Key West Happy Hour

 

Top: [ASOS...sold out..similar here & love this one].  Skirt:[Amazon].  Sunglasses: [Celine model Tilda, no longer available...new model].  Headscarf: [Missoni for Target sold out...similar here].  

Sandals: [Target].  Handbag [Cult Gaia summer 2019...available on Poshmark].  Earrings: [Madewell].

In my ten years of living on this island, I have learned that if there is one hobby Keys people are good at, its happy hour.  When I moved here, I never quite understood what was so great about going out when the sun was still up.  (Except to tailgate for my Wildcats-THAT I understood.) Hurrying to get dolled up in the middle of the day for maybe a few people to see my outfit just seemed pointless to me.  But, when I hit 30, it was like a lightbulb turned on.  I finally understood that casually dressing up, strolling to your neighborhood watering hole for a bill under $50 & going home before the sun went down was what it was all about.  You still have your evening to make dinner, watch Netflix & go to bed at a decent hour.  And that my friends, is why people in the Keys love happy hour.  They live for it.  The bar can be dead all day & when that magical time of day hits, its like Black Friday at the mall.  Happy hour has become so popular now that its not only about getting a good drink on sale.  The menus are packed with delicious food as well as fun cocktails.  So trust me when I say, I know a thing or two about a good happy hour.  

I've listed below my top three spots for happy hour & our favorite menu items!  Two of the restaurants are not on Duval Street.  Because true to my style, I'm here to lead you off the beaten path.

1. Half Shell Raw Bar

     Our favorite spot for happy hour!  We always get the buffalo shrimp & a dozen oysters.  This spot is on the water in the historic seaport district & the laid back, relaxed atmosphere is so perfectly Keys-y.

2. Conch Republic Seafood Co.

    Conch is also located on the water & is a short stroll from Duval St.  Most drinks are two-for-one, but, only drinks are on happy hour.  However with all the money you save on drinks, its worth spending on their food.  The calamari & hand breaded chicken tenders are amazing.  Plus, one secret menu item that you cannot forget to ask for are the Royal Red Shrimp. 

3. Bagatelle Key West

    Located at the end of Duval St, near Mallory Square, this spot has a not so typical Keys happy hour menu.  Craft cocktails & trendy tapas at affordable prices with a great seat for people watching.  If you choose anything, honestly just go there for the lobster mac'n'cheese.  Mouth watering goodness.  The blueberry basil lemonade is a great choice to wash it down.

Hope you have a chance to visit Key West & try my go-to happy hour spots!  Or, if you already live here, hope they are a few of your favorites also.

XOXO, 

Ju

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Finding the Bright Side

Tee: [J.Crew...last year..options for purchase here & here]. Shorts: [Zara...last year, new version here]. Sandals [Target]. Sunnies [Illesteva]. Earrings [Baublebar...similar here & here]. Bracelets [Kate Spade ...available here]. Clutch [Cult Gaia]. Coin Purse [off brand Bealls Outlet...similar here].  Owl Card Holder [Kate Spade...available here]. 

I never imagined that when I created this blog that I would stop writing on here.  But, I guess life really does take over sometimes.  When you fall too far behind, its difficult to stand back up, dust yourself off & go right back where you were.

I stopped writing on here three years ago because wedding planning took over my life.  SO exciting! Then, a hurricane. Not so exciting. No excuses, just the truth.  I was on cloud nine for so long from wedding planning & then dropped off that cloud to the ground with Irma.  It was hard for me to be myself for awhile after that.  Seeing so many friends impacted by the storm was extremely depressing.  I stopped caring about my daily routine of exercising, getting dressed up, blogging, etc.  Little did I realize this routine was something that I needed.  It just didn't seem important at the time.  Evacuating your home with the fear of the unknown is hard enough, but returning to what looked like an apocalypse was much more difficult.  Mounds of debris surrounded what was once paradise.  This continued for a long period of time.  Yes, I have always known a hurricane is a possibility living on an island, but you never really think "it will happen," & unfortunately I'm not here to sugar coat it, its devastating.  At the time, I felt that I was not as strong as my friends that grew up in the Keys.  Growing up & living majority of my life in Arizona, I had never dealt with a natural disaster.  The news covers the storm, but I had never seen the aftermath.  And that was a lot to cope with.  But, what did help me was to see a community come together to aid each other & having so many friends reach out.  It was uplifting.  That feeling is something I will never forget.  I do not tell this story for sympathy.  I tell this story because going through that made me so much stronger.  I had to learn to see the sunshine in a gloomy situation. 

Last summer, I started creating again, writing again, but never posted anything because I almost felt like "eh, too far gone, who cares about my blog at this point?"  This past May, when our 3rd wedding anniversary passed & we were all still in quarantine, I told myself to pull it together & go back to a hobby I really loved.  This blog was always a creative release for me, a break from the real world.  And, if I've realized anything through this year, its that having this outlet has always helped me to be myself.  I may not have blogger as my job title, however it has always made me so happy to share my stories on here!  I am truly content if ONE friend reads this.  In my book, its a success!  I have come to understand through the last three years of not having this blog that I very much need this in my life for my own sanity.  Let the truth be told. lol.

When quarantine was about a month in & I felt like I was about to lose my marbles (yes, Smee I'm understanding how you felt lol)....I started journaling again & that helped me to get through the days that were "unsuccessful" or in my opinion, plain boring.  Keep in mind, I was at home, no job, while the Polish man worked all day.  And, while the idea of having ample time on my hands sounds fantastic, this had never been a norm in our household.  Similar to Irma, I had to learn again to find the bright side.  At the end of the day, when I had journaled even the smallest accomplishments, (I'm talking organizing my pantry or selling one item on Poshmark lol) I realized that every day was victorious!  There were so many small accomplishments that made the day go by with ease, so many small moments I cherished like sitting down with the Polish man for lunch AND dinner.  All of these split seconds in life became so meaningful.  Learning how to cook my own seasoned chicken dish was something I never cared to learn how to do, or felt I "never had the time," when in reality I did.  And, I enjoyed it.  Keeping two plants alive was a new success for me!  Haha.  And, these little things that I overlooked for so long became so important to my daily routine.   Don't get me wrong, spending time with my husband has always been at the top of my list of importance.  But, the thought of sitting down for two meals together daily never crossed my mind, because, well, it just wasn't in our cards.  However, now, I saw why my grandma made a point to be home for lunch with my grandpa on his breaks.  I understood why as a child sitting down to dinner with my family to talk about our day, what we learned in school, etc was so important.  I had come to the realization that life is really about the "small things" as older people had always told me.

I guess that long story is my introduction to being back from my hiatus.  It took a lot of self-reflecting & time to myself (hello, quarantine) to realize that I love this blog.  I love creating & sharing the beauty in the world.  To those reading this, I'm happy you are here with me on this journey.  Life can be difficult at times, but keeping up daily with what we love is what gets us through.  So, tune in my friends, I'll be around for the long haul.  

XOXO, 

Ju

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Island Vibes

Tank [Zara]. Pants [Zara]. Sandals [Zara]. Clutch [Ted Baker]. Sunnies [Fendi]. //…loving these new bad boys…// Watch [Timex]. Bracelet [Stella&Dot]. Neck Candy [Cara]. Headphones [Frends].

    Guten Morgen!  Good morning from Germany!  No, these photos are not taken in Germany, but I am sitting in Frankfurt as we speak.  (Insert extreme emoji smiley face.  And maybe a plane & a cocktail!)  Living in South Florida, there is only one thing I look forward to for fall.  (And its not the leaves changing.)  Its our annual trip to Europe.  And I am soooooo happy to be here!
    These photos were taken a few days ago in the tropical paradise of the Florida Keys...aka down the street from my house.  Ha.  It may sound odd to most that I live in a vacation destination, yet I look so forward to packing up my scarves & winter garb to head to Europe.  Not a bikini or palm tree in sight.  I love where I live, but a change of scenery always makes for a good day…or a month.  Don't forget to follow Banqier & I's travels on instagram!  #lujueuroround3
    Auf Wiedersehen!  I'm off to Krakow!


~ All photos taken by my very talented friend Courtney Galantino!  You can check out this lovely lady's work through her Florida Keys based photography company Twist of Fate Imagery. ~


 

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Fancy Floral

 Dress: Victoria's Secret…Sneakers: Ash…Hat: Vans…Sunnies: Marc Jacobs…Earrings: Noir Jewelry…Arm Candy: H. Bendel, Cara Couture, & Stella & Dot.

     Happy hump day friends.  I've been a bit pre-occupied with my favorite annual winter visitors, & believe since we last spoke it was Christmas!  Cheers to the new year!  January means a new year, new start & my birthday!  (Although it isn't until next week, I have to yell out a giant YIPPEEE!)
     I was feeling like a fresh floral print would start the new year off right.  I love floral prints…from phone cases, to clothing to home decor.  I think that floral is always cheery & bright, and well, just tends to lead to a smile.  Yes, it may be winter, but its the Florida Keys-where floral has to be one of the most popular prints to wear year-round.  That being said, don't expect to see me galavanting around town in any tropical print button-downs.  But, a fun flirty dress is 100% my style!  And, I pretty much wear these wedge sneakers with everything lately, so I figured I'd throw them into the mix.  Talk to you all next week!

*All photos thanks to the amazingly talented Courtney Galantino!  Check her out here: Twist of Fate Imagery **

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A Nostalgic Christmas

 Dress: F21 (different version here)…Shoes: Betsy Johnson (also seen here)…Stacked Arm: H. Bendel & F21…& Headband: San Diego Hat Company.

   
           'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house,
         
            Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
         
            The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
         
            In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; (1-4; Moore, Clement C.).

    This is, perhaps, one of the most well-known pieces of literature.  I can still recite every line simply from childhood memories of my mom reading it to me annually on Christmas Eve.  The 24th is one of my favorite days of the year.  Attending the Nutcracker Ballet & my grams' annual Christmas Eve bash; playing monopoly with my favorite uncle; reading the Velveteen Rabbit; watching Home Alone with my brother; & admiring the festively decorated homes while walking through the lit streets of Winterhaven, are always my favorite memories of this night.
    Another great part about the holidays?!  Why glamming myself up for the parties of course!  This also gives me an excuse to wear heels & excessive amounts of sequins.  Lets face it, living on an island, most of my time is spent in sandals & cut-offs.  On that note, I hope you enjoy the photos of lights & yours truly.  And, mostly I would like to wish you all (especially those of you I won't be seeing this Christmas) a very very Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!  XOXO.

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