Buela the Elephant

Skylands Stadium is where I had this incredible experience! Buela is currently at the Meadowlands State Fair if you want to meet her!

If you follow along on my Instagram you know that last weekend I had the experience of a lifetime riding and hand feeding an elephant! Her name was Buela and she is 44 years old, and they have had her since she was a baby. Who knew they had such a sweet tooth for cotton candy?! My sister had my cotton candy in her purse, and the elephant must have smelt it and stuck her trunk right in there! It was such an incredible experience, and something I will remember for the rest of my life. It was amazing how gentle such a big animal can be. My goal is to one day go to Africa on a safari and see all the animals in their natural habitats. That would be the trip of a lifetime!

Anyways, the next day I did my first day trip of the summer to Long Branch. I heard about a new place called Playa Bowls that recently opened up in Pier Village so I had to check it out. I’m a huge fan of acai/pitaya bowls so I’m pumped that now there is a place to get them in Pier Village! It was so delicious and so filling, they don’t skimp out at all on any of the toppings! It will most definitely be my new spot for the summer whenever I am in Long Branch!

I cannot believe that next weekend is already July 4^th aka my favorite holiday to dress up for :) Enjoy your week! xo

Bubble Tea

Close up of all the different flavor options

 

The other day I decided to take a drive and visit my sister at school. Warm days instantly make me want to get outside after being cooped up all winter. I can never get enough of the sun!

My sister always goes to a cool spot called Intrinsic Café. They are known for their bubble tea, and I have been wanting to try it out for a while. I was unsure what to expect, but it was delicious and did not disappoint! I got mango passionfruit, which turned out to be a great combo :) The bubbles are made of Tapioca and to me tasted like gummy bears because they are a similar chewy consistency.

Tapioca is not something that I was familiar with, but after doing some research I found out that it has great health benefits! It aids in digestion, helps enhance energy (healthier coffee replacement), helps to protect and develop bones, and useful for muscle growth and development to name a few! It’s actually a starch that is extracted from a cassava root. The dry flakes turn into clear, jellylike balls when mixed with liquids, aka the “bubbles” of Bubble Tea. I highly suggest trying Bubble Tea! Intrinsic Café is in Newark NJ, and they offer tons of yummy flavors! You can also get the bubbles in a shake consistency; my sister’s favorite is green tea.

Follow along on my Instagram @wildwavez to see more of my springtime adventures! My sister and her best friend have a food Instagram @munchymap if your looking for new trendy food places in the tri-state area! Beware of looking at their account while your hungry because you will want to go everywhere that they post about!

Warm Escape

I bring my Sand Cloud towel with me on all my travels! It is so convenient because how tiny it rolls up!
Use my code: karlee25 to get a 25% discount!!
Mermaid hat (on me): The Soul Project
Saltwater Goddess (on my sister): Saltwater Love Tribe

Dress & bralette: Gypsy Warrior

Sunglasses from Windsor great for affordable trendy fashion!

 

Haley finding her inner yogi :) I have been doing yoga since January & I LOVE it!

 

Wrap skirt: Tobi

Love how my sister thought to tie a simple knot on the side of her skirt & it totally changed the style 
 

Beach bag purchased in Downtown Delray Florida

Pineapple tank: The Soul Project

Successful trip to Florida!! 

If you have been following along on my Instagram, you know that I recently got back from Florida. The weather was at least 85 degrees everyday, and it was exactly what I needed to get a nice tan :) In my opinion, March is the best time of year to travel to a warm destination because when you get home it’s spring and warmer days are ahead. I’m hoping the saying, “April showers bring May flowers” is true because in New Jersey this weather has not been feeling like spring.

If you give me sunshine I’m a very happy girl, that Vitamin D is an instant mood booster! Downtown Delray Florida is a great area with some unique shops and outdoor restaurants. I totally recommend going there if you are visiting Florida. I got a few things on my trip, one of them being the tribal print beach bag in the above photos. I have had the same beach bag for years, so it was finally time to treat myself and upgrade. I’m at the beach almost every weekend in the summer so I know it will go to good use. Before my trip The Soul Project hooked me up and sent me this pineapple tank as well as a pack of flash tats. You can feel great knowing that $1 from every Soul Project item that you buy goes to local kids and environmental charities based on where your item was purchased. I have collaborated with this California based company a few times, and their products never disappoint! I love the lightweight comfortable fabric that they use for their tees and tanks that make them perfect for warm days!

I hope Mother Nature gets the memo that it’s now officially spring, and I would really appreciate it if the weather starts to warm up :) I hope you all have a fantastic week! Thank you so much for following!!

23

My mom & sister :)

The awesome thrift store we found while waiting on line at Black Tap

They have a basement with all vinyl records, and it was awesome to go through! (Side note: The show "Vinyl" on HBO is fantastic!)

These milkshakes made the wait totally worth it!

My dad :)

My birthday weekend was a whirlwind of fun, and it really makes me appreciate the people that I have in my life that go above and beyond to make my birthday extra special! Sadly “I’m feeling 22” by T.Swift no longer applies to me, now that I’m 23. There seems to be a lot more responsibilities added with this age, out of all of my birthdays so far. I’m looking forward to seeing what this year has in store for me!

My birthday celebration started with my family in NYC at Black Tap. We had to wait an hour outside in the cold because they don’t take reservations, but let me tell you it was SO worth it!! Plus because there was four of us we took turns waiting in line, and my sister and me found this awesome thrift store right down the block! Shopping definitely made the line go by quicker :)

On Saturday I went to a delicious birthday brunch, followed by a stop at a specialty donut shop. Basically my birthday weekend consisted of A LOT of eating (thank gosh for the gym lol) But hey it’s the one day (or weekend in my case) a year that you are allowed to splurge with no judgments! That night I went out with my girlfriends to the city, and we partied until the sun came up. In my books this was a successful birthday weekend, and I am very grateful for the special people in my life.

As you guys can tell, I’m trying to incorporate a lifestyle vibe to my blog and I would love to get feedback on your opinions of this addition! Comment below what you think of this kind of post mixed into my blog. Thank you so much for following along it means the world to me! Now I’m off to sunny Florida :)