What a beautiful time of the year, and one of my favorites, the first time the temperature drops and there’s a whisper of fall in the air. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t care how much people talk about summer as the greatest season, I don’t buy it! I thrive in the fall and winter (albeit a mild winter, as I live in Southern California), and can’t wait for the sweaty days of summer to be over. I think it also has something to do with the senses of fall. The texture of velvet or a knit scarf or sweater, seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice (duh!) and apple cider, and the heavier, luxurious scents we find ourselves wearing instead of the breezy floral and citrus fragrances of warmer times.
Until the chillier days of fall are officially here, I’m looking for transitional pieces to work in to my wardrobe, like this off-the-shoulder top from BohoCheri. It’s tunic-length so it can be worn with jeans or leggings, has a autumnal-hued floral print, and can be easily layered with a denim jacket for warmth. The looks from NYFW are still rolling in, and off-shoulder styles were so prevalent; this is a trend that isn’t going away any time soon! I love that florals were still on-trend as well, because I could literally wear the feminine print all year round.
Both the beaded necklace and the metallic-accented clutch are handmade by local artisans, and selected by BohoCheri‘s owner. I was lucky to have met the creator and designer of Gaia Bags, Joanna, at one of BohoCheri‘s recent events, and I loved the passion that she emanated when talking about her craft. She sources as much of the materials as she can for her bags from local businesses as well, and comes up with just a few new designs each season to keep the collection small and cohesive. Take a look at these gorgeous clutches she’s created for fall.
Off-shoulder top / Bohocheri // Jeans / StitchFix // Necklace / BohoCheri // Clutch / Gaia Bags at BohoCheri // Lace-up flats / Mossimo
Shots by Holli Zenko Photography.
Mark and I, pre-flight. Such cheeseballs.
A gratuitous in-flight cloud shot.
The grand chandelier in the lobby of our first hotel. I need this in my dining room.
Mark and I arrived a night before everyone else, so we decided to stay in downtown San Juan at the 
After checking in to the hotel, we headed next door to 
In the morning, we walked along these gorgeous streets in Old San Juan, in search of a delicious meal at the highly rated Caficultura. We were both left entirely underwhelmed at the whole experience, from the food, to the service, to the hammering and drilling going on in the back room. Shaking that off, we continued our morning of exploring little gift shows and boutiques, picking up some framed butterflies and art prints of the city.
Almost ready to meet up with everyone, the heat was really starting to get to me, more specifically my hair haha!
Finally, I meet up with Rebekah, her mom, Martin and the rest of the crew. There were 10 of us staying in a condo in San Juan, and we basically had the entire floor, with tons of room to spread out.
Walking around the gorgeous blue brick streets of Old San Juan, and seeing the chapel at which the bride and groom would be married.
Cathedral de San Juan Bautista.
Several gorgeous views while strolling around downtown.
The next day, while the girls and I wandered around some more downtown, Mark and the boys took a trip to the rainforest! I wanted to go, but it was kind of a boys bonding trip, and who am I to interrupt boy time? 😉
The next day, we took a trip to the beach!
The next day was the wedding, but as an attendee (maid of honor), of course, I wasn’t able to take many pictures of the event. It started raining, but tapered off as we neared the start of the ceremony. After, we headed to the Marriott for the gorgeous reception and enjoyed our first of many drinks, haha.
The morning after the wedding, comfort food from Libros AC was just what I needed to get back to normal. I also picked up one of those adult coloring books, which I’d been wanting for a while. I love the idea of having a full-fledged bookstore and coffee shop under the same roof.
Mark and I decided to branch off from the rest of the group and spend our afternoon at the Museo de Arto. Unfortunately, they don’t allow any pictures inside the museum, but we did manage to take some great shots in the garden area. Miles of paths with works of art on either side, gorgeous trees and plants, and a huge coy pond.
Our last dinner in town was spent with the whole crew, back in downtown Old San Juan. It just so happened to be National Pina Colada Day, and who am I to not partake in such an occasion? 🙂
On the plane ride home, we experienced some inclement weather, meaning circling Orlando for an hour, landing in Tampa to weight for a thunderstorm to pass, heading back to Orlando, and then to Phoenix then Ontario. About 12.5 hours on the same plane. Kind of my nightmare but we made it! I took this picture, thinking that the clouds looked like a wolf breathing fire or something, but Mark thought it, ahem.. Looked like something else. Boys..
I really love how vibrant this bag is. It looks great when paired with neutral tones, like I did here, but also could stand up to other brights or against a busy print. It has tons of interior space, as well as a flap that folds over and opens up to even more storage. At first, I was worried that it might be one of those bags that anything that you put inside, you can see it from the outside (such as a cell phone, notepad, etc.), but the shape stays pretty much the same unless you overload it. The strap is also long enough to wear as a shoulder bag or crossbody. Basically, I love this bag haha!
Next up was this satiny sleeveless split neck top. I LOVED the print and fabric and it was slightly shorter in the front than in the back, which would have been pretty flattering had it fit. It was perfect in the bust, but way too snug around the hips. It was returned due to fit issues. Top, $58, not purchased.
When I first pulled this blouse out of the box, I was a little iffy on the print. Then I realized how versatile it is! You could build an outfit around it, mixing it with pastels or neons, jeans, so many options! It was, again, too tight around my hips so it had to go back. Blouse, $48, not purchased.
These Dolce Vita slides really aren’t my style but I thought I would try them on to see if I could make them work.. The answer to that would be no, haha! They made a hideous squeaky noise and literally flopped off my feet when I tried to walk in them. At the shocking price of $70, they went right back.
Lastly, I received these suuuuuper vibrant cropped pants from Kut from the Kloth. They were reasonably priced at $58, which I think is fair for well-made pants. I can’t say they’re the most versatile bottoms I’ve ever owned, but they can pair with black, white, other jewel tones and fun prints, which is perfect for summer. Cropped pants, $58, purchased.
Hello, loves!!
Cocoon wrap c/o