Wouldn’t it be nice to have all the money in the world…and be able to buy as many shoes as you want?

Today, I’ve been lusting after this beautiful pair of Joan & David “Darly” sandals…

Aren’t they so pretty? I love the bow detail on the toe, paired with the fierceness of the snakeskin. What a fun combo of tough and girly! Maybe they’ll go on sale soon…

Is there an item that you’re currently wishing for? What is it?

It is no secret that I absolutely love ice cream. I eat a small scoop of frozen yogurt pretty much every night for dessert…and I jump at any opportunity to visit Dairy Queen or our local “you say when” yogurt shop. Heck, I even love a plain vanilla cone from McDonald’s off of the Dollar Menu (it’s the only thing I ever go there for).

Apparently Lucia has adopted the same penchant for frozen treats. (P.S. – did you know that if you have your pup with you at Dairy Queen they will give him/her a small cup of ice cream? They call it a “pup cup,” and it is free!) My girl knows what’s good…

 Look at her…eyeing the prize…trying to look extra cute and hoping that I’ll be generous…

 The problem here is that I really love a good ice cream cone, and I don’t like to share. How selfish of me…

 But you know what? I can’t resist that little face. Darn her! I caved and let her have the bottom bite of my cone. Aren’t I nice?

Does your pet love ice cream or other cold treats?

One of my favorite things about blogging is hearing from others; I love getting opinions, thoughts, and the like!

I thought it might be fun to pose some thought provoking (or, well…just random) questions every once in a while, and I want to hear your answers! Of course, I’ll be sharing mine as well!

So, let’s start:

What was the last thing you regret buying?

I almost hate to admit this, because it’s a piece of clothing. Typically, I have a 2 week rule when I purchase new clothing: if I don’t wear something in 2 weeks, I return it. However, I ran into some problems this year with the strange Florida winter. You see, it never did get cold here! Usually we experience cold weather that requires pants, boots, and coats…but in the past 2 months we have only had a very small number of those days. Heck…it was 80 degrees outside yesterday…in January! Something is wrong with this picture.

Anyway, in the fall I went shopping at GAP. They were selling some lovely, soft, stretchy corduroy leggings. The taupe color was calling my name, and the fit was spot on. I really wanted them, and they happened to be on sale. I couldn’t resist, and I was sure that I would need to wear them once the weather got a bit chilly (and they’d be a nice change from just wearing jeans with boots).

Well, time passed. The 2 week window went by, and I hadn’t worn them…but I gave them a special exception to the rule due to the weather. And guess what? The weather stayed in the 80s. Christmas came, and I was wearing a tank top outside! Ridiculous. It is now January and I haven’t had the opportunity to wear the darn things yet. I am SO mad at myself for breaking my 2 week rule, and now I’m filled with regret because I can’t return them. It isn’t that I don’t like the pants, because I do! It’s just that I don’t see many opportunities to don them coming up in the near future. I hope I still fit into them when that time does come around…I WILL wear them, dang it!

So tell me, what was the last thing YOU regret buying?

Lately, I’ve been having fun mixing and matching the various patterns in my closet. A few years ago, I never would have been bold enough to try it. However, taking risks and adding some whimsy/fun by mixing patterns has turned out pretty well!

 I won’t lie: I’ve heard a few comments about my mixing leopard with floral: “um, your shoes don’t match your shirt.” Well…yeah…they aren’t supposed to! I know the mismatched patterns aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if it makes you happy: do it!

These shoes are one of my favorites: they are the Ivanka Trump “Pinkish” platforms. I have been wearing them quite a bit lately: I love how the pattern pops so nicely! Also – the tapered but rounded toe is a really nice touch. I can attest to the fact that they are quite comfortable! They are 3.75″ tall, but have a small hidden platform in the toe that is .75″ tall…so you only feel as though you’re wearing 3″ heels. Love! I definitely recommend them if you’re in the market for a new pair of closed toe pumps!

 Floral chiffon top: Merona, purchased at Target

Owl pendant: purchased at Target, $12.99

Jeggings: purchased at Marshalls, $16.99

Studded handbag: purchased at T.J. Maxx, $29.99

Leopard pumps: Ivanka Trump “Pinkish” platforms, purchased at Nordstrom, similar here, other colors on sale at Piperlime

Are you a fan of mixing patterns in your wardrobe at times?

I’m sure you’re already aware, but I’ll post another disclaimer: this post is picture heavy…and potentially hunger-inducing.

During the course of our stay at Capella Ixtapa, we enjoyed a variety of different dinners.

Night 1, we dined at A Mares…Capella Ixtapa’s fine dining restaurant. Instead of partaking in the 3 course meal, we each just ordered an entree.

One weeknight, Capella Ixtapa was offering a taco night. For $30 a person, we were treated to unlimited tacos with fresh corn tortillas, a huge variety of meats, and almost too many topping choices to count! Oh, and we each received 2 glasses of wine as part of the deal…not too shabby. Justin managed to take down 10 tacos: I didn’t know if I should be proud or concerned (to be fair, corn tortillas are pretty small in size so they don’t hold much).

Part of our package at Capella Ixtapa included a 3 course dinner at their fine dining restaurant, A Mares.

The food presentation at A Mares was absolutely stunning. I also loved the fact that they always provided an amuse bouche before you began dinner. This evening, it featured scallops…

Justin and I both ordered the same salad: mesclun greens with caramelized pecans, balsamic reduction, gorgonzola dressing, and pear three different ways. It was so interesting!

For a second course, Justin ordered the hibiscus and tamarindo scallops. I opted for the asparagus risotto with black truffle oil, scallops, and parmesan: so good!

For a 3rd course, Justin ordered the coconut shrimp (but it looks like a fried egg! That’s actually coconut foam with a mango jelly of sorts…interesting!).

My third course was smoked mahi mahi with asparagus and rice. So so yummy!

Of course, you have to have dessert! Justin’s churros were gone so quickly I didn’t get a picture, but my beautiful, warm, chocolate lava cake was absolutely delicious…

After dinner/on our way back to our room, we would always stop by in the library. Each evening, the staff at Capella Ixtapa set out a bottle of tequila, glasses, salt, and lime wedges. We had a great time trying all of the different options throughout the week.

Sometimes, we just had to order a late night snack via room service.

Chicken club sandwich, with bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and a fried egg. So much yum:

Caesar salad:

One night, I was craving ice cream and french fries. The staff at Capella Ixtapa were more than willing to bring me the combo.

Also -  a mini cheesecake!

One interesting dinner feature we enjoyed one evening was grilled panella cheese served with fresh bread. It was so good!

On Friday evenings, Capella Ixtapa holds a manager’s cocktail hour. We were able to enjoy some margaritas (cucumber for Justin and a basil one for me) and an array of appetizers. Justin and I loved being able to have a variety of sushi (we don’t normally eat it, but it was good to try some out; it made me want to try some easier “tame” versions at home perhaps!).

And last but not least, one evening we were able to enjoy a special dinner outside at Capella Ixtapa’s fish market restaurant. You were able to pick your freshly caught fish right off the ice…it kind of scarred me a bit. We instructed them to de-bone and remove the skin off of our fish, but you can have it prepared however you desire (if having a head attached is your thing…go for it)!

We were seriously spoiled with amazing food during our stay at Capella Ixtapa. I really appreciated the fact that their cuisine featured fresh and healthy options that tasted delicious!

Do you enjoy partaking in healthy cuisine when on vacation, or do you prefer to splurge?