Whenever I’m feeling a bit tightly wound and need a breather I like to escape to the lake. It’s the most peaceful area where I get to go on the boat, go in the water, and make s’mores by the fireplace. It’s also the worst place to cell phone reception so it’s very easy to LITERALLY disconnect from the Internet and social media.

We are always doing things at the lake, but it’s a relaxing type of “doing things.” We start out morning with a hot cup of coffee and sit outside looking at the sun through the trees and the birds chirping above us. It’s honestly the most relaxing mornings. Then we’ll start packing food for the boat while the boys get the boat ready. After the boat is ready everyone loads up and hits the water. I LOVE BOAT RIDES! So does Oliver, he will just sit there and let the water hit his face. He gets very confused though when it’s my turn to drive the boat because he doesn’t understand why I’m not sitting next to him. After we spend all day on the boat getting a sun tan and jumping off the rope swing we’ll head back to the lake house. This is the unwinding part of the day, because even though you’re just tanning on a boat all day you’re in the sun and that can take a lot out of you. After taking a much needed shower I love to relax and put a facemask on and curl up with a good book while my mom starts dinner. This unwinding part is so important because it allows you to not only catch up on your beauty routine but also forces you to pick up a book instead of going online.

After we eat dinner we will usually goof around on the golf cart or walk the dogs. I love how quite and peaceful the lake is. It makes for the perfect getaway weekend. Aside from finding the perfect place to getaway too, it’s important to really try to put your phone away. Leave your phone behind when you go for a walk or a boat ride. Make sure to really disconnect from it, because it’s so healthy to take a break from technology now and then. It’s also important to refocus on your beauty routine. I know we tend to skip a step or two but this is the time where you don’t need to focus on anything else but yourself. If you need to get a workout in or do some stretches this is the perfect time to do so.

Refocus on physical activities versus the computer screen. I tend to write a lot at work and in my personal time, but when is the last time I actually wrote with pen and paper versus on a Word document? I love to take out a notebook and jot down ideas I have for my blog. Maybe drawing or sketching is your thing. Head outside and sit in the sun while we do this. Get some fresh air and just take a deep breath. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing as long as it’s relaxing for you. Reading, writing, drawing, or even doing some yoga in the fresh air can help you to calm down and detox.

Even though I may not be checking my Instagram every two seconds, doesn’t mean I’ve stopped my creative juices from flowing. I love to break out my camera and take some really nice photos. Especially since the lake is such a beautiful and unique location. I also like to fine tune some of my skills so for this weekend the “study” book I packed was a Photoshop and Lightroom guide. So after the photoshoot I was able to take some of the photos we took from that day and I worked on some new things in Photoshop and Lightroom while dinner was being made. I gave myself a time frame though so I wasn’t working on it all night long as I typically do.

Finally, my last suggestion is to get a good night’s rest. I am an advent sleeping pill taker. My body just doesn’t function like a normal person’s when it’s tired. I could be exhausted and still not fall asleep because my insides are still wired. It’s honestly very refreshing when I can drift off to sleep without any medicine and I always get a good night’s sleep at the lake.

xoxo, Michele

This past weekend I was busy planning the ultimate birthday weekend for Omar. For Saturday I had planned a whole day in D.C! Washington, D.C. is such a beautiful place, but if you’re a local then you know how hectic a nice Saturday afternoon can be in that city. I wanted to find some unique and different places for us to go. If you’re a local and looking for some different sights, things to do or places to eat then check out my list down below.

Things To See:

Technicolor Church
700 Delaware Ave., SW, Washington, D.C.

Watergate Steps
620 Ohio Dr, SW, Washington, D.C.

Darth Vader @ The National Cathedral
3101 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Washington, D.C.

Exorcist Stairs
Georgetown, M St & Canal Rd

Dupont Underground
1527-1583 New Hampshire Ave, NW, Washington, D.C.
*Entrance at 19^th St between Dupont Café and Starbucks

Secret Entrance to the White House
H St, NW, Washington, D.C

National Archives Building
700 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, D.C.

Srgt. Stubby Statue
Smithsonian Museum, 1300 Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, D.C.

Spanish Steps
1725 22^nd St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Things To Do:

Rock Creek Horse Center - $42/ea
5100 Glover Rd, Washington, D.C.

Escape Room - $20/ea (8 people)
3345 M St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Atlas Brew Tour – ($, Every two hours, starts at 12 p.m.)
2052 W Virginia Ave, NE, Ste 102, Washington, D.C.

Places To Eat:

Red Derby ($$, Brunch, Cash Only Bar or $5 Minimum on Card)
3718 14^th St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Sprinkles (Dessert, Bakery)
Georgetown, 3015 M St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Chicken + Whiskey ($, Food & Drinks)
1738 14^th St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Thomas Sweet (Dessert, Ice Cream)
3214 P St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Places To Drink:

The Gibson – Speakeasy ($, 4.4/5 Stars, Opens at 6 p.m., Prohibition-Era Themed)
2009 14^th St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Harold Black – Speakeasy ($, 4.7/5 Stars, Opens at 5:30 p.m., Secret Sliding Wall)
212 7^th St, SE, Washington, D.C.

2 Birds 1 Stone – ($$$, 4.2/5 Stars, Opens at 6 p.m.)
1800 14^th St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Dan’s Café – (4.2/5 Stars, Mix your own drinks using squeeze bottles, Cash Only, Dive Bar, Opens at 7 p.m.)
2315 18^th St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Handsome Cock – ($$, 3.5/5 Stars, Throwback Music, Beer Pong Tables, Mario Kart and Board Games, Dive Bar)
1334 U St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Shelly’s Back Room Cigar Bar

1331 F St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Places To Shop:

Maine Ave Fish Market – (Seafood Market)
1100 Maine Ave, SW, Washington, D.C.

City Center DC – (High-end Shopping, Milk Ice Cream)
825 10^th St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Meeps – (Vintage)
2104 18^th St, NW, Washington, D.C.

What are some of your favorite spots in DC? Let me know by commenting down below.

xoxo, Michele

I am always seeing cool restaurants, shopping centers or even locations that look great for pictures but it's usually in a different city. It's these hidden little gems that you really have to take am minute to look for when you visit somewhere. So, whenever I start to plan a trip.  I like to sit down and list out places that I want to visit. I'll take screen shots of them on Instagram or Facebook then I'll map out how far away it is from where I'm staying. Now, I've actually only been to Los Angeles twice, but I loved it more and more every time. Especially now that Instagram is so huge, it's easy to save things that I know I want to visit. There are even things that I want to do again (like Rodeo Dr.). Here's the places that I want to visit the next time I'm in Los Angeles.

Sur
606-614, N Robertson Blvd, West Hollywood,CA 90069

Pump

8948 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Rodeo Dr.

Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, CA

Chinese Theatre & Star's Handprints

6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

Joan's on Third

8350 W 3^rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Little Damage

700 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Melrose Trading Place

7850 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Museum of Ice Cream

2018 E 7^th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Happy Place

1005 Chick Hearn Ct., Los Angeles, CA 90015

Fred Segal

8500 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069

The Grove

189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Barton G

861 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Alfred Coffee

8428 Melrose Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Snow Monster

3465 W 6^th St., Ste. 120, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Universal Studios

100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608

Warner Bros. Studio

3400 W. Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA 91522

Crumbs & Whiskers

7924 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

The Dog Café

240 N. Virgil Ave, Unit 12, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Vanderpump Dogs

8134 W 3^rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Halo Top Creamery

6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Canoga Park, CA 90067

Milk Tavern

528 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020

DASH

8420 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Saved By The Max - Save By The Bell Pop Up Restaurant
7100 Santa Monica Blvd #185, West Hollywood CA

Hollywood Sign Hike Trail

Canyon Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90068

I even want to be in a live studio audience, that just seems like a really unique experience! I’d also like to add Tom Tom by Lisa Vanderpump to that list, but since it’s not open, I guess I’ll just have to wait. Do you have any other recommendations for me?