Friday, March 21, 2014

Coming in HOT!

Alright y'all... There's something I've gotta share with you. I have recently come in contact with an awesome and inspiring lil lady from Long Island, New York. She has a heart of gold and an amazing, artistic talent that can make you feel like you are in the middle of an endless summer, sitting on the beach while sipping pina colodas. Her name is Tanya Brown (aka Schatzi Brown) and you've gotta check out her work...  
 She created the sweet background for this blog and has tons of other gorgeous patterns and designs that she has used for iPhone cases, pillow cases, graphic prints, make up cases and so much more.
 
 
 
When I was a teeny wahine, I was pretty obsessed with anything and everything Lisa Frank. Well Tanya's prints kind of bring me back to those days, but I think her art is even COOLER! Not only does she have a talent for awesome graphic design, but she is constantly thinking of ways to look out for the environment and give back to the community. Check out her blog http://schatzibrown.wordpress.com/ and Etsy shop  https://www.etsy.com/shop/Schatzi Brown. Hopefully, if I play my cards right, she may even collaborate with us here on Beauty and the Beach :)
 
A HUGE, special thanks for the blog art, Tanya!! Can't wait to see what the future holds for you and all of your amazing ideas! Where there's a will, there's a way, and you undoubtedly have a bright future ahead of you.    XOXO

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Our Sweet Escape!

 
Like most people in the US, we have had quite a frigid winter here in coastal North Carolina. In effort to save money for future endeavors, we needed to plan a low budget getaway to warm water, lots of sunshine, and good waves. What better way to escape the cold than a road trip down to the Florida Keys!? It was the perfect remedy to beat our winter blues and refresh our souls. We scored some sweet waves, (glassy, chest to head high + under offshore winds), surfed our way down the sunshine state, ate tons of fresh, local seafood, SUP'd, snorkeled, swam, fished, and explored all over the mangrove mazes. Oh yeah, and how can I forget one of the highlights of the trip?! Surfing with manatees!! So my point is, you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on airfaire and hotels to plan a great vacation. Just grab some friends, split the gas and lodging, hit the road and wing it! You never know what adventures may lie ahead :-)
 
A great website to check out and help plan your next road trip is https://roadtrippers.com/
 
 
From great eats and drinks to amazing natural wonders, this site breaks it down and has it all! I highly recommend it, no matter what your point of interests may be.
 
Fishing off the keys
Mangrove mazes off Key Largo
 
Indiatlantic surf sesh
  

Told you I was a mermaid at heart ;-)
 
 
Florida pink flamingos! 
 
 So, I'm a little obsessed with palm trees...
 
 Butterfly kisses
 
 SUP Adventures
 
Always looking for the next adventure :)