The Distant Bell: In support of repeating vacations
If you’re trying to relax, why not just let yourself relax?
Greetings!
This week, I write to you from sunny Florida where my mom and I are on our third annual mother-daughter beach trip.
The first time we came, she surprised me with the trip and we discovered the resort and the town together. We didn’t know how to pack for the climate (Midwest natives…) or the best places to eat and shop.
After a few days, we had figured out our way around and collected a few insider recommendations and tips. Of course, this was all just in time to go home!
The second year, we made one or two restaurant reservations in advance, knew the bike route into town, and most importantly, made a beeline for the best ocean-facing lounge chairs right after breakfast.
This year, we have dinner reservations off-resort for almost every evening, including repeat visits to some standout restaurants. We know the rhythm of the day. I actually planned ahead and took the week off work. And packed my suitcase using almost exclusively the clothes I packed last year.
It’s so relaxing to know what you’re in for.
I hope this tradition continues for many years to come.
Vacation vs. travel
When we’re fortunate enough in our busy lives to have a few days off to go somewhere, we have a choice between vacation and travel.
Travel, as everyone knows, can be a lot of work — partially because it involves so many decisions and logistics. It’s obviously also rewarding and fun and adventurous and fulfilling and mind- and heart-expanding and bonding and memorable and extremely worthwhile and an enormous privilege. But it can also induce that “I need a vacation after my vacation” feeling.
Because you didn’t take a vacation!
What my mom and I do every February in Florida is a vacation. We come to a place that’s absolutely no work to plan or experience, and becomes less work with each subsequent visit. And a huge burden lifted is not deciding where to go. We found a hotel we love and we just keep coming back.
Keep it simple.
Deeper vs. wider
This all also fits into something I’ve been thinking about lately: the many pros of making your world a bit smaller.
Local news. Familiar servers at coffee shops. Fewer, deeper friendships. Booking with the same manicurist. Eating somewhere enough times to try everything on the menu. A handful of blogs and newsletters rather than hundreds of social profiles. (I’m so grateful you’ve chosen mine.)
I’ve realized that trying to experience everything creates anxiety for me. Yeah, I’m missing out on plenty of other fabulous, breathtaking tropical locations by coming back every year to a familiar one. But this familiar is nice. Familiar creates a rhythm to your day and your year. And there are always new layers to uncover. Discovering the new within the familiar is a more fulfilling, much more relaxing kind of discovery (for me) than always tasting the newest flavor. Like a long-term relationship, right?
I’m going to start including a few recommendations in each newsletter that (might) go along with the theme.
Relaxing recommendations
Vacation mode, anywhere.
The late Burt Bacharach. A guest recommendation from my mom! He’s one of her favorite musicians and she especially loves his compositions performed by Dionne Warwick.
Sentimental Garbage podcast. Hosted by Caroline O’Donoghue, this podcast celebrates chick flicks, chick lit, and all the warm, nostalgic media that doesn’t make us work too hard. Caroline and her guests have great chemistry and hilarious, smart takes that make you enjoy your favorite comfort watches/reads even more. Scroll back through the archives and start with an episode about your favorite show. (Includes mature content)
Wimbledon (the 2004 movie). Sports + romance + the charisma of Kirsten Dunst = the perfect rom com. As a bonus, there’s a Sentimental Garbage episode you can listen to after watching the movie, and the guest is the charming Jessica Brown Findlay (famous for her role as Sibyl in Downton Abbey). Watch free on Prime Video.
What I always take on a beach vacation
Because having a set packing list to consult is relaxing.
Beauty
S! P! F! EltaMD is truly the best. Leaves your face glowy but not shiny, like good skincare. The tinted version would be perfect when you want a little coverage. (It doesn’t flatter my particular fair-pink skin tone, but seems like it would be great for fair-neutral, medium, and dark skin tones.) My tinted go-to is Sunvisor from Saie, which is supposed to be a universal shade.
Self tanner. St. Tropez mousse goes on streak-free with the mitt and you can customize the shade by washing it off sooner or later. The bronzing mist is great for your face, hands, and feet.
Tinted balm. I recently discovered Miracle Balm from Jones Road Beauty and I’m obsessed. Foundation on the beach is obviously not the move, but we all want to look our best. Tinted sunscreen all over the face + this balm on the cheeks / lips / high points of the face and you’re golden. Literally. Apply to collarbones / shoulders for a subtle highlight. Apply to hair to tame flyaways. There’s a great shade finder quiz on the site and I think this product is Bobbi Brown’s pièce de résistance.
Lip gloss. Keep lips hydrated during the day with Ilia’s Lip Wrap Reviving Balm. I find this product to magically always feel cold without being minty. (Currently sold out but worth getting notified when it restocks.) When you want a little more pigment in the evening, Ilia’s Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil is fantastic.
Tropical perfume. Aerin Hibiscus Palm is my go-to. Sweet florals give me a headache and this one isn’t too sweet. There’s a little bit of ginger in there, which everyone you pass will find intriguing. P.S. Travel with a rollerball, always!
Things to wear
A wedge heel. Castañer makes the holy grail espadrille and all the French girls wear them on vacation. I think the 80mm heel is the perfect height.
Printed dress. Cara Cara makes the ideal bright, breezy beach dress that looks equally cute with a straw hat and flip flops for a casual lunch as it does with espadrilles, jewelry, and a shiny blowout for a dressed-up dinner.
Packable hat. I’m never without this one from Helen Kaminski. My cost per wear on this hat is like 10 cents. Wide enough to truly shade your face, stays put because of a padded band on the inside, multiple ways to wear the brim, adds chicness to every outfit/swimsuit, and no matter how badly you smash it into your suitcase, it always bounces back and looks perfect.
Chic sunglasses. My favorite pair is this one from Le Specs because it’s super stylish, but under $100 so it’s not the end of the world if I drop them in the water.
Elegant swimsuit. Hunza G makes great-quality designs and the texture guarantees modesty. I’ve never bought a Marysia suit but think the scallops are so pretty and feminine. This one is black/navy reversible: two for one perfection. Just add straw hat, big sunglasses, and a great pareo, and you’ve got old Hollywood starlet energy.
Speaking of that, a great pareo. Doubles as a beach blanket.
Oversized shirt. I equally endorse this one from Alex Mill and this one from AYR. Wear on the airplane over leggings, then as a swimsuit coverup, daytime top, tied around your waist, draped over your shoulders to protect from sun, etc. etc.
Flip flops. I like these from Tkees because they’re not plastic and you can also wear them somewhere with a slightly nicer dress code.
That’s it! Do less this week!
xx Jane
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