Sassy Southern Blonde

A Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kelsie Bynum

PALM SPRINGS WITH PINK POSSUM BOUTIQUE

ROMPER | BAG

TWO PIECE SET

STRIPED DRESS | TWO PIECE SET

JUMPSUIT

TWO PIECE SET | DRESS

JUMPSUIT

DRESS | EARRINGS

PURPLE DRESS | CLUTCH | BAG

If you saw my Instagram last week, you probably noticed that I was in Palm Springs, California with Pink Possum Boutique! We planned everything a week before we flew out, and it’s true that the best trips are the sporadic ones! 🙂 Kristin and I flew into LAX Friday night, and then we all hopped in the car to head to Palm Springs. Not without stopping at In-N-Out first, though! Did you really go to the West Coast if you didn’t eat there at some point? Lol.

We shot spring looks for Pink Possum Saturday morning, and we had lunch at a precious restaurant, The Pink Cabana! It’s located inside the Sands Hotel. The entire place is beautiful and very Instagrammable! 🙂 Taking photos and changing clothes is more exhausting than you think, so we got pizza delivered Saturday night. Haha! Sunday was probably my favorite day because we took pictures at The Saguaro aka the rainbow hotel and had brunch at Norma’s inside the Parker Hotel. (If you watch Mad Men, this is where Don Draper stayed when he flew out to California in season 2) We finished shooting the last of the spring pieces that afternoon, and then headed back to LA for our flights on Monday morning!

All the Pink Possum outfits that have been posted on Instagram (and a few that haven’t made it yet) are linked above! You can purchase through their website, Facebook group, or the Pink Possum App available for download now. Don’t forget to use KELSIE15 for 15% off your entire purchase! Sizing details are on Pink Possum’s website! Please DM or drop a comment if you have any questions! 🙂

XOXO

Kels

*A special thank you to Pink Possum Boutique for sponsoring today’s post! All opinions are my own*

Girls Weekend Recap at the Mississippi Gulf Coast

WEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTMy friend Meagan and I had the best girls weekend on the Mississippi Gulf Coast! We stayed at The Roost in Ocean Springs, which is the cutest bed and breakfast you’ve ever seen! Just look at the photos I took of my room below. My favorite part was definitely the bathroom tile! Lol. I got lots of inspiration for my future home! If you are ever in the area, I definitely recommend this hotel. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming! 🙂

WEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTWEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTWEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTWEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTAfter we checked in Friday night, we headed to dinner at White Pillars! The food was amazing, especially the king cake with strawberry ice cream pictured above. It seriously melted in our mouths! Meagan and I decided to split 4 of the small plates to get bites of everything. Great decision!

WEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTSaturday morning, we had coffee and waffles at a cute little coffee shop called Bright Eyed Brew Company! They are located in Downtown Ocean Springs. If you ever visit, order the Nutella waffle and vanilla latte. Just look how perfect! 🙂

WEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTAfter breakfast, we visited the Walter Anderson Art Museum down the street! Everything was so cool, especially his beautiful watercolor paintings! Meagan and I also stopped by the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum before dinner. I loved all the boats and learning history about hurricanes that have hit the Gulf Coast!

WEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTDinner happened at Vestige, also located in Downtown Ocean Springs! It was phenomenal, to say the least! I ordered the beef (pictured above) and Meagan tried their fish of the day. Both were perfect! I definitely enjoyed the pimento and cheese appetizer too! 😉

WEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTWEEKEND AT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COASTA few other places we went that I didn’t get photos at were Eat Drink Love for lunch on Saturday and The Wilbur for drinks after dinner! They are both actually located at The Roost, which was really convenient! I have recently become obsessed with charcuterie boards, so I 10/10 recommend The Wilbur’s version. Meagan and I got one Friday AND Saturday night! Haha. We had breakfast at The Greenhouse on Porter before leaving on Sunday, and the homemade biscuits really hit the spot for the drive back! All in all, we had a fabulous weekend!

XOXO

Kels

*A special thank you to Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast for sponsoring this wonderful trip! All opinions are my own!*

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE TRAVEL GUIDE

Nashville, Tennessee Travel GuideNashville, Tennessee Travel GuideNashville, Tennessee Travel GuideNashville, Tennessee Travel GuideNashville, Tennessee Travel GuideWhether it’s a business trip or a random one to visit friends, Nashville has easily become my favorite city! The atmosphere is amazing and the people are so friendly. You’re basically guaranteed to have a great time! I also love that there’s constantly fun things to do, especially on the weekends. Everyone is just day drinking and living their best lives at a rooftop bar or local hot spot!

PLACES TO EAT

-Bartaco: This is probably my #1 favorite restaurant I’ve eaten at so far! I think it lives up to all the hype. I love ordering the crispy shrimp tacos and a LARGE guacamole!

-Frothy Monkey breakfast: The random morning we went, Luke Pell from The Bachelorette was there. So cool to see him in person! (Even though I haven’t forgiven him from Bachelor Winter Games.. If you know, you know! Lol.) I loved my pancakes, but the avocado toast looked amazing too!

-Five Daughters Bakery: If you love donuts, you have to go to Five Daughters! The donuts are delicious, and it’s a very Instagrammable spot!

-No Baked Cookie Dough: Another adorable spot for photos and the cookie dough is SO good. I wish I could have tried a sample of every flavor!

-Restoration Hardware lunch in Green Hills + Shopping: Since I don’t live near a Nordstrom, I always swing by Green Hills to shop at my favorite store! Afterward, you MUST go to RH for lunch in their cafe and browsing. It’s just a gorgeous spot, and the food is delicious! (Go with the grilled cheese, hamburger, or french toast)

-Butcher and Bee: This spot was so kind as to host us for lunch on my blogger trip a few weeks ago! Honestly, their pita feta appetizer was my favorite part! Lol. I also ordered a burger that I loved too!

-Geist: Brunch is LIFE, and this place has some amazing strawberry cheesecake pancakes! Like, I cleaned my plate in 5 minutes!

-Acme: Good bar food is hard to find, but Acme on Broadway does it best! (To me at least) You will not be disappointed with their chicken sandwich!

-Von Elrod’s: Day drinking is always fun in Nash, and Von Elrod’s is the perfect place for it. They also have snacks, like soft pretzels, to order with your beer. SO YUM!

THINGS TO DO

-12 South Murals: It doesn’t matter how many times I go to Nashville, 12 South never gets old. The murals are definitely what draws tourists in (like myself lol), but the atmosphere is so fun as well! That’s where Bartaco, Frothy Monkey, and Five Daughters Bakery are!

– Hillsboro Village: Another cute spot with good shopping and food! If you’ve seen the red kisses mural on my feed, it’s located here!

– Broadway: Listing Broadway was inevitable, but it really is the best time! Especially with a good group of friends! 🙂 My absolute favorite bars are Jason Aldean’s and FGL!

– The Gulch: Yet another adorable area in Nashville! Uncommon James (Kristin Cav’s store), Kittenish (Jessie James Decker’s store), and the famous angel wings mural are all located here!

– The Bobby Hotel: I saw so many people post the rooftop igloos, and I finally got to go this last trip! It was super cool. I think they take them down March 5th, so it’s worth planning a visit to! Oh, and if you’re into charcuterie boards, the hotel restaurant has the best one!

SPOTS I WANT TO VISIT ASAP

-Loveless Cafe

-Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse: Go early because the wait gets long. My friend Karrah and I were too hungry to wait an hour!

-Pinewood Social: Book reservations beforehand! Like at least a week. We learned the hard way! Lol.

-Senima: Amazing brunch

-Skulls Rainbow Room: This spot is great for drinks before the bars!

-Opryland Hotel: Dinner and sightseeing

I hope yall enjoyed hearing about my favorite spots in Nashville! This little city really is phenomenal, and it makes me want to pick up and move there every time I visit. I’m already planning my next trip 🙂

XOXO

Kels

NYC TRAVEL GUIDE + OUTFIT ROUNDUP

NYC Winter FashionCOAT | BODYSUIT | JEANS | BOOTS

NYC Winter FashionCOAT | SWEATER | LEGGINGS | BOOTIES | SUNNIES

NYC Winter FashionCOAT | TOP | SKIRT | BOOTS

NYC Winter FashionCOAT | SWEATER | LEGGINGS | BOOTS | HAT

NYC Winter FashionSWEATER | LEGGINGS | HAT | SCARF | BOOTIES

NYC Winter FashionDRESS | BOOTS

NYC Winter FashionCOAT | SWEATER | LEGGINGS | BOOTIES

NYC Winter FashionVEST | TOP | JEANS | BOOTS | BELT | HAT

NYC Winter FashionSWEATER | LEGGINGS | BOOTS | HAT

I had only been to New York City once before on a school trip in college, so I was DYING to go back. We went in May then, but I wanted to see NYC at Christmas because I heard it was absolutely magical! And it definitely lived up to the hype! I have received lots of questions about what we did, where we ate, outfits, etc. so I thought rounding up the trip in a blog post would be the best option!

PLACES TO EAT

*John’s Pizzeria: We got late night pizza here after Wicked, and I loved it! I don’t eat a lot of it, but this place was delicious. And did you really go to New York City if you didn’t eat pizza at some point?!

*Junior’s: Everyone raves about this place, but the roast beef sandwich my mom and I ordered was SO disgusting. Hahaha, I could barely eat it! Then I realized I meant to order the chef’s special version, not the normal roast beef. (I had gotten it a few years ago, and it was AMAZ) So make sure you order the right thing! And the cheesecake is to die for, especially the red velvet!

*Black Tap: Perfect place for a delicious, gourmet burger and a fabulous milkshake! Mine had an actual piece of cake on top! If you missed the photo of it on my IG Stories, it’s saved under the “NYC” highlight 🙂

*Carmine’s: Italian food is my favorite, so visiting Carmine’s was at the top of my list. It’s very old school! We ordered the stuffed cheese ravioli, and it was great! Make sure you have reservations, though!

*Blue Box Cafe: Lived the dream and had breakfast at Tiffany’s! It was definitely my favorite restaurant. Just a heads up, this place opens reservations 30 days in advance every morning at 8 am, and the spots fill up in MINUTES. Like, I was on my computer on November 1st at 7:55 am to book a spot for December 1st! Insane, but worth it!

*Sarabeth’s: Another place you can’t miss when you go to NYC! Everything on the menu is perfect. I wish I would have eaten here more than once! Haha. (My favorites are their french toast and tomato soup)

*Shake Shack: Even though Shake Shack is a chain now, it originated in NYC. Plus, the last night we were too tired to make our reservations at Vandal and decided to grab this instead. Yum!

*Magnolia Bakery: If you love banana pudding, you must get some from Magnolia Bakery! The best I have ever had!!

THINGS TO DO

*Times Square: Yall are probably like, “Duh Kelsie”, but I had to include it just in case! 🙂 I think the best time to go is at night because everything is so pretty and bright! So bright that you can 100% take a photo and it still looks like daylight. Lol!

*Broadway Shows: I could have gone to a Broadway show every night and been completely content! We saw Wicked, and I loved it, but I wish I would have seen Mean Girls too. Maybe next time?! 😉

*Shopping in Soho: We wandered around Soho after lunch at Black Tap, and I’m glad we did. Everything in this area is so cute and quaint! And of course, I had to get a photo in front of Pietro Nolita! (The completely PINK restaurant)

*Christmas tree at Rockefeller Plaza: This is perfect to stop by and see on your way to the Rockettes! The tree is HUGE and definitely gets you into the Christmas spirit. I wish we had time to ice skate, but the line was long! (per usual for the holidays in NYC)

*5th Avenue: Window shopping on 5th Ave is amazing any day of the year, but Christmastime is like no other! Saks alone steals the spotlight with an unbelievable light show and the prettiest display windows.

*GOSSIP GIRL TOUR: My #1 recommendation is the Gossip Girl tour, especially if you are a huge fan like I am. We did it with On Location Tours, and they did a fabulous job! Our tour guide, Arah, was amazing and so friendly! It lasts 3 hours, but the time flies by. I didn’t want it to end! 🙁

*Rockettes: LOVED this show. From beginning to end, the dancing and Christmas storyline are truly spectacular!

SPOTS WE MISSED THAT I REGRET

*Top Of The Rock

*Brooklyn Bridge/Dumbo Area

*Color Factory in Soho

A HUGE thing that helped me plan was writing down everything I wanted to do, making the reservations, booking the tickets to shows, and creating a schedule for each day beforehand. You don’t want to get to NYC and not have a clue about what’s going on! Do prior research. I promise you will thank me later! lol

XOXO

Kels

Gatlinburg Outfit Recap + Hotel Review

TOP | JEANS | BOOTS (Similar pair on SALE) | HAT

SWEATER | BOOTS | HAT

CARDIGAN | TANK | JEANS | SHOES | HAT

PLAID DRESS | SWEATER DRESS | BOOTS | HAT

SWEATER | JEANS | HAT

SWEATER | JEANS | BOOTS | HAT

SWEATER | BOOTS

SWEATER | JEANS | BOOTS | HAT

I’m so excited to be recapping my recent trip to Gatlinburg on the blog today! I flew into Charlotte Thursday morning, and my online bestie Andrea became my real life bestie! 🙂 We ran around town trying to be “A+ bloggers” as Andrea likes to say and had the best time! Friday morning, Tanner joined us and we headed to Gatlinburg to meet up with Bailey! Of course, the weather was horrible, so we decided to wait until Saturday morning to go! (But not after driving an hour into the trip LOL) We spent Friday afternoon in Charlotte just talking and sitting on Andrea’s floor for hours. Even though the beginning of the trip was a disaster, we definitely built friendships that meant way more in the end!

Saturday morning at 5 am came VERY early, but we got on the road and high tailed it to Gatlinburg! Once we arrived, we immediately checked into the cutest hotel, Margaritaville Resort! If you’ve ever been to one or a Margaritaville restaurant, you know the theme is very tropical with lots of bright colors. My favorite part was the Margarita maker in our room! I thought it was the perfect touch 😉 The entire staff was so kind and accommodating, though! I highly recommend booking your next stay here if you go to Gatlinburg or any of their resorts across the U.S. I also loved that this location was on Gatlinburg’s main street, so you could walk to everything! (Which is nice when the traffic is crazy! Haha)

After we dropped our suitcases AND Andrea off (she needed a nap), the rest of the gang headed to The Apple Barn for fried apple fritters and hot apple cider! I remember going there every time my family vacationed in the mountains, and I couldn’t leave without homemade apple butter! It was just as amazing as when I went 10 years ago! We also visited Anakeesta Theme Park, which was right across from our hotel. You ride the rail up the mountains and it’s absolutely GORG! We did get stuck at the top for a bit, but the warm heaters and good company made it just fine!

Although our trip didn’t totally go as planned, I still had such a great time with these girls! (Yall should check out their blogs that I tagged above!) I mean, we are already planning trips for 2019 if that says anything! Stay tuned for more details there. Catching flights, not feelings is my motto for 2019! Hahaha OKAY, I’m done after that. Thanks for reading and thanks to Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg for hosting us!

XOXO

Kels