Summer Wishlist

Since it's basically Summer temps here in Florida, I have my heart set on a few things for enjoying the sunny days spent at the pool or beach. That doesn't mean we get perfect weather, it's actually a 50% chance of a beautiful weekend or a rainy and stormy one. Thankfully this weekend looks like a sunny one.

Water Sports and Sunshine

I'm looking like a lobster today but it was worth all the fun we had yesterday boating and wake boarding/wake surfing with friends. I shared some videos on SnapChat (emilyalisonb).

4th of July + Weekend Vibes

With the 4th of July falling on a Wednesday this year, going back to work on Thursday felt like Monday 2.0 but the saving grace was that Friday was just a day away.

Swimsuits: Cute with Coverage

My company booked a 3-day cruise to the Bahamas this weekend for employees to relax and vacation after our huge annual seminar last week which tends to get stressful for us organizing the details during crunch time. While I love all my bikinis and even some of the "itsy" bottoms from Victoria's Secret, I went shopping for some swimsuits that had a little more coverage for this company vacation. I haven't worn a one-piece swimsuit since childhood but, with all the cute styles out there now, I'm ready to give it a go again! 

Strappy Back One Piece  //  Strappy Back Macrame Monokini

Crochet Inset One Piece  //  Halter Midkini Top

Striped Cross Body Bikini  //  Patterned Strappy Back One Piece

Black Strappy-Side Bandeau  //  Bandeau Tankini Top

White Strappy One-Piece  //  Black Mesh Inset Hipster Bikini

Target seriously came good this year with their fashionable tankinis and one-piece swimsuits (which are mostly all on clearance right now) and Express surprisingly also had some really cute styles that offered coverage.

With Hurricane Matthew now on the radar for this week, I'm not sure if we will even be going on the cruise but I presume it will be rescheduled for another weekend. At this point, I'm more concerned about the Hurricane and what it may bring our way and to everyone in it's path. The swimsuits I bought will be inevitably worn at some point.

Prayers!

Life Lately

Hello friends and happy Monday! I know I've said this before but life has been so busy lately that I can't seem to find much free time for blogging. I've settled into my new job and pretty much settled into our new house yet my days seem to be packed full. Quiet Sundays at home have been my saving grace for getting caught up and organized for the week ahead.

I love my new job and the people that I work with. I have the cutest, bubbly intern that cracks me up and the projects that I'm working on are so much more fulfilling than anything before. Last week Wednesday the CEO of our company got tickets to a private event at the Amway Center for the Orlando Pro Summer League so I got to tag along and network with local business people which was really fun.

Since the shootings at Pulse Nightclub, Orlando has really come together as a community and it makes me happy to see all the signs of support and little reminders as I make my way around town.

On Friday evening I made it home from work feeling more than exhausted but agreed to go out for dinner with K to try a new restaurant close to home.

 

I'm so happy we decided to try Canvas because the food and lakefront atmosphere was amazing plus we caught a beautiful sunset while eating dinner. I can't wait to go back to try their brunch.

It started storming as we were leaving the restaurant so we just headed home to have a quiet night. This is how we were greeted by Lola when we got home and, honestly, I couldn't wait to join her! lol
 

Most of Saturday was spent getting errands done and cleaning up around the house. In the evening we entertained some friends and made Fresh Watermelon Martinis with cucumber infused vodka (a copycat recipe from Bonefish Grill) which were so light and refreshing.

Our guests brought us this amazing basket of goodies for a housewarming gift which was so thoughtful and unexpected.

 

The four of us then headed out for dinner at 310 Nona and spent the evening chatting and catching up over a nice meal.

 Sunday was spent relaxing at home and getting all the things in the land organized which was a great end to the weekend. Lola got her tan on in the backyard while I hid in the shade from the unbearable 100 degree heat we've been experiencing.

The countdown is on for our trip to Jamaica - 11 days to go!

Joining the lovely Biana for her Weekending linkup.

Summer Grilling Recipes

Grilling season is here and I love trying new recipes. I've made several variations of kabobs which are always good cooked on the grill but I was looking for some other options to experiment with this year and here's a few I stumbled on while browsing Pinterest.

Grilled Balsamic Vegetables

Bacon Bourbon Barbecue Chicken Kabobs

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Coconut Rum Grilled Shrimp

Grilled Parmesan Asparagus



Cuban Mojo Marinated Pork

Grilled Corn Fritters

Grilled Salmon Skewers

Grilled Romaine Salad

Grilled Maple Dijon Pork Chops

Grilled Jalapeno Corn Bread

Here are some grilled recipes I've created in the past and shared here on the blog:

Coffee-rubbed Steak  /  Grilled Mexican Street Corn  /  Cajun Grilled Shrimp  /  Hawaiian Honey Chicken Skewer  /  Jalapeno & Swiss Stuffed Grilled Chicken

Summer Essentials

When I think of summer, I think of weekend days lounging by the pool and a few trips to the beach for some sun, sea and sand. Luckily I already have a few trips planned so I'm excited about that! With the weather almost being summer-like here, I have my favorite essentials ready to go.

Packed Beach Bag
I have a beach/pool bag that remains packed with some essentials all year round. Can I go to the pool or beach all year round? That would be a no. But why unpack everything when I can have my beach bag ready to grab and go for that one perfect weather day.

Here's what's in the bag:
* his and hers beach towels
* waterproof bluetooth speakers
*  SPF sunscreen
* SPF tanning oil spray
* Lip balm with SPF
* hand sanitizer
* small body spray
* small hair brush
* a fedora hat



Swim Suits & Cover-ups
Of course some good fitting swimsuits and cover-ups are needed and, from the name of my blog, you can probably tell I'm all about cute bikinis and just swim wear in general. PHAX Swimwear, a fashion focused swim/surf brand out of Colombia, contacted me about their brand hitting the shelves in the USA and asked if I would be interested in ordering some of their products. Of course I was interested!

I chose a beautiful jade-colored bikini to go with the Samburu cover-up from their Spring 2016 Ortulivo Beah Lookbook. I can tell that all of these pieces are great quality because of the super soft material. Their swim suits contain LYCRA fiber which helps the material to move and stay true to your shape to get that perfect fit.

PHAX is offering my readers a generous 30% discount at checkout with the coupon code: shopmartinisbikinis

 

What I really like about PHAX swim wear and clothing is that their product line is very fun and vibrant which is perfect for summer. Everything is also hand made (from cut to stitch to embroidery) so that's pretty impressive! I get nervous ordering swimwear and underwear online because you really need these things to fit perfectly for your body. Thankfully the sizes for the bikini top and bottom piece were perfect. The cover-up (pictured below in blue) I ordered a small but it runs more like a medium. The good thing is loose fitting cover-ups are comfortable so it doesn't need to be returned.

 

Sunglasses
I have a few pairs of sunglasses that I rotate depending on the outfit and occasion. My current favorite are these Michael Kors Aviators pictured below. They have purple mirror lenses which you can't really tell from the photo.



Hydration
Never leave home without some cold water or sparkling water bottles to stay hydrated and if you're looking for some spike in your refreshments, I'd definitely recommend Skinny Girl Cocktails. They are all light and refreshing but I happen to love the Mojito and  Cosmo cocktails.

Waterproof Flip Flops
I mean this goes without saying. Comfortable shoes in general are always needed throughout the year but when it comes to summer, cute flip flops are a must. My current lust are these beauties from Tory Burch which are also waterproof.

Activities & Fun
If you're heading to the beach or the pool some entertainment might be needed. This could be reading material or water/land activities and sports such as volleyball or racket ball. Whatever peaks your interest, make sure to pack it in your beach bag so you don't get bored.

What are your summer essentials?

The PHAX products were provided to me complimentary in return for my honest review of the products. All opinions stated above are honest and accurate based on my true experience.

Weekending + Urban Decay Naked Smoky Giveaway

This weekend was the perfect mix of relaxation and productivity which was much needed after a hectic few days traveling back home from Las Vegas and trying to catch up with work, blogging, and life in general. Having said that I don't have a lot of fun stuff to share other than an awesome giveaway hosted by the lovely Kate from Green Fashionista!

Friday night was a pizza and TV kind of night spent relaxing at home watching Orange is the New Black with my two loves ~ K and Lola. Thankfully I got to sleep in on Saturday which was exactly what the doctor ordered. I spent the rest of the day unpacking, doing laundry, cleaning/organizing, grocery shopping, and finally relaxing at the end of the day. K also washed my car which was much needed!

My Sunday morning surprise was receiving this Michael Kors Jet Set Crossbody beauty in the mail which I scored on Amazon for $40 cheaper than retail value plus 2-day shipping. Win-win!  I can't wait to wear her out and about. A crossbody purse is much needed for my constant travel adventures.

We had brunch at home on Sunday and then went to get some sunshine at the pool. The rest of the day was spent blogging, food prepping, and getting organized for the work week.

Giveaway time!

I've teamed up with some awesome ladies to give away one of Urban Decay's newest Naked Smoky palette for one lucky winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Joining Biana for her Weekending linkup.

Friday Favorites

Hope everyone had a fairly smooth week after the long weekend. I can't say I'm fully adjusted after our trip. I didn't overdo it like some people do when in Vegas (well maybe the first night I stayed out wayyy beyond my bedtime), it's just the time difference that wipes me out when I travel from the west coast to the east coast. It usually takes me several days to feel normal again and I'm hoping the weekend will help me accomplish that!

A quick weekend/weekly recap and joining Amanda for some Friday faves.

4th of July
I'm a little late on this but we spent the 4th of July poolside at the Soleil pool in the Paris Las Vegas hotel with some friends. The weather in Vegas was 105+ degrees but we rented a cabana that came equipped with misters, a flat screen TV, lounge chairs, and our own personal server so we were set for the day with a non-stop flow of food and drinks plus complimentary bottles of water and a fruit platter.

Shopping Finds
 Other than some small souvenirs, I really didn't do any shopping on this trip except for finally finding these Michael Kors Chelsea Sunglasses with purple lenses that I've had my eye on for a while now. They're similar to the Ray-Ban Flash Lens Aviators but in my fave color and slightly more affordable.

Summer Drink Recipe
I've been on a serious watermelon kick and this Watermelon Agua Fresca cocktail sounds like the perfect, refreshing drink for hot summer days. The recipe includes an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version for everyone to enjoy.

Summer Outfits
 

Keeping it short and sweet today since I'm lacking sleep and need to catch up with some snuggles with my Lola...

Enjoy the weekend and catch you next week!