The Pink Palace

If you are not familiar with the glorious place called The Don Cesar, you are missing out, big time. Not only is it a Lowes hotel, my favorite, but it is also pink. I mean you can't ask for anything better. In all honesty I LOVE the don, it's one of those places that feels like home away from home! Luckily, whenever I go to Florida, I stay minutes from the Pink Palace. Having a best friend living in Florida has it's perks, especially when she lives a short walk from the hotel! Needless to say whenever you get the chance to visit the Tampa/St. Petersburg/Pass-A-Grille area, do yourself a favor and take a trip to the Don, you won't regret it! When you're there take a photo so you can have a memory of that fab hotel! 

The nickname "Pink Palace" is a true fit! Being a historic landmark, the hotel has to be painted a certain color, but maybe that's not a bad thing! 

The rooms are just as chic as the hotel, the whole place got a revamp just a few years ago and it's looking better than ever! On a side note, it is rumored that F. Scott Fitzgerald himself spent some time roaming the halls! 

Lastly, the selling feature of the hotel. If you look past the pink and the glamorous guest list, you will see that the view is to die for. It's truly gorgeous.

xo,

Rachel 

P.S. The lovely Dean from Proper Kid Problems spends many of his getaways here! If it's got his seal of approval then it has to be a hot spot! 

summer heat & sweet treats

I recently came across this photo on Pinterest, and had to share it with you. Tell me that I'm not the only one who things these coconut and blood orange popsicles look to die for! They are the perfect thing to reach for on a hot summer day. Put down the artificial food coloring nightmare and pick this up instead, your dentist will thank you later! If you want the full how to check out Fork Knife Swoon, while you're there you will find loads of other great recipe's! 

xo,

Rachel 

Top Knot Knowledge

The perfect, easy, carefree, cute hairstyle. The hairstyle that will not cooperate with my hair, or maybe that's the other way around! Let me break it down: my hair will not go into a top knot. Many hours have been spent in front of a mirror with many hair ties and bobby pins. I simply cannot make a top knot. Why is this effortlessly chic style so hard to achieve? If anyone knows where I can get some help with my lack of top knot abilities, please let me know. In the meantime, I'll be trying to perfect my sleek pony!

xo,

Rachel 

New Blog & New Beginnings

AAHHH I'm so excited! If you cannot tell, the new blog is up! This is so exciting! I am now the proud owner of my very own domain! Share the big news, tell the world, I could not be happier about having a place that's all my own! Don't fret, Lake Shore Prep isn't going away, it just got a little revamp! I'm still the same person doing the same blogging, only under a different blog name! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave them below! 

xo,

Rachel

P.S. everyone go thank Gabi from The Lobster Polo for making this gorgeous header! 

Where I've been

Something seems to be reoccurring here, I always say that I'm going to post this much or on this date and guess what? I never do. I hate to be the one that says "Oh I'm to busy" but in all honesty I AM too busy. I rarely get the time to sit down at the computer and just be free to blog. I miss the days when I was able to just take time out of my day to do what I love! This time I'm not going to say when I will be posting next, I'm afraid I'll jinx myself! So just look out for posts, and if you really want to be in the know, sign up for email subscriptions in the sidebar! I have to go, again. I have attached some 4th of july weekend photo below! I spent it with my pal, Em! It was a fab weekend! Hope you had a great holiday like I did!

xo,

Rachel 

Fashion Essentials: Beach Edition

{Hello Everyone! Rachel here, today the lovely Raquel came on and talked about her beach essentials with a 4th of July twist! Hope you all enjoy her post and check out her lovely blog, Simply Raquel Collette} 

Is there anything better than a day spent at the beach, basking in the sun? I can't think of any at the moment, but maybe I am a little biased because there is only one more workday until 4th of July weekend! I am going to be spending the long weekend up at my cottage, and you better believe I will be at the beach constantly! One thing that is definitely not on my agenda? Being unprepared for a long day spent in the sand! I always like to make sure that I have everything that I would need at the beach, but I never want to feel weighed down. There are certain "essentials" that I always bring with me, and of course they are totally 4th of July themed!

1. Oversized Beach Towel (monogram optional, but oh so adorable): I don't know about you all but having a towel that is super big is a must for me. Although I do love me some sand, I do not like it on my towel. Having room to spread out comfortably is totally necessary for a long day at the beach! PS, how cute is this monogram at the end?!

2. Festive Bikini: Yes, I am totally one of those girls that goes all out on the 4th of July regarding clothing.. bikinis are no exception! I love that this one still reflects the holiday but isn't in your face. I love that this bathing suit is not just your everyday striped one, but has adorable little ruffle detailing! Something I love even more? That these separates are both from Target, score!

3. Patriotic Cover Up: There is nothing more that I love at the beach than a good cover up! Especially when it is in the form of a striped Oxford. This is perfect to throw on over a bikini when it gets a little windy, or when it starts to get chilly later in the day.

4. Retro Sunnies: What is more American than a good old fashioned pair of sunnies? This pair is so fun and definitely has a little teeny bit of a Cat Eye going on. A complete Forever 21 steal!

5. No Burns Here: This may be the most important thing on my list: good old SPF! Whether it be moisturizer, BB Cream, or all over body cream, sun screen is a must for me. Especially when I know I am going to be at the beach and in the sun all day. This girl does not want to face a sunburn!

6. Happy Hair = Happy Raquel: Okay I thought of one thing that I dislike more than sand on my towel...the way the wind gets my hair all knotty. Ugh! Anyone else hate that? To combat having to brush my hair out for the remainder of my trip, I have my handy (and adorable) floppy hat and gingham hair tie. Whichever I decide to use, my hair will be out of the way!

7. Lippie (Pomegranate Raspberry flavor of course): I always make sure that I protect my lips as well as my face. This little eos is so convenient to throw in my bag and super easy to find because of the bright color!

8. A Good Read: For me, if I don't bring a book to the beach with me, I might as well not go! I am definitely not one of those girls who can lay on the beach for hours doing absolutely nothing. Plus, there is just something so calming about sprawling out, laying in the warm sun, and reading a great book.

9. Oversized Headphones: And this is to block out all the screaming kids when I am trying to take a little nap! Because that is what we all really go to the beach for, right?!

10. Fav Lilly Tumbler:  Call me crazy, but there is something about using a straw that makes me drink way more water than normal! Keeping hydrated is one of the most important things next to keeping skin protected! Plus, this is probably the cutest cup I have ever seen.

11. Carry It All Tote: And this gorgeous polka dot tote is what I carry my life in! This tote is just big enough to carry all my necessities but not too large that it's a pain to carry everywhere! Thank The Lord for Target!

With my tote bag full of goodies I am ready to take on a day at the beach, and just about anything the day might have in store for me! What are your beach necessities?
                                                                    xo, Raquel

pleased as punch

Via

I have been waiting for an email for the past month and it has been driving me absolutely mad! Today I finally got it, and I'm cheekier than ever! This girl is now a loop writer at Smart Girls Group! I could not be more excited! I can't wait to get into doing one of my favorite things, writing! It has always been something that brought me solace(yes that is from The Great Gatsby). Look for my name on the big screen aka your computer screen. Now that I'm a part of the fab community of smart girls, you should be too. Click the link below to browse their website, I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do!

xo,

Rachel