summer 2022


Rio Del Mar beach day

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Wearing: hat (old, also love this one) / earrings / sunglasses / swimsuit cover-up dress (under $50) / swimsuit (not shown) / wedge espadrilles / straw tote bag / summer nail polish /

‘Tis the season to go to the beach! If you are local to the San Francisco Bay Area, when was the last time you took a beach day? Sometimes we think of the beach as a place to go to relax, but unfortunately, the summer months bring in a lot of people at the beaches, making them anything but relaxing.

Unless you want your beach day to be filled with activities, you might skip the beach and opt for a spa if you are looking for peace and quiet. Well, maybe that means you don’t know about Rio Del Mar Beach in Aptos!

I’m not trying to spoil the place, but I don’t think tourists will suddenly flood Rio Del Mar Beach if I post about it. Unless you live in the Bay Area and truck in your own picnic, there isn’t anything here for tourists to see. It’s just a beach.

Rio Del Mar Beach is a quiet yet large beach in Aptos, just south of Capitola. While many beach going locals talk about heading to Capitola in order to avoid crowds in Santa Cruz, an even better way to avoid crowds is to head a little further south on highway 1 and go to Rio Del Mar.

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This isn’t a beach made to handle a ton of people, despite having a ton of clean sand and space. Rio Del Mar Beach is set up like a local, neighborhood beach. The parking lot is small, and if you end up not finding a space, you will have to park in the neighborhood. If this happens, please oh please be respectful of the neighborhood! Park your car without blocking driveways and adhere to any parking signs that have been posted. It’s better to park a few minutes away than to block a driveway or break a parking rule.

Once you legally park, you can walk over to the beach and enjoy it’s peacefulness. There is a lot of sand, which equates to tons of space for spreading out your blanket. There are a few restaurants in town, but they are small, and you should dress in regular clothing to go. I recommend bringing a cooler with food from home to eat while on the beach.

There is also a really cool, cement boat off a small pier which has been sinking for years. Every time we go to Rio Del Mar Beach the boat is a little farther down in the sea. It’s pretty cool to see, and fun to walk over to and check out.

As always, I recommend going early! The earlier you go, the better chance you have of getting into the parking lot. I also recommend taking a day off work and going on a weekday. This will give you a more peaceful experience.

Shop my affordable beach outfit online:

Summer vacation is already halfway over! Enjoy it and go to the beach!

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO
Cathy

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Summer joggers and sushi

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Wearing: statement earrings / sunglasses / navy puff sleeve tee / golden ring / summer nail polish / stripe cross body bag / military green joggers / G buckle belt / dunk high sneakers /

It’s so nice to have temperatures cool down a bit. That heat wave was pretty crazy, so going back to our normal summer weather is a nice relief! I pulled out my new summer joggers and paired them with a navy puff sleeve tee to head out for sushi with my daughters. These joggers are so soft and comfortable, plus, the color and fabric weight will work well through the summer and upcoming fall season. I love pieces I can wear in multiple seasons! These are a great investment!

Since these joggers are military green, I paired them with my favorite Nike Dunk High sneakers. I love how the colors work perfectly together. These sneakers are also really comfortable, and they support my injured foot really well. Love that!

We enjoyed sushi at Kuru Revolving Sushi in Cupertino for lunch. If you are local, and you haven’t been yet, I highly recommend trying it out! It is a very popular restaurant, and they don’t take reservations, so go early and get ready to wait. The average wait for a table is 40-60 minutes. Pro tip: Go at 10:45am before they open for lunch at 11am. This is when the line is the shortest.

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It’s always fun to pull sushi off of a belt, or order something off of the menu, which is delivered by the top belt. It is also fun to order drinks since they are delivered by a robot! Love that!

Shop my joggers outfit online:

Are there restaurants you don’t mind waiting for a table at? If so, which ones?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

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BAF Weekly IT List

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BAF Weekly IT List from top left: yellow sweater (on sale limited time) / summer nail polish, pink, sea green / blue dress (under $50) / green handbag / golden handbag / golden boots (on sale limited time) / earrings (on sale limited time) / straw tote / sneakers /

Stores are slowly starting to stock pre-fall and fall merchandise! While temperatures are still soaring, we are starting to look at warm coats and sweaters. Yikes! I always enjoy shopping for fall, but it is so hard when it’s ninety degrees outside!

This fall, I am looking forward to golden accessories, more fun sneakers, and cozy sweaters. If you haven’t checked out the Nordstrom Sale yet, read my post which details the best of the sale!

Here are a few sale items I am loving right now:

There is still plenty of summer to go! If you don’t have a straw tote yet, this one is classic, fabulous, and functional. Love that! This golden handbag is a hot trend right now and it will carry through the fall and winter seasons. I plan on snapping it up! I love how it has two different straps.

Shop the BAF Weekly IT List online:

Enjoy the rest of summer, and happy fall shopping!

XOXO
Cathy