Carmel by the Sea. A weekend at the Hofsas House

My fiance and I recently had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful town of Carmel by the Sea. Crazy to think, as Bay Area natives, we've been to Monterey several times but never had a chance to visit Carmel, and we couldn't be more thankful that we finally did! It's definitely an underestimated gem so close to home and we'll definitely be heading back!

Carmel by the Sea is a beautiful European inspired town in Monterey County, minutes walking distance to a gorgeous beach, filled with art galleries and wineries. They bring a rich history and this year they are celebrating their 100 year anniversary. Its a charming place that welcomes visitors with a friendly attitude and offers a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of the over crowded and over commercialized city.

The town has so many unique quirks I find of great value in our day when technology rules all. For one thing, addresses do not exist in Carmel by the Sea. I thought this was crazy! If you try to look up an address you'll merely get the closest intersection. All residents/businesses have a PO box and have to physically go to the post office to get their mail but at the same time promoting a strong sense of community and allowing you to get to know you neighbors. Now that, I do like. On top of that, every single sign in town must be a wooden one. How cool is that?! Here, you won't find a single Starbucks or Lulu Lemon. (Not that I have anything against either of these brands). The town is all about supporting small businesses and bringing things back to a simple idea of getting out on your feet to discover uniqueness and quality. And that alone is had me smitten by this adorable town of Carmel by the Sea.

One of my favorite things when traveling is strolling through the local streets and allowing myself to get lost and discover the beauty in each new place. Carmel by the Sea was made for just this, with something beautiful and intriguing around every corner. Carmel offers a refreshing art scene including sculpture, paint and photography alike. Shops offer one of a kind products that you can find in the typical department store.

We had the pleasure of staying at the charming Hofsas House Hotel, a super cute boutique hotel with a killer location and amazing service in the heart of Carmel by the Sea. A family owned hotel, with 60 years of history in the gorgeous town. Its dusty pink walls give a nostalgic retro vibe and the Bavarian inspired ambiance introduces a European charm to its visitors.

Just a short 2 and a half hour drive outside San Francisco, we arrived just before sunset to catch the gorgeous view from our room overlooking the water.

We had an amazingly comfortable stay. Carmel is THE perfect weekend getaway to unwind. It was such a refreshing break from all the overly trendy and routine bustle of San Francisco.

Literally just a few blocks away to the many choices of restaurants, wineries, galleries and shops we were eager to explore the town the moment we arrived.

One of Hofsas House's newest packages includes the Wine Walk Passport. Trust me when I say it's worth every single penny. In the passport you receive 9 vouchers that can each be redeemed for a full flight at several of the tasting rooms all located within just a few blocks of each other. The best thing is it's on your own schedule and they don't expire so if you have any left over you can come back and use them again or gift them to friends! We wandered into the Vino Napoli, Caraccioli Cellars, Dawn's Dream and Sheid tasting rooms, took home a couple bottles and even joined Sheid's wine club . . . and we still had vouchers left over!

And after a lovely night of great food and wine tasting, winding down in our room at Hofsas House with this incredible antique fireplace next to our bed was heavenly! Seriously, why don't all bedrooms have this?! They need to! This was my absolute favorite thing the entire weekend! AH il dolce far niente.

We were a bit obsessed with these Dutch doors!

Carrie, the owner of Hofsas House runs a lovely hotel with top notch service as a priority. Murals from artist Maxine Albro, including the iconic piece that greets its guests at the front of the hotel, bring character to the the place. Paired with pretty antiques in your room, you truly do feel at home at Hofsas House. It's not the Hilton, and its not trying to be anything like that, and that's exactly what makes this place so beautiful and special. Good old warm hospitality and sincere character never go out of style. These are the places that you remember and want to come back to . . .

The Hofsas House coat of arms reads . . .

" Otium cum dignitate"

meaning, "Leisure with dignity" in Latin.

And it gave us just that!

Sunset in Carmel Beach by Christel Gellidon

* This is a sponsored post however all opinions and photos are my own.

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HVAR: Where I found Croatian fashion amongst the yacht life and beach parties

Stelavie in Hvar, Croatia. Dress by ASOS

The second stop during my visit to Croatia was the stunning island of Hvar. Famed as the posh destination for yacht week and glamorous beachside parties, the vibe in here was very different from that of Dubrovnik, yet matched its beauty.

After a four hour catamaran ride across the Adriatic, where we were lucky to catch the breathtaking sunset, we arrived in Hvar.

Turquoise blue water against the mediterranean architecture, with a coast lined with yachts, each bigger than the next. Did I just land into a scene from lifestyles of the rich and famous?!

There seemed to be a much larger tourist presence in Hvar, but it had a charm all on its own. More delicious seafood, all topped with more truffles. Lot's of pizza with a Croatian twist and all kinds of pastries filled with both savory and sweet goodness.

The crowds were both young and old, but all with one common objective in mind. To relax and have fun! Some brought their own parties as they pulled up in their massive yachts alongside the dozens of others who were there to do the same. While others, like the masses of college kids, ventured off to the beachside parties to enjoy the sunset with a drink in hand and music to set the tone.

Hula Hula Beach Bar. Photo by Christel Gellidon

My friends and I checked out the popular Hula Hula Beach Bar, known for having the best sunset view and best party scene to match. It did not disappoint. Tasty cocktails in a crowded setting along the coast, where you could choose to party hard alongside the DJ or sneak off to the amazing beach beds on the rocks and take in the sunset away from the crowd while still enjoying the music.

View from Hotel Amfora by Christel Gellidon

The view from our hotel, The Grand Hotel Amfora overlooked the Adriatic Sea and our own private beach. Five minutes walking distance to the main port of Hvar.

Bonj les Bains. Photo by Christel Gellidon

Take a walk with me, through the streets of Hvar.

We ventured away from the gorgeous coast into the narrow and winding cobble stoned paths inside Hvar. Lined with several shops and restaurants and, this is where the true locals of Hvar were.

Croatian Fashion

I stumbled upon a charming jewelry boutique, SOVILJ HVAR, selling unique, one of kind pieces, like the resin necklace I'm wearing below. I'm so happy to have discovered a Croatian designer in this wonderful shop.

A beautifully curated collection of wearable art, the owner and designer, Mr. Nenad Sovilj, is one of few well known Croatian designers. Inspired by nature and its elements, each piece is hand crafted like a sculpture by Mr. Sovilj. He often works with resin, metal and semi precious stones. His designs are unique, statement pieces and a beautiful Croatian piece of art indeed. And while my personal budget did not allow me to bring home one of his pieces on this trip, I will definitely be coming back to purchase a piece of Sovilj art on my next visit.

http://www.sovilj.com/

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What does a fashion student in Italy do? Visit leather factories and learn from the experts of course!

The perks of being a fashion student in Italy is that you get to learn first hand from the leading experts and most well know fashion houses of the industry. And what are the Italians certainly experts in? LEATHER, of course! One of the many hands on, out of the classroom experiences my program offered were visits to local leather factories and authentic leather workshops. One of these was a visit to Piero Tucci in Florence, Italy.

Here we learned about several parts of the leather product cycle, from understanding different levels of quality, hide selection, prepping, inking, embossing, and even the cut and sew process of assembling hand made products. While reading about these processes can be informative, authentic hands on learning from the experts is priceless.

There is nothing like seeing the process of raw material being transformed into a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Italians are all about quality, down to the last detail. And walking through the process in which quality is chosen and then elevated to art is a truly unique experience.

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Awestruck in Abu Dhabi

An extra excursion on my trip to Dubai, I knew a visit to Abu Dhabi could not be missed. I couldn't have been more right.

The capital and wealthiest of the seven emirates, Abu Dhabi is much more conservative and less designed for tourists as Dubai, yet offers equally unforgettable sights.

The greatest of these sights being The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, named after the beloved Sheikh Zayed whose wisdom and kindness united all seven emirates.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi by Christel Gellidon — The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi by Christel Gellidon

Hands down one of the grandest and most beautiful religious and cultural landmarks I've seen, The Grand Mosque was exquisite down to every last detail. From hand cut precious gems that created the floral designs on the walls, to the Swarovksi chandelier, to the largest hand sewn carpet in the world. No corner of opulence was missed.

The stark white marble of the structure quickly took my breath away. The sheer size and grandeur of the corridors and gold decorated pillars that lined them commanded respect.

My favorite of all the details was the gorgeous Kufi style calligraphy that was intricately designed into the beautiful mosque.

The main wall inside is decorated with the 99 names of Allah, in the calligraphy of famous calligrapher Mohammed Mandi Al Tamimi, who also designed the currency of the United Arab Emirates. On this visit I learned that since the Islam religion forbids depicting the image of Allah, calligraphy became the art of the culture. A beautiful craft to depict the most sacred of words and beliefs.

After soaking in the beauty of The Grand Mosque, our journey brought us to take in the views of the Abu Dhabi Marina.

A serene atmosphere at the intersection of the traditional and modern sides of the Emirate.

To end a visit full of extravagance, we continued on a visit to The Emirates Palace. An ultra VIP hotel that seems so much more. Here VIPs were the common customers while the VVIPs enjoyed a separate and private entrance to the establishment all together.

Thankful that they let us, common tourists sneak a glimpse, the Emirates Palace did not disappoint on its promise of opulence. Everywhere you turned the inside was dripping with gold. Gold gilded ceilings even a Gold ATM that dispensed gold keepsakes rather than cash!

A hotel fit for royalty, indeed.

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Colors of Brazil - Adriana Barra

During a trip to Sao Paulo, a local friend took me to visit a lovely boutique by Brazilian designer, Adriana Barra.

www.adrianabarra.com.br

I was immediately blown away by the vibrant patterns and colors.

Her mix of stark black and white with splashes of color was unique.

Every piece was full of life.

Her collections convey the positive energy, fun and freedom of the Brazilian lifestyle.

A breath of fresh air among many muted and simplistic designs trending. It was like walking through one life-size, colorful piece of art.

With a background in several creative mediums including, fashion design, interior design and photography, she left no detail untouched.

From the interior decor, to the rolls of raw fabric, the entire shop displayed her clever knack for visual art. I was delighted to learn she also studied in Florence, Italy as I did.

A truly unique and memorable visit in Brazil. Adriana's vision kept me wanting more.

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Style Profile: Michelle de Matheu

"I show that clothes are a vehicle, a SECRET LANGUAGE. It expresses your personality, thoughts and feelings. "

Going Gaga in the Gold Souk : Dubai

I had been reading about the legendary gold souks of Dubai long before my trip. The souks, or markets of Dubai are located in the older part of town in Deira.

When I finally visited this market of my dreams, the tantalizing array of gold and jewels far exceeded anything I envisioned. It was more than my senses could take!

A born and bread lover of opulence, I was in sheer awe at the extravagance and intricacy of the art being sold at the gold souk.

While Dubai is well known for its wealth and unmatched luxuries, I had never seen jewelry, or masterpieces rather, so breathtaking.

A necklace seems to be an understatement for the massive gold bibs as I will call them, that lined the windows of every shop. These things were pure gold, some encrusted with precious stones that stretched from the neck to the waist. Each with a unique design, down to the most intricate detail. Our guide informed me these beautiful pieces were traditional wedding jewelry for Arabic women.

I had the pleasure of trying on one of these beautiful pieces.

18k pure Italian gold. A mere $55,000.

That thing was heavy I tell you! But I still didn't want to take it off.

Difficult not to feel like a Sheikah in such royal jewelry. A girl could get used to this kind of bling!

Thank you to Hussein and his team at the Al-Romaizan shop for allowing me to try on, a such a high roller piece of merchandise, when it's generally not allowed. This was just one of their many amazing pieces of jewelry.

One day I vow to return to these halls of wonder and buy a gold bib!

She will be mine. Oh YES. She will be MINE.

But until then the glitz and glimmer of my memory will have to do.

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A Birthday at the Taj Mahal

Never in my life, did I expect to visit this world wonder. And here I was, spending my 26th birthday at the Taj Mahal as the sun sets. BLESSED.

China: Through the Looking Glass

This Spring the Anna Wintour Costume Center at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute brings us CHINA: Through the Looking Glass, a unique look at traditional Chinese fashion and art.

The collection will feature over 130 fashion pieces drawn from the Chinese culture' inspiration. The tone of the collection is accompanied by film clips depicting the influence of Chinese culture on the cinema industry.

“NEW YORK — Combining fashion and film, the spring exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute will be “China: Through the Looking Glass.””

— www.washingtonpost.com

Anna Wintour visited Beijing early this month to promote the upcoming collection., meeting with local designers from the country.

A major landmark at the intersection between fashion and travel, collections such as these not only emphasize the artistic design of the garments but more importantly celebrates the culture that inspires such masterpieces.

As wearable art, fashion draws inspiration from all corners of life. One of the most genuine of those is drawing from one's own cultural roots and reinventing the ideas as their own.

“We have a good tradition of going to the appropriate cities to launch these events…it’s a gesture of support and respect for whatever the subject matter of the exhibition might be,”

- Anna Wintour for WWD

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Ralph Lauren Channels Arabian Inspiration for SS15

Ralph Lauren channels some Arabian Inspiration with camels gracing his Spring Summer 2015 ads alongside new comer Sanne Vloet, looking ever so chic in the desert.

The safari influence is in full effect making the collection's neutral shades and sleek lines give new meaning to the Desert Safari.

Spot on timing for this trend inspiration was my own safari inspirations from my recent trip to Dubai this November. An unforgettable first visit to the middle east.

I spent one evening dune bashing my way through the Dubai desert. Which I must say was incredible fun and exhilarating ride! Riding camels through the desert, a traditional Arabic mean under the stars, followed by dance performance by a dervish and a belly dancer.

Here are some of my own photos from this amazing experience.

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Stel in Rio - New Year's in Rio de Jainero

Memories from ringing in the New Year on Copacabana beach in Rio De Jainero

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WANDERLUST

My dream is simple.

See the world.

And do it with style.

Photo by @stelavie_

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CHANEL CRUISE 2014/2015 DEBUTS IN DUBAI

CHANEL CRUISE 2014/2015 DEBUTS IN DUBAI

Yesterday Karl Lagerfeld debuted the Chanel Cruise collection for 2014/15 in an ultra chic and exclusive fashion show held on a private island, named THE ISLAND, in Dubai. The setting alone speaks volumes for this fashion powerhouse’s ever evolving vision. It’s not just relevant but a force to be reckoned as it continues to command design driven fashion amongst today’s many market driven assortments.

With private boats that escorted the A-list guests to The Island, custom Chanel tents, cushioned floor seating and Arabic fare that set the mood of the evening, it was sure to be nothing short of magical. It was simply beautiful how the Lagerfeld not only chose Dubai as his venue, but incorporated the very culture and heart of the Emirate into his collection and presentation. This collaboration between the culture and fashion is the very ideal that gets me excited about fashion.

AH this even is everything I dream of. High Fashion. An Exotic Destination. Exclusivity and Luxury. Oh a girl can only dream to one day be invited to such an event.

It will happen. One day.

The collection was moving, with vibrant prints, lush textures and flowing lines. The Arabic culture clearly played a huge inspirational role as illustrated by the harem bottoms, intricate mosaic-like patterns and the heavy, ornate jewelry.

The undeniable signature piece was the gold quilted Jerrycan handbag. Structured. Editorial. Boundary blind.

Lagerfeld continues to leave us awestruck.

With my first trip to the Emirates planned for this coming November, this show has only fueled my excitement to discover the rich heritage and fashion Dubai has to offer.

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Every garment radiates elegance and chic sophistication. LANVIN RESORT 2014 MYTRND.COM REVIEW BY CHRISTEL GELLIDON

MYTREND.COM REVIEW OF LANVIN RESORT COLLECTION 2014 LOOKBOOK

BY CHRISTEL GELLIDON

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