beach

Long Beach trip recap

 in Travel  tagged art / beach / long beach / travel by

Things to do in Long Beach California

pictured: Alamitos Beach in Long Beach, California

We took a really quick road trip down to Long Beach, California over the 4th of July week. It has been difficult to plan a big vacation because my daughter is taking a summer school class and my other two kids have sports commitments throughout the summer. So, we took an opportunity to take a quick road trip when we saw there was a break in the schedule.

My middle child is looking at colleges to apply to, and Long Beach State University has a program she is interested in, so we decided to take a quick road trip to Long Beach. We spent a full day at the University touring around and eating on campus. It looks like a nice school to put on her list! Of course, in addition to checking out schools, we found a few fun things to do in Long Beach, California while staying in town.

Long Beach is home to a pier which offers delicious restaurants, candy shops, and fun little shops. We enjoyed spending some time there and getting candy apples. Stay tuned for my restaurant recap which will post tomorrow! We also went to a couple of museums and the beach. Here are a few fabulous things to do in Long Beach, California if you are ever in this part of Los Angeles.

Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum

The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum is a small celebration of artwork and culture from the islands in the Pacific, and Oceana in general. We enjoyed seeing and learning about a few traditions from the islands, such as the personalized love sticks young men would stick into the home of a young lady they were courting as a proposal of marriage.

This museum is a must-see when you are in the Long Beach area! You can learn more at their website at pieam.org.

Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA)

pictured: work by Fernando Botero and an outdoor sculpture from the events garden

The Museum of Latin American Art is across the street from the Pacific Islands Ethnic Art Museum, so you can visit both museums in the same day! Love that!

This museum showcases a few collections from Latin American Artists. We enjoyed seeing collections from Yolanda Gonzalez and Fernando Botero. Botero was my favorite. The MOLAA also has special events, and the exhibitions rotate. You can learn more about the MOLAA at MOLAA.org.

Alamitos Beach

Of course, how can you visit Long Beach without going to the beach?! The word “beach” is literally in the name! haha

Near the pier you will find a beautiful beach, which isn’t too crowded, named Alamitos Beach. It is a nice escape from the city, which still has a city view on the backside.

You know I will always plug a great handbag! This tote bag turned out to be perfect for a road trip! It is really comfortable to wear while stuffed with random items, and it can double as a great beach bag. The seams must be pretty tight because I didn’t get one grain of sand inside. Love that!

What was packed in my Long Beach suitcase:

It was a quick trip for only two days, but we enjoyed the attractions we were able to see while visiting Long Beach. Stay tuned for my restaurant recap, which will post on the blog tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

pictured below: work by Yolanda Gonzalez from the MOLAA

Summer tote bags 2023

 in Handbags  tagged beach / office attire / summer 2023 / totes by
summer tote bags 2023

Summer tote bags: mint green tote (under $500) / grey tote / small straw tote / structured tote / striped tote / boho tote /

Summer is fast approaching, and it is a time of year when a tote bag comes in handy. We use totes for travel, carrying extra items such as sunscreen, a hat, and a scarf for when the fog rolls in. There are different types of totes for different outfits and occasions, so I tried to pick one fabulous tote to suit every summertime need.

Slouchy and casual totes such as the mint tote, grey tote, and boho tote pictured above, are perfect for everyday use. If you are looking for a great work tote, the structured tote pictured at the bottom is ideal. This stripe tote is perfect for travel and hanging out in a beach town. If you are looking for something a little bit smaller, this classic straw tote is perfect. I own it!

This summer season, look for a strong tote made from high quality materials which doesn’t flash a loud logo. I excuse the Tory Burch logo because it looks more like a design than a logo and to be frank, it’s really cool! Love it!

Shop summer tote bags online:

What is your favorite type of tote for the summer season?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

Rio Del Mar beach day

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged beach / casual style / dresses / outfits / staycation / summer 2022 by
summer outfit ideas under $50
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santa crus area beaches rio del mar apotos
affordable summer dresses under $50

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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