With the whole city officially back-to-school today and an unprecedented cold front in Dallas this weekend, for the first time all summer I find myself mourning summer.

This week I have been planning our last minute getaway to Napa Valley, so much planning goes into each of our trips, but none more than last year’s trip to Thailand.  As I wrote in last week’s post reviewing our two beachside resorts, one budget, and one luxe, my mind kept wandering to the shoulda-woulda-coulda of our vacation.

When I stumbled upon this Bulgarian Etsy shop six months ago, (Etsy search: Kaftan, it’s always gooood) I never knew I would find some of my most crowd-pleasing ensembles ever…

So much planning went into our trip (over a year ago now!) to Railay Beach in the Krabi region of Thailand. Our three city trip clocked in at ten days, so it was a necessity to balance global luxury and quirky must-haves (i.e., budget friendly and Instagram enviable). Luckily, with its constant flow of wander lusting backpackers, Thailand, and Krabi in particular, have accommodations at all price points.  We spent three nights in a mosquito net draped, textile rich, beachside treehouse and the next two in a meandering luxury resort. Read on for all the details.

It’s Friday, and down here in Dallas it’s a hot one! According to iPhone, we’re topping out at 102, but with my car claiming 105 and my plants jumping ship, I knew we needed to end the week with a sweating glass of a summertime classic. Last week I escaped to the air conditioned inspiration of the rock store, today it’s the shortcut to fun- cocktails! This spiced cherry cola cocktail, our “Hometown Hero,” is an homage to our original hometown hero, Dr. Pepper. Though Dr. Pepper, until surprisingly recently a soda regional to the South, was created in Waco, Tx (and you can read all about it here) it was incorporated in Dallas in the 1920’s and is headquartered here today. In the 1940’s my grandmother lead tours at HQ, always ending with a frosted glass of this unique soda.

Let’s get one thing straight; I did not crack the secret Dr. Pepper formula. Our hometown hero only inspired this icy, rum optional treat, and super fans should not be disappointed when their first sip is not 100% duplication. Wacoites, to preserve the peace, you may also consider this your hometown hero, so crack the rum and let’s start cooking!

I just love a crazy full, infinite Instagram feed, so I follow a lot of accounts, but there are a few stand-out Instagram accounts that I check in on a few times a week to make sure I haven’t missed a single post. @nadianizamudin is one of those accounts, I stumbled upon her work one evening and then had to browse her entire back history. I love her use of color, embroidered embellishment, and playful collage. In this new monthly feature, “Instagram Crush,” I had the privilege of asking this inspiring artist and Instagram creative about her work, process, and thoughts on marketing, balancing a day job with her creative passion and her advice on how to find the Muse when you’re stuck. She was so generous and thoughtful with her answers, I hope you’re as motivated by her devotion to keeping up with her artistic process even as she commutes between three cities, travels for a high-pressure job and spends time with her family! Read on for the interview and more images from her breathtaking Instagram account!

When I ventured out to The Rock Barrell last weekend, I was stoked to see some gorgeous mineral specimens and escape the heat (hello 100 degree days Dallas!). What I didn’t expect was to find was bold, eclectic jewelry components that make this local Dallas shop a cut above the average bead store. What I found most inspiring about The Rock Barrell’s selection was that it had an undiscovered, self-unaware, quirky vibe; I find that now that the craft stores are fully immersed in the Pinterest culture, unexpected DIY ingredients are hard to find! Read on to see what I selected to make my oversized, “a lot of look,” DIY statement necklaces!

I grew up visiting rock stores with my dad; we would walk the aisles, hands clasped behind our backs, peering into each box of polished stones. I don’t remember any of the rocks we brought home, the pleasure was in the collection itself and seeing all of those saturated colors and varied textures en masse. That said, I’d never been to our local shop, Richardson’s the Rock Barrell, so Saturday I made the trek. Read on for inspiration to visit your local rock shop-

I experienced the perfect storm of FOMO this weekend after viewing and liking all my friend’s surf spray Instas and then stumbling across this cerulean dream of a vintage postcard at Lula B’s West. Whyyy didn’t we plan a beach vacation this summer?? The sad answer is, we’re saving it for the new year when we can hop down to Belize for our first long, no kids allowed vacay. So mood board I must, and, after pilfering my collections for inspiration, I found the perfect theme, Sun, Sand, and Sequins!

Hello, Friday, where ya been? After this week we need a drink straight out of the coconut, and cocktail or mocktail, I’ve got you covered. After all my talk about piña coladas and cabana boys, I knew this weekend needed welcoming with a tiki drink. My trip to the Asian Grocery last weekend yielded two coconuts and a can of mango juice, and since it’s Friday, let’s put it to good use (with rum). Put the lime in the coconut and jump to the cocktail recipe!