BATB – a beauty, style, and travel blog

Pampered & Polished with Crown & Mane and Tampa Nails

I was invited out for an influencer night (thanks Alex <3) of pampering and polishing and the timing could NOT have been better! I truly needed it. From the girl talk to the beautifying and all of the snacks, it was a perfect evening!

We first stopped to get our nails done and get a major sneak peek at the newest and largest location of Tampa Nails, which has the most dip and gel colors I’ve ever seen…no lie. There are literally thousands to choose from. So if you are picky gal like me, get in here! The service is excellent and there’s no shortage of color choices. It is a locally owned and operated chain with four locations spanning South Tampa to Seminole Heights. After last night, I have a feeling the spacious Westshore location is going to become my fave 🙂

After our mani / pedis, we hopped over to Hyde Park Village to check out one of their newest retailers, the Crown & Mane salon. It is owned and operated by some of the nicest local ladies in Tampa, and their focus on personalized pampering really sets them apart!

Unlike most big-box blow-dry bars, each treatment at Crown & Mane is practically custom. The stylists take the time to understand your concerns and address your needs. After a quick consultation, you are allowed to choose whatever your heart desires. If you don’t see what you want on the menu, you can request your own creation. You are not restricted by style selection!

The staff here also recognizes that no two heads of hair are alike. When going in for a salon or spa treatment involving my hair, I usually have to warn whoever I am seeing that there is a lot of it #longhairdontcare Therefore, I’ve always had to carve out extra time for treatments. But Crown and Mane immediately suggested tag-teaming both my blow-out and style, to which I happily agreed!

As someone who does their own blow outs bi-weekly (it is always a battle), I can tell you that having someone else do it for you is the ultimate luxury. Two people styling my hair at once made it twice as luxurious! And although I started after my friends, we were all finished within minutes of each another. A salon that respects your personal style and time is one that I can get behind.

We were able to meet and mingle with two of the three salon owners, Kelly and Tanja, all evening. They had a killer display of charcuterie, cupcakes, and champagne (they know they way to a girls heart) from neighboring Fig & Julep and Sprinkles. Kelly and Tanja were not only unbelievably gracious hostesses, but also knowledgeable and fun!

We shut down the salon, which operates SEVEN days a week (check their site for full details) and truly caters to their customers! They tout a bespoke blowout, and they delivered. Our end results and smiles speak for themselves. Give them a try next time you are preparing for a special event or just a treat-yourself-Tuesday 😉

Special thanks to Tampa Nails and Crown & Mane for all the love…we will be back! ❤

XX Hannah

Just for Fun…

Starting the week on a Tuesday put me in a really good mood…until I remembered I’m working a medical conference by myself over the weekend. Send help! #storyofmylife

Still, sleeping in on a Monday always gives me something to smile about. Just like this entire look. It is a FEEL good ‘fit!

What you’re wearing can really transform your mood. At least that has always been true for me. If I like what I’ve got on, it makes everything better. If I hate what I’m wearing, we’re in for a LONG night.

This “fall in Florida” transition look (cruelest joke ever–fall in Florida) made me feel somewhat playful and a lot lighter, and it definitely shows.

What also might show are maybe some sweat stains 😐 It was 90 degrees and full humidity the day Nina and I shot this. Despite all of that, I was still jumping around and smiling full force. Because that’s how much I’m feeling all of these pieces.

Let’s break it down really quick: camo shirt jacket, perfect for warmer climates. Army green dress, totally trending and looks good with sneakers and heels. Cat-eye aviators, still crushing on these SO hard. Light gold hoops, won’t hurt your ears, but will show up in your hair. And last but not least, these blink-and-you’ll-miss-it iridescent gold tennis shoes. They are not boring white, but they are understated.

Safe to say I’ll be reworking these pieces throughout my fall wardrobe. Because they put me in a good mood. And I need all the good moods I can get nowadays! 😉

XX Hannah

Nina Grace Photography

St. Pete Staycation

We are so fortunate in Florida to have some really beautiful beaches and resorts “within reach”…and some of my favorites just happen to be pink (how perfect is that?) 😉

The Vinoy Renaissance in St. Petersburg is one of the those fabulous, pink resorts that always seems to capture my heart. Located on the bay in downtown St. Pete, it is a short 30 minute drive from Tampa, but can really feel worlds away if you let it!

Although we technically only spent the day here, it was just enough time to let go and get caught up with two of my best friends. We used to do weekend trips to Palm Beach (I’m ready to go back whenever y’all are!), but it seems like everyone’s schedules are more jam-packed than ever. These days are few and far between now, so it makes me treasure the time we get to spend together that much more.

The hotel is currently undergoing some major renovations, but the pool has already been completed, and it is such a fun spot to spend a sunny day at. There are gorgeous water views, plenty of pool boys to bring your drinks, and very generous pink lounges (you can see that three girls easily fit on just two chairs)… I mean, what more can a gal ask for?!

I have an idea… 😉 We really wanted to take advantage of everything the hotel had to offer, so we booked spa treatments that just happened to coordinate with the summer rain showers we experience almost every afternoon. The timing was honestly perfect. After a few pool drinks, lots of laughs, and plenty of sun (it doesn’t take long here), we gladly headed into the cool, dark day spa and let the real relaxation begin.

I was WAY overdue for a massage (driving everyday can do a number on you), so I opted for a custom Moroccanoil massage, which was a full-body with some deep-tissue focused specifically on my areas of concern. I’ve used Moroccanoil for years on my hair and skin and LOVE the unique woodsy, slightly chocolate-ly scent that the oil has. It warms up in your hands and having someone rub it all over my body was truly a treat! I didn’t even mind some of it getting in my hair 🙂 I would highly recommend this treatment, especially after drying your skin out in the sun and pool.

After our spa sesh, we had worked up an appetite, and headed over to Paul’s Landing for a late lunch. It is one of several restaurant options on-site, but by far the tastiest and best view! I ordered the fish of the day, blackened red-snapper (my fave <3), and I can honestly say that it was some of the best snapper I’ve had here in Florida. I find all too often–even in some of the nicer restaurants–that my fish is overcooked. I was really impressed with my dish and the decor was adorable, a win-win in my book.

It was still raining while we ate, so we had to head back to the spa and enjoy the jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms (bummer)! Although it was a designated ‘quiet area,’ we had the entire place to ourselves, so we may have been a little louder than is considered appropriate. The spa has yet to undergo renovations, but it does the trick, and it was the best way to escape the thunderstorms.

Unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end, and we decided around 5:30 we should probably wrap things up. One of my favorite features of the Vinoy–and definitely the best way to end any day there–is the veranda. Sitting in the rocking chairs or at the bar (yes, there’s a full-service bar that also dishes out food) and taking in some last minute views of the harbor is the way to go.

I can honestly say our “staycation” was truly a day for mind, body, and soul, and was desperately needed. My abs seriously hurt from laughing (or maybe from actually working out again… we’ll never know)! We are already planning our next “day-cation” and hoping it lives up to the experience we had here at the Vinoy!

Special to the Vinoy Concierge for letting us hang around all day 😉

XX Hannah

Molly’s swimsuit: Aerie
Stephi’s swimsuit: L*Space
My swimsuit: Inamorata