How cute is this dress! I wore it to celebrate my wedding anniversary, and it was so comfortable and fun to wear! It is a perfect dress to wear now with boots, and then in the spring, it can be paired with shorter boots, and in the summer, this dress can be paired with sandals. Love that!
Handbags are all the rage right now. Everyone is investing in shoulder bags and hobo bags. If you are shopping for a new bag too, look for a small or medium handbag with a classic and chic look. The anonymous handbag is what’s hot right now. Steer clear of loud logos.
We still have a few months of weather, so these black boots are perfect for weathering the storms. They will keep you stable on ice, and your feet dry in the rain. Love them!
Looking for a little sunshine on a grey day? This bright and cheery sweater is cozy and under $100. Plus, magenta is the color of 2023. Love!
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What are you loving right now as we move into February?
Well, we had quite a few destructive storms this past month! This has left to many of our local trails inaccessible due to down trees, mudslides, and washed out roads. Yikes!
Normally I try to avoid urban trails when I go hiking, simply because hearing urban noise while hiking is not exactly relaxing. I go out into nature to relax, not hear the daily grind of the city. That being said, when many of the good trails are closed, and you don’t know the status of some trails, it is good to play it safe and enjoy the urban trails we have here in Silicon Valley.
The Los Gatos Creek Trail is an urban trail which goes along the Los Gatos Creek and parallels highway 17. It winds through the city and passes through Vasona Park, eventually leading you to the Lexington Dam. There are several places to catch the trail, depending on how long you would like to hike, and which landmark you would like to either hike through, or end up at for a picnic.
We caught the Los Gatos Creek Trail at the Lexington Dam Loop trailhead which is located on Main Street at Highway 17 in Los Gatos. I like this trailhead because after you loop back to it, you can grab a coffee, brunch, or boba downtown. It’s a fun, social trailhead which combines the benefits of an urban trail, and a great workout while hiking.
When you enter the Lexington Dam Loop trailhead, I recommend turning left and heading towards the dam. If you turn right, you will wind through downtown and end up at Vasona Park; which is fine if that is your goal.
The Los Gatos Creek Trail, when you turn left after entering at the Lexington Dam Loop trailhead, leads you towards the dam. In your first minute on the trail, there is a fork in the trail. If you continue to the right, you will parallel the highway, if you go left, you will hike uphill towards a more nature-friendly view. Please keep in mind, you will hear the highway the entire time.
We took the trail on the left at the fork, and hiked uphill to a clearing where you can find majestic trees and a small meadow. We continued through the meadow to another trailhead which put us back on a trail towards the dam. This is a great trail for hiking since bikes are not allowed on this portion of the trail. It is a lot calmer when you don’t have to worry about a bike taking you out on a narrow trail. Love that!
This portion of the trail continues to lead you uphill until you have a viewpoint of the dam and the valley.
It is a great spot to stop and drink some water, as well as snap a few pictures for social media. After hydrating, you can continue on the trail downhill and towards the dam. The dam is a nice spot to rest and possibly eat a snack you packed in your backpack. At this point, you can either continue hiking along the dam and follow the trail, catch another trail, or turn around and head back towards downtown Los Gatos. We like to turn around, and then grab brunch in town.
At this point in time, when many trails and parks need to be cleaned up after the storms, or need additional rehab from washed out roads, the Los Gatos Creek Trail is a safe bet to be able to get a good hike in, as well as a good workout. While the sound of the highway isn’t exactly giving an escape to nature vibe, it is still a great hiking trail which offer a workout, as well as many trees, plants, and a nature vibe.
Things you might need for your hike:
Have you hiked on Los Gatos Creek Trail lately? Which trailhead is your favorite?
How cute is the Mansur Gavriel M Frame Baguette! I have been eyeing this bag since it first launched last year, but I was having a hard time deciding if I wanted a color such as pink or blue, or if I wanted to go classic and stick with black. Of course, I ended up sticking with black. Although, part of me still wants a blue one, and possibly a silver one.
The Mansur Gavriel M Frame Baguette is a small shoulder bag which fits the essentials. It’s a beautiful leather bag with structure and an unique shape which plays off of the M in Mansur Gavriel. Love that!
There are two zippers on the top of the bag which are handy if you just want to slip something inside quickly, but if you need to reach inside, you have to unzip both zippers. While this can be a little bit awkward, it isn’t too clunky, and it doesn’t seem to bother me. I believe they designed the bag with two zippers because if you had one zipper running the course of the M shape, it would stick at the bottom. Therefore, I believe two zippers are essential to the function of the bag; perhaps that is why it doesn’t bother me.
What fits inside the Mansur Gavriel M Frame Baguette
The interior of the Mansur Gavriel M Frame Baguette offers enough room for my wallet, iPhone, keys, and a lipstick. There is still some room inside in case my kids hand me something to carry, or if I want to add a mask, Kleenex, or snack bar.
There is no interior pocket inside the M Frame Baguette. I do not find this to be an issue since the bag is small; so, nothing can really get lost inside of it.
If you are concerned about weight, rest assured, this is a lightweight bag. It stays nicely on the shoulder without slipping off, and it offers a comfortable feel while wearing all day. Love that!
The Mansur Gavriel M Frame Baguette comes in seasonal colors which are on trend such as bright blue, green, and pink. It is also offered in silver, another hot trend this year. I decided to stick with black, although part of me still wants the blue, possibly the silver, or even the pink! haha
Which color is your favorite?
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I rate this bag five out of five stars. I am in love!
Thanks for stopping by!
XOXO
Cathy
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