Outdoor Exploring In Sailor Wear

Vintage Cap Sleeve Blouse || Similar Sailor Shorts || Sunglasses || Old, Kate Spade Keds (Similar) || Necklace || Pink & Blue Co. Bracelet c/o || Wicker Bag || Similar Jean Jacket ||

What a fun filled day this was on the Cape! It was actually a day that was a bit spontaneous and ended up being one with some cherished memories. We started the day at the Mass Audubon Society in Barnstable. What a treat for fans of the outdoors! Ava was particularly in love with the turtles they had inside. We walked the grounds of the forested area listening to all of the birds chirping their happy songs. The air was fragranced with the sweet smell of honeysuckle while rhododendrons were blossoming all around us. After that, we walked down to the beach area where kayakers were just finishing up. Across the way we could make out a lighthouse and also stumbled upon a plethora of beach roses, my absolute favorite! They are my favorite rose and dare I say, even my favorite flower.

Afterwards, we were famished and stumbled upon the Dolphin restaurant not to far down the road. What an absolute gem this place was. I got the tuna sandwich with a cup of chowder and a slice of peanut butter pie. The entire meal was drool worthy and affordable. The decor inside was full of beach and patriotic themes, all of course adding to the charm. Next door, we went to the Nirvana Coffee Company, which had a steady stream of customers the entire time we were there. Ava and I relaxed on the Adirondack chairs outside while enjoying the sunshine and passers going by. I got my usual vanilla latte and loved it. It was a nice moment of calm before our next stop.

After re-energizing, we wanted to end the day at the beach, opting to try a new one called Gray’s Beach in Yarmouth. I think for Ava, this beach was one of the highlights of her trip. Though the beach itself is smaller, you can walk out into the tide pools and across the way to the little islands. While wading in the shallower water, you can find all types of small sea creatures, which all of the kids were thrilled about. The beach is famous for its long boardwalk, extending out into the grass and water, where it ends for a beautiful sunset view. Looking across the way, you can see the tip of Sandy Neck beach. All around us was nature at its very finest.

Shop The Post:

xo, Amanda

Pink Dramatic Sleeves

Pink Ruffled Sleeve Top c/o || White Skinny Jeans || Blush Bow Slides || Sunglasses || Similar Bag || Jackie Kennedy Drop Earrings || Jackie Kennedy Cascade Ring || JFK 100 Pearl Bracelet || Rose Gold Love Bangle || Christian Paul Watch c/o ||

Good morning and happy Friday! Just a quick post today of an outfit I wore out to dinner while on vacation. The tiered ruffled sleeves add some dramatic flair to an otherwise casual look. The top is super comfortable too! You know I cannot resist a beautiful shade of pink either. This would be a great summer date night look for those evenings that are on the cooler side. Speaking of, cheers to the first official weekend of summer!

Shop The Post:

xo, Amanda

The Sunflower Dress

Sunflower Dress c/o || Huarache Sandals || Wicker Bag || Karen Walker Sunglasses || Similar Bow Straw Hat || JFK 100 Pearl Bracelet || Rose Gold Love Bangle || Jackie Kennedy Cascade Ring || DW Bondi Watch c/o ||

Each year when I go to Cape Cod I like to take one special dress that stands out from all of the rest. Last year it was my rose print dress from Chicwish. It was such a dream to wear and still stands out in my mind as one of my favorite dresses. This year is no different with my sunflower waterfall dress, also from Chicwish. I always turn to them when I need a knockout piece! This was probably my favorite day on the cape. We started our at the Truro Winery where we relaxed on their front lawn and had some lunch. The weather was AMAZING. I could sit there all day long. Next, we headed to Eastham to see the famous Nauset lighthouse that is featured on the Cape Cod chips bag. It is my favorite lighthouse and one that we always get a family photo in front of. Later in the day I took Ava down to Veteran's Beach where the JFK Memorial is. It's my favorite spot in Hyannis. The sunset there is the prettiest. The Yacht Club is there also, which is why Ava and I are pointing in the one photo. She loves to see the sail boats!

Shop The Post:

xo, Amanda

Bow Skirt In Brookline

White Crochet Top c/o || Blue Striped Bow Skirt c/o || Striped Peep-Toe Flats || Wicker Bag || Aviator Sunglasses || Rose Gold Love Bangle || Jackie Kennedy Cascade Ring || JFK 100 Pearl Bracelet || DW White Bondi Watch c/o ||

Good morning and happy Friday everyone! On our last day in Boston my dad surprised me with a side trip to Brookline, which is a suburb of Boston. Before we headed out to the Cape, he asked me if I wanted to go see the home where JFK grew up (for 3 years) and also where he was actually born. Absolutely yes! It is something I had always wanted to see and we figured since we were so close, why not? We made the trip there and went through the house, which was awesome to see. We took some photos, thanks dad for taking the blog photos for this post!, and then made our way out to the Cape for the remainder of our trip.

Since we were heading out to the Cape I was already in a very nautical state of mind. I chose this blue striped skirt with a bow tie in the front (swoon) and pockets. I'm a huge fan of skirts or dresses with pockets. I mean, how can you resist?! This darling white crochet top from Chicwish felt like a dream to wear. Its so soft and has bell sleeves that are not overwhelming. Sometimes I'm all about a dramatic statement sleeve, but this one brings the statement in a smaller way which makes it great for dressing up or down. You could wear this top to a formal event or go more casually for something like grocery shopping.

Shop The Post:

xo, Amanda

Daisy Dukes

White Eyelet Top c/o || Daisy Shorts c/o || Jean Jacket || Sequin Striped Sneaks || Wicker Bag || Rose Gold Love Bangle || JFK 100 Pearl Bracelet || Jackie Kennedy Cascade Ring || DW White Bondi Watch c/o ||

This was our third and final day at the Kennedy Museum. We took our time really exploring all of the exhibits throughout the museum since it was a much calmer day then the previous two. There was a new exhibit for the celebration that included 100 personal items JFK had owned. I was soooo excited to see this. I won't bore you with all of the details, but I did include one photo above that were some of his items like his ties, wallet, sunglasses, etc. Everyone really enjoyed it. Afterwards we did the harbor walk where you can see the city of Boston across the way. It would be a great spot to get some night time shots of the city if anyone is ever in the area.

I wanted to wear something that was fun and casual for the day and could not resist these daisy shorts! My dad thought they were fancy lol, but to me they're fun and something I would sport around town or to an amusement park in. The daisy floral detail really makes them stand out from your regular pair of jean shorts and adds a little feminine flair. They're only $16, a complete steal!  I'm also a sucker for anything white eyelet in the spring and summer. You can literally pair this top with anything and look effortlessly chic. The top is only $23 and for being so versatile, that's a pretty amazing price.

Shop The Post:

xo, Amanda

My Birthday Outfit At The JFK 100 Celebration

Striped Seersucker Dress || Yellow Cardigan || Pearl Mules || Wicker Bag || Rose Gold Love Bangle || JFK 100 Pearl Bracelet || Jackie Kennedy Cascade Ring || Christian Paul Watch c/o ||

Hello everyone and happy Wednesday! Today I'm bringing you the outfit and some events that happened on my birthday last week. I have to say, it was one of my best birthday's ever. I have so many wonderful memories and I am so thankful to my dad for making it all happen. Eleven years ago my dad took me to Boston for my graduation gift to visit the JFK Library and Museum. Its hard to believe that eleven years have passed since then, but it felt amazing to be back! 5,386 people attended the JFK 100 birthday celebration, which was record breaking. The cake made my Montilios was 400 pounds, beautifully done, and absolutely delicious! We got there just in time to hear the Navy band play, which Ava LOVED. She was dancing along to them and in the photo collage above, she's clapping at the end of one of their songs. She also really enjoyed the cake lol. I had the biggest smile on my face the entire time and even got a bit choked up during the bands performance of our National Anthem. It truly was an amazing experience.

For the birthday celebration, I knew I wanted to wear something special and summery. The weather didn't quite think it should be summer yet. It was actually in the 50s and rained, but since I knew we would be inside most of the day, I still decided to go with summery. This seersucker dress has adorable light pink stripes running vertically and the prettiest pink bow in the back. Since it was a bit cooler out I opted for a cardigan, this yellow one being my absolute favorite with the embellished pink sequins and sunny disposition. The real knockout of the outfit are these pink pearl mules. I literally cannot get over them! They're the perfect height to walk around in and the pearls and rhinestones add an elegance to them. I received so many compliments on them. They fit true to size.

Shop The Post:

xo, Amanda

Happy Memorial Day and Happy Birthday to Us!

^^^ One of my most favorite photos. This is in front of the JFK museum in Hyannis. This was taken early in the morning on May 29, 2014 (our birthday!) My dad took this and captured the scene perfectly. The sun peeked out through the clouds just at that very moment. It's one of my most treasured memories.

My parents are the best! They got this cake made up for me with an image of JFK on it saying "Happy Birthday To Us." Needless to say, that was the best birthday cake ever. It's hard to believe this was 11 years ago.

^^^ This was from my first trip to Cape Cod back in 2013 and one of the most memorable. I fell in love with Hyannis and Cape Cod the moment I laid eyes on it.

^^^ This was from the same trip as the first photo back on May 29, 2014.

^^^ That is the Kennedy Compound in the back where the family grew up and would spend their summer and early fall on Hyannis Port. Thanks to my brother for actually taking this photo for me!

^^^ This was my second trip to Hyannis wearing my favorite JFK hat. It's really the only one I wear!

^^^ This was from our third trip to The Cape in 2015 when I was pregnant with Ava. We always make our first stop the JFK Museum!

^^^ This was from our trip last year, 2016. We actually went a little later in the year around June and had the most amazing weather.

Happy Memorial Day to everyone! I hope everyone enjoys their cookouts with friends and family and maybe even sneaking in some Memorial Day sales as well!

Today also happens to be my 29th birthday and also John F. Kennedy's 100th birthday. There are so many centennial celebrations going on right now for his 100th birthday (check out the hashtag #jfk100) and I am ecstatic that I'll be able to partake in them at the Boston and the Hyannis Museums! When you're getting to know me, one of the first things I'll tell you is that JFK and I share the same birthday, thank you mom! It is one of the coolest things ever for me. A fun fact, there are other members of my family that share presidential birthday's as well. We're a very presidential family, haha! 

- I share JFK's birthday

- My brother Michael shares George H. W. Bush's birthday

- My daughter Ava shares Barack Obama's Birthday

- My cousin shares Lyndon Johnson's birthday.  

When I was younger, images of JFK were actually all around me, though I didn't know who he was at the time. My mom was a big JFK Jr. fan and she had some clippings of him taped onto her mirror along with magazines of him (sexiest man alive lol.) As I got older, I realized that I shared my birthday with JFK when I looked at the calendar my school teacher had on his wall and saw that May 29th had JFK written on it. I knew he was a famous president, but did not know much other than that. I started doing research on him, reading and watching anything I could get my hands on. I instantly fell in love. My first big JFK moment was when my dad took me to the JFK Library and Museum in Boston for my 18th birthday. I could not believe my eyes! Whether you like history or JFK, this museum is a must. The views are spectacular too. Next came my first trip with my dad to Hyannis and Cape Cod in 2013 for my 25th birthday. Our first stop was to the JFK museum on Main Street. We went around town seeing all of the JFK highlights (they have a walking tour) and ended our first night at the Kennedy Memorial with the sun setting behind us shinning out onto the bay. That trip holds a very special place in my heart. 

There is no one that has captured my heart (of course we're talking celebrity wise here) more than John. F. Kennedy. He truly is an inspiration for me. He provides hope of achieving the impossible, hope for a brighter tomorrow, hope to never give up on your dreams. His quick wit always make me smile and laugh and his charm is so swoon worthy. His style and grace even inspires my own today. He was a champion of peace, equality, and justice. He challenged us to be the best we could be. He wanted us to go to the moon, not because it was easy, but because it was hard. He knew that we could accept this challenge, turn it into an opportunity, and succeed. 

It is with a happy heart that I say Happy 100th birthday JFK! I cannot wait to celebrate with my family. Cheers to a fabulous Memorial Day for everyone too.

xo, Amanda

Travel Log

Pittsburgh, PA

Back in early December, the 3rd and 4th to be exact, Justin and I traveled down to Pittsburgh for his companies Christmas dinner. We stayed at the Sheraton in Station Square which had the most beautiful view of the Pittsburgh skyline. I could have sat and stared out the window for hours. Once night time fell, we dressed for dinner and hailed a taxi to take us up to where the restaurant was. The view from there looked out onto all of the city. Simply spectacular, though I did not bring my camera to the dinner. The next morning, we both had room service bring our breakfast, a first for us!, which was probably the best part of the trip. This trip was right before I started getting sick too, which I still am battling, but hope to be better soon. With out further ado, here are some images from our quick trip.

Travel Log

Valley Forge

For the past few years my dad and I have been making a mini vacation out of his seminars for work. He usually goes to the Valley Forge one, to my delight, and we always have a great time. While he's at the seminars, I'll go to the King of Prussia Mall or go down to Valley Forge to walk around. This year, we had the Silver Beaver awards dinner while we were in Valley Forge, so we had to make a trip back up home and then back down in the same day. We always get out to eat once or twice on the trip. This year and last we went to Creed's Seafood and Steak. It has a great atmosphere with cozy seating and a menu to rival any big city. I usually get the Scottish Salmon. Our hotel has the best bistro in it, with booths that have tv's built into the walls. Breakfast and sometimes dinner are a must there. The nice thing about Valley Forge in the beginning of November are the leaves still being on the trees. Up in NEPA, most of the leaves are down and any that are still hanging on have lost their brilliance. I have so many memories of Valley Forge and the general area surrounding it, whether it be from these trips or when I lived there for a few months, this area will always have a special place in my heart.

Travel Log

Washington DC October

I have to say, this most recent Washington DC trip was a real treat for me. I had a wonderful engagement shoot to do and straight afterwards left to travel down to DC Saturday night. This was the first time I traveled by myself into a big city and boy did it make me feel invigorated and alive! The only other time I traveled out of state by myself was to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, which is a completely different atmosphere. My relatives were gracious enough to let me stay in their condo again while I was visiting the city. Needless to say when I arrived I decided to have a nice glass of wine out on the deck and watch the night come alive on the city streets below. This is one of my favorite past times while in DC.

My dad was actually in Washington as well with the boy scouts on their Traveling Camporee. I met up with my friend Mike the next day and we walked into town to meet up with my dad and spend the day together. We visited the American History Museum, which I absolutely loved. So many memento's of Americana to see. To name a few, The Ruby Slippers, Archie Bunkers Chair, The First Ladies Gowns, Presidential History, Julia Child's kitchen, the list goes on. Afterwards Mike and I dropped my dad off and then had a lovely dinner before he had to leave. I decided that I wanted to see a movie, Dracula Untold, so we walked to the theater before he caught the next metro train.

Monday morning was all about relaxing on the deck with my tea and oatmeal. I was driving over to Arlington to meet up with my dad and visit. The last time I was in Arlington was 2005 and that was specifically to see the Kennedy grave site. This time we explored more of the cemetery, but of course spent the most time at the Kennedy grave. This was the last day of the camporee for my dad so he came back to the condo to stay an extra night. We got back and sat on the deck for a while and then went out to dinner at Del Frisco's in the City Center complex. Let me tell you, we both agreed we had never had a better meal in our lives. The steak was to die for. We had home made donuts and cappuccino after for dessert. The whole meal was exquisite. Not only that, but right out of the window was a beautiful DC lit up at night. That was one magical dinner to remember.

Tuesday we got some breakfast in China town and then walked down into DC taking pictures along the way of course. Our eventual destination was the Bureau of Engraving, a place my dad has always wanted to see. The next tour was about an hour away when we did get there, so we sat on a bench near the Washington Monument. It was a gorgeous day to be outside. Once we took the tour we made our way over to the boy scout monument, had lunch, and decided on visiting Ford's Theater since my dad had never been there. Once we got back to the condo, I showed my dad the roof top, and then said good-bye to my favorite city. This was certainly a trip for the record books. I had so much fun being able to catch up with Mike, explore DC with my dad, and also be on my own for a bit in the city.

Travel Log

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

The Pine and Brine

To say I'm a little nostalgic about Rehoboth Beach would be putting it mildly. My family has been vacationing here for over 20 years. I have so many wonderful memories that I cherish deeply. The quaint little town is only 1 mile long by 1 mile wide and has the nickname "pine and brine" due to the forestry area at the Grear and Silver lakes with the ocean only 1 block away. It has the best of both worlds. Plentiful are the amount of restaurants and shops carrying anything your heart desires. I truly have always considered Rehoboth a home away from home. My dad and I got up every morning at 5:45 am to capture the sunrise so you'll see plenty of beautifully inspiring images. We always took a photo together with the wonderful sky as the backdrop. Below is a gallery of our most recent trip during the first week of September. The weather was scorching and the bath water temperature of the ocean felt great. You'll see classic beach images, both lakes and their surroundings, our favorite restaurants we visited, sunrise photos, nighttime images, and a tour of the Dogfish Head brewery located in Milton, Delaware.

Travel Log

Washington D.C.

What an absolutely fabulous time Justin and I had in Washington D.C. over the Labor Day weekend. My relatives own a condo in the newly built City Center complex, which they were gracious enough to let us use for our trip. My main goal for this D.C. adventure was to explore Georgetown and see the various places where J.F.K. had lived, went to church, and grabbed a bite to eat. The weather was spectacular, only adding to the excitement of being in the city. Below are some photos documenting the trip.

• The first one shows the view of the city center complex from the roof top
  
• Next Justin and I relaxing on the balcony listening to the city below us.
• Now in Georgetown, the first JFK house we saw was 3260 N Street, the yellow home, where JFK rented and ran for Senate, also meeting Jackie while living here.
• The most famous of all the JFK Georgetown houses, 3307 N Street, the red brick with green shutters, where Jackie and he lived from 1957-61, most importantly during the 1960 presidential election.
• Holy Trinity Church where the Kennedy's often worshiped throughout their stay in Georgetown
• The inside of Martin's Tavern. The rumble booth where JFK would sit every Sunday morning for his brunch while reading the newspaper. The next photos show the proposal booth where supposedly Jack proposed to Jackie, though reports differ on that story. Perhaps he presented the ring to her here.
• The yellow house with the blue shutters, 3271 P Street, where wedding plans were made after John proposed to Jackie.
• The grey house with the black door, 2808 P Street, where JFK developed his presidential campaign after releasing his book Profiles in Courage.
• Next are some various rooftop photos at sunset at City Center.
• The following day on Saturday, Justin and I met up with our good friends Mike and Joe, and explored parts of the city. We went to Ford's Theater, where I had always wanted to visit, and saw some historical scenes of where Lincoln was assassinated. The bed photo, located across the street in the Peterson house, is where Lincoln actually died.
• We saw this breathtaking church, St. Patrick's Parish, on our walk around town.
• Our new leader, Mr. Justin.
• After bidding Mike and Joe goodbye, we met up with Justin's aunt Mona in DuPont Circle. Here are rooftop photos from her condo. Visible are parts of DuPont Circle, D.C., and Virginia.
• Enjoying a glass of wine on the balcony on our last night in the city.
• Finally, on our last day before heading to my relatives for lunch, Justin and I took a moment to have a photo of us together.

Travel Log History

The Magical Ferris Wheel

A staple at every carnival and amusement park, the Ferris Wheel provides its riders with great spectacular views, sweet little romantic moments, or just a quick escape from the ground below. I have always been quite mystified by the giant wheel and its colorful cars carrying people into the sky and back. A few months ago I read the book "The Devil in the White City" written by Erik Larson. An absolutely fantastic read detailing the creation of the 1893 Chicago's World Fair along with a behind the scenes story of a serial killer running a muck. The tagline reads, "Murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America." If that does not catch your interest then I do not know what will! Quite an interesting history, I assure you. While reading the book I learned the story behind the creation of the great Ferris Wheel for the expedition. I found this to be fascinating since no one really ever stops to think about how this staple came to be. I was so thrilled to photograph it while Alison and I were on our Knoebels journey. See the previous post for more pictures from the park

 A short summary from howstuffworks.com perfectly tells the story behind this mystical wheel. "For the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, engineer George Ferris presented fair organizers with his idea of a giant rotating wheel that would carry passengers in cars attached around the outer edge. He convinced organizers to allow him to build the structure, which would rival France's Eiffel Tower. Indeed, Ferris's wheel, which cost $380,000 and stood 264 feet tall with a wheel diameter of 250 feet, was a huge success. Each car held 60 people, and, at 50 cents a ride, the wheel was one of the most popular attractions at the World's Fair. The Ferris wheel is a must-have for any carnival, and thousands of replications continue to delight passengers of all ages."

Travel Log

Knoebels Amusement Park

One thing that never gets old in the summer is amusement parks. In my area the family run and owned Knoebels opened its doors on July 4, 1926 and has never looked back. It is currently the largest admission free amusement park in America. The charm of Knoebels lies within its location in a forested area and allowing all age groups to enjoy the festivities without having to pay a fee. For me, the charm of the park comes from its ability to relive my childhood happiness. My mom and dad would always bring my brother Michael and I to the park around dinner time. By then most of the visitors were leaving, the warm summer air was starting to cool off, and the spectacular lights on all of the rides were starting to come on. It was magical. We would arrive and have our dinner over at the baked potato stand and then start our night of pure happiness. Perhaps that is where the key to Knoebels lies, being able to, if only for a few hours out of the day, have those magical memories be brought to life again.

For this journey to Knoebels, my friend Alison and I (our families would often go to Knoebels together) traveled down to the park specifically to capture the beautiful scenery and rides. I never wanted to bring my camera into the park while riding the rides so this proved to be a great opportunity to photograph the experience.  We both got great shots and ended up having enough time left over to enjoy some of the rides. We stayed until closing trying to cram in as much fun as we could. All in all it was a great day beautifully captured.

Travel Log

My Family Trip to Cape Cod 2014

There are few places I love more to be in than Cape Cod. Specifically the charming town of Hyannis. Now if the name sounds familiar to you, most likely you know it because the Kennedy family lived in Hyannis Port, which is about two miles down the road from where our hotel was. Each town has their own appeal with little main streets, fantastic places to eat, and incredible sites to see including light houses, beaches, vineyards, museums, and so much more! I feel the most at peace and relaxed while I'm there. Last year my dad and I traveled to Hyannis so we could experience all things JFK. Being a big fan and admirer, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and hoped to get back to indulge in all of the wonderful sites we had yet to see. Luckily, we decided to once again travel to Cape Cod this year and finish off some items from the bucket list created in preparation for last years trip. My brother Michael joined us on the 2014 voyage to Hyannis and I was so happy he could experience this with us. Everyone should go to Cape Cod at least once in their life time. Some highlights from the trip include:

• The JFK Museum
• Nantucket
• Being out on the open waters to travel to Nantucket
• Celebrating my birthday, which also happens to be the same day as JFK's birthday!, in and around his hometown
• Nauset beach and the lighthouse (this lighthouse is on the Cape Cod potato chip bag)
• Seeing the Kennedy Compound up close in person
• Seeing JFK and Jackie's house from street level
• Climbing to the top of the Highland Lighthouse
• The Truro Vineyard
• The Chatham Lighthouse
• Eating at Columbo's, The Chatham Squire, Moby Dick's, The Black Cat, and The Dockside
• Finally, the hotel itself will always hold a special place in my heart. Having tea in the library, the amazing view from out deck of the harbor, having breakfast in the library and gazing across the harbor, and most of all, sitting by the fire pit in adirondack chairs, sipping on some beer while reminiscing about life and looking upon the ships entering and leaving the harbor.

“I always go to Hyannisport to be revived, to know again the power of the sea and the Master who rules over it and all of us.””

— John F. Kennedy

Blooming Blossoms

The Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival 2014

The arrival of Spring brings a renewed hope in life from the warmer weather, bountiful sunshine, and life "springing" up from all around. The grass and trees start to get greener, the newborn animals play, and the flowers begin to bloom bringing splendid color and fragrances with them.  I look forward to the Cherry Blossom Festival, not only visit one of the greatest cities, but mainly to experience and capture the beauty of the blossoming trees as they bring forth a wondrous feeling of awe.

Weather wise, the sun shined at high capacity and the temperature reached a max of 80 degrees. Absolutely perfect for walking around and taking pictures of the beauteous blossoms. My friend Mike, who lives in Maryland, invited my husband and I down for the weekend so we could all visit D.C. Finding shaded areas with the blossoms proved to provide the best results picture wise. We all had a fabulous time and hope to get there next year! Without further ado, here are some photos from the trip!