JOINING JORDAN || ATTACKING BEACH PACKING

About to take a trip to the coast? Packing can feel overwhelming and you don’t want to forget anything. I get it and want to help, so here is my packing list from our most recent beach trip! All you have to do is click on the category you want, so you can browse and shop my favorite products!

Clothes:
-Swimsuits
-Coverups + Sandals
-Lounge Sets + PJs
-Meals Out

Beach Day:
-Sunglasses
-Sunscreen + Skincare
-Towels + Floats
-Chair + Umbrella
-Hats
-Cooler + Portable Speaker

-Sand Wagon + Sand Games

Beach House:
-Makeup + Hair Products (for dinner nights)
-Games + Movies (for rainy days)
-Phone Charger (no need to shop.. I know you have one of these bad boys)
-Groceries
-Extra toilet paper, paper towels and garbage bags

Pro Tip: When you get to your beach town destination, grab your groceries. Save the grocery bags to put your dirty clothes in! Your dirty clothes won’t get your clean clothes dirty, any wet swimmies you have will be contained, and it makes is SUPER easy to unpack when you get home!

xoxo Joining Jordan

TRAVEL || NEW ORLEANS FOODIES

Let’s eat! New Orleans, Louisiana, is known for their authentic Cajun seafood cuisine. From touristy must haves to local favorites, here are a few places you have to try out when you visit!

CAFE DU MONDE || This is for sure the most visited restaurant in the city. The line is alwayyyysss a block long due to it’s coveted beignets, but these sugary fried fritters are worth the wait! This staple cafe is easy to find as it is located by the popular French Quarter.

FRENCH MARKET || The French Market has a lot going on. Venders are set up everywhere for lots of souvenir shopping. Definitely go around lunch time so you can get some seafood straight out of the coast! Food vendors line the edge so take a walk to explore your options and pick what you’re craving. They have tables set up for you to sit at and the market is covered, so you are set to chow down even if it’s pouring down!

BAYOU BEER GARDEN || When the weather is nice and you want to sit outside, the Bayou Beer Garden is a nice, chill spot to go. We went to watch football games and eat lunch. You really need to order the Famous BBG Disco Fries while you are there! I’m talking french fries, gooey melted cheddar cheese, and savory roast beef debris gravy. Oh and you’ll want to bring a friend to split them with!

THE TCHOUP YARD || This was probably my favorite place from our last trip to Nola because it’s vibe is definitely in my comfort zone. They have a restaurant with glass garage door walls that they can raise if weather permits. A large gravel area is set up outside with umbrellaed tables, TVs everywhere to watch sports, and corn hole boards- not to mention it’s dog friendly!! When you go, you HAVE to get the totchos with Mexican chorizo. It is basically tater tot loaded nachos! *insert heart eyed emoji* They are so good that I’ve tried to replicate them at home. It tasted good but just wasn’t the same. I need to go back!

GRIS GRIS: Date night at Gris Gris, please and thank you! This two story restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating is aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and won’t break the bank. When you walk in, you see the beautiful open kitchen with pots and pans hanging above. I’m really glad we got to see the plates being prepared because that’s how we picked what we ordered. Everything looked so good and tasted even better!

Happy eating!

TRAVEL || DIEGO POPS IN SCOTTSDALE

Diego Pops is where it’s at! This was probably my favorite place to eat the entire trip. Y’all know I’m all about some tacos, so this place comes highly recommended. Sitting on the covered patio with perfect weather was definitely the way to go. The decor was cool- a very casual and relaxed feel with clever signs in each room. Thanks to their happy hour specials, we got half off an appetizer. The corn queso did not disappointed. Hashtag NOM.

We also got the Grilled Shrimp, Braised Pineapple Pork, Beef Machaca, and Braised Green Chili Chicken Tacos. Everything we ate was awesome, so you can’t go wrong!

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TRAVEL || TUZIGOOT NATIONAL MONUMENT

Shoutout to all my history fans out there- This National Monument is for you!

At the base of Jerome, between Clarkdale and Cottonwood, is an old Pueblo called Tuzigoot. A Pueblo is an American Indian settlement in the southwest consisting of multistoried adobe houses. Tuzigoot is Apache for “crooked water” as it is near a cutoff of the Verde River. They say this Pueblo was built by the Sinagua people between 1125 and 1400 AD. I mean, wow!

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It won’t take long to admire these ancient ruins, but it is worth the look. Plus, the view is quite beautiful! It’s crazy seeing the ruins of a civilization that existed so long ago and to picture how they lived during that time. I would recommend making a quick stop to Tuzigoot on your way to Jerome!

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TRAVEL || TAKE A HIKE.. IN SEDONA

Sedona is a great place to visit in Arizona, because..
A) It’s a cute town to explore
B) The location is prime

We stayed in Sedona for three nights and visited a different city each day. Our first day was exploring Sedona itself. The whole town is surrounded by incredible views of mountains and red rock. The street signs are even painted a dusty red, which really adds to the natural beauty. We stayed at the Sedona Rouge. The rooms were very nice and the staff was so accommodating. They even surprised us with chocolate covered strawberries and a sweet note on our anniversary!

Scott and I are not big hikers, (which is unfortunate for us because Sedona has amazing hiking trails) so we asked the concierge what he recommended for smaller hikes. He suggested Sugarloaf. Sugarloaf is a short trail with an incredible 360 view at the top! It is one of those secret spots not covered with tourists, but is growing in popularity thanks to its view. There are no parking/hiking fees and you get to drive through a residential neighborhood on the way. I loved that! It was cool getting to see how locals live as the architecture is completely different in Alabama.

This hike is still an hour round trip, so bring a water and wear comfy shoes! Pictures speak for themselves, but even photos can’t do it justice. This trail was my favorite on our Sedona adventures! PS: You can bring your dog!

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FASHION || WIFEY MATERIAL SWIMMIE

What is the most perfect swimmie for your honey moon? A WIFEY one piece!

I found a company that can customize swimsuits. You just choose your wording, size, and color. Being long-waisted, I got a size up to make sure it would fit. My favorite part is the quality. It is well made with thick fabric to prevent it from being see-through. I guess you could say it’s “wife” material. HA! Feeling all the MRS vibes today.. Direct links below!

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swimmie | sunnies