The Most Affordable Maxi Dress For the Summer

Floral Maxi Dress: H&M / Fringe Sandals: GAP (Similar)
Watch: Movado Bold / Purse: Louis Vuitton / Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Aviator

As summer is in full swing, maxi dresses are making quite the statement this season.  One of my favorite maxi dresses this season is this floral maxi dress that gives the illusion of a crop top and skirt. I can see myself wearing this dress over and over again this season! It’s definitely a must have for the summer and for under $25 this dress is a no-brainer!

Last Sunday over the weekend in Arizona, our family friend told us he was taking my husband and I out for the afternoon. I honestly did not know what to expect and since we were going out to dinner with my in-laws right after I figured I would get dressed up for the occasion. The drive was absolutely gorgeous and scenic with beautiful mountain views, different types of cactus’, flowers, and view of these huge mansions built into the cliffs. The suspense was growing and I was quite excited wondering where he was taking us.  Well we arrived at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona and it did not disappoint. It was BEAUTIFUL! Honestly words cannot describe how pretty the resort was. We had a couple of drinks at R Bar which is located in the lobby of the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn.  The patio area was absolutely stunning with fire pits, cabanas set among palm trees and a picturesque view of the mountains (as you can see in the photos above). I'll definitely be coming back here!

The One Top You Will Wear All Summer

Off The Shoulder Top: LOFT / Jeans: LOFT / Wallet: Valentino
Sunglasses: Ray Ban Aviator / Watch: Movado Bold

Finally, I've found my favorite off the shoulder top for the summer. Yes ladies you heard it first right here. This off the shoulder top by LOFT is not only stylish but is also super comfortable! This off the shoulder top has the prettiest paisley motif and little bow ties on the shoulder areas.  The top also has an elastic to keep the top in place unlike other off the shoulder tops. My top is currently 50% in LOFT stores with code: SPARKLER for fourth of July weekend!

Over the weekend the hubby and I were in Glendale, Arizona visiting my in-laws. The weather there was very hot (averaged about 110 degrees everyday) and sunny but I did love it since it's not humid like the east coast! I also loved going outside and seeing the palm trees every day because I associate palm trees with being on vacation. Make sure to follow me on instagram @MYGOLDENBEAUTY to follow long with my travel adventures and to view outfits from my trip!

Fiesta Cold Shoulder Top

Cold Shoulder Top: LOFT / Jeans: LOFT / Sneakers: Sperry
Watch: Movado / Purse: Louis Vuitton / Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Aviator

The moment I saw this pretty cold shoulder top at LOFT I knew I had to have it thinking it would be perfect to wear on my trip over the weekend to Arizona for a night out. The top is very comfortable and the top has these cute ties at the arms. The top does run a little big so I am wearing an extra-small instead of my normal size which is a small.

I wore this look Saturday night to dinner at Barrio Café located in Phoenix, Arizona which I highly recommend. It was pretty crowded when we got there around 8PM and there was live music playing the entire time we were there which was great. The food was also excellent as well. After dinner we headed to Scottsdale to my first Topgolf experience which was so much fun! My parents had me take golf lessons when I was younger but I honestly haven’t hit a golf ball in more than 8 years! After a few swings I got back into the groove. We had a great time there and it's such a fun activity!

Philadelphia Rooftop

White Lace Top: Zara / Jeans: Banana Republic (Similar) / Handbag: Saint Laurent
Watch: Movado Bold / Sunglasses: H&M (Similar) / Heels: Sam Edelman

On Sunday my husband and I decided to spend some time on our rooftop in Philadelphia since the weather was warm with such a nice breeze (as you can tell from my hair blowing in the photos!). We finished decorating our rooftop a few weeks ago with outdoor string lights and a very comfortable L-Shaped couch with an ottoman. We just love to spend time up there especially in the afternoon or in the evening when the sun is setting. We have an amazing view of the Philadelphia skyline and it never gets old! 

I linked a few other white lace tops below that I am totally crushing on!

Top Ten Disney Tips and Tricks

From my previous post regarding my Disney World Vacation for Adults (view the post here) I wanted to share with you all some tricks and tips that I learned. Lets get started...

FastPass – All Disney tickets include what is known as a FastPass. Essentially FastPass is a reservation for 3 rides per day. You can schedule FastPass via the Disney Experience website or app that can be downloaded to your phone. You book any ride that is available during an allotted timeframe which is an hour window.  It cuts down on the wait time and there is no charge! If you are staying at a Disney resort you can make your reservations 60 days in advance and if you are staying off the resort you can make your reservations 30 days in advance. The FastPass is automatically linked to your card or magic band. This is SUCH a time saver and you will end up saving hours and hours of wait time.

Magic Band Versus Magic Card – This is something I did debate before our Disney trip but I ended up not buying the Magic Bands especially since we were staying off the resort. If we were staying at a Disney resort I would have gotten the Magic Bands.  The Magic Bands are essentially your ticket for rides, room key, park ticket, payment method, photo pass, etc.

Be Prepared for the Heat - We went during a hot time during mid May when it was more than 90 degrees every day. I wanted to make sure my parents were comfortable so we brought hats, personal fans that had squirted water (I bought a 3 pack from Amazon here: Misting Fan) and also the Frogg Toggs Cooling Neck Towel which worked like magic and stays cool for hours at a time. Additionally, you can bring in empty waterbottles and re-fill them inside the parks. We also found if you ask any cafe or stand you can get a cup of water for free so don’t be scared to ask!

Disney Experience App – I used this app religiously on my phone during our time at Disney. You link your park tickets to the app and you can see all your groups FastPass reservations, dining reservations, photo pass, etc. You can also use the app to make modifications to your FastPass.  There is also a map in the app for each park which shows the wait times for the rides if you do not have a FastPass. For the PhotoPass, Disney has professional photographers throughout the park to take your picture.  They will either give you card with the information on it or scan your Magic Band or Magic Card.  The photo will automatically link to your Disney Experience account! We were able to get a few amazing professional family photos this way.

Backup Phone Charger – Towards the end of each day my phone battery would essentially be drained between checking the Disney app and taking photos. I would definitely bring a backup battery or USB charger as you don’t want to be without a working phone!

Occasion Pins – At Magic Kingdom or at the TCC (Ticket and Transportation Center) if you are celebrating an occasion let them know and they will get you a pin. I was able to snag a “Birthday” pin for my brother’s birthday and four “We’re Celebrating” pins for us to wear along with him for his birthday. It was a nice touch and made our group feel extra special.

Purchase Items Beforehand – There were a number of items I bought beforehand and had them shipped to the resort that we stayed at. My favorite purchase were my Sparkly Minnie Ears from Amazon - view the post here. If you buy them at the parks they are around $30 and there is not much variety.  I also bought sunscreen and a few other items and had them all shipped to the hotel that way it cut down the space in my carry on bag and I saved money. I also had my mom pick up Ponchos from the dollar store for the water rides which came in handy at Splash Mountain.

Snacks – Buying food at the parks can get costly so bring your own snacks. I packed granola bars in my bag each day and my parents also brought with them a few snacks they liked.

Shuttle Service - If you're staying at a Disney resort there is a free shuttle called the Magical Express which takes you to and from the Orlando Airport to your Disney hotel. As we were staying off the resort we did rent a car though VroomVroomVroom.com which was awesome and pretty cheap.

Have a Strategy – Last but not least, do have a strategy for the parks ahead of time. I came up with a game plan for our family as to which parks we would be doing on which days and had picked out our FastPass reservations ahead of time. I also bought our tickets ahead of time as well as the lines to get into the park can be really long. Additionally, you will also end up wasting an hour of transportation time just getting between the parks so make sure to factor that in.