Waxing Poetic

The final stop of my retail therapy in Los Olivos was Waxing Poetic, a jewelry, charms, candles and housewares boutique.  You may have heard of Waxing Poetic as they has been mentioned in a number of publications and is not only available in their two boutiques (Los Olivos and Summerland) but also in numerous boutiques across the country.  The last time I was in Los Olivos they were in a different location so I was excited to visit the new store and of course, peruse all the dainty treasures.

When you enter the store, you immediately feel as if you are in someone's living room.  Books line the walls, there is a beautiful writing desk and you are surrounded by intricately designed charms, jewelry, scarves and candles...just to name a few.  I found myself getting lost in the store as I immediately began thinking of all the sentimental gifts that I could pick up here.  Something for the bride, for your pregnant sister, your mother, a first communion.  Truly, they have embraced the moments of life and created opportunities for you to give something that is just not a gift but something that will be held on to forever.  I may have also started my own "wish list" for the hubby while I was inside.  As with all the boutiques I visited while in the valley, the customer service was phenomenal and even though I have discovered all the locations Waxing Poetic is available in Orange County, there is still something special about being in this store in Los Olivos.  It is a very special little place.

You can visit the Los Olivos boutique at 2477 Alamo Pintado Ave. or click here to find where Waxing Poetic is sold near you.  

I also recommend following them on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with their new pieces.

Wendy Foster

Nestled next door to my favorite coffee house in Los Olivos is Wendy Foster, a boutique that exudes classic sophistication with a relaxed country feel.  The walls are filled with art representing the Santa Ynez Valley while the tables and racks are filled with simple yet chic pieces that fit right into the Los Olivos lifestyle...or any lifestyle for that matter.  With designers such as Vince, Joie and Current Elliott alongside local designers such as Emily Rosendahl, there was just too much goodness in one place for me to handle.  The staff was extremely friendly and I had a wonderful time chatting with them while I shopped.  Just like I said with yesterday's visit, I will definitely be back.      

Wendy Foster is located at 2928 San Marcos Ave., Los Olivos, Ca. with additional locations in Santa Barbara.  I highly suggest following their Instagram account to see all the new merchandise they receive, along with shots from their life in Los Olivos.   

Plenty Boutique

A few months ago I began following the Plenty Boutique in Santa Ynez on Instagram and knew instantly that they were a "must stop" the next time I was up there.  The pieces they showcased and the travels they took gave me the sense that I was going to like this place.

It was better than I even expected!  I adore their ability to bring the ethereal and wonderlust feeling of the valley that I love so much into a beautiful boutique filled with all sorts of treasures.  It was a bohemian paradise.  Everywhere I looked their was something that caught my eye.  The boutique began from two friends who make their own jewelry and you could spend hours looking through every piece.  Racks are filled with Free People, Stone Cold Fox, J Brand, Bella Luxx and many other brands that share in the laid back yet sexy feel you often see in Orange County.  If you are not in the mood for clothes or jewelry, there are a number of bags, bath products, hats, scarves and numerous other accessories scattered throughout the boutique.  It was cozy, welcoming and fun to shop.  It was such a lovely experience and I will definitely be back.

Plenty Boutique is located at 1110 Faraday St., Santa Ynez. California.  

I highly suggest following them on Instagram and liking them on Facebook to preview their incoming merchandise and events. 

* No compensation was provided for this post.  When I see something I love, I want to share it!

Returning Home

Oh Monday, you always arrive too soon.

Today we are heading home from yet another wonderful few days in the Santa Ynez valley.  I am not sure what it is about this place that tugs at the heart strings of both my husband and I but we just cannot ever get enough.  I would like to chalk it up to us both going to college in the Central Coast but it is more than that.  We have friends that live here that we just adore spending time with.  We love walking from the house to the local coffee shop, letting the kids run through empty fields, eating some incredible "farm to table" food, wine tasting, meeting and getting to know many of the locals and overall, just embracing the relaxed feeling that being in the valley brings.  As soon as we leave, I am already thinking about planning our next trip back.  Anyone else have a place that does this to them?

I did step away from the family just a bit to visit a few of the local boutiques and am excited to share each of them with you.  The retail therapy in the valley continues to get better and better and I thought I would share some of my favorites.  Keep an eye out for them over the next few days.  

Now it is time to pack up the house, jump on the 101 and re-enter reality, but first I think I am going to do one more walk through the canyon, just to catch one more breathe.

If you are interested in seeing more of our trips to the Santa Ynez Valley, here are some additional posts from last year (January, February, May).  I also updated my favorites!

Happy Monday.

Santa Ynez Faves

I promise this is my last Santa Ynez post.  I just thought that since this truly is one of my favorites places ever, I would share some places that have made the trips there so amazing.  Perhaps this helps you plan a trip there or just gives you a little more insight into this little town.  Either way, it was fun to pull together and it makes me excited to go back.

Accommodations

Santa Ynez Inn

Santa Ynez Vacation Rentals

Food

Breakfast and Coffee
Corner House Coffee 

Sides Hardware & Shoes

Lunch

Panino

Dinner

Ballard Inn Restaurant
Flatbread's
Mattei's Tavern
Petro's Restaurant

S.Y. Kitchen

Trattoria Grappolo

Treats

Enjoy Cupcakes

Staffords Famous Chocolates

Shopping
Los Olivos General Store
Plenty Boutique
Waxing Poetic
Wendy Foster

Wine Tasting

Demetria Estate

Gainey Vineyard

Roblar Winery

Saarloos and Sons

Tantara Winery

Horseback Riding:

Vino Vaqueros

Bar and Line Dancing:

Maverick Saloon

If you are interested in looking back at some of our previous trips to Santa Ynez this year, here is January, February and May.  

Memorial Day Weekend

As I mentioned yesterday, we spent our Memorial Day weekend in Los Olivos with friends.  Back when we were all there in February, we had decided that we MUST plan another weekend back and so we did.

This weekend could not have come at a better time.  I needed a weekend away!  We rented a house in downtown Los Olivos and spent our days horseback riding, wine tasting, resting, exercising, cooking, eating, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.  And I just love that even though we do not live close, all of our kids are becoming friends.  Just like last time, it was incredibly hard to say goodbye.  And yes, I am already thinking about our next trip up there.

These pictures could go on for days but I am going to try and show just a few of my favorites.

A Quick Glimpse

Yesterday we returned from four days in Los Olivos and I am just not ready to get back to "real life".  We had such an amazing time, which I will tell you all about, but here is just a quick glimpse from the iPhone.  More to come soon!

And I can't take credit for all of these.  Our friend takes some pretty fab photos so I stole them from his instagram (@mcclain922).  Thanks C for sharing!

A Reminder

This past weekend we went back to Santa Ynez for a dear friend's 35th birthday.  The entire weekend was a surprise and it brought together some of my favorite people that I do not have the luxury of seeing all the time.  In fact, it is embarrassing how long it has been.  Everyone brought their children and it not only allowed us to catch up but provided an opportunity for our children to become friends as well.  And who doesn't love when the husbands are friends?! It was an amazing reminder.

A reminder that these college friends are so important to me.  A reminder that they know more about me than a lot of people.  A reminder that even though our worlds get chaotic and crazy, it is important to make plans every now and then and allow ourselves to catch up with each other.

I have been blessed to have some pretty amazing friends from high school and college.  The unfortunate part is that not all of them live in Orange County and it takes a lot of planning to get to see each other.  We are all busy with our children, jobs, and simply, life.  Weddings made it pretty easy but now that most of us have tied the knot, it takes some additional effort.  

As I get older I am really starting to appreciate that my high school and college friends knew me prior to being "wife" and "mommy".  They know my life now but they also know where I came from.  They have see me at the very top and have also seen me hit the ground.  And they have been there to laugh and cry with me through everything.  It makes my heart happy when I get to see these people and also reminds me that perhaps the things I get stressed about are not worth the time and in the end, family and friends are all that really matters. 

Thank you M for planning such an amazing weekend for E.  Thank you also for including us and giving us all this opportunity to spend some time together.  It was amazing weekend and we cannot wait to come back.

And in other news, the hubby and I have fallen in love with the Santa Ynez Valley and are trying to figure out how we could possibly relocate.  To say we are obsessed is an understatement.  Who knows, perhaps this blog could one day be renamed "Juggling in Wine Country".

Santa Ynez

I finally got a second!  As I mentioned yesterday, the hubby and I had an incredible time in Santa Ynez with friends this past weekend.  Here are some of the photos I promised to share.  When it came to our favorite parts of the trip, there truly is nothing I would have changed but the major highlights included our hotel, the Santa Ynez Inn (completely surpassed our expectations), our private tasting of Tantara at the home of the winemaker, cupcake and wine pairing at Saarloos and Sons and dancing the night away at Maverick Saloon (that not only included beer bottles, country line dancing, and pinning dollar bills to the ceiling but also a John Corbett sighting).  All I can say is, I WANT TO GO BACK!