beach

Loewe basket bag mini review

 in General Fashion / Handbags  tagged beach / handbag reviews / loewe / spring 2021 / summer 2021 / totes by

loewe basket bag mini review

Pictured: Loewe basket bag mini size /

Raise your hand if you are excited about warm weather; and the upcoming spring and summer seasons? My hand is waaaaay up! One of the hot the trends this upcoming spring/summer season is the basket bag. Another hot trend in handbags is the inverted triangle or “fan” silhouette. This cute little basket bag by Loewe offers both the basket weave trend, and the fan shape trend. Love that!

It’s always nice to have a bag which is small yet mighty during the warm spring/summer months. The mini basket bag by Loewe offers just that. It’s a small tote which fits all my purse essentials, yet still has room for a a scarf, snacks, mask, and hand sanitizer. The woven fabrication is easy to clean if sand gets in, and it has the natural texture we are looking for this upcoming warm weather season. Love!

Loewe mini basket bag interior capacity

mini loewe basket bag interior what fits inside loewe basket bag mini loewe basket bag review mini size

Inside my Loewe basket bag mini: wallet / keys / lipstick / sunglasses / phone / basket bag /

The Loewe basket bag in the mini size offers more room inside than you would think. I have plenty of space for everything I need! There is also plenty of space left to add my camera, a scarf, mask, and hand sanitizer. I can even fit a snack bag for my kids inside. The Loewe basket bag comes with a thick dust bag in addition to the thin dust bag for storage. The thicker one can be placed inside the basket bag to secure what is inside. You can simply pull the drawstring, and voila! The basket bag closes, and you no longer run the risk of the bag tipping over. That being said, when placed on a flat surface, the Loewe basket bag has good balance and does not tip over.

There are two adjustable straps on the front and back of the Loewe basket bag. I adjusted them a little bit longer so I can push the bag up to my shoulder if need be. Otherwise, this is a great bag to carry handheld, or on your forearm. It’s lightweight, and not bulky. I love an easy to carry bag!

I am looking forward to warmer weather, so I can wear this basket bag often. It will be great for warm weather! The Loewe basket bag also comes in a larger size if the mini is too small for what you are looking for this spring and/or summer in a straw tote bag. Both sizes are priced under $500; how often do you find an IT bag priced under $500? Not often! Love this!

You can also find the Loewe basket bag in yellow leather trim, and white leather trim. I love the medium tan trim since it is a classic color Loewe carries every year in this bag.

Shop the Loewe basket bag online:

I hope you love the Loewe basket bag as much as I do!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

Pictured below: spring nail polish / basket bag /

loewe basket bag it bags spring summer tote

Natural Bridges State Beach sea arch

 in General Fashion  tagged beach / family / santa cruz / staycation by

Natural Bridges State Beach is a small park in Santa Cruz; just north of the famous boardwalk area. This beach area is a jem if you love both the beach and easy hiking trails. In addition to a clean, sandy beach which is mostly flat and easy to enjoy, there are short trails behind the beach where you can hike before relaxing by the ocean.

In addition to a beautiful beach for relaxing, and hiking trails for a little exercise, there is a very fabulous sea arch! This sea arch is one of three natural bridges left at the beach. Around 1900, there were three arches, the farthest arch collapsed in the early part of the 1900’s. Until 1980, the first arch, which connected the middle arch to the mainland, collapsed in a storm. If you are local, and old enough to remember, you may have seen it! Perhaps it’s in the background of one of your family photos!

Alas, there is only one arch left; so if you are local, or plan to travel to the Santa Cruz area, definitely visit the beach so you can see the beautiful arch in person; before it’s gone too! Unfortunately due to erosion, these sea arches don’t last forever.

So of course, I had to take a touristy photo in front it; just for memories of course 🙂

Our family visited Natural Bridges State Beach over the weekend, and enjoyed a relaxing day by the ocean. We wore sweats, and brought blankets, to stay cozy in the cool, 50 to 60 degree weather. It was a nice day of book reading, and picnicking by the sea.

Sometimes the beach is nice when it’s a cold day; it does not always need to be a sunbathing and swimming type of occasion. Relaxing with the sound of the ocean is a great way to enjoy the coast during the spring and fall months. I love it!

Shop my fall beach day outfit (pants are sold out, linked to similar styles)

Do you enjoy the beach in cooler weather? What are favorite cool weather, beach activities?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

San Gregorio State Beach day with the family

 in General Fashion  tagged beach / family / staycation / summer 2020 by

san gregorio state beach san mateo coast

What a beautiful week-end! We decided it was time to venture to the coast for the first time since the lock-down. Temperatures were forecasted to hit well over 90 degrees, so the coast sounded like the perfect escape. Well, we did escape from the heat! It was in the 50’s along the coast, and the wind was very strong! My hat blew off several times, and we found ourselves bundled up on the beach instead of soaking in the rays. haha That’s life on Bay Area beaches!

Despite the crazy wind, and the cold air, we tried walking a bit, and also just relaxing on the beach while bundled up. We also enjoyed a little picnic we hiked in with us. It was a fun time with family while relaxing with the sound of the waves.

People were coming onto the beach, and only lasting about a half hour before leaving. The wind was pretty strong, so most families decided to not stick it out. In the era of social distancing, this worked out really well for us since we had a large space between us and the other beach-goers. If you can gut out cold wind, it’s a great way to have the beach to yourself! Instant social distancing! haha

My trusty adidas sweatshirt kept me warm so I could chill on the sand. While my hat kept blowing off head, it did it’s job of keeping the sun off my face. That’s all I can ask, right? I had an easy walk on the beach in espadrille slides, and my flip flops were great for testing the water. This straw tote bag was perfect for carrying my purse essentials as well as a book, hand sanitizer, and Clorox wipes. Loved it!

All in all, it was a fun beach day! If you are looking to head out to the beach, and are unsure of how social distancing will work, San Mateo County has great practices in place to ensure people stay apart. They have signage on all the paths, and the ranger reminds people to stay apart and wear a mask. People were really good at maintaining a distance, and everyone was wearing a mask. Love my fellow Bay Area people!

Tips for going to the beach in the covid era:

  1. Go early and avoid holidays. Try to schedule your beach day when crowds will not be going. Holidays and weekends are the most crowded. If you can snag a day off during the week, do it!
  2. Bring a back-up mask. Just in case your mask gets too sandy, or it gets wet, have a spare mask on hand.
  3. Bring your detox kit! Bring your own hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and hand cleaning wipes. Try to use the bathroom at home before you head out to the beach to avoid needing to use the public restroom.
  4. Respect the space of others. If you arrive when the parking lot is near capacity, the beach might be crowded. Try to make your space away from other people. Just because you want a great view of the water, doesn’t mean you should risk social distancing. Stay at least six feet, if not more, away from other groups on the beach.
  5. Have fun! The beach is an affordable and beautiful way to enjoy the day. Find your space, and stay safe. You will have a blast!

My beach essentials online:

Have you ventured out to the beach since the lockdown? What was your experience?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy