VACATION RECREATION

Thank you to Born Shoes and Dillard’s for sponsoring this post on how Garrett and I recreated our recent vacation. 

It’s been a few weeks since Garrett and I got back from our anniversary trip to London. It was so nice to get back to the boys, but I have to admit, we both had a hard time adjusting back to reality. It’s not that I wasn’t happy to be back into mom-mode. I love mom-mode. Even though the days are crazy and my patience is tested, I love being a mom. But Garrett and I had gotten so used to being together all the time. It was fun! It reminded us of our dating days; we were both like, “Hey! You’re cool and I like hanging out with you!” I remember looking at Garrett on our flight home and saying, “well, that was fun. I guess it’s back to only seeing each other for a few hours at night again.” One thing our trip did was help us reconnect as a couple, and as best friends. It was fun to remember how well we jive together when it is just us.

Born Shoes’ emphasis this summer is on finding our own vacation, even if you aren’t actually on one. We have decided to be a bit more deliberate about dates since getting home home. Instead of hurrying to snag a babysitter so we can get a quick bite to eat for a Friday night date night, we decided to plan it out a little more. Plan it out like we had our vacation planned out. We want to make our dates feel more like an anticipated vacation rather than just going through the motions. For our first official date since getting home from London, I decided to make it a lunch date. We never get lunch just the two of us, and I knew the perfect place! There is a little row of stores in Pasadena called the Burlington arcade. We have been a few times before, and I always mention that it’s my favorite spot in Pasadena. I love it even more now because it is patterned exactly after an arcade in London! London is full of arcades (a covered passageway with shops on either side), but the iconic Burlington Arcade is especially beautiful, and we walked through it while we were in London. Seeing it replicated in our own city (complete with a red telephone booth) after our trip made it feel like we were back on vacation! We grabbed a sandwich and a root beer float and talked about the next big vacation we want to take. I really want to go to Greece, and Garrett has his hopes on Spain. I would love any input in the comments below if you have been to either or both places!

I opted for a casual look since this was a lunch date. I wore these Born cognac leather sneakers (available at Dillard’s or Dillards.com), and I can’t get over how comfortable they are! I was running to school, doing some errands, and grocery shopping in them right before lunch. They are hand sewn to allow for maximum flexibility, and I love the design with the zipper on the side. It makes getting them on and off so easy. The soles of the shoes are extra cushiony (which would be perfect for lots of walking while exploring during a vacation), and the real leather holds up extremely well. I am a sucker for anything with cognac leather, so these shoes had my name written all over them. Garrett was coming straight from work, and he wore his Born loafers (also available at Dillard’s). Some of his other dress shoes hurt his feet, but he mentioned at the end of a long day how great his feet felt in these. He likes that they are comfortable and that he can pair them with jeans or a dressier pair of chinos.

I highly encourage anyone that needs a little date night refresh to try turning your date nights into mini vacations instead. And if you are lucky enough to be planning a real vacation soon, I highly recommend a pair of these comfy Born shoes. Just wait until you see how comfortable they are!

Thank you to Born Shoes at Dillard’s for sponsoring this post  |  photography by Jordan Zobrist