Color:
I was between buying the gold and the platinum and although the gold is more popular, and I really wasn’t planning on buying the platinum, I’m so happy I did! I think this color goes with more of my clothes and is more subtle than gold.
Comfort:
These shoes are ridiculously comfortable. I’ve heard ladies rave about these shoes forever, but I didn’t believe them. I was nervous about the fabric being tough and giving me blisters, but the fabric is strangely soft yet structured and supportive but not too structured that rub my feet the wrong way. I was nervous the ankle strap would rub and hurt the backs of my heels too. My feet are very prone to blisters these days and these shoes do not give me any discomfort.
Strap or no strap:
I got the Camilla shoes which have the ankle strap. Loeffler Randall sells the same shoe without the ankle strap. Those shoes are called the Penny. I’m personally glad I got the strap because this heel is steep and there is no platform. My foot feels more secure with the strap.
Size:
I am a true 9.5 and sometimes I am easily swayed. I ordered these in a 10, because I was worried they ran small after reading many reviews. However, I should’ve gotten my regular size because I have a narrow foot. I have figured out how to make them feel tighter: by tying the ankle strap in front of my foot instead of behind my ankle. Check out my Reel to show you how I secure the straps.
Worth it:
Absolutely! These shoes make me so happy! They were totally worth emptying my bank account for (poor law student alert)! I’m trying to wear them every chance I can get. Now the next question: what color do I buy next?
Shop my new favorite shoes below (contains affiliate links):
1. Lipstick making class- I found out via TikTok that you and your friends can make your own lipstick (for $60) at a Bite Beauty lab! How fun does that sound! I am going to book a lipstick making class for the end of the summer so I can make my own perfect shade of pink lipstick.
2. Del Vino Vineyard- My favorite vineyard on Long Island that is moderately close to my house in Nassau County. The wine is surprisingly delicious, and the grounds are beautiful.
3. Schitt’s Creek- I feel like I have been watching this show for years. It can never get old in my opinion. The writing and characters in this show are hysterical. If you haven’t seen it yet, please watch and have a laugh.
4. Laser hair removal- As the season gets hotter and the skirts get shorter, time to show some hairless skin. I highly recommend laser hair removal. I cannot speak more highly of it.
5. Pizza from Joe’s on 14th Street- There’s nothing better than a hot slice of classic New York cheese pizza. Don’t you dare say Chicago style pizza is better. Even my Chicagoan, says New York pizza is his favorite.
I have never been to the Plaza Hotel. I’ve admired it and walked by it a gazillion times, I even worked across the street from it, but up until Saturday, I’ve never been into Eloise’s home.
I am so happy I finally got to experience high tea at the Plaza Hotel.
I think the last time I had tea, I was in London sitting across the table from the same person I sat across the table from on Saturday, my longtime friend, Michelle.
Overall Review: 8.5/10
I would recommend tea at the Palm Court.
Food: 9/10
We ordered one Manhattan Tea and one Plaza Signature Tea. There were so many finger sandwiches, scones and pastries, we left full! We were very surprised by how much food there was. We were also very happy there was so much food and a giant pot of tea each because the grand total of teatime was $255.
The scones and finger sandwiches were delicious and very filling. The tea was great too. I was disappointed by the dessert tray. I was hoping for mouthwatering pastries, but that wasn’t the case. I know I’m being picky, but with a high price tag, it should’ve been perfect. I loved the macaroons and cheesecake. However, there was an apricot custard and mint cake which did nothing for my taste buds.
Service: 7.5/10
Sadly, I was disappointed by the service. With a big price tag like this, you are ultimately paying for the service, and I left unimpressed. Michelle and I are always very conversational with the staff and polite, but our waiter wanted nothing to do with us. He was chatty and friendly with the tables around us but didn’t peep one word to us except to take our order and asked us how everything was while we were eating.
Ambiance: 9/10
The Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel looks just like the movies. It’s beautiful and historic. The ceiling is gorgeous, and the room is covered in greenery. I also loved the tables, chairs, cutlery and China.
Value: 8.5/10
This was a very expensive day but overall, the price tag was worth it. The food was good, there was an abundance of it and the setting was beautiful. I’m glad we finally got to go!
Shop my outfit here (contains affiliate links):
Happy Friday! Sharing my five Friday favorites below:
Summer is definitely here in New York. And it is here to stay.
Time to tuck away my spring wardrobe and break out my summer one.
Before I do that, let’s reflect on my favorite spring outfits from this year.
In no particular order, here are my spring favorites:
Drop-waist floral dress with Sarah Flint Natalie slings (use code SARAHFLINT-BAELIZABETHG for $50 off)
Hill House dress with straw bag and espadrilles
Denim skirt, striped top, silk scarf, straw bag, Margaux ballet flats and trench coat
Gingham pants, purple cashmere, canvas bag, Margaux ballet flats and light wash denim jacket
Floral top, light wash jeans and little canvas crossbody bag
Striped sweater with oversized collar, mini canvas bag, red ballet flats and white jeans
Gal Meets Glam dress with Loeffler Randall heels
Green and white floral wrap skirt with Veja sneakers
White smocked top, nude block heels and light wash jeans
Chicwish top, light wash jeans, feather bag and Loeffler Randall heels
Day 1: Friday: Travel Day
• We flew American Airlines from LGA to DFW to Aguascalientes, Mexico
• I stayed with my boyfriend’s family
• We explored the center of the city and saw the churches. We also went to a rooftop bar.
Day 2: Saturday: Wedding
• We got all dolled up and celebrated a vow renewal for my boyfriend’s aunt and uncle.
Day 3: Sunday: Brunch
• We had brunch at a family member’s house. This was an all-day brunch event.
• My boyfriend’s parents hired a Mariachi band to celebrate the vow renewal and they performed at brunch.
Day 4: Monday: Guanajuato
• We were supposed to fly to Cancun, but there was a hurricane, so we canceled our trip.
• We took a day trip to Guanajuato from Aguascalientes, about an hour and a half drive.
• We drove to the top of the city to see the warrior statue of Monumento Al Pipila, with views of the whole colorful historic city. We went to the mummy museum before heading to the city square for dinner and a parade of the patron saint of the city. We also went candy shopping and got ice cream. We found the kissing balconies where the balconies are so close the apartment inhabitants could kiss with the street below.
Day 5: Tuesday: Travel Day
• We rebooked our trip to Nuevo Vallarta (the town next to Puerto Vallarta), rented a car and drove from Aguascalientes to the beach, a windy 7 hour drive through the mountains and agave plants. We stopped on the side of the road in a farm town for lunch. It was the best food we had all trip!
• We arrived at our all-inclusive hotel: Occidental Nuevo Vallarta. The rooms were spacious, updated, clean and very nice. All staff wore masks all the time. The buffet food was surprisingly delicious. All the fruit was fresh. I am a bit of a food snob, and I hate the buffet, but this buffet was very clean, all guests had to wear masks in the buffet and in all the dining rooms while walking around. I really appreciated how COVID conscious the hotel was. I felt very safe.
• We ate dinner at the buffet because we couldn’t get a dinner reservation. Dinner reservations for the inclusive restaurants at the hotel fill up fast. You can start making reservations the morning of at 9 am, so be prepared to wait on a line to make a reservation.
Day 6: Wednesday: Beach Day
• We slept in for the first time all week, grabbed breakfast and took the short walk past the pool to the beach. The wait staff was very attentive and kind. There was plenty of bottled water and tequila.
• We put on lots of sunscreen and sat on the beach all day. My favorite sunscreen is Sun Bum for my face, body and lips. It didn’t break me out at all!
• Alex took me on a date night to the top floor restaurant of our hotel which was not included in our package but was only a grand total of $50 for two people for four courses each and unlimited wine and beautiful views of the resort at sunset.
Day 7: Thursday: Beach Day
• Another beach day
• We went to the Sushi restaurant on the resort for dinner, which was delicious.
Day 8: Friday: Exploring Puerto Vallarta
• It was a cloudy day, so we decided to take a cab to the town over, Puerto Vallarta, to explore the beach town and buy some souvenirs. It was only 12 miles, but it took us about 45 minutes each way to get there because there was a ton of traffic.
• Alex bought a sign made from license plates for his apartment.
• I bought a straw hat and a bag tassel for myself. For my mom, I bought her a solid silver bracelet and a straw bag. I also bought a little glass turtle for my grandma.
• Alex also bought margarita glasses and a mug.
• To reenter the resort from town we had our temperatures taken by the gate guard and the guard took our names, which I really appreciated. It made me feel safe.
• We had dinner at one of the restaurants at the hotel: Mariachi. It was delicious Mexican, there was even a mariachi band.
• Every night there was a music and dance show on the pool deck in front of the beach, the theme of the night was Mexico, celebrating different Mexican states, how fitting. It was the best show we saw.
Day 9: Saturday: Beach Day
• I could never have too many beach days, ever.
• Alex and I had our rapid Covid tests done at the hotel for $22 each. We got the negative results in less than 15 minutes.
• We had dinner at the Italian restaurant at the resort. It was not good. I’m not sure why we thought it would be good. I would skip this restaurant.
• It was our last night. The show was Michael Jackson themed, where the lead dancer impersonated Michael Jackson. He was amazing!
Day 10: Sunday: Travel Day
• The airport was a 15-minute drive from the hotel. It’s a small airport, with only 20 gates so we got there extra early and had lots of extra time to wait.
