Swamp People + Gator Bait

Every two years, the Creole side of my family reunites to reminisce our history, honor our loved ones lost, share laughs, and of course...eat! This year's family reunion brought us back to our roots in Louisiana. 

One thing we've never done is a swamp tour. So, my sister was determined that this year was the year we would take to the swamps! Booking a tour with Cajun Encounters, we boarded the Gator Bait with Captain Jonathan at the helm. Since the captain grew up in Slidell, Louisiana, he was no stranger to Honey Island Swamp and zipped through the channels.

The gator above, Bacon, was the first of many we saw. Apparently he got his name after eating an entire pig on a tour! We only fed him marshmallows; I don't think he was disappointed. In fact, all of the gators we saw loved those sweet puffs. Including Priscilla, the largest gator in the swamp who hadn't been seen in a couple weeks, but decided to break her dessert fast for a treat.

Captain Jonathan reminded us that it's been decades since a human was endangered by a gator. So, even though they fed close to the boat, we weren't so nervous. That is until he said something about if the boat capsized we'd be fine as long as we weren't wearing white because it looks like a marshmallow. Gulp.

My sister and step-mom watch the reality show Swamp People, so they had all the idioms like "Give 'em a headache!" and "Choot 'em!" in their pocket. But on the tour, we were only observing. Which I felt we had to remind the good captain when he tried to get giant swamp spiders to climb/jump into the boat!

In addition to alligators, spiders, beautiful scenery, and prayers not to capsize, we saw wild pigs. They were doing what pigs do best––munch. Some of them were pretty cute, especially the baby ones. I couldn't help but think of a time dré, her husband, and I ate delicious wild boar at a restaurant in downtown Seattle. Just being honest!

Overall it was a great tour. Poor outfit choice, but great tour. I definitely recommend that you take a break from the Quarter and head to our side of Louisiana for a tour. Maybe Priscilla will even come say hello.

xo | din

shirt | Mossimo

shorts | Express

sandals | Mix No. 6

din's Travel Notes

Be sure to check out the souvenir shop! There are several great products such as local cooking spices and honey, home décor, and gator meat! I snagged these two sticks and a fleur d'lis for my apartment. I've had gator meat before (now that's a funny video!), but these two are mixed with other meat so we'll see how this experience goes. Who wants to try with me?

June 2015 Outtakes

Speaking life over every situation (including future ones!) has become din's focus. Be inspired to do the same here.

As you know, dré is now in the tropical land of Hawai'i. It may be giving Disneyland a run for it's money for being the happiest place on earth!

Old friends, new adventures. Summer is a time for movement––vacations, local site-seeing, and relocations. Don't fear, we got you covered for style inspiration wherever you are! Whether it's beach ready (see below) or hanging out with friends (see above), we'll have easy hair tutorials and fun new nail art for you to try.

This is the Dinner in the Sky attraction that was available at the Qatar International Food Festival. Would you ever take to these heights to enjoy a meal? Comment below and then revisit din's stylish visit in "Qatari Royale" here.

dré's rocking a beach bod in Hawai'i and what pairs better than a suit to make a splash? Revisit "Ala Moana" to see how you can snag this suit for yourself!

No matter what city––currently Honolulu and DC–– we're in, we're still two girls who are eager to share with you our love for personal style and adventure! Thanks for reading!

xoxo | drédin

Qatari Royale

The weather in the DC Metro area has been wild. Basically, all of California's rain has been rerouted here, meanwhile all the expected spring to summer drizzles are still occurring. I tried think back to when the weather was a little more steady (versus hot days, stormy nights) and I recalled my visit to Qatar. 

One of the many activities I did while in the Middle East this past March was attend the Qatar International Food Festival. Along with my dear friend, Stik, I watched a live cooking show, ate Arabic ice cream, gift shopped, and enjoyed the sun. Although I didn't participate, there was a sold out Dinner In the Sky experience, too. Very intriguing!

The man sitting above is a jewelry vendor. While he makes bracelets out of gum tree, he sings. Stik often sees and hears him in the souk, so she wanted me to hear his songs. (One in particular, but he didn't end up singing that tune.) What's interesting is that I purchased some bracelets from his son in the souk a day or so prior––I'll tell you about those soon! Together they have a very successful family business, I'd say!

xo | din

PxSx The dhows that are anchored are there for historical purposes. In their former life, these boats were used for sailing, fishing, or transporting goods.

cardigan | Staring at the Stars

maxi dress | Topshop

sandals | Mix No. 6

bag | Mossimo

The Cookout

Yesterday's cookout was a lot of fun. I feel like I'm on repeat when I say that I'm so blessed by the connections I've made at my church. Many of my friends either served, are serving, or know someone who has served in the military, so it was quite special to enjoy each others' company in a way that was respectful to all who sacrificed for our freedom.

If you've ever put on a uniform, or watched a loved one walk out the door in one, thank you.

As you can see, my afternoon attire was kept ultra simple. Proudly wrapped my hair in our grand ol' flag, applied a smooth like butter lipstick, shades, and was on my way. I appreciated how comfortable this laid-back look was––perfect for a cookout!

Enjoy your day!

xo | din

scarf | Zulily
tank | H&M
cross-body clutch | Miztique
running skirt | Vogo
slip-ons | MIA
lipstick | Kevyn Aucoin 'Jorjia'

photos | cindy lou

[Reformed] Mallrat

These joggers are another purchase from River Island's Doha, Qatar location. Although it's possible to shop online, it was fun to actually visit one of the stores––yes, even though it was in a mall! I've definitely grown out of the "let's go to the mall" phase. (Growing up in central Washington, there really wasn't much else to do!) My preference is small boutique stores or shopping online. I'd choose either of these over a mall any day!

How about you? How do you get your fashion fix––malls or online shopping?

xo | din

If you grew up cruising the mall like me, check out this article from The Atlantic (Feb. 2015) on how malls in America are taking a shift.

bowler hat | boohoo.com
cardigan | H&M
tank |  Socialite (try this style)
joggers | River Island (Doha, Qatar)
heels | Jessica Simpson

photos | cindylou

Dune Bash

We sent our location to Stik's sister for good measure!

Ladies and gentlemen, camel riding at its finest. Okay. So I had to share all of these photos because I find them to be HIGHlarious! Cannot stop cracking up every time I look at them. (You're laughing, too; I just know it.) Have you ever rode a camel before? Tell me about your experience in the comments below!

Want another good laugh? Push play on the video below.

(This dune bashing video works best on a non-mobile desktop version of the blog.)

As I mentioned in my last post, one of the items that came with the desert safari package was FREE henna! I got the "mobile" (mo-bi-el). It's named this because it shows when you're on the phone. Hello, hello!

The lady was so talented. She completed each person's design in under 30 seconds. She even gave a little boy a scorpion tattoo! 7elwa?

Once we were all dolled up, we sat down for dinner in traditional Arab style seating and waited for the the entertainment to begin!

Belly dancing

Traditional Tanura dance

Tanura dancer's costume change mid spin

This beautiful Arab man was on fiyah!

Did it get hot or was there a fire thrower performing near our table? 

All of the entertainment in this desert safari package kept me energized. I laughed, ran barefoot in the sand, got painted, was well fed and entertained. Definitely worth the half-day experience, especially at the cost (99 AED)!

So as you can see, there was a huge bash out in the dunes of Dubai. Wanna go check it out yourself? Be sure to consider my travel tips below!

xo | din

top | Topshop
fleur d'lis necklace | H&M
ring | B.Side Jewelry
cuff | T. Omari Leatherworks (also seen here)
pleated skirt | Forever 21
sandals | Steve Madden
backpack | Perlina


din's Travel Notes
Your safari package will most likely include a camel ride. Be prepared that it will most likely be a short 3-5 minute ride max. If you inquire about riding a second time, the camel keeper (the man guiding them) will most likely tell you that you have to pay additional fee. Do not pay it. Most likely he's going to pocket it and, unless you're able to be generous, it's not worth it. The pictures above are from our second ride (we asked fellow tourists to take our pictures versus paying for the not-so-great pictures the company folks were taking). Although we were told we could ride twice, the camel keeper wanted us to pay. After we got down from the camels, we collected our phone and walked to our seats for dinner. He didn't come looking for us. One final thought, animal rights are but a dream. Be forewarned as you'll see these camels working hard for long periods of time.

*The videos in this post play best on a computer desktop version of our blog.