Friday, February 21, 2014

Beach of the Week: Tortola, BVI



Apple Bay, Tortola

Home of the infamous Bomba Shack, crystal clear water, and amazing white sand beaches, Apple Bay is to die for. The conditions are close to perfect close to all the time. Sebastian’s is a fabulous recommendation for a place to stay or rent a house for the week up the hill to enjoy breathtaking views. The sunset from this beach is full of pinks, but the full moon is when you really want to experience the beach. Full moon parties and a huge celebration in Tortola and you can be guaranteed a fun time  
 -as told by Annabel


        



Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Beach of the Week: The Baths, Virgin Gorda

The Baths, Virgin Gorda
Quite a touristy venue, but there is no doubt why. As a main attraction to British Virgin Islands, the baths are a beautiful beach where stones (more like boulders) have been smoothed by the waves and pile together to form crevices we named baths. Water washes up and meets the sand to create pools to relax, photograph, and play. I’ve been plenty of times in all types of conditions and there is no saying when a time is best except maybe later in the afternoon or earlier in the morning to avoid the crowds. I’ve even been in the rain and it doesn’t stop the people.

-as told by Annabel

Beach of the Week: Wrightsville Beach

Wrightsville Beach, NC
 There is never a problem in the world that a walk on this beach can’t cure. Sunsets at the south end. Cocktails and appetizers at the Oceanic Pier.  Fishing at Johnny Mercer’s Pier. And lovely long walks down through the north end. It may be full of college students, but we provide for excellent entertainment, Hammocks and slack lining set up under the piers. Surfers galore out in the water, And even a new era of hula hooping amongst the hippies. The college scene is definitely huge but the locals keep it surreal. Its never loud or over run by college drunks with the exception of the beach bar scene.  At about eleven you can find a crowds drinking, listening to live music, dancing to dj’s and the whole works. With a strip of beach bars open until two am and then pizza open across the street, Wrightsville is a recipe for an incredible time for the twenties.

Here's to the Gals of the Beach

Here’s to all the gals with knotted and salty hair- lets face it, its just better that way! Those girls out there with perfectly blow-dried, highlighted, straightened hair are not doing it the right way. Wind is how we dry our hair because we know that blow driers do not travel well and seriously who has time for them?? The sun gives us our your highlights because they are a token and reminder of the hours we spent soaking in the rays. The ocean leaves its waves in your hair. It’s a beautiful thing when the salt holds the waves.
Here’s to the gals with tanned bodies accustomed to random tan lines and those “where’d that come from” scraps and bruises- the bikini’s, sunglasses, rings, bracelets, whatever the tan line is it shows for a winter overcame by summer. As for the bruises and scraps, they build character. Callused feet mean withstanding the hot sands.
Here’s to the gals with eyes that hold a hundred visions- there is nothing more spectacular than women with passions. When people talk to us and the topic hits home, they can see our eyes light up and we cant hold back until our passion become theirs.
Smiles that shine brighter than a thousand sun- because happy girls are the prettiest girls and let’s face it most of us our lucky enough to live on the coast! We might not give ourselves enough credit but our smiles make everyone else around us smile brighter too. We can create our own sunshine.  
And finally here’s to the gals with a craving for the place where the desert meats the sea.  Where the waves can wash away any uncertainty or problem clouding our minds. Where not letting the tide reach our towels becomes a main concern. And where our families push the importance of sunblock and our friends remind us of the meaning of the word carefree.


The Green Flash

The Green Flash



For those of you who don’t know, the green flash happens when the sun sets across an ocean, when no clouds interfere, and no land overshadows the setting. I have lived my life on a quest to see the flash. Staring into countless sunsets and waiting to see the flash became my passion.  Travel allowed me to see sunsets from New Zealand, to Spain, to Hawaii and many other horizons. One time in Barbados I even sat on the same porch with someone who saw the flash, but I had no such luck. Then on my freshman year, spring break trip to Key West I sat and I watched the sun set from Mallory Square and low and behold I saw the flash.  I made my wish and I finally felt whole and fulfilled and it was everything I imagined it to be. It was almost like a spark and I felt lit. So keep your eye on the horizon and watch the sun burn down because its magical.


Bring on the KINI SO TINI!

Brazilian is SO, SO in!
If you are the first of your friends to start wearing them, then do it with confidence and be proud when everyone follows your lead. If you’re just catching in on the trend and think you can’t pull it off? You’re wrong my lady. Everyone starts with pale cheeks and all it takes is a day or two in the sun and boom, you’ve got your perfect booty. I started in my backyard and I was so nervous my dad or mom was going to come back and make a remark about my bare butt, but honestly, all the junk is covered up its just a little more skin.  I was modest about my kini for a whole summer, but as I became more and more aware of the kini world, I got over feeling shy. I started strutting myself in front of families and friends because after a while I liked the attention and realized I was trendsetting. Two years passing and the local surf shop just caught on (; Once you convert there is no going back because you realize how unflattering those diapers are. Butt or not butt, work what you got! May I suggest the oh, so fabulous Acacia Swimwear brand!


Thursday, February 6, 2014

Beach of the Week: Hanalei Bay, Kauai

Hanalei Bay, Kauai
If you can get past the occasional sun shower, this is the most beautifully located beach. It is tucked away in a cove out of rough seas and strong currents, However, the two main surf breaks are further out and require quite a paddle, The pier is full of life with little Hawaiian nuggets jumping off and swimming all around. Around the beach there is a river that flows from the mountains and can run a bit chilly, Also, there are rich forests surrounding the cove that provide for excellent hikes. Lastly, the town is full of great dining experiences, clothing stores, and art galleries. The local vibe is very down to earth.