the main character, Libby, is a little unlikable in my opinion, Gillian Flynn is always keeping you on your toes with her novels and makes you want more. Heading to the beach this weekend, so if you have any beach reads to recommend, please do!

writing A ginormous to-do list of everything I need to get done before our trip to the Outer Banks. And a packing list.

listening Summer…my summer anthem by Calvin Harris. Prepping a little playlist for our road trip.

thinking That this beautifully written blog post from my friend Sascha really hits home for the working mom.

smelling The delicious homemade eggplant parm the hubby cooked this week. Fresh eggplant, tomatoes, and basil from the garden. Melt in your mouth amazingness.

watching The Bachelorette finale really threw me for a loop! I realize I am delayed on watching my shows, so sorry for being late to the party. I won’t throw out any spoilers for those who may also be behind on their TV watching, but let’s just say I was really surprised!

wishing Time would slow down a bit. My little baby is almost a year old already! I can’t even take it.

hoping I can pull off this fabulous fishtail braid at the beach next week shown in this tutorial by Nikki.

wearing Lots of leopard print this week. Feeling feisty.

loving The end of summer sales! ModCloth, Free People, J. Crew, & Zara have some pretty good ones going on right now.

laughing At how Nico loves to be chased around the house. I will crawl after him, and he will start crawling away squealing with delight…then come back and start chasing me while laughing. That belly laugh is enough to get me laughing and smiling all day long.

wanting To be with my little boy today. In case you couldn’t tell, I’m missing him a lot while at work this week. Looking forward to spending a whole week with him at the beach and introducing him to the place I have vacationed since I was a small child. Also excited that the whole family will be able to see how much he has grown.

needing A little girl (one day) so I can buy these adorable ribbons from Brit!

feeling Totally inspired by hometown friend Candice as she becomes the first plus-sized model to appear in next year’s Pirelli calendar. Doesn’t she look fantastic!!??

craving Something sweet. What else is new?

clicking On 1st birthday party ideas for my little guy.

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you are all having a fantastic week!

XO,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Captured in Cape May

I’m finally getting around to sharing some more of our Cape May vacation photos. Some of these were taken on my camera, and some of them are from my Instagram feed, so don’t mind the inconsistency. My favorite part about Cape May was looking at all the adorable houses, many of which have been converted in Bed & Breakfast Inns. The architecture actually reminds me of my neighborhood, Ditmas Park in Brooklyn yet even closer to the beach. I loved that mostly everything was in walking or biking distance and that it was very family oriented. Many thanks to my mother-in-law and father-in-law for organizing such a fantastic trip!

*Note* The 2nd baby pictured is my adorable nephew, Nathan! He and Nico had a great time playing together throughout the week.

Now we are on a countdown to our next family adventure…the Outer Banks! This is a place my family has been going every summer since I was four. Last summer, I was hugely pregnant and unable to attend as my due date was creeping up, so I am extremely pumped to not only return to the OBX, but to show Nico how much we all love this place and each other. My cousins have already started the text chain, and I cannot wait to see them!

Happy Monday!

XO,

Gina

{Style Envy} Rompin’ Around + Turning Thirty

On Brianna – Romper: Forever 21 / Sandals: Michael Kors / Necklaces: Forever 21

Introducing my beautiful niece, Brianna. You may remember a few posts way back when from my Style Envy segments with Marisa and Alex. Every now and then I like to showcase someone else’s style rather than my own, and Brianna was looking so adorable in this romper while we were on vacation in Cape May that I just had to snap some photos at the beach. Rompers made a small come back last summer, and they are still in full force this season. It’s so nice to only think about one piece. No need to worry about which top is going to go with which bottom. Matchy matchy tops and bottoms have also been a trend this season, so why not just buy one piece and call it a day? Of course, everyone’s main complaint about rompers is the ever-annoying hassle of going to the bathroom, but in my opinion, it’s no big deal to suck it up for a day for the sake of fashion. That’s what we women do, right?

Onto my niece…Bri is one of those people with a natural easy-going attitude. She’s always down for an adventure, for trying fun new things, and she’s a total pleasure to be around. Throughout the week whenever someone would make a suggestion about something fun to do, she was always up for it. No matter how weird to crazy the activity, she was always excited to partake. Want to go play skee-ball at the arcade? Yup. Want to go for a walk? Yup. Want to take photos on the beach? Yup. Want to go get ice cream? Yup. Want to go on a four-person family bike? Yup. She reminds me of my husband (her uncle) never wanting to sit around. Always go go go…they might miss something or won’t be able to enjoy the most out of their vacation if they are relaxing too much. We had a blast hanging out at the beach, and I only wish she and my sister-in-law could have stayed longer!

On a final note, I turned 30 over the weekend. That’s right THIRTY. Holy crap. Where does the time go? I remember when I used to think thirty was so old. It’s crazy how much I have grown and changed in the last decade. Met Zack, graduated college, moved to New York City, got into the animation/advertising industry, partied my ass off, traveled, got married, moved to Brooklyn, slowed down, had a baby, and now I’m a mom of an almost 1-year-old. My twenties were a lot of fun indeed. As scary as 30 sounds, I do admit, I am excited to embrace this new decade with the clarity, responsibility, and self-awareness that I did not always exhibit in my twenties. Sure occasionally I know I will miss my carefree days, but my life is all about my family and closest friends right now, and I couldn’t be happier.

Special thanks to my husband for planning an amazing 30th surprise weekend for me complete with Six Flags, a fancy dinner, a night on the town, and finished with a beach day. I am a lucky lady.

Hope you are all having a great week!

XO,

Gina

{25} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso, founder and CEO of Nasty Gal. Incredible story and extremely inspirational. Would recommend to anyone, not just the ladies.

writing In Nico’s baby book. I have a few months of catching up to do with all his new milestones!

listening “Talk Dirty” by Jason DeRulo. As a former sax player, I had to give a shout out to the awesome solo work in this song.

thinking It’s been a bit of a crazy few weeks for me and my family. We lost my beloved Granny recently, and although she was 93 years old, it was sudden and a bit of a shock for all of us. After losing my Uncle earlier this year, it’s been rough for everyone, especially my Mom. I cannot imagine losing my own mother, and I know this has got to be incredibly difficult for her. My Granny was the sweetest lady, and I miss her dearly. I am comforted in the fact that I was able to be by her side in her last week along with the rest of our family, and that she was comfortable and knew we were all with her at the end. I truly appreciate all of the love, prayers, cards, and support that people have given us during this time.

smelling The great outdoors. Spent Zack’s 1st Father’s Day Weekend hiking Bear Mountain on Saturday, and Sunday was spent smelling the sweet salt air at Rockaway Beach. I would definitely recommend the Perkins Memorial 3.9 mile trail loop. Amazing views and a challenging, fun hike. I impressed myself by doing a few rock scrambles with a baby on my back as well, and we were able to introduce Nico to his first ride…the carousel! Onto the beach…if my fellow New Yorkers make it to Rockaway this summer, you must go to 106th street for arepas at Caracas. I insist! P.S. Nico LOVED the beach. That’s my boy!

watching Watched the throwback movie Big for the first time with one of my favorite actors of all time, Tom Hanks. Although the method of getting “bigger” was a tad cheesy, I really enjoyed the movie and would recommend it.

wishing For the weekend to get here! We are heading to Cape May for the first time for a family vacation with the hubby’s side. Looking forward to snuggling that little nephew of ours, and spending time with the entire fam. Have any of you been to Cape May before? Would love some suggestions on what to do/where to eat/where to shop, etc.!

hoping That Nico feels less pain when the rest of his teeth come in…yes, you heard right…Nico got his first tooth this weekend! My boy is getting big.

wearing This new vintage style bathing suit I purchased from Grey Dog Boutique. Discovered this shop from Bonnie over at Flashes of Style. Go say hi!

loving The the line-up of summer travel we have on the horizon. While driving long distances can sometimes be draining, Zack and I are always up for an adventure, and this summer will be no different even with a little one in tow. We started off the summer in New Hampshire with good friends, enjoyed upstate NY last weekend, and have Cape May to round out the month of June. July we will be heading to Rehobeth Beach (DE), North Fork (Long Island), Deep Creek Lake (MD), and celebrating my 30th (eek!). Ending the summer will be a trip to the Outer Banks (NC) and celebrating Nico’s 1st birthday. Some may call us crazy, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

laughing I’m not a cat person, but this kitten jam had me rolling!

wanting This shocking coral lip color for the season.

needing Some more time with girlfriends. I’ve been loving the family life without a doubt, and I love my boys to death, but sometimes a girl needs some quality time with her girlfriends too! Hoping to set up a few “girl-dates” while the weather is nice and warm.

feeling A second needle injection into my thumb this morning. OUCH. My thumb has definitely gotten a lot better since the first shot, but it’s still not completely back to normal, and as the doc said “I am too young to have this problem!” Not to mention how impossible it is to “rest your thumb.” I really do hope this one will curb me from having to undergo surgery, but worst case scenario, I have heard it’s a fairly simple procedure.

craving More time to work on this blog and other personal endeavors/passion projects. My creativity is bursting at the seams with very little time to act! I’ve always been great with time management, but juggling work, caring for a baby, and our social/travel calendar have made things a bit more tricky. I know it’s tough to “have it all,” but I’m determined to come up with a way to make things work without sacrificing my family time.

clicking Nico is pulling himself up to a standing position, and I think it’s time for some functional shoes for summer. I’ve been searching around online, but does anyone have any favorites they love for their little one?

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Hump Day!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Red Rain Boots

Rain Boots: Hunter / Leg Warmers: similar / Tribal Leggings: Forever 21 – similar / Coat: Old Navy / Top: Urban Outfitters / Necklace: Guilty Jean / Lip: Lancome Red Haute

These photos were taken on our trip to the lake house in New Hampshire on a chilly, rainy day. Instead of swimming or hiking, we spent this day eating Mexican food, browsing the local Wolfeboro shops, playing games, and drinking wine. These boots were a recent gift from the hubby for our 3rd wedding anniversary. Totally picked out on his own, mind you! Perfect timing for rainy season, and it seemed appropriate to share today as the rain is currently falling.

XO,

Gina

Insta-Snaps from New Hampshire

We spent Memorial Day Weekend up in New Hampshire near the Wolfeboro area and Lake Winniepesaukee. While it was rainy and cold a lot of the time, we did manage to get some sunshine and some great hikes in. We stayed on Lower Beech Pond overlooking the water in a fantastic lake house with good friends. We drank wine, cooked delicious meals together, played games, explored the town of Wolfeboro, and took in some stunning views. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen a lot of these, but here are a few snaps from our trip.

Nico reading a story at the lake house with my bestie, Erin

Penny Candy Shop in Wolfeboro, NH

Yes, I think I will have some wine this vacation! Oops!

Snuggling my baby at Camp Beech in Tuftonboro, NH

Taking a break for lunch on the Italian Trail on Mt. Shaw…that one’s for you Pops!

My two happy guys!

Mountain Selfie on the top of Mt. Shaw

So proud of Nico on his 1st hike ever! He was a champ in his Beco Gemini Carrier.

Cairn aka Rock Tower

On the top of the White Ledge Loop Trail in the White Mountain National Forest

Standing on the top!

Continuing on the trail loop

Such a stunning view!

Some other places we visited that aren’t photographed here:

1. El Centenario: Delicious Mexican fare – We loved the fresh homemade chips and salsa, chile relleno, and chicken enchiladas they had to offer. The staff was very friendly, and we would definitely go back here.

2. Downtown Grille: We came here for coffee and enjoyed their lattes so much, we came back again on the way to drop our friends off at the airport! I enjoyed both the Blueberry Cobbler latte and the Milky Way. Yum! If we go back, I would like to try their breakfast as well.

3. Sandy Martin Art Gallery: We had a lovely conversation with owner and artist, Sandy. She is an extremely talented artist in multiple mediums including oil paints, watercolors, photography, & more. She loves music and hosts parties within the gallery featuring local musicians on the in-house piano and guitar. She also knows all the town gossip and Jimmy’s Fallon’s whereabouts when he comes to town. Definitely a nice stop in!

4. Sprout’s: Featuring lots of children’s toys, clothing, and gifts.

5. Details: Great little boutique stop for gifts and accessories. Also have an adorable dress selection. I walked away with a dainty little flower crown that I love!

6. Jake’s Seafood: Enjoyed steamers, haddock, chowder, and lots of other yummy seafood here! Outdoor seating is nice as well.

7. Castle in the Clouds: A beautiful stop with a beautiful view. It was rainy and we were hungry, so we didn’t end up doing the tour, but we did have some lunch (I had a lobster roll…drool!) at the Carriage House.

We had such a great time on our trip, despite the inclement weather. I’m glad we were able to get two great days of hiking in, but I think next summer if we go back to New England, we will try for the 4th of July weekend again so it will be warm enough to jump in that lake!

Hope you are all having a great week!

XO,

Gina