Work hard. Play hard. Enjoy every day.  That’s my motto, and never have I followed it more than this month!   When you have a demanding job – whether it’s in an office, on the road, at home raising children, or a combination of all, it’s important to take time for yourself on a regular basis.  A weekend away is a perfect way to recharge, and if you are on the lookout, there are many last minute bargains to be had. With all my business travel staying at the Courtyard I had plenty of Marriott points for a weekend at the Ritz, so off to Naples, Florida we went – first time for both of us…

What’s the first thing we do? Put on our swimsuits and head down to the beach bar! This red/navy striped top is actually a swimsuit top (Michael Kors), and the shorts are the ‘coverup’ – found both this year at Everything But Water.

Next stop is the beach (never the pool!) for a leisurely stroll and football…

What’s this Peter? You shouldn’t have! Ha – well, he didn’t.  One of the bartenders that we were chatting with at the beach bar sent this to us with a handwritten note.  Wow!  Customer service to the max.  Popped the bottle in the fridge as we headed out to dinner…

This pic was actually taken on our second night, and a bit of explanation goes with it. On our first night we were pleased to discover nightlife and plenty of places to dance – who knew?  In a place many told us would be very quiet…NOT!  Anyway, with this discovery I had to change my planned evening outfits to something ‘dance-friendly’.  (Off the shoulder dresses NOT dance-friendly)   My intention was to wear this dress in the afternoon with gold sneakers, instead I wore it at night.  Moral of the story: Don’t pack light. Bring extra options and you will be ready for anything!Here’s an afternoon outfit that was fun to wear, worn while out exploring the Waterside Shops – it’s a Camilla bejeweled silk top that is cropped in the front, ankle length in the back.  Saks Fifth Avenue carries a full line of this label which also includes swimsuits…

I found it in Aspen, which makes me think…

It will also be cool with jeans and high boots…quite exotic and unique, right?

This pink top is also unique and one of my favorites, bought a few years back at Portobello Road in Chestnut Hill… The label is Temptation, they make fabulous linen blouses and dresses, all handmade in Italy.  Initially I wore this only in the evenings or for special occasions –  now I wear it anytime because everyday is special.

A special event everyday in Naples is watching the sunset. Crowds of people of all ages gather on the beach, and when the last glimmer of sun passes under the horizon, everyone applauds…

Including me, once I put down my bubbly…speaking of bubbly, here it was the morning of our departure and we still had that bottle of champagne in our room –  can’t let that go to waste!

What did we do? We took it to the beach…

Here we are at 9:30am…”Peter, should we bring down some OJ too?”  “We don’t need no OJ.” 😉   Truth be told, we did not drink it alone but shared it with a very nice couple from South Carolina.  And then, because you can’t go home without a bag…one last visit to the gift shop… Who says it’s better to take the early flight home???

A final few words told to us by a friendly Naples resident we met one night at a bar:  When you visit Naples you learn two things – you’re not as old as you think you are, and you’re not as rich as you think you are!  😉

Either way, we can’t wait to go back!  For now, back to work!

Where is your favorite weekend getaway?