The Reeds at Shelter Haven Travel Review

We recently took a trip to Stone Harbor, New Jersey for a mini getaway earlier this month. With COVID rates going up and down and vacations being canceled it’s been hard to pin point where exactly where to go. Originally we had planned a trip to Newport, Rhode Island, however, due to the long drive and also the same timing of hurricane Isaias rolling through it didn’t make sense for us to make that trip. But long story short I was SO happy we canceled that trip and instead headed to Stone Harbor which had more of a resort like feel!

So a little bit about Stone Harbor. Stone Harbor is one of those beautiful small beach towns which is not too far from Philadelphia and yet you still feel like you were transported to a resort. The Reeds at Shelter Haven check off all our boxes and we decided to head there for a long weekend. We had been here before for dinner and cocktails so we were happy to come back! When we arrived we self-parked (due to COVID there is no valet) and then headed to check in. Once we were checked in, we headed up to our room which was nice, bright and airy. The hotel had also left us a nice welcome gift along with some yummy cookies. All the finishes in the room were nicely done and we loved having the balcony. Each night there was turndown service (if you wanted it).

Things to do in Stone Harbor:

Some of the amenities The Reeds at Shelter Haven has which I love include:

Salt SPA
Bay Activities
Beach *Includes beach service
Pool *Reservations required

Other activities to do while in Stone Harbor would be to rent a boat, rent bikes and of course - go shopping!

Where to eat in Stone Harbor:

There are multiple restaurants on site at The Reeds which making things convenient. Even if you want to grab coffee or ice cream there are shops right outside so the location of the hotel is honestly amazing. The restaurants are all doing outdoor dining except for Sax at the Reeds which is currently closed:

Water Star Grille *Outdoor and beautiful (pictured above and below)
Buckets
Pizza Pub
Bayside BBQ
Sax at the Reeds

There are also a handful of other restaurants around Stone Harbor and some of my favorites include:
Jay’s on Third
Fred’s Tavern
The Watering Hull
Quahog’s
Springer’s Homemade Ice Cream

What I wore in Stone Harbor

Although Stone Harbor has a really chill vibe, I still wanted to get dressed up! I included the links to the outfits I wore below since I had so many messages regarding them! Also, all outfits are also linked on the “Shop Instagram” tab.

Coverup: Melissa Odabash / Beachbag: Banana Republic
Sandals: Steve Madden / Sunglasses: QUAY

Dress: ASOS / Sandals: Steve Madden / Bag: Chanel

Dress: Express (Similar) / Sandals: Steve Madden / Bag: Chanel

We had an amazing time and can’t wait to come back next year!

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2020 Top Picks

Today I am sharing with you all my TOP PICKS from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. There are sooo many good sales this year I can't even hide my excitement! The sale includes BRAND NEW fall merchandise and of course wardrobe staples. Keep reading below for details!

WHAT IS THE NORDSTROM SALE?

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale also known as the #NSale is one of Nordstrom's biggest sales of the year which goes for a few weeks.

WHEN IS THE NORDSTROM SALE?

Key dates for the #NSale are shown below. In order to shop the earlier dates you need to have spent a certain amount of money (it’s in tiers) and also need to be a Nordstrom cardholder. In order to become a Nordstrom cardholder - apply HERE!

You can preview the catalog items in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2020 Catalog.

WHY SHOP THE NORDSTROM SALE?

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is probably the BEST sale of the year and among any retailer I would say for the whole year. The sale has brand new items for the upcoming fall that are marked down which is very exciting. This is the best time to stock up on your sweaters, jeans, boots, shoes, makeup, handbags, etc. Not only can you stock up on your fall items alot of wardrobe staples go on sale as well such as workout gear, jeans, leggings, cardigans, t-shirts, etc. Also with women’s I have compiled a list for home, men’s and baby.

Unlike other sales where items start at full price and then get marked down, Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is the opposite. Items start on sale for a selected period of time and then prices will go back up in August. 

To avoid getting overwhelmed I always have a strategy in place when shopping the Nordstrom sale. First I go through my closet to see what I need. Do I need new pair of boots? Leggings? Tanks? Sweaters? After putting together a list of items I need, I then browse the Nordstrom catalog to get a sense of what will be going on sale. I jot down brands, styles, and prices so I know which departments to go to first. It's like creating a road map! I also use the “Wishlist” tool on the Nordstrom website to save any items that I want to buy - this is a great tip for staying organized and only buying what you need to buy!

Also this year with COVID, I know that many of you are probably hesitant to go into the store and shop. Luckily Nordstrom offers curbside pickup and expedited shipping. Nordstrom makes it super easy to shop from the comfort of your home.

NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE 2020 TOP PICKS

To make things easy for you all I split out my favorite picks in a couple of different categories below. 

WOMEN - TOPS

WOMEN - BOTTOMS

WOMEN - SHOES

WOMEN - ACCESSORIES

BEAUTY

MEN

BABY

HOME

Favorite White Maxi Dresses for the Summer

Maxi Dress: Express (50% off) / Jean Jacket: Uniqlo
Necklace: Kate Spade (15% off) / Sunglasses: Ray Ban
Purse: From Greece (Similar) / Shoes: Greece Slides

Now that the temps have been skyrocketing and full on summer is here to stay for the next few months, a staple in my closet has to be a breezy, flowy white maxi dress. This white maxi dress from Express checks off all the boxes and can be dressed up or down. This maxi dress is super flattering on any body type and ties on the shoulders so it adjusts so easily to your body. I also love pairing a denim jacket over it for cool summer evenings. For reference I am wearing a size small.

Here are some of my other favorite white maxi dresses for summer under $100!

The Perfect Summer Maxi Dress

Maxi Dress: JustFab (c/o) / Sandals: JustFab (c/o)
Handbag: Greece (Similar) / Necklace: Kate Spade / Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Here in Philadelphia we’re in the full swing of summer! Since it’s been so hot lately I love throwing on anything that’s easy and breezy to wear! This poplin maxi dress from JustFab is the perfect piece to add into your summer wardrobe - wear it to a summer evening for outdoor dining, to the beach or to a bbq - this dress is definitely going to be on repeat this summer! I also love the tier detail and the low back complete with a bow. I also wanted to talk about these pretty flat sandals and I love the neutral color (you can wear them with so many things)! Here are some of my other favorite sandals for summer from JustFab: Beach Bum Slide, Anise Espadrille Slide and Lace-Up Flat Sandal.

Thank you to JustFab for sponsoring this post

Top 10 Statement Tops for Summer

Top: Gracia (Similar) / Jeans: JCrew
Block Heels: JusFab (c/o) / Handbag: Chanel / Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

One thing I love about the summer are the endless options of beautiful statement tops. There are so many styles, options and colors to play around with! One of the blouses I bought before the pandemic is this pretty bow top with a statement sleeve. I can’t wait to re-wear it again in the heat of the summer with shorts and flat sandals! Here are some other of my favorite statement tops:

1. Tie Neck Sheer Sleeve Shirt
   2. Bow Top
   3. Swiss Dot Ruched Puff Sleeve Top
   4. Erin Statement Top
   5. Puff Short Sleeve T-Shirt
   6. Anastasia Top
   7. Jacquard Top
   8. One Shoulder Sleeveless Top
   9. Organza Puff Sleeve Blouse
   10. Shoulder Ruffle Top