Our end of May trip to Mexico seems like ages ago, but I finally put together my beach packing list a few weeks back so I could share. There are still plenty of days left to enjoy surf and sunshine this summer, but if you’re not lucky enough to have a beach vacation on the near horizon, bookmark these tips for streamlined packing for a future escape! Keep reading for details on what I packed for Tulum and Playa del Carmen, and be sure to scroll through all the photos above to see what I wore in Mexico (lots of outfit inspiration here if you feel stuck next time you start packing).
My packing motto for beachy locations? Edit, edit, edit. Even what you see pictured here (everything I packed) was way more than I needed, because at the beach your days are spent wearing a swimsuit and evenings require little more than a quick change into a dress and sandals. Restricting myself to packing in my Lo & Sons Catalina bag helps streamline things too.
My number one tip for packing is to start a few days before you leave, lay all the pieces on your bed, and try everything on. You’ll figure out what you can mix and match and avoid over packing–and have the perfect outfits pre-planned so you don’t waste precious relaxation time deciding what to wear each day!
Here are my beach-packing tips:
Swimsuits: Pack two swimsuits (I scooped up the same suit in two colors because I loved the fit–and price–so much) and alternate them each day. It’s an effortless way to spice things up.
Shoes: Choose comfortable, lightweight shoes and only bring flats. Slim flip flops are a must for the beach and espadrilles are a summer essential (choose a flat version for walking in airports and exploring towns). I also take my go-to summer sandal of the moment and one metallic pair for coupling with dresses in the evening. I never take heels on vacation.
Dresses: Dresses are your best friend for warm-weather destinations. Select a few that can easily fold up and take little space (and that will lose any wrinkles once hung). A colorful tunic is great, plus a few longer options that can be worn for day or dressed up at night.
Tops: These should be basic and breathable to withstand hot days. I favor solid neutrals and stripes because they can pair in so many ways with shorts and simple flats. I keep things fresh by adding a straw fedora or a long necklace.
Bottoms: Super simple–one white pair, one denim short. Nothing that sand and sunscreen can ruin!
*H&M white shorts, Target distressed boyfriends shorts
Jewelry & Accessories: Keep it minimal. Vacation isn’t the time for expensive or excessive jewelry and bags. I always swap my wedding ring out for a simple gold band and take one or two necklaces that I can mix and match with my outfits. I like to bring along a little clutch–in a vibrant color–that goes with anything. And a straw fedora has been my go-to accessory all summer, whether at home or away.
On the two weekends before we headed to Maine, we hosted different groups of friends for a casual Sunday brunch on our patio. There’s nothing I love more in the summer than eating outside and cooking good food to share with good friends. We kept the brunch menu simple and easy to prepare. One weekend we did a mushroom, leek, and swiss frittata; the other weekend, soft-scrambled eggs with herbs and goat cheese. Both weekends we grilled up crisp bacon, made a quick salad lightly tossed with homemade vinaigrette, and put out a big bowl of fresh cut fruit.
And because I love sweets for breakfast as much as I love savory (always so hard to decide!), I also made these addictive cinnamon rolls. All of our friends loved them, and I promised the recipe would be shared, so here it is–complete with a super simple dough (no rising time needed), a brown sugar-pecan filling, and rich mascarpone icing. These take some time to prep but are incredibly easy and a must-have recipe in your kitchen–believe me, your friends and family will thank you.
Pecan Cinnamon Rolls with Mascarpone Icing
Filling:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Bun Dough:
1 tablespoon golden flaxmeal
2 tablespoons very hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
9 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and divided (I divided it first, then melted each part)
Cooking spray
To make the filling, combine the brown sugar, pecans, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and melted butter in a medium bowl. The filling will be dry and crumbly.
To make the bun dough, first combine flaxmeal and hot water in a small bowl; stir until mixture becomes a little goopy. Set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in flax slurry, buttermilk and 6 tablespoons melted butter into dry ingredients until blended and dough forms. Transfer bowl with dough to refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
Spray a 13 x 11-inch piece of parchment paper with cooking spray. Lightly flour a rolling pin. Remove the dough from the fridge. It will still be sticky, so sprinkle with a couple good pinches of flour and lightly knead the flour into the dough. Remove the dough from the bowl and roll out on the parchment paper to a 12 x 10-inch rectangle. Brush rolled dough with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch plain border on 1 long side; press the filling to adhere to dough. Begin to roll up the dough jelly-roll style, starting at long end opposite of the plain border (gently lift the parchment to help you roll up the dough). Pinch the border of the dough to seal. Wrap the full roll in the parchment paper, place on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes (freezing helps firm the roll so it will be easier to cut).
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°. Cut cold roll into 8 equal slices. Place rolls in a 10-inch spring-form pan or 10-inch cake pan. There should be a good amount of space between all the rolls–they will expand. Brush tops of rolls with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes.
To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, mascarpone cheese, and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Spread the icing over slightly cooled buns.
*Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
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