Sam's Seven

Vol 153: Chonkers the sea lion, Hotel du Couvent, an SPF button up + 4 more recommendations

1. Chonkers

The talk all over town lately (or maybe just for me since I can’t shut up about it) has been Chonkers, the gargantuan Steller sea lion, that has been posted up at Pier 39 in San Francisco for weeks. He’s three times the size of a regular sea lion and the videos of him climbing aboard the floating piers and knocking other sea lions into the bay are hysterical. Unfortunately the local celebrity hasn’t been spotted in a week so it’s possible he’s since moved on from San Francisco, but it’s made for hilarious local (and national!) news.

2. Claudent UPF Button Up Shirt

This looks like yet another plain button up, but it’s made using a special UVA/UVB protectant fabric. With regular cotton or linen shirts, 2 out of every 3 harmful UV rays reach your skin but the brand Claudent has created pieces to protect you from over 98% of UVA/UVB rays. On my most recent girls trip there was a lot of chatter about skin cancer, so wearing pieces like this Claudent button up help keep you protected.

3. Call It By Your Name Wide Brim Hat

This reversible bandana print bucket hat from Call It By Your Name is too cute. The versatility of being able to wear two different colors (and it being a pliable, packable hat) makes vacation packing that much easier.

4. Margaux Demi Woven Flats

Smitten with these two-tone woven flats. All of the Margaux shoes I own are extremely comfortable, so I know these will be no exception. I’m always a little hesitant on open weave shoes solely because you have to ensure your toes are freshly painted, but the saddle brown toe is fully closed and provides an aesthetically pleasing color contrast. Obsessed!

5. Theo of Golden

This book has rave reviews and while I enjoyed it from the start, I almost found it too sweet and endearing until the bombshell ending. I didn’t forsee it at all, and the complexity of the story and Theo’s kind acts really stays with you. I definitely recommend and see why everyone else does too!

6. Hotel du Couvent

I just booked Hotel du Couvent, a 17th-century convent reimagined as a luxury hotel, for lucky clients traveling to the south of France at the end of summer and I’m so excited for their trip. Ranked as one of the World’s 50 Best Hotels and awarded one Michelin key, Hotel du Couvent is located in the heart of old town Nice and in a short period of time has become something of a destination itself.

Planning a trip? Let me help! For complimentary hotel bookings on any of your trips, feel free to reach out to me for added amenities and priority status. You can respond directly to this newsletter or e-mail me at samantha.shelton@smartflyer.com

7. Carina Blue and Green Handcrafted Recycled Bar Glass

Yearning for these blue and green marbled glasses as an everyday update to my tried and true blue rimmed ones.