Happy 2016 everyone! 

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of beauty & the beach! So crazy how quickly a year goes by. 

I hope you guys had a great holiday and had fun making some resolutions… also hoping that this work week isn’t too hard on ya. After Christmas, I spent the winter holiday in Lake Arrowhead with my sweet friends. Although I’d still consider myself a beach person, I’ve really grown to love the mountains these past few months, and the cold weather has definitely given me a nice trial run for my upcoming move! In case you didn’t see on Instagram, I’m taking a job in San Francisco – I’ll be leaving my San Diego hometown to pursue a new career in media and journalism up in the beautiful city by the (other) bay. Same sea, different shore, trading one Ocean Beach for another, one Balboa Park for another… it’s funny how many parallels there are.

I have no idea what to expect. Although I spend a bit of time each year vacationing up there, I’ve never stayed more than a week at a time, never really lived there. It all feels new and foreign, even though it’s still familiar. A friend asked me, “so where are you going to get your groceries?” Many other friends have asked where and with whom I’m going to live, who I know in the city, so on and so forth.

The truth is, although I do have several friends who live in the area, all of whom I’m very excited to see (hey guys!), I’m doing this alone. I’m starting this new year with a completely new chapter of life: new career path, new job, new city, new apartment, and yeah…a new place to get my groceries (99% sure it’s Safeway)… all by myself. It’s all pretty surreal, and hasn’t totally hit me quite yet. Repression is my specialty. I’m sure it’ll bubble up in fun ways over the next few weeks. YAY!

So yeah… I’m terrified. But also thrilled. I feel like thrilled is probably the best way to describe it – it encapsulates the full spectrum of heightened emotions, particularly those of excitement and terror. 

As mentioned earlier, to ring in the new year, my friends sent me off: on my last weekend down here we went to “Gorgeous Lake Arrowhead” (amazing geotag) in what has basically become our family cabin. I loved getting some time outside. The forest there is about as lush as you can find in the desert that is Southern California – a lot of rocky, dry terrain around the evergreens – with beautiful clear lakes, and charming little creeks.We missed out on the snowstorm that’s due to arrive sometime this week (sad), but got the chance to trek through the North Shore trail and take little strolls through the forest. And also eat an enormous pizza and lots of oreo pie.

smiling bc pie

I got this peacoat on sale from $300 to $75 at J.Crew (if you’re a petite or tall 12, you’re in luck today), who is having one heck of a winter sale right now. It’s my absolute favorite piece in my closet right now, and a perfect kick-starter for my new cold-weather wardrobe. I’m so happy to have a blush-nude (it’s a Tom Ford color, look it up) colored coat as a staple piece. On the off chance you’re not a petite or tall 12, I found some similar styles here, here (under $30!), here, here, here and here.

these ones came out a bit blurrier than I had hoped, but I wanted you to see the detail of the back of the coat/the silhouette… it’s really cute!

My boots are Steve Madden – Stuart Weitmzan 5050 knock-offs (almost), got them when they were on sale for $100, which is a great price vs the $655+ SW version (similar here). And the beanie is from Target (!) in Scottsdale – I didn’t realize how cold AZ was going to be a few weeks ago, and needed to stop off to get a little hat for myself. So this is my first foray into dressing for cold weather… wish me luck… I need a lot of it.

And before I forget, two things!

One: thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway last week! We picked a random winner and they’ve been notified via email. I loved reading all of your resolutions, and I can’t wait to see what 2016 brings you! If you want the goal getter journal, hit up your local Walgreens to check it out, and stay tuned for more fun things with fitlosophy here on beauty & the beach.

Two: thank you to my sweet best friends, Megan and Patrice, for learning how to use a camera and taking pictures with me this weekend. I love you girls more than you know!

Again, wishing you a very very happy and successful 2016 – I’m so excited to see what this year brings. Miss you already San Diego… I’ll see you guys in SF!

xx,
Dominique

special thank you to my amazing baby brother for the new camera lens!