a day in crystal cove

Yesterday was such a fun day. I picked up my friend Nancy first thing in the morning to spend the day with her for her birthday, and we headed down to Crystal Cove for a little lunch and shopping. 

Here’s the front of her house where the aloes are starting to bloom. Orange aloe flowers are so pretty during the winter months here in So Cal, when everything else in the garden is taking some time off. 

Our first stop was Ruby’s Shake Shack at Crystal Cove. We stopped there for a coffee and a date shake and headed down the stairs to the beach to check out the beautiful tree that’s displayed on the sand in the historic district, next to all the old cottages. 

We missed the annual tree lighting there this past Saturday night, but we wanted to catch a glimpse of the tree, especially  since it was such a gorgeous day!  

If you haven’t been to the historic part of Crystal Cove, it should be on your top ten list of places to visit in Southern California. The movie “Beaches” was filmed here years ago, and you can always recognize its iconic turquoise cottage in photos.

They do a really nice job of decorating for the holidays. Just a few holiday lights, the tree and some decorations. It's not over the top, and perfect for taking a selfie or family photo.   

Next we headed to Babette’s for lunch. They have really good healthy food and a beautiful outdoor courtyard with a fire pit, blankets and beautiful tables. I love this quote the have at their reception desk, "you must be the change you wish to see in the world." 

We popped into The Sweet & Saucy Shop to admire their pretty holiday baked goods and munched on a mini cupcake for dessert! Aren’t these french macarons adorable? 

When in Crystal Cove, it’s a MUST to stop by Juxtaposition Home. The styling in that store is always inspiring and fresh, but with a definite vintage vibe. I love how these baskets are displayed on the wall! We picked up a few Christmas gifts there as well as at Banana Republic and Williams-Sonoma.

Here’s another view of the historic district, from above, at the Shake Shack taken by Nancy. And, from the beach, looking down the coast towards Laguna Beach.  

ciao! fabiana

some of my favorite home stores

1. Bliss Home and Design This Corona del Mar showroom offers the most amazing coastal inspired accessories for the home. Shop around for a few fun accents or consult with them for their expert interior design advice and guidance. 

2. Juxtaposition Home Located in the gorgeous Crystal Cove Shopping Center, Juxtaposition is a favorite among locals. They are known for their European industrial meets vintage Americana look. I love the amazing pillows, baskets, and accessories they carry. 

the dressing room is really stylish too!

3. Roger’s Garden’s Home Located in Corona del Mar in the well-known Roger’s Gardens is a little labyrinth of vignettes that offer a variety of décor styles. While shopping for plants and succulents, you’ll want to stop by their home department as well! 

4. Babette’s One of my new favorite place to stop and refuel with amazing food is Babette’s. It’s also located in Crystal Cove and their outdoor patio is a perfect little getaway spot to recharge and enjoy the ambiance.  

5. Coastal Cool Boutique While you're out shopping for your home, you've gotta look cute too. This shop has really fun clothes and jewelry, with locations in Crystal Cove and Corona del Mar. Looky what I found here… ciao!

ciao! fabiana

scenic shopping 101

Who wants to go to a crowded mall the week before Christmas?  I certainly don’t! My favorite places to shop are low-key and relatively stress-free. That’s why yesterday I headed down to Crystal Cove, the most beautiful little outdoor shopping center that literally sits across the street from the beach!

I can get quite a bit of shopping done there by hitting Banana Republic, Gap, Juxtaposition Home, Pier One, Williams-Sonoma and even Trader Joe's, and parking at Crystal Cove is a no-brainer! 

On my way down there, I stopped off at See’s Candy in Corona del Mar to get a few holiday treats and took a little side trip down a few streets to soak in the local charm.  

These two white homes caught my attention with their traditional festive décor... so then I headed down to Crystal Cove. My first stop, Juxtaposition Home! One of my favorite shops to find a little something special.

And their store is sprinkled with festive holiday décor too.

A couple of doors down, a stop at Babette’s is obligatory for one of their fabulous cappuccinos. A girl’s gotta keep goin' and a little caffeine stop is the perfect solution! It's so festive here too!

On my way home, I couldn’t resist another detour in Corona del Mar to soak in the beautiful blue sky and shimmering ocean, and just look at all the gorgeous aloes blooming on the hillside! 

Our favorite Christmas flowers here in Newport Beach!!

ciao! fabiana

serena & lily's must-have accessory

and a visit to historic crystal cove state beach

Historic Cottage #13 where they filmed the movie "Beaches"

Sunday was the perfect day for a little getaway down to Crystal Cove State Beach. If you’ve never been, it’s a charming little beach, just south of Newport. 

Barbara Hershey and Bette Midler in "Beaches"

It’s actually where the iconic movie “Beaches” starring Bette Midler was filmed, and here we are at the historic Cottage #13 where it all took place. Who can forget the song "Wind Beneath My Wings"?

Historic Cottage #13 and my pretty Serena & Lily Sydney Beach Towel

Summer is just around the corner, and I’ve already got my beach basket all set with my summer beach essentials, so it was just a grab-and-go moment on Sunday as we headed out the door.

Summer beach essentials ready at my front door

My number one item to pack is my new Serena & Lily Sydney Beach Towel. It’s large enough to double as a cozy picnic blanket on the beach, and that’s just what we did!

Sydney Beach Towels make great gifts!

After grabbing a few yummy French panini sandwiches at  my favorite café Moulin and a few bottles of my go-to  Pellegrino water, we were all set for a little beach time.

My favorite is the Navy color with cute green tassels!

I’ve been seeing several of Serena & Lily’s gorgeous towels at the beach already, so I was happy to get mine! Not only are they luxuriously plush, they're absolutely adorable! I just love the little green tassels!

Summer beach basket is also ready for days at the pool

Don’t you think these beach towels would make a lovely gift for a graduate, wedding or wedding shower… or even a summer birthday? I just love mine!

My top ten summer picks!

Serena & Lily is offering 20% everything off with code SUMMERPREP, excluding a few select items. The Memorial Day Sale starts May 22 and runs through May 28, 2019.

Here are my Serena & Lily Memorial Day favorites: 

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 

ciao! fabiana

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staycation fun in Laguna Beach

A few days before Christmas, I spotted an interesting estate sale in Laguna Beach, so I decided to make a day of it! My hubby and I stopped in at the sale first, and then we went on to explore a little bit of Laguna Beach.  

This glorious Tudor house, perched on the cliffs in Laguna Beach, once belonged to silver screen legend Bette Davis. I love to visit every so often. You see there are steps right next to this house that lead you down to a secluded cove where the rugged waves are crashing far below the homes that overlook this vista. 

Here I am looking up at Bette’s former home. The views from the house must be absolutely breathtaking! Here we are on a dreary December day, and the sight and sound of the ocean are truly magical.  

Here’s proof that Ms. Davis lived here. I love that they included her name on the historical marker! 

Only one other couple and their cute pooch were on the beach that day in this little cove. It’s very rocky here, but that’s part of the charm that makes Laguna so interesting.  Every nook and cranny has it's own personality.

It is Winter, and I love this time of year when all that's blooming are the vibrant aloes and flaming hot bougainvillea. Don't you just love the contrast of these flowers with the soft coastal palette? If you look closely, you can spot Catalina Island on the horizon.

Here’s one place setting of the set of aged bamboo flatware that brought us down to Laguna Beach. You can see the whole table here. (BTW, I'm off to another estate sale this morning...) 😉 

Heading a bit north to Crystal Cove, we stopped in for breakfast oat one of my favorite spots, Babette’s. And practically next door to Babette’s is Juxtaposition Home.  

Here’s a peek at how it looked just a few days before Christmas... 

So cozy!

Well, like I said, I’m now headed to an estate sale nearby, and I’ll likely be sharing some of my finds with you very soon. 

I’ll let you in on a little secret... 

I had my first thrifting adventure of 2020 yesterday, and I have to say it was quite fun! Pictures coming your way in a few days... 

ciao! fabiana 

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