National Jewel Day 2024

From top left: bracelets- silver bar bracelet, silver station bracelet / green handbag / golden hoop earrings / ivory statement earrings / beaded bracelets (local designer!) / yellow pouch handbag /

Happy National Jewel Day 2024! This fabulous day celebrates jewels, heirloom jewelry, jewelry designers and jewelry in general. This makes today the perfect day to invest in a piece of jewelry you will cherish for a lifetime; and hopefully pass on to the next generation.

To celebrate, I want to give a shout-out to some of my favorite jewelry designers. A few of my favorites include Lois Hill Jewelry, Tiff’s Jeweldom, Kendra Scott, Sheila Falj, Swarovski, and Compass Rose Design. I am able to link to my favorite pieces below through LTK with the exception of Compass Rose Design. Please visit Compass Rose Design at CompassRoseDesign.com.

What are your favorite pieces of jewelry you would like to celebrate?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy


Spring 2024 handbag trends

handbag trends spring 2024

Spring 2024 handbag trends from top left: caramel top handle bag / soft yellow pouch / small tote / structured satchel / chain shoulder bag / soft hobo bag /

Spring is in the air! This means the spring 2024 handbag trends are in the air too, and on the streets; and hopefully on your arm! Love this!

The spring season is all about lighter hues, investment dressing, and easy, breezy styles. Your outfits should not be fussy, and your handbags should be equally effortless. So, if you have been collecting investment bags over the years, you are in luck! If not, then this is the time to start your investments.

Spring 2024 is all about the anonymous handbag, and classic styles. If you have been keeping your Chanel bags in boxes in the back of your closet, pull them out! The chain bag is back with a vengeance; not that it ever went out of style, but you get my drift. So, check out this list, pull from your archives, keep what you wore last year, and invest in what you know you will love for years to come.

Chain Bags: The chain strap shoulder bag never went out of style, but it definitely is having a starlight moment. Pull out your chain bags from the back of your closet if you stored them, and rock them on a daily basis. If you don’t own a chain bag, here are a few in various price ranges which are both classic and fabulous. Love!

Hobo Bags: The hobo bag is still going strong. You can wear soft hobos, structured hobos, large hobos, small, hobos, and everything in between. It’s all about the hobo!

The Anonymous Handbag: Keep on storing your logos, they will return eventually. In the meantime, this is the moment for timeless beauty made from high quality materials, expert craftsmanship, and chic style. People who don’t know, will need to ask. Those who know, will know!

Happy Colors: If you are bored of neutrals and black, this is the season to have a little fun with color. Look for happy colors such as green, yellow, blue and pink. A classic style, with anonymous branding and a fun color will be the perfect pairing to your spring ensembles. I’m a yellow handbag fan myself. Love!

Small totes: The small tote continues to be a favorite handbag style on the streets. It is small in stature yet offers a roomy interior for its size. Plus, small totes are easy to get in and out of while going through a busy day. I recommend one with a zipper for safety on public transportation and in busy areas. My go-to is pictured above. Love it!

Satchels: This classic handbag style is hot in every imaginable version. You can go structured and doctor-bag-like, or soft and slouchy. Also, this includes top handle bags you cannot define, as well as Lady Bags. A satchel with a shoulder strap is the ideal workhorse. As always, I am huge fan of the Givenchy Antigona, but there will be more affordable styles hitting store shelves soon. So, stay tuned if you don’t already have the perfect one!

Here are a few of my favorite, on trend handbags for spring 2024 which also happen to be classic styles you can wear well past spring and 2024.

What is your favorite spring 2024 handbag trend? Stay tuned for more spring coverage, I am just getting started!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy


Parker Ranch Trail

Parker Ranch Trail is an easy-to-access trail which is located on the border of Cupertino and Saratoga in the South Bay. It wraps trough a rural, hilly open space adjacent to a neighborhood. If you are looking for a challenging trail, you don’t have to drive on dirt roads to find, this is your trail!

I would place Parker Ranch Trail in the medium difficulty category as the trail can get steep fast. The steep portions of the trail don’t last a long time, so if you try to steer clear of steep trails, this one isn’t too bad.

Since Parker Ranch Trail is located in a neighborhood, there are several trailheads located in the neighborhood, but please, be respectful and don’t block driveways, park illegally, or park on a cul-de-sac. I recommend trying to park on Prospect Road since this is a main street. The main trailhead is located on Prospect Road and offers a flat start to the hike; which is always a good way to warm up your muscles.

Shortly after starting the hike, you will find yourself crossing the street and being met with a steep set of stairs. These take you up into the open space portion of the trail where you can hike up to spectacular views of the valley in a short period of time. Love!

The views after the staircase are worth every breathless moment as you will be able to see clear across the valley. As you continue on the trail after the staircase, stay to the left. The right will lead back to the neighborhood, but the left, will lead you through the open space and on a great workout!

Parker Ranch Trail is very popular, and parking can fill up quickly since there isn’t a dedicated parking lot. I recommend going before 9am and parking on Prospect Road. Again, please be respectful of the neighborhood if you find yourself parking on a side street.

The main trailhead is located on Prospect Road between Parker Ranch Road and Beauchamps Lane. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy