FOR SHORE

Anyone a fan of the Jersey Shore? The place and/or the reality show? I happen to be a lover of both. I am back east from CA and breaking my usual rule of only visiting April through October. My birthday is in October, so once my annual trip around the sun is about to restart, that means it is time to leave until the ground thaws and the sun makes more than one appearance every few weeks. I am not sure why I feel compelled to spend the wintery months here this year, but I have been enjoying it (most of the time) and not really complaining about it (maybe occasionally). So I took the opportunity to hop on the GSP and stop at every shore town along the way to get my fix.

REALITY OR VACATION:

When I told my friends (who also recently left LA to escape the crazy) that I was at the shore, they asked if I was doing my own reality show or seeing Snooki. While neither of those occurred, I felt completely lit up when I walked the boardwalk and the snow scattered sandy beaches. Sand and snow….so cool, right? Luckily, I was able to enjoy the days under perfectly blue skies. Even though I wasn’t working on my tan, I soaked up the warmth of the sun and it felt so embracing. I thought about how living there year round was really the best of both worlds with the high energy of the summer and the serenity of the winter . I stayed at the Icona in Avalon. It was an instant getaway from all of reality. The lobby was bright and white and welcoming with a glowing fireplace and coffee bar. The rooms were decorated clean and modern with all the comforts of home and since home is what I am currently searching for as my last blog, Home is where the Sun is ,I felt like I never wanted to leave.

Feeling at home at Icona Avalon.

THE SUN….RISE:

I get confused here and rightfully so since I am used to the sun setting into the ocean and not rising out of it. Much like the fact that I am always messing up my left from my right. Is there a scientific term for that? I swear it must be a disorder, but I digress. I am not a morning person and rarely do my feet hit the floor while it is still dark outside, but it was totally worth it to get up and get out to the beach to watch this…phenomenon. It happens in such gorgeous stages that I almost forgot that my fingers and toes were close to frozen. I feel like if I moved back to the east coast, on the coast, that I would become more of an early riser to begin everyday like this. However, I could also enjoy it as I did in West Palm Beach and not have to forgo feeling in my extremities.

Sunrise in Avalon, New Jersey

Sunrise in West Palm Beach, Florida

As I spent time in this place that has been the backdrop for some of the my most memorable moments since I was a kid..and some that I have zero memory of at all( as it should be if you did it right in your teens and twenties)…I felt like this was a contender of possible next homes….for shore.

Have you ever spent any time at the Jersey Shore? I’d love to hear about your favorite places.

Let’s get social! Follow me on Instagram @glamandsassy

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Dancing in the Desert

Hello Glam & Sassy loves!  If you are a music lover like I am, you probably know it is that crazy time of year when amazing bands, international DJ’s, A list celebrities and wanna be flower children head to the California desert to dance and party for three days straight.  Then do it all again the following weekend. Yes, I am talking about Coachella and in addition to the fun and festivities, there is also another F word going on there, and that is of course, fashion. After experiencing this phenomenon, I wanted to impart my survival tips to you so that you skip the learning curve and do it right the first time.  What you wear is as important as what you don’t and what you bring can make all the difference in whether you can make it though this marathon of music.

Head to Toe:

You are going to be outside. In the hot sun. For hours. You are going to be doing a lot of walking and a lot of dancing.  Did I mention the amount of walking haha? Then before you can say “it’s dark out and I haven’t eaten yet today”, it will be night time and the party is still going strong. This past weekend, the biggest headliners of the event didn’t come on until 10:30pm, so dress prepared for a very long but very fun day.  Depending on your age and your style, your outfit can range from hardly any clothing to something more, let’s say, Glam & Sassy. What worked best for me was my fave Hudson denim shorts paired with a flowy tank top by Ella Moss, and booties.  Another variation of this look is to rock floral Converse kicks. Whatever footwear you choose, be sure it is not only cute, but comfortable. Nothing spoils a good time like feet that hurt after the first few miles of walking or hours of dancing.  Sandals are an option too, but wear them at your own risk which means you can’t get mad at every clueless chick that steps on your perfectly pedicured toes.  If your hair is long, channel your inner hippie and pop in a few braids.  When the sun goes down, the wind can kick up. Tie a pretty bandana around your neck to protect from all the desert dust. This is a popular item at Coachella, and if you forget yours, you can pick one up at the General Store on the grounds. They even come in pink. Guess which color I got?

Grab a cute bandana to protect from the desert dust.

 

Back it Up:

Almost as important as bringing your bootie shaking dance moves to Coachella, which you will definitely need at the DJ Mustard, Jack U, and Calvin Harris stages, you should  bring a few other essentials I considered to be my survival kit. Although you can’t bring water or any liquids through security, you can buy once inside.  My advice is to buy as many as you can carry as you will realize in the dry desert air you will end up needing it faster than you can arrange to get it.  Not to mention the other dehydrating activities you may engage in.  Bring a lightweight back pack you can use to stock up on water bottles and you will always have your own oasis at your fingertips.  Also, throw in a sweatshirt or button down in case the temperature drops at night.  For the record, I did not camp, I mean come on, have you met me, and even if you haven’t, I think you can guess that anyone writing a blog called Glam & Sassy is not the “roughing it” type.  That said, the bathroom situation is less than desirable, although they were definitely better in the VIP section.  Either way, hand sanitizer is a must as well as properly timed trips to the restroom.  You don’t want to have to run to the ladies room as soon as the beats drops and miss out on the energy and excitement! After all, that’s what you came to experience at Coachella, and there is nothing quite like it!

Back packs and braids. Coachella must haves!

 

Make your Rounds:

There is so much happening simultaneously at these festivals, and there is no way you will be able to see and do all of it.  Download the Coachella app and decide who you must see and walk around in between and check out the other performances.  Between the loud music, the flashing lights, the rowdy crowds and the extreme weather,  you may find yourself in sensory overload.  Take some time the next day to regroup, recharge and recover…and then go and do it all again! It is the Glam & Sassy way!

Booties and sneakers are essential Coachella footwear.

 

 

Coachella by day.

 

 

And by night.