Packing List: Mexican All-Inclusive Resort

I'm deep in planning mode for our winter vacation to Mexico, and since it's my second trip to an all-inclusive resort, I feel more prepared than the first time around. Besides the obvious, here's what I'll bring:

• A Turkish towel. Because sometimes the resort's towels aren't great, and they don't dry nearly as fast.
• Glam pool wear (huge hat, cat-eye sunnies, and black bikini). Because I like to pretend that I'm a D-list celebrity when pools and cocktails are involved.
• Waterproof mascara and bright lipstick. Because that's all you need to pair with your sun-kissed glow.
• EWG-approved sunscreen for face, lips, and body (3-ounce bottles). Because I will not get burned on my first day again. And I won't slather questionable chemicals on my skin, either.
• A fun float. Because floating in the Caribbean Sea surrounded by angel fish is pretty much the best thing ever.
• Cup and koozie. For getting extra-large drinks and keeping them cool.
• Travel candle. In case the room smells like a jungle.
• Meds. Because I don't want to spend $20 on Tums and aspirin in the gift shop. 
• Paperbacks. Because I don't want to worry about leaving my Kindle alone when I go for a walk.

What did I forget?
P.S. Here's the post from my last trip to Mexico.

Eurodreams.

I'm back from Portugal and Spain, and as good as it is to be home, and as excited as I was to start a new job, I'm still a little sad every day that I'm not waking up there. It all feels a little bit like a dream.

This particular beach was on the Costa Brava, a short but intense hike through woods and tunnels and stone staircases near our hotel. This was the view when we rounded the corner, and we realized why they call it Aigua Blava ("blue water" in Catalan). We hung out on the beach for an hour or two, soaking up the Spanish sun and watching the adorable French and Spanish families (complete with topless mamas) on holiday.

If you follow me on social media, you've already seen dozens of photos from the trip (like it or not). I'll be sharing more here soon.

plight of a pale girl.

So, I feel a bit behind-the-times asking this, but what are your thoughts on self-tanner? I'm a few weeks away from living in a bikini, and I'm as translucent as the day I was born. Tanning beds are out, obviously, but I'd like to fake a bit of a glow, at least. Any advice, dear readers? Favorite brands, methods?

jekyll island.

Last summer, I wanted to take a big trip somewhere exotic. I was researching Mexican resorts, pricing flights to Italy and Argentina. But ultimately we decided to save our money and go somewhere within driving distance. I was disappointed, but it ended up being one of our best vacations ever.

We decided to drive down to Georgia's Sea Islands and booked a couple of nice hotels, but otherwise made a conscious effort not to overplan anything. This trip was about relaxing.

We started out on Jekyll Island, a small, largely undeveloped island with an old-school beach town vibe. Our hotel was weirdly empty, and we were glad to have the beach and the pool, with a canopy of live oak branches overhead, mostly to ourselves. The island is filled with bike paths, so when the temperatures dropped in the evenings and early in the morning, we took to two wheels to explore the island.

Although most of Jekyll is rustic and some parts are even a little run-down, the best area of the island is the Jekyll Island Club, a historic resort that once served as a playground for American royalty like the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts. We drove up to the grounds just in time to witness the most stunning pink sunset over the sound, then walked around and investigated the "cottages" (read: opulent mansions) of the former residents.

Next Up: St. Simon's Island.

dogs at the beach.

On Sunday we took Muni and his cousin Sammy to Sullivan's Island to play in the water. Although technically dogs aren't allowed off-leash on local beaches (unless you're a crazy early bird), the beaches are fairly empty in the winter so you won't be hassled.

Sammy enjoyed chasing his ball into the tidepool, while Muni preferred to wait in the shallows or run along the surf. Seriously, there's nothing more joyful than a dog allowed to run free on the beach.

pier.

The other night after an oyster-heavy happy hour, we strolled (and skated) our way over to an old fishing pier to watch the sun set. We sat at the end and watched as several big fish corralled a school of smaller fish into a tight, dinner-ready mass. Bon appetit.

lifeguard shacks.

gulf sunset.

One of the best things about being on Florida's gulf coast are the sunsets over the water — a rare treat for East Coasters.

The beaches on Siesta Key are pretty phenomenal — powdery white sand, crystal clear water, and the weather has been perfect. There's also been some great people watching. Already we've seen three weddings and countless men in Speedos (for some reason, a lot of Europeans seem to vacation here).

water.

I feel so lucky to live near the beach. Enjoying a bit of this today:

 

*just some wet images I've collected on Tumblr.

folly beach.

Charlestonians are faced with a monumental question in the summer: Which beach do you go to? The answer says a lot about the kind of person you are. My longtime favorite, Sullivan's Island, is low-key and family-friendly with tree-lined paths to the beach, cute older cottages, and a sprinkling of sandy bars. Isle of Palms is full of newer, bigger homes, tourists, and rowdy rock shows and bikini bashes. If you go to Capers or Dewees islands, you either have a boat or know someone who has one. If you go to Kiawah or Seabrook, you're probably loaded.

And then there's Folly Beach, the old-fashioned "edge of America" populated by hippies, surfers, and other laid-back beach bums. There you can have drinks on the sand, catch some of the area's biggest (though still small) waves, grab brunch on a rooftop deck, and still find a halfway affordable rental property. Yet somehow, I've never been a fan of Folly.

But I'm starting to warm up to it. I've had to drive out there a few times to research island restaurants for work, and I felt a distinct shift somewhere between munching on tuna nachos with watermelon salsa and watching the sun set from the pier. The traffic might be bad and the parking worse, but Folly Beach really is a special place, when you slow down to enjoy it. It's all about lingering over margaritas on a breezy patio, walking down the street with an ice cream cone, and watching the sun set.

i need some of this.

 ***

It's safe to say that I live for summer, and when it's not here, I'm not all here either. I'm not depressed, but when we start getting those first hints of spring, I get happier than I've been in a long time.

 

***

I'm sort of desperate for winter to end. I want the sun to stay out until 9 o'clock, and to sit on my porch way past then enjoying the night. I want to sweat, and I want salty, sunburned naps. I want to ride my bike until my legs ache and spend hours on the beach doing nothing but staring at the water.

more summer.

Take me there.