chaminade resort & spa.

this past weekend, robbie and i headed down to the Chaminade Resort and Spa in Santa Cruz for a little getaway with our friends from Arizona! we've been to Santa Cruz once before, but this was a completely different experience. the Chaminade is a mountaintop resort that overlooks Monterey Bay and the Santa Cruz mountains. it's set on 300 acres of land and is one serious retreat location--so dreamy!we picked our friends up from the airport in SF and headed south to Santa Cruz late one evening. we were greeted at the Chaminade by the most friendly staff and cutest welcome goodie bag. the decor of the Chaminade is contemporary Spanish, so it has a modern feel to it while staying true to Spanish roots.the next morning, we slept in and ate a yummy breakfast at the Sunset Restaurant {see below}. after fueling up, we headed out on our drive to Big Sur, which was just over an hour from the Chaminade. none of us had been before and we were so excited to finally snap some photos by Bixby Bridge! we stopped and ate at the Mediterranean restaurant Dametra Cafe {love me a chicken shwarma sandwich!}, which was nestled in Carmel-by-the-Sea. hands down the cutest and most quaint beach town i've ever been to. we walked in and out of art galleries and even bought a mini print of the Bixby Bridge to take home as a souvenir.the drive to Bixby Bridge was incredible. the plummeting cliffs and rolling fog really set the tone of Big Sur. we spent a good hour taking photos with various views and enjoying our surroundings. we headed back to the Chaminade just in time to make our dinner reservation at the Linnwood's Bar & Grill that evening. we sat around the firepit table and ate a delicious meal that overlooked the property. be sure to order the cheese plate! we then headed to the hot tub and enjoyed the rest of our evening under the stars.the next morning we slept in again... okay, everyone else slept in while i got up early and worked! after grabbing bagels off the resort at the Bagelry, we got ready for some pickleball! it was the perfect morning activity to get our blood flowing. the sun was shining and there was definitely some trash talk between couples {ha!}. after showering, robbie and i took some blog photos which i'll be sharing soon! a sneak peek of the navy dress i wore for the shoot is below.we had the best time at the Chaminade Resort and Spa and can't wait until our next stay! everyone was so friendly and the amenities were incredible, including the gym. i'll definitely be heading to the spa next time, too. Santa Cruz is such a beautiful getaway! i'm a city girl, but there's just something about time away in the countryside and small beach towns where life moves slower. thanks so much for an incredible stay, Chaminade!

special offer: receive 20% off Chaminade Resort & Spa’s best available rate plus ONE $50 Resort Credit per stay to use on spa services or food & beverage throughout the Resort now through December 30th, 2016. must stay two nights to take advantage of this offer. use promo 'RED' or click on this link to book! xx green floral peplum topdark wash jeanssilver glitter flatsSoho Disco Gucci bagcat-eye sunglasses