5 Must Haves: for Island Life

Meet Sarah. She's a smartie lawyer who has the best curls on earth, and a smile that makes you melt! She's also super great friend who I've known since our days at UF when we were sorority sisters. I love her for so many reasons; because she's funny, smart, tells great stories, has the same name as my daughter (yay!), and.... likes my blog. :) lol, actually I mean that because she's one of my biggest advocates, which makes me smile. We all need those types of friends in our lives and I'm honored that she's one of mine.

This Miami native was living in Ft. Lauderdale a few years ago when she fell head over heels for a fellow hottie attorney who happened to live in Key West. So what did she do? She packed her bags with her ginormous nail polish and shoe collection (I'm fast forwarding a few months, of course, but you get the gist) and traded in her life on the mainland for love and success on the island. She's still practicing law, and adjusting to a lot of online shopping (no Target, oh my!).

So whether you're just visiting or plan to make an island leap, here are, in Sarah's words... 5 must haves for island life!

Hi all. I’m Sarah, a lawyer living in Key West. Yes, people actually live and work in the southernmost city! Since moving here 3 years ago, I’ve come to appreciate this slow paced, sun-filled lifestyle. So if you plan on moving to a sunny island (no, NYC doesn’t count) or just making an escape to one, here are my must haves…

Sunblock

Must. Wear. Every. Day. Nothing is worse than getting a horrible burn your first day back in the sun and then having to wear clothes until it subsides (me last weekend!) I use Oil of Olay with SPF daily on my face and Banana Boat Sport dri-blok when I’m out on the water or roaming the streets of Key West. The Olay is light and not too sunblock-y and the Banana Boat dries powdery, not goopy and lasts long.

Dresses & sandals

Both are closet staples. On an island, expect to walk pretty much everywhere. All my flashy heels from my former life are stashed in back of the closet and now I own sandals in literally every color and style. I recently introduced a hot pair of Nine West wedges in fuchsia into the mix. And since it’s ungodly hot here, light, flowy dresses are a must! My fav are BCBG dresses for work (with sandals when I’m not in court) and play.

Cute bathing suit

Obviously, you want a suit you look hot in. But I think even more important is finding a suit you feel comfortable in! Nothing is worse than having to adjust or re-tie a suit every 5 secs—not cute! I’m a huge fan of Victoria’s Secret suits. They offer such a wide range of styles and colors and often have sales and special promotions. I easily own about 10 of their suits.
TAGG mention: obv, what gal looks like this model?! Not fair, however love her colorful suit. Bold colors can be just as flattering as a basic black.
TAGG tip: Target is having a sale this week only on women's suits; just $14 per piece for bikinis, and one pieces are on sale, too.

Bike

Aside from hoofing it, this nod to your middle school days is the next most acceptable mode of transportation. We have three bikes, all bought second hand, with big baskets for carrying our drinks (see #5) and donned with crazy squeekers. I love the big beach cruiser types and there are a ton of bike rentals on the island so you too can ride like a local.

Cool coozie

Ok, I’ll admit it, we drink a lot of beer down here. A lot. And you never want your hand to be wet and clammy. In comes the coozie! Such an essential accessory to island life, many give it as wedding gifts, even for judicial campaign swag.

And you can’t forget…
 

Bright-colored mani/pedi

Since your fingers and toes are showing all the time, they need to be properly showcased! Paint on adventurous, bold colored polish that compliments, not matches, your outfits. Right now I’m obsessing over bright orange (pic: OPI in Hot & Spicy) and deep purple hues.



Outfit: Charleston Chill Factor

Brrr; that's the sound of a Florida girl in temperatures below 72. Haha, just kidding, though it was an adjustment packing for Charleston with the lows predicted in the 30s and the highs in the 50s. I'm not so used to the efficient layering process you northern gals do, where there's a super adorable blouse underneath seven other layers! I need a lesson. :)

In the meanwhile, I'm trying to manage. Here is a sampling of a few outfits from our trip. Tried to keep it cute and casual while keeping warm. Though I did have the seat warmer to help me with that. I swear that's the best car invention ever. My next car WILL have one! As for our trip, it was awesome and luckily it wound up warmer than expected... I even took the coat off a few times. I 100 percent recommend Charleston for a little getaway. We loved it! And, a special thanks to my beyond-wonderful hubs who kindly bared with me as we took all these pics. It is a process that I'm very appreciative of. If you know him, give him an extra thanks for moi!

 sweater & necklace: forever21 / scarf: israel market / jeans: gap / suede boots: nine west /

bathub: courtesy of our room!

sweater & necklace: forever 21 / scarf & bag: gap / leggings: trouve / boots: mossimo / stuffy nose: me :(

black blouse: express via tjmaxx / necklace: j. crew / white pants: ag jeans via goodwill (!), clutch: nine west / heels: kenneth cole

perfection.

Quick Bites: Shrimp & Grits from Hominy Grill

Can you tell my nose is stuffy or what??

Hi ladies! I'm back at ya after a long weekend in Charleston. Have you visited? I'm in love! It's charming, historic, laid-back, fun and the food is beyond. Beyond awesome! Granted, I probably couldn't live there without ignoring loads of fabulous restaurants but I guess that's how it goes in most cities. We sampled possibly the best fried oysters, scallops and shrimp of my life at The Wreck of Richard and Charlene (thanks to Be Merry, Kate for the rec!); dug into BBQ ribs and brisket; and dined on upscale low-country cuisine at Slightly North of Broad, otherwise known as SNOB. I highly recommend all.

However my/our favorite? The shrimp and grits from Hominy Grill. If you know me, you are probably in shock right now. I'm a New Yorker by birth and not a gal who ever eats grits, or what was sprinkled all over it: bacon! I haven't had bacon since 1999. Yup, 12 years... almost as long as Justin Beiber has been alive. Hah. I managed to avoid bacon, pancetta, pork and more during a two week trip to Italy and Paris, countless Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai meals, and lots more where bacon and pork are prevalent. I decided to stop eating it after visiting Israel for a month; it was then I started keeping kosher (Jewish dietary laws). Two years later, I opted out of that but felt like my contribution to my faith would be not to eat any pork products. Yet, here we are in 2011 and I couldn't talk myself out of it any longer!

 

It was worth the wait. I didn't even think I'd like grits but man o' man was this dish crazy fantastic. We gobbled it up along with huevos rancheros topped with two poached eggs (another divine dish). The shrimp was so perfectly cooked. And the cheddar cheese grits were rich and buttery, creamy and hearty, yet light and flavorful. The shrimp was sauteed with mushrooms, scallions and this rich, crispy bacon. Mmmm. Its flavors enhanced every bite! This mama was a happy gal.

Today, instead of giving you one of my recipes, you get this one. It's not the easiest but for a special occasion or a family or girls brunch, totally worth the effort. Though I have to admit there's nothing like sitting in a comfy chair with a hot cup of joe while someone is serving this up to you (and cleaning the plates away when you're done!). Maybe you can get someone to make this for you?

Shrimp & Grits, courtesy of the Hominy Grill - Charleston, SC
{Ingredients}
2 pounds unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp (31/40 count)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 bacon slices, chopped
1 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
TAGG tip: this would also taste awesome over pasta or another grain!

{Preparation}
1. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Toss shrimp with flour until lightly coated, shaking to remove excess.
2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet.
3. Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings 4 minutes or just until mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Add shrimp, and sauté 3 to 3 1/2 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute (do not brown garlic). Add lemon juice and next 3 ingredients; serve immediately over Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits. Sprinkle with bacon.

How to make the Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits
{Ingredients}
4 tablespoons butter
5 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 1/2 cups uncooked stone-ground white grits
1 (10-oz.) block sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated

{Preparation}
1. Bring 2 Tbsp. butter, next 4 ingredients, and 5 cups water to a boil in a medium-size Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours or until thickened. Stir in cheese and remaining 2 Tbsp. butter until melted. Serve immediately.

For Quick-Cooking Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits: Substitute 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking grits for stone-ground grits. Decrease water and milk to 4 1/2 cups each. Prepare recipe as directed, cooking grits 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened.

5 Must Haves: for a Globe-trotting Gal

Meet Jillian. If you want to know how to successfully pack for adventure, I promise you she is your gal. Along with her hubs, which is how I met her, she just returned from a trip around the world. Yes, a trip around the world... for nearly two years!

She documented the journey on their web site, I Should Log Off, which happens to be an awesome resource for anyone interesting in traveling... anywhere! Chances are she's been there, can tell you the best route to get there and how to have the most authentic experience. In addition to be a fabulous globe-trotting gal (which, by the way, anyone can do with the budget they created!), she's also smart, sassy, gorg and super athletic. She's competed in tri-athalons and adventure races with her man. A Philadelphia native, she's learned over the years how to travel well to fit in the necessities! I'm just thrilled she agreed to share them with all of us.

In her words, here's Jillian's 5 must haves for a globe-trotting gal:

iPod Touch

This thing is invaluable while on the road. I love that iPod Touch apps let me read my email and check currencies offline. I have all sorts of travel related apps on here, and really, its a godsend! With a pdf reader I was able to download all my travel guides right to my iPod Touch, saving me from lugging around heavy travel guides and tons of packing space in my backpack!

Colorful Scarf

No particular brand recommended: I traveled around the world with a scarf I bought in a market in Israel. It was great for spicing up my travel-weary wardrobe and for covering up my shoulders or hair in religious buildings. It made the perfect travel accessory, I don't think I'll ever leave home without one again!

TAGG tip: looking for an inexpensive option? Check out the scarf in the photo, just $5ish on Amazon. Comes in nearly a dozen colors!

Steri Pen

I was most concerned about my health on the road. Having clean drinking water is something we take for granted at home, but on the road it was comforting knowing I had this little thing in my pack whenever things looked suspicious. Sure I could have bought bottled water, but I was uncomfortable with creating that much trash. This was a great option and unlike other water treatment devices, it only took 90 seconds to sterilize drinking water. It's really easy to use and I loved being able to drink straight from the tap (or stream!) everywhere we went.

Eagle Creek Packable Tote
Although a daypack is great, I wanted something a little more fashionable with me for days in the city. Usually the packable bags aren't sturdy enough for heavy duty travel use, but this tote was big enough and sturdy enough to carry all my day to day essentials and still crush easily into my bigger bag. The straps are thick so they don't cut into your shoulders and it comes in lots of different colors, what more can you ask for?
TAGG tip: loving the look of the green bag; there's pretty side detailing!



Multi-purpose make up kit

I don't wear that much makeup at home, but I want a little something with me on the road. Having a mini make up kit was certainly a luxury while backpacking, but one that I wouldn't give up. Having a small go to kit for those days when I just wanted to dress up a bit kept me sane and reminded my husband every once in a while that there was a woman underneath that rough traveler exterior! My kit had three eyeshadows, a blush and some powder, it wasn't everything, but it was enough to make me feel like a woman, even after camping in the Sahara for a week!
TAGG tip: Check out this e.l.f  27-piece mini make-up collection for $15. And, if you're only going on a mini-vacay and want a eye shadow collection, check this out for just $5! I have the larger one for $10 (now back in stock!), and it rocks my globe-trotting (yet at-home!) world!