Get Your Hands on Some Vans!

Get Your Hands on Some Vans! by elbonner featuring flower print shoes

Like any person on this planet with a brain in their head, I love me some shoes! Not in a Carrie Bradshaw sense where I willingly put myself into bankruptcy in order to cram my man-feet into some tiny Manolo Blahniks. I just likes a good pair of comfortable shoes in a bajillion different colors and patterns to match with everything I possibly could. That being said, I can safely say that my favorite kind of shoe is a classic pair of Vans; Authentic, Old Skool, Van Doren, Era, Sk8 Hi, all that good stuff. They're good for skating, walking, standing, lifting, and surprisingly good when on sailboats. I've been wearing Vans since I was in elementary school when I had vast color choices like black and navy blue. Nowadays, Vans come in all sorts of cool colors, materials, and patterns and are perfect editions to your casual everyday outfits! Vans also make great gifts for people because they are good shoes at a good value that only get better with age. Vans look just as good out of the box as they do after a summer of boardwalking and block partying! If you're looking for a cool present for a special shoe-loving person in your life, do them a favor and get them a cool pair of Vans!

Sk8 Hi Slim- Simple, classic, and hugely popular this season. Keep your little ankle warm with a hi-top style that immediately adds 50 points to your coolometer. Now they come in cool patterns, like the one pictured above, and even beautiful colored suede that makes them as durable as they are stylish.

Authentic- The original Vans shoe that comes in every color of the rainbow. I love this pacific/royal blue color and think it would make a great addition to any shoe collection.

Era- I like the Era because it typically mixes prints and colors and look really cool. I have a black and leopard pair that get compliments everywhere I go! Has a little cushion in the heel and makes them a comfortable shoe for long days.

Slip-On - I love slip-ons. Sometimes I am so lazy, tying my shoes just isn't an option. These shoes make that heinous chore a thing of the past! I love the classic checkerboard style and I actually wore them for work for a while. I am loving the orchid suede pair pictured above!

VANS OFF THE WALL

Instagram @e_bythesea

Pinterest @ebythesea86

Spread The Christmas Gear!

Christmas Gear! by elbonner featuring handcrafted christmas ornaments

I know modern-day Christmas is just a holiday created by retailers to get you to max out all of your credits cards and is secretly evil, but sometimes it's fun to fantasize about the stuff you might get. This is not only a Christmastime thing for me, but there's something about this season of excess that makes anything seem possible! When I make lists and things for people (they ask for them!), I usually end up putting things on them I really need (new work scrubs, practical winter gloves), not things that I particularly fixate on. I don't want anyone wasting their money! But there's something fun about wanting stuff and Christmas is the perfect time to want stuff (especially beachy stuff). But don't forget, there are plenty of people out there who will be receiving little-to-no stuff for Christmas, so give when you can to make someone elses dreams come true! Now, on the eve of the now Thanksgiving Shopocalypse here's a list of stuff that I don't necessarily need, but totally love anyways! Who knows, maybe someone in your life does need this stuff! Happy shopping season!

NARS Laguna Bronzer

Samudra Temae Pouch

New Balance Classics

White + Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap

Issa De' Mar Hina Top/Bottoms

Intelligentsia Coffee

Special Jewelry Bonanza!

Pearl Love Double Strand Bracelet

Goldfish Kiss for Kate Davis Barbed Necklace

Kate Davis "Mer Button" Beach Bum Necklace

Kate Davis Tideline Studs

Long Lost Jewelry Bioluminescence Shark Tooth Necklace

Pinterest @ebythesea86

Instagram @e_bythesea

Underneathe It All (Not the No Doubt Song!)

When summer starts to wind down, all I want to do is be in the water. Unfortunately, this time of year is prime time for jellyfish spawn which makes the water around my area feel like you're swimming through partially-formed Jell-O that can hurt you.  Hooray! I wish I had better access to a pool without having to bother other people to use it, but I can't complain! I was spoiled last year going somewhere with beautiful, warm, clear water that had a bunch of cool creatures swimming around in it that was calm enough for me to see further underwater than I ever had before! Here are a bunch of beautiful photos that I find myself constantly looking at, wishing I was there floating around. All are care of Pinterest, my ultimate daydream machine that's chock-full of awesome underwater photography. Enjoy!

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Well, that's enough for now. If you don't already want to dive into a clear body of water, then you certainly do now. Have a good weekend everyone!

WTF, Emily: Where The Hell I've Been

I think it's safe to say that sometimes you just don't have the umph to go the extra mile. Sometimes you just want to be a lazy lump. That is where I've been the past few weeks (oops!). I had a week off from work, and even though I didn't go away on vacation, I spent my time doing stuff that I like to do. I stayed busy without having to worry about running myself ragged. At work, the week before my vacation was a scene straight out of Satan's butthole and all I wanted to do that first day off was crash and relax. I wanted my week off to be low-key and low-stress and it was! I took a few pictures so let's force you to look at those now!

We went on a ton of walks around our neighborhood.There are a bunch of hibiscus flowers blooming at the moment and I always take the time to stop in appreciate them. They make me feel like I'm some place tropical! The pink ones were in a small park on one of our walking routes and the flowers, I swear, were almost as big as my head. Hooray for freakishly big flowers!

I like that my city is old (too bad it's sinking). There's a lot of cool architecture and neat little places tucked into neighborhoods that you wouldn't see from the main roads. 

I went thrifting and found some cool records! This one is a compilation of all those songs that remind you of vintage Hawaiian news-reels and movies. I was worried that it wouldn't play, but I figured even if it didn't I could frame the cover. I got the soundtrack to South Pacific too which has a big ol' picture of Tahiti on it which is always a plus.

I ordered this book almost two months ago and Amazon finally got it in stock. It's a the "sequel" to the Surf Cafe Cookbook which is awesome. This one is more about the whole beachy lifestyle and includes ideas on decorating your house, creating a useable garden, and it also has a bunch of really good-looking recipes. Click HERE to get yours!

It was wonderful waking up later than 6:30in the morning, eating a good breakfast, getting some exercise and sunshine, and having a no-stress time with the BF. We even saw a sweet zipline park not far from us that we will probably frequent once the tourists get the heck out of here. I hope you all are enjoying your summer and denying that it will ever end. I watched The Endless Summer whilst doing my laundry and wished I lived in a place or had the ability to go to a warmer place in the colder months because last winter was the winter from Hell, but it just gives me something to look forward to in the future! Have a good week everyone!

Oh, and here's a picture of a praying mantis that landing on my windscreen and looks like a space monster attacking the city:

 All hail the Mantis!

It's Gotten Hot in Here: July and Summer Favorites

July and Summer Favorites by elbonner featuring Supergoop!

Summer is fully here and I'm loving it so far. I love the beach, the warmth, the thunderstorms, the Slurpees. Summer is just better! So far, I haven't done a whole lot or gone many places; visited friends here and there, but nothing elaborate like last summer was. Last summer will be tough to ever beat. I do find myself wishing I had a Hawaiian vacation planned, but that's a lot of planning and a lot of money and really far away. I'm not too bothered by it; I've been setting my sights on all of the cool stuff I've tried and seen this summer and I've come up with a bit of a favorites post! Onward to the favorites!

Becca Cosmetics

Luminous Skin Color Ultra Sheer Foundation Spf 25- Sheer enough, but covers enough. I'm not a fan of foundations, but I find that even most tinted moisturizers cover too much. I like my freckles to show! All I want is a dewy complexion that is being paraded around like it's actually mine. This stuff is great and I found it on Amazon Prime which is even better!

Bronzing Skin Perfector- With dry skin, using any kind of powder, even bronzer, sucks the much needed moisture from my face. This bronzing liquid/gel gives me a hint of moisture and a good bronzey color!

Kevin Murphy Hair Products

Hair Resort Beach Texturizer- I got my hair cut yesterday and my stylist used the spray version of this product on my hair and it was amazing! It smells like a dreamsicle, doesn't give you frizzy beach hair, and is just an all-around amazing hair texturizer. I had a ton of volume and it looked great even after I woke up this morning!

Photographic evidence of my awesome hair!

Powder Puff- This is the only volumizing powder that I've actually liked. It's easy to apply, doesn't feel like gum in your hair, and it's in the cutest bottle ever. My stylist used this to make my big hair even bigger and I'm in love with it now! These products are sold at salons and random places online, but check out their website to confirm where you can buy everything they have!

Supergoop Spf 50 Sunscreen- This gets an award for being the easiest sunscreen to apply that isn't a spray. My boyfriend LOVES this stuff because he is able to actually rub it in on his hairy legs and arms. Other sunscreens usually goop up and matte everything down like some sort of abandoned animal, but this stuff smells like basil and really protects you while you're out in the sun!

Cool Surfer T-Shirts

I like to surf, but I am very VERY bad at it. When my area gets waves on days when I can actually go, they're always choppy, there are rip currents everywhere, and I usually tire out and just lay on my board in the ocean for the next half hour. I make up for my lack of surfing ability by having/wanting cool t-shirts from cool little-know surf companies.

Salvage Public "Pivot Fin"- Printed on organic cotton in Hawaii, Salvage Public is all about preserving local Hawaiian surf culture. They've got some great designs and are even trying to use Hawaiian grown indigo dyes for their screens. I want all of them, I tell you, ALL OF THEM!

Salt Surf Reverse Tee- Salt Surf makes beautifully simple boards, an apparently, beautifully simple t-shirts. Salt is great in so many ways, on french fries, in the ocean, making surfboards in New York. I love this design and it comes in a couple different colors too!

Almond Surfboards Tec Specs Tee- Almond, based in Newport, CA makes beautiful boards that I would die just to see in person. They've come out with some pretty cool clothes too. And who doesn't love a good diagram? This is only one of the cool shirts I found on their website!

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. And if you're in the southern hemisphere, it sucks to be you! Just kidding, have a great weekend, go to a barbeque, jump in a pool, drink some lemonade. Have fun!!

Instagram @e_bythesea

Pinterest @ebythesea86

Healthy Snacks That Won't Make You Hate Everything

Being healthy is super good for you; I mean, it's the only way to really ensure you'll be rockin' and rollin' for a long time to come. The problem with being healthy is that with all the terrible stuff out that taste just so damn good, it's really difficult to be good when you're surrounded by demons all the time. I pass every fast food restaurant you could imagine, there are two donut shops close by that DELIVER, there are three ice cream establishments within a lazy walking distance, and Amazon Prime makes it possible for me to have cookies auto-shipped to my house twice a month. It's really easy to get off track, and I have a thousand times. My weak points are when I don't have a snack before lunch and that dangerous time before dinner when I'm as ravenous as a bunch of starved wolves. The key is healthy snacks. Healthy snack can keep a craving from turning into a 4500 calorie, open-gullet,  food dump. I demonzied snacks until I realized that I can't clean the same for room 25 times without replenishing the fuel supply. I have a little arsenal of healthy snack now to keep the fire burning before lunch, before my workout or before dinner!

1. Apple with Peanut Butter

Pinterest

Any apple, any low-sugar peanut butter. Done. It's great if peanut butter runs through your veins and want something a little healthier than crackers to eat it with. This is great in the fall when apples are in season and super cheap. this can also be made into a sandwich for a hefty-yet-healthy lunch.

2. Rice Cakes (With Toppings!!)

Pinterest

Rice cakes have gotten a bad wrap as a tasteless cardboard disk, but it's an edible plate full of possibilities! Rice cakes are the vessel upon which healthy dreams can occur! Herer are some of my favorite combos:

Plain rice cake, peanut butter, coconut flakes

White cheddar rice cake, hummus, red pepper strips

Popcorn rice cake, almond butter, blueberries

The possibilities are really endless! Stop throwing rice cakes to the curb and add something to them!

3. Tuna Salad

Pinterest

Get out of here mayonnaise! You're not invited to this tuna salad partay! Tuna salad is a versitile wonder fish that can go with all sorts of different mix-ins. Here are some good ones:

Greek Yogurt

Avocado

Red Onion

Green Onion

Hot Sauce

Spicy Mustard

Red Cabbage

Dried Cranberries

Diced Tomatoes

I reccommend axing the usual mayo and using Greek yogurt for extra protein and fewer calories. Eat it on some wheat crackers,on a rice cake (!!), or just plain out of your tupperware! Tuna has lots of protein and not a lot of carbs so it's a great snack!

4. Deviled Eggs

Pinterest

Deviled eggs are not just for cookouts and unwanted office parties. Eggs are eggcellent (hur hur!) sources of protein and keep you full and satisfied! Eggs are good for you, it's been proven over and over again, and these deviled eggs don't need mayo to make them delicious. Good things to mix in with your yolks are as follows:

Guacamole Eggs- egg yolk, mashed avocado, diced red onion, diced tomato, lime juice, cayenne pepper
Classic- egg yolk, spicy mustard, relish,salt, pepper, smoked paprika

Sinus Clearing- egg yolk, horseradish, sea salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese 

One or Two eggs are all you need to pump the energy levels back up and get back to doin' your thang!

All of these snack are easy to make ahead of time, travel well, and taste great. They are full of protein, fiber, and stuff that keeps your body happy and healthy. No celery sticks or baby carrots here, these are great for people who are looking to keep the muscle and hustle! Ok, enough with the stupid rhymes, try bringing these to work and school and see the difference in your energy level and ravenous end-of-the-day hunger! Eat up, everyone!

Shoes of Summer

Shoes of Summer by elbonner featuring synthetic boots

For what feels like centuries, I have worn the same brown leather, Rainbow flip flops every day that I didn't have to work in the summer. Don't get me wrong, I love my Rainbow's and recommend them to anyone with feet, but sometimes I want something with a little more pizzazz! Luckily, there are all sorts of cool shoe trends happening that make me want to just turn my walk-in pantry to an overflow shoe closet (who needs canned tomatoes?!). And the best thing of all is that all of the shoes pictured are available in one awesome place: Swell.com, one of the best clothing sites out there!. Here are my favorites so far:

Embellishments: Coins, buckles, embroidery, fringe, excessive amounts of beads. Throw them on a shoe and this bitch is chomping at the bit. Shoes like this can make any boring outfit way more interesting. White t-shirt and jean shorts? Embellished sandals! T-shirt dress? EMBELLISHED SANDALS! These two from Swell are so incredible I almost did a spit take when I saw them and make me actually want to take the time to keep my feet looking like dried up dinosaur skin that's been sitting an a dehydrator for 5 million years!

Cute, but Comfortable: Let's face it, sometimes cute shoes destroy your feet and you find yourself craving something that will give your soles a little more TLC. Thanks to companies like Sanuk (top) and Havaiana (bottom), comfortable shoes don't need to be butt-ugly. The Sanuk Yoga Sling sandals incorporate Sanuk's yoga mat foot bed technology (sooooo squishy) with some seriously soft toe/ankle straps that are like the slipper version of a gladiator sandal. Havainas has partnered with Mara Hoffman, a swimwear designer with the coolest prints ever, to make printed rubber sandals that are beautifully squishy and bright. The all-rubber sandals are great for the beach because they won't be ruined if they're accidentally taken away by the tide. If it's comfort you seek, look no further!

Bootie Patrol: Ankle boots! Why did it take so long for me to accept you into my wardrobe?! Ankle boots are great with skinny jeans, but I think they are even better with shorts. I cannot wear heels, I JUST CAN'T. I've tried and I can't walk very fast in them, which my tall boyfriend hates, and my feet are destroyed by the end of the night. I can wear ankle boots with dressier outfits that I can't wear sandals with and still look appropriate whilst still being able to walk. Swell has a bunch of cute ankle boots that are great if you're going to do a lot of walking or need some toe coverage. I wear them all the time and they're always a big hit. I only need like a two-inch heel with a little western flair and I'm hot-to-trot!

If you're stuck in a shoe rut (I'm looking at you Old Navy flip-flop cult followers) and need to spice up your shoe game, look around you and see the great offerings available to you. And check out Swell for all the shoes shown above. Now, get to steppin'!

Swell Fringe Embellished Thong Sandal
Swell Sequined Leather Toe Ring Sandal
Sanuk Yoga Sling Sandals
Havainas Mara Hoffman Anada Slim Flip Flop
DV by Dolce Vita Fisher Fringe Bootie
Roxy Carrington Boot
Volitale Very Movement Wedge Bootie

Instagram @e_bythesea
Twitter @e_bythesea
Pinterest @ebythesea86