outfits

What’s in my winter travel suitcase

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged outfits / travel style / winter 2026 by

Winter suitcase from top left: holiday sweater / CZ earrings / scarf / holiday nail polish / long sleeve tee / classic jeans / sneakers / black boots / sweatshirt / black handbag /

It’s that time of year when we are traveling for the holidays and need to pack thick, winter gear! This often means packing less in order to bring a carry-on bag or moving into a larger suitcase we can check. Either way, it is important to remember to pack for the weather we are traveling to; especially us California girls who aren’t used to dressing for the snow!

I am off to Pennsylvania, so my puffy winter coat is part of my airplane outfit. In my suitcase, will be sweaters, long sleeve tee’s, extra socks, scarves, gloves, an umbrella, and shoes with treads; except for my black boots which I hope to wear on non-snow days.

Since a suitcase is a small capsule wardrobe for a week, I am keeping the color theme in berry hues with a little blue and black. I try to pack as little as possible with pieces I can mix and match. Of course, jeans and black pants can easily mix and match with everything. This makes for an easy travel wardrobe I can fit into my suitcase with room to spare; you never know when I might pick up some chocolate to bring home for the holidays!

What’s in my winter travel suitcase:

Stay tuned for my adventures from Pennsylvania!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

Ways to relax during the holidays

 in General Fashion / Home  tagged holidays 2025 / outfits by
ways to relax during the holidays christmas season

wearing: sunglasses / pearl earrings / sweatshirt / holiday nail polish / turquoise mug / sweatpants / panda socks / sandals /

It’s that time of year when we find ourselves running around with extra errands, extra parties, extra events, and extra everything! This cuts into our downtime, gymtime, and overall wellness. In order to combat this, it is really important to schedule in relaxation and not lose track of our overall wellness routines.

So, without further ado, here are five ways to relax during the holiday season and not lose our minds!

  1. Schedule the gym: Don’t skip your workout for holiday errands. Block your calendar and make sure you it acts like an appointment during the day. This way you won’t skip it, and you can keep yourself from going nuts.
  2. Watch a funny holiday movie: Force yourself to relax after dinner and watch a funny movie! If there isn’t one on TV, rent one on demand or stream it. My favorite funny Christmas movie is “Elf.” I highly recommend it for overall laughs and silliness.
  3. Burn a candle: Smelling the season from a holiday scented candle can instantly create a holiday home environment and relax your mind.
  4. Enjoy a cup of tea: I love relaxing with a cup of tea in the afternoon, or after dinner, or both! Tea is not only relaxing, but an antioxidant. Love that!
  5. Turn off your phone: Or leave it in another room. We are constantly picking up our phones and reading news, checking emails, and more. If you aren’t looking at your phone, you won’t find that work email at 8pm that could wait until the morning, but you feel the urge to handle right away. You’ll be surprised at how free you feel when you leave your phone in another room for two hours.

I realize none of this is groundbreaking, but sometimes we just need to remind ourselves how to relax. The holidays can be busy and stressful, don’t forget to relax and take care of yourself. Hit the gym, eat healthy, lose yourself in a funny movie, and put the phone away!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a fabulous holiday season!

XOXO
Cathy

Warm fall day and an entertaining dinner

 in General Fashion  tagged casual style / fall 2025 / outfits by

wearing: sunglasses / earrings / short sleeve sweater / classic cut jeans / top handle bag / holiday nail polish / boots /

OK don’t laugh. Until the day these photos were taken, I had never been to Benihana. If you don’t live near a Benihana, and are wondering what I am talking about, it is an American chain restaurant inspired by Japanese Hibachi. They cook at your table, and you can watch your meal being prepared. The chefs are fun, friendly, and put on a mini show with knife skills and a mini fire at the end. It’s a fun evening!

Our fall weather has been warm this year, so I wore my new jeans and this short sleeve sweater. Since the cooking was done at the table, I definitely retained the scent of my meal for several hours after dinner. haha Thankfully, everything I wore was machine washable.

It seems to be a restaurant people go to for a special occasion. There were a lot of people walking in with gifts, and we heard the birthday song at least three time. It’s a very festive place!

So, if you live near a Benihana, I recommend checking it out if you haven’t already. It’s fun to watch them cook in front of you! Be sure to make a reservation, the Cupertino location had a really, long, long, loooooooooong line. Thankfully I had made reservations!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy