The Perfect Trip to the Greek Island of Paros

The Perfect Trip to the Greek Island of Paros

Imagine white-washed building with sky blue steeples surrounded by azure waters, the friendliest people, and the most delectable food. You’ve just imagined the Greek Isle of Paros. And I am going to tell you how to have the perfect trip on the Greek isle of Paros.

What is the best time of year to go?

I personally think that September is the most ideal time to go to the Greek islands in general. The Greek isles get very hot. July and August are not only extremely hot, but they’re also the height of tourist season. September, you’ll still be very warm, able to swim, snorkle, and explore, but it won’t be as scalding or as busy. Be sure to bring a wrap or sweater for dinner after the sun goes down.

Getting to Paros

If you are headed to Paros, you’re probably going to be coming from another Greek island, like Santorini. That is where we were coming from. One of the main ways to get to Paros is by boat. But you can also fly into the island. We chose to take a ferry. I recommend upgrading to first class for your ferry. It’s just a small extra fee but 100% worth it! Blue Star is the superior ferry, if you can book them over the other ones.

Do I Need a Car in Paros?

Yes, if you plan on exploring Paros, you will 100% need a car. Also, you will need an international Driver’s License because the Greek alphabet is different than the Latin script that are English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, ect. So if you went to a place like the UK, France, Italy, or Portugal you wouldn’t need one, but you 100% do need one for Greek since they have a completely different alphabet. Technically you may get away with someone renting you a car without one, but it is a pain and you will end up paying 5x as much as you would if you had the permit. So, just get the permit. It takes 20 minutes to get one, just go to your local AAA. Or do the online form with plenty of lead time. Also, if you don’t drive stick, be sure to reserve an automatic. In Europe, stick is the go to, and automatic is the outlier and they’re harder to come by. Paros is a pretty big island with lots to discover and you’ll want a car to get around it easily!

Where to stay

There are two main villages I would recommend staying in Paros- Parikia or Naousa. You can’t go wrong with staying any of these two villages! Both are exceptionally lovely and have incredible food. Parikia is where the ferries dock, so you’ll be there straight away when you land. Naousa is just a little bit farther. No matter which you decide to stay in, you’ll definitely want to explore the other for at least a day.

Places to Stay in Naousa

Archipelagos Studios

Archipelagos Studios is a budget-friendly hotel, located 350 feet from the beach and 5 minutes’ walking from the central square of the village. Enjoy a calm and peaceful atmosphere. This small hotel offers basic, quiet and clean accommodations, and an ideal base for discovering the area.

Stelia Mare Boutique Hotel

Offering a pool and a fitness center, the Cycladic-style Stelia Mare Boutique Hotel is 100 feet from Agioi Anargyroi Beach. It features elegant accommodations with a spa bath and free Wi-Fi. Naoussa Village is a 4-minute walk away.

Katerina mare

With a prime location right before Piperi Beach, Katerina mare is only 650 feet from Naousa’s central square. The sea-facing complex consists of luxury studios and apartments in a sleek and contemporary Cycladic style.

Places to Stay in Parikia

KOKOON

Located in Parikia and with Livadia reachable within a few steps, KOKOON has express check-in and check-out, non-smoking rooms, a garden, free WiFi throughout the property and a shared lounge. The property is around a 8-minute walk from Church of Ekatontapyliani, 0.4 miles from Archaeological Museum of Paros and 5.7 miles from Venetian Harbour and Castle. Each room is equipped with a balcony.

Hotel Dina

Housed in a traditional Cycladic building, Hotel Dina is located in Parikia Town of Paros, just 650 feet from the port and 0.6 mi from Livadia Beach. It offers free Wi-Fi in its public areas and air-conditioned units with a balcony or patio.

Villages to Explore in Paros

In addition to exploring Naoussa and Parikia, you’ll need to explore other adorable parts of the Paros to make your trip perfect.

Lefkes

I recommend spending an afternoon exploring this village in Paros. Its narrow stone walkways adorned with the lovely pink bougainvillea will steal your heart. It is a tiny village that takes you right back to what it would have been like as a 17th century Greek islander. While you are there, grab food from Chrisoula Mezes Tavern, Honey Gelato, or the Stratis bakery. This village was built on the side of a cliff so you may need a refreshment throughout your exploration.

Antiparos

If you would like you can take a day trip to Antiparos, the island right across from Paros! It is stunningly beautiful with cute shopping and of course, the Aegean waters.

Where to Eat in Paros

Taverna Glafkos (Naoussa)

This was by far the best food we had on our honeymoon! And the you cant beat the ocean front view either.

Taverna Yannis (Parikia)

This was exceptional food, just absolutely amazingly delectable.

Little Green Rocket (Parikia)

Believe it or not, this place had the most amazing chicken wings!

Balcony Tou Aki (Aliki)

You can’t beat this beach front restaurant. The view is stunning and the food, and wine, incredible!

Cooking Lesson

Don’t forget to throw in a traditional Greek cooking lesson while you’re in Paros! We absolutely loved learning how to make authentic, Greek food. We had no idea how much we loved Greek food until we were there! This is the cooking class we took. If you are going to Greece in the hotter months, which you probably are, I would recommend asking them not to teach you how to make Moussaka, the national dish. You will need to request this ahead of time. The Greeks love it, but it is so heavy, you’ll be sweating.

At the end of your Greek excursion to Paros, I can guarantee, you wont want to leave! Paros was our favorite Greek isle and it was just perfect.

Talk soon,

Rach

Spring Wedding Guest Dresses Under $50

Spring Wedding Guest Dresses Under $50
Wedding season is officially here! And that means different dress codes and different outfits for each wedding.

That can be daunting-sometimes the dress code being more casual to others being black tie! It can also get pretty pricey as you shell out cash for each different wedding. So don’t worry girlfriend-I have compiled a list of my favorite wedding guest styles and they’re all under $50 so you can look bougie on a budget!

1. Daisy Print Maxi Dress

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2. Floral Maxi Dress

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3. Pleated Maxi Dress

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4. Feminine Pants Set

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5. Floral Mini Dress

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6. Gingham Print Mini Dress

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7. Floral Tie Maxi

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There ya go! I hope you enjoyed this guide to inexpensive wedding guest dress ideas! I am all about finding great styles for a deal. Let me know if you liked it by commenting below!

LYLAS

Rach

Most Instagrammable Places Around LA

Most Instagrammable Places Around LA
So you’ve booked your ticket to La La Land-you’re completely ready to go. As you google “awesome spots in LA” you feel the daunting task looming before you.

This city is HUGE.

And there are about 1,000 different ways you can fill your three day weekend and you want to create some awesome content and have a great time.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worried girlfriend, I got chu.

I’ve detailed all the places I went for my LA trip last February so you don’t have to worry complete with exact addresses so you can find htem!

We stayed in West Hollywood near Melrose so most of these places weren’t crazy hard to get to and traffic wasn’t as bad as I expected or heard! Alright, lets dive right in!

1. Paul Smith Wall

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I have seen many pink walls in my day and this one is crazy awesome. It gets super packed though, so I would recommend coming early in the morning otherwise there will be a huge line formed outside it. It is also better for lighting and shadows if you come in the morning! Its located at 8221 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

2. Beverly Hills Hotel

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This historical hotel not only has a beautiful aesthetic, but just an amazing vibe and is a staple to the Beverly Hills community. It definitely makes for some amazing photo ops, but I would recommend exploring inside if you have time! It is located at 9641 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

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3. Rows of Palm Trees in Beverly Hills

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There are not many places you can get rows and rows of palm trees AND the Hollywood Sign in the background! This is one of these unique locations. It is a super quiet residential area so not many people even know this location exists! Quite the find my friends. The location is on Windsor Blvd between 4th and 5th streets.

4. LACMA

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LACMA is stunningly beautiful. The art is phenomenal and definitely makes for some lovely captures! I recommend going first thing because this one gets very crowded as well! It is located at 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

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5. Venice Beach

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This is one of the most iconic photo ops in California and it doesn’t disappoint. Tons of people are attempting to get the same capture as you, so keep that in mind, and you kind of have to stand in the middle of the street to get it. I would definitely recommend going in the morning to make this easier. We went at the busiest time though and we still got some amazing shots! It is possible just more difficult! It is located at Pacific Ave & Windward Ave, Venice, CA 90291

6. Santa Monica Pier

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I recommend doing Venice Beach and Santa Monica together because they are so close! Santa Monica has such an awesome vibe. Literally just walking around you’re going to get some awesome captures. I also recommend renting a bike and just cruising! It is located at 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401

7. Bluestone Lane Flower Shop

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If you know me at all you know I love adore flowers and I run on copious amount of coffee! So this place is my jam. Beautiful flowers and an amazing aesthetic. It is located at 8100 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (there are several but this is where we shot).

8. Disneyland

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This is such a no brainer! The happiest place on earth is without a doubt going to yield the best captures! If I could go to Disneyland every single day I for sure would! I love love love Disney!

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9. The Hollywood Sign

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Want a Hollywood Sign pic but maybe not really into hiking?! Don’t worry girl, I got you! Travel up to this location all the way and there will be parking and you just have to walk a short distance to get your capture with the sign! It’s also such a beautiful drive into the Hills of Hollywood! The location is 3160 Canyon Lake Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068

That’s it girlfriend! That is my overview of all the Most Instagrammable Places around LA! if you have a place that I missed, please let me know! La La Land is such a wonderful place and there are way too many amazing photo ops! These just happened to be my favorite!

LYLAS

Rach

My Weekly Work-Out and Diet Plan

My Weekly Work-Out and Diet Plan
I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t always super healthy.

My relationship with exercise and food in the past was unfortunately skewed, like the vast majority of women. But growing up doing pageants, I think it might have been even more exacerbated. I used to work out three times a day, counting the calories of everything I put into my mouth. All for a competition. But now, a few years removed from pageantry-I can look back and see that although I gained numerous skills from competing, my relationship with my body and food is so much healthier. So much of that is derived in my relationship with Christ! I know that my identity isn’t rooted in a crown, or the number of likes I get, or follower count. My identity-and yours-is rooted in Jesus alone.

He is the one who says you are beautiful.

You are loved.

You are known.

So I just wanted to preface this whole blog with that truth at the forefront of all our minds! It’s not about how we look. It’s all about what Jesus says about us. Also-side note- I love working out. Especially because I currently work three jobs. Yes-three jobs. Working out is my time to unplug from all social media, listen to my favorite podcasts or read a good book, and feel strong. I love feeling accomplished when I finish that ridiculous Kayla Itsines’ arm work out. Throughout this blog, I am going to walk you through what I do everyday and my diet!

Diet

So this is a toughie. I am a firm believer in moderation. Yesterday after my workout, I was feeling light headed so I bought some chocolate and ate it. And guess what-I feel great about that decision! I don’t generally chow down on chocolate everyday, but yesterday I felt like I was getting attacked by dementors (it was a hard day haha) and we all know the best remedy for a dementor attack is chocolate right?!? My point is-be kind to yourself. Be gentle with yourself. One piece of chocolate isn’t going to destroy your life. That being said, I practice intermittent fasting about five days out of the week. So I’ve found that if I eat an early dinner (around 5:30 pm) and have a late breakfast (around 11 am) my body responds to it well. I feel great and my weight stays at a place I want it to. But I don’t do it all the time. I ignore this when I’m out with friends on the weekend. A girl’s gotta live right?! Do not let a diet control your life.

I also eat very high protein. I love love LOVE tacos. My boyfriend makes fun of me because I love them so much. They honestly probably consist 90% of my diet. I make them at home and cook with avocado oil. I buy the extra-lean, grass fed beef to make them (it’s very important you buy healthy protein!). I also buy this almond cheese because ya girl doesn’t respond well to dairy. So my diet is generally high protein, low carb, and low dairy!

Ok-now here’s my workout routine!

Monday

45 minutes of Cardio! Cardio is super easy for me because I love catching up on my favorite shows, podcasts, or even reading during it. I buy giant hardback books and set it up with the elliptical and get lost in a story. Currently I am on book five of Game of Thrones. Cardio is also flexible because it can be a hike with your pup or a walk with a friend. It is basically low intensity cardio over a long period of time.

Tuesday

Leg day! So I have been doing Kayla Itsines’ BBG work out over the past four years and I cannot express enough how wonderful it is. I have had many personal trainers, but her workouts are my absolute favorite! You can learn more about her workouts here! Her workouts build muscle, but don’t make you bulky. They make you strong, but sleek. They’re pretty similar to HIIT workouts. On these strength days, I pop in my AirPods and listen to podcasts or Harry Potter on Audible! My favorite podcast currently is Potterless-the story of a grown man reading Harry Potter for the first time lol.

Wednesday

This is my toughest day of the week so I generally try to rest! I also have my small group this night so no workout unless I’m feeling crazy ambitious.

Thursday

Arm day! TBH arm day is the bane of my existence. Dwight Shrute said one of the defects of our kind is weak arms. Bahaha-just kidding. I do not support Dwight’s stupid, sexist comment. But this day is truly the WORST. I struggle through it. When I first started BBG there were actual tears. So I broke these workouts in half and decided that completing 15 minutes of it was a WIN! Don’t be afraid to change things up if you can’t handle it. Consistency is key. If you hate something, odds are low you’re going to be consistent.

Friday

45 minutes of Cardio! Go on a hike, read a book on the elliptical, or go on a walk with a friend!

Saturday

Ab day is my FAVORITE! Generally I don’t sweat as much this day which is great because I don’t have to wash my hair after. Once again, I do BBG for all of these strength days!

Sunday

45 minutes of cardio!

Well, there ya go! That is my detailed workout schedule and diet plan! Keep in mind, that while arm day might be super challenging for me-it might be a cake walk for you! Abs might be harder for you or legs! Its so important to listen to your body and decide what you consider a win. You might need to adjust certain things to ensure consistency. I’ve found that if I hate something, I can be all gung-ho for it for about a week, but then I just stop. So find something you love. This happens to be what I love because my job requires so much interpersonal interaction. So I love flying solo when it comes to working out. It’s basically my introvert time. But if grabbing a buddy motivates you then DO IT! But most importantly remember that your identity is not rooted in exercise or diet-your identity is rooted in Christ alone. Also-if you have any workout tips or podcast recommendations please let me know in the comments!

LYLAS

-Rach

10 Perfect (& Affordable!) Holiday Party Looks

10 Perfect (& Affordable!) Holiday Party Looks

Tis’ the season for holiday parties! Holiday parties are my fave-especially being a plus one! If you’re anything like me-you have a myriad of holiday parties approaching. Some ranging from black tie to tacky Christmas sweater to more conservative work parties. If you’e also like me-you love dressing super classy but-ya girl has a budget. I have gathered all my favorite finds this December to compile this list of all my favorite holiday party looks for every single get together you have this season! And-the greatest news of all-they’re all affordable-the most affordable being $19.90 (wait-what?!) to the most pricey being $118. Hope you enjoy this guide and have a wonderful time at your plethora of holiday parties this season!

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Jumpsuit: Forever 21 $19.90     Bag: Tory Burch      Shoes: Top Shop

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Dress: Nordstrom $118     Bag: Tory Burch

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Top: Forever 21 $18     Skirt: Forever 21 $17.90

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Dress: Nordstrom (Top Shop) $65      Earrings: Kendra Scott      Bag: Madewell

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Dress: Nordstrom (Lulu’s) $72     Earrings: Kendra Scott

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Sweater: Target $34

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Dress: Francesca’s    Shoes: Prada

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Dress: Zara $39

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Dress: Nordstrom $100      Shoes: Prada

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Dress: Forever 21 $19.90

I hope that each of you have a wonderful time at all your holiday parties-whether it’s a black tie event or a group of girls in tacky sweaters drinking champagne and playing How Do you Meme or a cozy family get together with your precious nieces and nephews watching Elf and drinking hot cocoa! It’s my prayer that each of you take time this crazy holiday season to rest in Jesus. To take time away from all the parties-to sit and think about how wonderful it is that our Savior humbled himself to live in this world so that we can have a sympathetic God who understands what it is to be human! I also pray that your Christmas season is filled with special memories that you will always cherish. Take time to play silly games with your little cousins and family. Laugh hard, don’t take yourself too seriously-alright?! Instead of getting wrapped up in staging Insta-worthy photos, put your phone down and make real memories! I love you all and hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

 

LYLAS-

Rach